Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2014 i Golf Australia

ANYONE who witnessed the weekend duel between Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy at the Australian Open last November has eagerly been waiting 12 months for the pair to square off again. When the Northern Irishman, still in celebratory mode after winning The Open and US PGA championships, let it be known he was heading back to Sydney to defend his title, I’m sure the team at Golf Australia, who own the championship, cracked open the champagne. Scott and McIlroy head a quality field of internationals, led by young American Jordan Spieth and in-form Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge, as well as a strong local representation including 2014 PGA Tour winners Geoff Ogilvy, John Senden, Matt Jones and Steven Bowditch. It’s a deep field that befits the prestige of the event, which…

IF you’re like me, you love the Ryder Cup. I’m a big fan of many sports, but the match between the United States and Europe is comfortably my favourite thing to watch on television. It’s that good and, for me, very much the exception to the norm. No other golf tournament would get close to my top-ten things to view on the box. It’s a magic event.You just don’t see that amount of passion in anything else. It’s fascinating from a purely golfing perspective, too. No matter what the score is at any one time over the three days of the matches, it always feels like Europe is going to win. I have no idea why. But the Euros always seem to play the last few holes better than their…

30 YEARS AGO Spain’s Seve Ballesteros became the first professional golfer to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa back-to-back, after taking out the tournament known as “Africa’s major” for the first time in 1983. 20 YEARS AGO Robert Allenby claimed his second professional victory on home soil, beating Brett Ogle by one stroke to win the Australian Open.The victory was a highlight in Allenby’s topping of the Australasian Tour Order of Merit. 10 YEARS AGO A week after claiming back-to-back Australian Open titles, Peter Lonard fired a seven-under 65 in the final round to win the Australian PGA Championship at Hyatt Coolum by two strokes from Newcastle rookie pro James Nitties.…

IT’S one of golf’s perennial and most-asked questions: what are the differences between the game in Scotland and the game over there, across the Atlantic in the United States? Here are just a few I’ve noticed over the years. Feel free to add your own. Over here it’s called the Open Championship; over there it’s the British Open. At the Open Championship the course is ideally firm and fast; at the US Open it is typically long and lush. In the UK we get up-and-down; in the US it’s up-and-in. Over here it’s still a 3-wood; in the US it’s now a 3-metal. We play par-5s; they play five-pars. We have nearest-the-pin competitions; they have nearest-the-hole-location contests. On our courses the 17th is the penultimate hole; over there it is…

Wander the fairways or stroll the corridors of the clubhouse at The Australian Golf Club for long enough and you’ll spy the considerable paw prints left by the Golden Bear. Jack Nicklaus’ touches have been an integral part of the esteemed Sydney club for the past four decades, so when The Australian decided in 2010 to upgrade its golf course, the choice of architect was less about whom and more about when and what to do. Change has been an ongoing theme at The Australian throughout the years, most notably in 1976 when Nicklaus began his long association with the club in designing the nationally renowned parkland layout in the Sydney suburb of Kensington.The Golden Bear’s relationship there and with the late Kerry Packer culminated in a period during the…

Sergio Garcia Garcia’s undoubted class as a player has been shadowed by Woods’ dominance, both in his subsequent lack of major titles and the media circus surrounding their long-running feud. The tone was set by Woods pipping Garcia by a shot to the 1999 US PGA title – but even off-course Woods appears to have triumphed, Garcia, the Spaniard coming off second best after his alleged racist snub before the 2013 US Open. Lee Westwood Westwood won his first Tour event in 1996 – the same year as Tiger – and is unfortunate to have had a career span that has mirrored Woods. He may have ended Tiger’s 281-week reign at the top of the world ranking in 2010, yet missing out by a shot in the 2008 US Open…

So what does ‘The Tiger Woods Effect’ reveal? “Well, everyone knows that Tiger Woods has had a huge impact on the game of golf. My study aimed to quantify one part of that impact, specifically the spillover effects of his success on the tournament prize winnings of his colleagues on the PGA. Fortunately, the PGA Tour provides a wealth of data, readily accessible which allows for such an analysis.” How did you calculate the numbers to reach your conclusions? “Any analysis of course requires some starting assumptions. I looked at how much total PGA Tour prizemoney had increased in the years before Tiger joined the Tour, and the years after. From 1990 to 1996 the total purses on the PGA Tour increased from $82 million to $101 million – about…

