Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2017 i Golf Monthly

Photography: Tom Miles Dear Golf Monthly readers. You find me in a particularly generous mood today. I am going to offer you one of five golfing superpowers. You can only have one, so choose carefully. Your first option is to be a superb driver. If you take this power you will almost always be the longest in your four-ball, and you'll have the ability to vary the flight and shape of your drives. The second superpower I'm offering is perfect ball striking with your irons. Thins, chunks (and unmentionables) will be things that happen to other golfers. Your iron strikes will always make a fizzing sound as they leave the clubface and you'll hit a high percentage of greens in regulation. The third choice is to have a mercurial short…

Photography: Getty Images A true great My father died around this time four years ago, so it was great to open the October issue to find a whole story about his (and my) favourite golfer. To me, the image of my late father watching Seve play on TV will always be in my heart and will always bring me joy. Seve was more than just a great golfer: he was THE magician of the course, the good-looking Spaniard who could even get my mother to watch. No shot was off limits. Some have tried to be like Seve, but for most it’s near-on impossible. Because of this love for the man, my interest in golf grew. I started to play more to try and be like him. But the thing…

“THE M CGB IRONS ARE A MUST-TRY FOR ANY AVERAGE GOLFER WITH IRON PLAY AS A WEAKNESS”Joel Tadman, technical editor TaylorMade is saying its new set of M CGB irons is like having a bag full of drivers, joining the M1 and M2 in the M family as the out-and-out distance option by pushing the boundaries of ball speed. Similar in looks and concept to the R7 CGB Max irons from ten years ago, the M CGB irons are TaylorMade’s fastest to date and differ from traditional super-game-improvement irons by providing high COR performance through the set, not just in the long-irons. Visible on the back are four weight ports that house tungsten, creating a very low CG that gets the ball in the air more easily. In fact, the…

Rose reaps rewards Justin Rose used an Axis1 Tour-M Prototype putter at the Dell Technologies Championship and gained over two strokes on the field. Lightweight power Photos of Callaway's new GBB Epic Star woods (below) have been doing the rounds. They feature similar technology to the current model but are lighter for increased swing speed. Sergio’s meltdown Sergio Garcia used a Toulon Design Memphis putter at the Dell Technologies Championship… but broke it in anger and had to putt with a different club for the rest of the round.…

Photography: Kevin Murray “The prize money is insane, and the great players are doubling and tripling that with sponsorship. Even the ordinary players are extremely well off” It's that time of year again where the FedExCup has been and gone and the Race to Dubai is hotting up. If you made it to the Tour Championship at East Lake, or if you find yourself in Dubai for the DP World Tour Championship, you can say you've had a good season and you will have pocketed a truck load of coin. But it's not easy street for everybody. What about the players who didn't have the year they anticipated? By the time you read this, the Web.com Tour Finals will be finished. What is that concept, exactly? Well, those who finished…

The evergreen Tom Watson equalled his age in this year’s Senior Open Championship at Royal Porthcawl. The American, now 68, recorded a hugely impressive third-round 67 en route to a tie for 23rd. The lowest score below the player’s age for a round of golf is shared at 17. Then 89-year-old James D. Morton (USA) shot a 72 at Valleybrook Golf & Country Club, Hixson, Tennessee, USA, on April 21, 2001. Keith Plowman (New Zealand) also shot a 72, aged 89, at Maungakiekie Golf Club, Auckland, New Zealand, on November 20, 2007. The oldest man to score his age is C. Arthur Thompson (1869-1975) of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, who shot a 103 on the Uplands course (6,215 yards) in 1973. The oldest woman to score her age is Kayoko…

Photography: Tom Miles IN ASSOCIATION WITH If you want to become a better, or more complete, player next year than you were this year, greater consistency from tee to green holds the key, as weaknesses in any one particular area can seriously compromise the whole and prevent you from shooting the scores you want to shoot. You may be able to hit the ball miles down the middle of every fairway, but if you hardly ever find the greens, or rarely get up and down when you miss them, that strength will yield little overall advantage. Equally, you can be the best putter in the world, but if it's already taken you too many shots to reach the green, it will all be to no avail. In this instruction special,…

