Innehållsförteckning för August 2022 från Golf Monthly

I’ve sat down a few times in the past week to write this month’s letter with a view towards talking about the seismic changes underway in the men’s professional game. But each time I’ve put pen to paper to consider the implications of LIV Golf, further developments have altered the dynamic. To avoid being out of date on the topic, I’ll hold fire until all, or at least most of, the cards are on the table. Safe to say this is a time of enormous flux and uncertainty, and it will be fascinating to analyse the geography of top-level golf when the dust settles. More positive news from the last month was the fabulous US Open success of Matt Fitzpatrick, a triumph we cover on page 50. I must confess…

IN THE NEWS In Gee Chun claims third Major after late Lexi Thompson collapse In Gee Chun benefited from the latest Lexi Thompson meltdown to clinch her third Major at the KPMG Women’s PGA. The South Korean took a three-shot lead into the final round at Congressional, but quickly found herself chasing after three bogeys in her first six holes put Thompson out in front. However, Thompson again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory courtesy of four bogeys in a six-hole stretch from the 12th, with greenside fragility scuppering the American’s chances of finally landing a second Major. Her Chevron Championship triumph is now more than eight years ago. A thinned chip and three putts on 16 meant it was honours even heading to 17, where the 27-yearold three-putted…

Left hand only Hitting one-handed shots with your right hand on your left shoulder will give you the feeling of maintaining shoulder height through impact, rather than lifting the left shoulder in your desire to help the ball up. The idea is that keeping your right hand on the left shoulder throughout will encourage your shoulder to stay the same height through the ball. Spine angle For consistent pitching, your spine must remain over the ball at address and impact. If your spine tilts away too much, you’ll struggle to strike it consistently and catch lots of pitches fat or thin. Set your weight more on your left side to keep your spine angle straighter. And believe in the club’s loft – you don’t need to help the ball up.…

Ping believes that a third of golfers would greatly benefit from using its brand new club. The ChipR is the first fully fledged chipper the brand has produced, representing a specifically engineered shortgame solution that combines elements of both a putter and a wedge to help golfers get it up and down more often. It’s recommended for shots within 40 yards of the green from rough, fairway or fringe, and golfers are advised to apply a putting-like stroke with the ChipR to achieve the correct strike, distance control and consistency without fear of chunking or blading shots. This is arguably one of the most technologically advanced chippers on the market. It features perimeter weighting to increase forgiveness, as well as MicroMax grooves for spin control and consistency on chips of…

A former member of the European Tour and two-time winner, Wayne is part of the Sky Sports golf team. He writes exclusively for Golf Monthly There are times when I feel especially privileged to do what I do, and witnessing Matt Fitzpatrick win the US Open first-hand was a real treat – aperformance for the ages. I know there was a lot of attention on his bunker shot on the 18th, and rightly so. But hitting 17 out of 18 greens in regulation in the final round of a US Open, when you’re in the final group and you’ve never won a Major before, was quite remarkable. As I’ve said before, one of the great things about my job is that I can get up close and personal with the…

With golf’s rising popularity coinciding with the cost-of-living crisis, more and more people are turning to the second-hand market to fulfil their needs. Whether it’s beginners keen to get into the game or people returning from a prolonged absence, golf is booming, but putting together a set of brand new clubs has arguably never been more challenging. With that in mind, I took a trip with two colleagues to what can only be described as a golfing haven; an Aladdin’s Cave of golf equipment that would be enough to re-inspire even those who have fallen completely out of love with the game. That place was GolfClubs4Cash, Europe’s largest supplier of second-hand clubs, with some 25,000 items available in store and online... First impressions As soon as you set foot through…

If you’re getting the ball running quickly, use a mid- to short-iron and stand closer to the ball, so you address it with the heel of the club a little off the ground. There’s less friction because a smaller amount of the clubhead is hitting the turf through impact. Grip down because you’re standing closer and the shaft is more upright, and hold it like you would a putter. Play the shot by rocking your shoulders exactly as you would for a putting stroke. Calibrate different clubs Try this shot with different clubs to get used to how far the ball carries and how much it releases. Grip pressure Take your grip on the club as though you were holding a tube of toothpaste with the lid off. You’re not…

