Worldwide Golf May 2020

T H E M I D D L E E A S T ’ S N O .1 G O L F M A G A Z I N E

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Worldwide Golf

M AY

2020

RYDER CUP DEBATE

PAUL MCGINLEY

SUMMER MEMBERSHIPS

MOUSA SHANA’AH

THE EUROPEAN TOUR WILL BE OKAY

SHOULD IT BE P YED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?

THE MIDDLE EAST’S NEXT HOTSHOT

SIZZLING OFFERS ACROSS THE UAE

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MIGUEL ÁNGEL JIMÉNEZ

THE COOLEST MAN IN GOLF REFLECTS ON A VINTAGE CAREER

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT THE SOUTH AFRICAN HAS THE MAJOR BUG AND IS DREAMING OF AUGUSTA

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EXECUTIVE EDITOR

If we can get events up and running from July golf will be one of the first sports to pave the way back to some form of normality.

Damned if you do – damned if you don’t Should Governments ease the lockdown strategy and open up their economies around the world or should they take the cautious route and postpone golf tournaments for safety’s sake?

R

IGHT now, world golf is facing a dilemma that no sport has ever encountered before. Looking back through the centuries there has been an almost continuous series of pandemics that have killed millions of people. But this corona-virus is like no other.

As governments around the globe agonise over deciding whether to continue the lockdown for safety’s sake or to ease the self-isolation, stay at home restrictions and encourage people to get back into work and restart their economies.

The European and PGA Tours are in a ‘Damned if you do – and damned if you don’t’ situation where they have had to postpone valuable iconic golf tournaments or cancel them altogether.

With the governmental-required costly procedures making it unrealistically expensive to stage a traditional golf tournament and with little or no revenue coming in from television coverage and sponsorship it seems a daunting proposition.

Also, with the lockdown in place, it makes it almost impossible for the players to be in the right place at the right time to be able to compete.

Air travel is hugely difficult at the moment and many players are reluctant to fly around the world and risk the chance of catching the virus.

At the moment I am enjoying the countryside on the outskirts of Philadelphia with my family. I’m getting plenty of exercise and I recently played a round of golf at the nearby golf club – the first time I’ve played golf for seven weeks. I’ve never had a break from the game for as long as that ever before.

I’m looking forward to The Masters and hoping

that by the second week in November will be conducive for tournament golf. With the Bermuda grass and the traditionally cold weather it’s going to be a totally different Augusta than the one we have been used to for so many years.

I understand that there is to be a charity skins game later this month, the TaylorMade Driving Relief, played at Seminole Golf Club, Juno Beach, in Florida, between Rory McIlroy and Dustin Harding and Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff. It will be interesting to see how they manage the event.

It will also be interesting to see how the PGA Championship figures. I understand that they are preparing for what will be the first Major of the year on August 6 at Harding Park Golf Club in San Francisco.

Things are changing on a day-by-day basis, so it’s difficult to make plans in advance when some states in the USA are welcoming golf tournaments, while governors of other states prefer to continue with the lockdown strategy.

Both arguments are valid but where life and death decisions are at stake it’s almost impossible to come to the right conclusion.

I have fought and won many battles of my own and I’m sure we can win this war with the corona-virus but we all need to be well-armed.

We should make every effort to conquer obesity and diabetes, particularly with youngsters, so they can be fit and healthy to withstand the pandemic.

I was recently awarded the Presidential Medal for Freedom, which I regard as the greatest honour I have received in my lifetime.

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CONTENTS 12

COLUMN

COLUMN

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COLUMN

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37

Starter

David Howell

Pete Cowen

Adri Arnaus

Aside from sharing some impressive statistics and news, we take a look at the spectacular course ‘The Links’ at Fancourt in South Africa, which hosted the 2003 Presidents Cup.

The European Tour veteran explains how golf has made an impact on every aspect of his life and why you can’t help but love it for so many reasons.

The iconic coach was struck down with COVID-19 and it got so painful that he asked his wife to give him a pill to end it all. She fortunately rejected!

The Spaniard has been reading about mental and spiritual growth, baking and doing yoga during lockdown in his homeland but he’s ready to put golf back at the top of his priorities.

26

Louis Oosthuizen The South African superstar gives us the lowdown on his Open Championship triumph in 2010, his work with Worldwide Golf columnist Pete Cowen and what lies ahead for the golfing world after the COVID-19 pandemic.

22

30

32

Paul McGinley

Miguel Ángel Jiménez

Christiaan Bezuidenhout

The European Tour stalwart talks about the Tour’s future, Rory and Rahm’s battle for supremacy and how Sir Alex Ferguson played an instrumental role when he captained Europe to glory in the 2014 Ryder Cup.

The coolest man in golf gives us his thoughts on a range of topics from the highlight of his illustrious career to how many cigars he smokes a week!

It’s been a memorable 12 months for the Springbok starlet with a maiden European Tour title last summer and an invitation to make his debut at this year’s Masters. The youngster is preparing to keep his momentum going as a busy end to 2020 looms large.

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CONTENTS 56

UAE Summer Offers

58

We give you the lowdown on the sizzling summer offers available in the UAE to help you choose where you’ll be teeing it up over the next few months.

What safety procedures are in place at UAE golf clubs post lockdown?

Jordan Smith ventured out to Ajman to play the stunning Al Zorah Golf Club after the lockdown was finished to see what the experience was like and how safe it was.

38 GEAR

Flightscope Mevo Plus We find out all about the new Flightscope launch monitor that comes at a much more affordable price than you’d expect.

Trottie’s TaylorMade Tour takeover We speak to TaylorMade’s Global Sports Marketing Director Chris Trott about his top five drivers of all time and life on the Tour truck.

PXG Tour Prototype Driver PXG have made an announcement which will once again get the golfing realm talking but it will only be limited release so act quick if you want this special prototype.

My Favourite Club

Titleist T400

Tour professionals, celebrities and local golfers reveal their favourite golf club of all time and what made it stand out from the rest.

Titleist have launched their high-end T400 performance iron which is half the price of the CNCPT iron but still packs the punch and looks sublime.

46 INSTRUCTION

Louis Oosthuizen Swing Sequence

Yasin Ali from JA The Resort looks at the South African’s swing which is one of the finest in the sport.

Why most golfers don’t improve

Manipulating your swing effectively isn’t something that can be done overnight. Alex Riggs gives advice on the best ways to improve.

How to lower scores through putting

Putting often gets forgotten about in practice but could make the difference to your rounds.

52

Mousa Shana’ah

The UAE has a new starlet on the rise with 12-year-old Mousa Shana’ah earning plenty of plaudits for his sensational ability, confidence, composure, and dedication to the game.

60

Dominic Foos The Dubai-based professional is fully focussed on earning his European Tour playing privileges after a longer than expected stint on the Challenge Tour.

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64

Celebrity Dinner Party Andy Sullivan is as hilarious as you’d expect when he reveals how his Celebrity Dinner Party would unfold.

Could fourball events be the way to televise golf?

BY ALEX GALLEMORE, EDITOR

W

ITH lockdowns and social distancing now part of everyday life, the Tours need to think outside the box to keep events alive. It costs around $150 for each test and players, along with their caddies, need testing every day of each tournament.

The tours would also need to test everyone officiating during tournament week. That would include everyone from television crews to marshals.

Prior to the Covid-19 lockdowns, large scale events would require around 500 people on the course each day to assist the running and operating of a tournament. With a player field exceeding 140 players that would be around 650 tests a day totalling $97,500 per day. If the PGA Championship were to resume in August it could cost the USPGA close to $1million just in testing alone.

Outside of television revenue, the Majors normally generate huge amounts through ticket sales but with the travel restrictions in place and social distancing that cash will be heavily reduced. Or, more than likely, all events will be played behind closed doors if the events get the go-ahead.

This leaves me to believe that the events could be restructured to feed the TV hungry golf fans, while limiting costs and safeguarding all concerned. In Europe, most of the Tour players are under lockdown in their home countries, with the exception of the likes of McIlroy and Poulter who reside mainly in America. Rory, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff will be teeing it up in the first televised event since the Players Championship was cancelled on the 12th of March.

The $3million charity skins event supported by TaylorMade is providing much needed financial support for the Covid-19 relief

effort in America but it also lights the way for a new format for televising golf.

In the UK alone there are a host of great names unable to compete, such as Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Wallace. So, why not hold a series of knock-out events with a national final. You could have an English Open split into four regional qualifying events held over a single day. Each one would be an invitational fourball based on Official World Ranking points. The winner of each region would go through to the final of the English Open. This would give events a lifeline and a means to feed audiences that are crying out for any form of live golf.

Following one group might not be the same as a challenging leaderboard over four days but the global audience for the TaylorMade skins game will be huge as there is no alternative. The other plus side at the moment to fourball events is the fraction of resources required to implement testing and broadcasting.

We could have the winners of the English, Scottish and Irish Opens battle it out over two days for the British Masters title. Just go through the European Tour schedule and it would be far easier to negate the political red tape and costs to run regional fourball qualifying events than trying to put a full field event back in play this year.

Television coverage means happy sponsors, which would generate funds enabling the Tours to survive the pandemic until some sort of normality returns. It could create a lifeline for professional golf.

I’m sure golf followers would prefer to watch a stripped-down version of the professional game rather than wait for things to get automatically better.

ISSUE No.225 MAY 2020 • Published by: Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd • Published in Dubai by: Prografix • PO Box 24677 • Dubai, UAE (Tel) +9714 340 3785 Editor-in-Chief: Mike Gallemore • Executive Editor: Gary Player • Editor: Alex Gallemore (alex@wspglobal.com) Publisher: Mike Gallemore (mike@wspglobal.com) • General Manager Dubai: Richard Bevan (rick@wspglobal.com) • Editors: Todd Staszko, Scott Grayston, Thomas Wragg, Ashraf Ahmed, Jordan Smith • Production/Design Editor: Thameem Rayyan • Editorial Panel: Gary Player, Mike Gallemore, Alex Gallemore, Richard Bevan, Todd Staszko • Photography: Getty Images • June 2009 SSN 1- 46805671 • Approval UAE National Media Council: Ref.816 30/5/2007 Trade Licence No. 1/104375/15280 • Worldwide Golf specifies that post-press changes may occur to any information given in this publication and takes no responsibility for goods or services advertised.

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THE MOST SPECTACU R LOCATIONS FOR GOLF

THE COURSE The Links at

Fancourt AS the professional Tours continue to work out a route back to action, we’re turning our attention to some of the most attractive courses around the world that have hosted elite events in the past – and The Links at Fancourt delivers on all counts.

W

ITH its design overseen by Gary Player, The Links at Fancourt has been firmly established as one of the finest layouts in the world and – despite its beautifully natural looking terrain – it was all totally man-made.

Player, alongside co-designer Phil Jacobs, were given permission by the Fancourt Estate’s new owners to create a links-style course. With more than 700,000 cubic yards of ground to play with, they sculpted it as they pleased to create a routing with dunes, undulating fairways and pot bunkers most commonly found on British seaside courses.

First opened in 2000, it wasn’t long before praise started to pour in for the course and in 2003 it played host to The Presidents Cup as Player led his team of Internationals against a Jack Nicklauscaptained United States team.

The course provided a stunning backdrop as the two teams played out a memorable draw in fading sunlight. It has since hosted the South African Open, the Women’s World Cup and the European Tour’s Volvo Golf Champions.

The celebrated course has long been lauded for its role in environmental sustainability and was awarded an accreditation as a Certified Audubon Cooperation Sanctuary.

This certification necessitated a degree of ecological value that includes wildlife and habitat management, outreach and education, chemical usage reduction and safety and water conservation.

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STARTER

SHAKE ON IT: International team Captain Gary Player and USA Captain Jack Nicklaus agree to share the honours after a 1717 draw at The 2003 Presidents Cup at The Links at Fancourt.

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STARTER

QUICK

HITS THROWING SHADE: Golf ’s greatest passiveaggressive put-downs.

“The US Ryder Cup team is 11 nice guys and Paul Azinger.” – Seve Ballesteros ahead of the 1991 matches at Kiawah Island.

“The King of Gamesmanship doesn’t like me? Good, that’s a feather in my cap.”

– Azinger’s response to Seve’s remarks.

“He hasn’t won a Major since I’ve been out here.” – Brooks Koepka on any perceived rivalry with Rory McIlroy.

“There’s nothing sweeter than beating the Americans.” – Sergio Garcia after a third successive Ryder Cup win at The K Club in 2006.

“I’m not even sure that he is a polarizing figure.

I mean, the first thing I said after he’d won in Mexico this year was ‘There is no God’.”

– David Feherty reacts to Patrick Reed’s continued success on Tour.

“I walked with a broken leg, so…” – Tiger Woods on hearing John Daly’s request to use a golf buggy to compete in the 2019 US PGA.

TIGER WOODS: RUNNING RUINED MY BODY GOLF ICON TIGER WOODS HAS CANDIDLY ADMITTED THAT IF HE COULD GO BACK IN TIME TO HIS EARLY YEARS ON TOUR HE WOULD ALTER HIS WORKOUT TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF MILES HE RAN. “RUNNING OVER 30 MILES A WEEK FOR PROBABLY MY FIRST FIVE OR SIX YEARS ON TOUR PRETTY MUCH DESTROYED MY BODY AND KNEES,” ADMITTED THE 15-TIMES MAJOR WINNER IN A RECENT GOLFTV Q&A. WOODS HAS HAD A TOTAL OF FIVE SURGICAL PROCEDURES ON HIS LEFT KNEE, WHICH HE FAMOUSLY AGGRAVATED EN ROUTE TO VICTORY AT THE 2008 US OPEN AT TORREY PINES.