1 A draw not a hook The draw moves from right to left, but it's got to be under control – when it's out of control it becomes a destructive hook. You want the ball to start right of target and finish on target – if it finishes left of target, that's a hook, whether it's 10ft, 20ft, 30ft or 50 yards left. Photography: Tom Miles 2 Bend it like Beckham The first thing to do is align the body a little bit to the right, then it's about the correct movement through the ball. To help, I want you to think about David Beckham's famous free against Greece back in 2001 that helped England qualify for the World Cup. Think about how he took that free kick – he…

Photography: Paul Severn Paul’s assessment It became apparent quite quickly that an early extension was bringing the hosel, and a block and slice, into play. This happens when you rise up out of your posture as you come down into impact, instead of staying down through the shot. From this position, you either find the toe or try to save the shot with your arms and leave everything open, which Mikael was doing. He also had a very weak grip that left his face open, another cause of a slice. Paul’s remedy We started by practising the opposite of Mikael's most common miss to the right. I set him up in a draw position, aiming his body right – where we wanted his shot to start – and his club…

The MP-18 SC iron is aimed at good players who like the feel of a muscleback but with a touch more forgiveness. Key technology The MP-18 SC (Split Cavity) is a compact cavity back with a wider, more cambered sole than the muscleback for greater playability. The new Grain Flow Forged HD process aims to improve the feel off the face. How we tested We hit various irons in the set on our GC2 launch monitor to evaluate performance. LOOKS The shape is similar to the MP-18 blade, but while the SC model remains compact, it has a slightly wider sole and thicker topline. A mix of straight lines and softened cambers make this as close to perfection as you’re likely to see. BALL FLIGHT Performance was very similar to…

“Buying online is the easier option, but it can be to the detriment of your enjoyment” The chances are that when you think of custom-fitting and where to go for it, the first company to come to mind is Ping. The brand has a proud heritage in encouraging golfers to undergo this process so they can get the most out of the significant investment in both time and money required. Knowing the clubs in your hands have been specifically built around your swing gives you both peace of mind and your best chance to ‘play your best', as Ping's strapline would have it. Which is why a recent ruling is an extremely disappointing one. News broke recently that the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) had decided that Ping had contravened…

POWERFUL TAYLORMADE M CGB TaylorMade's longest and most forgiving iron offers high-COR performance through the set, not just in the long irons. INNOVATIVE MIZUNO JPX900 HOT METAL Mizuno's thinnest-ever cup face and a new Chromoly 4140M metal aid distance, with softer wedges for more feel. PROGRESSIVE TITLEIST 718 AP1 Hollow bodies in the long irons and undercut cavities in the mid and short irons optimise distance and trajectory. HIGH-LAUNCHING PING G400 A new toprail undercut cavity allows the face to flex 18 per cent more than the G iron for improved distance and launch.…

The Algarve's central region is packed with interesting towns and activities. It also boasts a rich vein of very fine golf indeed; one which eclipses anywhere in southern Europe. Heading east to west along the region's coastline, the first course is Salgados, an easy-walking layout just a few miles from the lively holiday town of Albufeira. Running alongside a nature reserve teeming with wildlife, this dramatic course is particularly tough in the wind. The marshes are home to many species of birdlife and no doubt even more species of golf ball! In contrast, the charming nine-holer at Pine Cliffs is a natural-looking cliff-top Martin Hawtree design that is a little less testing than some of its more illustrious neighbours. What it may lack in difficulty is more than made up…

Photography: Jeremy Ellwood, Ziga Intihar, Mirko Kunsic My wife knows I'm not one for superlatives, so will be surprised to read these words: my short trip to Royal Bled Golf Club in Slovenia was quite simply one of the best I've been on in 15 years as a golf journalist. The reasons are manyfold, but I'm ashamed to say that when news of the trip came in, I actually had no idea where Slovenia was… and geography was one of my strong suits at school! Just south of Austria it transpires, also sharing borders with Hungary, Croatia and north-eastern Italy. I arrived in darkness and hit the sack straightaway after the short drive from Ljubljana, the capital. Next morning, I flung open the curtains to be greeted by a quite…

