Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2016 i Golf World

A decade in sports is a long time. But in the business of sports it’s an absolute eternity. Back in 2006, at the height of Tiger Woods’ prowess, the powers that be in golf united to pitch the return of golf to the Olympic Games. Backed by the powerful American television network NBC, the presentation focused on the International Olympic Committee’s sweetspot – money. Golf would bring Tiger advertising dollars to the table while, in return, the Games offered a global shop window for the sport. Salivating at the prospect of the opportunities that could be gleaned on the back of live golf being beamed into the living rooms of hundreds of millions of people around the world in such diverse places as China, India and South America, many ‘interested…

UP Thongchai Jaidee The biggest victory of the 46-year-old Thai’s career saw him hold off Rory and co to win the 100th French Open. It’s his fourth win since turning 40. Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston Golf’s newest maverick makes headlines on the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational’s range by teeing up a burger and smashing it into pieces. Why? Why not? Titleist A very good year for Acushnet, parent company of Titleist and FootJoy, who reveal $1.5 billion in net sales in 2015. Titleist balls accounted for $535.5m alone. Steven Bowditch The Aussie finally ends a run of nine rounds of 80+ scores by shooting a 2-over par 72 at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Sadly... DOWN Steven Bowditch ... He’s immediately summoned for a drug test. “Not even the Tour can believe I broke 80!”…

Dustin Johnson finished in style to get the major monkey off his back at the US Open. He was leading by three but with a potential one-shot penalty still to be applied as he stood on the 18th tee in the final round. Having endured numerous agonising near-misses in the past, he knew he couldn’t afford any slip-ups. His drive was perfect and he fired a towering iron shot straight at the pin. ProTracer showed it’s arrow-straight flight before it landed softly and nestled three feet from the pin to set up a closing birdie that stuck it to his doubters and the USGA. “I had a great number,” said Johnson. “I knew even if I hit it really good, that’s about as far as it was going to go.…

Futuristic upper The first thing that strikes you is the look and material. The one-piece upper is literally knitted, which makes it lightweight and breathable. There’s a TPU skin around the bottom of the upper to prevent dew making your foot wet and enhance durability. You’ll see Rory McIlroy and many other Nike stars wearing them this summer. Ultimate comfort The high-top appearance is the result of a mid-height collar that adapts to your ankle for stability and impressive comfort. Dynamic Flywire where the laces meet the upper locks the foot in place throughout the swing. The full-length Lunarlon midsole provides comfort under foot despite the shoe having such a low profile to the ground. Incredible traction Turn the shoe over and you’re greeted by what looks like a row…

Over the top It’s virtually impossible to hit anything other than a slice from this position in the downswing. The hands have moved out in front too early and arms have disconnected from the body, which throws the clubhead outside the neutral plane. Flatter plane I’m exaggerating the position here, but this shows the sort of feeling that I’m looking for. If I imagine the shaft plane flattening, then the right elbow stays close to the body and the hands move down and not across. Drop the club into the slot This swing thought leads me to this position, where the club is somewhere between the two images also shown here and on a neutral plane. The result is a great hitting position where I’m ready to release the club…

Lee Westwood had it right when it comes to Rule 18-2b. The referee walking with the Johnson/Westwood pairing followed procedure by consulting with both players. Once his decision had been made, there should have been no possibility of retrospective action by any higher authority. Quite apart from the lack of video evidence that even hinted at Johnson causing his ball to move – most observers gave more “credit” to the linoleum-like green than anything done by the player – why bother having an official walking with every group if their decisions are not final? Even after the event, Johnson was still maintaining his ‘innocence’, a stance supported by Westwood, who displayed admirable concern and sportsmanship at the end of what must have been a difficult day personally. In the absence…

Don’t grip the club too tightly because this will make the big muscles tense. Keep them relaxed so they can create maximum speed and power throughout the swing. Try rocking backwards and forwards to find the spot where your weight is perfectly balanced down through the centre of your feet. A good connection to the ground helps your legs generate power. ADDRESS Adopt an athletic set-up Dustin starts in an athletic position, standing nice and tall with good posture and his knees flexed with his weight equally distributed. This creates a stable, balanced base from which to start. One of the biggest problems I see with amateurs is before they even swing the club. A poor set-up, bad posture or incorrect alignment can cause a bad swing. TAKEAWAY Set your…

‘When I tee it up in a major now, I won’t be trying to win my first one. My mindset will definitely be a lot different that way.’ Physically, there was little doubt as to whether Dustin Johnson had the physical tools to win a major championship. The mental strength, though? Well, that was another question. But at this year’s US Open, on arguably the world’s toughest course and in the midst of a controversial rules violation Johnson stood steady while others faltered. In the end, the 32-year-old emerged victorious at Oakmont Country Club, shooting a final-round 1-under 69 that included playing his last six holes in level par to win his first major by three shots. How did Johnson do it and what does it mean going forward? He…

