Golf Australia December 2015

AS WE impatiently look forward to the first major championship of 2016 and another Australian assault on the green jacket at Augusta National, it is an opportune time to reflect on what has been a memorable year. Jason Day’s victory in the PGA Championship was the obvious highlight for Australian golf fans. Having struggled with vertigo at the US Open – which arguably cost him a genuine shot at the title – and given his despair at missing a putt to make the play-off a few weeks earlier at the Open Championship, it was a sweet victory at Whistling Straits. In the days after his breakthrough win the story of his rise to major champion from humble beginnings growing up in Queensland added to the legend. What shouldn’t be forgotten…

Peter Thomson recently celebrated his 50th year of designing golf courses. Just a few months after winning his fifth Open Championship in 1965, the then 36-year-old ‘Thommo’ joined two Englishmen – course architect Commander John Harris and retired golf professional Mike Wolveridge – in setting up a golf course design company. The firm evolved into Thomson and Wolveridge, with Ross Perrett joining the business in 1990. Wolveridge retired more than a decade ago and the name Thomson Perrett has carried on. Today, Thomson Perrett has offices in Melbourne, London, Shanghai and Hanoi, while their portfolio of design projects has surpassed 250 in more than 30 countries. Thomson Perrett’s newest creation here in Australia is Club Mandalay, which hosted its first golfers in mid-2014 and was officially opened in July this…

THE end of the golf year always poses questions of the new one to come. The new Mike DeVries-designed course at Cape Wickham is the most anticipated course opening since Barnbougle Dunes, and those who have seen it know just how spectacular the site is and how many great holes it has yielded. King Island is hard to get to, the trip is not inexpensive and the question is whether it works as a business. It is the exact question faced by Richard Sattler at Barnbougle and he proved adept at making a great business to add to the golf he was selling. Many were dubious (to say the least) of Barnbougle’s chances of succeeding and no doubt Cape Wickham faces the same question. The American developer Mike Keiser began…

FOUR of the world’s best players performed a traditional Chinese lion dance for ‘good luck’ to open the WGC–HSBC Champions … and it must have worked. Defending champion Bubba Watson, World No.2 Jordan Spieth, World No.5 Rickie Fowler and World No.7 Henrik Stenson marked the start of the tournament by dressing in traditional costume and beating drums for a lion dance, a traditional Chinese symbol of good luck. On the eve of the tournament there was growing speculation long-time sponsor HSBC was re-thinking its support of the event and other golf expenditure around the globe. But after ‘the dance’, HSBC announced it would renew its commitment to supporting golf in China by agreeing to a five-year sponsorship extension of the HSBC Champions as well as continuing sponsorship of the Women’s…

OCTOBER PHOTO CAPTION COMPETITION We had some great entries to our photo of Peter Malnati losing his cool after an escape shot went wrong.The best entry according to our judges came from Darren Hall of Old Toongabbie, NSW, with: “Have a go they said …” Congratulations Darren, you win a pair of adidas Tour 360X shoes worth $149. SUBSCRIPTION GIVEAWAY New and renewing subscribers to Golf Australia during September and October were entered into a draw to win a Seiko Premier watch. The four winners randomly drawn were: Peter Wood of Wollongong, NSW; Sheree Podmore of West Albury, NSW; David Perkin, of Kellyville, NSW and Margaret Lloyd, of Delungra, NSW. golf Australia We’re on Facebook. Like us and get news updates and the chance to win prizes at www.facebook.com/ golfaustralia Follow…

IN CASE you can’t recognise who it is in the trees, it’s cricket legend Shane Warne, doing his best to get back in the game. What is your caption to go with this photo? Submit your caption on the entry form found on our website (not in the comment box) for the accompanying photo and the best entry judged by Golf Australia’s editors will win a pair of 2015 adidas Tour 360X shoes, worth $149.The new Tour 360X shoes continue the evolution of the Tour 360 family. With its Tour-proven performance and stability unquestioned, the new model features increased cushioning and comfort. For more information visit the website www.adidasgolf.com  or call 1800 700 011 TO ENTER: Visit www.golfaustralia.com.au and click on the ‘WIN’ icon to submit your entry.…