Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2017 i Golf World

When Jordan Spieth carved his ball so far right off the 13th tee during the final round of the Open that it almost landed in a different county, it was just as well that his caddie Michael Greller, a former maths teacher, had a solid grasp of Pythagoras’ theorem. The landing spot of Spieth’s drive turned out to be near the crest of one of the highest dunes on the course. After finding his ball buried in thick fescue, the 24-year-old declared the lie unplayable and, after an eternity spent clearing crowds out the way, decided his best option was to hike all the way back to the driving range knowing he would be granted line-of-sight relief from the Tour trailers that remained in place from earlier in the week.…

UP Jordan Smith A week after the other Jordan won at Birkdale, Jordan Smith seals his first European Tour win in a sudden-death playoff at the Porsche European Open. Bryson DeChambeau A back-nine 30 on Sunday sealed DeChambeau’s first PGA Tour win in the John Deere Classic, and suddenly he’s the rising young star to watch again. Grayson Murray Caddie spats, Playboy models, ranking point rage... we can now talk of Grayson Murray for something noble: the PGA Tour rookie won his first event, the Barbasol Championship. Park Sung-hyun Her first major victory in the Women’s US Open last month was the continuation of a trend. South Koreans have now won seven of the last 10 US Opens. DOWN JP Fitzgerald A bad month for Rory’s caddie: the man who…

‘I’ve said for years that Phil is going to win well into his 50s. My view of that hasn’t changed’ Jim Mackay After 25 years of pounding the fairways alongside Phil Mickelson, the world’s most recognisable caddie has decided to hang up his bag and become an on-course commentator. Here he tells Golf World about his new venture, about the perils of chewing gum, and why he fully expects his old boss to keep on winning well into his 50s. Obvious opener, Bones: why have you made the move into the world of TV – and why now? I was a total golf rat as a kid, and I would watch every event on TV from start to finish. When I became a caddie on the PGA Tour,…

The way we think about golf course design has to evolve. The future is golf courses whose number of holes is dictated not by history or tradition but by the terrain and the resources open to them. If the game is to flourish, courses must reflect and accommodate people’s busy schedules, instead of being predetermined at 18, nine or increments of three or six. Our whole mindset needs to change. As technological breakthroughs, population growth, urbanisation and higher living standards shed new light on our lifestyles and resource use, golf equipment innovation and player athleticism have seemingly done anything but reduce golf’s time and resource consumption, and today, particularly among younger generations, time is key. While much can be said about pace-of-play, raising player awareness of good course etiquette can…

GARY PLAYER Gary Player Design 427 courses worldwide “Around 75 per cent of those courses have involved Mr Player personally, the rest either in collaboration with other designers or under the Black Knight or Player brands.” JACK NICKLAUS Nicklaus Design 410 courses worldwide Jack employs around 20 Design Associates worldwide. “Their task is to ensure Jack’s vision, philosophy and golf course design directive are implemented at each project.” ARNOLD PALMER Arnold Palmer Design 306 courses worldwide Arnie’s designs can be seen in more than 25 countries worldwide but The King was notably hands-off, deferring to his design associates for technical details at course openings. GREG NORMAN Greg Norman Golf Course Design 101 course worldwide While “involved with all of his courses,” only the Signature Design option includes his “personal participation…

Fairway bunker shots and greenside splashes cause amateurs all kinds of problems but they don’t bother Tour pros in the slightest. This is because we are used to hitting the ball slightly before the turf and so, on full-length shots from the sand, we can simply use our regular swing. And on those short-range splashes we know how to adjust our body angles and use the sole of the sand wedge to judge height and distance. Turn the page to see how I play both types of shot. THE LONG-RANGE SHOT Hold your head high and reduce knee flex The one thing you’re trying to avoid here is catching the ball heavy. Take too much sand and you’ll take yards off your shot. A slightly ‘thin’ contact is the better…

