Innehållsförteckning för March 2020 från Golf Australia

When the American team arrived in Melbourne for the Presidents Cup they were overwhelming favourites to win the trophy again. Despite missing World No.1 Brooks Koepka through injury and having most of the team endure a 30-hour flight from the Bahamas, there was no denying that on paper the United States were going to win and for many it was a case of waiting to see how much they would win by. The Internationals had only two players among the top 20 in the world ranking. The Tiger Woods-captained US had 10 players from the top 20, even without Koepka. Two of Woods’ picks, including himself, won major championships in 2019. But the Internationals had Ernie Els. He pulled together a team representing nine different countries and inspired them to…

To be honest, I had no idea who they were. But when I tweeted some mildly disparaging remarks about what I saw as the unseemly/unprofessional behaviour of a group of media-credentialed individuals during the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne, I was soon to find out what and who this thing called “barstoolsports” is and are. Boy, did I strike a nerve. My criticism was aimed at two things. First, these so-called “journalists” were shown high-fiving American captain Tiger Woods as he walked past, then giddily celebrating in a manner akin to six-year old children. Then, one of their brood – someone named “Frankie Borrelli” to be exact – followed up with a tweet referencing Woods’ singles match with Mexican, Abraham Ancer. “I want Ancer to quit the game of golf…

It is almost hard to believe that Cam Smith is closer to 30 than 20 and the better part of a decade into his professional career. However, the Queenslander’s golf game certainly reflects the experience he has gained playing on the world’s biggest stage for an extended period, Smith adding his first individual PGA Tour win to his resume in January at the Sony Open. The two-time Australian PGA Championship winner recently told Golf Australia magazine he is becoming increasingly comfortable amongst his peers that were once his heroes and, as a globetrotting player, he unquestionably remains the same knockabout kid from Brisbane. 1 Now that you are established on the PGA Tour do you still feel like the little brother to Adam Scott, Jason Day and Marc Leishman, and…

You thought golf was hard. Have you tried worming? As in, sand worming? As in those old blokes you see in bucket hats on beaches throughout Australia, bent over sticks and stockings full of fetid fish, waiting for the miniature versions of the monsters from Dune to raise their tentacled little heads for a feed? It’s almost as good as golf. It’s definitely as hard as golf – maybe harder. At least with golf, the occasional hope is offered. You line up your shot with your feet in the right-ish direction, you pick a target way in the distance. Actively use the time you should be seeing perfection to deny the existence of words like shank, or hook or chili dip. And once in a while, even for rank beginners,…

When word came out in late 2019 that respected teaching professional Sandy Jamieson had left Commonwealth Golf Club, one of Melbourne’s finest Sandbelt courses, to head to the nearby nine-hole public course at Oakleigh, most people assumed he’d been sacked. Far from it. Going to Oakleigh is essentially Jamieson heading back to the roots of golf, indeed, in some ways back to his own roots, in an effort to draw more people into the game. To many people it’s a revolutionary move and even a puzzling one. But, as he sees it, it’s not a step back or down or even sideways, it’s a forward one. And it’s one that makes perfect sense. Getting more people to just try golf and have a fun experience, he believes, is the way…

To coincide with recent improvements, a stay at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas, will include complimentary unlimited golf, with cart, at the Mirage Country Club. With accommodation starting from $295 per night, including full buffet breakfast for two daily, it is an opportunity not to be missed. This limited time offer is only valid through to May 31, 2020. Book directly by emailing reservations.portdouglas@marriott.com and must quote “unlimited golf” at time of booking. Conditions apply, subject to availability and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers.…

Sure, we each have our favourite local course … Familiarity is comforting. But there’s nothing quite like packing up the clubs and hitting the road – or taking to the skies – to experience some of the gems the rest of Australia has to offer. From Hamilton Island in Queensland to Western Australia’s Joondalup, this great country of ours boasts a smorgasbord of world-class golf courses. Perhaps best of all, however, is that some of them also offer accommodation deals to boot. The following pages showcase some terrific Australian courses and their various accommodation options (onsite or otherwise), play and stay packages, as well as tour operators who will happily do all of the legwork for you. Presenting Golf Australia magazine’s annual getaway guide; your one-stop shop for planning your…

Scott admits he tries to keep his club tinkering to a minimum. However, when it comes to the most fickle club in the bag, he takes a slightly different view. In recent years the Queenslander has regularly changed putters, tried various styles and even practiced with more than one putter on Saturday at last year’s Masters. But the 2019 Australian PGA champion seems to have made a choice after some fiddling, even if finding his preferred grip has been a struggle. “Obviously finding split grips now is a bit difficult, so Scotty Cameron’s team cut a one piece grip for me, that was probably from an old belly style putter and that grip is nearly done so I don’t know what I am going to do next,” Scott told Golf…

Let’s start with an odd one. Apart from maybe Paul Lawrie, it’s a safe bet that no one else in a regular European Tour field could change a grip on a golf club. It’s been a while since I was an assistant pro. I loved those days though. I’ve been on Tour for 22 years now. But you are right. I was changing grips from the age of 16. That’s 28 years ago. And yes, I can still do it. I enjoy messing with my clubs. I check the lofts and the lies too. I do it just because, as good as the equipment manufacturers are, I like to know for myself all is well. It sounds bad to say I never trust anyone, but I like the reassurance. Bottom…