Knowing your relief options In the final round of the 2022 US PGA, Will Zalatoris encountered a multi-part ruling on the par-3 6th. Chris Wallace, Rules manager at The R&A, explains. After airmailing his tee shot into some thick bushes close to the boundary fence, Zalatoris opted to take lateral unplayable ball relief for one penalty stroke under Rule 19.2c. This gave him a two-club relief area to drop in from the spot of the original ball. The important thing to remember was that he was not able to drop at a point closer to the hole. After assessing potential rules issues which may arise from his ball’s new position, Zalatoris opted to drop on a cart path, which was within his two club-length relief area. As the ball bounced…

GM verdict The Scotty Cameron Phantom X 12 is the flagship model in the brand’s mallet range as it offers the highest MOI. The 2022 version is the only model from the previous range that retains the black 6061 aluminium face, which wraps over the front of the putter and continues down through the centre section to the rear of the head. This version of the Phantom X 12 features a stepped design to the edge of the centre section that makes it look a little smaller. The whole design is topped off by a single long white alignment line which contrasts well with the black background and provides a better alignment tool and a classier look than the previous neon yellow dots and lines. The mid-bend stepless shaft effectively…

ASK OUR EXPERT Does putter shaft technology really make a difference? Colin Dowd, via email Modern putter-specific shafts help more with stabilising the head on mishits, just as low-torque shafts do with a driver. The only difference is that things are happening at much lower speeds. I firmly believe that putter shafts with technology do offer a performance advantage, be it Odyssey’s Stroke Lab or the KBS CT Tour putter shaft. Yes the gains are small but they are gains, nonetheless, and could prove the difference between making a crucial putt or not! What are your thoughts on the Mizuno Shaft Optimiser? Harry Randall, by letter I think it’s a really useful tool and I’m always amazed at how accurate it is. It usually recommends iron shafts that I’ve been…

MY CLUB Tim Browne Belvoir Park Golf Club On a recent trip to Manor House in Wiltshire I played a couple more courses along the way, one planned and one impromptu. Heading down, I visited Newbury and Crookham in Berkshire at the invitation of member David Ashworth. The club has a rich and interesting history and I thoroughly enjoyed its relatively short, rolling layout, with the downhill par-3 3rd and 9th holes standing out visually. I also liked the short-but-tempting 290-yarders at 2 and 12, the former favouring a little draw and the latter supremely well bunkered. After heavy rain curtailed my final round at Manor House, the sun broke through as I pottered back through Wiltshire and I couldn’t resist a few holes on the downland course at Upavon.…

Dale Hill Set in the green, rolling and relatively remote hills of East Sussex, Dale Hill has two very enjoyable and pleasingly different courses. The Old is approaching its half-century and is a more traditional-looking, tree-lined design. The Ian Woosnam course opened for play in 1997 and offers far greater drama, with a number of memorable holes. It is also way more expansive, offering fabulous views over the course and the surrounding countryside. With its 50 bedrooms and other facilities, Dale Hill makes for an excellent venue for a golfing break. GF: Woosnam course: £55; Old course: £45 Looking back over the 5th green towards the par-3 6th on the Ian Woosnam course at Dale Hill. Carlyon Bay The lovely clifftop resort at Carlyon Bay in Cornwall is a great…

F ormany golfers, watching their ball disappear into a greenside bunker sparks panic. Tour pros, however, have a totally different mindset – they understand what’s required to ‘pop’ the ball out and their technique has been perfected through hours of practice. Rather than seeing the ball come back to their feet, or slamming into the face of the bunker, they picture a far more positive outcome. So, what is it they do so well? Over the next four pages, Top 50 Coach Keith Williams explains what you can learn from the best in the business. By breaking the shot down, we’ll help you to become a more proficient bunker player. Plus, we ask the pros for their top tips and advice……

Keeping the club lofted through impact is absolutely key. If you went to a tournament and watched a good bunker player, you might think they have their hands behind the ball at set-up as they want to add loft by feeling the hands are set back, rather than forward. As they swing down, they work to release the clubhead forward as this widens the swing arc, retains the loft and exposes the bounce to create a shallow divot. Keep turning The pros make full, rhythmic swings and they keep turning the upper body through to the target, while the lower body is fairly passive. You can learn a lot from Luke Donald, whose fantastic rhythm once made him the leading scrambler on both tours. Amateurs have a tendency to stop,…

