Indholdsfortegnelse for April 2019 i Golf Australia

THE imminent closure of the Paradise Palms course north of Cairns didn’t come as any real surprise when it was announced a few months back. The past 28 years have been a rollercoaster ride for the tropical layout. Designers Graham Marsh and Ross Watson created this tropical gem when commissioned by Japanese owners, Daikyo, to create Australia’s most difficult tournament venue. The duo successfully fulfilled the brief and it opened for play in 1990. At the time, it was regarded among the top-20 courses in the nation. To celebrate the opening, Daikyo hosted a $180,000 Skins Game, which pitted Japanese legend Isao Aoki against then World No.1 Greg Norman, Bernhard Langer and two-time US Open Champion Curtis Strange. Aoki and Strange grabbed most of the cash and Paradise Palms’ reputation…

IF I’m ever invited to step up to the microphone on the 1st tee of the The Open, I might use the following introductions ... Claims to be from Scotland, but actually grew up in Yorkshire, England. European number-one more often than Snow White had dwarfs but less often than cats have lives. A bit of an arse on occasion. Don’t mention Jakarta in his presence. Ladies and gentlemen, Colin Montgomerie. Born in Australia, lives in the United States and seems to have forgotten the way home. Not the sharpest tool in even the smallest box. Talks a lot in circles, without ever sounding like he knows even a little about the subject matter. Ladies and gentlemen, Jason Day. Game for a laugh, even at his own expense. Writes a…

GOLF AUSTRALIA, in conjunction with the Australian Human Rights Commission, recently announced new guidelines to ensure Australian golf clubs provide equal opportunities for both genders. The launch of the ‘Guidelines for the promotion of equal opportunity for women and girls in golf’ took place at Mt Derrimut Golf and Community Club – which offers seven-day access to all genders – in Melbourne’s western suburbs. Kate Jenkins, Sex Discrimination Commissioner at the Commission, said the publication provides valuable information about: “The operation of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and practical guidance on how golf clubs can promote equal opportunity for women and girls. “With its use of a unique handicap system, golf is particularly well placed to be an inclusive game for people of all genders, ages and abilities. A real…

I’VE JUST had a month off the tools. No golf. And no, I was not in prison, or remand or even short stay home detention. Nor were any bones broken. It was work – the enemy of the midday whack fest. Sometimes life gets in the way of passion and we have to just, you know – deal with it. But it was good work. Really, really good. The month was alternately spent flying toward the Southern Ocean to gawk at whales and seals and penguins in Antarctica. Of flying home. And this is not to brag about taking on the trip of a lifetime. It’s to share an opportunity with you because the Golf Gods know, I’ll never actually do this myself. Obviously there’s no golfing in Antarctica. Can…

Justin Rose clearly has a strong affinity with Augusta National and the Masters. His face lights up as we discuss the first major of the year. His love for, and intimate knowledge of, one of the world’s most famous golf courses is immediately obvious. He’s animated as he recalls specific shots and describes the holes. And why wouldn’t he love the place, given he has such a fantastic record there? Rose has played the Masters 13 times, dating back to his debut in 2003 – he’s never finished worse than a T39th in that first appearance. He has five top 10s, including three of the last four years. His score of 14-under-par in 2015 would have been enough to win 71 of the previous 78 Masters and force a play-off…

I’ve been very fortunate in that I’ve only ever worked for Justin at Augusta – and he has an intimate knowledge of the golf course. He’s taught me and we’ve learned together its nuances. It’s important to embrace it and love it, which we do. Monday is my most exciting day of the week. I’ll walk the course on my own. Now, a lot of the lads will ask if they can join me but it’s the one day of the year when I actually say, ‘Sorry, guys, this is my day’. It was a huge event for me when I was a kid, as it was for everybody. I like to enjoy the experience and get my mind in the right place. We have detailed yardage books and we…

Shot Scope was launched three years ago. The original version focused solely on shot tracking, but the latest V2, launched last year, adds regular GPS distance measuring, with 35,000 courses mapped by Shot Scope’s own team of 200 elite players. Ditching the need to fiddle with smartphones, the system simply asks you to screw a series of lightweight tags into the butt of each club. Chips inside each send data to a wrist-worn device, which reads every detail of how the club was used and moved … right down to the vibrations of impact. The result of the shot is known through a GPS reading of where the next shot is played from. Ultimately, all activity is overlaid on a map of the course to gain a clear picture of…

