Innehållsförteckning för December 2023 från Golf Monthly

There is one particular winter golf experience that’s burnt into my memory and reliably returns to me at this time of year in ultra-high definition. I was approximately 15 years old and, as a mid-single-figure handicapper, was just about good enough to qualify for entry into my county’s winter trials. Taking place just after New Year, I remember my father hauling me out of bed at the crack of dawn, into the car and down to Prince’s Golf Club. For any teenager enjoying lazy school holiday mornings, this would be a jarring gear shift, but throw in the freezing rain and 40mph winds and you can imagine how parent-child relations became somewhat strained. Competing alongside some of the best golfers in Kent, I hit every type of bad shot imaginable.…

The R&A has confirmed it is investigating the potential for Portmarnock Golf Club near Dublin to host the AIG Women’s Open and The Open Championship. Rory McIlroy and Paul McGinley have both backed the idea, which would see the Claret Jug being contested outside the UK for the first time. The course itself is not in question, with McGinley saying the layout is as good as anything currently on the Open rota. However, logistics and access are the stumbling blocks, with the club hoping to enlist government help to solve these issues. A spokesman for The R&A told Golf Monthly: “Portmarnock is undoubtedly one of the world’s outstanding links courses and we believe there is the potential to host our Major Championships there, but it is essential that a full…

Lie of the land First, assess the amount of sand, the height of the face and how far away from you it is, all of which should influence your strategy. If you have a decent lie, work out how safely you can get the ball out and always favour more loft rather than less. It’s better to be down the fairway somewhere than staring at another shot from the sand. The ball-divot option If you prefer to squeeze the ball out a bit more, set it a little further back in your stance. Weight should be central at address, before moving smoothly into the left side on the downswing as you drive the club into the sand and out with a descending blow. Expect a lower ball flight. Allow the…

Some iconic clubs were released, including Titleist 680 MB irons and 983K drivers used by Adam Scott. The men’s Major winners were Mike Weir, Shaun Micheel, Jim Furyk and Ben Curtis. Atthaya Thitikul and Rose Zhang were born. The former reached World No.1 in 2022 and the latter seems likely to follow suit. Europe won the Solheim Cup by a then record 17.5- 10.5. Held in Sweden, Annika Sorenstam and Suzann Pettersen were top point scorers with four each. ELSEWHERE... Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut for Manchester United in August, when he was just 18. The final Concorde flight took place in November. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was released and it won 11 Oscars, tying the most ever with Titanic and Ben-Hur.…

Finding performance from off-centre strikes has been an ongoing quest for putter manufacturers over the decades. The new Odyssey Ai-One and Ai-One Milled putters have leveraged Callaway’s industry-leading A.I. design and super-computing capabilities, creating one of the most advanced face inserts in golf. It’s built to achieve as much off-centre performance as possible. The flagship technology is the new insert, which utilises rear contours to promote consistent ball speeds across the face. Odyssey has then co-moulded a grooved White Hot urethane onto the aluminium backer, thereby providing golfers with the classic White Hot feel and sound that has been so well received on tour. To highlight this new technology, the newly dubbed Ai Window makes the contours on the back of the insert visible, creating an altogether unique view into…

Shot on location at Infinitum Golf Resort Whether it’s chunking or thinning, lots of amateurs struggle to make consistently good contact when chipping, which saps their confidence and costs them shots. Here are some simple techniques that cover most positions you are likely to find yourself in around the green. I call these my three releases and they will allow you to make better contact more often and generate more spin. 1 Release one is ideal for a chipand-run. At address, flare your left foot out a little and have your feet a clubhead’s width apart. With your weight favouring your left side, this creates a pivot from your left foot, through your hip and into your shoulder. Stand a little closer to the ball and lift the handle so…

1 A boundary wall is interfering with Fergus’ area of intended swing. What is the ruling? A Fergus may take free relief from the boundary wall. B Fergus must take free relief from the boundary wall. C There is no free relief from the boundary wall. 2 Before making a stroke, Jezz pulls up strands of grass from right behind his ball in the rough, making it easier to get his club behind it. What is the ruling? A Jezz gets one penalty stroke. B Jezz gets the general penalty. C Jezz is disqualified. 3 Before making a stroke from just off the green, Fergus repairs a pitch-mark on the putting green and on his line of play. What is the ruling? A There is no penalty. B Fergus gets…

Founded in 1886 and one of the oldest clubs in the country, Whittington Heath was already highly regarded with a very fine course before recent developments changed everything. The original design, as is still the case, was immediately adjacent to the local army base and became known as Whittington Barracks GC. A nine-holer was laid out over the heath that was once the only race track in Staffordshire. For some time, golf was exclusively for services personnel and Harry Colt redesigned and extended the course to a full 18 holes in 1927. Around both World Wars, greater military use was made of the land, although some holes were kept in play, but the course was purchased from the Ministry of Defence in 1994. Very much in the news of late,…

