Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2021 - Issue #385 i Golf Australia

Men’s professional golf is fast approaching a crossroads where the choice made by some of the game’s best and most popular players has the potential to tear Tour golf apart. At the time of going to press, the Premier Golf League (PGL) or Golf Super League, as some have called it, was ramping up its presence. Tempting offers to agents and their players – including Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson, Rickie Fowler and World No.1 Dustin Johnson – to turn their back on the PGA Tour to join its world Tour have been made. News of the rival golf Tour first surfaced in early 2020, with multimillion dollar guaranteed contracts, team structures and potential team ownerships for players. The original plans were for an 18-tournament…

The clue, as ever, is in the title. If sport at the professional level is to be truly “competitive” it must be open to all, or at least all of those armed with talent enough to reach for the stars. Any dilution of that absolute is to the detriment of what, in this increasingly commercial world, is referred to as “the product.” Speaking as a fan of many sports – except the mind-numbing tedium that is horse racing and Formula One – I am in favour of frank discussion around any and all aspects of the fun and games I like to follow. As the world of soccer confirmed just recently when the proposed European Super League (ESL) was met with near unanimous condemnation, such discourse can be a powerful…

Geoff Ogilvy’s column on match-play (GA, May 2021) was absolutely spot on. Match-play is the very essence of where the game began and it has endured all these years simply because it’s the most enjoyable form of the game. I’ve been lobbying my club for several years, unsuccessfully, to revert to having match-play as part of our club championships. Instead, we have four consecutive weeks of stroke play … four of the slowest rounds you are ever likely to play. That said, we do have a separate match-play title and, as a measure of its popularity, it is the only club event where we get a small gallery watching the matches. Like Geoff, I’d love to see more matches played at every level of the game.…

As a showcase of Australia’s emerging talent, ‘The Athena’ ticked all boxes. With a format previously unseen in the world of golf with an unapologetic aim of showcasing the emerging talent of Australian women’s golf, the inaugural staging of the WPGA Tour’s The Athena tournament in February was certainly eye-catching to say the least. Even the very nature of the announcement, a mere 10 days before the tournament would commence at the Coolangatta-Tweed Heads Golf Club, appeared to be more aligned with the sudden viral online successes that are a hallmark of this generation. Chief Executive Officer of the WPGA Tour Australasia, Karen Lunn, laughed at the suggestion this launch ‘strategy’ was part of a grand design. She assured me it was not, more a result of the feverish amount…

If you are looking for a player from whom to learn how to hit good approach shots, Tommy Fleetwood is your man. In 2019-and 2020, he was ranked 3rd and 4th respectively on the European Tour in the Greens In Regulation performance category at 74 percent. That’s a lot of very, very good irons shots – enough to see him average 13.5 greens per round across two long campaigns. Here, he reveals the secrets to his incredibly consistent ball-striking. 1 Everyone is trying to hit it further off the tee, but in my world, with a choice of 280 yards in the fairway or 300 yards in the rough, I’d take the former. Why don’t amateurs think the same? To hit more greens, make more effort to find the fairway…

The 31-year-old US Ryder Cupper averages over 300 yards off the tee and is currently one of the world’s 10 longest drivers. We quizzed him about his technique. How do you like to distribute your weight at address and finish for maximum distance? I start on the balls of my feet. I’m not thinking about putting the weight on the right foot and then transfer to the left. I get in an athletic position and I make a solid turn. To be honest, I don’t really know what percent of my weight is going where, but I know that through the ball it’s definitely 80 to 90 percent on my left foot, and holding a nice finish on my left. It takes strength and the variables of timing with your…

IAN BAKER-FINCH FEBRUARY 1997 Four years into a horrible form slump, Ian Baker-Finch allowed some of the world’s best coaches to critique his swing in Golf Australia magazine. STUART APPLEBY FEBRUARY 2010 “Swing-wise I’ve been really trying to work to make sure my body and my turn through the ball is nice and my arm speed matches that.” – Stuart Appleby. HIDEKI MATSUYAMA MARCH 2017 “Focus on one shot at a time. That is all you can do and you should do. If I do that and perform at my best, I believe my results will take care of themselves.” – Hideki Matsuyama.…