1988 The Seoul Olympic Games, credited with boosting sports participation in South Korea, helps fuel a boom in women’s golf. 2003 The International Golf Federation (IGF) is created from the World Amateur Golf Council. 2005 Baseball and softball are dropped from future Olympics for failure to deliver their best professional players. 2008 A committee is formed, including the R&A and the USGA, to drive the IGF’s campaign for full IOC recognition. 2009 October: Golf wins the IOC vote to appear at Rio 2016, at a meeting in Copenhagen. 2009 November: Tiger drives into a fire hydrant in Florida. 2011 The Golf Channel becomes part of NBC Sports Group after Comcast acquires NBC Universal. 2012 Augusta National admits women members for the first time in its 80-year history. 2012 Colin Montgomerie…

“A real beast of a dog-leg, which demands an extremely accurate second shot to a green that sits at an angle to the fairway and is protected by water and trees.” “It’s driveable from the front tees, but if you go for it and find yourself behind a mound at the wrong angle you’re probably not going to make birdie.” “This gorgeous hole plays straight towards the ocean. It’s protected by wild sand dunes and well-placed bunkering. All the players will take four and run.” “This is Hanse’s favourite and I can see why. It’s a brilliant driving hole, because if you hit it right or left you are dead. Your only option is to find the fairway.” “Players will drop some shots between the 11th and the 14th, but…

“The one thing that has eluded me in my career is a major victory. I’m slowly realising that if it happens, it is now more likely to be by chance. Far more than through my drive, anyway. Which is fine. That’s the way it is. I’ve had some close calls. I’d really like to be back at Baltusrol for the US PGA this year, for example, because I came very close there back in 2005. But I can’t be thinking just about things like that now. If I did, I think I would fall out of love with the game. I’ve played for so long that it is more important than ever that I now do what I enjoy doing and not make myself do stuff I’d rather not do.…

My father was a lifetime member of the PGA and my first coach. I remember once, as a kid, we were living in Panama. The driving range consisted of a mat and a net. He said to me, ‘When you’re out there playing, keep your elbows as close together as possible.’ He liked to see a pause at the top, too, for good tempo. Those two keys were the basis of my swing my whole career. Unfortunately, there’s now a little belly to work around and my back is not quite as limber, but I still use those thoughts. After two years working as an assistant pro at El Paso GC, the head pro gave me two options. He said, ‘You’re either going to quit and go play golf for…

Getting there Italy is ideally connected to UK with a lot of direct flights available all year long, via both British Airways and Alitalia as well as low- cost companies like Ryanair and Easyjet. These companies have daily direct flights to the main Italian international airports like Milan Malpensa, Rome Fiumicino, Turin, Venice, Bologna, Pisa, Palermo, Brindisi and so on – as many as 20 British airports have direct flights to Italy, so there has to be one near you. Then, hire a car and explore this wonderful country at your leisure. The network of roads is comprehensive and, outside the main cities, uncrowded. So you will love discovering everything that Italy has to offer. The climate Italy’s weather varies considerably from the north to the south of the country.…

PERFECTED THE TECHNIQUE? One-piece takeaway It’s so important to make a good move away from the ball. Get the chest dictating the takeaway as much as possible. Feel like the arms and torso are moving in a one-piece motion to help the start of a good coil. Full shoulder turn Get your shoulders pointing at or behind the ball. Don’t resist with the hips if you’ve got limited flexibility because this limits the turn. Move your left shoulder to where your right one was at address. Start down with lower half Many bad shots are caused by pulling down from the top with the arms, so start the transition with the lower body. Feel a little bump with the hips or increasing the pressure in your lead foot to encourage…

1 WHAT’S THE TECH? The Stretch Flex Cup Face, Power Wave Sole and Lightweight Crown produce a more forgiving and responsive face. The increased MOI and larger sweetspot protect ball speeds on off-centre hits. The draw bias in the Z565 will help to straighten the flight of golfers who fade and slice the ball. 2 WHAT DOES IT REPLACE? The Z545 and Z745 drivers were engineered to help you swing the clubhead faster and more efficiently. The size of the sweetspot was increased by up to 35 per cent compared to its predecessor, which increased ball speeds across the face. The Quick Tune System enabled you to adjust the loft, lie, face angle and centre of gravity. 3 WILL IT WORK FOR ME? The Z565 is aimed at all golfers…

Adam Scott, Jimmy Walker and Jason Dufner were among eight players who switched into the new Titleist driver at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational. Greg Chalmers got its first win at the Barracuda Championship in the same week. That follows 18 players putting it into play in the previous week’s Quicken Loans National, the first event it was available. Hideki Matsuyama has stayed faithful to his Srixon ZR-30 driver since he turned pro in 2013 (it was launched in 2008), but he’s been using Srixon’s Z565 recently. He tried the Z765 version at the WGC – Dell Match Play earlier in the season. Ernie Els’ six-putt on the opening hole of this year’s Masters was hard to watch, but he’s actually putted well since then (he’s 20th on the PGA…

‘All three irons – despite being forged, compact products with slim soles and toplines – feature heavily marketed forgiveness technologies’ Cobra King Pro Forged CB/MB Features: five-step forging process; tungsten toe weight; CNC face milling 7-iron loft: 34° Price: £749 (eight irons) TaylorMade PSi Tour Features: speed pocket; face slots; progressive CG placement 7-iron loft: 31.5° Price: £899 (eight irons) Callaway Apex Pro Features: progressive weighting; 1025 mild carbon steel forging; 7-iron loft: 34° Price: £849(s), £1,099(g) (seven irons) The biggest breakthrough in golf equipment in the last 50 years was the result of a simple leap in logic. It took an aviation engineer named Karsten Solheim to suggest a golf club’s design could perhaps be based around not where we aspire to strike the ball, but where we actually…

