Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2017 i Golf World

At face value, the recent decision by the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers to open Muirfield’s membership to both genders was a step in the right direction for the game of golf. But while it’s good news that women will now be able to apply to join and, one presumes, be accepted and welcomed into the club, the whole process still left a distinctly unpleasant taste in the mouth. Unfortunately, the announcement last month by Muirfield’s club captain Henry Fairweather was not the result of a band of misguided souls finally seeing the light – it was a tactic to bring the Open Championship back to the Edinburgh suburbs. After all, the members who voted for equality this time around were the very same group who overwhelmingly decided to maintain…

When Rickie Fowler tapped in a short putt to win February’s Honda Classic, he became the fifth player with an average driving distance of over 300 yards to win on the PGA Tour in the first 15 events of this season. This is not so newsworthy until you discover two things. First, a decade ago, just three men with an average driving distance of 300 yards or more tasted victory during the entire 2007 PGA Tour season. Second, when you remember that Justin Thomas has three victories in 2016/17 and Hideki Matsuyama two, it means that eight of the PGA Tour’s first 15 events were won by stars who launch it more than 300 yards off the tee. This is a massive jump from the previous two seasons (see graphic…

Tom Doak is arguably the most revered architect of the last 25 years, building some of the most inspirational and aspirational courses across the world. Yet while he has built a GB&I Top 100 course in The Renaissance Club in East Lothian, his work in these isles is relatively sparse – which is ironic, given that it was a year spent studying our courses as a student architect that shaped his design philosophy. That, however, is set to change, with the American poised to leave a conspicuous mark on golf in Britain through his comprehensive renovation of the Hotchkin at Woodhall Spa. The club felt its infamous bunkering required attention and that the course had become hemmed in by trees, gorse and broom. Six holes a year are being tackled…

When Evnroll was founded in 2015 by putter designer Guerin Rife and PGA pro Stephen Riley, its aim was to design a putter that would eliminate mishits by broadening the sweetspot – creating ‘the sweetest face in golf’. The key to this is a revolutionary mill pattern across the face, which progressively alters the size of the grooves to increase the contact surface with the ball at impact as you move further from the centre. They claim this replaces the energy loss on mishits and increases the size of the sweetspot by up to three-quarters of an inch on either side, so off-centre strikes roll virtually the same distance. What’s more, they also claim the inward ‘V’ shape of the grooves redirects mishits back to the centre so the ball…

‘I missed my landing spot by inches and instead of having a good look at birdie, I walked off with bogey’ By the time you read this column I’ll either be in my final prep stages for the Masters, playing in the Tournament itself or reflecting on my week at Augusta. Hopefully it’s the latter and I’m in a great mood because I’ve got a nice new Green Jacket in the wardrobe! Seriously, though, although it’s difficult not to get excited about the Masters, as a player it’s also important not to get too pumped up. When your career as a golfer is largely judged on your performances in the four major championships over the years, it is very easy to start placing too much emphasis on these events, sometimes…

I have a tendency to get sloppy with my posture at address. I lose height when I fail to set up properly. This makes it a lot harder to make a nice wide backswing and keep the body and arms working together throughout the swing. You might get away with it in the shorter clubs but you’ll really struggle in the longer clubs, especially with the driver. A swing that is lacking in width both going back and coming through is going to ‘leak’ distance. If your body and the club are at all restricted at impact it stands to reason you’re never going to be able to release the club fully through the ball. You need to create room to do that. Athletic posture Standing taller with a more…

Everyone knows that I use my 3-wood off the tee a lot more than most other players. I’m more confident and consistent taking this approach, although I can still get the driver out there if I feel I need to. Taking this approach has seen me rank inside the top 15 on the PGA Tour in driving accuracy for the last four seasons and I still average over 290 yards off the tee. I’m able to do this by building an efficient technique that builds power from the ground up and enables me to deliver the clubhead with precision and consistency. These tips will help you improve your swing whatever club you use. DOWNSWING Unwind the coil from the ground Like everything else, this starts from the ground up too.…

It’s a fact of golfing life that you’re not always going to find a good lie around the greens. In fact, it’s very rare to get a perfect lie. Whether it’s a bit of a muddy lie in winter, a bare patch in the summer or the ball is simply sitting down a little, this is a trick I use to ensure I make a solid contact with the ball and get it releasing safely and predictably towards the hole. Ball in the toe Set up with the clubface a little closed and the ball off the toe. The closed face helps ensure solid contact while hitting the ball slightly out the toe enables you to swing a little harder, which is better when the ball is lying less…

