Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2019 i Golf Australia

On a visit to St Andrews a few years ago I was standing by the 1st tee and overheard a caddie ask his man what his handicap was. “15,” came the reply. The caddie advised that he should play from the forward markers (about 10 metres ahead of the back tees). The middle-aged American would have none of that. “I didn’t come all this way to play from there,” he snapped back. Playing in the group behind, I had the privilege of watching him get beaten up by the Old Course for the next four-and-a-half hours. Had he played from the forward tees I’ve no doubt his experience would have been more positive and, more importantly, fun. I really believe sometimes we forget golf was meant to be fun. To…

Almost every day it seems, we hear about the latest candidate for one of golf’s least tangible but most-coveted titles. I’m talking “best player in the world.” Right now, many observers – learned and otherwise – seem to think one of two high-profile professionals are most deserving of our ultimate adulation: Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy, which isn’t exactly sticking out any necks. Those guys are ranked first and second in the world respectively. So the algorithms would seem to confirm all of those widely-held opinions. That’s way too easy though. A cursory glance at the game we all love reveals a deeper truth. Even the most basic understanding of logic tells us that, almost every day, the identity of the best player on the planet changes like the weather.…

DECEMBER 5-8 Australia’s ‘Awesome Foursome’ – Adam Scott, Jason Day, Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman – return to head off the international bids for the Australian Open trophy, the Stonehaven Cup. A wealth of foreign stars including Ernie Els, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia and defending champion Abraham Ancer will be at The Australian Golf Club. DECEMBER 12-15 The Presidents Cup returns to Melbourne for the third time, with the Internationals looking to end the 25-year American domination of the matches. Led by golfing icons Ernie Els and Tiger Woods, the sides will face off on the world famous Royal Melbourne layout – the scene of the International team’s only victory back in 1998. DECEMBER 19-22 Cameron Smith can break a 112-year record with a third consecutive victory in the Australian…

The upcoming Presidents Cup matches at Royal Melbourne between the International squad and the United States are almost upon us. My involvement as one of International captain Ernie Els’ assistants has been growing for a while now. For the last 12 months or so, two ‘group texts’ have been in operation. One for the captain and my fellow assistants; the other includes the pool of players that will eventually make up the team. We’re nearly there on that front, of course. Eight players have already qualified as of right – Marc Leishman, Hideki Matsuyama, Louis Oosthuizen, Adam Scott, Abraham Ancer, Haotong Li, C.T. Pan and Cameron Smith – and they will be joined by four captain’s picks. By the time you read these words you will know who Ernie has…

LINE IN THE SAND The one-sidedness of the Presidents Cup is no secret. The United States has absolutely dominated the biennial competition since its inception in 1994 – winning 10 of the 12 matches and tying at Fancourt in South Africa in 2003. But the Internationals, by all accounts, seem to have found some much-needed rejuvenation under the leadership of Ernie Els, as they look to repeat the efforts of the 1998 team that upset the Americans at Royal Melbourne (20.5 – 15.5). Els has asked his team members to play practice rounds together as often as possible, established ‘group texts’ and held regular meetings throughout the year (as Assistant Captain Geoff Ogilvy discusses in his column on page 36). The South African’s leadership has also almost certainly helped players…

The recent BMW PGA Championship saw the dawn of a new era on the European Tour.The Tour’s flagship event was the first trial of a new pace-of-play initiative, designed to tackle the worsening problem of slow play that is angering fans and players alike, posing the greatest threat to golf’s wellbeing. Under the new system, referees will have access to precise times for each group, while displays on each tee will show players their position in relation to the group in front. The initiative was rolled out in full at the start of the new European Tour season in November, including reduced time allowances to play a shot when on the clock and increased fines for players who regularly take too long. “The time was right to take these additional…

