Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2017 i Golf Australia

JORDAN Spieth will defend his Emirates Australian Open title later this year as he aims to join a small band of players to win the Stonehaven Cup three times. The World No.3 committed to the event early and we have been assured by Golf Australia he is the first big name to be announced for what will be an impressive field for the national championship to be played at Sydney’s The Australian Golf Club from November 23 to 26. The 23-year-old first won the title at The Australian in 2014 with a brilliant closing round 63, then narrowly missed a playoff a year later when he finished tied second with Adam Scott, a stroke behind Matt Jones. Last year, he grabbed the Stonehaven Cup back at Royal Sydney when he…

SPOT THE BALL WHERE could JustinThomas’ ball be in this photo? All you have to do is correctly identify where his ball is hidden on the grid, using the letters and numbers (eg. A4, B2 etc). Answer correctly and you could win a dozen Mizuno JPX-S golf balls.The new JPX-S is a soft compression edition of Mizuno’s three piece ball – producing a balanced performance for a wider range of swing speeds, which also boasts Mizuno’s Dimple-Cluster design for improved aerodynamics. TO ENTER: Select your grid reference and then go to our website, www.golfaustralia.com.au, to submit your answer. The winner and the correct answer will be published in the October issue of Golf Australia magazine. JUNE SPOT THE BALL WINNER & ANSWER We had some very keen observers for this…

While it would be more than a little too harsh to describe the US PGA Championship as the fourth stooge, the eighth dwarf, or even the one-hundred-and-second Dalmation, many are those who view the year’s final major as the unfortunate runt of the litter, the redheaded stepchild of golf’s Grand Slam. Fourth of four chronologically (at least for now) and in the hearts and minds of just about everyone in the game, the PGA of America’s flagship event is annually the least anticipated of golf’s four most important weeks. Think about it. If we were starting over tomorrow, does anyone really imagine that an event run by sweater-salesmen would be hailed as one of the biggest in the game? Indeed, would three of those four really be played in the…

Look back at Sergio Garcia’s fantastic maiden major win in April and your memories will likely fall on his great par save at 13, or the 8-iron that hit the pin on 15. But equally impressive – if slightly less dramatic – was the way he holed out on both holes. Sergio holed a series of clutch putts en route to victory. The six-footer he holed on the last green on Saturday to stay tied for the lead was significant too. This fantastic display of pressure putting followed another one, against Phil Mickelson in the 2016 Ryder Cup – putting performances that seemed beyond him at one stage of his career. Garcia’s switch to a claw grip at the beginning of 2011 has clearly been a big factor in his…

ONE PUTT By Ken Brown Any former tournament professional nicknamed ‘One Putt’ is worth listening to regarding the art of being a good putter. European Tour winner Ken Brown was known throughout his career as one of the best putters to have stepped onto a green and his instructional book gives an insight into what made him a great putter. Including a foreword by Seve Ballesteros, One Putt covers topics from picking a putter, set-up, the stroke to tips and drills. Available at booktopia.com.au RRP: $21.50 (hardcover). UNCONSCIOUS PUTTING By Dave Stockton Dave Stockton’s outstanding career as a player has almost been exceeded by his success as a putting guru to the world’s best players. Unconscious Putting gives everyday golfers an insight into the help Stockton has given…

IF YOU want to make professional quality contact with the ball with your irons, you NEED the shaft of your club leaning forward at impact. That means the shaft is leaning forward with the grip end of the club nearer to the target than the clubhead at impact. This position is a must if you hope to compress the ball and make your divot after the ball, not before. This is the true secret to powerful and accurate iron shots. There are several movements that are key, and when they happen in the correct sequence, the result is a pure strike. Through impact, your weight must shift onto your left side (for right-handers) while your right shoulder must move toward the ball. For good impact, notice how the shaft and…

ALAN MOIR CARTOON What better way to celebrate Father’s Day than a picture. And what better picture than a caricature of the man of the hour. Multi prize-winning cartoonist Alan Moir has been drawing caricatures for decades and golf is by far his most popular subject. Moir draws his outstanding comical depictions from photos, capturing the detail of the subject playing their favourite sport in pieces that are treasured by the recipients, with some of Alan’s subjects coming back for another picture years later. According to Alan it might have something to do with golfers being suckers for punishment. RRP: $275. Contact: Email Alan a photo clearly showing the subjects eyes to amoir@bigpond.net.au, or visit, www.moir.com.au for more details. A LESSON WITH A PGA PRO While every golfer wants to…