An iconic country estate set beneath the beautiful Ochil Hills, The Gleneagles Hotel has been a gathering place, a golfer’s paradise, and a luxury destination for nearly a century. Just one hour from Glasgow and Edinburgh airports and with its own railway station, it is the perfect retreat for relaxation, adventure and fun. The 850-acre estate epitomises Scotland’s famed natural beauty and is a playground of country pursuits. You can play golf on three championship courses, including 2014 Ryder Cup and 2019 Solheim Cup host The PGA Centenary, fly a Harris Hawk, ride horses, play tennis, go off-roading, train gundogs, shoot game, fish, enjoy Michelin-starred dining, or relax in an award-winning spa. The prize includes: • Two-night stay for two in a stunning Estate twin or double room • A…

‘I looked at the leaderboard and saw Jordan had dropped shots at 10 and 11. APRIL 4, 2016 “From cloud nine to Augusta, Georgia” I went to the Masters on cloud nine. My first son had been born a few days earlier and I’d spent those days looking after him, changing nappies and all that before I flew out. The timing couldn’t have been better, really. If the birth had been any later, my preparation would have been disturbed and cut short. As it turned out, I was able to enjoy my time at home and then fly out feeling fresh and without any real pressure. It was very different major preparation! I left the family behind and flew out on the Monday, not really concerned with the golf side…

If good things really do come to those who wait, as we’ve always been lead to believe, then Tommy Fleetwood could well be walking away in a green blazer come Sunday night of the Masters. Tipped for greatness since his amateur days, Fleetwood’s star appeared in the ascendency after his maiden European Tour title in 2013. That victory was supposed to kick-start a push towards major glory, yet the push never came. He climbed to the edge of the world’s top 50 by the end of 2014, but couldn’t win again and soon began to stall. Having missed out on making a Masters debut by a fraction of a ranking point in 2015 – beaten to it by a certain D Willett – his game soon unravelled. By last September…

How often does the make-up of your set tend to change? Quite a lot. And more when I’m on the tour and have access to the Wilson truck. I’m not a huge tinkerer when it comes to the shafts and specs of my clubs – they are pretty much set in stone. But whenever they come out with new irons or drivers I’ll always give them a go. I like the thrill of trying new stuff to see if it’s better than what I already have. The only ‘old’ club in my bag is my 3-wood. It’s maybe eight or nine years old. But I’m not too sentimental when it comes to my clubs. Do you switch between hybrids and long irons depending on conditions? No. I know others do,…

‘The Z-Star was the firmest on and around the green. On the shorter chips it ran out consistently with less of a tendency to ‘bite’ excessively and potentially come up short’ TaylorMade TP5x Compression: 90 Construction: 5-piece Colour options: White Price: £44.99 Srixon Z-Star XV Compression: 105 Construction: 4-piece Colour options: White, yellow Price: £44.99 Callaway Chrome Soft X Compression: 90 Construction: 4-piece Colour options: White, yellow, Tru-Vis Price: £32.99 Ask the question which technology story has made the biggest difference to a golfer’s performance over the last decade and we’ll tell you without blinking an eye that the golf ball wins hands down. Advances in aerodynamics, construction and materials have combined to drive the dimpled golf ball to the top of the technology tree when it comes to game-changing…

For anyone wondering why we (and others) release refreshed ranking lists of the Top 100 courses in countries and continents on a regular basis, the following 40+ pages should provide conclusive explanation. With more depth and significance than I can recall being the case previously, this Top 100 is dominated by courses that have or are being renovated, which has implications for any credible ranking. It makes life a little more difficult for us, but also more exciting. It means our panel must find the time to re-visit those overhauled courses to assess the changes, but it also means those courses are likely to be intriguingly improved and therefore that the ranking is more fluid and interesting as a result. You might scoff at me suggesting replaying Top 100 courses…

XX Name Of The Course Town, County. Designer/s. Design x Setting x Playability x Holes x Presentation x Consistencyx TOTAL X IT’S LIKE An indication of the sort of course it is, which might help you decide if you’d like to play it. We’ve tried not to simply list sister courses and neighbours. Panellist views Descriptions of the course along with its strengths and sometimes weaknesses. These opinions really are insightful and worth reading. GW VERDICT An assessment of why the course has moved, summarising the panel’s sentiments as well as an appreciation of the course’s appeal.…

Favourite courses? In no particular order: Sunningdale Old, the Duke’s at Woburn, and Royal Birkdale. Favourite five holes? The 10th at The Belfry. The 10th at Sunningdale Old. The 3rd at Woburn (Duke’s). The 6th at North Wilts. The 13th at Broome Manor. The tee shot you dread? On Tour, the Forest of Arden’s 9th. Get it wrong and you face a seven. Toughest approach to 18? That would be Wentworth going for the green in two, danger lurking but short enough to force you to go for it. Of all the changes to the West, this is the best. The scariest par 3? The 6th at North Wilts. It’s England’s ‘Postage Stamp’, 120 yards long, perched on top of a hill with a bomb crater one side and a…