Callaway Apex Pro 16 Each iron head fits three weight ports in the sole. In the longer irons (3-5), two are filled with tungsten, lowering CG without adding spin. In the mid-irons (6-7) it’s switched to lighter steel, while the weight ports are empty in the lofted irons to raise CG as loft grows. TaylorMade PSi Tour Milled faces and grooves help the ball grip the face, enhancing spin. Tailored head weighting creates progressive CG positioning through the set, helping to deliver higher launch in the long irons and a more penetrating flight with the scoring clubs. Cobra King Forged CB/MB The combination element of this set – cavities in the longer irons and musclebacks in the lofted clubs – creates a natural progression to CG weighting. Cobra also uses…

DESIGN An aesthetically pleasing routing over hilly terrain. 20.85 OUT OF 25 SETTING Fun and challenging in a tranquil, protected heathland. 16.19 OUT OF 20 PRESENTATION Beautifully-conditioned heathland, rugged in places. 16.31 OUT OF 20 PLAYABILITY Eases you into front nine, but stretch home can eat you up. 12.77 OUT OF 15 MEMORABILITY Brilliant variety and the best selection of par 3s in the UK. 7.54 OUT OF 10 CONSISTENCY Succession of classic, well-presented holes hold interest ’till end. 7.38 OUT OF 10 TOTAL SCORE Scenic and undulating heathland that oozes class. The unsung hero of Surrey. 81.04 OUT OF 100…

Firstly, what prompted these radical changes? The greens were 100 per cent poa annua grass, not the fine fescue that should dominate a links. So they held excessive water easily and were prone to compaction. Our approach was not radical, it was logical. We could have changed them over time through aeration but it would have taken decades. Now, we have classic links putting surfaces. How good are the results? Very! From greens that were not links like, we now have 100 per cent fescue greens that are performing superbly. These pure fescue greens will serve the club for decades. Have you made any structural changes? Our architect Graeme Webster redesigned the 7th green to a more dramatic location on the cliff’s edge while the dunes behind the green have…

1 Make sure you take the Strangford to Portaferry ferry on Day Two. It saves you a lot of driving when going from Ardglass to Kirkistown. The ferry departs twice an hour in the week. 2 For a tremendous service – meeting you in arrivals and picking up/ depositing the vehicle right outside the terminal – hire your car with local firm Dan Dooleys. 3 While playing Ireland’s No.1, be aware you are within striking distance of Ireland’s No.2; Royal Portrush is 60 miles north of Belfast. In the other direction, Co Louth (Baltray) is 60 miles from RCD. 4 We flew, but consider arriving by ferry, and thus having your own clubs and car. You can sail to Belfast from Cairnryan in south-west Scotland and Birkenhead on Merseyside. 5…

It can be really tempting to fire straight at pins, especially when you’re only hitting a short iron or wedge, but this can get you in a lot of trouble when the flag is close to water, sand or thick rough. The last thing you want to do is turn a birdie opportunity into a bogey or worse by finding water or short-siding yourself. So err on the side of caution and aim closer to the middle of the green. You’ll still set up a makeable birdie putt with a good shot and you’ll leave yourself a two-putt or easier up-and-down for par if you hit a poor one. This slightly more cautious strategy will definitely improve your overall scoring.…

It’s very common to have a ‘bogey hole’ – one that you always seem to play poorly and can spoil a good scorecard. However, with a few changes in strategy and mindset, we can overcome the dreaded ‘bogey hole’. CHANGE YOUR STRATEGY One reason for playing a hole poorly over and over is using the same way. You have to change how you play the hole. If you tend to take driver off the tee, take a club to get the ball in play like a fairway wood or hybrid. This may mean a bogey is more likely, but a bogey rarely if ever causes a ruined card. If you feel it’s more the second shot that is problematic, consider laying up short of the green instead of going for…

Open the face of your most lofted club as much as you’re comfortable with as the ball will launch lower off a downslope. It will still come out quite hot and release more because it won’t spin much from the rough. Hitting down makes the ball go up, so keep your backswing relatively steep and hit down through the ball. Keep the clubhead low to the ground and following the slope into impact and the follow-through. Set up to match the slope On a flat lie your spine angle is vertical, so use your set-up to preserve that relationship. Widen your stance for balance, then lean with the slope until your spine is at 90° to the ground. Position the ball in the centre of your stance.…

1 Smooth transition The first move down needs to be smooth and controlled to promote the correct sequencing that lets you arrive at the ball with consistency. Snatch it from the top and you’ll never find the same impact position twice. Start the downswing at the same pace you finished the backswing. 2 Accelerate at impact Trying to accelerate the club for impact is like a sprinter running at the tape instead of through it. You won’t generate the speed you want, when you want it. Have the swing thought that the club is speeding up through the ball to ensure you build speed and keep accelerating through impact. 3 Balanced finish A balanced finish is the hallmark of good rhythm and tempo. One of the best ways to build…