You have to be a strong driver to compete on Tour these days. Everybody’s so fit and strong, you have to hit it around 300 yards off the tee just to keep up. But I’m a big believer in the importance of accuracy. If I’m hitting my approach shots from the short grass, I’ve got a much better chance of controlling the distance I want and imparting the spin I need to stop the ball close to the pin. Here are four key driver swing thoughts I use, which will help you hit it longer and straighter, too. 1 Be specific about your target One of the big reasons I’m so accurate off the tee is because I’m very specific with my targets – where I want the ball to…

I’m a very accurate driver and iron player because I swing with very good balance. A great way to improve your balance is to hold your finish position until you see the ball land. You have to make a controlled swing with good balance in order to reach a good finish that you can hold for a few seconds. And if you finish your swing in good balance, it eliminates the chance of hitting a really bad shot. Focus more on being totally balanced rather than the specific body position in the finish because you want your swing to be free and flowing. Once you have good fundamentals you should just relax, let it go and swing without tension. Minimal swing thoughts Most amateurs have way too many swing thoughts…

FROM AMERICA: BRIAN WACKER “SPIETH IS THE CLOSEST WE’VE GOT TO TIGER” A few years ago, Jordan Spieth was given the nickname ‘Golden Child’ by fellow tour pros Colt Knost and Justin Thomas. It’s a moniker the Texan despises yet embraces, since everything he does in the biggest moments on golf’s grandest stages seems to work out. Spieth’s first win came in a playoff after he holed a bunker shot on the final hole, and his win here was precipitated by his Houdini act on 13 before the magic began with a birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie stretch. That he had a run like that is one thing; that he didn’t melt down after driving 100 yards off line and had the wherewithal to declare an unplayable lie and use the range to take…

‘When I hit the tee ball on 13, I put my hands over my head. Walking up the fairway, I thought this could be a six’ WINNER’S INTERVIEW That was one of the more dramatic final rounds you’ve had in a major. Tell us about it. I’ve had a couple, but boy that was eventful. I told Michael (caddie) and Jay (manager) after the round, 17 pars and a birdie would have been fine, too. But there’s a lot of roads to get there. I was put in a tough one early on and showed some resilience. I give a lot of credit to my guy on the bag for that because, as you can imagine, thoughts came in from my last scenario when I was leading a major on…

Once you’ve learnt to deliver the club squarely through the ball, you can work some shape into your approach play with two canes or clubs on the ground to help you work on body and clubface aim. The draw is great for working the ball in to a pin that’s tucked left or getting a little more release when the flag is at the back of the green. Conversely, a fade will help you work the ball to a right-side hole location and land the ball softer if it’s at the front. DRAW Set up with your feet, hips and shoulders lined up parallel to the right of the target. The clubface should also aim right, but not as much – between your target and foot line. The ball will…

Q1. Who will win the most majors in their career: Dustin, Rory, Jordan or Jason Day? At the time of asking this, Dustin has one major to his name, aged 33. Rory McIlroy has four at the age of 28, Jordan Spieth has two at age 23 and Jason Day has one, aged 29. To our anonymous pros, it was a straight choice between two men. They said... “When he’s ‘on’, Rory is the best player out there.” “Dustin. When he’s clicking he’s the most talented all-around player from that group.” “Rory. I think Dustin will win three more and Rory has a long career ahead of him.” Q2. Are Keith Pelley’s modernising golf initiatives on the right track, going too far or not going far enough? Since taking over…

“Built for explosive distance,” claim Cobra. “Our longest iron,” say Ping. “Even faster ball speeds and more distance,” insist Callaway. While a powerful iron is no bad thing, it’s vital to put this tub-thumping into context. After all, the main job of an iron is not so much to create power as to deliver it consistently. Powerful faces have the potential to hurt distance consistency, because it creates a hot zone in the face and raises the possibility of ball speed drop-off if the zones are missed. That is why each manufacturer here has gone to great lengths to ensure the heat is spread out – Ping’s COR-Eye total face flex, Callaway’s 360º face cup and Cobra’s PWRshell face and L cup face. Our test suggests these technologies are effective;…