MODEL PLAYED: Stroke Lab 2-Ball Fang. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I was already intrigued by the Stroke Lab shaft having seen it in multiple Tour players bags late last year. Once I got underway with my testing of the Stroke Lab 2-Ball Fang, the head impressed, but the shaft proved an outstanding piece of technology for mine. The weight distribution of the Stroke Lab putters is obvious when simply swinging the putter back and forth, with a repeatable stroke and strike the result once a ball is in place. For its part, the head design was extremely stable, easy to align and had a very soft feel off the putter face. HOW IT PERFORMED: Odyssey claims the shaft technology in Stroke Lab makes it easier for golfers to make a more consistent…

Travelling to the Murray for golf offers tourists the chance to play as much golf or as many of the courses as they like. Once the day on the links is done, or a day off, provides the chance to sample some of the regions wines. Here are some of the wineries to make a stop at if you fancy trying a local drop. BULLER WINES Established in 1921 by Reginald Langdon Buller, Buller Wines is located in the Rutherglen region near Corowa Golf Club. A strong supporter of local golf clubs and tournaments in the area, Buller’s handcrafted Calliope range made from 100-year-old vines is difficult not to purchase after having a sample at the cellar door, while the some of the company’s range of fortified wines have been…

THE COURSE LOCATION: Jennifer St, Little Bay, Sydney, NSW. CONTACT: (02) 9326 8009. WEBSITE: www.stmichaelsgolf.com.au DESIGNERS: Michael Moran (1937); Charles Cole (1938); in-house (ongoing). PLAYING SURFACES: Windsor Green couch (fairways), bentgrass (greens). PGA PROFESSIONALS: John Serhan, Chris Rose, Neil Sarkies, Scott Sando. COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Russell Fletcher. GREEN FEES: $100 (bookings advised). THE CLUB MEMBERSHIPS: St. Michael’s caters for every age of golfer. Long term well-established male and female members fill most of the membership categories, however; the club is also fortunate to have a large group of young members ranging from 20 to 40 years of age. St. Michael’s also boasts an impressive junior elite player program with many recent years representative pennant flags donning the walls of the club’s hallway of fame. If you are interested in joining…

To submit your quiz answers, visit the WIN page on our website, www.golfaustralia.com.au The person with the most number of correct answers will a dozen of Mizuno’s new release RB Tour golf ball. The RB Tour is a very soft compression premium ball that offers lower driver spin, and high greenside spin. The four-piece ball also boasts a new Cone Dimple, which are designed to keep fast-flowing air close to the ball’s surface longer – reducing drag and strengthening trajectory. In the event of a tie, the winner will be randomly drawn. Entries close 11.59pm on April 17. The winner and the correct answers will be published in the June issue of Golf Australia magazine.…

WHY NOT 9-HOLERS? Read with interest your Top 100 Public Access Courses ranking (GA January 2019). I have personally played 51 of these courses and five of the top 10. My son worked as grassing/construction manager on four of them and is superintendent presently on two courses you have listed. While I agree with many of your selections and realise it is always subjective, I also find such ratings disappointing as no nine-hole courses ever feature in these surveys. I have personally played many nine-hole courses that are far better layouts and in far better condition than many of the courses in you survey but we always seem to suffer “it’s only a nine-hole course” stigma. I would have thought with all the talk about time pressures on golf and…

There is one sure way to improve your game and that is through custom-fitting your golf clubs. One lucky Golf Australia reader will be taking a step in that direction when they win and are fitted for a complete set of PING clubs, including the recently released G410 driver, fairway, hybrid, Crossover and irons. To be in with a chance, go to our website www.golfaustralia.com.au and take part in our 2019 Reader Survey, which should only take five to 10 minutes to complete. Opt in to receive our weekly newsletter and you will be in the running to win these game-changing clubs from PING. Entries close 11.59pm on May 22, 2019, and the winner will be announced in our weekly newsletter on May 23.…