Teeing it up

News, Facts and Figures from around the world

PGA Tour player Scottie Scheffler wins caddy charity event in Texas Rookie wins 54hole tournament with Viktor Hovland also in the field Four birdies in the last seven holes helped 23-year-old Scottie Scheffler win the Maridoe Samaritan Fund Invitational in Texas – an event which included PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour plus amateur players which raised money for the local caddies. World No.57 Vikor Hovland finished third while former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo finished 39th out of 51.

Rory and Dustin to play charity skins event

Royal Greens Director of Golf runs the London Marathon at home 26 mile challenge completed in just over 3-and-a-half hours on a treadmill and raised money for charity.

Ben Stimson, Director of Golf at Royal Greens Golf Club in Saudi Arabia completed the London Marathon at home on his treadmill in a time of 3:30:49 and raised over £3,000 for UK charity Scope. “Running a marathon was a bucket list objective and it’s always something I wanted to achieve,” he said. “I’m delighted to have raised over £3,000 for Scope.”

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Major winning duo will play against Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff on live TV. Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson will play an 18-hole skins game against Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff on May 17 in Florida to raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts.

“It’s been difficult to witness what so many people have been enduring over the last several weeks due to the corona-virus pandemic,” McIlory said.

“I hope that we can provide some respite and entertainment for those tuning in across the globe.”

US PGA Championship venue re-opens Harding Park in San Francisco has been closed since mid-March TPC Harding Park has been re-opened for play – with strict social distancing measures in place – giving fans hope that the re-arranged PGA Championship will be able to take place in its new spot in the schedule on 6th August.

“The plan is to host the event as normally as possible, with fans, obviously, and have a fairly normal PGA Championship at Harding Park,” said PGA Chief Executive Seth Waugh.

“But if the safest way, and/or the only way to do it is without fans, we’re fully prepared to do that.”

STARTER

By Luke Donald

HOW TO RECOVER FROM A BAD GOLF SHOT All weekend warriors and even Tour pros encounter the odd difficult moment out on the course when it’s hard to control anger and emotions. Dwelling on mistakes doesn’t help anything, and the mental side of the sport can be the most challenging to master. Here, former World No.1, Luke Donald, explains the best way to recover from a bad shot or hole so it doesn’t ruin your round.

“Golf is a very difficult game and you’re always going to struggle a little bit here and there,” said Donald on Peter Finch Golf’s YouTube channel.

“We all hit bad shots and have bad holes but I think it’s important to realise that every shot is individual so just because you’ve hit a bad one, the next one doesn’t have to be bad too. It’s very easy to go to that dark hole of bad self-talk with thoughts like: “Here we go again…”/ “What am I doing?”/ “How do I get out of this?”

“It happens to professionals as well as amateurs but I think it’s very important to change that language and attitude.

Even just with good posture – getting your shoulders back and looking up can help. (Former England cricketer) Michael Vaughan spoke to Rory McIlroy after his nightmare at Augusta in 2011 and said your posture is looking really down because your shoulders are down and slumped. You just have to work on getting your posture back and looking up to the sky.

“Golf is a very difficult game and you’re always going to struggle a little bit here and there.”

“Having that inner self positive talk about what you want to achieve rather than what you want to avoid is half the battle. Try make everything more challenge orientated.

Say to yourself, ‘Watch this shot’, I’m going to show you how good a shot this is. If you start doing this, it’s likely you’ll start hitting better shots.”

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#WWGDEBATE

SHOULD THE

RYDER CUP GO AHEAD WITH NO FANS?

I

n a recent BBC Radio 5 Live interview the stars of the 2018 Ryder Cup for Team Europe – Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood – both admitted that this year’s Ryder Cup shouldn’t take place behind closed doors.

“The crowds are a huge part of the event so I’m sure the players would agree that it’s better to wait until we can have a proper Ryder Cup,” said Molinari, with Fleetwood adding: “The event cannot really happen without fans. It should be played in front of fans and the crowd because that’s all part of it. I don’t think any major sporting occasion works without fans.”

Golf is unique in that it is one of the few major sports that you can play without having to come into

physical contact with anyone and you can maintain social distancing in line with the official guidelines.

Therefore, the idea of the event going ahead at Whistling Straits in September is still on the cards – whether there will be fans attending or not.

Worldwide Golf spoke to European Tour star Adri Arnaus, local pros and journalists in the region to find out their thoughts on this intriguing debate...

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around the world are begging to have some sport on TV even if they can’t attend and I think the Ryder Cup fits into that bracket.

It’s 100 percent worth having. It might be a different atmosphere but the guys out there will want to win with or without a crowd.”

TODD STASZKO

Journalist Worldwide Golf

ADRI ARNAUS

European Tour star “NOT WORTH PLAYING WITHOUT FANS” “I was talking to Jon Rahm the other day about the situation, discussing and imagining what things are going to be like without fans in a tournament like the Ryder Cup. He, Rory and many players say that it will not be the same. It’s unfair for the Americans to not receive all the usual advantages of being hosts. As a player, I would also not want to play if that was the case. I’m still hopeful that I can make it to the team one day but I would want to experience the real thing where there are roars and cheers all around. Rahm expressed how amazing it feels on the first tee so I cannot see that being the same if there are no fans around! Hopefully we will find a way to make it happen, but it would be a shame if there are no fans. It would not feel like you are playing in America, it would just feel like you are playing in a golf course like any other and that says it all. If you are playing on a golf course in a team setup it goes down to more of a high school competition, there will be TV and cameras broadcasting it of course but the fans play such a big role that it would be a lot different and not as enjoyable.”

“THE RYDER CUP WOULD UNITE THE NATIONS THROUGH THIS TOUGH TIME.” “I think it would be a strange spectacle to have no fans on site and I know the players feed off the passion of the crowd, but even at less well attended events like the WGCMatch Play in Texas, the players still want to beat each other!” adds the Worldwide Golf Senior Editor. “With so much bad news this year and an array of huge events being cancelled, having the Ryder Cup would help lift the spirits of sports fans around the world and bring people together. Without the grandstands it would also highlight the amazing course at Whistling Straits and its stunning vistas out over Lake Michigan. If it can be done safely – why not? It’s only 24 players, vice captains, caddies, referees, a small number of player entourage and a TV crew that will he needed. It could work and I would think that more people would likely tune in than normal if there’s still a dearth of live sports come September.”

JAMIE MCCONNELL

Director of Instruction -Claude Harmon Performance Golf Academy “THE RYDER CUP 100 PERCENT WORTH HAVING – EVEN WITHOUT FANS.” “If things stay like they are for a long time and people are stuck at home then it’s definitely worth having the Ryder Cup without fans to give people something to look forward to,” says the Claude Harmon Performance Academy Director. “The event gives them the optimism of sport and brings back some sort of normality into people’s lives. Sport solely for TV purposes is not a bad thing when everyone’s in isolation. I’ve seen the UFC have rented a private island so they can put on a show, but in fairness I will pay to watch that because I’m a sport lover. A lot of people

STUART FEE

Head Teaching Professional - Leadbetter Golf Academy Dubai, JA The Resort

“IT SHOULDN’T GO AHEAD WITHOUT SPECTATORS.” “The Ryder Cup is nothing without the fans,” adds the JA Resort Golf Club teaching pro. “They are the ones that create the atmosphere and makes the players perform to an even higher level. Sport, in general, is for the fans, they create the atmosphere which athletes feed off. Take away the spectators and sport isn’t even half of what it would and should be. The Ryder Cup is possibly the greatest sporting show and the fans play a huge part in it so if spectators aren’t allowed to attend it should be postponed.”

MARTIN ROBINSON

PGA Teaching Professional - Address Montgomerie “THERE’S GOT BE A RYDER CUP – WITH OR WITHOUT FANS.” “My first response is not to have it without spectators as they are such an integral part of the Ryder Cup, and player’s interaction is what makes it,” says the Address Montgomerie teaching professional. “However, if there is a situation where we still have a lockdown in September, yet it was safe for the players, what a global stay-at-home form of entertainment it would be, the whole golfing world would be on it. It could be a way for golf to give back and maybe it could become a charitable event which could get everyone on board.”

JORDAN SMITH DANNY JAKUBOWSKI

Director of Instruction - Abu Dhabi Golf Club “FANS ARE TOO IMPORTANT TO THE EVENT TO NOT HAVE THEM.” “It’s going to be a hard no from me – the event shouldn’t happen without fans,” says the Abu Dhabi Group Director of Instruction. “Part of the event is (a) the crowd participation and ambience that is created on site and (b) the jeering, cheering and general involvement that the players attest is a huge part of the Ryder Cup and an essential element in the teams’ success. From a fans perspective I would still definitely watch on TV – and there’s no doubt it would be a great future Trivia question if it went ahead without fans!”

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Journalist Worldwide Golf “SOCIAL MEDIA AND TV RATINGS WOULD GO THROUGH THE ROOF.” “The fans do make the Ryder Cup – the atmosphere and buzz in the crowds as the players hole putts and rev the crowds up – it does make it special,” says the Worldwide Golf reporter. “If the options were to either cancel the tournament or just have it televised with no fans, I know what I’d be choosing! There might not be a buzz in the stands but imagine the hype in the digital world and social media – the TV ratings would go through the roof and with all the social media pages providing great content for everyone at home, it would still make it special.”

TOUR STARS READY FOR REMOTE COMPETITION IN BMW INDOOR INVITATIONAL POWERED BY TRACKMAN

E

uropean Tour players, including Martin Kaymer, Joost Luiten, Mike Lorenzo Vera, Lee Westwood and Bernd Wiesberger will go head-to-head from their own homes in the BMW Indoor Invitational powered by TrackMan, a new series of virtual golf tournaments using the latest simulator technology.

With regular tournament action currently suspended due to the ongoing global efforts against the spread of Coronavirus, many leading professionals have been turning to solutions at home, including the latest TrackMan software and simulators, to keep their golf game sharp.

The BMW Indoor Invitational powered by TrackMan will enable them to compete against each other, giving golf fans the chance to watch all the action on the European Tour’s social media channels.

The new series will consist of five one-round (18 holes) strokeplay tournaments played virtually on some of Europe’s most iconic golf courses, powered by TrackMan. Each tournament winner will receive $10,000 towards their chosen charity or relief fund, which has been helping communities impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Players will ‘play’ from their own home set-up over a three day period and the action will be edited and shown across the Tour’s social media channels every Saturday, starting from 9th May. The courses they will compete over include Wentworth, St Andrews Old Course, Royal Portrush and Valderrama.

Rufus Hack, the European Tour’s Chief Content Officer, said: “While the absolute priority for all of us has been, and continues to be, public health and well-being, we also recognise that golf fans are missing watching the leading players compete. Hopefully, the BMW Indoor Invitational powered by TrackMan can help fill the void and provide our fans with some entertainment across the next few weeks whilst also benefitting charities or relief funds, which have been so essential in the battle against Coronavirus.”

Jörn Plinke, Head of BMW Golfsport Marketing, said: “In a time when pro golf tours around the world are being forced to take a break, we are able to offer golf fans, as well as the pros themselves, a unique competition in the form of the BMW Indoor Invitational powered by TrackMan. We are looking forward to the coming weeks, an innovative format, and some exciting digital content.

THOMAS BJØRN APPOINTED TO THE BOARD OF THE EUROPEAN TOUR

T

homas Bjørn, the most successful Danish golfer in history and the victorious European Ryder Cup Captain at Le Golf National in 2018, has been appointed to the Board of the European Tour as a Non-Executive Director.

The 49-year old – nominated to the position by the Tour’s Tournament Committee – will bring important current player perspective to the Board, with 2020 being the Dane’s 25th consecutive season as a European Tour professional, having made his first appearance in 1996. During that time he has also served as Chairman of the Tournament Committee itself for a decade from 2007 to 2016, before stepping aside to concentrate on the build-up to his Ryder Cup Captaincy triumph in France two years ago.

A staunch supporter of European golf and the European Tour throughout his career, Bjørn’s time as Tournament Committee Chairman coincided with some of the most significant changes to the European Tour in its 48-year history.

The first one came in 2009 with the instigation of the Race to Dubai, a yearlong campaign which replaced the old Order of Merit and which crowned Europe’s Number One golfer at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

Following that, together with Chairman David Williams, who took up the post in 2014 and Chief Executive Keith Pelley, who was appointed a year later, Bjørn and the Tournament Committee oversaw the establishment of the Rolex Series, the premium event category on the Tour’s International Schedule.

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BY SCOTT GRAYSTON

McGinley on Rory, Rahm and The Ryder Cup

A

FTER experiencing such a long disruption in the international golfing calendar due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it was the perfect time to pick the brains of European Tour stalwart Paul McGinley. He’s involved in the European Tour Committee and explains how he thinks the Tour is in safe hands and will recover from this traumatic period. He also talks about the battle for supremacy between European stars Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, who are currently the top two ranked players in the world. We couldn’t leave out some Ryder Cup stories with the 2014 winning captain so he shared the story about getting Sir Alex Ferguson involved and how it benefitted the team at Gleneagles.

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PAUL McGINLEY HOW THE EUROPEAN TOUR CAN RECOVER FROM COVID-19 WITH the European Tour international schedule postponed until at least the end of July, due to COVID-19, McGinley is confident that the European Tour can bounce back from such a set-back after losing such a huge portion of its season.

“The European Tour will be okay,” says McGinley. “We recently had a board meeting and we’re in decent shape compared to most sporting bodies. Obviously, it’s not an ideal situation but we have a great deal of experience on the board and a lot of experience at senior level. The European Tour Chairman, David Williams, is incredibly experienced as is Chief Executive Keith Pelley.

“We are guiding our way through it, financially, and we are going to be okay but the longer it goes on, the tougher it’s going to be. We can’t move until the Government allows us to, wherever that may be in the world, and we also have to have proper testing or vaccine in place.

