Innehållsförteckning för September 2016 från Golf Australia

WHAT makes a golf course find its way onto your list of favourites? Is it the pristine condition it is generally presented in, or are you besotted by quality design that forces you to think your way across the journey? For many, their favourite course is probably the one they try to conquer every week playing alongside their mates. So it’s not always about the golf, sometimes it might be the social aspect of playing at a course that you enjoy. That said, you might really like a course simply because the halfway house has the best bacon and egg rolls you’ve ever eaten No matter what the reason, we’ve all got our list of favourite courses we love playing. I’m often asked for my favourite Australian course and I…

...THE MANY WHO UNDERRATE IT FAIL TO SEE THE QUALITY OF THE LAND THE FRONT NINE PLAYS OVER... Golf courses invariably change over time but few countries have been as willing to alter their courses as Australia. In contrast the collection of fine heathland southwest of London have remained a deal more faithful to the way they were on opening day. Some have been stretched a bit but many have paid little regard to the advance of equipment, instead choosing to remain strictly courses for the average member, Alister MacKenzie arrived in Melbourne at the end of 1926 to work on the new but already established course at Royal Melbourne but by the time he left for America just before Christmas he had not only transformed Royal Melbourne but left…

 IN this upwardly-mobile, increasingly aspirational and ever-more technically sophisticated 21st century, it was inevitable. Oh, so inevitable. But it isn’t necessarily good or desirable. Not when the art form that once was golf at its beautiful best is in danger of being submerged/destroyed/perverted – choose your own description – amidst an avalanche of scientific data. If it hasn’t been already that is. SWINGS ARE MORE HOMOGENOUS. SHOTS INCREASINGLY LACK VARIETY OF SHAPE AND FLIGHT AND THE GAME AT THE TOP LEVEL IS CLOSER TO ONE-DIMENSIONAL THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN. Take a look at many of the names that have emerged at or near the top of the men’s game since the end of what will surely be known to history as the “Tiger Woods era.” I’m thinking of Jason…

When Justin Rose screamed and punched the air in celebration at winning the first Olympic golf gold medal in 112 years, some hailed it as one of the finest moments in the history of the modern game. The Englishman had outgunned Henrik Stenson, who four weeks earlier had captured the Open Championship, shooting a superb four-under 67 against the Swede’s 68. It was intriguing stuff but it wasn’t quite the equal of the final-day duel between Stenson, he of the record 63 at Royal Troon, and Phil Mickelson, who conjured up a 65 that would have won any Open in 150 years. Fast-forward six days and Inbee Park saluted in the women’s tournament, cruising to victory by five shots. Unlike the men’s event, all the best female players in the…

ADDRESS Adopt an athletic set-up Dustin starts in an athletic position, standing nice and tall with good posture and his knees flexed with his weight equally distributed. This creates a stable, balanced base from which to start. One of the biggest problems I see with amateurs is before they even swing the club. A poor set-up, bad posture or incorrect alignment can cause a bad swing. Don’t grip the club too tightly because this will make the big muscles tense. Keep them relaxed so they can create maximum speed and power throughout the swing. Try rocking backwards and forwards to find the spot where your weight is perfectly balanced down through the centre of your feet. A good connection to the ground helps your legs generate power. TAKEAWAY Set your…

CONSISTENT SET-UP You need a good technical foundation to start the ball on line. I use a mirror on the ground and work with my coach to ensure my address and ball position are consistent and my eyes are where I want them over the ball so I see a straight line to the hole. JASON DAY 'TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS ON THE GREENS' Reading greens is really difficult but I’ve learnt to trust my instincts – and most amateurs would benefit from doing that as well. I like to walk around the putt and have a look from both sides. You get a feel for the slopes through your feet and a more accurate visual read from all sides because sometimes your eyes can play tricks on you if you…

MODEL USED: Bushnell Neo iON GPS rangefinder watch. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I’m big on rangefinders but not big on watches, so to me one of the bigger adjustments stands to be playing golf while wearing something on my wrist, which I haven’t done since I was a kid. The set-up process is simple – far simpler than some other GPS units I’ve used – and requires only a good charging before it is ready for action. HOW IT PERFORMED: The Bushnell Neo iON GPS rangefinder watch straddles perfectly that fine line between too basic and being overly complicated. The features are plentiful but not overwhelming and you can make it as simple or as detailed as you like. Leave it as purely a to-the-green distance source, or make it a pedometer,…