Push forwards Most golfers rake backwards, causing the sand to build up at the back edge Use two hands Try not to drag the rake with one hand while holding a club in another As if bunker play wasn’t testing enough for most of us, there’s nothing more demoralising than to walk up to a bunker still reasonably hopeful, only to discover that it hasn’t been raked properly and your ball is lying in a deep footprint, or perhaps plugged where too much sand has accumulated in a certain area. The already testing recovery merely becomes harder then, or in some cases, virtually impossible. Good etiquette requires all golfers to leave the bunker they have just visited in a suitable condition for the next golfer who has the misfortune to…

No love for LIV Unlike the four Majors, LIV Golf has no history and will never provide a climax to match Matt Fitzpatrick’s win at the US Open. Phil Mickelson has no comprehension of what people think of him and his Saudi comments. His legacy is decimated. His interviews – and Poulter’s, Westwood’s and Garcia’s – have been toe-curling. Being unwilling to admit that it is all about money should haunt them forever. As for Johnson, Koepka, DeChambeau and Reed, how many Rolls-Royces and mansions do they need? Better if they had donated their earnings to Ukrainian refugees. Poulter, Garcia and Westwood have jeopardised their Ryder Cup involvement and should be banned from the captaincy. I hope fervently that LIV Golf will die the death that it deserves. Austin Musgrave-Brown,…

Bad says Jeremy Ellwood Gimmes can lead to bad habits, a sense of false security and friction between golfers. In competitive stroke play, the gimme is not allowed. But in friendly stroke play golf, the gimme is sometimes used. In those ‘bounce’ games, the gimme can cause confusion and frustration – who in the group agrees that putt is a gimme? Do all agree? Does one person want to give it, but another feels it’s missable? It’s a gimme minefield. Under the World Handicap System, we can submit general play scores for handicap. Over an 18-hole round, ten holes must be completed to The Rules of Golf for a score to be submitted. That means... no gimmes! If a putt is given on a hole, then the player doing a…

Sarah Stirk is a Sky Sports presenter and co-host of the Stirkers and Radar podcast: Instagram @ stirkersand radarpod or Twitter @ stirkersradar Matt Fitzpatrick’s stunning US Open victory will live long in the memory for so many reasons, but seeing Billy Foster’s emotional reaction to finally winning a Major was right up there for me. Billy has caddied for nearly 40 years for some of the biggest names in golf, but it was clear this win meant the world to him. I spoke to Billy just before the US Open after Matt’s challenge faltered at the US PGA, and he was certain then that his boss wasn’t far away from winning a big one. He knew when he took the bag it was an excellent job, but said Matt had…

GOLFER How many of us have dreamed of holing the winning putt in The Open Championship? How many of us, sitting at a desk or grafting at our daily jobs, have envied the jet-set life of the professional golfer? Far-flung climes, adoring fans, being truly talented… the money. Yes, at the very highest level, for a relative handful of players, the life is pretty good. But it’s pretty odd as well – living out of a suitcase, surrounded by ‘yes’ men and facing constant questioning and attention. The stresses of touring can take a toll on the mental health of players at every level. Matthew Wolff spoke openly at the end of last year about his struggles. Despite enjoying early success on the PGA Tour, the grind of the existence…

In 2015, Jason Day was playing golf of an almost unfathomably high standard. In February, he won the Farmers Insurance Open, before a remarkable three-month stretch from July to September that saw him claim the Canadian Open, the US PGA Championship in record-breaking fashion and two FedExCup play-off events. His triumph at the BMW Championship, the penultimate event of the season, also propelled him to World No.1 for the first time. He picked up where he left off in 2016, winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the WGC-Match Play and the Players Championship, a run of form described as “Tiger-esque” by compatriot Adam Scott. Unfortunately for Day, the following years would be filled with injury and off-course concerns, despite a two-win season in 2018. Chronic back issues and his mum’s illness,…