Unless one of these two things happen, it’s going to be very difficult for us to go back as a sport.”

Golf is supposed to be the safest sport to play with golf courses in the UAE reopening recently.

There has been talk of The Ryder Cup going ahead behind closed doors in September, which could be the catalyst for events going forward to follow a similar pattern.

SPORTS PLAYED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS “Every sport in 2020 has to face up to the reality that it’s highly unlikely that governments are going to allow mass gatherings of people, so if sports are going to be played and they are going to practice social distancing, they’re going to have to find a way of doing it behind closed doors,” adds the Irishman. “I know the PGA Tour are looking at that initially, so they’ve pencilled in four tournaments that they are aiming to play behind closed doors, so we will all be watching with interest of how they go on. If people enjoy them, that will open up the opportunity for tournaments later in the year to be played behind closed doors, too.

BENEFITS OF BEING A NON-CONTACT SPORT “Ideally, we don’t want to go down that road.It would ruin what golf stands for, but every sport is facing the same issues. We have half a chance with golf because it’s a non-contact sport and we can practice social distancing compared to other contact sports that cannot.”

GOLF HOPEFULLY RETURNING IN JUNE “When the PGA Tour returns, it will be a big test for golf. If they pull it off for three or four events where people have not been exposed and the government has been very supportive of what they’re doing, hopefully other governments might see that as the way forward and open it up to us (The European Tour) as well.”

“We are guiding our way through it, financially, and we are going to be okay but the longer it goes on, the tougher it’s going to be.”

PRESIDENT TRUMP BACKING SPORT The PGA Tour has essentially backed President Trump’s desire to have the USA broadly functioning in the face of numerous medical warnings. The Charles Schwab Challenge, at Fort Worth is due to take place on June 11, with on-site testing for coronavirus in place and no spectators allowed to attend. Hopefully, this goes well and opens up the door for the European Tour. Within America you have a very proactive President who’s trying to open

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up the lockdown and open up sport,” says the 2014-winning Ryder Cup Captain at Gleneagles.

“Therefore, golf is pushing at an open door at the moment, in terms of getting the support from the government.

“The guys in the USA, and living in Florida in particular, are able to play golf most days because the courses haven’t closed over there, so there’s a big advantage for those guys if we do go back to professional golf again compared to the European players.”

BATTLE FOR SUPREMACY Rory McIlroy overtook Brooks Koepka to return to World No.1 in February after more than 1,600 days outside the summit.

The 30-year-old enjoyed one of the most consistently spectacular seasons of his careers in 2019 winning the FedEx Cup and being named the PGA Tour Player of the Year.

Everything seems to have really come into place for the Ulsterman.

“I’ve never seen Rory play better,” McGinley says. “I think he’s maturing all the time as a golfer and is comfortable with what he’s doing and has ownership of his own game. He doesn’t make the game complicated and he looks like he still has ambition and this is key.

NOBODY PLAYS THE GAME BETTER “If he keeps the ambition, there’s no reason why in the next five years he can’t dominate world golf because nobody plays the game better than he does.

“There are a few who are close to him, like Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Dustin Johnson, but the separating factor is the ambition and keeping the fire inside you burning brightly.”

McGinley is a huge fan of current World No.2 Rahm and believes the Spaniard has a masterplan to not only overtake McIlroy as the World No.1 but also to become the greatest Spanish player of all time.

“Rory’s in great shape but there’s no doubt that he’s going to have challenges.”

“Rory’s in great shape but there’s no doubt that he’s going to have challenges,” says McGinley. “I think the biggest challenger in the next five years is going to be Rahm. The Spaniard plays a powerful game and there’s no weakness.

“He has a huge desire, a huge ambition and

when you get to the very top, that’s that’s what separates the best from the rest. I think Rahm has got that. He’s not going to stop until he becomes World No.1 and wins several Majors.

“I don’t think money is motivation for him.

He’s very aware of following in the footsteps of Spain’s greats, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sergio Garcia and, particularly, Seve Ballesteros.

“He’s well aware of their records and he wants to be he most dominant Spanish player of all time and I think he’s on a crusade to do that.

“That’s what keeps his fire burning – it’s not money or PGA Tour titles that keeps him motivated, it’s putting his name down in history as the greatest Spanish player of all time.”

The 25 year old has six European Tour and three PGA Tour titles to his name and finished third in the US Open last season. It seems to be only be a matter of time before he becomes a Major champion because he has the right people around him and the right surroundings to prosper right to the very top in the sport.

EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE “He’s very happy in his personal life,” McGinley adds. “He’s just got married to the girl he met at college in America. He didn’t know a word of English when he went to Arizona State so he’s come a long way since he started college seven years ago.

“He’s got a lot of great things in place: a good management team around him, good physical trainers, a great relationship with his wife, he’s living in a warm climate in Arizona where he’s comfortable in his surroundings, he goes back to Spain a lot – everything is in place for him to elevate into the top echelon of golf.

“You’d be a brave man to argue against him becoming World No.1 at some stage. He’s the real deal and is the most exciting player to come on the scene since McIlroy.

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PAUL McGINLEY

HOW SIR ALEX FERGUSON HELPED EUROPE WIN THE RYDER CUP Sir Alex Ferguson is arguably the greatest football manager of all time, but few people know that he has also made an impact on the golf scene by guiding and mentoring Paul McGinley during his 2014 Ryder Cup captaincy for Europe.

“I didn’t have all the answers when I was made Ryder Cup Captain so I liked the idea of having some mentors around me for advice because managing elite players is not easy,” says McGinley. “I looked around and Sir Alex Ferguson had just retired from Manchester United and I’d played golf with him 10 years previously, so I thought he would be a guy who I could do with having on my shoulder.

“Even if we only met up for two or three times over the two-year period, I could ask him some questions and that’s what I did.

“We had lunches and two or three meetings and I would get all the questions prepared for him that I wanted to get his insight on. For example one of them was, I’d played in three Ryder Cup teams myself and I was always number 6 to 12 in the team and never one of those elite players.

MANAGING SUPERSTARS “Therefore, how do you manage the superstars? How did he manage Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes? How do I manage Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood – those kinds of players, because they are on a different level to what I was.

“I understood how to manage a rookie such as Stephen Gallacher who came into the team because I was that kind of solider myself! They were the kind of things I was looking for.”

McIlroy and Graeme McDowell are huge Manchester United fans so the decision to get ‘Fergie’ involved in the 2014 team made an emphatic impact on them.

“Rory was happy with the decision!”

McGinley adds. “Sir Alex came up to speak to the players on the Tuesday night around some principles and challenges that I knew we were going to be facing, so I asked him to talk about it. He gave us a lot of good insight and it was a fun evening.

“He had dinner with us that night and it was a good bit of craic because not everybody is a Manchester United fan! Caddies like Billy Foster were giving him a bit of stick because he’s a Leeds United fan and was not happy

“He certainly wasn’t intimidating and didn’t take over the room. He wanted to make sure that it wasn’t all about him and he wanted to be in the background. It was nice to have him in our corner and be there to help me with any questions that I knew I’d be facing.” with Sir Alex stealing Eric Cantona the way he did! It was all good fun.”

Ferguson went back to Manchester to watch the Ryder Cup on the television for the first two days of action and texted McGinley on the Saturday night with the advice: ‘not to be complacent – that’s your biggest enemy now,’ after they had built a four-point lead going into the final day.

Fergie travelled to Gleneagles on the Sunday with his son to see Team Europe lift the trophy after they defeated Tom Watson’s USA team 16.5 to 11.5 points.

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“Sir Alex came into our team room after the victory and had a nice glass of wine before hitting the road back to Manchester,” recalls McGinley. “We were happy to have him involved and he was an important part of our team. The players all enjoyed being around him and felt very comfortable in his presence.

“He certainly wasn’t intimidating and didn’t take over the room. He wanted to make sure that it wasn’t all about him and he wanted to be in the background. It was nice to have him in our corner and be there to help me with any questions that I knew I’d be facing.” ■

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LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN

Louis Oosthuizen

Springbok

BY THOMAS WRAGG

C

O VID-19 has caused chaos across the golfing world with no professional event played since The Players Championship in March, which was cut short after just one round due to the global pandemic. But there is now hope in sight with the PGA Tour recently announcing they would restart their season in June while the PGA Championship, US Open and The Masters Tournament have all been scheduled for later in the year. It’s welcome news for golfers and golf fans alike but former Open Champion, Louis Oosthuizen, revealed, exclusively to Worldwide Golf, there will be some ‘hard choices to make’ in scheduling the remainder of the season.

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Louis Oosthuizen blew away the field at The 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews.

“I

think once we get going again and we know exactly what events will be taking place then we can start to piece together a new schedule for the remainder of the season,” said the South African, when we caught up in a Zoom interview.

“It’s going to be a crazy time working out a proper schedule with rest in-between tournaments as big events will be coming thick and fast. Golf fans are going to be in for a treat with so many massive events in such a short space of time. It’s going to be tough and there will be some hard choices to make where we might have to miss out on some of the bigger events to be ready for the Majors.”

The first of those choices to be made is when to return to professional golf with no European Tour event until July 30th at the earliest while the PGA Tour are set to restart their season in Texas on June 11th with the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Despite returning to the game he loves, it will be unfamiliar territory for Oosthuizen with the first four PGA Tour events, at the least, scheduled to take place without any fans.

THREE MONTH BREAK “I don’t think I’ll play the Charles Schwab Challenge and see and see how it goes behind closed doors,” he says. “I’ll be catching up with a few of the guys after the tournament to see what they made of the experience of playing without any fans. I’ll probably return at the RBC Heritage the week after. There’s a lot of things that could happen between now and then so we’ve just got to sit back and see how things play out.”

“I absolutely love playing links golf.

There’s a lot of different shot making, you have hit an array of different shots to win an Open Championship. You can basically strike the ball multiple ways and it’s all about what your eyes see and that’s what makes it fun and interesting.”

From the cancellation of The Players Championship to the restart of the PGA Tour season on June 12th, it will have been exactly three months since the golfing elite last played in a professional tournament. With tight lockdown laws across the globe not many have had the chance to maintain their normal practice routine, including Oosthuizen, so will this hinder players when they return?

“I don’t think so. I think most of the guys would have rested nicely and will be raring to get back out on the golf course,” says Oosthuizen, who has spent the majority of the unscheduled break sorting out his new home.

“Everyone knows how long it’s going to take to get back to their ‘A’ game and after four-or five-weeks players could be hitting their peak at a really crucial stage of the season. Every player is different but it’s all about knowing how to bring your best for big tournaments and now we have a date for a comeback that’s

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going to make it easier to prepare.”

One big tournament the 37 year old won’t need to prepare for this year is The Open Championship after the R&A announced the cancellation of this year’s tournament due to COVID-19. Oosthuizen made himself a household name back in 2010 when he won golf’s oldest Major by a mammoth seven strokes from Englishman Lee Westwood at the ‘Home of Golf’, St Andrews.

“It’s sad to know that we’re not going to play The Open this year, it has always been my favourite tournament of the season,” he says.

“It was a tough call to make but it was the right one. Many golfers would rather stay where they are based as we don’t know what will happen with this virus or if travel will even be allowed then.

“Winning the tournament in 2010 gave me such a great feeling. I played really well and had been solid the whole week. When I hit my

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN second shot on the 17th on the final day it started to sink in what I was about to achieve and I started looking at all the fans and taking it all in. What made it even more special was winning the tournament at St Andrews. It’s definitely the place where The Open was created to play.”

The South African had only claimed his first European Tour win just seven events prior to the 139th edition of The Open at the Open de Andalucía. After his victory in Spain, Oosthuizen missed four of the next six cuts before his epic win over the Old Course but he always felt he was bringing his ‘A’ game to Scotland.

“Even though I missed the cut a week before that Open Championship I felt that I played really well,” he says. “When I started that final round at St Andrews, I knew I didn’t need to worry about my game because I knew it was there as I had showed that the last three days.

It’s all about your emotions, the way you think around the golf course and your routine, so I had all of these things in place and I just plotted along and tried not to make stupid mental errors.

“I absolutely love playing links golf. There’s a lot of different shot making, you have hit an array of different shots to win an Open Championship. You can basically strike the ball multiple ways and it’s all about what your eyes see and that’s what makes it fun and interesting.”

‘STRAIGHT SHOOTER’ At the time of his breakthrough Major win, Oosthuizen was working with Worldwide Golf columnist and PGA Master Professional Pete Cowen. The pair started their working relationship in 2005 with the Yorkshireman by his side for eight years before taking a short break from each other. The pair reunited shortly after but decided to part ways a couple of years ago.

“Pete is a straight shooter, he will tell you when you’re trying to moan and groan and he will tell when you know you are wrong and that is the guidance you need,” he says. “You need a strong figure like Pete to give you that stern advice sometimes to just pull you back to what you know is good and working well. I don’t think there is anyone better than him when it comes to chipping, pitching and bunker play. After we

“I won the Open in 2010, Charl won the Masters in 2011 and then Ernie won his second Open in 2012. Since then we haven’t had a South African Major winner but I definitely think Erik and Christiaan have the talent to win one, they are great golfers. stopped working together and I was struggling with that part of my game, I would take a sneak peek on what he was teaching a player in the bunker just to remind myself of the things he taught me!”

South African golf has been in a strong place for a long while with Oosthuizen, Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel leading the way for the home of the Springbok in recent years while Bobby Locke, Gary Player, Retief Goosen and Ernie Els have all been inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame for their phenomenal achievements in the game. Now a new wave of South African’s are making a name for themselves with players such as Erik Van Rooyen, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Brandon Stone all making their mark on the European Tour and PGA Tour.