Good form is a bonus heading into any major championship. But there are certain elements of a player’s game that need to be firing on all cylinders as they drive down Augusta’s Magnolia Lane for the first time in Masters week. Adam Scott will be making his 18th Masters appearance and will be keen to add to his already impressive record of one win, two top-three finishes and five top-10s. He’s only missed the cut twice since 2002. In 64 rounds played he has been under par 24 times. These impressive statistics are hardly surprising when you consider the hallmarks of his game – superior driving skills and high-trajectory iron shots that can be stopped close to a tightly cut pin position. Having set the victory blue print back in…

11TH 505 YARDS PAR-4 “This is one of Augusta’s toughest holes – and it’s made even more difficult by the fact you know you’re coming into Amen Corner. Having the experience to stay in the moment is crucial here. You really want a long, straight tee shot because that makes the second so much easier. That pond looks threatening when you’re going in with a long iron or trying to manufacture something from a bad angle. There are three trees behind the green that we call the ‘cricket stumps’. I usually aim for middle stump – around the left half of the bunker – no matter where the flag is. A lot of guys bail out right, but it’s not an easy up-and-down, especially with a right pin. You can’t…

Augusta National is famous for the speed and slope of its putting surfaces. They’re definitely some of the most extreme we putt on all year. I’ve always enjoyed them and putted well there. Fast speeds and steep slopes mean more break, so you have to be more precise with your start line and distance control than on slower and flatter greens. Here are four of my favourite tips for negotiating slick putting surfaces. 1 TRUST YOURSELF AND STAY NATURAL When I’m putting well I feel it’s more of an instinctive process and when I’m putting poorly, it’s too conscious: I’m working on my stroke; feeling the rotation of my putter; trying hard to line up the blade. Sometimes the harder you try on a putt, the more elusive it can…

You’re a few months into your captaincy, with a few to go. Where are you at the moment? I’ve done a lot already. I was down there in Melbourne, as you know, at the end of last year. I’ve spoken to a lot of the players, multiple times. We’ve done the uniforms. All our logistic and off-course plans for the week – Monday to Thursday – are in place. Now I’m looking at using some technological expertise to help me find the best team. I’m really looking into how all the guys play. We’re talking statistics right? Thomas Bjørn did a lot of that before the last Ryder Cup. Yes. I’ve got a nice team around me and we have to get it right. We’re going into this thing as…

SUITABILITY: Available in 54°, 56°, 58°, 60° and 64° lofts, there is a PM Grind wedge for any player looking for one or two versatile greenside options, with two finishes also offered. LEFT-HANDED: All five lofts are available in left-handed models. CALLAWAY SAYS: The original PM Grind started as a one-off prototype built expressly for Mickelson. It was characterised by a uniquely shaped head with an exceptionally high toe and expansive face area, including grooves spanning the entire face, both from side-to-side and up-and-down. Phil began working with Roger Cleveland on improvements to the PM Grind that make it easier to hit three essential shots Phil thinks every golfer needs: ‘The Knockdown’ – a low-flying, high-spinning shot ideal for attacking the pin, ‘The Hit & Check’ – a short pitch…

SUITABILITY: Offered in 10 head styles ranging from blade models to large mallets, with many options offered in multiple shaft setups, there is a Stroke Lab putter for every preference and putting stroke. LEFT-HANDED: Eight styles are available for left-handers. ODYSSEY SAYS: Featuring Odyssey’s innovative new ‘Stroke Lab’ weight distribution, the Stroke Lab putter line helps improve the stroke through a profound change in weight distribution made possible by an innovative new shaft. The shaft is a full 40 grams lighter, made possible by an innovative new multi-material design that combines a graphite body with a steel tip to net out at just 75 grams, with most of the mass concentrated in the tip. The saved weight is optimally redistributed by adding 10 grams to the head in the form…

WHERE TO STAY SLIEVE DONARD RESORT & SPA: This 100-year-old Victorian property is one of Ireland’s most stunning and luxurious golf hotels and is situated immediately adjacent to the world-famous Royal County Down golf club, home to the 2015 Irish Open. The property boasts a luxurious Spa (16 treatment rooms, a 20-metre pool and vitality rooms), fine dining or relaxed bistro-style and a sumptuous breakfast featuring a full Irish or perhaps porridge with a dash of Bushmills whiskey. www.hastingshotels.com/slieve-donard-resortand-spa/ BUSHMILLS INN: This multi award-wining luxury four-star accommodation in the heart of Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast is an excellent base for golfers, being well situated for Royal Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock. This former coaching inn oozes character from intimate ‘snugs’ with aged timbers to the secret library and the cosy glow…