DRIVER: Srixon ZX5 with 9.5° loft, fitted with Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX shaft. 3-WOOD: TaylorMade SIM2 Titanium with 15° loft, with Graphite Design Tour AD TP 9 TX shaft. IRONS: TaylorMade SIM UDI (3-iron), with True Temper Elevate Tour X100 shaft and Srixon Z-Forged (4-iron to pitching wedge), with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts. WEDGES: Cleveland RTX 4 Forged (52°-10°, 56°-8° and 60°-08°), with Tr ue Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue shafts. PUTTER: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS. BALL: Srixon Z-Star XV. STATS AT A GLANCE WINS 1 (The Masters) DRIVING DISTANCE 296.8 yards (102nd) DRIVING ACCURACY 61.63% (85th) STROKES GAINED TEE-TO-GREEN 1.028 (21st) STROKES GAINED TOTAL SCORING .732 (46th) STROKE AVERAGE 70.488 (36th) LOWEST ROUND 63 (Houston Open) • Stats from 2021 PGA Tour…

BUSHNELL PHANTOM 2 CONVENIENTLY SIMPLE To improve upon its predecessor, the new Phantom 2 includes evolved GPS distances and convenience measures in a small and easier to read unit. New ‘GreenView’ distances allow for movable pin placements and more accurate distances, while ‘Dynamic Green Mapping’ adapts distances to where the golfer is playing from. Featuring a battery with more than 18 hours of life per charge, the Phantom 2 has 40 percent larger text and Bushnell ‘BITE’ technology allowing it to magnetically attach to the arm of a cart or metal buggy for quick reference to the up to six hazard and layup distances per hole. RRP: $229 www.bushnellgolf.com BUSHNELL ION EDGE WEARABLE DISTANCE Featuring many of the same features as the Phantom 2 GPS unit, the Bushnell ION EDGE…

SUITABILITY: Across the three Epic models (including the lower spin, high MOI MAX LS) which can be adjusted from 8° to 14° and are offered in a range of shafts options, there is a driver to suit every golfer. AVAILABILITY: Both tested models are offered in 9°, 10.5° and 12° lofts in both right and left hand. CALLAWAY SAYS: Exceptional ball speeds start with new A.I.-designed ‘Jailbreak Speed Frame’. Previous Jailbreak designs stiffened the body in the vertical direction. By applying Artificial Intelligence, this new structure improves stability in the horizontal and torsional direction as well. The A.I.-designed ‘Flash Face’ is specifically engineered to optimise the Jailbreak Speed Frame, promoting fast speeds across a more expansive area. Each face and each head geometry are uniquely enhanced in Epic Speed, and…

There’s no denying the Gold Coast its rightful place as one of Australia’s best tourist destinations, thanks to its spectacular beaches, exhilarating theme parks, pristine national parks and a smorgasbord of quality golf courses. Golf Tourism Australia, celebrating its 21st year as one of this country’s most respected golf tour operators, is currently offering flexible two- and five-day golf packages to the Queensland region. There are nine golf courses to choose from, including seven of Australia’s Top-100 Public Access Courses for 2021: Palm Meadows (No.62); RACV Royal Pines (No.55); The Palms Course at Sanctuary Cove (No.46); Lakelands (No.34); The Glades (No.24); Links Hope Island (No.22); and Brookwater (No.12). You will also play rounds at the well-regarded Palmer Gold Coast – designed by Graham Marsh and Ross Watson – and Palmer…