‘Traditional lofts help the P770 iron deliver control and feel’ Web: www.taylormadegolf.eu Price: £1,049 Looks and playability ✔ You can’t beat a pure forged blade for looks, but compromises have to be made when it comes to playability. For me, the P770 is the best looking non-blade iron out there. Simply stunning. The forged feel is great and they pack a real punch too. Traditional lofts ✔ After the solid impact feel and good looks, what I like about these irons are their traditional lofts – the 7-iron is 33°. I prefer this to an 8-iron that flies 170 yards at the expense of some control and feel. Excellent durability ✔ They’ve stood up well to a lot of use – I play around 3-4 times a week and usually…

It used to be suggested that the look of a putter determined whether you’d get on with it or not. But while the aesthetics of the putter head is still important, it’s now widely agreed it’s only one part of the equation. Head shape, weighting, grip width, and alignment aids are all vital aspects to consider when matching your own unique putting style with a new weapon. If all that sounds daunting, fear not; our six-step guide will ensure you buy a putter that suits your eye and your stroke. 1 Head shape Size influences performance and aesthetics. High-MOI mallet Bigger heads have grown in popularity because more weight can be moved away from the face so they’re much more forgiving and stable, and there’s more room for alignment aids.…

BEST FOR VIEWS Der Margarethenhof One of Bavaria’s most attractive resorts and courses overlooks the imposing Lake Tegernsee, so expect gentle climbs and impressive views. The 3rd tee is one of Germany’s highest and on a clear day you can see all the way back to Munich. A high-end hotel also features a very modern health resort, but during Oktoberfest that probably won’t enter the equation. BEST FOR SLICK GREENS Golfplatz Schloss Egmating Half an hour east of the city centre lies Egmating, and a club with two options, an 18-hole championship course with the nine-hole Arabella on the side for those with an appetite. Both in impeccable condition, the greens are notably fast but not unfair. Gently rolling but never hard work, this is one of Bavaria’s most beautiful…

Sunningdale (New) The New has always been rated highly, but it has received greater affection in the last two Top 100s, rising to 17th position. Some may suggest it starts and ends modestly but in between it is indubitably consistenly excellent. It might also be tougher than the Old, yet exudes similar charm, and is every bit as essential an experience as its fabled sister. The short-ish two-shotter at the 7th – where the blind drive must avoid fading into a ditch in the heather and then an awkward approach between sand and a mound – is majestic. Gleneagles (King’s) You hear it lamented the King’s is “too short for today’s players”. It suggests a cuddly track of barely 6,000 yards. Yet it is nothing of the sort. The King’s…

If your arms become disconnected from your body in the takeaway then backswing it can lead to all sorts of bad shots. Your body movement delivers the club to the ball at impact, so your club has to travel with your body to do it consistently well. A disconnect between body and arms means you must manipulate the club, which relies on timing. Turning your body with your arms connected is easier. Stay connected Place a cane in your grip so it extends out from the butt of the club in a straight line. The line formed by the shaft and the cane will stay straight, and the cane will stay tight to your body if you stay connected in the takeaway. Plane check too This cane is also very…

‘A few people have told me I look like Damian Lewis, although I’d like to think I’m a little less ginger than him!’ What’s been your closest brush with death? Probably a stupid overtaking manoeuvre. I tend to take quite a lot of risks on the roads. I feel like I’m safe, but if there’s a passenger in the car, they might not. I’ve got a few different cars, but the Ferrari 458 is probably the daddy. I can get myself in and out of a few close shaves with that one. What’s your earliest memory? Running around stark b*llock naked in the back garden when I was about three. There’s probably pictures, but I definitely won’t be showing them to anyone (laughs). What’s your most annoying trait? Stubbornness, when…

