Innehållsförteckning för July 2021 från Golf Monthly

We’ve been back playing golf again for a good six weeks and, as I write this, indoor socialising is on the verge of restarting. It seems as if normality is edging closer and recent events in the world of professional golf have only served to reinforce that feeling, notably Rory McIlroy returning to the winners’ circle at the Wells Fargo Championship. We should never be surprised when a player with so much talent wins a golf tournament, but there weren’t too many signs this victory was around the corner. We’d written as much in this month’s headline feature and had to perform some surgery after his unexpected victory – the nature of print publishing! Hopefully this is the start of a genuine resurgence for Rory. He hasn’t won a Major…

Across 7 I retell braver version of a way to get back piece of equipment (4,9) 8 Former Ryder Cup captain on tees (8) 9 Club nestled in its environment (4) 10 Garden hut at Old Ferndown’s 2nd (3,4) 12 I reported initial victory of three-time US Open champion (5) 14 Irishman who played in two Ryder Cups (5) 16 I erased record of Welshman three times a runner-up in The Open (3,4) 19 Colourful course at The Berkshire (4) 20 Winner of this year’s WGC-Match Play (8) 22 Pro tour rashly overlooks Open Championship venue (5,8) Down 1 Carry to path (4) 2 Shots which normally arc to the right (6) 3 Warmth from girl seen at Woodhall Spa and West Sussex (7) 4 Make for Gordon (5) 5…

SOUND BITES “I APOLOGISE TO WHOMEVER I AM PLAYING WITH THIS WEEK. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER I HAVE BEEN TOLD I AM 0.569 OF A SECOND SLOW. SOUNDS LIKE SOME F1 CARS. IF I PLAY OUT OF TURN I AM SORRY, IF I’M READY I’M HITTING” Ian Poulter’s Instagram response to being put on the PGA Tour’s slow-play observation list “SOMETIMES THERE WOULD BE NIGHTS WHERE THEY WOULDN’T EAT, JUST TO GIVE ME SOME FOOD” After his first PGA Tour start at the Valspar Championship, journeyman pro Michael Visacki spoke about his parents’ sacrifices “WELL, TIGER’S A WEIRDO. IT DOESN’T REALLY COUNT. HE DOESN’T SLEEP ANYWAY” Justin Thomas on Tiger getting up four hours before early morning rounds “THE PERSON WHO IS IN A POSITION TO TELL YOU…

Senior PLM golf footwear, Under Armour 1. Why did you decide to go spikeless on Spieth 5? The term ‘spikeless’ often gets incorrectly correlated to inferior traction. Through our research with bio-mechanist JJ Rivet, we’ve developed a system that provides the traction of a spiked shoe through the combination of soft rubber-like spikes and firm TPU spikes, which build up friction and ground penetration respectively. 2. What insights did Spieth provide on the design? Comfort is just as important for Jordan as it is for the everyday golfer. The first thing he feels in a shoe is the tongue and internal heel – this led to a knit tongue that forms to the shape of the top of your foot, and an external heel counter that locks the heel back…

“Harry Diamond doesn’t get enough credit,” says former PGA Tour caddie Michael Collins. “Harry knows Rory better than anybody else. But no matter how good friends you are with someone, when you walk inside those ropes it’s boss/caddie. “Harry has become a really good caddie. If you want to know how good a caddie Harry is, if Rory and Harry split, another pro would pick Harry up on the bag. That’s how good he is. I don’t know if that’s the case for AJ [Dustin Johnson’s brother and caddie] yet, but maybe.”…

It’s the patronising tone that irks me. The ‘didn’t they do well?’ astonishment from the golf world whenever an older player outperforms others. It’s like they only see the age, not the achievement. “Veteran Stewart Cink defies all logic – and doctor’s orders – to shoot two rounds of 63 and actually win the tournament!” “Oldie Lee Westwood needs oxygen and a continual supply of Werther’s Originals but somehow wins the European Tour’s Order of Merit in Dubai.” “The venerable Bernhard Langer rises from his wheelchair, throws aside his crutches, gets special permission to leave his care home and – glory hallelujah! – outscores his Masters playing partner, the mighty Bryson DeChamboom. Praise be, it’s a miracle!” What’s going on here? Why is everyone so surprised when a golfer not…

Niall Horan has quickly become one of the most influential people in golf. His company, Modest Golf, manages a diverse group of players, runs tournaments and has recently joined forces with The R&A to inspire more young people to play the game. His vision and passion is going to help shape an exciting and buoyant future for our sport. How it all began Horan has been a keen golfer his whole life. Through his friendships with tour players, including Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, and while spending time at European Tour events, he realised there was an opportunity to help younger pros at the start of their careers. He teamed up with good friend Mark McDonnell, who has over 16 years of experience in the sports industry, and that dream…