I have a confession to make. The first six or seven times I ventured to Victoria’s golf-rich Mornington Peninsula to play I didn’t even consider adding Mornington Golf Club to my itinerary. That would not be the case today. Of course, my failings back then could perhaps be forgiven when you consider there is a plethora of great golf to be experienced on the peninsula with nearly 20 courses to choose from – a dozen of which have attained a ranking among the best courses in the country. Mornington Golf Club is, today, one of those courses having joined the ranks of the peninsula’s elite in 2019 when it debuted at No.84 on Golf Australia magazine’s list of Top-100 Public Access Courses. When the 2021 ranking was published earlier this…

This year’s Masters was a big deal in a couple of important ways. First of all, it was nice to see the year’s first (male) major back to being just that. And it was certainly a good thing for golf in general when Hideki Matsuyama, a player I have long admired, became the first Japanese winner of the green jacket. I’ve been around Hideki a couple of times at Presidents Cups, occasions that have given me some insight into the psyche of not just him but every Japanese player. Their culture is just so different from the rest of us. They seem to carry such a feeling of responsibility, one that is really obvious in Hideki and his compatriot, Ryo Ishikawa. It’s a heavy weight, one that seems to be…

The Women’s Golf Network is a new series of events introduced by the WPGA Tour of Australasia and PGA of Australia that aims to provide an inviting entry point for women to the game of golf. The Women’s Golf Network was launched at Melbourne’s Yarra Yarra GC in March and has since started its tour around Australia with female PGA Professionals guiding participants across full days of clinics and networking. With support from both adidas and Callaway REVA, each day consists of an adidas Performance Clinic for experienced golfers and the Callaway REVA Beginner Clinic for new players. “The goal of the Women’s Golf Network is to provide an encouraging environment for women eager to try golf for the first time and to provide a pathway for existing golfers to…

LEFT-HANDED: The majority of the REVA range is available in left-handed models, including both driver lofts, the irons, 3-, 5- and 7-wood, as well as the 4, 5 and 6 hybrids. Meanwhile, a 9-wood and 7 and 8 hybrid are offered in right hand only. CALLAWAY SAYS: This product line delivers distance designed for women. Callaway’s R&D team has used significant research and testing with women to develop advanced distance technologies, optimised lofts, swingweights, shaft lengths, and forgiving head shapes. With Big Bertha REVA driver, we’ve used significant research and testing with women to create optimised lofts, swingweights, shaft lengths, and a forgiving head shape to help you hit it a lot farther. This driver promotes high launch and low spin to take the slice or big miss out of…

From my perspective, bunker play probably gets less attention from amateur golfers than any other area of the game. It should therefore come as no surprise to find that it’s very often the area they find the most difficult. The ironic thing is that splashing competently out of the sand is really quite simple if you know what to do. I know that sounds a touch flippant, but the margins for error in a bunker are actually much greater than with a regular chip or flop shot since you don’t have to be extremely precise with your entry point into the sand. The key thing is to take that important first step and get yourself into the practice bunker. If you can make that commitment, I’ve no doubt that within…

The 350-yard 3rd at Augusta is a great strategic par-4. What makes it so difficult is the shape of the green and the wind that circulates around the trees. You can hit almost the perfect shot onto the front edge and see it roll all the way down. It’s a hole where you have to manage a ‘miss’. STEP 1 Part of knowing where to ‘miss’ is understanding what type of recovery shot you want to play. Here, you rarely have the option of a regular chip. I like to bump a 5-wood up the hill to the left pin or a little lofted shot from back left to a right pin. STEP 2 If you can, always try to find out in advance where the pin is located. You…

How do you know when you have completed your backswing? The answer is simple. When your left shoulder (for right-handers) is tucked directly beneath your chin. It’s OK for your chin and shoulder to touch, just as long as your chin is raised enough to leave enough room for your shoulders to complete the turn, just as Lydia Ko can be seen doing here. She has made a full turn with the top of her back now pointing at her target. In a split second she will drop her hands vertically into the downswing. Ko’s chin will also play a role in her follow-through. Make a slow-motion swing and stop when the right arm and club shaft are parallel to the ground (pointing toward the target) on your follow-through. This…

