Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2022 i Compleat Golfer

A couple of months ago I spoke about the improved relationship between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. This development saw them coming together to work on scheduling their events so that the top players could play the premier events on both Tours. In a nutshell, this meant the PGA Tour wouldn’t schedule any of its big events the same week as a Rolex Series event, so the top European players could support the DP World Tour. We saw evidence of this with the Rolex Series events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the Dubai Desert Classic were resounding successes with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa taking part. However, it’s what happened in the week that follower these events that…

When Alan Shepard became the first person to hit a golf ball on the moon, his 6-iron shot went all of 22m. He had a second one-armed attempt too. and this time the ball travelled 37m. Things have moved on rapidly since that day in space in February 51 years ago. Down here on planet earth, former Proteas cricketer Chris Morris took his 5-iron and his first swing, downwind on what will become the 13th fairway, launched all of 210m. It was an eerie moment, a disorientating place to be. Here we were in the sand dunes where desert meets the sea at the Namibian port of Walvis Bay. looking out on sand, as far as the eye could see. Morris is one among a group of sportsmen who believe…

The significance of proper nutrition is often overlooked by golfers, of all levels and abilities. We appreciate that other athletes, from Olympic sprinters to cricketers and footballers, enhance their competitive edge by properly fuelling their bodies for maximum energy, mental clarity and muscle recovery. Nutrition is especially important for athletes in any sport where consecutive days of play are part of the competition. Golf certainly fits that description and requires optimal levels of endurance. fitness, focus and recovery. Why, then, would golfers ignore this key element to performance enhancement? Golf is often played in gruelling heat over four to five hours. Tournament golf demands even longer hours of practice and play, over consecutive days. It is crucial to maintain physical stamina and mental focus throughout the course of play. Championship-winning…

Every golf club has a story. It is something that makes the game unique, in that the place of play is always so much more than lust that. And the further the club goes back in history, the greater the stones that can be told of it. Killarney Country Club has a story dating back to the start of the 20th century. Situated m Joburg’s high-profile northern suburbs, it was originally a club dedicated to motoring with an exclusive roup of early-day car owners naming it the Transvaal Automobile Club (TAC). Nestled on what was then Cooks Farm in the affluent area of Houghton, the club evolved into the Automobile Association of South Africa (AASA). As cars became more ubiquitous, the appeal of the once-specialist club started to wane, but…

How important is putting to your golf game? It’s a rhetorical question. It is the one area where shots are leaked throughout a round and sometimes when the leaking starts, there’s no stopping it from becoming a flow. Putter selection is of vital importance – it’s the one club a golfer might keep m their golf bag for years and years. Even the pros have their problems on the greens. In last month’s issue of Compleat Golfer. Louis Oosthuizen told us how difficult the greens were at Augusta, home of The Masters. ‘You know. I said to my brother that I’ll put his ball in the middle of each green, at tournament speed, and we’d putt towards Sunday’s pins. My brother is a 6- or 7-handicap. I said to him…

MARCH PICK OF THE MONTH THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP 10-13 MARCH 2021 revisited: Justin Thomas produced a mid-round charge to earn a one-shot victory at The Players Championship. His first victory of the season and 14th on the PGA Tour came with a four-under-par 68 in the final round at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course. He finished at 14-under 274 with a three-foot par putt at the 72nd hole. Third-round leader Lee Westwood of England shot 72 and finished in second place at 13 under, while Brian Harman (69) and Bryson DeChambeau (71) tied for third at 12 under. Thomas was three shots off Westwood at the start of Sunday and was plodding along at one over par through eight holes after a three-putt bogey at the par-three 8th. That seemed…

Greg Norman played yet another round of exquisite golf, closing with a five-under-par 67 to win The Players Championship by four strokes. For the third consecutive round he set a scoring record on the PGA Tour’s home course. TPC Sawgrass, which was once cursed by players as unplayably difficult. Norman opened the tournament with a 63 and set course records at 130 for 36 holes and 197 for 54. He also shot a final record score of 264 [24 under], six shots better than the course record set by Nick Price in 1993. The Australian rated the runaway, wire-to-wire triumph ‘very high’ among his 66 career victories around the world. ‘For the past two days, I drew on Royal St George’s,’ he said, referring to the near-perfect final round the…