Photography: Getty Images The GM View: No one is disputing Rory’s talent. On his day, he’s almost unbeatable. Comparisons with Tiger are probably unfair, but by this stage, Tiger had racked up 54 wins including 12 Majors. After a fairly lacklustre 2017 by his standards (so far), we expect Rory to rise again in 2018 and add to his Major tally. Edward Watkins: Given all the media attention and pressure, I think Rory has done incredibly well overall. If he could just learn to ride out the lulls a little more quickly, he’ll be kicking on in style over the next decade. PhilTheFragger: I’ve seen him play a number of times and it has obviously been a stunning ten years: highs and lows both professionally and personally and still at…

Photography: Tom Miles The annual Golf Monthly Help for Heroes Forum Days have now raised over £96,000 in total thanks to another £13,000 at the gorgeous Hankley Common this year. All proceeds go to Help for Heroes, which supports injured and wounded ex-service personnel. The eighth staging was well supported, with 89 golfers taking to the Surrey heathland classic, which ranks 34th in our Top 100. After Camberley Heath last year, and West Hill and North Hants previously, Hankley had a lot to live up to, but it was in pristine condition and made for a truly fitting venue. Congratulations to Radbourne2010 who won 1st prize with 39 points playing off 5 on a day where winds were gusting at around 40mph at times. One point behind in 2nd place…

Copyright: 2017 TI Golf Holdings, Inc, reprinted with permission Last month, the PGA Tour crowned its FedExCup champion at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta where players had to tame this beastly 235-yard par-3 9th hole. Your home course may well have at least one 200-plus-yard round-wrecker. Here's how to walk away with par on the most punishing par 3s. 1 Aim away from the pin If you mishit your tee shot on a long par 3, make sure you miss on the opposite side of the green from where the pin is located. Getting up and down from a short-sided lie in the bunker or the rough is difficult, even for tour pros. With the pin cut right (as it is here), hooking the ball is better than overcooking…

1 Which feature is going to make the biggest difference to golfers? The concept of high COR and maximum forgiveness in the whole set, up to the PW, is going to be very noticeable, particularly for mid-to-low-swing-speed golfers. Most irons sacrifice some distance and forgiveness in the shorter irons in favour of more workability and compact shaping. 2 Why are the lofts different from M2? This has to do with the COR being constant in M CGB versus progressive in M2. The M CGB has weaker lofts in the long-irons where the golfer typically struggles with height. In the short-irons, the M CGB has so much speed combined with low CG that we have to use stronger lofts to ensure proper gapping and consistent peak trajectory. 3 There are now…

Dustin Johnson won the Northern Trust with a Taylor-Made TP Juno putter Marc Leishman won the BMW using a 21° Callaway Steelhead XR 7-wood Steve Stricker finally switched from Titleist’s 710 AP2 to 718 AP2 irons Henrik Stenson won the Wyndham without a driver in the bag Sergio Garcia used a 2016 TaylorMade M2 driver model at the BMW Jason Day switched to a TaylorMade Ardmore 2 putter at the BMW…

Photography: Tom Miles “I could go on about his ability with club and ball, but what I really admire are the qualities Matt exudes as a human being, not just as a golfer” I make no excuses for the fact that this month's column amounts to a love letter to Matthew Fitzpatrick. It has been my privilege to know him for quite a few years, and in that time he's developed from the skinny little Yorkshire lad who would graft for eight hours a day on the Hallamshire Golf Club practice green to one of the most exciting young talents in golf. The first time I played with Matt he was still a teenager – a teenager who appeared to be a golf robot, hitting the middle of every fairway…

Dustin Johnson Current World Ranking 1 Ryder Cup Appearances 3 WLH Record 6-5-0 Jordan Spieth Current World Ranking 2 Ryder Cup Appearances 2 WLH Record 4-3-2 Justin Thomas Current World Ranking 4 Ryder Cup Appearances 0 WLH Record N/A Rickie Fowler Current World Ranking 7 Ryder Cup Appearances 3 WLH Record 2-4-5 Brooks Koepka Current World Ranking 11 Ryder Cup Appearances 1 WLH Record 3-1-0 Matt Kuchar Current World Ranking 13 Ryder Cup Appearances 4 WLH Record 6-7-2 Patrick Reed Current World Ranking 20 Ryder Cup Appearances 2 WLH Record 6-1-2 Daniel Berger Current World Ranking 24 Ryder Cup Appearances 0 WLH Record N/A WILD CARD PICKS Brandt Snedeker Current World Ranking 39 Ryder Cup Appearances 2 WLH Record 4-2-0 Jason Dufner Current World Ranking 32 Ryder Cup Appearances 1…