 The course has been chosen, the captains selected and, at the start of this month’s Czech Masters, the race to represent Europe in the 2018 Ryder Cup will officially begin. It is an exciting time for our Continent’s top players and European captain Thomas Bjorn, who gets to see the qualifying tweaks he lobbied the European Tour Tournament Committee to pass in action. “I believe these new regulations will benefit the team in 2018 without compromising the strength or importance ‘The cold fact of the matter is that the USA hasn’t won a years. “Some see that as a negative,” says captain Jim Ryder Cup on foreign soil for 25 Furyk. “To me it’s an opportunity”’ of the European Tour,” says Bjorn. “These changes are the first step on the…

2012 • US OPEN While still an amateur, Spieth replaces the injured Brandt Snedeker and serves notice of his promise by recording a T21. A 74, 74, 69, 70 leaves him 7-over and tied with, among others, Tiger Woods. His weekend score was topped only by winner Webb Simpson. “You know, maybe I’m ready to go,” he said, before turning pro. 2013 • THE MASTERS Does not play. • US OPEN Misses the cut on +20. • THE OPEN Finishes T44 on +13. • US PGA Misses the cut on +8. 2014 • THE MASTERS Finishes T2, three shots behind Bubba Watson. • US OPEN Finishes T17, 13 strokes behind winner Martin Kaymer. • THE OPEN Finishes T36 at Hoylake, 15 shots behind Rory McIlroy. • US PGA Misses the cut at Valhalla. 2015 • THE MASTERS Lands his maiden…

THE BASICS Amateur golf’s Ryder Cup is a two-day matchplay affair that pits the 10 best male amateur golfers from Great Britain & Ireland against America’s 10 finest. The first day’s play consists of four foursomes matches and eight singles; the second day features another four foursomes matches and 10 singles. THE HISTORY The Walker Cup takes its name from former USGA President George Herbert Walker, who proposed the match as a way of raising the sport’s profile in the aftermath of World War I. First officially held in 1922, it’s been played every other year since 1947 with the venues alternating between GB&I and America. This year’s tussle takes place over the North Course at the exclusive Los Angeles Country Club. The highly-rated layout was recently redesigned by Gil…

The conclusion of last month’s Scottish Open marked the halfway point of the European Tour’s Rolex Series. So is it showing signs of being the success the tour’s CEO Keith Pelley needs it to be? To answer that, we have to go back. On the Series’ unveiling last November, Pelley said that in replacing the Final Series, one key goal was to create a product that “provides a strong financial offering for our young players so they don’t have to go to the United States.” So he raised the minimum purse to $7m for each event. Pelley himself says he’s “very pleased with how the Rolex Series has gone so far.” But then he would say that. Here, the numbers tell us more than any soundbites... GW VERDICT The evidence…

1 The Beeb is back In the month the R&A’s Martin Slumbers described their previous Open coverage as “tired and outdated”, we learned, unexpectedly, that the BBC had wrestled US PGA Championship broadcast rights from Sky. This is either a very good thing or a very bad thing, depending on if you have a Sky subscription. 2 Jon Rahm: Explosive Emotional Spaniard with a fiery temper, blew up spectacularly at the US Open... Jon Rahm recognises that man and has moved to address the chink in his psychological armour by hiring a new mind coach. Joseba del Carmen has the skills to defuse Rahm’s sudden outbursts, on account of him being a former bomb disposal expert. Even so, stand well back. 3 Sergio wed Having barely taken the thing off…

‘Snead was the greatest athlete the game ever saw, and there has never been a swing as beautiful as his’ Before I travelled up to Royal Birkdale for the Open Championship, I was fortunate enough to spend some time taking afternoon tea with Roger Federer and his family during Wimbledon, shortly before the great man won his record-breaking eighth championship and 18th major title. It was a great honour and privilege for me since Federer has always been one of my favourite athletes. Besides being the best tennis player ever to live, without question, one of the things I like most about Federer is that he doesn’t mess around on the court. There are no silly antics or strange routines – he gets up, he serves and he plays. He’s…