THERE are many situations on the golf course that force us to change the trajectory of a shot. We may be faced with a situation where the wind is against us or an overhanging branch is causing an obstructed flight.When these situations arise it is important to be able to control the trajectory to achieve the best result possible. In order to lower the trajectory of your ball flight you must first simplify the goal of the shot. To launch the ball lower, your chosen club needs to present less dynamic loft at the moment of impact.To do this,you need to apply the following key checkpoints: • Your ball position moves from its standard spot in your stance (pic 1), to a position back of centre (pic 2).The further you…

PRO V1 The Titleist Pro V1 utilises a new, softer compression ZG process core technology for the softest Pro V1 yet. Golfers also benefit from more distance due to its lower driver and iron spin, and a shallower angle of descent that produces more roll, along with exceptional Drop-and-Stop greenside control. SRP: $69.95 per dozen (also available in high numbers). PRO V1x The Pro V1x, featuring a new, very soft ZG process centre within its dual core, delivers even more distance with a lower, more consistent ball flight. Its deep, down-range peak trajectory, tight ball flight and proven short-game scoring performance make it our most advanced Pro V1x ever. SRP: $69.95 per dozen (also available in high numbers). NXT TOUR Engineered for high performance, the NXT Tour golf ball utilises…

THE sight of Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose putting into oversized holes at an exhibition in Georgia after the Masters this year brought a gasp of disbelief. The event, at Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro, was staged by their sponsor TaylorMade and had the blessing of the PGA of America. It seemed like a cross between shooting fish in a barrel and kissing your sister. The hole was 15 inches in diameter, a yawning chasm in comparison to the time-honoured 4¼ inches. For anyone who cares, this is 38 and 10.8 centimetres, respectively, but the old measure is used to honour the history and traditions of the game. A golf hole has been 4¼ inches everywhere since 1894 when the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the game’s rule maker…

He may have won his third US Amateur title on the bounce, signed a huge endorsement deal with Nike and captured the attention of broadcasters and writers the world over. But at just 20 and about to play his first event as a professional,Tiger Woods’ neck was on the line. Woods announced himself at the pre-tournament press conference at the Greater Milwaukee Open in the last week of August 1996 with the words:“Hello world.” Carefully choreographed rather than off-the-cuff, it echoed a line he had already been fed for a television ad that would air later that week, which featured footage of fist-pumping victories and a recap of his rising résumé. Brand Tiger was up and running. Like a tidal wave hitting land,Woods had arrived at the event with an…

Jack Nicklaus – with 18 major championships to his name – remains the yardstick against which all other golfers are rated. However, Tiger Woods has lifted 14 Grand Slam trophies and, along the way, broken numerous scoring records and performed feats not far short of miraculous. In fact, a strong argument can be made that, at his considerable best, the soon-to-be 39-year-old Californian played golf at a higher level than any other player in history. But which one of Tiger’s majors was the best? To create our definitive list, we took five key factors into account and gave them a ranking out of ten. First, we looked at Tiger’s dominance and his winning margin over the field. Then we looked at the quality of his play and the excitement and…

BOB HARIG Senior golf writer, ESPN “I’ve been to all 14 of Tiger’s major wins, but what stands out the most is his putt at the 72nd hole at Torrey Pines in 2008. I stood behind the green, inside the ropes, and saw that he had hit a decent approach. But he still left himself 12 feet, a putt he needed to make to tie Rocco Mediate. In all honesty, I thought he was going to miss. After all the heroics, this just didn’t seem possible to me. A tricky putt. Bumpy greens. The pressure. Far from a gimme. He buried it, celebrated vigorously and the crowd shook the place to the ground. There have been better shots, certainly. But that moment is hard to forget.” CAMERON MORFIT Senior writer,…