1Stable base and ball a touch back It’s important to set up with a solid base, because you don’t have the same stability under your feet that you have on the grass. You should stay a little bit more on the left side through the swing so you’re not transferring as much weight as a normal swing. Put the ball a little further back in the stance to make sure you’re hitting down on it a touch steeper and you definitely hit the ball before the sand. Some say you should try and hit it a bit thin out of a fairway bunker, and that’s what I try to do. You’re better off a bit thin than hitting it even the tiniest bit fat. I also grip the club a…

Golfers who have been playing for long enough develop a good grasp of the basic Rules, such as playing a provisional ball when wise to do so, or how to proceed if they deem their ball unplayable. But some Rules can pass even the seasoned golfer by, so we’ve picked out five you may not know. We start with match play and the provision under Rule 3.2d that you may choose to ignore an opponent’s Rules breach. Perhaps you see them accidentally move their ball but decide not to act – maybe if the match is already as good as yours or your opponent has already played three shots more than you. What you can’t do is agree to ignore a penalty you both know applies – if you do…

Blue Tees Series 3 Max laser rangefinder £199 Weight: 220g Range: 900 yards The Series 3 Max weighs in 50g heavier but, if anything, this enhanced the stability we experienced especially in the wind. It’s a little more substantial but the shape is spot on and we love the chrome detailing at the front. There are three colour options. Everything is very clear and bright. No matter how dim the conditions, you should be able to see everything you need to thanks to the auto-ambient display. The degree of elevation change is displayed in Slope mode but there’s no battery meter. The flag is picked out very quickly with a minimum of fuss. You get the vibration to reassure you but, to be honest, it wasn’t really needed – such…

Words and photography: KEVIN MARKHAM Nestled between a railway line and the sea, Aberdovey has a low and sometimes crumpled dunescape. The links doglegs sharply, following the coastline of the Irish Sea, and while no holes dogleg so severely, the routing and layout mean the wind will hit you from every side. That makes it a stern links test despite its modest length. It is an out-andback affair with the par-3 9th at the farthest point. Combine this with crossing the railway line from the car park and Aberdovey’s natural, rugged fairways and you’ve stepped back in time. It would be easy to say Aberdovey is for links aficionados – it has close ties to the great Bernard Darwin and a design attributed to Harry Colt (with Herbert Fowler and…

East Devon East Devon is one of the stars of the south Devon strip, perched on the distinctive red cliffs above Budleigh Salterton. It blends a strong heathland feel in places with occasional tree-lined tests, such as the 7th, and then a splendid run for home close to the clifftop. The club moved here in 1902, with Herbert Fowler involved in the new layout, which was later modified by both Harry Colt and James Braid. You get a sense of the breathtaking views to come over the early holes, and this gradually rises to a crescendo as you make your way up to the highest ground before starting your descent from the 16th tee, a strong par 4 along the clifftops. But the 17th is infinitely harder, as you must…

Well, now we know what LIV events look like and it turns out they look like golf tournaments but with add-ons, a sort of mini-Glastonbury with fairways and greens. You can get your kids’ faces painted, listen to a pop singer warble, crunch a burger and slurp a beer. No problem with any of that and a journalist pal who attended the opener said it was “okay, not bad for a first go”. “LIV will either succeed enough to continue for at least a few years or implode” Charl Schwartzel won, bagged a zillion dollars and, as is often the case with Charl, failed to excite anyone except the most anodyne posse of TV commentators I’ve ever heard, an accolade that is difficult to come by given the low level often…

T othe average amateur, the bunker can be a thing of golfing nightmare; a place where potential disaster lurks. But, for the top professionals, the bunker provides an opportunity to showcase their skill and imagination. Most elite players are undaunted by bunker shots and many would rather find their ball lying on sand instead of grass if they miss a green. Some players over the years have risen above their peers to become legends of the sand. These are men who have achieved a sublime mastery of the trap shot, from long range or close proximity. Here, we count down the ten very best exponents of bunker play from golf’s modern era. 10 Lee Trevino The American was a wizard around the greens and a supremely skilled bunker player. He…

Break the crust My recommended set-up for the firmer sand will encourage a wristier backswing and a more aggressive downward move to break through the crust and prevent the club from bouncing. You can get two very different wet bunker lies after heavy rain – one a firm, compacted surface that perhaps hasn’t been raked (ball on right); the other fluffier with a more porridge-like texture (left) You should play these two shots differently and with different wedges. For the firmer lie, use a lower-bounce wedge that will let you utilise the leading edge to get steeper into the ball and cut through the sand Photography: Tom Miles. Shot on location at Etchinghill Golf Club 1From the compact sand, square things up, with the ball nearer the middle of the…