BIRKDALE Royal Birkdale is probably just my favourite. It’s a great test but it is incredibly fair. Most of the fairways are flat but it tests most aspects of your game. I think if you’re a good driver of the ball, you can take on a few of the holes there. It’s obviously had some length added to it in the time I’ve been going there for Opens, which makes it quite a lengthy, demanding test. It’s probably in the top three Open venues for me personally. Carnoustie is a big favourite of mine, and Birkdale and Muirfield would be my other two choices. Royal Lytham is very closely behind. • Lee Westwood is a 10-time Ryder Cup player.…

HOLLINWELL My favourite course overall is the Blue at Congressional Country Club in Maryland, where Rory won his US Open. It’s just a strong, fantastic test of golf. But in England I will go for Notts Golf Club, known as Hollinwell, and of the Open venues, Royal Birkdale in Southport. Hollinwell is a course that just fits my eye. Sometimes there is no reason for it, but that does it for me. It is actually very picturesque but it’s more than that for me, it allows you to see your shots and where you need to put the ball. That’s what a good golf course does. It’s a really lovely environment to play the game in, I always think even the drive down to the club is lovely. Ok, there…

WOBURN I know this goes against what most people say – everyone always seems to insist that they prefer links – but my favourite type of courses are parklands So with that in mind, some of my favourites in England are the three courses at Woburn. I just love standing on the tee and looking down the tree-lined fairways – it probably comes from being brought up on those type of courses, before I started playing more links in the bigger amateur events in England. I really enjoy all of the courses at Woburn actually – to have three that good is so impressive – but probably my favourite is the Duchess’. It’s just a fantastic, tight course that is short but is still tough because it is so narrow.…

Tom Doak’s revamp will be “subtle yet transformative”, says secretary Tuck Clagett. Did one key reason lead to the renovation? Just an honest approach about what St Enodoc should do to keep moving forward. Hence the idea of an audit by someone who had a total understanding of links. We started with the approach of a two-day review, asking them to comment on a variety of items such as: overall presentation, cut lines, bunker presentation, playability issues, green shapes, collection areas, There was the assumption this would spin out additional ideas – and that would be exciting. Did you invite other presentations? No. I had a few conversations with some very good names about the concept, which was well supported. Why Tom Doak? Tom is no stranger to St Enodoc.…

Every Open course offers different challenges. Every course has its own strategy, and I’m not sure if one Open venue is really very similar to another. They’re all quite different and distinctive in their own particular way. At Royal St George’s, some of the greens are in parts a little bit more severe than at other Open Championship venues. I feel some of the hardest holes have some of the hardest greens, and I feel some of the easier holes have some of the flatter greens, which is a little counterintuitive and strikes me as a different way of doing it. There are so very few tournaments we play where the golf is anything even similar to what you face at Sandwich. It’s a different set of circumstances, different grasses,…

 100 Knole Park ‘The Centurion is one of the finest courses to be built in Britain in the past 25 years’ 99 Foxhills (Longcross) 98 King’s Lynn 97 North Hants 96 Kington 95 Chart Hills 94 Camberley Heath 93 Cavendish 92 Berkhamsted 91 Fulford 90 Goodwood (Downs) 89 Saunton (West) 88 Luffenham Heath 87 Stoke Park 86 Sheringham 85 Close House 84 Ashridge 83 Trevose 82 Woodbridge 81 Stoneham 80 Coombe Hill 79 Seascale 78 The Wisley (Church & Mill) 77 Tandridge 76 Royal North Devon 75 Blackmoor 74 Hindhead 73 Isle of Purbeck 72 St Annes Old Links 71 Bearwood Lakes 70 Delamere Forest 69 The Centurion Club 68 Crowborough Beacon 67 Perranporth 66 Goswick 65 Ipswich 64 Littlestone 63 Blackwell 62 Huntercombe 61 Hayling Island 60 Wallasey 59…

It used to be, not all that long ago, that reaching the top of golf’s world rankings really meant something. In eras gone by, it was a fulfilment of youthful promise, a validation of the endless hours spent finely honing your game and a badge of honour that only a select few would ever wear. Judging by the recent elevation of Dustin Johnson to world number one, however, such romantic notions may well be outdated. Having dethroned Jason Day with victory at the Genesis Open on February 20, Johnson admitted that he hadn’t even been thinking about taking over at the top. “I wasn’t really thinking about my world ranking,” he admitted. “I look at the world golf rankings but it’s not like my goal... I want to win the…

1 The cause of Tiger’s fast hip speed – and his major swing fault Throughout his career, Tiger has had a tendency to get the club ‘stuck’ behind him in the downswing when his hips spin out too quickly. The problem came from using his father’s cut-down clubs. The shafts were the correct length but too heavy. As a result, he had to create all his power with his body. 2 Earl’s military-style training Tiger’s father Earl Woods (below) has often been criticised for the extreme lengths he went to in order to develop Tiger’s mental toughness. However, Tiger says he volunteered for what his father called “Psychological warfare” and “prisoner of war” techniques. Earl would deliberately use a lot of profanity when Tiger was hitting balls, sometimes saying “F***…

