Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2020 i Golf Monthly

An ode to winter golf A clear and crisp day, an empty course and a round under three hours. These are just a few of the images that come to mind when I consider why I enjoy winter golf. I’ve always appreciated the challenge of winter golf and by continuing to get out on the course through the colder months, I’ve found new playing partners and friends. I’ve always considered those who stride out on to the fairways in winter to be like-minded enthusiasts; true golf-lovers who relish the test and the brisk pace of play – 18 holes seem to rattle by with little or no tiresome waiting. Conditions can be tough and there are days when snow, frost or flood mean golf is simply not an option. But…

Photography: Kevin Murray USE YOUR IMAGINATION You shouldn’t play any chip without first visualising the outcome you want to achieve and where you want the ball to land. Visualisation will also help you to choose the right club. I recommend visualising throwing a ball to the target, as that will help determine the desired technique and flight. PICK YOUR SPOT On greenside chips, focus on the landing area for your anticipated trajectory and roll-out. Here, I need elevation to clear the mound, so there will be relatively little roll. In practice, place a towel where you think the ball needs to land, then focus on that landing spot rather than the flag. You can’t improve your chipping distance control without working out where to land it. TRY ‘PAR 18’ Take…

12 Titleist TSi woods released The Titleist TSi2 and TSi3 woods, which feature some significant design changes to increase club speed, ball speed and forgiveness, go on sale. 10 Happy birthday Rahmbo! Former World No.1 Jon Rahm turns 26. 7 1961: Jack turns professional Jack Nicklaus wrote a letter to the then executive director of the United States Golf Association, Joseph Dey Jr, to announce his intention to turn pro. Nicklaus acknowledged it was one of the toughest decisions he ever made. 12 The Masters The world of golf turns its attention to Augusta and the final Major of the year. 15 1964: First 62 in LPGA history Golf legend Mickey Wright shot 62 at the Tall City Open. This remained a record score until Se Ri Pak shot 61…

England £12-£20 Par 71, 6,400 yards This stirring image taken by renowned golf course photographer Dave Cannon will surely move most golfers into adding Cleeve Hill to their must-play lists. But the sad reality is that, unless the local council has a change of heart, this spectacular golfing arena, laid out over free-draining limestone 1,000ft above Cheltenham, will be lost from April 1, 2021 as the golf club’s lease is not being renewed. Golf has been played over this dramatic terrain since the late 19th century, with Old Tom Morris its original creator. It is a landscape of free-roaming sheep, stunning vistas and accommodatingly generous tee shots, with ingenious green complexes and the wind its main defences. With the passage of time, the quarrying that has taken place over Cleeve…

Last summer, two-time Major winner John Daly hosted Variety Golf’s Sunshine Classic at Woburn. It was another fantastic day for the charity that has donated thousands of coaches to schools and care centres over the last 50 years. Daly, one of the game’s genuine mavericks, held a fascinating Q&A, and helped to raise much-needed funds for those organisations looking after disabled and disadvantaged children. Eighteen months later and the flow of Sunshine Coaches continues, even during a time when organising charity events has become a huge challenge. At Variety Golf, and for all of its members, guests and celebrities, the show must go on. With much of the attention in recent months focused on the effect the pandemic has had on the professional tours, it can be easy to overlook…

1 A poor initial move can throw the clubface out of position. Grip halfway down your driver with the shaft touching your left hip at address to check your takeaway. In a good takeaway (main photo), you will retain that connection for the first 18 inches or so. If you over-rotate your hands and arms (inset), the shaft will separate from the hip, the face will fan open, the club will get behind you too much and you’re likely to then come over the top back into the ball. 2 A tee-peg in the back of your glove is another way to check your takeaway. At address, the tee will point pretty much towards the target, where the clubface is also pointing. The tee should then point more or less…

1 Chipping If you’re struggling with a consistent strike, put the ball to the back of your stance a little. Gripping down can help, too, maybe as much as halfway down the grip. You want your legs to be quiet. The movement should be nice and smooth with the upper body and arms. 2 Increasing power When I want to hit it really far with my driver, I stand a bit wider and try to rotate more in the backswing. I don’t do it very often, but if I need to, I’m not afraid to attack the back of the ball hard. It can give me an extra 15 yards. 3 Reading greens I’m a big fan of Aimpoint – I use my feet in order to feel the slopes.…