Fabulous Fitzpatrick claims US Open title Congratulations on winning the US Open. How does that sound? The feeling is out of this world. It is such a cliche, but it’s stuff you dream of as a kid. I could retire a happy man tomorrow. I just really believed it could be the time. Talk us through that bunker shot on the 18th… I’ll be honest, I’ve been really struggling with fairway bunker play this year. But one good thing is the way the lie was, it forced me not to go towards the pin. It kind of forced me to go well left anyway. When I look back, it all happened so fast. Natural ability took over and I just played the shot that was at hand, as if I…

SOUND BITES “THERE’S A LOT OF GUYS THAT ARE HYPOCRITES THAT AREN’T TELLING THE TRUTH. I DON’T HAVE ANY ILL WILL FOR ANYONE GOING TO PLAY THE LIV TOUR, I HAVE ILL WILL TOWARDS THE COMMENTS THEY’VE MADE. COMMENTS THAT THE PGA TOUR DOESN’T LISTEN TO US” “I HAVEN’T PLAYED A RYDER CUP OR A PRESIDENTS CUP, BUT CAN’T IMAGINE THERE’S A WHOLE HELL OF A LOT OF DIFFERENCE” “SERGIO FLEW OFF THE HANDLE, SHOUTING: ‘THIS TOUR IS S***, YOU’RE ALL F****D, SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE SAUDI MONEY.’ BOB MACINTYRE WAS THERE AND WAS DISGUSTED” “I DON’T THINK I’LL EVER TALK TO HIM AGAIN” BRIEFS Castle Stuart Golf Links to be renamed Castle Stuart Golf Links in Scotland is to be rebranded ‘Cabot Highlands’ after being bought by Canadian developers…

Puerto Rico River course GF: $115-$180 Stats: par 72, 6,343 yards Situated in the Caribbean on Puerto Rico’s northeastern glittering coastline, the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort is home to two quite different but equally exciting golf courses. The River course (main picture) is the younger, and it was designed a quarter of a century ago by Greg Norman. While it can stretch to almost 7,000 yards and has hosted major amateur events such as the Eisenhower Trophy, there are tees to suit all golfers. With generous fairways and shallow bunkers, the dominant feature of this sumptuous course is water. The majority of the holes are to the north of the beautiful Mameyes river, while the 11th to the 17th run around a lagoon on…

T he prospect of becoming a PGA Professional is one of the most exciting dreams that any golfer can have. The PGA qualification is the most respected golfing qualification in the world and will open the door to endless experiences and a host of careers in an industry that you are truly passionate about. Whether you are coming straight from school or a mature student, the opportunity to become a PGA Professional is very real. For males the handicap limit is six, while for women it is eight. The sophisticated programme is recognised globally as a world leader, with three courses available. There’s a Foundation Degree in Professional Golf and a BSc Applied Golf Management Studies degree, both of which are taught in partnership with the University of Birmingham. The…

This is doable,” says Sky Sports’ Wayne Riley, as Matt Fitzpatrick steps into a fairway bunker on the final hole of the US Open with a one-shot lead, his ball in an awkward spot behind an island of grass within the trap. Be honest, you were grimacing, half hiding behind the sofa! His pursuer, Will Zalatoris, having found the fairway, is poised to fire one in close. He does so, but not before Fitzpatrick had produced “one of the best shots I’ve hit of all time”. We should never have doubted him – the Sheffield man with nerves of steel. These were the headlines that were going to be written, not a tale of disappointment, as it was in May when Fitzpatrick suffered a miserable final day at the US…

1Transfer your weight through the shot This is a tough shot for amateurs, but I try to cut it a little bit to hit a high one. I’m trying to create loft through the ball, but without flicking at it. It’s so important to keep your weight moving. You can still hit the ball high even though you’re trying to compress it. Don’t worry about hitting the ball high – the club will get it in the air. I like the ball position just inside my left foot, but I have it a little further back for a draw or a little further forward for a really high shot. If it’s too far back, you’ll be hitting down into it rather than sweeping it away. 2Sweep the ball with width…