“The South African camaraderie is great and it’s very important to have that,” says Oosthuizen. “Players like Christiaan and Erik are great to be around and there are also some younger stars coming through. It’s great seeing them now where we were 10 years ago, Charl and I travelled together around the world and tried to find our feet on the big Tours, so I’m

Louis Oosthuizen enjoyed a successful partnership with Worldwide Golf columnist Pete Cowen.

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happy to see the younger players going through the same things.

POTENTIAL MAJOR WINNERS “I won the Open in 2010, Charl won the Masters in 2011 and then Ernie won his second Open in 2012. Since then we haven’t had a South African Major winner but I definitely think Erik and Christiaan have the talent to win one, they are great golfers.

“I felt so bad for Christiaan when he shot seven under at The Players Championship before the tournament was canned. He was in-form and played unbelievable golf. The talent is there, it just depends on how much the players want it and when they get to that position, are they going to take the chance with both hands and show the world what they can do? It’s just the matter of getting yourself in that position on Sunday to be able to do it.”

Golf fans in the UAE will hopefully be able to catch Oosthuizen in action once again come the end of the year at the DP World Tour Championship when there is a clearer picture of what will happen to the remaining European Tour events. It’s a country the ninetime European Tour winner loves coming to which is clear to see when you look at his record in the UAE. With three top tens at the season-ending event and three top fives at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to his name, it’s obvious how much he enjoys playing in the desert.

“I love playing in sunny weather and I have always played well when it’s nice and warm,” he says. “The golf courses are great there, Abu Dhabi Golf Club is one of the best courses I have ever played and I always have a great time playing there, the greens are always good. I look forward to putting the tournaments in the UAE on my schedule. It feels like a holiday week whenever we come over to the Dubai and Abu Dhabi to play golf as I bring my family along and we go and check out the local area.” ■

THE COOLEST MAN IN MIGUEL ÁNGEL

JIMÉNEZ

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S

ix years ago, Miguel Ángel Jiménez became the only man to win a European Tour event after turning 50 with a stunning victory at the Open de Espana.

Like a fine wine, the ice cool Spaniard seems to be getting better with age with a triumph every year on the PGA Tour Champions since 2014 including two Senior Major titles at the Regions Tradition and Senior Open.

We caught up with the 21time European Tour winner to get his thoughts on a range of topics from the highlight of his illustrious career to how many cigars he smokes a week!

MIGUEL ÁNGEL JIMÉNEZ

JIMÉNEZ ON HIS AND BERNHARD LANGER’S LONGEVITY “I wish I knew the secret to Bernhard’s incredible longevity, he really is a machine and if I could even come close to his achievements on the PGA Tour Champions, I would be very happy. But for me there are no secrets – just try to stay fit and healthy, work hard on my game and the main thing is, to enjoy what I am doing. I still love the competition and as long as I have that feeling when I walk onto the first tee of a tournament, I will still be trying my hardest to win every week.”

JIMÉNEZ ON SEVE BALLESTEROS

JIMÉNEZ ON THE HIGHLIGHT OF HIS CAREER “Every tournament I have won has been special from the first European Tour win in 1992 in Belgium to the most recent one, the Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii earlier this year. Winning the Spanish Open in 2014 was amazing in front of my home crowd.

But probably the highlights (if I can choose more than one please) would be winning The Senior Open at St Andrews and all four of the Ryder Cup teams that I played on, especially those that won!”

“Seve was an inspirational personality who brought huge character and passion to the world of golf and particularly to the European Tour.

He was the ‘engine’ of European golf and we all owe a great amount to him for that. I have so many memories of being with Seve. We used to play many practice rounds together and had great fun, even with simple things like hitting a 4 iron out of a greenside bunker.”

“I am enjoying it very much, it is a great Tour, very well organised and they take care of the players really well. We have the chance to play in almost 30 tournaments each year (except this year of course!) on great golf courses and against amazing players who have all achieved so much in their careers. It is extremely competitive and you have to play at your very best to win.”

JIMÉNEZ ON SMOKING CIGARS “Well, I usually smoke about three cigars a day, but it depends a little on the situation and what I am doing during the day.

So, probably about 20 cigars a week (or so)!”

JIMÉNEZ ON HIS SON, MIGUEL ÁNGEL JIMÉNEZ JUNIOR, WHO PLAYS ON THE MENA TOUR

JIMÉNEZ ON DUBAI “When I played the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in January this year, it was my 26th time playing the tournament so you can imagine how much the area has changed over the years. I love the event, the course at Emirates Golf Club, the fans and I have some great friends in Dubai so it’s always fun to return each year. And of course, my best memory is winning the Desert Classic in 2010!”

JIMÉNEZ ON PLAYING THE PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

JIMÉNEZ ON HIS TWO SENIOR MAJOR TITLES IN 2018 “It was a great moment when I won the Regions Tradition in Alabama as it was my first Major Championship victory but as you can imagine, winning The Senior Open at St Andrews was very special. I had always dreamed of winning a Major on the Old Course at the Home of Golf after seeing Seve do that in 1984 and so to do it in 2018 with my family with me was incredible. A dream come true.”

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“Miguel Ángel is a good player and I hope very much that he will be a much better player than I am but he needs to ‘give time to the time’.

He must continue to practise, work hard and gain as much as experience as possible and then, we will see how things go. Sadly, I don’t get to see him play as much as I would like to as we seem to be very often on different sides of the world but whenever we are together we always play. In fact, my other son, Victor, is also a very good golfer although he is still in University at the moment. I hope they have both learned from me.”

Spring

comes early for young Bok IT’S BEEN A MEMORABLE 12 MONTHS FOR THE SPRINGBOK STARLET WITH A MAIDEN EUROPEAN TOUR TITLE LAST SUMMER AND AN INVITATION TO MAKE HIS DEBUT AT THIS YEAR’S MASTERS IN NOVEMBER ON THE BACK OF HIS CONTINUED PROGRESS UP THE WORLD RANKING. THE YOUNGSTER TURNS 26 LATER THIS MONTH AND IS PREPARING TO KEEP HIS MOMENTUM GOING AS A BUSY END TO 2020 LOOMS LARGE.

T

HE temporary shutdown of professional golf as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak has come at just the wrong time for Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

The South African was in superb form having bounced back from a tough play-off loss at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in January with a win in his homeland at the Data Dimensions Pro-Am. In March 2020 he fired an opening round 7-under 65 on his Players Championship debut before all the Tours ground to an immediate halt as social distancing measures were implemented to try and stem the tide against the spread of coronavirus.

Bezuidenhout made his way back home and is now patiently waiting for the European Tour to start up again.

“I’m at home and I’m safe and well – just trying to rest, spend some time with my friends and family on facetime and train and practice as much as I can in my garden,” he said.

“I think all the golfing governing bodies have an enormous job in trying to navigate their way through this as there are so many moving parts to all the Tours.

“It’s a real shame that The Open has been cancelled this year as it’s the oldest and most famous golf event – but no doubt this will make the 2021 Open one of the best yet.”

Bezuidenhout made his Major championship debut at Royal Portrush last

summer and it’s clear that the tournament made a lasting impression on him.

“It was an incredible experience,” he said. “You work all your life for moments like that and it gave me a taste for playing golf among the very best in the world.”

Bezuidenhout arrived at Portrush fresh off the back of his first win on the European Tour at one of Europe’s most famous courses – Valderrama. He took the lead after the second round and never relented, staring down home favourites Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia to win by six strokes.

“It’s been an incredible 12 months and to get my first win was amazing,” he said.

“To do it with Rahm chasing me showed that I can perform under that level of pressure.”

Winner’s Circle

Also earning a first taste of success on the European Tour last year was his compatriot Erik Van Rooyen, and Bezuidenhout knows the camaraderie among the South Africans plays an important factor in their collective, ongoing success.

“It’s so important that we have these friendships out on Tour,” he said. “You can be away for several weeks at a time so it’s great to have friends away from home. Our partners all get on great, too, so it all helps and prevents us from getting homesick too much.

“Also, I think it’s important to have a

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great team around you to help drive you –it’s a team effort and I am fortunate to have great people around me who inspire me every day.”

That inspiration was needed as he had to gather himself together after losing out to Lucas Herbert at Emirates Golf Club in gut-wrenching fashion. Bezuidenhout had a one-stroke lead on the 18th but his third shot found the lake and he dropped into a play-off against the Australian.

Herbert then clinched the title with a birdie on the second extra hole.

“That result taught me that every shot counts and you must never give up,” he said. “I went into the final day a few shots back and ended in a play-off. That showed me that anything can happen in golf. It was tough to lose, but that’s golf.”

He bounced back in superb fashion just a few weeks later, making an eagle on the final hole to deny George Coetzee at the Dimension Data Pro-Am and win his second title on the Sunshine Tour.

With his win, he sneaked into the top-50 on the World Ranking. As a result he punched his ticket to this year’s Masters, and he’s looking forward to a possible first trip down Magnolia Lane in November – pandemic permitted.

“It’s going to be amazing appearing at The Masters,” he said. “It’s every young golfer’s dream to appear at Augusta and I cannot wait. It’s going to be an incredibly busy back end of the season so the focus for me is to stay as fit and sharp as I can.”

CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT

“I’M AT HOME AND I’M SAFE AND WELL – JUST TRYING TO REST, SPEND SOME TIME WITH MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY ON FACETIME AND TRAIN AND PRACTICE AS MUCH AS I CAN IN MY GARDEN. I THINK ALL THE GOLFING GOVERNING BODIES HAVE AN ENORMOUS JOB IN TRYING TO NAVIGATE THEIR WAY THROUGH THIS AS THERE ARE SO MANY MOVING PARTS TO ALL THE TOURS.”

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COLUMN

DAVID HOWELL I love everything about golf – it became a huge part of our family life through my golfing exploits and I loved the way the game seemed to consume people.

For now, until we are back, I can only say to Golf, ‘thanks for being my life. I owe you big time.’ or thirty-five years I have played the game of golf, incessantly thinking about it, planning for it, caring about it, stressing over it and trying to improve at it. But right now, just as it is for everyone else, all that had seemed normal and natural, for the time being has been taken away from us.

So, whilst we don’t know what the near future holds for anyone, let alone sport and professional golf, it seems like a good time to look back, to remember what it was about the game of golf that first got me hooked - just what it is about this game that has kept me enthralled over all these years.

I was about nine years old when I first hit a golf ball in the UK. It was a ladies 5-iron which I discovered in the cupboard under the stairs, along with a couple of stray balls used on the football pitch behind our house was all it took. That first purely-struck shot either resonates with you or it doesn’t. In my case, the game had me hooked right away.

It wasn’t long before I had put a golf ball through someone’s front window, my first ever flying lie. But one thing I loved about the game was the fact you could do it on your own. Living where I did, I basically had my own practice ground, after football had finished for the day, and when the school caretaker didn’t kick me off.

F

MADE TO FEEL AN EQUAL

One family lesson at Broome Manor Golf Club helped to deepen my intrigue and soon hitting balls on the driving range under floodlights on a cold English winter day seemed like the best thing in the world for me.

When I have a 60-yard shot on Tour, even after all these years, I recall the first floodlit pond on the driving range at Broome. It was 60 yards to the base of the light, that’s just what that shot will always mean to me.

But, more than anything, it was the environment of golf that had its hold over me. I loved the way our golf club scooped up the youngsters and made them feel as though they were equals to the adult members.

I played golf with pensioners, and teenagers, scaffolders and lawyers.

I would play at 4.06pm on a Saturday and Sunday because it cost just 50 pence at that time in the afternoon. When we ran out of orange squash we would drink from a pipe on 16th tee that was hidden by a manhole cover. How did we know it was safe to drink? Our pensioner playing partner had worked for the water board.

We played adult/junior competitions on the 9-hole course. Standing on the first tee gave me the same feeling I imagined I would feel at St Andrews at the first hole of The Open Championship. That’s the beauty of golf - the feelings never really change, only the scores and the expectations.

I loved the way the game seemed to consume people, adults with jobs and lives who seemed just as addicted to the game as I was. I loved the fact that my newest and best friends were formed through a mutual love of the game of golf. It was reassuring that many of those friends are still attached to the game in some way 30 years later.

I loved the smell of freshly cut grass and the sound of spikes on gravel pathways, the banter on the 3rd tee where a twenty-minute wait was guaranteed due to what now would seem like an innocuous pond on a short 160-yard par-three. The posh houses that bordered the course seemed like a world away from my family home. Yet I loved the fact that one day I would live there, too.

FAMILY DREAM

Golf became such a huge part of our family life through my golfing exploits that both my mother and father asked for their ashes to be scattered beneath the trees behind the 18th green. It gave me a warm feeling to think that those trees will start to play a part in the closing moments of the Broome Manor golfers’ rounds in the years to come.

When I think of that, it always brings a smile to my face.

I loved playing new courses, and going on golfing outings, and I loved going to tournaments to watch the stars play. I loved that I was one of only 12 people who watched Seve Ballesteros warm up, with his caddy catching balls in a baseball glove at St Pierre Golf Club. I loved the memory of having the honour of playing against Seve, and Greg Norman, and Bernhard Langer and Sir Nick Faldo, and Woosie (Ian Woosnam), - and had the odd pint with ‘Oli’ (Jose Maria Olazabal) - and then met a guy called Tiger Woods.

I love that it all came true because of a guy called Paul Hunt, a kindhearted assistant pro in Swindon, who paired me with a kid called Jason Hempleman, who would one day caddy for me, and then Monty (Colin Montgomerie) and then an Italian called Fran (Francesco Molinari), who would one day seal the point that would win The Ryder Cup. I love that I have played at Augusta and won at St Andrews, helped a European Team win the tournament that truly inspired me to try my best, and I love that I met my wife who had my kids all because of a little white ball and some smoothly cut grass.