Let’s face it -not many clubs boast a trio of golf courses, so when I say Woburn is the only English club to have three courses in the Golf Monthly UK&I Top 100 rankings, your initial reaction may be, ‘Well, there’s precious little competition.’ True, but when you stop to think that far more clubs have two golf courses than three, and that, in many such instances (though certainly not all), one course is significantly superior to the other, you begin to get a feel for the scale of the achievement. Woburn Golf Club has not one, not two, but all three of its courses ranked in the very upper echelons of golf within these isles, and when you consider the club is yet to reach its half century in…

Great sportsmen and women come in all shapes, sizes and, especially, demeanours. Many are a delight to meet and get to know, some not so much. In other words, they are a bit like the rest of us. It’s the one big thing that links us together. Since my last scribbling, two of the all-time greats have passed away. They did so after lives much more than merely well lived. The truly distinguishing mark of any outstanding athlete is more than victories, trophies or medals, it is the general public affection that embraced them while alive and that follows them to wherever they are now. “There is not enough space on this page to record all of Bonallack’s achievements” First to leave us was Sir Michael Bonallack after a long…

Welcome additions I read with interest the recent announcement from the DP World Tour about PGA Tour players finishing between 125-200 on the FedExCup points list being eligible for DP World Tour membership. I know there has been concern in some quarters about PGA Tour members taking playing spots away from Europeans, but I actually think it’s a good thing. Yes, it’s not ideal for those who are pushed out of certain events, but only five players from that category are permitted to compete in each event. And while this might sound a bit harsh, the DPWT players who miss out on starts won’t be ones who are moving the needle anyway in terms of interest. It was great to watch Matt Kuchar compete in Spain recently, and with so…

The golf The Berkshire – Red course: par 72, 6,452 yards; The Berkshire – Blue course: par 71, 6,366 yards There aren’t many places in the UK that boast two world-class courses side by side, certainly not of a heathland nature. However, in The Berkshire – home to the Red and the Blue – you have one of the best 36-hole venues in the UK&I. With its heady mix of six par 3s, six par 4s and six par 5s, the Red course offers wonderful variation. Meanwhile, the Blue course, which tends to be regarded as the tougher of the two Herbert Fowler layouts, features a more conventional design with three par 5s and four short holes, including a stunning opener. It’s no easy task playing over an ocean of…

When it comes to spectacular backdrops for golf, the European Masters at Cran-sur-Sierre reminds us every year that the Swiss Alps are hard to beat. The striking mountain range sweeps down through the southern half of Switzerland and the nine-hole course at Burgenstock Alpine Golf lies close to Lucerne and just an hour south of Zurich. It dates back to 1928, when Burgenstock owner Friedrich Frey-Furst decided golf would make an excellent addition to his resort, defying logistical challenges to create a glorious nine-hole layout amid the stunning scenery. It was one of the very first golf courses to open in Switzerland and it proved a success. Nearly 90 years later, it enjoyed a significant redesign in 2016 to further enhance its appeal. Switzerland GF: nine holes: approx. £54-£72; 18…

Shot on location at Moortown GC 1 Firstly, what is a shank? Ask any golfer and they probably won’t want to talk about it because, once it’s in your head, it’s difficult to forget as shanks can be contagious! It’s one of the most dreaded shots in the game. A shank is where the ball is struck from the heel of the club, not from the clubface, and the ball will shoot off at a ridiculous angle, causing danger to anyone at your side. Is it a technical error or a psychological one? Could it be an in-to-out or out-to-in swing path? Yes to both. The moment you start shanking, you will mentally see every shot going that way until you correct or understand the problem. 2 The heel shank…

When your ball is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of your previous stroke, and a part of the ball is below the level of the ground, your ball is embedded. It doesn’t necessarily have to touch the soil to be embedded (there may be grass between your ball and the soil), but a part of the ball must be breaking ground level when at rest to be considered embedded, which was not the case for Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas at Marco Simone in Rome, as Jin-Woo Kim, assistant director – Rules (Asia Pacific) at The R&A, explains… During the Saturday morning foursomes at the 2023 Ryder Cup, Spieth’s tee shot from the 6th was pulled to the left into one of the thicker areas of rough.…