Throughout the year Brandon Stone is counting down, from 12 to one, the most enjoyable experiences he’s had with a playing partner on the golf course 11 Padraig Harrington You will never meet a more golf-obsessed professional than Padraig Harrington. In saying that, he’s one of the best playing partners to have for a tournament. He has an enthusiasm that is so contagious. If you’re a spectator, follow him for a round. In my case I have been fortunate enough to play with him. Afterwards you will find yourself looking at the game from a completely different perspective. I remember after I won the 2018 Scottish Open he gave me the gears because I hit a 4-iron off the final tee box. He couldn’t believe I didn’t go for the…

They haven’t given up on the fight to have The Players Championship added to the men’s roster as a fifth Major, in alignment with the number on the LPGA Tour, but the noise isn’t quite so loud. It is what it is and it’s unlikely to change for now. The Players, held annually at TPC Sawgrass in Florida – a venue ranked No 68 in annual list of top golf courses – is the PGA Tour’s flagship event. It boasts the strongest field in golf, the most money for a single tournament, a stunning, fan-friendly layout on the purpose-built Stadium Course, and unsurpassed hospitality for the players. Still, while it has major appeal, it is no ‘Major’. However, the players still feel it deserves its spot alongside The Masters, the…

During the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final played at Gary Player County Club, we had quite a few interesting rulings that do not come up very often. Equipment seemed to be the theme for that week as all the rulings involved Rule 4 in some shape or form. The first incident entailed those alignment sticks many players carry in their bags, often without a second thought. These are not illegal to carry, but if you use them during your round you may run foul of Rule 4.3 Use of Equipment. For instance, under this rule, if you use a training or swing aid during the round to make a practice swing or to help you with your swing plane or posture, you will incur a general penalty for the first…

Seventeen-year-old Kiera Floyd has long been considered one of the country’s brightest and most promising talents. The Serengeti golfer is comfortably one of the biggest hitters in the women’s game and, with sharp iron play and delicate greenside touch, is destined for great things. Yet, despite a solid collection of victories over the years, a fiery temperament has held her back from realising her potential. That all changed at the South African Women’s Stroke Play Championship, when she held her nerve to claim the title by a massive five shots at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club. Floyd went wire-to-wire to wrap up the 54-hole championship with rounds of 71 on the East Course, followed by 71 and 67 on the West. Carrying a two-stroke lead into the final round,…

Men’s Majors The Masters Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia 2022 date: 7-10 April Defending champion: Hideki Matsuyama Notable for: The Masters is always the most anticipated Major of the year, not just because it is played at Augusta National Golf Club, but now golf fans have had to wait for eight months since the last Major championship. There are always plenty of sub-plots at the year’s first Major and it rarely fails to deliver. Can Rory McIlroy win and, in so doing, complete his Grand Slam? Will Jordan Spieth don another Green Jacket or thrill us all as he blows it? Will a relative unknown make a Sunday charge? Will Tiger Woods play? The PGA Championship Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa 2022 date: 19-22 May Defending champion: Phil Mickelson…

They call The Players Championship the fifth Major, but its par-three 17th hole often makes or breaks a player’s round. The island green is only 137 yards (125m) away. What makes it so tough? We have a look at the statistics behind the famous hole, courtesy of the PGA Tour. O From 1983 to 2019, players averaged 3.12 at No 17. There have only been five years (1987,1994,1996,1997 and 2014) when the collective average was under par. O It has the most triple-bogeys or worse. Players are equally likely to make birdie (17%) as they have been bogey or worse (18%) since 2003. O There have been only nine aces on the hole since 1983, and Fred Couples (1997) is the only one to do it in the final round.…

Now that crowds are finally allowed back into sporting events – why it took South Africa so long to catch up with the rest of the world remains unfathomable – I really encourage you to attend a ‘live’ event. The TV experience has made it so convenient for the armchair critic to sit there, remote control in one hand, cellphone in the other, and to rant and rave about things on social media. While watching TV, the viewer’s experience has been shaped by what the commentators say. and technology has exposed all the human frailties of those who participate in sport – be it the players or the officials Which is basically what TV has evolved to do – bring the sport into your lounge or anywhere on your handheld…