MACKENZIE SAID HE RETIRED TO PASATIEMPO SO HE COULD PLAY NINE HOLES IN HIS PYJAMAS BEFORE BREAKFAST FORMER RAF fighter pilot Oliver Green reached another milestone in a remarkable career last month with the official opening of a practice green he designed at his retirement home in country Victoria. It was the third foray into golf design and construction for the 96-year-old, after helping build a nine-hole course in a German prison camp in World War II and overseeing the construction of the first two Woburn courses in England in the mid-1970s. His green at Traralgon, 164 km east of Melbourne, has been professionally built and the design allows ease of use by golfers in wheelchairs and on walking frames. For the town, it is the biggest golfing event since…

MICKELSON’S STILL GOT IT At 46, Phil Mickelson can still be a force in world golf. He came within millimetres of re-writing the major championship record book with his opening 63 at RoyalTroon, and then went head-to-head with Henrik Stenson only to lose out to arguably the best final that has ever been played.You have to remember ‘lefty’ shot 65 in the final round of The Open and lost be three shots. His longevity in the game, something that might have been questioned four or five years ago, is now something to marvel. Injury free and still hungry for wins, the five-time majo0r winner admits he’s playing as well now as he was a decade ago. His runner-up finish at Troon was his 11th second placing in a major championship,…

Dustin Johnson is on fire. He followed his maiden major victory at the US Open with another win in the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational in his very next start. He showed incredible mental strength to get the job done at Oakmont, but his success is also borne out physical improvements in some key areas. To match his incredible power off the tee, he’s now hitting his approaches closer and putting better than ever before. It’s a pretty potent combination. Brian Wacker spoke to Johnson’s coach, Claude Harmon, to discover what you can learn from his major-winning game.…

A big key to Johnson’s success at Oakmont – and his imperious form every time he’s teed it up in 2016 – has been his ball-striking. He hit a whopping 76 per cent of greens in regulation in the US Open, including 25 straight at one point and 14 of 18 in the final round. By comparison, the field averaged just over 58 per cent for the week and 59 per cent on Sunday. This is how you can improve your ball-striking. Don’t try and swing as hard as you can. Swing at a three-quarter speed with your irons and full wedges. It seems counterintuitive, but it will help create more speed, not less. Even Dustin rarely goes at it as hard as he can. Many amateurs have the ball…

“IF YOU HAVE SWELLING IN THE FEET, MAKE SURE YOUR SOCKS AREN’T TOO TIGHT AROUND THE ANKLES – MARK DEMASI, PODIATRIST” It’s easy to clock up eight or more kilometres in a round, and the last thing you want to be distracted by at the turn is ‘My feet are killing me!’ Wearing comfortable, well-fitted footwear and socks are the core ingredients for putting your best foot forward on the course.This is especially important if you have diabetes and are at greater risk of developing infections and more serious foot complications. Experts, podiatrists Mark Demasi and Rosie Sharp, share the tell-tale signs of a poor fit, ways to take care of your feet and what to look for in a golf shoe. DO A POST-ROUND CHECK When you take your…

BATEMANS BAY MANOR Located just five minutes’ drive from Catalina Country Club, Batemans Bay Manor (pictured below) is a bed and breakfast that provides a homely atmosphere for guests to truly relax. Imagine starting each day with an abundant selection of continental and/or a wholesome home cooked breakfast options, served fresh and hot in our separate dining room at a time that suits your tee off. Contact: (02) 4472 7627; www.batemansbaymanor.com.au MORUYA WATERFRONT HOTEL/MOTEL If you’re looking for a laid-back, cosy pub that relaxes by day and rocks at night, the Moruya Waterfront Hotel Motel fits the bill. Overlooking the Moruya River, there are affordable guest accommodation options to suit both short and long-term visitors. Contact: (02) 4474 4399; www.moruyawaterfront.com.au TUROSS HEAD MOTEL Nestled on the hill overlooking the town…

THE COURSE LOCATION: Main St, Currie, King Island, Tasmania. Ocean Dunes is a ten-minute drive from King Island Airport at Currie. CONTACT: (03) 6462 1633. WEBSITE: www.oceandunes.com.au DESIGNER: Graeme Grant (2016). PLAYING SURFACES: Bentgrass (greens), fine fescue (fairways and tees). COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Martin Rose. GREEN FEE: $150. THE LOCATION GETTING THERE: Flights to King Island operate from the rest of Tasmania and Melbourne (from Tullamarine, Essendon and Moorabbin airports) via several airlines, including Regional Express, Vortex Air, Sharp Airlines, Kirkhope Aviation and King Island Airlines. Various tour package providers also include King Island in their golf holiday offerings. ACCOMMODATION: Ocean Dunes also operates the newly-renovated King Island Hotel at Currie. The 13 beautifully modern decorated rooms are available as twin, double or a mixture of both, plus two connecting…