Looks This wedge is large, but the extra size behind the ball will be very welcome for nervy chippers. The leading edge is quite rounded, allowing for the shorter bottom groove, while the satin finish adds to the appeal. GM Verdict The goal of the Mack Daddy CB wedge was to provide a more user-friendly option with which to chip and pitch without sacrificing control or versatility. We have to say this has comfortably been achieved. These wedges certainly look like game-improvement, cavity-back irons, especially in the lower lofts (46-52°) as the faces have regular grooves and the full sole grind. Transitioning up into the higher lofts (54° and above), the design changes into full-face grooves and a slightly lower leading edge so you can open the face. One reason…

If you’re reading this magazine, the chances are you’re a keen golfer who isn’t going to lock your clubs away in the garage for six months just because it’s a little chilly outside. But if you are going to keep playing through the winter, you’ll need to equip yourself with a variety of essential items. So to make the decisions easier and narrow down your search, over the next six pages we’ve highlighted the best pieces of winter clothing and other items available to you. A fully stocked winter wardrobe will not only make battling the elements a more comfortable, enjoyable experience, but it should also allow you to perform close to your best. The buying tips will help you invest more wisely, and while we’ve only highlighted a small…

Going out for a challenging knock in the winter without the requisite kit means you’re destined to play badly and not enjoy the experience. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make a big difference. A base layer, possibly combined with thermal leggings, is the ideal primary layer for rounds taking place in sub zero temperatures, along with a neck warmer (snood), woolly hat and mitts. We’d suggest opting for spiked shoes for the extra grip you’ll need on muddy lies or frozen mats, or you could opt for a winter boot for next-level stability and protection. Collate the right set of essentials for you and it could make all the difference, transforming your round from a never-ending slog into a delightful day on the course. “Invest in some decent socks…

We often talk about how memorable or otherwise a golf course is, with the unstated inference that memorability must be related to quality. After a recent road trip, I’ve come to question that assumption a little. The trip involved a highly rated heathland course one day, and a less-heralded parkland resort course the next. Most would rightly place the former well ahead of the latter in golf’s pecking order, but reflecting on the trip a couple of days later, I could easily work my way around the latter course in my mind, but not the former despite its superiority. Looking back, I think I might have the same trouble replaying my way round a number of very good links courses in my mind, and although the passage of time and…

Wow, what a month that was for the pro golf game. A mixture of great golf, extraordinary length off the tee and then just as the dust settled, a silly revved-up controversy over an item of clothing. Only in golf, chums, only in golf. Bryson James Aldrich DeChambeau (yes, even his name is longer than average) caused some of the finest minds in the game to conclude that this gifted, obsessed outlier utterly changed golf when he won the US Open by whacking the ball a mile off every appropriate tee. The experts were predicting carnage. Winged Foot, they said, was golf’s answer to razor wire around a minefield. They were right to do so. I’ve been to Winged Foot and it is the second most difficult course I’ve ever…

Even though there were no crowds present for the Rolex Series events at Renaissance and Wentworth, they felt different – there was a sense of gravitas and the players knew they were competing in the biggest events on the European Tour. I’m sure the prize pools helped in that regard, but the biggest motivation for all those taking part was the prestige, world ranking points and global acclaim. Aaron Rai was the first victor, pipping Tommy Fleetwood in a play-off at the Scottish Open to record his second European Tour title. He’d arrived in Scotland off the back of a second place at the Irish Open so confidence was high, but the Scottish was up another level in terms of status and strength of field. To go there and do…

We have all thought of ourselves as the unluckiest golfer on the planet at times. This may have been after rounds where everything that could go wrong did go wrong, more prolonged spells where all the breaks seemed to go against us or when some other terrible golfing fate befell us. It’s that kind of game, and although skill generally prevails, sometimes good shots turn out bad, bad shots turn out good, other players enjoy extreme fortune at critical moments or the golfing gods conspire against us. But it’s not just us! Such things have happened to even the very best. Here, we choose our 13 unluckiest golfers of all time, featuring some perhaps surprising names… GREG NORMAN The Shark was a phenomenal and hugely successful golfer who played with…