You first visited the club during your gap year. Did that give you an affection for the Hotchkin? That’s when I got to know the golf course and really like it. I was in St Andrews and I wrote a letter to the secretary asking if it would it be possible to vist. I got a letter back from (his son) Neil Hotchkin! That set it apart right away – that the family still owned it and he was still very active here. What did you enjoy about the course back then? Obviously, the thing that sets it apart are the bunkers – and how deep and nasty they are. They are unexpected because you drive 40 miles in any direction and it is so flat. Plus the fact it…

FIT FOR A CHAMPIION Seafood paella Phil Mickelson 2011 Moreton Bay Bugs Adam Scott 2014 Elk and wild boar Mike Weir 2004 PERHAPS NOT SO MUCH... Fish & chips Nick Faldo 1997 Cheeseburgers, French fries , milkshake Tiger Woods 1998 Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding Danny Willett 2017 “We need a bit of northern England in the champions dinner,” Willett told GW recently. When pushed he said: “Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding – a good old Sunday dinner with all the trimmings.”…

On March 2, 2017, the game lost one of its most colourful characters with the passing of Simon Hobday, aged 76. The South African made his name winning the South African Open in 1971, holding off Gary Player to win by a stroke, but he forged his reputation for his what might best be described as a ‘maverick’ approach to the game. Here, in tribute, we allow the great man to explain... “I was playing at Wentworth one year and I was leading the tournament, but during the last round I putted like a dog. I was so bloody cross but couldn’t get rid of the anger because there was a big crowd following me and Seve Ballesteros. On the 12th hole, I gave my putter the yellow card. I…

‘When you settle down to view the Masters, remember that what you are actually watching is an exciting but perplexing mix of manipulation and point-missing’ Predicting the winning score at Augusta National is never easy. Since the millennium, only one particular aggregate for 72 holes has claimed a green jacket more than twice. That, if you are interested, is 276 – or 12-under par. Strangely, 11-under has never won in this century. Neither has 13-under. Or seven-under. Or six-under. Or four-under. Yet on only five occasions has the best score been outside the 276-283 range. Clearly, it takes something exceptional – either meteorological or from a player – to break that trend. Having said all that, it is a safe bet that chairman Billy Payne and his henchmen – who…

Most amateurs hit poor shots from the rough because they try something totally unrealistic – usually trying to hit a mid or long iron from a lie that not even a tour pro would attempt the shot from. Sometimes you can go for the green but check the lie before you decide on your club. If it’s a bad lie, be smart and get the ball back into play. But if you’ve got a reasonable lie you can go for it. Adjust your set-up and technique depending on whether it’s sitting up or down, as I describe below. When it’s sitting down… Favour your left side with your weight and move the ball a fraction further back in your stance to encourage a steeper swing that will get the clubhead…

It’s a well-known fact that the 40-yard bunker shot is one of the most difficult in the game. Not even the top professionals look forward to that length of shot from the sand! The reason it’s so tough is because creating the right contact and judging the distance the ball will fly and release is one of the hardest aspects of golf, especially when it’s longer than your standard greenside bunker splash shot. In fact, getting down in three shots from a position like this is never bad effort even for a tour pro. Normal bunker technique Open the clubface a little, align your body just left of target and put the ball just forward of centre. A normal swing and contact two or three inches before the ball…

My biggest aim for the position at the top of my backswing is always to create width through the ‘range’ of my left arm. To achieve that, think of turning your right hip on the backswing. If that is restricted, the end result is inevitably a top of the backswing position that is too tilted – or what I call ‘reversed’. From this lack of width at the top, the club won’t have the room to swing freely and naturally in the downswing and through impact. When that is the case, you’ll tend to block the ball to the right. But if you turn correctly behind the ball on the backswing – with a proper coil – you can maintain your spine angle through impact and create a lot more…

“On at least half-a-dozen occasions during a round, I used to have my caddie and coach Colin Swatton read a putt and I’d then ask him what he saw. At the start of 2015, he suggested I should read all the putts. At the time I was like, ‘What?!’ But he told me he thought it would challenge me to gather more information and help me become more committed to my stroke. The point Col made was that if we’re both reading putts, it’ll either confirm what I’m already thinking, or it will create confusion. Obviously, you don’t want the second one. “We’re both good at reading greens, but the difference is Col has no idea how I’m feeling standing over the ball and how hard I’m going to hit…