There is no golf right now. Soon it will come back, the mishits and slices, the lip-outs and plugged lies, the sanded divots and bad bounces, the flush down the middle and cheers from the crowd. For now, until we are back, I can only say to golf, thanks for being my life. I owe you big time. ■

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COLUMN

PETE COWEN:

Being fit and a nonsmoker saved my life.

‘I asked my wife to give me a pill to end it all’ during my coronavirus battle I’m thankful none of my family contracted COVID-19 from myself but I think they were delighted I was self-isolating and not moaning at them as usual!

t was a bit rough for a while... I was isolated for 21 days, so I think I’ve done my fair bit to make sure it’s gone. It was a dreadful time for about 10 days but I’m OK now.

I asked my wife to give me a pill one night. I told her, “I’ve had enough of this” because I had about 10 percent of my body strength left and I didn’t think I could take any more of it. She said: “Don’t be so stupid!” That’s when she called the ambulance, then all the medics came.

I

ISOLATION AT HOME They told me that I had all the symptoms and they wanted to take me to hospital but I wouldn’t go because I didn’t know what would happen in there.

They said they would sit me down in a corridor for a while and they might do some tests but the only thing they were going to do was to give me paracetamol and fluids, then your own immune system has got to battle it out. I thought I may as well do that here at home. They told me to call them straight away if I have a problem and they’d come straight for me.

COULDN’T EAT For the first 10 days I was out of it. I only ate two slices of toast for the first 14 days and I lost 15lbs.

There was no food coming into the room, just fluids and I had my TV – that was it. For 24 hours, I coughed every two minutes and I couldn’t stop.

Trying to breathe and cough at the same time is actually more difficult than hitting a golf shot!

I think anybody who has got problems with their lungs is going to really struggle with this coronavirus. Therefore, if you’ve got other medical problems, asthma or something like that, you really are going to struggle and you’ll probably have to go to hospital.

BEING BAD TEMPERED I remember when I was in my early twenties, I drove with my father to a tournament but he wasn’t very well and I sat him by the 18th. It was a one-round event and I said: “get yourself a drink and something to eat and you’ll see me coming up the 18th, then we will leave.”

Then of course, I played so poorly that I walked straight from the 18th, opened the boot, threw the clubs in the car and drove off. When I got home about an hour-and-a-half later, my mother asked: “Where’s your Dad?” I had to drive back and find him and he was sat there but he was alright. He asked: “Where have you been son?” I told him I’d been practicing! ■

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COLUMN

y r a i D our

A D R I

A R N A U S

T

Adri Arnaus has risen through the ranks of tour golf at sensational speed. He won the Alps Tour Order of Merit in 2017, while still an amateur, after two victories including the tour’s season-ending grand final. He then repeated the feat by winning the Challenge Tour finale in Ras Al Khaimah in 2018 to take second place on the Rankings and gain promotion to the European Tour. His maiden campaign on the Race to Dubai was also a success after he secured a place at the seasonending DP World Tour Championship following three runner-up finishes throughout 2019.

t’s been a strange period for all of us on the European Tour, just as it has for people from all walks of life around the world. I’m currently stuck in Spain, about an hour north of Barcelona – that is where my family are from – unable to get back to my home in Dubai.

I decided to come here after the Qatar Masters to prepare for the Indian Open. I’d had a couple of tournaments where I didn’t play so well and was pushing myself to get better but then the tournament got postponed. We kept rearranging my schedule but almost every day I’d get another notification that another event had been cancelled or postponed and then they shut all the borders around the world so I had to stay in Spain and we had a complete lockdown. All the golf courses have been closed so I’ve just been working on some drills in my garden, working on my putting inside the house and trying to keep fit.

I

OBSESSED WITH BAKING Other things have become more important than golf during this period. I’ve been reading a lot of books, spending lots of time with my girlfriend and doing lots of cooking! These are all things I don’t have so much time to do when I’m on Tour. The only downside is, despite only being an hour away from my parents, I’ve only been able to see them on two occasions due to all the restrictions in place. I met a few of my other family members since they run businesses related to food so it was possible to visit them. Just like many

other people I’ve also become obsessed with baking and I’d be lying if I said we hadn’t baked a cake every few days! My girlfriend got me into it – I’ve never had so many carbs in my life but it’s not too bad for me as I’m working out every day.

So, I’ve improved my cooking skills a lot and golf has gone down in my daily priorities due to not having the facilities to practice properly but I’m looking forward to putting it back to the top. The golf courses are opening up again here in Spain and they are talking about restarting the European Tour in September so I’m looking forward to getting back out there and getting myself ready.

MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH My Dad looks after one of the courses near here and he says it’s in such good condition because nobody has played it for nearly two months.

It’s going to be tricky to get up to speed when the European Tour starts up again after such a long break but none of us have had experience of this situation and it’s the same for everyone so we’ll all just have to figure it out in our own way. Hopefully I can play some tournaments in America or Asia before the European Tour starts back up – we’re looking to see where I can get a few tournaments under my belt but it’s all so uncertain you can’t say exactly how you will prepare.

The only thing I can say is that during the lockdown I’ve been reading a lot about mental and spiritual growth – I’ve also been doing

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yoga – so all these things are going to help me to stay in the present, to focus and be ready for whatever comes in my way.

I don’t know what the situation will be like with the tournaments when they do restart – if the prize money and facilities will be the same as before, who knows? I didn’t really have long enough to get used to the European Tour anyway as I’m only in my second season so it doesn’t really matter to me.

During my time on the Challenge Tour nothing was taken for granted. If you had a players’ lounge then great but if not then you would find somewhere to eat and do your own thing. So, whatever comes is welcome and hopefully we won’t see a big downgrade, but I assume that there will be a set of rules and health guidelines everywhere around the world and we’ll all have to deal with that which I don’t think is a big issue. People might not be able to come and watch us and that is something that I will miss - having the crowd supporting us and keeping us going.

Regarding any potential change in prize funds – for me it’s never been about the money, it’s about having the opportunity to win and being there on those Sundays so if I take care of that and I’m in this position I will enjoy it anyway whether the prize money is more or less.

I look forward to getting back to Dubai once the travel restrictions are more relaxed. I know the weather is already getting hotter there but I studied in Texas so I can handle the heat! ■

GEAR WO RLDWI D E

G O L F

BY JORDAN SMITH

IS THE MEVO PLUS THE MISSING LINK? FlightScope has brought out its latest Mevo Plus model to bridge the gap between their budget and high-end launch monitors. But at $1,999 is the latest edition worth the investment?

FlightScope is a US-based company that has specialised in launch monitors and golf radar equipment since 1989 and appreciate that there is a huge gap in the retail market that needs filling. In 2016 FlightScope brought out a mini pocketsized launch monitor called the Mevo. At just $650 it appealed to the amateur budget and was compact enough to fit in your golf bag. It was perfect in theory but it had its limitations.

What’s new with the Mevo Plus?

FlightScope Mevo technology has evolved, with the latest version boasting all new features after incorporating the feedback from its little brother. The technology has increased – but so has the price. The Mevo Plus weighs in at $1,999 – a fraction of the price of a TrackMan system but three times the price of the smaller Mevo.

The newest model is slightly bigger in size, but still very practical, and includes additional features such as simulation and interactive games, allowing you to enjoy five different simulated golf courses and 17 ranges, plus a darts mini game to promote more fun into the practice session.

New features include: • Total Distance • Roll Distance • Horizontal Launch Angle • Lateral Landing

• • • •

Angle of Attack Spin Axis Spin Loft Spin Shape

and all data with your golf coach and friends. If you and a buddy both have a Mevo Plus you could get creative and set some online challenges. Golfers in Dubai have friends all over the world. So whilst we’re all currently in lockdown this would be a great set-up to have in your garden – if you have a net, of course.

The Mevo Plus is now able to track total roll and distance, gapping each club for carry and overall distance, and is now achievable throughout the bag.

On-course scenario Knowing what your clubs carry and roll out to is esential in plotting your way round a course. Do you take on a green over water or lay up short of a fairway bunker off the tee?

The Mevo Plus will give you a fair indictation of what club is needed and takes the guesswork out. Though you still have to hit the shot!

How do you view your numbers?

The launch monitor is operated on the Mevo golf app. All you need is a smart phone or iPad to check your numbers after each shot, then you’re dialed in. You can share swing videos

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How launch monitors benefit Tour golfers?

Danny Willett’s caddie Sam Haywood spoke up about the use of launch monitors. After Willett’s win at the 2018 DP World Tour Championship he said: “Dan’s yardage numbers on the range prior to the final round on Sunday were longer than usual – due to his adrenalin increasing. We trusted the increased numbers from the range and stuck with them oncourse, which played a huge part in his victory. “ Is It worth $1,999?

It certainly contains enough features to satisfy the requirements of the majority of amateur golfers – it’s never going to be as advanced as a TrackMan system that can optimise wind conditions and much more. However, it could be of use to a baseline player needing an extra hand on the gapping front. On paper, the Mevo Plus may be worth the money, considering what it has to offer, and its additional features.

The price tag is definitely attractive but we would like to put it up alongside a Trackman to see just how they differ.

THESE THINGS GO. Born from the Titleist Speed Project, TS Hybrids represent a new standard in hybrid performance. In a word, these things just GO. They look great, feel amazing, and explode through the ball with a lively Tour-preferred sound. Wonder what it’s like to play a hybrid you can’t wait to hit? Stop wondering and GO.

www.titleist.co.uk

TAYLORMADE ON TOUR

TROTTIE'S TAYLORMADE TOUR TAKEOVER W

HILE Chris Trott was beginning his career in golf as an assistant professional at The Belfry in the heart of England he was dreaming, like so many in that position, of making it to the promised land of playing on Tour. Although Plan ‘A’ of making it as a player didn’t come to fruition, he has forged a path to the Tour as the Director of Sports Marketing for TaylorMade, and regularly finds himself on the company’s Tour truck at elite events around the world. Worldwide Golf’s Jordan Smith speaks exclusively to Chris to find out more about his life on Tour.

Worldwide Golf: What is your official role at TaylorMade?

Chris Trott: I work in Global Sports Marketing as Director of Sports Marketing. There have been a few twists and changes recently, mainly due to social media, I basically tried to get involved myself and it started to get some traction. More people started following and that's when I rebranded it after a year. Back then my primary function at the time was to work on the Tour servicing the athletes and achieve our marketing goals. But I introduced my creative social flow and that’s when ‘Trottie Golf’ emerged. Before I knew it, I was hosting the TaylorMade podcasts and doing my own social media while still servicing the

Tour players. The job has evolved and I have created a completely different role which is a lot of fun. I've been on the Tour for 15 years, so it’s an addition to what I do rather than the primary function.

WWG: How did you manage to get into the role you’re in now?

CT: I was working down at The Belfry as an assistant pro and I ended up in a fitting suite on behalf of TaylorMade. We had a VIP day.

Paul McGinley, who holed the winning putt at the 2002 Ryder Cup, came in and joined us. There was an engineer travelling all the way from San Diego to attend the VIP day, and I ended up as MC for

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trottiegolf

GEAR “I’ve been very fortunate. I appreciate I didn’t make it as a Tour player, which is primarily what I wanted to do, but I’ve been pretty damn close and instead feel like I have the second-best job in the world.” the occasion without realising who he was.

He thought it was great and passed on my information to a guy called Ian Watts, who ran TaylorMade’s European Tour team at the time.

Ian turned up the next week unannounced. I gave him a fitting for his driver and he offered me a job there and then.

WWG: Have you made any good relationships with the Pros and who has the best banter?

CT: I used to get on very well with Tour players like Marcus Fraser and Jason Day. I always have a lot of fun with Jason, he's a great lad.

I'm starting to enjoy it much more as I have been living in the US for some time now. I also enjoy Dustin Johnson’s company. There's a lot more to him than people think. He has a good personality and has a lot of fun. At the tournaments the players are fully focussed on their job and they know what they are doing. They don’t want to mess around, so as long as you can do your work without getting in the way too much, everything is fine. They are good people to work for. Rory McIlroy has a little bit of banter on him, but Day is very chilled out and laid back and he's a good guy, so there's always some fun to be had.

WWG: What are your top five TaylorMade drivers off all-time?

CT: It obviously changes with the timeline.

Number five, I would go as far back as the R510 TP, which sounded amazing – and that was back when McGinley was using it. I spent a lot of time with him and the R510 TP was his workhorse. It came out with a low, flat flight and was an awesome driver! Then fourth I would go forward to the R7 Quad. That thing was on a different level. I remember I fitted one for Scott Drummond and that was

only two weeks before he won at Wentworth, which was a Cinderella story. We hit it out of the park with the R7 Quad. Skipping forward a few more years to my third favourite, the Burner SuperFast, this is the one that Shane Lowry played with and there was a lot to learn from it. It was very quick for what it was meant to be. Moving into the newer stuff, the carbon crown for me was awesome and the M5 was just phenomenal, that would be my second favourite. Then number one for me would have to be the newest SIM because I didn't think the M5 could be improved – but I feel they have done just that with the inertia generator of the SIM.

Trottie's TOP 5

5

TAYLORMADE DRIVERS

4

WWG: What feedback did you get from the Tour players when you launched the SIM driver?

CT: You know instantly just from the reaction. we are around these guys all the time so it is pretty obvious to read them. But this year was fantastic, as the speed of the club was an instant hit. Once you’ve got speed you can work with that if you are a good fitter and you can get them into the right set-up.

WWG: What makes the SIM driver so good?

CT: What I love about the new SIM driver is the look, for one, the fact that it has the Twist Face, which has been a godsend for amateur golfers! If you strike the thing out of the toe it’s coming back for you and your misses become tighter. The Twist Face technology is the new feature that has been in our products for the last year or so. Knowing that Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy – three of the best players to have ever driven a golf ball – have had input on the club is huge.