The hollow-body construction P• 790 irons from TaylorMade are popular for a reason. Utilising a suite of performance driven technologies, the irons also offer a better player preferred shape and feel. And now golfers wanting this combination of form and function have a bold new all-black option available to them. Injected with ‘SpeedFoam’ to allow for increased weighting in the perimeter and greater ball speeds without sacrificing feel, the P• 790 contains tungsten weighting for optimal launch and centre of gravity (CG). And it delivers improved forgiveness through its ‘Thru-Slot Speed Pocket’ and ‘Progressive ICT’, both of which maintain ball speed on shots hit across the face. The new appearance, described by the company as a “premium high-gloss aesthetic”, is achieved through a PVD process that sees solid metal vaporised…

SEAHAVEN VILLAGE Seahaven Village is centrally located in Barwon Heads, just a stone’s throw away from shops, cafes and beaches. The village has a wide range of premium self-contained accommodation options including 14 apartments, cottages and suites located on-site at 3 Geelong Road, Barwon Heads, just two minutes’ drive from Barwon Heads Golf Club. There are also four off-site apartments, townhouses, cottages and suites just around the corner from Seahaven Village. For availability and costs, checkout the website www.seahavenvillage.com.au PEPPERS THE SANDS TORQUAY Peppers The Sands Torquay Resort, just an eight-minute walk from the beach, is a contemporary, premium golf resort where you can relax in beautifully designed studios and suites with a balcony or terrace affording stunning views over the course. Other amenities include a refined restaurant, a bar,…

LOCATION: Tallis Drive, Mornington, Victoria. CONTACT: (03) 5975 2784; (03) 5975 4171 (pro shop). WEBSITE: www.morningtongolf.com.au DESIGNERS: Vern Morcom, Sloan Morpeth and Gus Jackson (1950); Jack Watson (1967); Ben Davey and Darius OIiver (ongoing). COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Kevin Toebelman. PLAYING SURFACES: Santa Ana couch (fairways); Bentgrass (greens). PGA PROFESSIONAL: Michael Faraone. GREEN FEES: $55 (18 holes, weekdays); $75 (18 holes, weekends and public holidays). MEMBERSHIPS: Mornington has a wide range of membership categories. There is currently a waiting list for seven-day full memberships, but five-and six-day memberships are available. To download a membership brochure, visit the club’s website: www.morningtongolf.com.au ACCOLADES: Ranked No.64 in Golf Australia magazine’s Top-100 Public Access Courses, 2021.…

I just finished booking my next golf holiday. I’m heading to Tasmania, having read Brendan James’ articles on the courses of northern Tassie and the new Bougle Run course. As for the short Bougle Run course, I’m just as excited about playing that as I am about Barnbougle Dunes and the King Island courses. Hats off to Barnbougle owner Richard Sattler for continuing to deliver great golf and not being afraid of taking a chance on something different. 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 8, 205 Pacific Hwy, St Leonards NSW 2065.…

Major championship golf in the men’s game was for so long dominated by players collecting stacks of the four biggest titles in the game. Of course, there were the one-off winners, the occasional bolter who claimed a major and disappeared into the competitive abyss or those expected to be multiple champions, but, alas, remained on a single win for their entire career. But as long as many can remember, it was Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson claiming a swathe of trophies, with the likes of Greg Norman, Ben Crenshaw and John Daly collecting a couple along the way. In recent times however, despite some hot runs of form from the…

For decades, Karrie Webb dominated the women’s game at the highest level. Having wound down her playing commitments, the World Golf Hall of Famer has ventured into the world of golf course design alongside the vastly experienced Ross Perrett. The pair launched the limited partnership Perrett Webb Pty Ltd (www.perrettwebb.com) in 2018 after having previously worked together on a design bid for the 2016 Rio Olympics course. While not receiving the Rio contract, Perrett and Webb were keen to work together on courses in Australia. The partnership’s first project is the creation of a masterplan to remodel holes at Brisbane’s Indooroopilly Golf Club. Webb has worked on other projects since the early 2000s, including alongside Bob Harrison for new holes developed at Townsville GC in North Queensland. “I am quite…