Your equipment should make you a better golfer. The technology in each club and the make-up of your bag should enhance what you do well, minimise what you don’t and help you hit longer, straighter and more consistent shots. But too many golfers still aren’t getting the most for their considerable investment. Amongst the minefield of marketing and options, how do you know what clubs will really help you shoot lower scores? Here, Kit Alexander, club fitter Derek Murray and a host of industry experts identify the 29 questions that will lead you to the clubs and ball that really are right for you.…

7 What head shape will suit me best? The type of golfer you are, visual preference and type of courses you play will dictate the ideal clubs for you. Chunkier hybrid Golfer profile: This is the most forgiving head shape so it’s ideal for slower swingers and players who struggle to get their mid and longer irons in the air. It will launch the ball high and generate plenty of back spin. This makes it especially useful for approach shots into greens but you can lose some distance off the tee. Visual preference: The larger head does suit someone who prefers to look down at woods, but remember you still have to hit down on it like an iron. Course conditions: The wider sole is excellent in wetter conditions and…

The reason for Thomas Pieters’ easygoing confidence might not be clear, but its value in a game of negligible margins is conspicuous. It’s wholly authentic too, not a false mask for doubts and insecurities. Hard facts back the demeanour up: a star amateur in Belgium; a glittering American college stint; a seamless European Tour assimilation; three wins within two years; then THAT Ryder Cup debut. Aesthetics do too; his dynamic action standing out even when viewed alongside a range of elite golfers. Pieters sounds the real deal, looks the real deal and has performed like the real deal. He is major-lite so far though, with just two – The Open and US PGA – on his CV. In April, he’ll make his debut at Augusta – “of course, it’s a…

Jordan Spieth His record of one win and two runner-up finishes in his three visits to the first major of the season is incredible, but his collapse on the short 12th last year is sure to have left some scar tissue. He did birdie that hole a couple of times on a recent visit to Augusta with friends, but it will be a very different proposition when he knows the world is watching in tournament play. He’s still stastically one of the best putters in the world and he’s second on the PGA Tour in ‘strokes gained - approach to the green’ this season. Matt Fitzpatrick Fitzy doesn’t necessarily jump out as a golfer who possesses a game that suits Augusta National, but he’s also a player who doesn’t really…

Rickie Fowler had a couple of new clubs at the top and bottom end of his bag for his Honda Classic win. His Cobra King F7+ driver had a shorter 43.5-inch shaft and a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 prototype putter helped him go 57-for-57 on putts inside seven feet and pick up 1.848 strokes per round on the greens. Jaco Van Zyl used the Cleveland Smart Square Stubby in the Joburg Open. The Stubby is actually a training aid that is a single square roughly the same width as a golf ball. Ross Fisher finished an impressive T3 the first week he put a red TaylorMade Spider Tour putter into play at the WGC – Mexico Championship. He ranked fourth in ‘strokes gained – putting’ for the week and admitted…

Srixon Z-Star XV The Z-Star first appeared in 2009 in a standard and firmer X version. Following an initial upgrade in 2011, 2013 saw the introduction of the XV name for the firmer ball and the start of the Energetic Gradient Growth core, or E.G.G as it is abbreviated to. 2015 saw the E.G.G. covered in the first Spin Skin cover, which is a coating applied to the soft neo-urethane cover to increase spin and improve short game performance. The Spin Skin cover has been further enhanced in the 2017 version and there’s a new 338 dimple pattern for a more penetrating flight and straighter shots in wind. TaylorMade TP5x TaylorMade branded balls have been around since 1999, but the company really became serious about the market when it bought…

How would you rate Cavendish compared to, say, Notts or one of the Southport links? I wouldn’t really want to ‘rate’ Cavendish like that – Notts is a very different heathland and is a stronger challenge in some respects, but, Cavendish is, in my opinion, the toughest 5,750-yard par-68 course I have played. This is based on the undulating topography and the very well protected and contoured greens that confound you every time. Southport courses stand out on their own – but may not be quite as much fun to play. What aspects appeal most about it? The landscape (Peak District) setting, the fescue fairways, the undulating greens, the tricky bunker positions, the water features on the 4th, 5th, 9th and 18th, the fast-flowing River Wye across/ alongside 10 and…

‘They played St Enodoc and Westward Ho! – a very different experience for Americans! – and they really loved it’ There are a bunch of little pockets of great golf all over Britain and Ireland but pretty consistently I advise friends who are travelling over the Atlantic from America to come to England. It’s there, in my opinion, that you’ll find the most underrated courses. I think that is the case mainly because they are not exposed like the Scottish and Irish ones are and have been. For two generations people have been marketing golf tours to Ireland and Scotland, but not England for some reason. Maybe it is because it is a little bigger and more spread out. I also suppose that at least some of the clubs are…