Join the biggest team in golf Thousands of like-minded golfers are raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK by taking on The Big Golf Race, a four- or two-round challenge. Just get a team together, choose a date and course and get fundraising. “This is a great initiative,” says Le Tissier. “The more golf you can play, the better for me! Even if you can’t do four, then two – let’s call it a half marathon with four being a whole marathon. Four rounds in a day and I’ll probably be aching for about three weeks afterwards at 52, but let’s go for it!” Why not join the biggest team in golf and help beat prostate cancer, just like Danny Willett, who made Prostate Cancer UK his chosen charity for his…

1. Driving I’m not particularly long, but I’ve always hit it quite straight with my driver. I’ve stuck with one shot shape – right to left. A lot of great drivers of the ball work it one way or the other. If I start the ball at the right edge of the fairway and I know it’s going to draw, I give myself a much bigger target. It can draw as much as 20 yards and I can still be on the fairway. So, depending on the hole, I tend to favour the left side of the tee box. If you’re looking to gain a bit of distance, make sure the ball is up in your stance – off your left heel. You want to feel as if you’re hitting…

Most golfers know that when taking relief, it must be such that the condition you are taking relief from no longer interferes in any way with the lie of your ball or the area of your intended stance or swing. For example, if you decide to take relief when your ball is on a cart path, you must ensure you’ve taken complete relief – so not only is your ball no longer on the path, but neither are your feet, and it is clear your club won’t strike the path during your takeaway or follow-through. There are, however, some circumstances where the Rules allow you to take the maximum available relief if complete relief is not available within that specific part of the course. The most common situation where this…

GM Verdict Ping is looking to crack the putter market with its unimaginatively named 2021 putters. There are 12 models in the range and we were sent, by request, the Fetch and Anser 4 to test on the putting green at Burghley Park Golf Club in Lincolnshire. The first point to note is that these putters are not adjustable for length. While grips that adjust the length are available for a £40 upcharge, Ping has decided to blend back in with the crowd and only offer fixed-length putters. This is a shame, as the system was really clever, discrete and easy to implement, but there’s no point in going to considerable effort and cost to implement a feature golfers aren’t using. The Anser 4 has a short-slant hosel, which really…

GM Verdict Golf shoes are usually judged on how they look, which is great for Adidas’ new ZG21 shoe because it looks great. But there is so much more to it that golfers will appreciate. Adidas really wanted to make this comfortable as a walking shoe given how long golfers are out on the course during a round. So, first and foremost it needed to be lightweight, and it is. It’s 20 per cent lighter than the Tour360 XT, something you’ll notice straight away. Crucially, Adidas hasn’t achieved this at the cost of comfort by stripping out underfoot support. If anything, this has been enhanced with the combination of Lightstrike EVA foam and Boost cushioning. The ZG21 provides immediate softness underfoot and a memory foam sensation over time, while facilitating…

To give you an idea of which driver might work best for you, we tested 17 of the latest models, both on the Foresight Sports GCQuad launch monitor and on the driving range at West Hill Golf Club, using Titleist Pro V1x balls to see what golfers can expect. Looks Most brands have refined their drivers while maintaining the same visual concepts. The TaylorMade SIM2 is arguably one of the easiest to align, with its darker carbon fibre panel contrasting with the white front section. If you want something more traditional, the Srixon ZX and Titleist TSi models offer up that classic shape and finish. A poll we put on social media with six of our favourites visually produced a fairly even split, showing how subjective this category is, but…

For some years, I was proud to have played all of the courses in the Top 100. However, in January 2017, my tally went down to 99 as Murcar Links came in as a new entry. Sadly, I have not since managed to make it back to the Aberdeen area, and so I remain on 99. Happily, I managed to play each of the latest three new entries last year. Playing the Top 100 is indeed a moveable feast, but I think you are entitled to define it in your own way. For me, it will always be the current ranking. But there would be nothing wrong with taking any of the lists since 2008, when we moved from 120 to 100 courses. It is always very exciting to investigate…

An all-time great During these unusual times, it was such a joy on St George’s Day to play 18 holes and to return home later to find Golf Monthly had arrived through the letterbox. Then there was a touch of sadness when I read your excellent 20-page special on Seve. Is it really ten years? I am 68 years old, but not ashamed to say I had tears running down my face. He was such a genius golfer with such passion for the game. And yes GM, you are right, British galleries took him into their hearts. I well remember one day shortly after we lost him, our club held a minute’s silence in his memory. It was impeccably respected by everyone in a packed clubhouse, which showed the regard…