The 2019 PGA Tour season belonged to one man: Brooks Koepka.The 29-year-old reclaimed his spot at the top of the world rankings, won the US PGA Championship, came second at the Masters and US Open, earned more than anyone else on the PGA Tour and finished in the top 10 in nine of 20 starts. He was named PGA Player of the Year, but missed out on being crowned PGA Tour Player of the Year for the second year running, losing out to FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy. He also came out of his shell for the first time, speaking candidly on slow play, course setups and the behaviour of his peers, before posing naked for ESPN’s ‘Body Issue’. “You’re actually getting the real me now,” he says. “I have a…

December 22, 1894 After delegates from Newport Country Club, St Andrew’s Golf Club, The Country Club, Chicago Golf Club and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club met in New York, the United States Golf Association was formed to serve as the game’s national governing body. December 12, 1899 American dentist George F Bryant patents the wooden golf tee. This tee consisted of a wood cone with a rubber sleeve to support the ball, but it is not known to have ever been marketed. December 7, 1929 Defending champion Leo Diegel defeats Johnny Farrell, 6 & 4 in the final of the US PGA Championship at Hillcrest CC, California. It was the last time the PGA was played in that state for 48 years. December 6, 1998 Greg Chalmers outlasts a quality field…

EXCITED for the Australian summer of golf? Of course you are. We all are. The Presidents Cup will be terrific, obviously. The world’s highest-paid golfers duking it out on our very best layout with the threat of ‘The Trumpinator’ flying in to witness the final handshakes. That is not going to happen, and if it does, Lord help us. But there’s more to this summer than the Presidents Cup. The first week of December sees the 104th festival of The Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club. It’s just got a ring to it. And for the first time in some time, all our top golfers are back to play. Scott, Day, Leishman and Smith – our best ranked, at home to refresh their possibly fading accents and play in…

There’s an argument to suggest that recent editions of the Emirates Australian Open have resembled Rolls-Royce-powered Ford Fiestas. Much was pinned on the drawing power of a sole international marquee player – whether it be Rory McIlroy or Jordan Spieth – as well as a top Australian golfer to get the fans through the gate. All this, while its owner – Golf Australia – did its best to keep the show on the road. But this year is different. In 2019, Tournament Director Trevor Herden won’t be under siege at the first media conference to kick off championship week at The Australian Golf Club. Instead, he’ll be smiling ear-to-ear knowing our national Open has the best and deepest field since the 2011 instalment at The Lakes Golf Club – an…

The old adage that you drive for show but putt for dough has lost significant credence since Dr. Mark Broadie’s overhaul of the PGA Tour’s performance statistics revealed power driving to be the No.1 contributing factor to low scoring. In simple terms, Broadie’s research showed that at Tour level, contrary to what you might think, it is preferable to be 275-plus metres down the hole in the rough than 245 metres down the middle of the fairway. Need convincing? Examine American Brooks Koepka’s stats up to the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational this year. The four-time major winner ranked 13th in driving distance at 282 metres yet 93rd in driving accuracy, hitting only 62 percent of fairways with his tee shots. Surely, those wayward drives would cost Koepka big time? Not…

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The design and colours of the Alien Pros overgrips are certainly bright and eye-catching. Available in a range of patterns and colours, the grips give your clubs a unique look that I quite liked. In regards to fitting the overgrips, the process is a fairly simple one. If you have ever replaced a tennis grip, the process is extremely similar. My first rushed attempt as I arrived at the course ready to head out, proved easy enough and there were no obvious lumps or bubbles, and everything you need to fit the grips is right there in the packet except for a pair of scissors. Once on, the grips had a slightly tacky feel that I enjoyed, while I really liked the feeling of the wrap-like texture where…

MODEL PLAYED: Callaway JAWS MD5 (52°-10° S, 56°-10° S and 60°-10° S), fitted with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue 115 S200 shafts. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Straight out of the box, the new JAWS MD5 wedges impressed me. Simple, clean appearance both at address and in the bag looked great to my eye, while the slightly rounded shape of the higher lofts and squarer look of the lower lofts is exactly what I would expect from a Callaway wedge designed by Roger Cleveland. As soon as I hit my first chip with the new model the spin off the face stood out. The new grooves and rougher surface area of the face really grabbed the cover of the ball and caused it to immediately check up on the second bounce. The…