I’ve not played as much as I’d like in England but I love Birkdale – it is just so good. There is not one single hole that I don’t like. It has so many strong holes and excitement. I value above all else fun, memorability, beauty, quirkiness and heroic shot values. If difficulty is the main attribute, it doesn’t do much for me. A great ‘sleeper’ course is Royal Cinque Ports – seriously good. And St George’s next door is so much fun. Next month: Shipnuck’s (many) Scottish favourites. • Alan Shipnuck is America’s leading golf writer, for Sports Illustrated and Golf.com.…

Four greens have been rebuilt completely – the 8th, 11th, 14th, 16th – five have been partially rebuilt – the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 12th and 15th – while the other nine have been stripped and replaced by a new grass species. All the bunkering has been re-done, with 29 removed in a bid to try to reintroduce some of the old Harry Colt strategy. For example, one of the two bunkers left of 13th was taken out. Same on the 16th. You will also now always have an opportunity to play to the pin – I think one of the criticisms was that too often due to the height of the bunkers and surrounding mounds, you didn’t always have that. The bunkering will look different [on the approach], with a…

Royal Liverpool’s characteristic is not too much trickery. It’s not like a Royal St George’s, where the ball can bounce from left to right and you’re always having to play inventive, creative shots and really accept the luck of the bounce. At Hoylake, everything is a little bit more predictable from that perspective. But if there is a 15, 20-mile-an-hour breeze across the course, it is a great test of golf from a ball-striking point of view. If you take care of the par 5s, I think that goes a long way to scoring well at Hoylake, but you can look at them both ways. They can really be tough par 4s, depending on the wind direction. But if some of them are into the wind, they’re legitimate par 5s.…

I’ve got a special relationship with Birkdale that actually goes back to 1989. I won the Lawrence Batley Invitational, which went on to be the English Classic, there that year. Then I went back in ’91, knowing I’d played well in that European event, and was in the final group with Ian Baker-Finch. I was tied for the lead after three rounds, and finished 3rd – so I already had a real taste for the course when I went back in ’98 as The Masters champ. That week worked out just perfectly for me, and I’ve always liked going back to the club and its course. Everyone talks about ‘major changes’ since I won in 1998 but I think the course has only been lengthened by a couple of hundred…

WHAT IF... I have to hit a hybrid from rough Hybrids are fantastic for shots out the rough because the shape of the head slides through the long grass easier than an iron. You can actually advance the ball further from lies that would have only allowed you to play a mid or short-iron before rescues were invented. Prevent the ball coming out low and left by opening the clubface a little at address to counteract the grass wrapping around the hosel and closing the face through impact. The ball position is centre or just forward and shift your hands a touch further forward at address to promote a steeper attack that minimises the grass trapped between the clubface and ball at impact. By Enric Lopez WHAT IF... It’s a…

‘My earliest memory was going on the go-karts when I was three... and wanting to win. That hasn’t left me’ How close have you come to death? When I unfortunately crashed my car on the A80 from Stirling down to Glasgow. The Ryder Cup was in the boot so it must have been 2010. Somebody fell asleep travelling in the other direction, came across the road and hit me head on. I thought my number was up. It gives you a bit of a different perspective when something like that happens. You go home that night and count your blessings. What’s your earliest childhood memory? Going on the go-karts at Troon beach when I was about three. And I wanted to win! That hasn’t left me 50 years on. Who…

UP Adam Hadwin Canadian wins Valspar Championship, secures place at Masters, thus forcing the rearrangement of honeymoon to French Polynesia. His wife says she understands. Brett Stanford YouTube ‘star’ belittles your best ever putt by draining one from 135.67 yards – a new world record. Anything less is now considered underwhelming. Jordan Spieth You know you’ve made it when someone names a racehorse after you. The other Jordan is a four-year-old chestnut stallion with a fine record of five wins in his 11 races. Arnold Palmer The city of Orlando changes the name of its State Road 408 to the more impressive sounding ‘Arnold Palmer Expressway’. Gone but not forgotten… DOWN Arnold Palmer The first Arnold Palmer Invitational since his death sees only 10 of the world’s top 25 turn…

“I know the number of voices calling for a modernisation of the rules have been growing in recent years, but I have to admit, I haven’t been one of them. Sure, there’s the odd archaic or strange ruling, but I’ve always been sympathetic to how complicated golf is. There are unlimited possibilities for what might happen every time you take a swing and send that little white sphere off into nature, so it’s miraculous that golf is as fair and consistent as it is. Having said that, I was very positive when I initially read the proposed changes. It’s good to see the R&A and USGA taking a proactive approach to improving the game for existing players and making it more accessible for prospective golfers. Simplifying the language used is…

“After any lengthy lay off, I’d always suggest you have your technique checked and assessed by your local professional, just to make sure you’re happy with your basics,” says Damian Taylor, coach to Bernd Wiesberger and Daniel Brooks. “When you’re happy with the basics, make time to focus on four key aspects. These are drills I work with my clients on and which should improve your game.” PUTTING Start line and speed “Find a straight putt on your putting green. Place a ball marker in the ground as your starting spot and put a tee peg in the ground 10ft away. Hit a few putts to the tee peg to get some feel for 10ft speed, then move the peg out to 20ft, then 30ft, then 40ft. To hone your…