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3 2

1

WHAT’S YOUR… FAVOURITE GOLF CLUB OF ALL-TIME? FROM HAND-ME-DOWN DRIVERS FROM THE BAG OF JACK NICKLAUS, GOLD-PLATED PUTTERS AND NEWLY LAUNCHED PRODUCTS – WE ASKED A CROSS SECTION OF THE GOLFING COMMUNITY WHAT THEIR FAVOURITE CLUBS ARE AND HERE ARE THEIR RESPONSES… Pete Cowen – Master PGA Professional Jack Nicklaus gave me two drivers back in 1978, I gave one to charity and I used the other for a long time. It didn’t win me many tournaments but it was one of my favourite clubs and I still have it.

I was having lessons in the US at a place called Frenchman’s Creek, and Jack was having a lesson with Jack Grout at the same time.

Gardner Dickinson, who was giving me lessons, said that my driver was pathetic! So, he asked Jack, who always had spare drivers, if he had any I could have a look at and Nicklaus said that I could have them. He had his own club maker – another Jack - called Jack Wullkotte, and he produced his own sole plates, so you can always tell if it’s a Nicklaus club or not.

Lee Sharpe – Ex Manchester United footballer It is one of the clubs I have now. I get my clubs from Orka, a British manufacturer who uses Japanese steel and they’re beautiful clubs.

They’ve just sent me a 2-iron and I absolutely love it, it goes for miles.

I pull this iron out of the bag and I boom it past other people’s 3-wood or driver – It's ridiculous!

Alastair Brown – Emirates Golf Club Head Coach My favourite club I ever had was the original Ram Zebra putter. When I was a kid I was a class putter and around the age of 13 I used to work in a little shop, handing out tickets to a par-3 course. There was a putting green right beside the shop and I used to practise my putting on it during my shifts until someone came in the shop.

Sometimes I’d end up taking a bit of extra money off some of the players who were getting ready to play by beating them in some putting challenges. The putter was great – it had weights in and there were lines on top of the head which were a brilliant guide.

Carly Booth – Ladies European Tour player My favourite golf club of all time has to be my driver and I’m currently using the TaylorMade SIM. Driving is one of the strongest parts of my game and I love to hit it long. I hope it’s not too long before we’re all out playing on the golf courses again.

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GEAR

Matthew Baldwin – Challenge Tour player My favourite club is the Ping Wolverine H putter because it takes me back to some good times at the start of my career. It’s basically where my journey began – and I got a gold-plated version of it for winning a Challenge Tour event back in 2011 and I’ll hopefully keep it forever.

Simon Dyson – Former European Tour golfer My favourite golf club throughout my career has to be my Nike SQ driver. It had a 9° loft and it was so easy to hit – and hard to hit off-line.

I had one that sat really pure at address and was in the bag for around two and a half years and I remember hitting so many fairways. The first time I tried it was when I used one Marc Warren had at the Dunhill Links before I signed with Nike – that product was one of the reasons why I switched to Nike from Titleist.

Stuart Taylor – Prosports International, Dubai My favourite club is my old Titleist 695 CB 2-iron – my little baby, back in the day. I could hit any shot with it – high or low. It was my stock club and used to hit it around 240-yards when I was playing a lot. I wish I could hit it like that now.

Stephen Deane – Head Professional, Peter Cowen Academy Dubai It’s a bit of a random one – my 18° PING Rapture fairway club that I’ve had for 14 years. I got it in 2006 when I was back playing golf in Ireland. It’s got a standard Aldila prototype 80g stiff shaft but I’ve had to change the grip a few times on it. It’s a great club – I’ve tried hundreds of different hybrids since and I can’t seem to find one that performs as well. It gives me a really nice, penetrating ball fight so I’ve kept it in the bag – and it will probably stay in the bag for another 14 years.

Andy Carter – Teaching Professional, Jumeirah Golf Estates My favourite club of all time was my Titleist PT 3-wood. It was my ‘Tiger Woods stinger’ club when I eventually figured out how to use it like that and it stayed in my bag for a few years before I eventually traded it in for something more forgiving. I used to absolutely love that club.

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PXG

BY ALEX GALLEMORE

PXG

TOUR PROTOTYPE DRIVER BEING RELEASED IN LIMITED NUMBERS PXG has announced that a limited number of its PXG 0811 X and X+ Tour Prototype Drivers are being made available for purchase.

Golf fans started to take notice of the 0811 Proto Driver in February of this year, when it first appeared in the bags of Ryan Moore, Wyndham Clark and Pat Perez. PXG openly tests prototypes on tour to ensure top performance under the most challenging conditions.

The limited release is designed to filter feedback from amateurs in addition to the PXG tour players who have it in play. The emergence of a product on tour does not mean the company is close to a full release.

Not all prototypes from PXG make it into production. James Hahn's PXG prototype driver he used to win the Wells Fargo Championship in 2016 was never released to consumers, as it did not meet all of PXG's performance requirements. In the words of company founder Bob Parsons: "It may have been good enough to win on tour, and it went like hell for James, but I didn't think it was ready for our customers

yet. We wanted to work on the sound." The final design, featuring the introduction of PXG's honeycomb TPE insert, was ultimately released ten months later.

TICKING ALL THE BOXES

The PXG 0811 X and X+ Proto Drivers appear to tick all of the boxes for PXG's tour pros – distance, dispersion, sound, feel, looks and forgiveness. By making a limited number of both models available to PXG’s customers, the company will further expand its opportunity for performance feedback.

"We’re excited to offer a limited number of our 0811 X and X+ Tour Prototype Drivers to PXG's customers," Bob Parsons shared.

"We believe we've created something special and are looking forward to getting feedback from average golfers, like myself, in the coming weeks."

The 0811 X provides a low centre of gravity; lower spin option for players with more level or downward attack angles.

The 0811 X+ provides a mid-centre of gravity, mid-spin option for players with

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upward attack angles. Both models are engineered to deliver faster ball speeds, more distance and more forgiveness.

The 0811 X Proto driver is available in a 9-degree loft option and the 0811 X+ in 10.5-degrees. Only right-handed club heads are available for the tour prototypes.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The PXG Gen2 driver still remains my favourite club in the bag. It continues to look great, which is more than be said for the cream head cover it came with. The sound and accuracy is the main reason for not changing it and though it's fairly long a few more yards would not hurt.

If the prototypes deliver the same tight dispersion as the Gen2 with more speed then I might be interested in upgrading. In America they are retailing at $695 but the price will be higher in the UAE and getting your name on one will be a challenge.

Reach out to PXG directly to find out more regarding availability and pricing . But be quick as I'm trying to get my hands on one!

TITLEIST

T400

I R O N S

T400 iron lofts: 5 (20°)

6(23°)

7(26°)

8(29°)

9(33°)

P(38°)

W(43°)

W1(49°)

W2(55°)

BY ALEX GALLEMORE

Titleist have recently launched their high-end T400 performance iron, but haven’t we seen this before? It shares the same look and R&D with the brand’s CNCPT CP-01 iron, which can’t be a bad thing considering they were limited in numbers and cost more than $500 per iron.

The new T400 will be around half the price of the CNCPT iron and packs a serious distance punch while looking good in the bag.

Why introduce more choice to the extensive Titleist iron range?

Many of the manufacturers have seen a hole in the market for premium-priced clubs that deliver performance - and that means huge yardage gains for players who need it.

What were the old tactics for more distance?

In the past, to get more distance you could strengthen the lofts and lengthen the shafts. This might help the guys who spun the ball too much, but in general, the average player needs more carry distance

and height. A wedge that runs 20 yards is no use to anyone!

So what has changed?

Clubs evolve as new techniques and materials are found. If you strengthen a loft you lose the launch and the ability to get the ball airborne. It’s ideal if you have a high swing/ball speed, although many of us are looking for more distance, as we have neither. You can achieve this with lowering the centre of gravity in the face to increase the launch.

How to get more distance?

Now you can get the ball airborne with stronger lofts. More distance can be added by playing around with face thickness and cavity filled materials.

How the Titleist T400 maximises performance on every shot through technology: ● Hollow head construction produces an extremely high MOI that maximises forgiveness on off-centre shots. ● Extreme High-density tungsten weighting (up to 100g per head) creates a low centre of gravity, working in combination with a super-thin forged SUP-10 L-Face Insert (5-7 irons) to produce an explosive launch. ● Progressive set design – with progressive blade lengths, sole widths and hosel lengths – it delivers optimal centre of gravity positioning with preferred shaping through the set. ● Lightweight materials – with stock grip and shaft options – promote increased swing speeds for longer distance. ● Wide body shape with advanced Split Sole design provides optimal turf interaction for a smooth and easy strike.

WORLDWIDE GOLF VERDICT I enjoyed the tech and quality of the CNCPT irons but they were just too pricey. The T400 has made the tech affordable to more golfers and, as a result, players will get more enjoyment out of their game. Golf is hard enough, so anything that improves distance and consistency is always going to be a winner.

SWING SEQUENCE

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN

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LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN ONE OF THE BEST SWINGS IN GOLF

Louis Oosthuizen, widely regarded as having one of the best golf swings in the game, moves the club with such ease it’s no surprise that he’s the envy of many. Let’s take a closer look at how he does it.

As you can see Louis has a beautiful setup, he’s got a little flex in his knees which has engaged the quads, the weight is nice and centered on the balls of his feet, his arms are hanging down nice and relaxed and the big thing I want you to notice is how his shoulders have very little tension in them. This is a man who is very comfortable over the ball.

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Here you can see Louis has initiated the take away using his core. He hasn’t snatched the club away and the hands are working closer to the right thigh rather than away from it.

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In this image, you can see how the gap between the butt end of the club and the body/thigh has narrowed from where it

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started at address. You will also notice how the clubhead is clearly outside the hands and what I love is how his left arm is working in unison with his chest and that there is very little daylight between the left forearm and chest.

Here you can see the club shaft is parallel to his toe line, the left arm is nice and straight thus maintaining the width in his swing, the right wrist is hinging nicely and the right arm is bending at the elbow. The clubhead is matching up nicely with the hands and the toe of the clubhead is pointing upwards nicely, indicating a square clubface and good left forearm rotation. Oosthuizen is on plane.

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In this image, we see Louis is moving nicely onto his right side, indicating good

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weight transfer. The left arm is effectively across his chest and notice how both the left arm and shoulder plane match. The wrists have hinged fully, the right arm has folded perfectly and all that needs to be done from here is to complete his pivot.

This is picture-perfect. Louis has wound up beautifully, his back is to the target, left arm nice and straight, hands are above the right shoulder, his left wrist and clubface are mirroring each other and the clubface sits in the neutral position. From here he can hit whatever shot he wants. His hips have a nice tilt and are wound up about 45 degrees to his shoulders which are 90. This offers him the right amount of resistance for his upper body to work against.

He is coiled like a spring ready to go.

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ANALYSIS BY

YASIN ALI

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In this image Louis has transitioned into the downswing. His legs have initiated the move and what you can notice is that while his back is still somewhat to the target, his legs and hips have started to unwind. This is a move that’s loaded in power. Finally just pay attention to Louis’ chin. Notice how the left shoulder and chin are touching, in the following frames you’ll see how they separate from each other which will help him get the extension with his arms post impact.

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Look at how Louis is approaching impact. His right elbow adjacent to his right hip, the clubhead is tracking a similar path to the one it went back on and thus he’s on plane, but look at where his hips are (belt buckle almost pointing to the target), in relation to his shoulders (buttons on his shirt are pointed to the ball). That hip and shoulder differential is what’s going to give him that snap at impact.

Finally notice his head and how his left shoulder has come away from his chin. In the next frame you’ll see how this move allows him to get his arms nice and extended through impact.

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Boom! His hips have thrust and his feet are really pushing off the ground, the left leg is posting up and offers some muchneeded resistance which he can work against.

If we were to look at Louis in the same position,

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but from a face on angle, you would really notice how much the left side of his body would be stretching upwards at this point. Finally, just look at his arms and the extension going through the ball, amazing!

Here we can see the Louis has let rip and the ball is well on its way, his right shoulder is lower than the left and down toward the point where the ball was, hence he’s maintained his angles in posture very well.

You will also notice his hips and shoulders match up indicating that his shoulders were unwinding at a much quicker rate once he was half way down. This match-up is only momentary as Louis is not done and from this point his shoulders will out-race his hips to the finish. Finally, his head has maintained pretty much the same position throughout the swing but will now begin to swivel to allow his eyes to look ’under’ the shot.

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This is a classic look, the hands are nice and high, the feet are working nicely to the finish and look at how the right foot is rolling onto its big toe. You will also notice that his head is starting to come up from the position it’s been maintaining. This helps alleviate any pressure and stress on the lower part of the back and spine. This image and Image # 5 almost mirror each other.

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You’d be hard pressed to find a better finish to a swing than this. His feet have transferred the weight back and through perfectly, the right foot is on its toes with the sole visible and the left is now supporting the majority of his weight (toward the left heel). His hips have unwound fully and as such the buckle on his belt would be pointed a touch left of his target. The shoulders and chest have come right the way through with the right shoulder now closer to the target than the left. Hands are behind the head and the shaft angles ever so slightly diagonally downward from left to right. His eyes are following the ball flight like a hawk and all while holding everything in perfect balance.

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This is such a great swing to imitate. It has: power, balance, fluidity and oozes class. Be sure to take time and watch videos of it to really appreciate it in full flow.

Head to JA The Resort to see Yasin and the team and experience how they can help you improve your swing. Call +971 4 814 5023 to book your next lesson.

MOST GOLFERS DON’T IMPROVE BY

ALEX RIGGS

PXG / UNDER ARMOUR AMBASSADOR AND PGA GOLF COACH BASED AT THE TRUMP INTERNATIONAL DUBAI. riggsgolf

ALEX RIGGS EXPLAINS WHY AND HOW TO FIX IT!