Ken Brown – he of 'Ken on the Course' fame – has been playing out his amusing little cameos to highlight the challenges and intricacies of the world's greatest golf holes for so long now that it's easy to forget he once trod those same fairways and greens himself as a fine player. Indeed, the now 60-year-old Scot wasn't even out of his teens when he played his maiden full season on tour in 1976, before making the first of five Ryder Cup appearances the very next year. Over the following decade and a bit, he enjoyed considerable success not only in Europe, where he won four times, but also out in America on the PGA Tour. He played there for six years from 1984 to 1989, winning once and…

1 Chase the ball The 3-wood off a tight fairway… I really believe this is a shot of mind over matter. You have got to believe that the 15° or 16° loft on the clubface will actually lift the ball up off the turf! Many golfers don't and try to help the ball up into the air, which achieves exactly the opposite effect. You'll see a lot of club golfers stand back through impact with the weight remaining on the back foot. You must really chase after the ball through impact and on into the follow through. You have to keep everything wide rather than just picking at the ball. Photography: Tom Miles 2 Go down the grip A good tip is to just go down the grip two or…

Photography: Kevin Murray RYAN FOX THE STATS 319.9 Average driving distance (yards) 47.7% Driving accuracy 70.85 Stroke average 73.2% Greens in regulations Three consecutive strong finishes from Ryan Fox in France, Ireland and Scotland have caught my eye this year, and this powerfully built Kiwi, whose father was an All Black, definitely sets up to the driver with positive intent! He's got a pretty strong grip and I like the way he hovers the driver at address. This can make the move away from the ball a little smoother – you need a little tension to hover the club, so don't then have to factor that in as you raise the club to start your takeaway. It's a very wide takeaway, too, much like Tiger Woods in his heyday. It's…

 The AP3 is aimed at golfers who want to use more of a compact-looking, player’s iron that doesn’t sacrifice distance or forgiveness. “WE WEREN’T SURE IF THE GAP BETWEEN AP1 AND AP2 WAS THERE, BUT NOW WE KNOW IT IS AND AP3 FILLS IT PERFECTLY” Joel Tadman, technical editor Key technology Billed as the player’s distance iron, the new AP3 is said to offer the distance and forgiveness of AP1, with feel and looks similar to AP2. The heads of these irons are hollow with a thin, unsupported L-Face insert that launches the ball higher for added stopping power. An average of 84.9g of tungsten per head is placed low and in the toe of the long- and mid-irons to increase forgiveness by maintaining higher ball speeds across the face.…

This trolley is aimed at serious golfers who want access to fast, accurate distances and other useful features, all in one place. Key technology The GPS technology built in to the handle’s intelligent, 3.5in digital screen displays front, middle and back distances for over 35,000 courses globally, plus distances to hazards, without the need for an external device. There’s a built-in scorecard, a USB charging port, a calorie counter and an adjustable distance-control function. How we tested We gave the FW7s GPS a run out over the PGA National course at The Belfry having been briefed on how to use its many features. FEATURES GPS distances were quick to update in open areas and stacked up against markers on the course. The shot-measurement and on-board scorecard features proved handy, as…

“THIS YEAR HAS SEEN SOME MAJOR INNOVATIONS IN WHAT THE HANDLES CAN DISPLAY, BUT THERE IS STILL GOOD VALUE TO BE FOUND IF YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH”Jake O’Reilly, GM technical writer From mobile phone golf apps to step-counting wristbands, we're becoming a generation that's ever more health- and gadget-obsessed by the year. The latest electric golf trolleys are riding this trend, as you might expect. The models showcased on the page opposite are now far more than ‘mechanical donkeys' to take on the burden of carrying. There are trolleys you can steer hands-free using remote controls, plus models that display GPS yardages on a screen. Throw stylish frames into the mix and it's easy to see why more and more golfers are now using one. If you're thinking about joining…