McIIroy surges back into winners’ circle ➛ Congratulations for winning the Wells Fargo Championship. Is the feeling more satisfaction or relief? I think a combination of both – relief that I’ve won again and satisfaction at the journey that I’m on and the process I’ve been going through to try to get back to this point. There’s been a lot of hard work and for a couple of months there, it seemed like it wasn’t really getting me anywhere. It’s hard to win. I certainly felt it there on the back nine. ➛ And you almost didn’t play? I knew my game was pretty good coming in here and then my neck completely locked up on me on the range on Wednesday afternoon, so I didn’t even think I was…

Dean Burmester won the Tenerife Open with a TaylorMade SIM2 driver and a set of Srixon ZX Forged irons. Sam Burns claimed the Valspar with a Callaway Mavrik driver, Apex TCB irons and an Apex Pro hybrid from 2015. Garrick Higgo won the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open with a Titleist TSi3 driver, T100 irons and a Pro V1 ball. Ping has become the official apparel supplier of the European Solheim Cup team for 2021 and 2023. Rory McIlroy switched back to his TaylorMade Rors Proto irons at Quail Hollow after a brief spell with the P7MBs.…

Being lady captain It was once such an honour to even be asked by your golf club to be lady captain, but nowadays it’s more a case of twisting someone’s arm to take on the role. The incoming lady captain has to scratch around, working her way through every member in the club diary to find a vice-captain to succeed her. The majority of women don’t have the time, commitment or energy to step up to the plate, especially if they have to lead by example. Unfortunately, there is an all-too-often response of, “Thanks, but no thanks.” “Why is it that most men believe almost all women are slow players?” Ladies’ sections, especially those with a dwindling membership, should seriously bear in mind all the social changes and consider running…

An old Indian spiritual leader by the name of Sri Chinmoy once said that optimism is the secret of self-reliance, self-reliance is the secret of a dynamic power and a dynamic power is the secret of an immediate success. He wasn’t talking about Tony Finau, of course, who wasn’t even born when the author, artist, poet and musician was spreading his gospel in the 1960s, but the message remains applicable. The 31-year-old one-time PGA Tour winner ticks all the boxes – a glass-always-full outlook; a background that includes honing his skills on a makeshift driving range that featured a thin layer of worn-out carpet over concrete, a net and a mattress in a Utah garage; and a victory in just his second year on tour. Of course, when Finau will…

If Augusta National’s famously slick greens weren’t intimidating enough, taking them on without a putter would surely make the task incredibly daunting. Chris Wallace, Rules manager at The R&A, discusses the challenge, albeit self-inflicted, that Si Woo Kim faced for his final four holes during the second round of The Masters. In our April issue, we looked at a club becoming damaged during the normal course of play, with reference to a situation involving Jordan Spieth in the 2020 Masters. But what if the damage is a result of a player losing his temper? The Rules are now very similar, as Kim discovered in this year’s Masters. Sitting just three off the lead, Kim, who was having a frustrating day on the greens, slammed his putter into the ground at…

1 Fergus takes free relief from the wrong side of a cart path and plays. Although there was no real advantage gained, what is the ruling? A There is no penalty. B Fergus gets one penalty stroke and must replay the stroke. C Fergus gets the general penalty (two strokes) and must play the ball as it lies. 2 Before teeing off on the 3rd hole, Fergus accidentally hits his ball off the tee when taking a practice swing. What is the ruling? A There is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies. B There is no penalty and the ball is re-teed. C Fergus gets one penalty stroke and must replace the ball. 3 In stroke play, Jezz’s ball lies on a towel in a…

GM Verdict The take up on tour of the three new Premiere Series golf shoes from FootJoy has been nothing short of phenomenal, so we were keen to find out what the user experience out on the course was really like. There is a trend towards golfers wanting more traditional-looking golf shoes and the Flint fits the bill perfectly. Refined and sophisticated in equal measure, it certainly looks like a golf shoe inspired by the past. First impressions are that this shoe is surprisingly light given the throwback design. The twine-like feel of the laces and the lacing system are unusual on the Flint in particular – there are just three eyelets on each side, with a large gap in between. But you’re still able to achieve a snug, secure…