THE COURSE LOCATION: Younger Street, Warrnambool, Victoria, 3280. CONTACT: (03) 5562 2108 (Clubhouse); (03) 5562 8528 (Pro Shop). WEBSITE: www.wgcinc.com.au DESIGNERS: George Lowe Jnr (1928); Thomson Perrett (ongoing). COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: David Warnaar. PGA PROFESSIONAL: Craig Bonney. SLOPE RATINGS: Men – Blue 120; Red: 111. Women – Red 126. PLAYING SURFACES: Kikuyu, couch, fescue and ryegrass (fairways and tees); Bentgrass/Poa annua (greens). GREEN FEES: $45 (18 holes); $30 (9 holes). THE CLUB MEMBERSHIPS: Full Ordinary memberships cost $997 and provide playing rights seven days per week. Intermediate memberships are $811 and entitle holders Sunday to Friday rights (Saturdays are excluded). Student, Introductory, Progressive and Country memberships are also available. For full membership categories, and their prices, visit the club’s website. RECIPROCAL CLUBS: Warrnambool Golf Club currently enjoys partnerships with 27…

Paradise Palms – ranked as one of Australia’s Top-100 Public Access Courses – is to close. The owners have applied to turn the 113-hectare property into a housing estate, while other aspects of the redevelopment being considered include a school, retirement village and a tourist park. The iconic clubhouse will be repurposed and will be the only reminder of the course’s 30-year history as one of this country’s top golfing attractions. Paradise Palms’ managing director Darren Halpin told The Cairns Post that his company, PPNQ Developments, is working with Sydney based city planning agency Urbis to produce a master plan. He added the closure had been brought forward three months to March 31 to “get all the necessary approvals and wildlife audits needed before residential building projects could start on…

The GREAT GOLF AUSTRALIA TRIVIA QUIZ #2 winner from our February issue was Barry Green of Frenchs Forest, NSW. He was the only entrant with a perfect score and wins for the second month running. Congratulations…golf balls are on their way. ANSWERS: 1. Bobby Jones. 2. 246. 3. Tony Lema. 4. Former Open Champion, Harold Hilton. 5. A rubber-core golf ball. 6. Guy Wolstenholme won four titles. 7. Internationals have won six times (pre-2019); Australians five. 8. Michael Long. 9. Mark Calcavecchia. 10. 1989 from cyclist Sir Hubert Opperman.…

WE’VE all got one, albeit to varying degrees on the golf course. A temper that is. This isn’t a bad thing necessarily. Having a boiling point works both ways. You can’t have the intensity and desire you need to play well without having a temper too. That is certainly true in my case. If I’m not getting at least a little mad, I’m probably not “into” the round as much as I need to be. Having said that, temper is almost always a negative. But the headspace I’m in when I get mad is still better than the headspace I’m in when I don’t get mad. That’s no good. It’s flat-line. And I am typical in that respect. Of the top-20 players I’ve ever competed alongside, 19 of them were…

2 ND 575 YARDS “This is a good opportunity to make an early birdie but you have to play it defensively at times, especially if it’s a pin placement that you know you can’t get a long approach shot close to, like that back left portion of the green. In those instances, it can be easier to make a birdie by laying up to a good angle to attack the pin with a wedge. You have a great view down to the green and an easier second shot from the flat section of fairway at the top. If you can play the first two holes in nine (level par) – no matter how you go about it – then it’s not the end of the world. Anything better than that…

When I missed the 10-footer on the 18th green at Augusta in 2017 to win the Masters, it was a tough moment, but I tried to keep it in perspective. You’re going to hole putts to win and you’re going to miss putts to lose. I knew the magnitude of the situatuion, but I promised myself I would just hit a good, free putt and I did that. The most important thing as a golfer is to commit to your process. You can’t let the situation dictate how you hit a putt or a shot. You have to go through your routine and commit. Trying too hard to make a putt is often the best way to miss it. When I had a putt of a similar length on the…