It took 17 seconds for Tiger’s Nike Platinum One ball to roll across Augusta’s 16th green, allowing the camera to cut in close on the famous Swoosh logo as it hung over the hole before dropping in. It was, quite literally, a shot in a million. Advertising executives rushed to calculate how much the shot, and its hundreds of replays, would be worth if Nike had paid for the exposure. The equivalent advertising rate was about $1 million for that time spot on network television on Masters Sunday, according to Raymond Howland of Joyce Julius & Associates, a sponsorship evaluation company. “We’ve been able to create great brand moments and campaigns by celebrating amazing performances and by showing how our products have been part of his success,” said Cindy Davis,…

WHAT OUR TESTER SAID: MODEL AND SHAFT PLAYED: Mizuno JPX850 4-iron to pitching wedge, fitted with regular-flex steel shafts. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: They sit nice and square and I like the wide sole, which I’d suggest suits someone of my handicap. I own and play with an earlier model of Mizuno cavity-back irons, but these ones feel good and give you confidence at address. VERDICT: The JPX850 irons have that typical Mizuno feel, which is quite different to other clubs.When I hit the ball in the middle of the clubface, I barely noticed contact at all. I gained perhaps half a club in distance on the well-struck shots and I certainly noticed the hot face as the ball really sprang off at impact. I also found the JPX850s to be very…

WHAT OUR TESTER SAID: MODEL AND SHAFT PLAYED: Callaway V-Series 3-wood, fitted with a stiff-flex graphite shaft. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: This is another smart-looking club. Last month I tested the V-Series driver that matches this 3-wood and I liked it other than the regular-flex shaft, so I am keen to see how this club goes in comparison to that and to the Callaway RAZR fairway woods I own. VERDICT: I like the concept of the ultra-light design, but I wonder if it’s more beneficial with the driver than it is with fairway woods. I noticed just how much lighter the V-Series is compared to my 3-wood, and I found that weight difference slightly off-putting, although at first I wasn’t swinging it the way you need to in order to take advantage…

IF there is one common fault I see when playing pro-ams it is in the set-up and chipping action of the amateurs I play with. All chip shots are different but if you use the same set of basic fundamentals for each shot, your short game will improve. Here is your checklist for better chipping: • Ball position: Should be positioned in the middle of your stance.This will vary from time to time depending on how much height you want on the shot. • Hand position: Ideally your hands should be positioned in line with the inside of your left thigh (for right-handers) at address.This will place your hands in front of the clubhead throughout the swing. If they drop behind the clubhead you will be more likely to hit…

ASIA-PACIFIC AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER WINNING SCORE: 13-under-par, 275. DEFEATED: Japan’s Mikumu Horikawa by seven strokes. DEFINING MOMENT: Murdaca began the final round with an eight-shot buffer over his nearest rivals. But he saw that advantage dwindle to five when he bogeyed the 7th and 9th holes. But the young South Australian responded beautifully with a 20-foot birdie putt on the tough par-4 10th. He then hit the green in two blows at the par-5 14th to set up a two-putt birdie and his lead was again out to seven strokes. WITH THIS VICTORY: He is the first Australian winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. The 19-year-old is exempt into the field for the 2015 US Masters at Augusta National. He will become the fifth Australian amateur since 2000 to play…

THE COURSE LOCATION: Victoria Rd,Yering.About 55 minutes’drive east of the Melbourne CBD via the Eastern Freeway and Maroondah Highway.The drive from the Sandbelt region takes about 50 minutes. CONTACT: (03) 9738 9000. WEBSITE: www.yeringmeadows.com.au DESIGNER: Ross Watson (2008). SLOPE RATINGS: Nursery: men: 144/136/131; women: 135/131/123; Homestead: men: 142/139/130; women: 134/130/120; Valley: men: 144/134/127; women: 134/133/123. PLAYING SURFACES: Santa Ana couch (tees), Legends couch (fairways), Hard, Sheeps and Red fescues (rough), Creeping Bentgrass (greens). COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Toby Drummond. PGA PROFESSIONALS: Geoff George, Michael Waghorn. GREEN FEES: $55 (weekdays); $65 (weekends). THE CLUB MEMBERSHIPS: Categories include two-, five-, six- and seven-day (male and female), limited access (20 rounds), intermediate, junior, social, daylight savings (spanning October to March) as well as trial memberships in various categories.The club is waiving the joining fee…