 EVERY golfer has a secret: A hidden gem we file away and hope to remember at the start of a round, not the end. It rarely works out that way, though. We forget. We wipe three of the first six holes and then it comes back, so we metaphorically whack ourselves in the face for being such an idiot. SERIOUSLY, IT WAS LIKE AN EPIPHANY. AS IF THE CLOUDS PARTED, THE SUN SHONE THROUGH AND THE FINGERS OF GOD REACHED OUT AND LIT ME UP. Some golfers don’t know they have a secret.They think they front up to the course, pull out their clubs and blast away willy-nilly. But they do have a secret, it’s just their secret is so dang secret they can’t actually access it. I was like…

“TO ACTUALLY PLAY MY BEST GOLF THAT I CAN REMEMBER TILL THIS DAY AND SHOOT 24-UNDER ON THIS GOLF COURSE AND WIN IT BY SIX, MAN, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE BELIEVED I WAS CAPABLE OF.” – JON RAHM WINNING SCORE: 24 under, 264 DEFEATED: Scotland’s Richie Ramsay and Englishman Matthew Southgate by six strokes. DEFINING MOMENTS: Beginning the final round tied for the lead with little-known American Daniel Im, Rahm surged ahead with an eagle at the 538-yard par-5 4th where the Spaniard judged his 150-yard third shot to perfection, finding the bottom of the hole. Rahm made his second eagle of the day at Portstewart’s par-5 14th before finishing bogey-birdie-bogey for a final round 65 and 24 under par total, the lowest score to par in…

UNTIL THE VARIOUS JOINTS STARTED WEARING OUT I DID NOT HAVE A HIGH OPINION OF HEALTHY PEOPLE WHO PLAYED IN CARTS ... AFTER a break from competition stretching back to September 6 2015, your columnist returned to the fray at his club on a motorised mobility scooter late last month. The transport was necessitated by a hip transplant, three lots of back surgery and three knee operations that made walking more than a couple of holes painful and a full round impossible. It was a terrible thing to face after playing for 60 years. Until the various joints started wearing out I did not have a high opinion of healthy people who played in carts while at the same time maintaining an academic interest in the various modes of transport,…

JASON DAY It’s only two years since the 29-year-old broke through for his first major title in this event. A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then (not all of it good). But he’ll be keen about his chances at Quail Hollow especially given its conversion to Bermuda grass, which he has plenty of experience playing on. Day hasn’t played at Quail Hollow since 2012 when he finishedT9. ADAM SCOTT Quail Hollow has not been a happy hunting ground for Scott, who has played three events there since 2010 and missed the cut twice. His best performance was last year when he finishedT17, but of concern is the fact he’s never broken 70 at Quail Hollow. Likewise, the PGA has not been kind to the Queenslander. He…

MANY golfers are searching for longer shots, especially from the tee, with little to no success. At The Lakes Golf Club, I use Trackman in my teaching bay which helps show players where they are struggling with gaining distance. Looking at factors such as attack angle, launch angle, low point, spin rate and smash factor helps establish the reasons why your clubhead speed and ball speed are not being maximised. There are many factors that prevent a player to reach their potential with their driver. In terms of equipment, a player’s shaft and clubface loft need to suit your swing for you getting the most out of your driver. Many players want to use stiff shafts because they feel this is a sign of being a good player. This is…

FORE – OPEN MINDED BIRKDALE BOYS By Mags Eastock & John Murray This is the story of four professional caddies, who grew up in the same street near Royal Birkdale in England. They made their mark on The Open Championship carrying the bag on nine victorious occasions for the likes of Peter Thomson, Tom Watson, Gary Player and Johnny Miller. This is a terrific read with some wonderful anecdotes from the golfing lives of the ‘Birkdale Boys’. Available at www.booktopia.com.au for $35.50 (hardcover). THE FIRST MAJOR – INSIDE STORY OF THE 2016 RYDER CUP By John Feinstein The best-selling author of A Good Walk Spoiled chronicles the behind-the-scenes action of the bitterly-contested 2016 Ryder Cup. Feinstein was able to gain exclusive access to both teams to provide an insider view…