Pure roll We loved the softness of the Pure Roll face. With the new Hybrar Echo Damper, each putt delivers a premium feel and confidence over distance control. GM verdict When a putter design works, it sticks around for a long time. TaylorMade’s Spider design is proof of that, and the brand has once again given the franchise a reboot with a new colour, updated face insert and new shapes to revitalise one of golf’s favourite putter shapes. As part of the Spider Tour range, there are four models in total. A fifth, the Spider Tour S, will arrive next spring. The Spider Tour sees the return of the original Spider shape, the Spider Tour X is the putter shape of choice for Rory McIlroy and the all-new Spider Tour…

Rangefinders are an essential device for any golfer serious about shooting lower serious about shooting lower scores, but with so much choice, it can be hard to know which model represents the smartest investment. We’ve tested them all and picked out our favourites. Styling/design Rangefinders come in different shapes and sizes, as well as different textures and finishes. Getting one that feels comfortable is key. If you want something compact and lightweight, the Cube and Minimi from CaddyTalk, and the GolfBuddy Laser Atom, are as minimalist as they come. “WITH SIMPLICITY COMES SPEED, BUT DO CONSIDER EXTRA FEATURES THAT WILL ENHANCE YOUR STRATEGY” The Shot Scope Pro LX is one of the more sizeable units, but is shaped to fit perfectly in the pad between your thumb and index finger…

Les Esserts course at Verbier Golf Club is multi-faceted – in winter it becomes ski slopes; in summer, a golf course, with the golfing season running from mid-May to the first week of November. The course was in excellent condition when we played in mid-June. A thick layer of snow is apparently a perfect protection for the playing surfaces. When recent tweaks to the design have been made, it has only been after checking with the skiing fraternity that the landscape will continue to work equally well for both sports. After you’ve been driven up to the 1st tee, you zig-zag down the mountainside playing mainly along a series of ledges. The opening par 3 plays up a fairly steep slope to a raised green defended by a pretty stream.…

Lee Trevino 1985 British Masters Supermex walked off with the 1985 British Masters on the Duke’s course, thanks to a curling, 72nd-hole 3-wood to within just a few inches for a tap-in eagle. Seve Ballesteros 1986 & 1991 British Masters Decked out in his final-day navy and playing with a young Robert Lee, Seve triumphed in 1986 despite nearly hitting it OOB on the last. He triumphed again in 1991 with a three-stroke victory. Karrie Webb 1995 Women’s British Open The Aussie became the youngest winner of the Women’s British Open in 1995 during her rookie season in Europe. She would go on to claim seven Majors, but at the time the WBO was not yet an LPGA Major. Justin Rose 2002 British Masters Close friends Rose and Ian Poulter…

Bryson’s Crushers capture LIV team title How were your nerves coming down the stretch? Everybody was in flux and I wasn’t driving it my best. I drove it very well on the front nine, but the back nine I didn’t do it as well. It’s one of those things. I was just trying to hit the best shots I possibly could. I was super nervous. I couldn’t feel my arms over the ball on the last hole. Can you tell us about how the team came together? When I was choosing my team, there were players who wanted to be on the team and there were players who I asked to be on my team. And what’s funny is all three of these guys [Anirban Lahiri, Charles Howell III and…

SOUND BITES “JOE OVERSTEPPED THE MARK AND REACHED OUT AFTER THE FACT TO APOLOGISE. BUT WE JUST TRIED TO USE THAT AS FUEL” Luke Donald on the Joe LaCava incident during the Saturday afternoon four-balls in Rome. “NEVER SAY NEVER, BUT PROBABLY NOT” Michelle Wie West was asked if we’ll ever see her play professionally again. “I WAS CRYING IN MY ROOM THIS MORNING” German Alexander Knappe reveals the pressure he felt before retaining his DP World Tour card for 2024. “I CAN’T THINK OF ANY GOOD BUSINESS THAT TRIES TO NOT RETAIN ITS CLIENTS” Eddie Pepperell doesn’t think giving the best DP World Tour players PGA Tour cards makes sense. “I WAS LIKE, AS A MAN UNITED FAN, I CAN’T GO ANYWHERE NEAR THAT” Rory McIlroy on why he…

The 1960s says Fergus Bisset A trio of golf’s all-time greats played to the peak of their powers through the 1960s. The ‘Big Three’ of Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer dominated the game through that decade. It was golf’s equivalent of the Federer, Nadal and Djokovic era in tennis – an unparalleled spell. Not only did those golfers win 17 Majors between them through the 1960s, but they also recorded 53 further top-ten Major finishes collectively. It was a thrilling three-way rivalry, and one (cleverly marketed by Mark McCormack) that rejuvenated interest in the sport and paved the way for the modern professional game. Golf was suddenly on the TV and broadcast into our homes on Grandstand, when great commentators like Henry Longhurst described the action with poetic…