PRINT Subscribe to Golf World Enjoy 13 issues Golf World from just £34 and receive 12 Callaway Chrome Soft balls. For full details of our subscription options, turn to p66. FACEBOOK facebook.com/golfworld1 For regular updates, behind-the-scenes pictures and expert insights, follow Golf World on Facebook. IPAD Golf World on the go Through Apple Newsstand for iPads and iPhones, Google Play for Android, Barnes and Noble for Nook e-reader and Kobo newsstand for Kobo devices. TWITTER @GolfWorld1 Keep up with GW’s take on the game by following us on Twitter – tweet us and your views could make the mag.…

1 Perfect posture Good posture promotes a stable pivot on a good plane, helping you deliver the club on a neutral path. Slightly bend your knees and keep your spine straight as you tilt forward from the hips to about 45 degrees. Your arms should hang naturally down to the club. 2 Maintain angles Use your golf bag to keep the correct angles throughout the swing. Rotate your trail hip to the bag and feel your weight move to the inside heel of your back foot in the backswing. Then move your front hip back to the bag and transfer your weight into the heel of the front foot in the downswing. 3 Squeeze elbows You must hit down and compress the ball to produce a powerful strike that creates…

Jamie Donaldson WINNER 2014 The hero of 2014 has failed to light up the fairways since he suffered a nasty hand injury in January. Donaldson needs a win and a top-five finish to enter the wildcard conversation. Martin Kaymer THREE-TIME WINNER Three top 10s show the German has been okay this year, but okay doesn’t cut it for Ryder Cup selection. Realistically, he needs two wins to make the team. Luke Donald FOUR-TIME WINNER Despite displaying glimmers of his old form, the former world No.1 and four-time Ryder Cupper is milles off qualification. He needs a big win to even enter captain Clarke’s thoughts. Soren Kjeldsen ROOKIE The 41-year-old Dane is in the form of his life. If he can go on a run in Europe and secure another US…

1 Justin Rose saved Olazabal’s reputation In their singles match at Medinah in 2012, Phil Mickelson held a 1-up lead over Justin Rose after 16. At the par-3 17th, Rose holed a sharply breaking 35ft downhill putt to level the match. Were it not for Rose’s “One per cent putt”, a US victory would have been inevitable and the widespread criticism of José Maria Olazabal’s captaincy, where it was claimed he lacked engagement, was forgotten. 2 Europe spied on the Americans at Valderrama In 1997, Seve set up Valderrama to negate the Americans’ length advantage. He felt the par-5 17th would be a pivotal hole so sent Mark James to watch how they played it in practice. When he saw many of the Americans could comfortably reach the green in…

1976 Born on April 5, 1976 in Gothenburg, Stenson comes relatively late to golf, first picking up a club aged 12. His first teacher is impressed by his ability to hit the ball straight. “Isn’t that the whole point of the game,” asks his father, Ingemar Stenson. By age 15, he is off five. 1994 After representing Sweden’s boys team in 1994, rubbing shoulders with Johan Edfors and Fredrik Jacobson, Stenson turns professional in 1999 and tops the Challenge Tour money rankings in his second year. 2000 Winning the Challenge Tour Order of Merit in 2000, Stenson earns his European Tour card for the following season. Dressed like Jesper Parnevik, he earns the nickname ‘Iceman’. 2001 Despite his first European Tour win at the Benson & Hedges, Stenson is unable…

@FIELD_MARK Monty. I’d rather dominate for nearly a decade than have one lucky week. @SHEPMEISTER1 I’d rather be happy with a major than a miserable git without one. @BOBLPARTRIDGE Only one of them is in the Hall of Fame. #nuffsaid @PUREGOLFPOLAND It’s Hamilton by a mile. #major #history @STALBANSGOLFER I’d rather be Hamilton. All wins are good but the Open is the best. @DUNCCAMPBELL Monty, any day. @DJCHAP002_DAVID Monty – he got the Hall of Fame. @CONWAYGAV Todd who? From GW Twitter page: @golfworld1…

Consistent set-up You need a good technical foundation to start the ball on line. I use a mirror on the ground and work with my coach to ensure my address and ball position are consistent and my eyes are where I want them over the ball so I see a straight line to the hole. Reading greens is really difficult but I’ve learnt to trust my instincts – and most amateurs would benefit from doing that as well. I like to walk around the putt and have a look from both sides. You get a feel for the slopes through your feet and a more accurate visual read from all sides because sometimes your eyes can play tricks on you if you just look at the putt from one angle.…

Simple address I set up with a narrow stance, 70 per cent of my weight on my left side and my hands just ahead of the clubface. I want to encourage a slightly downward strike that won’t reduce the loft significantly at impact. Keep the loft The loft on the clubface looks just like it did at address – with no manipulation. All I’ve really done is recreate my address position with the club moving. That’s a great thought to have on these shots. Chipping off a tight lie strikes fear into the hearts of many amateurs because they worry about getting the ball up in the air when there isn’t much grass underneath it. Their technique breaks down and they end up fatting or thinning it. The key to…

Don’t lay up too close If you hit the ball within 80 yards it can leave a tricky pitch over bunkers. Leaving your lay-up or recovery shot outside this enables you to hit a full shot that will be easier to hit high and stop on the green. You should also try and leave an angle that doesn’t bring the bunkers and water into play. Increase your margin for error Think about the shape of the hole. A straight drive may give you 15 yards to work with in the landing zone whereas a draw will shrink your target to 5-10 yards and a fade will increase it to 20-30 yards. If the hole doesn’t suit your shot shape then take a shorter club that puts you in a more…