1 Because we are all different heights and sizes, there really is no specific measure as to how far to stand from the ball. I prefer to base it on where the ball will be if you get your posture correct first, by simply letting your arms hang freely down from your shoulders to the ball. You must also make sure that your shoulder blades are back, rather than hunched forward, as can often be the tendency. 2 The thinking used to be to flex your knees first to achieve good posture, but now the advice has changed to bending from the pelvis first (top photo) while maintaining your spine angle. So, you create your spine angle, and therefore your distance from the ball, via the pelvis before just ‘softening’…

1 Set-up. I would call this a relaxed posture with the spine in a neutral position, which is becoming the norm nowadays. His stance is a little bit shut and the shoulders are fairly square. Prior to the takeaway he has this trigger where he moves his hips to the left, before whipping them to the right. 2 Takeaway. He keeps the toe of the club down, which is square to path. His hands stay into the body while the arms go away to create maximum width. Midway through the backswing it’s almost like he’s about to play a cricket shot, where he’s going to pick the club up and smack it for six. 3 Top of backswing. He goes way above plane. He has this massive hip rotation and…

GM Verdict The product of a joint enterprise with GolfBuddy, the Galaxy Active2 Golf Edition GPS watch comes in three strap designs. We tested the 44mm version, which is the middle of the three in terms of size but is still one of the thinnest and most compact GPS watches on the market. The setting-up process was a little laborious, involving different apps and a few passwords to pair the watch with the phone and get the courses downloaded. You start a round of golf by tapping on the top of the home screen to access the free Smart Caddie app, which comes pre-loaded with a lifetime subscription usually worth £76 and provides the ability to track your shots. From the home screen you can also access the hole maps,…

1 What do you struggle with? This sounds quite negative, but be honest with yourself and the fitter. Whether it’s your wedge play, ballstriking or the longer clubs, it’s in your best interests to tell the fitter. 2 Where do you play? You will either play a lot of golf in a variety of places, or tend to focus on one course. If you fall into the latter camp, then you need to think about the demands of that layout. Whether it be the wind, turf or shape of the holes, these pieces of knowledge are worth telling your fitter. 3 Are you taking lessons? It might well be that the professional coaching you on your swing is also advising you on equipment changes, so they work in tune with…

A waterproof suit may seem like an excessively expensive financial outlay, but in truth it’s a long-term investment in your game and provides reassurance that whatever the British weather throws at you, you will still be in a position to perform to your best. If you’ve not purchased one for a while, you may be surprised to see how the designs have improved in recent times, with manufacturers understanding the frustrations of playing golf in a jacket. Fabrics are thinner, lighter and have more stretch to allow you to swing borderline unrestricted, while customisable fit options are even more plentiful to ensure the jacket stays in position and doesn’t create unnecessary distractions. “You’ve got to be able to swing freely, so make sure you get the right size and that…

SPOTTED ON TOUR Ball spotter New Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls were seen at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open on the PGA Tour. Going old school Rickie Fowler mixed things up at the CJ Cup with a Scotty Cameron Futura X mallet putter. Pretty in pink Check out the amazing custom paint job on Bubba Watson’s new Ping G425 driver. Gear News Round-Up Tyrrell Hatton won the BMW PGA Championship with a new Ping G425 driver, 3-wood and 7-wood in the bag. Sergio Garcia triumphed at the Sanderson Farms Championship having returned to his Ping Blueprint irons. Matthew Fitzpatrick put the Titleist TSi3 driver in play at the BMW PGA, where it was the most played driver model. Collin Morikawa has switched to the TaylorMade P7MC…