Danny Willett Age 29 World ranking 14 Odds 66/1 Expert view “Danny has struggled since last year’s win. Even if he had been in better form, it’s hard to imagine him winning back to back green jackets.” Justin Rose Age 36 WR 13 Odds 28/1 Expert view “A model of consistency at Augusta, expect a fast start from Justin – he’s led three times after 18 holes – but perhaps not a charge for the green jacket.” Paul Casey Age 39 WR 15 Odds 50/1 Expert view: “Another man whose game is very well suited to Augusta. In 10 career starts, Paul Casey has five top 11 finishes and a 4th and 6th for the last two years. I’d consider him to be a lively outside bet.” Tyrrell Hatton Age…

Should Muirfield have been returned to The Open rota after voting to admit women at the second attempt? @E_MERRYMAN They should only return to the rota when they actually have some playing women members. @ONEILLMATTY Yes, it should be about the course and not the members who play their golf on that course. @MARC_AHLERS Yes of course. They made a mistake and fixed it. @TWOPUTTSHAKUR Maybe, but make sure they’re sent right to the back of the line. @FIELD_MARK It seems the only reason they voted yes. Muirfield should be excluded for a while, see how they like it! @PETERMAYFITZ Muirfield members should hang their heads in shame that they gave into the Bully boys from the R&A. Join in the Twitter conversation at: @golfworld1…

I like to keep things simple when I’m putting. My only focus during the stroke is keeping the back of my left wrist as flat as possible. This keeps the putter head swinging along the target line and the face square to your target. It’s a lot easier to start the ball on line and putt consistently with a stroke that keeps the face square to your target and on a straight path rather than a technique with a curved path and face rotation. I also recommend amateurs use a forward press to start their stroke because it’s a great way to go from static and tense to dynamic and relaxed. Hold the finish Try holding your follow-through to build a smooth rhythm, encourage a straight path and check that…

There aren’t many par 5s that aren’t a decent eagle opportunity for the bigger hitters on tour but scoring well on these longer holes is no easy task for most club golfers. Your strategy all depends on whether you can reach the green in two. If you can then it’s worth taking on the more difficult drive. But if you can’t, there’s simply no point. Take the safer tee shot and put yourself in a good position for your third. Plan back from the green to give yourself the best chance to make a birdie without hitting any shots that you aren’t totally comfortable with. Allow for the slope This is a tricky driving hole with seven bunkers in your landing area and a fairway that slopes noticeably from left-to-right.…

‘THERE ARE ALWAYS PLAYERS IN THE TEAM THAT YOU CAN’T BE DIRECT WITH’ On his good days – of which there are many – Thomas Bjorn is one of the best interviews in golf. Opinionated. Intelligent. Interested. Rounded. The 46-year-old Dane ticks a lot of boxes, the latest of which is his appointment as the next European Ryder Cup captain. Only the fourth continental citizen to be given the job, Bjorn will next year lead the Old World into the biennial battle with those pesky colonials at Le Golf National just outside Paris. It is a role which his intellect and temperament suit perfectly. Speaking of which, Bjorn can also be, when the mood darkens and those distinctively bushy eyebrows furrow, one of the worst interviews. Fortunately, I don’t have…

“The first thing myself and Colin do every week on the practice putting green at a tour event is calibrate my putting set-up. I use a mirror on the ground and a device we call ‘the guru’. This makes sure my left eye is over the top of the ball and slightly inside the target line. “This is the optimum position for me to see the putt without any parallax – the effect where the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions. In simple terms, if your head and eyes aren’t in the correct position over the ball, you won’t be able to accurately see a straight line to the hole. “You must address the ball in a way that enables you to…

WE TRIED IT... ‘I thought it might be beyond my ability but I was pleasantly surprised by how well and consistently I hit it’ Kit Alexander, Senior Editor TaylorMade P770 irons The P770 irons have been engineered to deliver a true Tour iron for highly-skilled players while also offering enough playability for low-handicappers. The compact head only has a small amount of offset, a thin top line and shorter blade lengths. Despite the smaller head, the designers were able to include lots of performance-enhancing technology. The 3 to 7-irons have a 70g back-bar weight, a shallower face profile and a shorter hosel to lower the centre of gravity. The face thickness is also tapered so the upper portion is thinner but thickened in the bottom near impact for a…