I’m looking to treat myself to a remote-controlled trolley. Any suggestions? IainP270571, GM Forum Motocaddy and Stewart Golf really lead the way here and their remote options are the same price (£999). Motocaddy’s M7 Remote has a digital screen, a slightly more streamlined frame and a fully rotating dual wheel at the front, whereas the Stewart Golf Q Remote has two wider front wheels and more wow factor but is a bit more bulky. Either would serve you well! Is it common to have different grips to your irons on your other long-game clubs? Kennysarmy, GM Forum Most golfers like a consistent size and feel across all their grips besides the putter. But, a thicker grip can make the hands less active through impact – ideal if you struggle with…

Golf shoe design goes in cycles. One year, athletic and sporty offerings are all the rage, then the next it’s the traditional styles that get the nod. This is where 2021 slots in (with some exceptions). The good news is that whatever floats your boat, there will be a shoe out there to suit your eye and budget. Brands continue to push the envelope on innovation, especially around stability – very much an underrated quality when it comes to golf shoe performance. Yes, a shoe needs to be comfortable, but it must offer you support so you can swing with confidence, especially given the variety of turf conditions UK golfers are forced to play in all-year round. A quality pair of golf shoes should last you multiple seasons, provided you…

The British Isles archipelago is made up of over 1,000 islands of varying sizes. Although most of our golf courses are situated on the mainland, there are also an intriguing and enticing number to be found on some of our smaller island outposts. I’ve written before about my love affair with golf starting on a school geography field trip to Arran in 1981, with my first ever round on the nine-holer at Lochranza. The golf bug bit deep and quick, and this experience no doubt prompted me to choose Arran for my first ever golfing holiday three years later. Scotland in miniature, they say of Arran. It’s blessed with an unlikely seven golf courses, and I played Corrie, Machrie Bay, Lamlash, Whiting Bay and Shiskine on that trip. But I’ve…

In a pulsating contest in which both sides had to call upon alternates due to illness, Team USA resisted a spirited GB&I comeback to win the Walker Cup 14-12 at Seminole GC. Trailing 7-5 at the end of day one, a strong GB&I showing in the Sunday morning foursomes ensured it was all to play for heading into the final ten singles matches. Austin Eckroat and Pierceson Coody got the Americans off to the perfect start, before a run of three-and-a-half points from four for the visitors – all of which were decided on the 18th – meant the match got the dramatic ending it deserved. But the Americans weren’t to be denied, with Cole Hammer and Stewart Hagestad winning the last two matches. It was the Americans’ third victory…

Dream four-ball? Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore, Seve and Tiger Woods. Best moment in golf? Getting my European Tour card. One Major or ten European Tour titles? A Major, because people remember the Majors. Best swing tip in a sentence or less? Focus on rhythm and have a stock shot that you can go to under pressure. You can only play one course for the rest of your life… It has to be Augusta National. Which three players do you take with you on a night out? Jamie Donaldson, John E Morgan and Marcus Armitage. What would you be doing if you weren’t a golfer? Would I be a footballer? Probably not, but I’d like to say I would! Any superstitions? I have to listen to Mob Ties by Drake…

Tour percentages On the PGA Tour last year, 20 players made every three-footer they faced, with Abraham Ancer making 620 out of 620! From six feet, though, the average is under 70 per cent, with 13 players at 80+ per cent but several much closer to 50. There’s no doubt improving your holing-out percentage is a real opportunity for better scores and lower handicaps. Extended clock drill Round the clock drills traditionally focus on three feet, but I recommend adding another circle at five or six feet. See how many you can hole from four or five balls and try to improve your success rate each time. Find somewhere where the putts break differently and aren’t all straight. Your full routine Different-breaking putts mean you have to think about more…

Under Armour may boast a short history in golf footwear having arrived on the scene in 2016, but its proprietary Hovr cushioning system, first seen in 2019, has been so well received that it forms an integral part of the brand’s latest range. It features across the majority of models to provide responsive, long-lasting comfort and energy return, while supporting the natural movement of the foot during the swing. The collection is headed by the Spieth 5 SL, which becomes the first Spieth model to feature Hovr and be spikeless. The fifth iteration of Spieth’s signature shoe promises spike-like grip and introduces a 4th Dimension of Traction – Interior Traction - that reduces undesirable movement inside the shoe. Developed with one of the world’s leading bio-mechanists, Jean-Jacques Rivet, it comprises…

Rory McIlroy is an immensely talented golfer. At 32, he already possesses a CV that the vast majority of pros dream of compiling throughout an entire career. He’s achieved a huge amount in the game, but he stands at a crossroads. Granted, he just recorded an impressive victory in the Wells Fargo Championship – his first triumph for more than 18 months – but he hasn’t won a Major since the 2014 USPGA and he’s no longer a mainstay in the world’s top five. Was his Quail Hollow victory simply a great performance at a course he loves more than any other, or the start of a genuine resurgence? It’s hard to say at this point, but what he does next will determine whether he goes down in history as…