BIG BERTHA REVA HYBRID The Big Bertha REVA hybrid is built for women who want to unlock their inner distance with a total forgiveness package. This is Callaway’s easiest to launch women’s hybrid, with a larger head volume that’s designed to help you get rid of the big miss that spins off line. When you hit it straighter, you hit it longer … it’s just that simple. And Callaway used significant research and testing with women to create optimised lofts, swing weights, and shaft lengths to help you hit it a lot further. RRP: $419.99 BIG BERTHA REVA DRIVER The new Big Bertha REVA is the ultimate driver for women who want to unlock their inner distance. Callaway has taken all of the incredible technologies that make their Big Bertha…

The new Big Bertha REVA is the ultimate driver for women who want to unlock their inner distance. Callaway has taken all of the incredible technologies that make their Big Bertha Driver really long, straight and easy to hit, and then they’ve reworked every aspect to deliver exactly what a woman needs to get the very most out of her game. Now, you have the chance to win one of these technologically advanced drivers from Callaway, worth $829, simply by heading to the win page on our website (www.golfaustralia.com.au/win)and submit your entry. The winner will be drawn on June 21.…

You’ve heard this from me more than once over the years, but I’ll say it again. You can’t hit solid golf shots without proper fundamentals. Your posture, ball position and alignment determine your swing shape, your swing path and the direction in which the ball travels, so it’s important to get it right! Here are five key things I focus on to keep my iron game on track. CREATE A SOLID BASE Ball position is key and it needs consistency. Flex your knees so they are over the laces of your shoes with your weight towards the toes. I like a slightly closed stance because it’s something I’ve always done. I just like to have my right foot drawn back very slightly. CHECK THE LIE The toe of the club…

If you release your forearms freely through impact – think Tiger Woods in his prime – you are obliged to maintain your spine angle, for if you stand up through impact the ball will start left, stay left and continue left! Powerful draw spin comes from a consistent spine angle. Players such as Lee Trevino and Nick Faldo employ what is essentially a ‘fade mechanism’ by keeping their hands and the clubshaft low through the ball. However, a small side-effect of this method is that the player is forced to stand up through impact and finish with the spine in a more upright position. It is no coincidence that both Faldo and Trevino, who could be labelled supremely accurate ball-strikers, are far from being long or powerful hitters quite simply…

1 | IDENTIFY Identify when you have the tricky moments in a round. Which areas would benefit most from positive head chatter? 2 | NOTICE Notice what self-talk you are already using in your head at those moments. You can jot down thoughts once you come off the course or even use the voice recorder on your phone to capture what you think in these key moments. 3 | CONSIDER Consider what would help. Would it be instructional; to improve your stance, routine, breathing or skill, or motivational; to psych you up, stay focused on your mental strategy, be reminded of your purpose or to reduce stress. 4 | THINK Think of all the different phrases you could use. Try to hone each one down to about three or four…

Prior to his Masters victory, Hideki Matsuyama was perhaps better known for the pause at the top of his backswing than the 14 victories he had accrued in Japan and on the PGA Tour in eight years as a professional. Two of those wins came in 2017, including a second World Golf Championship title, and Matsuyama was runner up at US Open and T5 at the US PGA Championship. His breakout year propelled him to No.2 in the world ranking and pundits predicted a major victory was just around the corner. When he arrived in Augusta for the 2021 Masters, Matsuyama was four years into a winless streak, which was brought to a celebrated end. Below are the key points of the swing that won the Masters … without his…

Fitting a product to the needs and dimensions of each individual golfer is of the highest importance to ensure best performance. A dedicated golfer purchasing clubs without undergoing some sort of fit is almost unheard of in this day and age. And footwear is moving in the same direction. FootJoy has long run fitting days at golf clubs, where a company representative helps players find the best model, size, width and more for them. But to widen the availability of such a service and to accommodate the busy golfer, the company has adapted this process. For the better. FJ Fitting Stations have begun popping up at golf clubs around the country, where a golfer utilises a QR code that links to a self-fitting instructional video. The station is accompanied by…