...WHEN OTHER PLAYERS SEE GUYS LIKE JIMMY WINNING THEY THINK THEY CAN DO THE SAME. They’re all over with earlier than usual this year, but the four majors still managed to give us a little bit of everything by the time JimmyWalker holed out on the 18th green at Baltusrol to win the USPGA Championship. The Masters produced an amazing finish, courtesy of Jordan Spieth and Danny Willett. The US Open was marked by some great golf from Dustin Johnson, all wrapped up in a rules controversy. The Open Championship battle between Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson is surely destined for iconic status. And Jimmy’s victory was the fifth in succession by a first-time major champion. Today, more than at any other time in the game, there are more guys…

“... I DIDN’T HANDLE THE PRESSURE OF KNOWING I NEEDED TO MAKE MONEY THAT WEEK OR THAT WAS IT. – BREE ARTHUR” For every Tour pro you see kissing a trophy and hoisting a big cheque over their head, there are thousands more living week-to-week, tournament-to-tournament hoping next week it will be there turn to strike a pose. Or, at the very least, they’ll win enough money to cover their expenses for the week after. For those who don’t play on the PGA Tour, where players get free courtesy cars, free equipment, free physio and good rates at a tournament hotel, life on the road can be pretty tough. Sleeping on a lounge for a few nights is not unheard of. So is skipping the occasional meal or waiting until…

If you could design the perfect golfer they would be tall with long arms, long legs and lots of flexibility, exactly like Dustin Johnson. He’s probably the best athlete on tour, and he’s able to generate incredible speed and power because of that athleticism and flexibility. He swings the club at 120mph, which launches the ball at around 180mph. You might not be built like Dustin or as flexible as him but there are things you can take from his approach that will help you hit the ball further – and straighter! The majority of amateurs hit down on the driver and up on their irons. That should be reversed. One of the easiest ways to increase power and accuracy is to shallow out your attack angle. Maintain your wrist…

Johnson gets killed for his putting all the time but that will change now he’s won a major. He’s actually always been a better putter than he’s gotten credit for. He has a high birdie conversion rate and this season he ranks well inside the top 50 in strokes gained – putting. I told DJ before the final round of the US Open to stay aggressive. One of the hallmarks of a great putter is controlled aggression. Ben Crenshaw, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Jason Day – they’ve all showed that. On Sunday of the US Open, DJ did too. Here’s how to improve your putting. Hit 25 three-foot putts, focusing on hitting each one in the centre of the face. The more you hit out the middle, the more you…

MODEL AND SHAFT PLAYED: Cobra King LTD driver, fitted with a stiff-flex Aldila Tour Blue ATX 75 shaft. The loft was set to 9° and set with a draw bias. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The Cobra King LTD driver is fairly inconspicuous from above; a small orange Cobra logo the only mark on a solidly black head. While there’s nothing overly flashy to distract you at address, there is something familiar – happily so – about the large, confidence-inspiring head and deep face of this club. Nothing familiar underneath, however, with the ‘Spaceport’ viewing window showing the internals of the driver a unique and very cool addition. HOW IT PLAYED: While most golfers are keen to gain more distance off the tee, for me reducing spin and increasing accuracy with the ‘big…

MODEL PLAYED: Odyssey X-Act Tank chipper. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: This is another club that sits nice and flush with the ground and helps you line up well. There’s a nice, even weight to the clubhead, although the round, thin grip might be hard to get used to with a putting grip. HOW IT PLAYED: The Odyssey X-Act Tank chipper is a tidy little club to use around the green – as in close by the putting surface where you don’t employ a long swing and are literally chipping (or, basically, its intended purpose). I did, however, attempt to use the chipper from a little further away – five to ten metres off the green – and didn’t find the same level of control. It was erratic, but that was just me…

“… I’VE BEEN DREAMING ABOUT COMING HERE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. I WAS HOPING MY RANKING WOULD ALLOW ME TO COMPETE IN THE OLYMPICS.” – JUSTIN ROSE WINNING SCORE: 16 under par, 268 DEFEATED: Defeated Sweden’s Henrik Stenson by two strokes. American Matt Kuchar was a further stroke back in the bronze medal position. DEFINING MOMENTS: Rose and Stenson were locked together at 15 under after 71 holes. Both players finished short of the green on the par-5 18th hole, with Stenson playing first. His approach finished nearly 25 feet from the flag, while Rose was more aggressive taking dead aim. His wedge approach bounced and spun to a halt just five feet from the cup. When Stenson three-putted for a bogey, Rose had two putts for the win…