Callaway Chrome Soft X HEX Aerodynamics produce a more piercing and workable flight and an ultra-thin urethane cover delivers feel and control. The DualFast Core is designed to create faster ball speeds in the long game and more control in the short game. An advanced Tri-ionomer mantle promotes optimum spin from every club in the bag. TaylorMade TP5x Long shots are hit hard enough to compress the core for maximum ball speeds but wedge shots don’t activate the core so you get consistency, feel and control. The Tri-Fast Core consists of a very low compression inner core and a progressively stiffer outer core and mantle. The DualSpin cover is an ultra-soft urethane cover and rigid TP inner cover that creates more short game spin. Srixon Z-Star XV The third generation…

Chris Bertram Why he’s a panellist: GW’s Courses editor has played 86 in the list. Hcp: 11 Peter Bosworth Why he’s a panellist: Hellidon Lakes member has played 98 of the 100. Hcp: 14 Dale Concannon Why he’s a panellist: Golf author has played 92/100 & many key contenders. Hcp: 7 Nick Dungay Why he’s a panellist: Singing Hills member has played over 88 in the list. Hcp: 11 Stuart Edginton Why he’s a panellist: Ladbrook Park member’s played 71/100 & many contenders. Hcp: 12 Simon Haines Why he’s a panellist: Copt Heath member is a serious golf architecture buff. Hcp: 3 Clyde Johnson Why he’s a panellist: St Andrews member is a designer and shaper. Hcp: 8 Ian MacDonald Why he’s a panellist: Ramside Hall member has played 72/100.…

It’s hard not to recommend Seaton Carew and Goswick to visitors to the North East. Seaton is a very sturdy links which features 22 holes and gives the club five different playing options. Dr Alister MacKenzie’s 17th is worth the fee alone. Close to the border is Goswick. It’s a links I am sure we would hear more about if it was surrounded by more top-ranked courses. A true links with rugged dunes, great turf and a wide variety of holes. Further inland, both Brancepeth Castle and Hexham deserve more credit. Brancepeth, many years ago, was my introduction to Harry Colt, and with most of his courses the par 3s are normally the stand outs; the 9th at Brancepeth is the pick. Designed by CK Cotton, Hexham is a real…

My favourite par 3 in England is the 6th at West Sussex. I think it might be my favourite in Britain, it’s just a brilliant, hard hole. For a lot of people, par 3s are the most memorable holes... because they are the easiest to photograph! It wasn’t actually a golf course architect who summed it up better than anyone else I’ve talked to, it was Steve Wynn the casino owner who built Shadow Creek with Tom Fazio. He said it is rare in landscape architecture, including on a golf course, that you get to put the person or player right where you want them to stand and look at exactly what you want them to look at. That’s what a par 3 is. On a par 4, you can…

Lindrick will have invested nearly £3m into its course over eight years in order to ensure it remains as one of England’s elite. £2m has been spent already, with a further £750k on work by the end of 2018. Cheshire-based Scot Ken Moodie of Creative Design Ltd has overseen the changes, led by accentuating the ‘dogleg’ on the 4th by adding two fairway bunkers and removing one. Three new blue tees have been added and the fairways remodelled on five holes, introducing eight new bunkers and several mounds to enhance both their playing and visual appeal. In total, 120 bunkers have been remodelled/renewed. Two pedestrian tunnels were built to link the 11th and 12th and the final two holes to reduce the interruption of the road. Moodie says: “The improvements…

HILLSIDE I think Hillside is my favourite in England, but it’s got a lot of competition. The back nine is obviously just sensational with such huge sand dunes to play through and it understandably gets most of the plaudits but I loved the front nine too. It’s just a great all-round links course. I got to semi-finals of the British Amateur at Hillside and I’m told it is fairly similar to Royal Birkdale, where The Open is this year. I’ve never played there funnily enough but if that is the case, I’m really looking forward to that in July. I’m not totally sold on all links though. Sandwich isn’t especially a favourite so I don’t just love everything by the sea. Carnoustie in Scotland is my number one overall though…

Of the thousands of holes in England, which ones would you choose to compile your perfect course? That’s the task we set respected designer Martin Ebert of Mackenzie & Ebert, the firm trusted by the R&A to work on the courses that host The Open. His selections cover all parts of the country and are located inland as well as by the coast – and interestingly they are nearly all on courses that have risen in this Top 100. “There are a lot of par 3s on the front nine – but why not?” says Ebert. “They are all great holes and maybe the ideal 18 should have more par 3s included…” 1st Royal Cinque Ports PAR 4, 418 YARDS Why I like it: If I cannot choose the 1st…

I think it’s pretty cool to have a par-3 opening hole. It’s just so different to what we see at most courses we play. I’ve talked about it with other players and we couldn’t think of one other course where we started on a par 3, other than Westchester in the New York area where we used to play. So it’s not quite unique, but it is certainly distinctive. At Lytham it is important to shape a lot of shots because you have to hold it up into the wind to get the ball to approach the green at the correct angle. Shot making is absolutely so important there. And it is a very big challenge to avoid the bunkers off the tee. But it’s a fun challenge. All 205…