18th hole, 348m, par four Measuring only 6 078m from the club tees, Killarney is not the longest course out there, especially by Highveld standards. What it lacks in length, though, is certainly made up for in picturesque holes with a premium on accuracy and a bit of strategy from the tee. The signature hole, the par-four 18th. illustrates this brilliantly. Killarney Country Clubs golf and operations manager. Barry Steen, says: Finishing holes are often what golf courses are remembered for. and at Killarney Country Club we are proud to offer something memorable. By modern standards it is a pretty a short hole at just 348m from the club tee. but even the most confident of big hitters is forced to consider what to do on the tee box. The…

MEN JUNIORS 1 (1) Daniel Bennett [Beachwood GC) DNQ [DNQ] Christiaan Maas (Pretoria CC) 2 (2) Pascal Gunther (Bryanston CC) DNQ (DNQ) Yurav Premlall (Glendower GC) 3 (3) Hannes Strooh (Krugersdorp GC) 4 (4) Joshua Koekemoer (Silver Lakes CC) 5 (5) John-William Blomerus (Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate) 6 (6) Ivan Verster (Pinnacle Point GC) 7 (7) Jack Buchanan (Milnerton GC) 8 (8) Malan Potgieter (Kirkwood GC) 9 (9) Amilkar Bhana (Country Club Johannesburg) 10 (10) Jaden Deltel [Bryanston CC) 11 (11) Christopher Bagnall (State Mines CC) 12 (12) Stefan Jacobs (Randpark GC) 13 (13) Fabrizio de Abreu (Woodhill CC) 14 (14) Werner Potgieter (Olivewood GC) DNQ [DNQ] Johan Stephan Bredenkamp (Randpark GC) 15 (15) Keagan Crosbie (Centurion CC) 16 (16) Tristan Leonard (Silver Lakes CC) 17 (17) Dylan Kayne…

There is an expression in life that says, ‘Control the controllables’. Sometimes things happen that you have no control over and you just have to go with it and make the best of the situation. I was so looking forward to hitting the 2022 LPGA Tour season running, but unfortunately a number of ‘uncontrollables’ were placed in front of me during the off-season. I ended up seeing a hand specialist in the United States for the tendinitis that was bothering me towards the end of 2021. I had two cortisone injections in my hand and was ordered not to hit balls for a month. To take the positive from that, you could say that if you are going to have an injury, the off-season is the best time to have…

You’re never going to learn much from the vast majority of taciturn touring professionals. Count Charles [CJ] du Plessis among them. Like many of his peers, he’ll leave the teaching to his qualified counterparts. And yet, as fans, we watch touring pros in the sure knowledge that they are good, and in the hope that we’ll pick up something that will help us m our own game. We comb interviews. searching for that flash of insight into their brilliance that can rub off on us. Some of us have even played with them. CJ du Plessis is loose-limbed and gangly on the course. That lets him hit the ball a long way. and he exudes an irrepressible enthusiasm for the game and for life itself. His course management sometimes seemed…

I recently found myself opening a link to my first email account from 20 years ago. It had somehow found its way into the email account I use today – despite me not logging into it for more than 15 years! Creepy to say the least. The age of dial-up internet when email’ was still a buzzword had clearly caught me off guard back m 2002. as my chosen username was (and apparently still is) zimbabo@hotmail.com. Without knowing whether Hotmail.com was even still around, I tried to log in for the first time in more than 15 years and to my surprise, the inbox began loading. This time without the gurgled crackling and random beeps of the good old days, but the nostalgia had only just begun. One of my…

On the first day of February this year I found myself standing on the 2nd tee box of Durban Country Club. The sun was shining, the surf was crashing. Kings Park and Moses Mabhida were positively glowing. The only downside was that instead of holding a golf club in my hand, I had a microphone. I was talking to Errol Stewart, one of the most gifted sportsmen ever to come out of this country and now the chairman of DCC, He was doing his best to downplay the fact that 2022 marks the centenary of my favourite golf course, but when the head of the R&A arranges to fly in for dinner to celebrate the event, even Errol had to admit that this was, perhaps, out of the ordinary. The…