If you’re a confident chipper it can really take the pressure off the rest of your game, because you have faith that you can get up-and-down if you do miss the green. Improve your chipping and you’ll usually find the rest of your game and your scores improve more than you’d expect. Chipping should be one of the more straightforward aspects of the game. It’s a short swing so you don’t have to think about stuff like weight shift and turning your shoulders. Yet I still see so many amateurs having problems. These thoughts will help. Pick your landing spot I always begin by picking out the spot where I want the ball to land to release to the flag based on the lie and club I’m using. My thought…

The 13th hole at Augusta is one of the world’s great par 5s. What makes it so great is that it constantly questions your technique and your decision-making. And despite what you may have read, it’s a hole that doesn’t especially favour the longer hitters. When he won the Masters in 2007, Zach Johnson never went for any of the par 5s at Augusta in two yet he played them better than anybody in the field with 11 birdies and no bogeys over the four days. Zach knew that his wedge game and putting are his major strengths and so he backed himself to get up-and-down in two from within 100 yards more often than not with a pitch and a putt. The simple fact is that you rarely see…

There’s an old adage that states it’s better to be lucky than good – and that certainly held true for Jordan Spieth on the 13th hole in the final round when his blocked drive flew almost 100 yards off line and struck a spectator standing atop a towering dune before tumbling into a quagmire of fescue and prehistoric ferns. First, Spieth was lucky to find his golf ball, then he was lucky the R&A hadn’t thought to declare the range out-of-bounds. He was then lucky to be granted relief from the Tour trailers and then lucky to be able to play his third shot from pristine turf . Finally, he was lucky that his slightly chunked, blind long-iron approach over the dunes avoided a cluster of penal pot bunkers on…

“I’ve worked hard to make my swing more neutral since getting on tour. I used to have a bit of a loopy draw when I was a kid but I’m able to hit the ball straighter now. It’s made me a much better player because I can move the ball in both directions through the air with much greater ease and control now. I feel confident working it into pins that are tucked on either side of the green, which is essential for competing at the top level. “Any swing that delivers the club in a neutral position through the impact area is a good one in my book. I’ve done a lot of work to iron out the areas that made me have to fight hard to get the…

WEAKEN YOUR GRIP FROM BUNKERS A tip I’ve found really useful is to weaken the glove hand’s grip on the club by turning the back of your hand a little more towards the target so you can only see two knuckles at address. This encourages the face to stay open so the bottom of the club – the bounce – is the first part of the club to touch the sand. The open face pops the ball high out the sand with plenty of backspin and the extra bounce helps the clubhead glide through the sand rather than digging in. Control distance at impact I set up with my weight on the left side and keep it there as I swing. Control distance by where you impact the sand and…

We’ve teamed up with premium putter brand Bettinardi to give you the chance to win an exceptional putter that is milled from a single piece of high-quality carbon steel. Three lucky readers will get to choose between the BB1F and BB40 models, with a total prize value of £837. All Bettinardi’s production model putters are milled from a proprietary blend of soft carbon steel for feel and a premium finish. All BB models have a Hyper-Honeycomb face with a Midnight Black finish and Brushed Nickel shaft. All prize models are 34” long with a standard grip. The BB1F is a blade that includes a ridge-milled neck that fades right into the head of the putter itself, allowing for a conventional smoothed out stroke. The shaft flows seamlessly into the head…

In the 2000s the typical 7-iron loft was 35º; these irons are 30º and 30.5º (Ping GMax). While it’s tempting to see these stronger lofts simply as a cheap trick to give you more power, there is a little more to it. To understand why, we need to grasp that loft is only one way to influence launch; the second is the clubhead’s centre of gravity location. Broadly, the lower the CG location, the higher that head will launch the ball. This means a 7-iron with less loft and lower CG can launch the ball at the same height as one with more loft and higher CG. But why is this better? In a nutshell, because it trims the backspin created by a lofted face on a downward attack angle…