Perfect greens Says Fergus Bisset There’s something rather depressing about all-round mediocrity in any area of life or experience. A bland meal, lift music, a motorway hotel… things that are just okay but offer no thrills or excitement, scant variety and not a whole lot to elicit any emotion other than indifference. Likewise, I find playing golf on a course in all-round mediocre condition a little demoralising and uninspiring. A course with perfect greens, though, has something to offer worthy of comment and note, even if it comes with a caveat that other areas leave something to be desired. Walking off a course where you’ve enjoyed pristine putting surfaces, it would be difficult not to feel that, on some level, you’ve had a positive experience. The tees may have been…

It’s nice to be able to talk to you having put some good results on the board after what’s been an indifferent spell of late. I managed to record my first top-ten since lockdown at the Scottish Open and then followed it up with another in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. In Scotland, I stayed in my apartment in Edinburgh with my partner, Jen, and I stayed at home in England as I only live an hour or so away from Wentworth. That made things a lot easier, as I was able to head back after each round and enjoy some home comforts. It’s hard to say, but I’d imagine that contributed to the good results, though I also played some nice golf. It was really helpful having my…

FRED COUPLES 1992 Masters In the final round, Couples’ ball lodged on the bank short of 12, where 99 per cent of balls roll into the water. He got up and down and won by two. DARREN CLARKE 2011 Open Championship Clarke’s approach to the 9th from wet rough came out low towards a bunker. It somehow hurdled the sand, rolled on to the green and par was saved… along with momentum. JAMES KINGSTON 2002 Dunhill Championship Kingston pulled his tee shot horribly on the par-3 15th on Saturday, but his ball hit a tree, deflected on to the green and rolled in like a putt. He won an Audi TT Coupe, too. LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN 2016 Masters Playing the 16th on Masters Sunday, Oosthuizen’s ball fed down the slope towards…

Photography: Getty Images For many 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 five pages, Top 25 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… 1 A perfect set-up Every great…

1 From the compact sand, square things up, with the ball nearer the middle of the stance to create a more aggressive angle of attack. Weight will be much more into your lead leg, with your shoulder line angling down towards the sand more. 2 For the fluffier lie, use a wedge with more bounce in the sole (probably your usual bunker wedge). Adopt a slightly more neutral set-up, with the weight less loaded on to your left side so your angle of attack will be a bit shallower. 3 The orange alignment stick is for the shallower attack into the more porridge-like lie; the white stick highlights the steeper angle required to deliver the club back into the firmer sand, accessing it closer to the ball. Break the crust:…

GM Verdict Srixon has launched two new irons, the ZX5 and ZX7, which are designed to do different jobs for golfers lower down on the handicap spectrum. We tested 6-irons in both models on the Flightscope X3 launch monitor in the stock Nippon NS Pro Modus3 120 shaft, and also on the course with premium balls to properly assess turf interaction and ball flight. The more compact look of the ZX7 is geared towards the better player, who will also appreciate the softer feel. The lofts aren’t especially traditional (7-iron is 32°), so these irons will likely go further than most other forged models on the market. The ZX7 launched noticeably lower than the ZX5 with more spin. The latter is one degree stronger in loft, so it wasn’t surprising…

GM Verdict For golfers who like the visuals and forgiveness of the Spider X but want something a little smaller and more blade-like in terms of feel, the new Spider FCG could well be the ideal alternative. The design of the crown is really effective in helping setting the face square, using both the long sightline and contrasting white strip parallel to the leading edge in tandem. The front weighting of the Spider FCG does feel a little different to the rear-weighted Spider X, but the performance remained similar once we got used to the feel in our stroke. This putter undoubtedly has a firmer, more solid feel than the Spider X. It’s thanks, in part, to the heavier copper insert – closer to what you would experience from solid…

The mid-layer is your go-to garment on all but the coldest and hottest of days, so it’s important to find one that suits your needs and your budget. This can be tricky, because the choice available seems endless. Some prioritise warmth, while others focus on protection from the rain or wind. It might be the case that you stock up on different types from your favourite brands to cater for the different conditions you may face, but some claim to be suitable for all but the most extreme weather. “Mid-layers can do different jobs, but the ones that keep you warm, dry and comfortable are the holy grail”Joel Tadman, GM technical editor The fit is arguably the next most important thing to consider – you need to feel comfortable in…