Disappointingly, he departed the premises without public comment after missing the cut by two shots. Which was perhaps not hard to comprehend. Standing on the 9th tee – his 18th – in the 2nd round Rory McIlroy needed a par on what was statistically the toughest hole on the course to ensure his presence over the weekend. Not easy. But the eventual double-bogey was hardly likely to encourage sweetness and light from the 2011 US Open champion. In truth though, the real damage was done in an opening round of 77 that saw him tied for 128th place in a field of 156. “I hit five fairways and only eight greens,” sighed McIlroy after finishing with three successive bogeys on day one. “I hit irons off the tees on the…

1988 US Open In the 2nd round at The Olympic Club, Payne Stewart faced a 10ft birdie putt on the 18th. He missed narrowly, but the ball rolled down the front of the steeply-canted green and finished 50ft away. Stewart lost the championship to Lee Janzen by one shot. 2002 US Open Peter O’Malley hit a solid drive off the 10th tee on the opening day of the 2002 US Open at Bethpage Black, but no matter how well he struck the ball, he couldn’t reach the fairway. Nor could Nick Price. “Where in the rulebook does it say you have to be able to reach the fairway?” asked the point-missing official with O’Malley’s group. 2004 US Open In the 2nd round at Shinnecock Hills, Kevin Stadler had a 2ft…

Dustin Johnson is on fire. He followed his maiden major victory at the US Open with another win in the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational in his very next start. He showed incredible mental strength to get the job done at Oakmont, but his success is also borne out physical improvements in some key areas. To match his incredible power off the tee, he’s now hitting his approaches closer and putting better than ever before. It’s a pretty potent combination. Brian Wacker spoke to Johnson’s coach, Claude Harmon, to discover what you can learn from his major-winning game.…

A big key to Johnson’s success at Oakmont – and his imperious form every time he’s teed it up in 2016 – has been his ball-striking. He hit a whopping 76 per cent of greens in regulation in the US Open, including 25 straight at one point and 14 of 18 in the final round. By comparison, the field averaged just over 58 per cent for the week and 59 per cent on Sunday. This is how you can improve your ball-striking. Many amateurs have the ball too far forward at address, which prevents the club reaching a good forward lean position at impact. By moving it back just a little you’ll catch it earlier and your shoulders and body will be better positioned to execute the shot. The average…

It’s easy to argue that the qualification criteria for the Olympic Golf Tournament has diluted the quality of the 60-man field, but there will still be plenty of world-class players teeing it up. The involvement of 35 nations adds genuine global appeal and it also gives us the chance to discover the incredible stories of the lower-profile names who’ve qualified from smaller and developing golf nations. For those players who don’t get to compete in the majors, the Olympics is a career-defining opportunity to represent their countries and mix it with the big names. For the more recognised stars, it’s another chance to write themselves into the history books. So who should you be keeping an eye on in Rio? ULTIMATE OUTSIDER Rodolfo Cazaubon Nationality: Mexican Age: 26 World ranking:…

1998 T9 Birkdale Bjorn opened with rounds of 68-71 to start the 3rd round in 5th at 1-under-par and just four shots off the pace. Although he was still one shot ahead of eventual winner Mark O’Meara, a 76 in difficult conditions saw him fall six shots behind heading into the final day. 2000 T2 St Andrews In many years, an 11-under-par finish would comfortably have been good enough to lift the Claret Jug, but the Dane came up against Tiger at his rampaging best and finished a distant 8 shots behind the then World No.1. 2002 T8 Muirfield Another Open where the leaders remained tantalisingly out of the Dane’s reach during all four days. In a final round where many players shot in the mid-60s, Bjorn’s 69 was not…

With victory at Birkdale, Trevino became the first man since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win the US Open and Open in the same year. It also meant his earnings for the first half of 1971 – around $235,000 – eclipsed the $207,779 the Hawk earned in his entire career. Trevino’s feat led to the labelling of the three oldest events that count towards the PGA Tour’s money list – the Open (1860), the US Open (1895) and the Canadian Open (1904) – as the Triple Crown. Though Walter Hagen, Tommy Armour and Arnold Palmer won all three in their careers, Trevino’s feat was unprecedented… and not repeated till September 2000, when Tiger Woods won the Canadian Open. Woods, though, completed his set over three months, not three weeks. Trevino’s…

“A 12-minute exchange with Payne Stewart was invaluable for my career. I’m playing a practice round at Medinah on the Sunday before the PGA Championship in 1999. I’m out there on the 6th green when I see three guys walking down the fairway. The one wearing a T-shirt, shorts and baseball cap and holding just a couple of clubs looks familiar. It’s Payne. I walked with him down the 7th fairway and asked him about how he won the US Open at Pinehurst a few months earlier. He told me he had missed the cut the week before and had gone to Pinehurst early to map out the course. He examined every green to figure out where he absolutely could not hit it, where he would have no chance to…