We create what we see. Is it possible that you could hit a good shot? Is it possible that the next shot you hit will be the best one you have ever hit in your life? What does the ball need to do to reach your intended target? What does a good shot look like? Before you hit any shot, whether that be on the range or the golf course, whether it is with a driver, a 6-iron or even a three-foot putt, it is essential that you have a very clear picture of what the very best version of that shot looks like. Once you have a very clear intention, you then have somewhere specific to place your attention. We are not going to suggest that everyone visualises every…

I’m heading on a golf holiday to the Gold Coast soon and recall the last time I was there I was unable to handle the greens, or more particular, the grain on the Bermuda grass surfaces. How can I improve my grain reading? - Tony Knowles South Melbourne, Victoria Putting on Bermuda can be tricky, particularly if you are used to putting on bentgrass or Poa annua greens all the time. The grain of Bermuda grass can really effect how the ball rolls, even on flat putts, as the ball will break in the same direction as the grain grows. Simply, if the grass appears a dull, dark green, the grain is growing toward you. If the grass looks shiny and light green, it is growing away from you. You…

THE COURSE LOCATION: The Cups Drive, Cape Schanck, Victoria, 3939; Long Island: Frankston-Dandenong Rd, Frankston, Victoria, 3199. CONTACT: (03) 5988 6666 (Cape Schanck); (03) 9786 4122 (Long Island). WEBSITE: www.nationalgolf.com.au DESIGNERS: Old Course – Robert Trent Jones Jnr (1987); Moonah Course – Greg Norman and Bob Harrison (2000); Gunnamatta Course – Tom Doak (2019); Long Island – Gordon Oliver (1938) and Vern Morcom (1945). SLOPE RATINGS: (Old Course) Men – Green 119, Red 121, Black 138; Women – Gold 120, Green 126, Red 139. (Moonah Course) Men – Black 133, Blue 126, Red 120; Women – Green 124, Red 133. (Gunnamatta Course) Men – Black 125. (Long Island) Men – Black 136, Blue 135, White 131; Women – Red 136. GREEN FEES: The National Golf Club is a private golf…

March 2, 1932 Sydney golf pro and trick-shot artist Joe Kirkwood carded an incredible 83 using only his putter over 18 holes at a course in Florida. His round included six pars and one birdie. March 6, 1972 Jack Nicklaus passes Arnold Palmer as golf’s all-time greatest money winner. March 17, 2019 Rory McIlroy wins the biggest winner’s cheque in golf (US$2.25 million) by defeating Jim Furyk by a single stroke to claim the Players Championship. March 19, 1950 Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins the US Women’s Open by a sensational nine strokes from amateur Betsy Rawls. It was her second of three wins in the Championship. March 21, 1982 Jerry Pate wins the first Players Championship played at TPC Sawgrass and celebrates by jumping in the lake beside the 18th green.…

• There is a 100-year trend of hitting distance increases in golf, as well as a corresponding increase in the length of golf courses, across the game globally. The R&A and the USGA believe this continuing cycle is detrimental to the game’s long-term future. • The inherent strategic challenge presented by many golf courses can be compromised, especially when those courses have not or cannot become long enough to keep up with increases in the hitting distances of the golfers who play from their longest tees. This can lead to a risk of many courses becoming less challenging, or obsolete. • Increased hitting distance can begin to undermine the core principle that the challenge of golf is about needing to demonstrate a broad range of skills to be successful. •…

Back-stopping. If you’ve been watching any professional golf over the past few months, you’ll have seen and heard about this increasingly controversial practice. You know, when a player leaves a pitch or chip shot close to the flag and doesn’t mark the ball before the next player hits. Some people see this as harmless; others view it as a rather insidious practice designed to give the second player an advantage should the two balls collide. Here’s the thing though. As long as I have played golf – and I’m sure a long time before that – this sort of thing was seen simply as a way of speeding up play. Especially when playing in a three-ball, the player who has, say, chipped close might need as long as 30 seconds…

For several years now you have been a global ambassador for the UNIQLO brand. Your partnership is a little different than just wearing their clothes, I believe you have even had a say in the design of UNIQLO’s Kando pants? Firstly, let’s be clear … I’m not a clothing designer (laughs). But you know what feels good and looks good? I think I do (laughs). As far as partnerships go I feel I have more involvement with UNIQLO than anyone else. They are open to hearing my opinion about things and it feels like a partnership. They’re obviously wanting me to look my best out on the golf course but to perform my best too, and it is very much a partnership and a team effort and I’ve really enjoyed…

The mid-1980s in Australia were a time of great prosperity and investment. Corporate high-flyers like Alan Bond, Christopher Skase and Mike Gore became household names as the money and champagne flowed. Skase, in particular, was quickly expanding his empire buying the Seven Network, the Brisbane Bears AFL club and a handful of luxury resorts. The jewel in his resort crown was the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort. The centrepiece of the five-star resort development was the Mirage Country Club golf course, designed by Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge. Skase poured his money into the construction of the layout and introduced it to the world by presenting golf ’s richest ever 18-hole Skins game in 1988. The moment Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Isao Aoki and Curtis Strange arrived to play for…

NEW VOKEY SM8. ONE GIANT SHIFT FORWARD Developed through a process led by the vast experience and knowledge of Master Craftsman Bob Vokey, Titleist’s new Vokey Design SM8 wedges are “the most accurate and forgiving” in company history – the new model also featuring improved feel. Originally unveiled in the company’s SM6 and refined in 2018’s SM7, Titleist’s progressive centre of gravity (CG) design concept has undergone a dramatic change in the new model to improve control, feel and stability. With a CG that has been shifted forward to hover in front of the face, SM8 wedges will return to square every time. Designed to produce optimised loft specific performance, the CG progresses from a lower position in the low lofts to higher in the high lofts, and is achieved…