Five years ago, South Korean-based Golfzon set itself the challenge of improving its simulation sensing technology. The idea was to make it better at adapting to different lighting conditions and be usable both indoors and outdoors, while covering right-and left-handed golfers in one set-up. The brand’s extensive development has brought us to the new Wave launch monitor, a fully portable, dual-technology system that can track every shot from the tee to the final putt both indoors and outdoors. The package features both the Wave Radar and the Wave Putt, which results in accurate tracking of every possible golf shot. While the Wave Radar uses advanced Doppler radar technology to deliver a comprehensive data set that covers everything from drives to short chips, the unique Wave Putt system uses infrared technology…

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 It’s always fascinating to see how the end of the regular season plays out on the DP World Tour, but it’s often hard to watch players you know and respect losing their tour cards for the following season. This year, the Qatar Masters was the last full-field event on the DP World Tour schedule and once again we witnessed agony and ecstasy. It’s a situation I’ve been in myself and it’s just horrible. When you’re actually out on the golf course, it’s okay, but when you’re sitting there in the evenings thinking about losing your job, it’s a very lonely place. It’s something that happened…

How can I hit my driver further? By Top 50 Coach Ben Emerson There are two ways to hit the ball further. The first one is to simply get stronger, so get into the gym and increase the amount of force you can apply to the club and the ball. This works even if you have a short swing like Jon Rahm. The other way is to swing the club further back, which means you have time to build up power and speed. To do this, it’s important to check your flexibility. If you can’t turn all the way to the top, lifting your left heel off the ground will help you get the club further back without collapsing your arms. Weight transfer From the top, ensure you plant your…

Not marking ball’s position before lifting it to identify it There is no need to have someone observe you lifting the ball, but you must mark its position before doing so. The penalty is one stroke under Rule 7.3. Taking ‘nicest’ rather than ‘nearest’ point of complete relief This probably stems from golfers forgetting exactly what it is they are getting free relief from (e.g. an immovable obstruction such as a cart path) and thinking they’re entitled to a perfect lie and line in the relief process. But they are only getting relief from that specific abnormal course condition, so if the nearest point of complete relief is in thick rough, a bush or behind a tree, that is where you measure your relief area. Moving out of bounds (OOB)…

By Joe Ferguson GM verdict The fruits of Mizuno’s ‘Speed Technology Metalwood Project’ have yielded the current ST-230 series. Until now, this included the ST-Z and ST-X, but now we have a new member of the family. The ST-G is a 440cc driver targeted at the lower-handicap player. Looks-wise, the ST-G might just be the pick of the bunch in what was already one of the bestlooking driver families on the market. The feel off the face is a really interesting one, but one we really enjoyed. We found it to be relatively quiet acoustically when compared with some of its direct competitors. It really is difficult to articulate because it is so different from its competition, but for us, it felt softer and less aggressive at impact. In terms…

ASK OUR EXPERT What are the best colourful golf balls? Iku, GM forum For those who like to use tour balls throughout the winter, Titleist, Callaway, and TaylorMade now offer their premium models in a yellow variant. The Wilson Duo Soft Optix and Volvik Vivid are truly bright golf balls that are aided by a matte finish. While these bright colours won’t stop your golf ball from hiding under a leaf, they should stand out a little more in the wet winter rough. How can I improve my course management? Sarah Paul, via email This is a vital part of the game that lots of higherindex golfers can quickly get better at. Improving it can easily chop two or three shots off your handicap. I think playing more often alongside…

Delamere Forest Having last played here in 2000, I was really looking forward to getting back to see all that had changed. The course was designed by Herbert Fowler, of Walton Heath and The Berkshire fame, and a longterm restoration overseen by Tom Mackenzie has not just brought this excellent GM Top 200 Course back to its roots, but seriously improved it. There is a great feeling of space and peace here, and a fine, sandy subsoil that makes it fully playable throughout the year. The two nines are perfectly balanced with a pair of par 5s and short holes on each, but don’t be fooled by the name as it’s a wonderful heathland layout with trees seldom in play. I really enjoyed the par 3s, especially the 6th and…

Gillyflower The site of the former Lostwithiel Golf Club was bought by the Smit family, developers of the nearby Eden Project, in 2015. Nine holes were recently reopened as Gillyflower GC prior to hopes for a new clubhouse and holiday lodges. These include the vertiginous par-3 2nd, which plummets down to the railway, and the double-dogleg par-5 6th, which borders the River Fowey. With sustainability high on the golfing agenda everywhere, it will be interesting to see how this ambitious project develops. GF: 18 holes: £25 An aerial view of the closing hole at the idyllically located Gillyflower, a short par 4 that raises real hopes of a birdie to finish. Gifford East Lothian is a county with sensational golf lining its world-famous shores. Gifford offers an excellent alternative, set…