No two golfers are alike and no two golf swings are the same. Each golfer has their own idea of the best way to move the club in the swing, this has typically been developed through a combination of trial and error and feedback from other sources.

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INSTRUCTION

Why exaggerate? Because by overdoing a feeling in slow motion, it is far more likely you’ll do the movement you’re intending when you’re actually hitting to a target. Ever heard the sentence “Feel is not real”? Well, when it comes to movement, it is extremely true.

When we slow movements down, we are able to allocate more conscious energy to the new movement which helps in laying down this new pattern. We then must repeat this thousands of times for it to eventually be learned. Once the movement is learned, we can then start applying it to different shots, adding speed, changing lies etc. This process takes time, patience and persistence. The process, of instilling positive change in their swings is something that very few golfers are able to master unless they put the time and effort in.

IF YOU WANT TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO IMPROVE, MY ADVICE TO YOU IS THE FOLLOWING:

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Have a clear idea of where you want to go with your swing change.

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Create a plan through slow motion drills that you can do to instil this change.

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Accurately understand through video and other measurement devices how you currently swing the club.

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Why are they doing this? Because they understand that changing a movement is difficult and that it takes time. They understand that in order for their desired movement to happen when they want it under the gun, it must have been repeated and exaggerated thousands of times.

KNOWING THIS,

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ll golfers want to improve; some players may have a lesson, or get a piece of feedback from YouTube and assume they’ve figured it out, go hit a couple buckets and BAM! Instant success.

In reality, if we rush the phases of learning, the new movements are not learned. Subtle improvements are short lived, if at all.

What we refer to in golf as technique, is more accurately described as a movement pattern. In the same way writing your signature is a patterned movement, the way in which a golfer moves the golf club toward the golf ball, is something that has been developed over time through repetition.

In order to CHANGE a movement pattern or golf swing, we must appreciate how difficult it is for our brain to alter something that it’s spent so much time developing. A new highway needs to be built for this new movement. The brain needs to alter the recruitment of muscles to move the body in a new way to accommodate this change.

This is not a speedy activity.

We wouldn’t try to memorise a dance routine by watching the dance in full speed then attempting to copy it. It is essential to slow things down when it comes to changes in movement. Our brains flourish when we slow things down and chunk the movements together, piece by piece. Tour golfers understand and apply this principle.

If you ever had the chance to spend time at a driving range at a tour event, you’ll see golfers at the top of their field exaggerating movements in slow motion. Sometimes these movements will look unorthodox, sometimes you’ll question how they could possibly do these moments in their swings.

Use feedback in the form of video and other measurement devices to monitor/evaluate change (do not rush through this step – it is essential that you take your time in this phase).

Begin to challenge your new movement.

You will inevitably struggle at times, this is normal, so appreciate the difficulty of what you are attempting to learn. Be patient with yourself and go back to your drills.

Nothing good comes easy, so enjoy the ride.

Eventually you’ll get there, and it will all be worth it. After all who won the race, the tortoise or the hare?

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STATS DON’T LIE 8ft 50%

BY

MALCOLM YOUNG

PGA FELLOW PROFESSIONAL, Remote Coaching Available by messaging malc_younggolf

HOW TO LOWER SCORES THROUGH PUTTING

For the average golfer, putting is a significant factor in reducing scores. With information gained from total drive and greens in regulation, we know work on your long game can improve scoring, however, putting can provide some valuable scoring gains in shorter time frames.

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ooking at available data on putting, we can identify how to develop strategies for better results opening a different approach to golfers’ practice habits. Golfers often have high and unrealistic expectations of holing putts from mid-range distances of 7 to 20 feet leading to a changing mindset and ultimately frustration at not holing putts.

This leads to our focus on “Putt Importance” and maybe a change of perspective.

The most important distance at pro level is 5 feet and for amateurs this falls at 4 feet.

This is related to the largest number of strokes gained, to give a fuller perspective the following information reinforces where golfers should focus on putting statistics.

3 to 7 feet can account for up to 46% of the strokes lost between professional and amateurs.

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Very simply, short putting is important, a lot of golfers get over-focussed on holing more mid-range PGA Tour putts (7-20ft) Average and it’s always 50% putts holed good to get a 40% perspective on the tour stats for this 23% 15% to set realistic expectations on putts holed ratios. 8ft 10ft 15ft 20ft

INSTRUCTION

At 8 feet, tour professionals are only holing half of their attempts. It’s also worth remembering highlights reels on television coverage rarely show missed putts.

Through this we establish a mindset that professionals hole putts regularly from mid to long range, at 30 ft the tour average is just under two putts (1.98 strokes). On average Tour

players will hole five putts over 20ft in a 72 hole event, just over one per round.

So to form a strategy for working on this part of your game we need to focus on how we structure practice in three areas: time, content and challenge point. With examples of effective practice time we can visualise how our next visit to the putting green might look.

Structure putting practice in 3 sections and break down the time - the example below shows a 45 minute session: Stroke Maintenance 20% - 9 minutes Short to Medium Putts 50% - 23 mins Long Putts and Speed Control 30% - 13 mins

How you now spend this time should be player dependent. Putting strokes are not equal, we deal in micro movements with putting so it’s important to at least know some personal tendencies through play that will assist in specific practice. Feedback is essential which may require coaching guidance or training aids to work on stroke maintenance.

During this practice I would always encourage players to practice these three main putting skills: Green Reading - Your ability to assess the varied factors and predict break on each putt Distance control - Your ability to assess and apply the right speed management for each putt Start Line - Your ability to control the putter face and start putts on the intended line Neither of these factors are more or less important than each other but all are intrinsically linked to success on the greens. When focusing on practice outside of stroke maintenance, a variety of games or challenges helps keep a sharper focus. If players have clear outcomes and results to aim for, this assists skill development and benchmarks future sessions which should carry over to results on course.

So if you’re looking for some faster ways to lower scores, look no further than the putting green; the time you spend there, what you do within that time and how you record it for future sessions. We need to then remind ourselves that practice must be done in a way that builds confidence in each player.

Most players don’t practice putting simply because they don’t find it interesting; this translates in coaching terms to not having a sufficient challenge point in practice.

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MOUSA SHANA’AH

Mousa Shana’ah

THE MIDDLE

EAST’S

HOTSHOT

NEXT

BY THOMAS WRAGG

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HE UAE HAS LONG BEEN A HOTBED FOR YOUNG GOLFING TALENT FROM THE YOUNGEST-EVER WINNER OF AN OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING EVENT, JOSH HILL, TO DUBAI-BORN RAYHAN

THOMAS, WHO SWAPPED HOME COMFORTS FOR THE MOST COMPETITIVE PROGRAMME IN USA COLLEGIATE GOLF WHEN HE JOINED OKLAHOMA STATE LAST YEAR. NOW, A NEW STARLET IS ON THE RISE WITH 12-YEAR-OLD MOUSA SHANA’AH EARNING PLENTY OF PLAUDITS FOR HIS SENSATIONAL ABILITY, CONFIDENCE, COMPOSURE, AND DEDICATION TO THE GAME.

SHANA’AH, who was born in Jordan but has lived in the UAE for the majority of his young life, picked up his first set of golf clubs at the tender age of four after falling in love with the game following numerous hours watching the world’s best on YouTube and playing ‘Tiger Woods PGA Tour and Wii Golf.’

“I have always found golf to be a really fascinating sport,” said Shana’ah. “I used to watch golf videos and play golf video games and I still do. When I was four, I told my parents that I wanted to give golf a try and my dad got me my first set of clubs. I’ve loved the game ever since. I believe golf provides

more benefits for my mental and physical strengths than more popular sports like football.”

It didn’t take long for the Shana’ah family to realise that young Mousa had plenty of natural ability and, three years after picking up his first golf club, he started competing in junior tournaments in the region with remarkable success.

In 2015, the youngster finished second in the Troon Junior Golf Series Order of Merit before going on to win the Troon Junior Golf Tour two years later. The same year, he also became the youngest player to feature in the Pan Arab Golf Championships at just

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nine years old. “It was great to have the experience of playing in a different country at an international tournament,” said Shana’ah. “It was one of the first international tournaments I had played and it was such a great challenge with so many really good players competing. I tried my best and put 100% effort into it, even though it was a tough test. I was walking the course and the long days took it out of me but I thoroughly enjoyed every moment.”

Shortly after his appearance in Tunisia, Shana’ah was back under the spotlight once again and this time he was banking some vital ranking points in the newly-

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MOUSA SHANA’AH formed Junior Open Masters Tour. The Tour, which is the only global ranking junior Tour in the region, was set up by Mousa’s father, Abedallah, to help players in the region get recognised on the world stage.

Mousa took his opportunity and won the Green Jacket for finishing top in the Order of Merit in the Tour’s inaugural year, after a string of impressive performances, including his triumph at The Track, Meydan.

“Winning the Green Jacket on my first season on the Junior Open Masters Tour has definitely been my biggest achievement to date,” he said. “It was a great season for me overall beacuse I gained so much experience and learned many things about my game. I felt like a Masters champion when I was presented with the Green Jacket. I’m really proud of this achievement.

JUNIOR COURSE RECORD DELIGHT “The Tour has been a great addition to the UAE golf scene, as you get to see where you’re ranked across the globe. I can have a look and see where my game is at compared to players in the USA and the UK.” After picking up his first Green Jacket in 2018-19, Shana’ah kicked on from where he left off with two Junior Course Records under his belt this season. The first came at JA, The Resort, when he fired a stunning 68 for an eight-stroke victory before posting an impressive two-day total of 143 (72,71) at Al Hamra Golf Club earlier this year.

“My round at Jebel Ali was great. When I walked on the course I was in my zone,” he said. “I was hitting consistently good shots and hitting the ball well. All parts of my game were falling into place. The Junior Course Record at Al Hamra was tough with so many competitive players in the field. A two-day tournament takes a lot out of you. I tried my best and kept my focus and I was delighted with the results.”

Stuart McMurdo, Director of Golf at JA, The Resort, added: “Mousa is an extremely mature, hardworking junior. I’ve met him many times and he’s comfortable communicating with his elders in adult competitions.

‘GIFTED GOLFER’ “We’re fortunate that Mousa has chosen the Leadbetter Academy at JA The Resort Golf Course as his choice of practice facilities and coaching with our very own Yasin Ali. Mousa set the Junior Course record here with (-2) 68 strokes earlier this year. He’s certainly a gifted golfer with a potentially bright future. We wish him every success in the coming years.”

Shana’ah joined forces with Ali, a former European and Asian Tour player, in 2019 and the experienced professional has kept a watchful eye over him at a handful of tournaments. It’s fair to say that the Kenyanborn Briton was eager to have the opportunity to work with Shana’ah.

“When he started working with Mousa,

“Mousa is an extremely mature, hardworking junior.

I’ve met him many times and he’s comfortable communicating with his elders in adult competitions.”

Stuart McMurdo, Director of Golf at JA, The Resort.

Yasin was very surprised with his ability,” said Mousa’s father, Abedallah. “He followed Mousa during a few of the tournaments he competed in before he became his coach.

After a trial session with Yasin he told me: ‘listen Abedallah, many coaches would love the opportunity to coach Mousa but as a former Tour player I know how to improve his game.

I don’t see this type of confidence in anyone else other than Mousa. If I tell him one thing, he remembers it and immediately puts it into practice, which makes my work easier.’

“He also told me that Mousa can achieve many things in golf and that we need to be patient and let him play as many tournaments as possible.

‘ENJOY THE PROCESS OF LEARNING Ali added: “Mousa is a pleasure to teach. He’s one of those lucky few to whom the game comes naturally. He brings the right attitude to the course, he’s cool, calm and always attentive to instruction. His all-round game is good but there is room to improve. My goals for Mousa are extensive but the most important one is for him to always have fun, and enjoy the process of learning and to work hard to get better.”

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Away from the golf course, Shana’ah enjoys his studies at GEMS First Point, where he’s also member of the golf team, and posting videos and pictures to his growing social media following. He currently has over 28,000 Instagram followers with Shana’ah putting this down to uploading fresh content on the platform regularly.

“I’ve been active on Instagram for a long time now and I’m always looking to keep my followers updated with my progress,” he said.

“Posting videos and photos of my wins, swings and other achievements is a great way to garner more followers in the golfing world. I want to show people what I’m capable of and it’s great to see people from all different parts of the world following me and enjoying the content.”

Shana’ah’s talent is undeniable, but going on to become a full-time Tour player is difficult.

Having said that, his love and dedication for the game are clear to see and if he continues to improve we could be seeing a star of the future.

‘GREAT EXPECTATIONS’ “The MENA Tour would be a great place for me to start my career in a few years,” said Mousa.

“After that, I would, hopefully, be looking to turn pro and play on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. I’d love to play a world schedule.

The dream is to become the No.1 golfer in the world, win lots of Majors and enjoy myself along the way.”

Abedallah Shana’ah added: “Each parent has hopes for their children but hope alone is not enough. With the hard work and the talent Mousa has, he can achieve big things if he keeps the same focus and stays responsible.

“Mousa has great expectations to go higher and based on the feedback from his coaches there are still improvements to be made..

“Mousa certainly puts his heart and soul into his golf and I believe he really can achieve great things.” ■

SIZZLING SUMMER MEMBERSHIPS ON OFFER IN THE UAE

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ITH THE MERCURY RISING QUICKLY, SUMMER MEMBERSHIP DEALS COULDN’T BE ANY HOTTER IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND THEY’VE COME AT THE IDEAL TIME WITH LOCAL GOLFERS HAVING BEEN STARVED OF ON COURSE ACTION FOR SO LONG. THE COVID 19 SITUATION MEANS BIGGER BARGAINS THAN EVER BEFORE ARE ON OFFER. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE TASTY DEALS AVAILABLE AT SOME OF THE BEST CLUBS IN THE REGION.