STAY Mount Wolseley The hotel boasts 143 bedrooms, many of them with views of the golf course. It's the perfect base with the pro shop and practice facilities close by. It is also worth noting that the 2nd, 5th and 9th greens all return to the hotel should you fancy a few holes after the fabulous afternoon tea. The town of Tullow is on the doorstep. W: mountwolseley.ie EAT/DRINK Sha-Roe Bistro, Clonegal One of the best restaurants I've ever eaten in (and a regular award winner), Sha-Roe is run by husband-and-wife team Henry and Stephanie Stone. It is a small, cosy place with most of the ingredients locally sourced and the kitchen easily visible if you want to watch the chef at work. Lots of variety, but start with the…

Martin Ebert: At a proprietary club rather than a members' club, when you've got people who want to do something, they are the only ones who need to make the decision, so that's been refreshing. The brief has been to get the best out of the Himalayas that we can. When you add something new to something that was already good, people sometimes see it with a different set of eyes, and I think that will be the case with the new 5th hole, where the change of direction will bring a great backdrop of the sea. The idea to get tees up on to the ridges for the sea views on other holes is a great one too, but one very much generated by the guys at Prince's. We'll…

“The club will find itself with a large number of juniors who show little or no interest in participating” NO At a time when clubs around the country are struggling to attract and retain junior golfers, free membership would seem an obvious way to boost numbers. In the short term this would work, but mid to long term such flippant generosity would be counterproductive. To establish a new generation of golfers, clubs must encourage juniors and their parents to buy into the sport. To achieve this properly, there must be investment from both parties. The club must offer an attractive membership with competitions, lessons and trips included. This must be priced at an affordable level. Clubs must commit to delivering a great package for juniors. But clubs need a level…

PING NORSE JACKET Heading up Ping’s new AW17 clothing range is the Norse Jacket, which uses special PrimaLoft material to provide lightweight thermal insulation. MYROUNDPRO APP The new myRoundPro now offers GPS functionality so you can view yardages, review shots on course maps and get in-depth stats like strokes gained. TAYLORMADE MILLED GRIND BRONZE WEDGES A new bronze finish has been added to these wedges, which are CNC-Milled for more consistent sole geometries. UA COLDGEAR REACTOR HYBRID HALF-ZIP Jordan Spieth’s Open-winning top is light enough to let you move, and adjusts to activity levels to keep you comfy.…

Irons Ping i25 3- to 5-iron, Ping S55 6-PW, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts. Wedges Titleist Vokey SM6 50°, Titleist Vokey SM5 54° and 58°, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts Driver TaylorMade 2017 M2, 10.5°, Graphite Design Tour AD-MT 6X shaft. Fairway woods Ping G25, 15°, Aldila Tour Blue 75x shaft; Ping G400, 20.5°, GD DI 8-x shaft. Putter Yes! Golf Tracy II. Ball Titleist Pro V1x.…

Photography: Tom Miles “Justin Rose was one of my idols growing up. Then, when you meet him and play with him, you just can’t fail to be impressed” Who’s the funniest player on tour? Jamie Donaldson. I just laugh when I look at him! He's a really good mate and whenever we go to dinner there's always a funny story or an impression. He's quietly very amusing. You’ve missed the cut and need a night out. Which two players do you take? Andy Sullivan and Jamie Donaldson, again. Sully loves a beer, and JD for the comedy factor. We actually all had a night out together last year in Austin, Texas after the WGC Match Play. Who is your favourite personality in the golf media? John Morgan. I've known him…

To shoot your age or better is something many of us won’t contemplate just yet, certainly if you’ve yet to start collecting your pension. However, when you find yourself reflecting on your golf career in later life – perhaps when you’ve been playing senior opens for 20 odd years – then this feat might just come onto your radar. That said, you'll need a razor-sharp golf game. Colin Rogers is an 'age shooter'; he's matched or beaten his age every year since turning 73 – and on numerous occasions. There was a two-year period in his early 70s when he missed out, but normal service was resumed thereafter. When we speak, he's already come in under his age once for the season, albeit “just off the yellows.” However, it wasn't…