Cost: $879.99. Tested by: Jimmy Emanuel, Golf Australia Deputy Editor (GA Handicap 9.4) MODELS PLAYED: Callaway Epic Speed with 9° loft, fitted with Mitsubishi Chemical MMT 70 shaft and Callaway Epic MAX with 9° loft, with Project X HZRDUS Smoke iM10 70 shaft. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Having anticipated it might be hard to split these two, I was instantly taken with cosmetic differences out of the box. The Epic Speed looking like my sort of the driver, while the MAX looked flatter, wider and more forgiving at address. Upon first swings I was similarly able to discern slight differences in flight and feel that made it clear the Speed was likely more my sort of club, but both were impressive to say the least. HOW THEY PERFORMED: Testing equipment is always…

LONSDALE LINKS Green fees: $80 (weekdays); $90 (weekends) www.lonsdalelinks.com.au THE BARWON HEADS GC Green fees: $120 (weekdays); $160 (weekends). $80 (weekday, house guest); $105 (weekends, house guest). www.barwonheads.golf THIRTEENTH BEACH GOLF LINKS Green fees: $95 (weekdays); $115 (weekends). $130 (weekday, 36 holes*); $160 (weekends, 36 holes*). *Check availability. www.13thbeachgolf.com CURLEWIS GC Green fees: $60 (weekdays); $70 (weekends). www.curlewisgolf.com.au PORTARLINGTON GC Green fees: $55 (weekdays); $60 (weekends). www.portarlingtongolf.com.au GEELONG GC Green fees: $30 (18 holes), $20 (nine holes). www.geelonggolf.com.au THE SANDS TORQUAY Green fees: $50 (weekdays); $60 (weekends). www.thesandstorquayresort.com…

LOCATION: Gardeners Rd, Daceyville, NSW. CONTACT: (02) 8999 8422; (02) 9662 6453. WEBSITE: www.eastlakegolfclub.com.au DESIGNERS: Eric Apperly & Tom Howard (1932); Ross Watson (2012); in-house (ongoing). PLAYING SURFACES: Kikuyu (fairways, 14 holes); Couch (fairways, four holes); Poa Annua (greens). COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Nathan Bradbury. PGA PROFESSIONALS: Alex Sutherland (head professional); James Edge, Corey Cruickshank, John Burrough. GREEN FEES: $50 (weekdays); $55 (weekends). MEMBERSHIPS: Eastlake has a number of membership options that are very competitive, from a low cost start up through to the traditional full membership. There is a waiting list for the six- and seven-day full membership. However, there are five-day (Monday to Friday) memberships as well as two-day (Monday and Thursday) memberships available. For more details of available member categories, visit the club’s website. ACCOLADES: No.52, Golf Australia’s Top-100…

Brendon Goddard played 334 passionate games for St Kilda and Essendon in the AFL before retiring at the end of 2018. Now, Goddard, who was twice named an All-Australian, has been able to turn his attention to his other great passion: golf. How were you introduced to the game? Dad was the golfer of my family growing up and he tried to play every Saturday comp. His parents owned a general store and lived in a little town called Toongabbie down in East Gippsland. It had a public golf course with an honesty box system and dad was the self-proclaimed superintendent there. My older brother and I used to ride around the course in the back of his HQ Holden ute and hit balls whenever dad was watering the tees…

Major champions, journeymen, caddies, course designers, administrators and a host of others share what golf means to them in The Thing About Golf – Golf Australia’s award-winning podcast hosted by Rod Morri and John Huggan. Recent episodes include R&A chief Martin Slumbers, major champs Nick Price, Karrie Webb, Laura Davis and Curtis Strange as well as course designers Tom Doak and Bill Coore. Follow the Thing About Golf podcast through your favourite podcast app or listen via our website, www.golfaustralia.com.au. You can also find us on twitter @ThingGolf…