THE COURSE LOCATION: Bridgeport Drive, North Lakes, Queensland. CONTACT: (07) 3480 9200. WEBSITE: www.northlakesgolfclub.com.au DESIGNER: Graham Marsh (2002). SLOPE RATINGS: 134 (Black men’s tees), 133 (Blue men’s tees), 132 (White men’s tees), 137 (Red women’s tees), 145 (White women’s tees). PLAYING SURFACES: Wintergreen couch (fairways), Tifeagle Bermuda (greens). PGA PROFESSIONAL: Nigel Lane. GREEN FEE: $99 (18 holes). Twilight rates available. THE CLUB MEMBERSHIPS: North Lakes has a great range of full memberships available for all budgets starting from just $100 a month. Memberships are available in the categories of individual, family, junior, intermediate and corporate. Whether your interests are to find camaraderie, improve your game, increase time with your family or entertain clients, North Lakes has a membership product that will meet your needs. Full membership (for less than…

IT IS one of the more intriguing and head-shaking aspects of professional golf in the 21st century. So bad has it become, many leading players are beginning to resemble members of the British royal family. More and more the stars of the game are surrounding themselves with an ever-expanding band of fawning and obsequious acolytes. Okay, not all of these terribly important camp followers are to be found licking the boss’ soft-spikes. I can live with the fact that there is going to be a pressing need for a well-qualified swing coach now and then. And a good caddie can be a great asset in times of stress, likewise a manager/agent who knows what he is about. But some of the others? Give me a break. It’s a long list:…

WHERE’S THE HOLE? I watch a lot of golf onTV, both the European and PGATours. Is it only me that cannot see the hole on most occasions when players are putting, if the flag is out or not being attended? Is there any way the broadcasters can indicate where the hole is when players are putting? They can track tee shots and show where the projected putting line is so surely they can do it. Want to get something off your chest? Let us know your opinion via e-mail to: golf@golfaustralia.com.au or send your letter to: Letters to the Editor, Golf Australia magazine, Level 6, Building A, 207 Pacific Hwy, St Leonards NSW 2065.…

THE call came late last year. On the line was Nick Price, captain of the International team at the Presidents Cup. And he got right to the point: would I like to be one of his assistants for the matches against the United States at Liberty National this September? My response was just as speedy:Yes, I very much would, even if I am still more interested in playing.To be fair, Nick was kind enough to say he hoped I would make the team, but he wanted me as part of his back-up squad if that didn’t happen. Whatever, I was excited to be asked. The Presidents Cup is one of my favourite events in the game.The three I have played in have definitely been three of my more enjoyable weeks…

1 Tyrrell Hatton – Ping Vault Oslo. 2 Matthew Fitzpatrick – Yes! Tracy II. 3 Rafa Cabrera Bello – Scotty Cameron Concept 2. 4 Luke Donald – Odyssey Works Versa 7H CS. 5 Michael Thompson – Ping PLD Anser. 6 Gonzalo Fdez-Castano – Odyssey White Hot Pro 9. 7 Rickie Fowler – Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Prototype. 8 Mackenzie Hughes – Ping Scottsdale TR Piper C. 9 Graeme McDowell – Odyssey White Hot 7. 10 Steve Wheatcroft – Scotty Cameron Futura T5MB. 11 Brian Harman – TaylorMade Spider OS CB. 12 Charl Schwartzel – TaylorMade Spider Tour Black. 13 Brian Gay – Bettinardi BB8 Tour Prototype. 14 Russell Henley – Scotty Cameron Tour Rat Concept 2 Prototype. 15 Blayne Barber – Scotty Cameron Circa ’62 No.3 GSS. 16 Billy Hurley…

Brooks Koepka is one of the most powerful hitters on the PGA Tour, which was evident on the final hole of his US Open triumph when he bludgeoned a 379-yard 3-wood off the tee of the par-5. Standing at 183cm and weighing in at 84kg, Koepka boasts an athletic physique so it should be no real surprise he is among the longest drivers on Tour, averaging 307.6 yards every time he pulls the driver from his bag. At the US Open, he combined that great strength with impressive (and greatly improved) accuracy as he hit 88 percent of fairways (49 of 56) across the four rounds of the championship. Here’s how the 27-year-old harnessed his power to become the cornerstone of his first major victory. ADDRESS His athletic set-up position…

Becoming a member of a golf club is an expensive undertaking that very few people can afford to commit to, right? Think again. The range of flexible membership options available right now means there’s likely to be something to suit everyone. While your stock-standard individual membership is still prominent, more and more categories are beginning to emerge. From social memberships to family memberships, and everything in between, golf clubs now have all bases covered. Having just one or two membership options on offer will no longer capture the entire playing market, and that’s a terrific thing. It shows how the sport has expanded and become more inclusive. It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, young or old … There’ll be a membership category tailored for you, and you’ll be…