1 The perils of straight back and through Missing putts left or low for a right-hander often stems from trying to take the putter straight back and through. This would only really work if the angle of the shaft were upright and you were so close to your target line that your hands were right over the ball. Because of the position of your body relative to the ball and the resulting shaft angle, that's not the case, so straight back and through won't work, with the classic miss seeing the putter come into the ball closed. 2 Set-up fundamentals The natural putting arc is highlighted by the balls I've placed down here. Ideally, the putter has to travel back ever so slightly to the inside. In your forward stroke,…

We can all relate to struggling with a slice. It's a destructive shot that will ensure you lose plenty of golf balls and add strokes to your score. Plus, it's incredibly frustrating! Take Golf Monthly reader Mikael Johansson. He has managed to get down to a very respectable 9 handicap, but his wild driving is holding him back from becoming a category-one player. Exasperated in his attempts to self-diagnose, Mikael applied to take part in our series of reader lessons with one of our highly respected Top 25 Coaches. Step in Paul Foston, a Kent-based golf professional with more than 30 years of experience and a full range of tips and tricks to get Mikael's drives back on target. So, on a sunny afternoon on the practice ground at West…

The idea was to take two different types of golfer and look at different ways we could improve their scores – Lawrence was looking for forgiveness; Mark wanted more consistency in his iron play to get his handicap down a little. Lawrence already hits it a long way, and he was also targeting greater consistency in his iron play. We fitted him into the King F7 One-Length irons, which narrowed his dispersion significantly. One-Length has been a key story for us this year in our King F7 iron, where you can choose between One-Length and variable length. It’s a matter of fitting the right person into the right set. Mark has come down 0.7, and it has mainly been down to better iron play. He was playing a blade-like iron…

The Launcher HB is aimed at golfers who aren’t too fussed about custom-fitting, and just want a driver that performs off the shelf. Key technology A lightweight HiBore crown allows weight to be positioned low and deep in the head for more launch and forgiveness. Its convex design creates a stiffer structure for improved sound and feel. The nonadjustable hosel saves another 15g of weight, which has been repositioned to further increase MOI. Flex-Fin technology features a channel in the sole that flexes to boost energy at impact for more distance. How we tested We tested the Launcher HB driver both on the course and on our GC2 launch monitor. LOOKS The HiBore step in the crown (see inset below), with a straight middle but curved edges, is a lighter…

This jacket is aimed at golfers who want to play their best in all weather conditions. Key technology A design that uses just five panels and six seams reduces weight and bulk while improving mobility. A ThermoLite bonded liner helps maintain body heat in cooler weather, while wicking moisture away from the body when it’s hot. The new three-layer bonded fabric boasts four-way stretch, making the LTS both comfortable and quiet. How we tested We wore the LTS jacket at St Ives Golf Club, Cambridgeshire for 18 holes on a blustery, wet day. STYLING A tasteful combination of block colours creates a trendy, contemporary look, and the four pockets are practical and well protected. The logo down one of the arms is large and prominent, but we actually quite like…

Photography: Christopher Catchpole Launcher was a popular franchise for Cleveland Golf for many years, and with the brand’s return to the woods and irons market this year, it’s no surprise the company has turned once more to this particular sub-brand. Among the exciting new Launcher range are two very different-looking irons – the CBX and HB models – targeting golfers looking for varying levels of assistance in different areas. CBX is a forgiving cavity back with larger, easier-to-hit long irons and a V-shaped sole for improved turf interaction; HB features a hollow design that promotes easy launch, combining hybrid-style long irons with short irons that retain a more classic look at address. We asked Cleveland Golf Europe’s UK fitting technician, Martin Conner, to help two readers find the right Launcher…

Photography: Tom Miles “It offers the chance to play a nice course, raise cash for Help for Heroes and see what someone called ArnoldArmChewer actually looks like” I don't know about you, but I'm not much into social media. I've tried it a bit, but in the end I didn't really see the point of taking a picture of a pizza and posting it on the web. Maybe it's me but, on balance, I prefer just to eat it. However, I'm not a Luddite and so I do see the advantages offered to us all by the wonders of modern technology, chief among which is the fact I can write this stuff and then whizz it over to the eager elves in GM's fancy office without having to take a…