Golfers love par-3s. On the shortest of them with one good swing a 20-handicapper can make a birdie whilst at the same time a Tour player can walk off with a bogey after one poor swing. There is no better example of the principle than the 110 metre 7th at Barnbougle and the same thing is never going to happen on a 450-metre par 4. Par-3s are more than useful for architects. They are an ideal way of joining holes together and keeping a routing going without having to endure long walks from green to tee. One-shotters, as the old architects called them, use up difficult and or small pieces of land and they can be particularly useful in getting the golfer out of a tight corner. Gil Hanse’s proposed…

Now build your address around these body angles. Check, in particular: • Your ball position is opposite your lead instep and ahead of your shirt buttons. It promotes a sweeping impact with the clubhead at the base of its arc. • At least half of the ball is above the crown of your driver. A relatively high tee encourages that swept, upward delivery. • Your weight is around 50-50, or perhaps just favouring your back foot. The important thing is you do not lock muscles and joints up by loading either side. • The clubshaft is horizontal, hands level with the clubface. The more the shaft angles back, the more downward you’ll hit. • Your grip pressure is relatively light. Soft hands encourage the bigger, more powerful muscles of the…

FLIP THE TABLES ON PAIN Aches and pains go almost hand in hand with golf. But golfers need no longer suffer, with the Teeter EP-960L inversion table offering back and joint pain relief, as well as improved flexibility, in your own home. Founded by Roger Teeter in 1981, Teeter inversion tables are independently quality tested for safety and have been trailed for performance improvements directly related to golf. Featuring the company’s ‘EZ-Reach’ ankle system, which is easy to use and offers triple-lock security and ‘Stretch Max’ handles for beginner assistance and a greater variety of uses for experienced inversion table users, the EP-960L is also customisable to achieve whatever the desired result. A recent study of golfers who used Teeter inversion tables saw 100 percent of participants increase their distance,…

Named in honour of its original founder, the 2019 Neil Macaulay River Belt Open amateur tournament marks the 34th staging of the event, which will run from October 14 to 18. Played across courses at Cobram-Barooga Golf Club, Corowa Golf Club, Tocumwal Golf Club and Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort, the 72-hole tournament has daily stableford trophies in men’s and ladies A, B and C grade as well aggregate trophies awarded at the end of the week. Giving the competitive golfer a chance to experience some of the area’s best layouts, the event includes a rest day in the middle of the week, offering competitors the chance to enjoy the region beyond the courses. Entries close September 9.…

For decades St Michael’s has been one of Sydney’s most underrated courses. While its has always boasted its fair share of fascinating holes covering amazing land, there was for a long time a sense that it wasn’t polished to be the best it could be. It could best be described as a rough diamond. ‘St Mick’s’ covers beautiful naturally undulating topography, which is a feature of the stretch of seaside land that incorporates New South Wales Golf Club, bordering St Michael’s to the south and The Coast Golf Club next door to the north. With several tees perched high in the dunes affording great ocean views beyond the fairway and green that lies in front, St Michael’s has always been a spectacular place to play golf. In recent years the…

Western Australia is an extraordinary place. From its natural beauty – like world-class beaches and majestic forests – to its food and wine and all things cultural … What more could you ask for? How about some spectacular golf courses? Roughly half the size of Europe, Western Australia boasts the likes of The Cut, The Links at Kennedy Bay (pictured), Joondalup, Lake Karrinyup and Cottesloe – and Global Golf can plan and book custom golf tours just for you. Global Golf doesn’t operate “cookie-cutter” tours. Instead, the company asks you where and when you want to play and then custom-builds your itinerary from there. There are suggested itineraries on the company’s website (listed below) but, again, everything is entirely customisable. For more information, visit www.globalgolf.com.au  or call 0439…

What is your earliest memory? We went on holiday to Tenerife for two weeks when I was six years old. I can remember seeing Michael Jackson on television every night. I was a huge fan of his at the time. That was my first holiday – and my last one come to think of it. What is your most annoying habit? You should ask my boyfriend this one (laughs). But it is probably speaking before I think. What scares you most? Failing. I’m scared of not feeling good enough. Have you ever said “I love you” and not meant it? No. Never. That would be awful. What has been your closest brush with death? I’m not sure I’ve had one beyond very bad turbulence on planes. I’ve been lucky. If…