Golf gets very difficult when you’re not hitting your second shots from the fairway or you’re giving up 20 or 30 yards to your opponent. Good driving is the basis on which any good score is built – and the numbers back this up too. Statistician Mark Broadie discovered your driving quality accounts for 28 per cent of your score. Longer tee shots mean shorter clubs for your second shot and straighter tee shots mean more approaches from a good lie and a clear view of the green. If you can hit your driver longer and straighter, the game gets a lot easier. Quite simply, improve your driving and your scores will immediately improve.…

TAKE THE STRATEGY TO YOUR COURSE Maintain a smooth tempo As the club gets longer and we want to hit it further the tendency to swing harder increases. But you will hit the ball further by maintaining a smooth tempo with a wide arc, rather than trying to smash it. Aim away from trouble Tee up on the side of the trouble you want to avoid so you can hit away from it to increase your chances of finding the fairway. It’s important to allow for the shot shape you have that day as well. Pick a specific point Aim small and miss small. A fairway may look like a big target but it’s important to pick a specific target in the distance. Once you’re fully focused on where you…

Marxman alignment It is easier to aim where you want with the chipper and it also sits square. Polymer insert It feels just like a putter at impact and the white colour helps alignment. A chipper may not be the most fashionable club to carry in your bag, but many golfers could benefit from using one around the greens. The Odyssey X-Act Tank has been created to be wielded like a putter but actually play like a wedge from just off the green. The 355g head and heavier SuperStroke Chipper Grip gives the club a counterbalanced feel to keep the hands passive and promote a smoother swing and more consistent impact, which is vital for predictable and accurate chipping. The grip has a non-taper design so you can hold it…

It's absolutely vtal that you protect your eyes when you're out in sunshine for four or five hours - even n the questionable British sumrrer. If it's bright enough that you need to squint at al, then you should be wearing sunglasses to prevent UV rays and 'blue ight' from damaging your health and vision. Fortunately, many brands are now offering golf-specific sunglasses and there are plenty of styles available, from seek and sporty to fashion and lifestyle. Every pair has lots of technology to enhance your experience and protect your vision. Adidas Sport Eyewear Whipstart, from £80 These frames bring a lifestyle look to the course. Superior mirrored lenses in select colours provide outstanding light absorption and contrasting effect. Lens tint options use Adidas Eyewear's Light Stablising Technology to…

Callaway Apex Pro 16 Apex Pro’s secret distance weapon is its 37WV wide-spaced grooves, designed to create the yard-eating combination of higher launch and lower spin. Otherwise, this iron is designed more for power control than creation. TaylorMade PSi Tour PSi Tour features stronger lofts than the other two – its 7-iron is only 1.5° more lofted than the 6-irons of the others. The speed pocket on the sole increases distance by helping the face flex on impact, though its effect is stronger on low-down strikes. Cobra King Forged CB/MB The tungsten toe weight in the King Pro brings the sweetspot more to the middle of the face, boosting energy transfer on centred strikes. This iron is also marginally the longest of the three as standard, 0.5in longer than PSi…

TAYLORMADE PSI TOUR WHAT WE LIKED: Great consistency, strong forgiveness, launch on low-face strikes WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE: Harder to shape the ball, feedback not as strong as some CALLAWAY APEX PRO WHAT WE LIKED: Strong consistency, crisp feel, long-iron launch WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE: Slight loss of feedback, a little down on distance COBRA KING PRO FORGED CB/MB WHAT WE LIKED: Fantastic feel and feedback, great workability, strong set flow WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE: Loss of ball-speed on heel/toe strikes, slightly intimidating look FlightScope data backed up our testers’ perception that while Callaway’s Apex Pro and TaylorMade’s PSi performed remarkably similarly, Cobra’s King Pro Forged was a little different. In a nutshell, King Forged emerged as the best club for the better player. Out of the sweetspot its distance…

Play & stay El Encin Golf Hotel is 20 minutes north-east of the centre and opened in 2011. It incorporates a course by Robert von Hagge that has hosted two events on the Challenge Tour and a neat four-star hotel with 39 rooms. Under threat Villa de Madrid’s course was one of the symbols of elitism targeted by Spain’s left-wing government, with a plan mooted to turn its fairways into a family farm. Play it while you can. Tour calibre The Spanish Open has frequently been held in Madrid, dating as far back as 1982. La Moraleja I hosted in 1986 and II in 1997. Villa de Madrid staged five in seven years, including Seve’s win in 1995 – which turned out to be his last. BEST COMPLEX Moraleja There…

Royal Birkdale The abundance of other top-class courses along England’s Golf Coast do, arguably, offer better value but it is difficult to resist the allure of this highly-popular Open venue. For the price of a (admittedly old) small car a fourball can unpick their scores at the end of a round as they take in a view that will last forever in the memory from the clubhouse window over the 18th green as the sun sets over the Irish Sea. Royal Birkdale is pure (and fair) links golf with a tough start and finish. Royal Liverpool With the town of Hoylake along the road, this is a great Open venue with lots of places to socialise. The initial open, flat terrain does not provide the immediate visual impact of other…

‘I can be stubborn at times. I’m always the smartest man in the room!’ What has been your closest brush with death? At funerals, I think. I’ve had a few hair-raising flights where I’ve felt like it has been touch-and-go. One in particular when we were going into Jeju Island in Korea – in the middle of a typhoon. Robert Jan Derksen was sat in the seat in front of me and turned the colour of a Ping golf bag. He was pure white. It was horrible. The engines were screaming. In the end, we turned round and landed in China somewhere. What is your earliest memory? Falling down the stairs when I was a toddler. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t pushed but I may have been thrown (laughs). What’s…