1Bag drill This is one for those golfers who have a tendency to hang back through impact (inset), which will typically lead to fat and thin strikes. Rest your trail foot on top of your golf bag. This is getting you used to the feeling of what it’s like to have the pressure forward through impact, and it’ll encourage a downward angle of attack. Just take some half swings. You’ll struggle to hit the ground first if you try this drill; it’s really effective for getting the weight moving towards the target, so the club hits the ball before the ground. Knee flex Make sure that you flex your lead knee more than normal, as it’s pretty much taking all the weight Weight transfer By keeping your pressure moving forward,…

The hybrid is a reliable club in which many golfers find solace as it can be used from the tee, fairway, rough and even around the green. Here, we test the leading models and pick our favourites in various categories to help narrow down your search if you’re looking to invest or upgrade. Looks Hybrids range from the compact, more iron-like Titleist TSi3 or Callaway Apex Pro to fairway-wood styles, as seen in the Callaway Rogue ST Max OS and TaylorMade Stealth. We’re also seeing an emergence of ‘super hybrids’ – even larger clubheads designed to be an easier-tohit alternative to the traditional hybrid – like the Callaway Apex UW and Cleveland Launcher XL Halo. These clubs undoubtedly inspire a lot of confidence at address without looking or feeling unwieldy.…

ASK OUR EXPERT How has the Covid boom affected club golfers? Gordon Frame, Kingston In golf, the pandemic has been extremely good for business as the waiting list for membership at clubs has appeared again or, in many instances, made its debut. From speaking with various managers around the country, I think it’s fair to say that the demand for tee times, combined with various government grants and loan schemes, has almost certainly saved a number of clubs. Close to my home in Kent, some green fees have doubled or more. I paid less than £20 for a pre-Covid winter game at Westerham, where the current weekday rate is now £60. Despite the boom, no one seems to be saying we need more courses. But we are frequently asked how…

M anyof us have go-to places to which we return time and again in life and in golf as they just ‘do it’ for us. I’ve been fortunate to have played a lot of golf over the last 40 years in many different countries, but I’m pretty sure my go-to golfing place is really now South Wales, to where I’ve been magnetically drawn at least a couple of times a year in recent times. I’ll often take three or four days away down there in January, typically staying in the dormy rooms at Royal Porthcawl, but sometimes at Tenby or Pyle & Kenfig. Why South Wales? It’s a good question, but I somehow feel an affinity with the area unlike anywhere else in the country and Royal Porthcawl certainly plays a…

1Draw a ten-foot line in the sand and set up with an imagined ball position just inside your left heel, but no ball. Break your wrists nice and early on your takeaway and focus on utilising the bounce at impact, rather than digging in. Work your way along the line, repeating the process. You’re looking for nice, shallow divots – ideally the same depth and size – starting two to three inches behind the line. This will help groove the correct feel at impact. Try the butterfly grip In this grip, both hands sit more on top (left hand strong, right hand weak) to help you pick the club up quicker – abit like two butterfly wings clearly visible at address. 2Greenside bunker shots require more of a U-shaped swing,…

1Because most golfers are scared of thinning it too far, they end up not developing enough power, so if they do hit it properly it won’t go far enough. But there’s also a tendency to duff it as a result. You need to build a solid base and fix your feet into the sand for stability as you’ll be generating quite a lot of power, so don’t let your stance get too narrow. As with most shots near the green, set more weight on your left side at address. 2Club choice is important – most golfers aren’t powerful enough to get the ball to the hole on this type of shot with a traditional sand wedge. You’re better off using a gap or pitching wedge as you won’t have to…

W hetherfor their striking aesthetics or devilish difficulty, bunkers are often the most talked about features on a golf course. Owing to its positioning, size or depth, a bunker can govern the characteristics of a hole and influence the golfer’s strategy. Here, we take a look at seven of the most recognisable sand traps in world golf. We consider why these hazards stand out and look at some of the famous moments they’ve witnessed over the years. From the classic, steep-faced bunkers of the British links to the innovative design showcased at more modern American tracks, bunkers are an integral part of golf that greatly add to the sport’s drama. ‘Hell’ 14th hole, the Old Course at St Andrews The long 14th on the Old Course at St Andrews features…