FINAL ROUND WHEN defending champion Peter Lonard went without a birdie for 22 consecutive holes over the weekend of the championship, his hopes of back-to-back Australian Open victories appeared shot. Lonard made 22 consecutive pars between the 7th hole on Saturday and the 11th hole of Sunday’s final round before finishing with a run of four birdies in the final seven holes to snatch the title. The Sydneysider had an amazing turnaround in those last seven holes, making birdies on the 12th, 14th, 15th and 17th (via a chip-in) and a par on the tough par-4 16th. Lonard stood on the tee of the par-5 18th hole holding on to a three-shot lead.The final hole provided a challenging dilemma, with water at the front and down the entire right hand…

GOLF tournaments in Western Australia often seem to pass the rest of the country by, presumably because of the miserable state of national newspaper golf reporting,the three-hour time difference and the isolation of its far-off capital city. Perth has for many years hosted some of the best championship golf in Australia. Way back in what was surely the golden era of world sport, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer played the 1968 Australian Open at Lake Karrinyup. Nicklaus won that duel but Player was back to win the last of his seven Opens in 1974. Western Australia had its 150th anniversary in 1979 and again some of the best came to Karrinyup, including Severiano Ballesteros, Curtis Strange, Jerry Pate, Greg Norman, David Graham and the winner Peter Jacobsen. As…

It’s two decades since a skinny, fresh-faced Tiger Woods announced himself to the golf world by becoming the youngest-ever winner of the US Amateur Championship in 1994. In the 20 years that have passed since then,Woods has beefed up,broken almost every golf record going and become the most recognisable sportsman on the planet. We’ve compiled a special Tiger Woods section to celebrate his 20 years at the forefront of the game; charting his meteoric rise, reliving his greatest moments and shining a light on the real Tiger. It’s been an incredible journey – and it’s not over yet! Here’s to another two decades and more of watching the greatest sports star of our generation as he continues to chase down Jack Nicklaus’ 18 majors and put his status as the…

Robert Karlsson Former European No.1 “I played a practice round with him at the 1995 Open at St Andrews. He was extraordinary. He hit the ball miles, and the rest of his game was good as well.” Robert Lee Sky TV presenter/former player “Over an 11-year period between 1997 and 2008, he was ‘the’ man. We had never seen his like before. He had mass worldwide appeal. Not only was he the greatest player, he was the best marketed.” Chubby Chandler Agent and founder of ISM “When he won the Masters by 12 you could see he was special. He had never won a major but he was touted to win. To see him execute it was amazing. He started at the top and he stayed there.” Pete Cowen Coach…

”People often ask me if I expected Tiger to hole that 12-foot putt on the 18th green at Torrey Pines to force a play-off. The thing is I didn’t expect him to hole it, I knew he would. It’s what he does. It’s always fun playing with Tiger because the excitement level goes through the roof. I don’t know about other players but every time I play with him, I feel he gets me focused and makes me play better. Everyone expected me to get murdered in that play-off, but I knew that was never going to happen. Even when I was three shots down early on, I thought that if I could get myself together I would be just fine and I was a shot in front five holes…

I am often asked,“Why did Tiger Woods change his swing in the first place?” I guess it’s an obvious question when you see the former World No.1 struggling to control some of his shots and the fact he’s now gone six years without winning a major championship. It’s safe to say the perfectionist in Woods has seen him hire three high-profile coaches in his career, and all were given completely different briefs of what he wanted to achieve with his golf swing. Under Butch Harmon, for example, the goal was to tighten up his swing, lose the flippy hand action in his follow-through and rely more on his rotating body to square the clubface at impact rather than his hand-eye co-ordination. By the time he moved on to the tutelage…