Tiger Woods last hit a golf ball in competition at the Wyndham Championship on August 24, 2015. Since then he has undergone two back operations, spent a period on bed rest and published a stream of “I’m making progress and I will be back, but I don’t know when” statements. The suspense keeps Woods at the forefront of conversation, but what is really going on? Is Rocco Mediate right when he claims the former World No.1 is going to the wrong people and that he could fix him in double-quick time? Or is David Feherty correct when he says Tiger may never come back, but is too stubborn to admit it’s over? We’ve trawled through the evidence to answer that question and predict Tiger Woods’ future. A PREMATURE RETURN Tiger…

THE TROPHY The Wanamaker trophy is one of the heaviest in sport, weighing in at 44 pounds. “I was genuinely shocked by the weight when I picked it up,” said Padraig Harrington, champion at Oakland Hills in 2008. THE MAN Baltusrol Golf Club is named after Baltus Roll, the quiet, unassuming farmer who raised oxen on the land where Jason, Justin and Dustin will chase glory this month. Roll was murdered on the night of February 22, 1831, beaten to death by two men searching for his fortune, which they believed was stashed on his property. He was 62. THE PLAQUE Sat on the fairway, 237 yards from the elevated 18th green, sits a plaque commemorating Jack Nicklaus’ 1-iron approach that helped seal his victory in the 1967 US Open.…

Given the circumstances, I have to take a shot I hit down the stretch in the final round of the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot. Although I chipped in for par on the 17th – which was probably more important – that was quite a simple shot. So I’m going for the chip shot I played from just short of the 18th green. From a lie so ‘tight’ it was almost like hitting off a putting surface, I got the ball up and over the hump that fronts the green and stopped it maybe five feet from the cup. It was the sort of shot we dream about, one that would have been difficult to replicate on the practice green with no pressure. I ‘nipped’ it perfectly with my…

1. Danny Willett Rookie 2. Rory McIlroy Three-time winner 3. Chris Wood Rookie 4. Andy Sullivan Rookie 5. Henrik Stenson Three-time winner 6. Sergio Garcia Five-time winner 7. Justin Rose Two-time winner 8. Rafa Cabrera Bello Rookie 9. Matthew Fitzpatrick Rookie THE GOLF WORLD VERDICT So how do we assess the strength of this European team? Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia form a solid and experienced core, while the addition of Westwood and McDowell as captain’s picks would add to that. Of the rookies, Danny Willett and Andy Sullivan are fearless and Matt Fitzpatrick and Rafa Cabrera Bello have the games to play foursomes brilliantly, but their lack of Ryder Cup experience is a concern. If Shane Lowry makes the team, then almost half the European…

Charley Hull The rising Brit attempts to land her maiden major when the British Women’s Open arrives at Woburn. As her home club, the omens appear encouraging. 1 Does playing a major championship at Woburn, your home course, add extra pressure or give you an insider’s advantage? I think it adds to the pressure more than it helps me. I’ve been playing at Woburn since I was eight and obviously I love it there. The fact a major is coming to my home course is fantastic but I haven’t actually played too many rounds on the Marquess’ Course, so that won’t give me much of an advantage. 2 You came up narrowly short in the first major of the year, a T2 behind Lydia Ko at the ANA Inspiration. Was…

‘As good an iron player as Dustin is, he has a huge advantage when he’s hitting 330-yard drives’ A lot of people have asked me the past few months if I’m excited about the prospect of golf returning to the Olympics after a 100-year absence. I’ve given it a great deal of thought and, after all of that pondering, I have to say that I’m still not sure. I’m sitting slap bang in the middle on the fence on this one! On the one hand, it has to be good news for golf that the sport will be presented centre stage to the world in August. Then again, it’s a really crammed summer schedule – especially with it being a Ryder Cup year – and of course there are several…

You can tell a lot about how good a driver someone is from the first 18 inches of the takeaway. This is a crucial part of the swing because it dictates what comes after it. On my backswing, I think about creating a wide and extended arc all the way back. The wider your swing arc, the faster your clubhead must travel to keep up with your body. It’s like a ceiling fan; it turns at one speed, but because the edges of the blades trace a wider circle than the motor in the middle, they move considerably faster. In the golf swing, the wider your swing is, the further the clubhead will be from your body and the faster it will move. More clubhead speed equals more distance.…

HALFWAY DOWN Ideal delivery position I love how quiet the right knee is here – a sign of great weight transfer. His eye line is level with ground and in line with the target and he’s ready to deliver the club squarely into ball. IMPACT Passive hands and square face This is fantastic. The glutes have fired and his excellent sequencing in the downswing allows the hands to be passive. Brandon has controlled his swing with the body. ADDRESS Balance and hand position Perfect balance and hand position here allows the hands to stay passive through impact. As Brandon starts the takeaway, his hands stay in front of his chest and the right arm folds as the wrists begin to hinge. AT THE TOP Compact with a full turn This…