THE COURSE LOCATION: 1345 Portarlington Rd, Curlewis, Victoria, 3222. CONTACT: (03) 5251 1111. WEBSITE: www.curlewisgolf.com.au DESIGNER: Vern Morcom (1947), Kevin Hartley (1970s), Mike Clayton (2001 and ongoing). SLOPE RATINGS: Men: 130 (Blue tees), 128 (white), 111 (green). Women: 133 (Red) and 118 (green). PLAYING SURFACES: Bentgrass/Poa (greens), Santa Ana couch (tees), Common couch (fairways). GREEN FEES: $45 (midweek, 18 holes), $55 (weekends and public holidays), $50 (Sunday). COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Rob Bradley. PGA PROFESSIONAL: Steve Brodie and Tom Jefferies. THE CLUB MEMBERSHIPS: Curlewis has six membership categories including seven- and six-day memberships (open to men and women), an 18- to 29-year-old seven-day membership as well as a student and two junior categories. OTHER FACILITIES: The club has developed a state-of-the-art driving range, which is located alongside the western boundary of the…

Ban green books Many players take an age poring over detailed green-reading material. The USGA and R&A attempted to address the situation by limiting the size of the materials, a step that has made little difference. Ban them altogether. Bring back the skill of green reading. “If you can’t read a green, go sell tomatoes,” said Gary Player. Quite right. Allow lasers Bryson DeChambeau took three minutes to hit a 70-yard shot at The Northern Trust, largely because he paced out the entire distance. Caddies spend valuable time calculating distances using sprinkler heads, bunkers and trees. All of this time could be saved with the touch of a button, providing an instant yardage. Introduce shot clocks The European Tour’s Shot Clock Masters is hugely popular with fans and players alike,…

SUITABILITY: Offered in a range of colours and patterns and able to be self-fitted, the Alien Pros overgrips are suited to any golfer in need of a new grip, looking for a slightly thicker or different feel and any player looking to add a splash of colour to their equipment. COMPANY SAYS: Alien Pros Golf overgrips are made of flexible, absorbent material with just the right amount of friction that makes a slightly tacky grip. Featuring strong anti-slip function, the overgrips are among the most used grips in the market. The hydrophilic coating is what enables the overgrips to have intriguing designs without compromise on functionality. Designed for long-lasting comfort, the superior absorption keeps your hands dry and comfortable while also creating the right amount of friction so the club…

SUITABILITY: With lofts ranging from 46°-64° in five sole grinds and two finishes, the JAWS MD5 wedges will suit most golfers and fill any yardage gaps. SHAFTS: True Temper Dynamic Gold 115 Tour Issue steel and True Temper Project X Catalyst 80 graphite are offered as the standard options. LEFT-HANDED: The JAWS MD5 is available in 50°, 52°, 56°, 58° and 60° in left-handed in a number of sole options. CALLAWAY SAYS: JAWS MD5 wedges, built by Callaway Chief Designer and master wedge maker Roger Cleveland, mark a breakthrough in wedge design and performance. Mr Cleveland and his extensive research and development (R&D) team have created a new JAWS groove to take spin and control to the next level. The end result is a wedge that delivers total performance, with…

I’ve heard several golf teachers say you need to have an open stance for short pitch shots. Why? Toby Norton Via email On shorter shots, you are trying to limit the amount of body movement in the backswing because this is not a power shot. That said, you still need to allow your body to clear out of the way on the downswing. By opening up your address position you are NOT adopting a “slice” stance. Instead, angle your left foot (for right-handers) toward the target. By angling your foot, you make it easier to turn through the shot. To get the correct angle, simply take your normal swing stance. Then, while leaving your left heel on the ground, lift the front of your left foot and pivot slightly left…