It’s the quicksand,” says former Canadian Tour golfer Andrew Jensen, calmly guiding us through the journey to his personal low and the realisation that he has an illness. “I mean, two or three years into my career, I’m C$20,000 in debt, and it’s like ‘okay, how do you get out of this?’ You’ve got to play well. Oh, next year, I’m in C$40,000 of debt. ‘How do you get out of this?’ You’ve got to play well. “And then when I was sick by 2011, I was like C$45,000 in debt. I had no job. I had my parents’ basement. I had nothing to offer anybody. So all of these triggers just hurt so much and for me, I didn’t know how to stop hurting so I tried to kill…

Charles Howell III 22nd all-time PGA Tour earnings, 3 wins A beacon of consistency, Charles Howell III joined the PGA Tour in 2001 and has since amassed $40,875,344 in prize money. But for all the cash, Howell III has only won three times in two decades. Paul Casey 31st all-time PGA Tour earnings, 3 wins Although more of a worldwide golfer, there’s no doubt Paul Casey has underachieved on the PGA Tour. Having first joined in 2004, he’s banked an impressive $33,432,742. Luke Donald 25th all-time PGA Tour earnings, 5 wins Form has eluded Donald recently, but, having joined the PGA Tour in 2002, earned more than $36m and spent 56 weeks as World No.1, you’d perhaps have expected more than five wins. Rickie Fowler 23rd all-time PGA Tour earnings,…

To find out more, visit prostatecanceruk.org/golf Golf is a sociable game, isn’t it? Every round brings more than three-and-a-half hours to chat, tease and find out about other people’s lives. When you’ve never met your companion before, that opportunity becomes even greater, especially when they’ve played professional football and pulled on an England shirt. That’s what happened to me recently at Worplesdon in Surrey, where I played with Southampton legend turned TV pundit, Matt Le Tissier. Over the early holes we chat about his career, what part golf plays in his life and why Prostate Cancer UK is a charity dear to his heart. He tells me that he signed with Southampton on a YTS scholarship in 1985 and that “the next 17 years went very quickly”. He never planned…

Q In a recent round, my friend’s drive was heading perilously close to OOB. When we got down there, half of the ball was actually sitting on the line, with the other half the far side of it and no part of it on the course-side edge of the line (it was at least half an inch away). We couldn’t remember if anywhere on the line was still in bounds, or whether it was OOB because no part of the ball was on the course side of the white line. He played on in the end, but we weren’t sure if this was the correct decision. Trevor Goodson, Andover A Sadly, he was incorrect to play on. Rule 18.2a confirms that when a white line defines OOB, the boundary edge…

Golf can be an incredibly difficult sport, especially for those just starting out and trying to juggle other commitments like work and family life. But we wanted to see if we could fast-track the development of a beginner golfer this season with the help of Cobra Puma Golf. Step forward Joe Brewin, someone who has caught the golf bug but played less than a handful of rounds. We put him through an initial assessment with PGA Pro James Whittemore at Girton Golf Club, followed by a series of lessons. You can follow his progress on the Golf Monthly website via his blog updates and watch exclusive video content on his journey from beginner to winner, hopefully… Joe’s story The cameras are set. A crowd is gathered. There’s one final warm-up…

GM Verdict Last year’s PowaKaddy CT6 GPS electric trolley was an excellent option for golfers who wanted at-a-glance, front-middle-back distances on a trolley that folded down compactly. But there was room for improvement, something that PowaKaddy has addressed in 2021. The first difference is the screen. Specifically, PowaKaddy has moved to a full touchscreen for the 2021 iteration in place of two buttons underneath, which did get confusing at times. Once you work out that you access the different screens and features by swiping in different directions, rather than by endlessly tapping the icons along the bottom with no success, this certainly represents an enhancement to the user experience. The screen is more readable and graphics have been freshened up to make them more cutting-edge and create a more premium…

I’d only played Seaford Head on the chalk cliffs in East Sussex once 35 years ago, with torrential rain ruling out the closing stretch along the clifftops. In April, I finally got to finish that round! Why so long? I don’t really know, but this time I wallowed in glorious sunshine and a gentle breeze for my first ‘away’ game since golf’s return. Hitting it to 6ft on the 1st was nice, and as I turned to face the sea on the par-3 4th, I had flashbacks of early holiday golf at Mullion in Cornwall. Inspired, I hit a 7-iron to 6ins! The course drops down early on before a gradual ascent from the 7th that steepens dramatically on the 11th and 12th, a short, almost vertical par 3 where…