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB, DUBAI The Luxury Golf Summer Pass

1ST JUNE – 30TH SEPTEMBER Single – AED 5,250 | Family – AED 8,250 Unlimited golf 7 days a week PACKAGE BENEFITS • Full access to 18-hole course and floodlit par 3 course • Dubai’s only floodlit TrackMan driving range • Expansive infinity pool • Two indoor air conditioned, state of the art swing studios • Exclusive dining and retail discounts

JA THE RESORT

Summer Swing Package

1ST JUNE – 30TH SEPTEMBER AED 2,995 per person AED 5,495 per couple Unlimited golf 7 days a week PACKAGE BENEFITS • Unlimited practice facilities and par 3 course • 20% discount on F&B • 15% off golf lessons at the Leadbetter Golf Academy • 10% discount at the retail shop • 1 complimentary 30-minute professional swing assessment • Preferential room rates

THE TRACK, MEYDAN GOLF

The Ultimate Summer Entertainment Wildcard 1 MONTH (JUNE-SEPT) 1 wildcard – AED 1,600 | 2 wildcards AED 2,900 | 4 wildcards AED 5,300 2 MONTHS (JUNE-SEPT) 1 wildcard – AED 2,700 | 2 wildcards AED 5,000 | 4 wildcards AED 9,250 4 MONTHS (JUNE-SEPT) 1 wildcard – AED 3,700 | 2 wildcards AED 6,900 | 4 wildcards AED 12,700 Add May or October for AED 1,850 PACKAGE BENEFITS • Unlimited summer golf including day and night golf • Free buggies • Complimentary ENTERTAINER App download • 30% off at the Qube Sports Bar or you can use your ENTERTAINER app.

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SUMMER MEMBERSHIPS ABU DHABI GOLF CLUB Midweek Summer Pass

1ST JUNE - 30TH SEPTEMBER Single AED 4,995 | Couple AED 5,995 PACKAGE BENEFITS • Sunday – Thursday – access to the Championship course, including the Garden course and the practice facilities • 7 day booking window • 10% discount on retail • 10% discount on F&B • 15th discount on golf lessons

• Access to selected club tournaments • Exclusive access to Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Links Abu Dhabi for AED 195 from Sunday to Thursday and preferred summer pass guest rates on the weekends and on public holidays.

An upgrade for full week access will be available once the current limitations on the golfing capacity are eased.

YAS LINKS ABU DHABI Midweek Summer Pass

1ST JUNE - 30TH SEPTEMBER Single AED 4,995 | Couple AED 5,995 PACKAGE BENEFITS • Sunday – Thursday – access to the Links course, Academy Par 3 Course and the practice facilities • 7 day booking window • 10% discount on retail • 10% discount on F&B • 15th discount on golf lessons

• Access to selected club tournaments • Exclusive access to Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Abu Dhabi Golf Club for AED 195 from Sunday to Thursday and preferred summer pass guest rates on the weekends and on public holidays.

An upgrade for full week access will be available once the current limitations on the golfing capacity are eased.

SAADIYAT BEACH GOLF CLUB Midweek Summer Pass

1ST JUNE - 30TH SEPTEMBER Single AED 4,095 | Couple AED 5,095 PACKAGE BENEFITS • Sunday - Thursday – access to the 18-hole course and practice facilities • 7 day booking window • 10% discount on retail • 10% discount on F&B • 15th discount on golf lessons • Access to selected club tournaments

• Exclusive access to Yas Links Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Golf Club for AED 195 from Sunday to Thursday and preferred summer pass guest rates on the weekends and on public holidays.

An upgrade for full week access will be available once the current limitations on the golfing capacity are eased.

TROON ABU DHABI Midweek Summer Pass

1ST JUNE - 30TH SEPTEMBER Single AED 8,595 | Couple AED 9,595 PACKAGE BENEFITS • Sunday – Thursday – access to all three 18-hole Troon courses, plus the floodlit Garden Course (ADGC) and floodlit Academy par 3 course at Yas Links.

• Three weekend vouchers for single and six weekend vouchers for couples.

• • • • •

7 day booking window 10% discount on retail 10% discount on F&B 15th discount on golf lessons Access to selected club tournaments

An upgrade for full week access will be available once the current limitations on the golfing capacity are eased.

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What safety procedures are in place at golf clubs post lockdown?

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Al Zorah Golf Club

BY JORDAN SMITH

With the lockdown restrictions being relaxed, Worldwide Golf’s Jordan Smith headed over to Al Zorah Golf Club in Ajman to see what the current situation is and find out what precautions are in place to ensure it’s safe for golfers to go and enjoy a round of golf whilst keeping their health a priority.

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pon arrival at the golf club, the staff checked every player’s temperature and recorded it on a document alongside your name and the date. Gloves and medical face masks had to be worn at all times inside the clubhouse. Once checked in, you can pay for your round in the pro shop with card only. The Club will not accept cash during this period, another safety procedure they have in place.

Al Zorah are offering 18 holes at a rate of 395 AED. The good news is that there is an Entertainer offer available if you book it in advance.

The bad news is the 2-4-1 only saves you around 50 AED in reality as the Entertainer price is based on the full rack rate.

There were no refreshments or food available in the clubhouse or on the golf course so if you’re visiting Al Zorah, remember to take your own refreshments to stay hydrated throughout your round.

Initially, we tried to book a three-ball. However, the club advised that they had hit the 30% maximum capacity, therefore we were only permitted to book a two-ball. We arrived at the ‘buggy shed’ to find two separate golf buggies – one for each of us. The staff advised us that all buggies had been fully sanitized, as well as informing us that no printed scorecards would be allowed during this period. This is no problem as the golf buggies have a digital scorecard that you can fill in and forward to your email once the round is finished.

I was surprised at how empty the clubhouse felt; from arriving in the car park to setting off to the first tee, we didn’t see any other players. It was quiet – it didn’t have the usual buzzing atmosphere you’d feel if you were going to the first tee in normal circumstances. The 30% capacity gave it an empty, but safe, feel.

The driving range was closed

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and the putting green flags were removed. You could have a chip and putt prior to teeing off but you couldn’t warm up the big dogs, which was scary after such a long period in isolation, but I certainly wasn’t complaining at being out there in the fresh air surrounded by the beautiful topography and greenery.

On the course, a medical face mask has to be worn at all times.

The other players passing by in their buggies were all adhering to the rules, which was an encouraging sign. The only bad side was that you couldn’t tell if they had a smile on their face and were enjoying their round or not!

Further on course precautions included: no rakes in any of the bunkers, pins had to be left in the hole and there were sponges in the bottom of the cups to ensure the balls didn’t fall far down and could be easily retrieved. The sand bucket attached to the golf buggies had been removed, which meant you had to go the old-fashioned route – collect your divots and stamp them back into position.

The course itself was in superb condition, you could tell the fairways and tees hadn’t been in play for some time and had recovered nicely. The greens were running fast and true, but weren’t a true reflection of the pace from the practice green, which could catch out some players. The course was playing firm, both fairways and greens. This was great news in regards to your tee shot as you gained some extra yardage – but approaching the greens could be difficult if the pins were in a tricky spot and keeping the ball on the undulated putting surfaces proved to be a challenge.

With a strong breeze coming from the west coast, it probably wasn’t the best idea playing the course off the back tees on the first round back but it was a certainly great to get back out there! ■

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DOMINIC FOOS

FULLY FOCUSSED ON

CHALLENGE

TOUR GRADUATION B Y

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T H O M A S

W R A G G

HEN DOMINIC FOOS FINISHED 39TH IN HIS MAIDEN EUROPEAN TOUR OUTING AT JUST 15 YEARS OLD AT THE NELSON MANDELA CHAMPIONSHIP, BIG THINGS WERE EXPECTED OF THE GERMAN STARLET. TWO YEARS LATER, THE DUBAI-BASED PROFESSIONAL BECAME THE YOUNGEST EVER WINNER IN CHALLENGE TOUR HISTORY WHEN HE WON THE GANT OPEN AT THE AGE OF 17 YEARS, 347 DAYS. SINCE THEN, HE’S HASN’T QUITE REACHED THE HEIGHTS THAT HE SEEMED DESTINED FOR, BUT THE 22 YEAR OLD IS STILL YOUNG AND IS DETERMINED TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF ONCE AGAIN AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ENDS.

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DOMINIC FOOS

“T

o be honest I thought the Challenge Tour was going to be a lot easier than it was when I first started playing,” says Foos.

“But I’ve realised now how difficult it is to get into that top 15 – the level just gets better year in, year out. This year they’ve changed it to the top 20 guys that get European Tour playing privileges but if you finish 19th you’re going to have a very weak category. My goal has always been to finish in the top ten as that’s going to get you into most events aside from the really big ones.”

Foos’ goal of reaching the top 10 of the Challenge Tour Rankings looked to be on course in his first season after winning his first professional event at the GANT Open in 2015.

But the win, in only his seventh start, was the only real positive in an inconsistent year which included nine missed cuts.

“I never really made a big deal out of winning at such a young age on the Challenge Tour as I expected to win early on. Even now I look back and see I’m the youngest ever winner of a Challenge Tour event and I don’t make much of it.”

“I did expect to go on and win a lot more after that. At the end of the 2015 season, I knew what I needed to work on and I fully expected to finish in the top 15 in 2016 as I was feeling very confident. My game was solid and I didn’t miss any cuts but midway through the season I injured my wrist and that finished me for the rest of the year.

“I’ve had a few niggling injury problems over the years and I think that’s hindered me making that jump up to the European Tour. I didn’t play golf for six months after that wrist injury and I was surprised at how long it took me to feel comfortable on the golf course again. I felt like I lost a lot of my game over those six months but it was a very important experience for me.”

CHANGE OF COACH Foos, who has made Dubai his home for the last five years and is a member of The Els Club, had worked with Justin Parsons, former Director of Instruction at the Butch Harmon School of Golf, before deciding a change was needed to take his game to the next level. Up stepped Dubaibased coach and PXG Ambassador, Alex Riggs.

“I met Alex just after I moved here when he was working at the Butch Harmon School of Golf,” he says. “In 2018 I decided to make a change and spoke with him about becoming my coach and he was super pumped to be given the opportunity. It’s been going well and I love some of the ideas he brings up, it’s been a

Dominic Foos finished tied 11th at the 2019 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. unique ways to keep the game ticking over during the “I was really pumped current pandemic.

“I’ve been dedicating an when I qualified for hour each day to spending the Abu Dhabi HSBC some time in the front of the Championship as it’s such mirror and working on my a great tournament. I swing,” he said. “It’s not the ABU DHABI JOY most ideal bit of practice but The change of coach seems played really well that it’s certainly going to help me to be working with Foos week and finished 11th when I can get back out on making a debut Rolex Series – but at the same time I the course properly. outing last year at the Abu was kind of disappointed “Other than that, I’ve been Dhabi HSBC Championship trying to do lots of home after being crowned top UAE that I didn’t finish in the workouts and spend the rest Resident at the Yas links top ten and qualify for of the time binge-watching qualifying event. A strong the Omega Dubai Desert TV shows on Netflix which performance at Abu Dhabi Golf club followed with a tied is nice I don’t usually get Classic the next week.”

11th place finish amongst much time to do that. I’ve some of the biggest names just finished Ozark which in the game including Brooks was awesome and just Koepka and Dustin Johnson. started Peaky Blinders as everyone has been “I was really pumped when I qualified for the recommending that to me!”

Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship as it’s such a great tournament. I played really well that week FULLY FOCUSSED and finished 11th – but at the same time I was Foos is not due back in action again until July kind of disappointed that I didn’t finish in the at the earliest with the Euram Bank Open the top ten and qualify for the Omega Dubai Desert next scheduled event on the Challenge Tour Classic the next week. calendar. That might seem optimistic given “I was walking down 18 on the final day the current climate and more tournaments and I hadn’t looked at the leaderboard once look certain to be cancelled or postponed but but was thinking ‘I must be near the top ten’. I whatever happens, Foos is fully focussed on left myself a 15 footer for birdie and as I was cementing his European Tour card for 2021. walking up to green I saw I was 13th so I knew “We’ll see how many events we end up I needed to make the putt to qualify for next playing but the number one goal for me week. I made the putt and I was sure that was this year is to get my playing privileges for going to be enough to make the Desert Classic the European Tour and I’d ideally do that by but Ian Poulter ended up kicking me out with a finishing inside the top 10 of the Challenge late birdie!”

Tour Rankings,” he said.

With Dubai on lockdown for the majority of “There’s such big uncertainty about when April, Foos has struggled to follow his standard golf will return with the COVID-19 pandemic so practice routine and living in an apartment with there’s more important things to focus on right no garden added to his problems. But he didn’t now but when we do start playing again, I will let that get in the way of things as he found be ready” ■ great year and a half working with him. He’s also one of my closest friends and my gym buddy so we have great chemistry which makes him very easy to work with.”

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Celebrity We ask the European Tour’s top golfers how their dream dinner party would unfold. Players must choose three celebrities to accompany them, one band or artist to provide the music, what would be on the menu and tell us their favourite party trick! Next in the hotseat is Andy Sullivan.

ANDY SULLIVAN BORIS JOHNSON

I’d like to know what goes on in his head.

Music

STORMZY

It’s going to be the party of the year.

KEVIN BRIDGES For the laughs.

MENU MARGARET THATCHER

There would be a lot of political bantering!

PARTY I’M A SHORT FAT MAN! TRICK I’M LIMITED ON TALENT.

- Starter -

SUSHI - Main -

SALAD - Dessert -

HUMBLE PIE FOR BORIS!

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