The majority of amateurs hit down on the driver and up on their irons. That should be reversed. One of the easiest ways to increase power and accuracy is to shallow out your attack angle. Modern golfers keep their lower body planted and turn a lot in the upper body, but that takes tremendous flexibility and stability. Try letting your left heel come off the ground a little. It will allow your right hip to turn more. Maintain your wrist hinge as long as possible into the downswing. A lot of players lose power by letting it go too early. Also, try using a three-quarter swing to prevent yourself getting too loose and losing power that way. If you could design the perfect golfer they would be tall with long…

Hit 25 three-foot putts, focusing on hitting each one in the centre of the face. The more you hit out the middle, the more you will hole. A centre strike also makes distance control much more predictable. Everyone focuses on contact with the full swing but it’s vital with the putter too. Rather than hitting at the ball, hit through it. You’ll know it by the sound each putt makes. Use tees as gates to swing the putter through – they should be just over the width of your putter head apart. Make sure you don’t hit the tees as you putt. This creates less margin for error and get you swinging the putter straight down the line. Johnson gets killed for his putting all the time but that will…

‘In the space of 20 days, Trevino won three major Opens – and golf’s Triple Crown’ I’m shook up and shot up. I haven’t had any sleep and don’t want to see a golf course this side of tomorrow… or maybe the next day.” Lee Trevino’s musings are generally genial, but on the morning of July 5, 1971, he was feeling pretty testy. Super Mex has just checked into his Southport hotel after flying through the night from Montreal to Manchester. Just 18 hours earlier, he was dueling Art Wall Jnr in a play-off for the Canadian Open. In 48 hours from now, he will be teeing it up at Royal Birkdale – the Open in those days being played Wednesday to Saturday – in a quest to win his…

After his duck-hooked approach to the 72nd green screamed into the crowds down the left of Royal Birkdale’s 18th, Lu Liang Huan approached the gallery fearfully. There, he saw a Mrs Lillian Tipping lying concussed on the ground, a 1.62in dimple mark in her right temple. As the shaken golfer looked down at her, Mrs Tipping’s eyes fluttered open. “Go on Mr Lu,” she croaked. “Get another birdie for me.” The incident encapsulates the incredible warmth Birkdale had for Mr Lu in the summer of ’71. Rarely in the history of the Open Championship has such a popular contestant emerged. Yes, in going head-to-head against the new US Open Champion in the last group the unknown 34-year-old Taiwanese enjoyed natural Underdog privileges – a state of affairs boosted by his…

MASTERED THE SET-UP? Reverse K position Your body position should form a reverse K at address. The hips forward towards the target with the right hip higher than the eft so you look like a backwards K. This good position at address helps create the correct body movement in the backswing. Wide, solid stance Your feet should be shoulder width apart (or even slightly wider) to give you a solid base from which you can control an athletic movement with the wide arc and big turn you need for a powerful driver swing. Ball inside left heel Pay special attention to your ball position because it can easily slip. You want the ball opposite the inside of the left heel so you make contact slightly from the inside and with…

Q I have a limited budget. Should I pay more for new clubs with the latest technology or save a bit of cash by buying clubs that are a year or two old? BEN STOTT, LONDON New technology alone will not necessarily be better than what you have, so it all depends if the clubs’ improved features are beneficial and relevant to how you hit the ball. Get a proper club analysis from an experienced fitter so you can make an informed decision on the best clubs for your game, irrespective of how old they are. Q I love my wedges but they don’t spin as much as they used to. Can I get the grooves sharpened or do I buy new wedges? PHIL McGARRY, BEDFORDSHIRE Having a club you…

Callaway Apex Pro ‘Quadruple net forging’ means each iron is struck four times during the forging process to reduce the need for grinding and polishing, so improving the consistency of the entire face and the results it delivers. Perimeter weighting assists off-centre strikes. TaylorMade PSi Tour Positioned vertically in the toe and heel of the face of the 3-7-irons, face slots are designed to help the face flex on toe and heel strikes, improving ball speeds and distance consistency across the face. The speed pocket does the same job for low strikes. Cobra King Forged CB/MB Strike consistency has been targetted by refining the structure of the metal grain through five-stage forging. Off-centre ball speeds are protected by subtle perimeter weighting, while a tungsten toe weight helps position the sweetspot…

“I visited the site back in 2006 and could instantly see in my mind’s eye the course that I wanted to create. After carefully studying the topography and weather conditions of the site, and with experience of playing top golf courses around the globe, my Greg Norman Design associates and I produced the plan. “Today, I regard The Wave as one of the finest golf courses we have created anywhere in the world. We were very privileged to work on such a great parcel of land and I was confident that once completed, it would be one of the finer golf courses I have been involved with anywhere. “The Wave was a wonderful venue for the European Challenge Tour event. It’s situated in a spectacular setting on the shores of…

Michael Bailey Away from the Top 100-ranked courses, look to Wallasey – laid out over land that is less flat than nearby Hoylake. To score well, do not assume driver is required off the tee as rough and tactical bunkering often awaits. The course is easy on the eye with undulating fairways that thread through dunes. It’s probably not far away from a Top 100 spot. As well as being the home of Stableford, there is lots of history in the clubhouse, including what is thought to be the sole signed portrait of Bobby Jones, who qualified here before winning The Open in 1930. Shorter than the other courses in the area and surrounded by Formby itself, Formby Ladies provides a great setting for a thought-provoking round, with small greens…