‘The slightly harder feel of the CBX is only noticeable when compared side-by-side with the RTX3’ Web: www.clevelandgolf.co.uk Price: £109 per club THE STORY For the first time, Cleveland has designed a wedge specifically for the average golfer. Given that 85% of golfers use cavity-back irons, the company felt the jump to blade-style wedges was too far for many to make. THE TECH CBX wedges feature the same Rotex face used in the company’s blade-style RTX3, but the head design is more forgiving and blends better with the look and feel of a cavity-back iron set. A new Dual-V sole grind makes it easier to play shots from a variety of lies. THE FEEL The cavity-back design delivers a slightly harder feel on longer shots, but this is only noticeable…

MUST PLAY STUNNING REDESIGN The New King of Turnberry First it was the hotel. Then it was the world-famous Ailsa. And now it is the resort’s No.2 course, formerly the Kintyre. Since acquiring Turnberry in 2014, President Trump has not been shy of making expensive upgrades to his new purchase, and after the unconditional success of the Ailsa and hotel revamps, the Kintyre – now known as the King Robert the Bruce, by virtue of the legendary Scot being born in Turnberry Castle – is poised to follow suit after opening in July. Martin Ebert, the architect who impressively overhauled the Ailsa, was again handed the task of improving the KRTB, and it was a poignant project for one half of the Mackenzie & Ebert firm. Ebert worked for Donald…

Hampshire’s sandy belt of land – as well as its coastline – lured the great architects of the late 1800s and early 1900s to the county. The work of Harry Colt, James Braid, Tom Simpson and Willie Park lives on a century later, and in some cases is being enthusiastically restored. In these heathlands and a solitary links, Hampshire has appeal for the architectural connoisseur, as well as those simply seeking a high-class trip all year round. HAYLING AND OLD THORNS We grasped the nettle by doing the long drive first, and strongly recommend you do the same. Unless you live near England’s south coast, every round played after here edges you a bit closer to home and it also works very well with our suggested base of Old Thorns,…

One of my favourite multi-course clubs in Britain isn’t part of our selection of six, as only one of its courses is within the Top 100. The outstanding championship course – which I rate higher than its 14th position in the Top 100 – is Carnoustie’s highlight, but it is the depth provided by the Burnside and Buddon that makes the club so special. And, unsurprisingly, the fact they are all proper links. You could stay in this town for a week and not tire of playing this trio, which is but one example that illustrates why it is often worth staying on for a second round rather than moving after you’ve played the ‘big’ course. Saunton, with the East in the Top 100 and the West a key contender…

It’s virtually impossible to be a good putter if you don’t strike the ball consistently. And it’s hard to hit the ball consistently if you don’t have a repeatable stroke. You want to deliver the putter head with a consistent rhythm and a square face so you can control your distance and start the ball on the line you want. The putting stroke is a very simple movement at its core, but the margins are so small between holing and missing a putt that you need a technique that delivers the putter in a repeatable fashion. 1 Form a ‘Y’ shape Simplicity is best when it comes to set-up so that it’s something you can easily do every time. You want the ball slightly forward of centre in your stance,…

 Everywhere you look on Tour these days, a rules controversy is ready and waiting to rear its ugly head. In the past few months alone we’ve had Lexi Thompson and Jon Rahm incorrectly marking their balls on the green. Curiously, Thompson incurred a four-shot penalty for her breach, which ultimately cost her the ANA Inspiration title since she was leading by four shots at the time, while Rahm who enjoyed a similar lead at the Irish Open at the time of his transgression was awarded the benefit of the doubt and let off without penalty. ‘Moon discovered a gimme isn’t a gimme until it’s been conceded’ But the rules incidents haven’t been limited solely to the professional game. In the semifinal of the recent US Girls’ Junior Championship, Erica Shepherd…

Elegantly styled and subtly decalled, Mizuno’s new MP-18 line draws on the brand’s classic irons of the 1990s to deliver modern technology within a clean and compact head. Three irons are joined by a wedge, Fli-Hi and hybrid in a comprehensive launch from the Japanese giants. 1 MP-18 irons All three MP-18 irons are created using a high-density Grain Flow Forging process that produces feel and consistency from the mild carbon steel, and are designed to be mixed and matched. The sleek, compact muscleback has a shorter blade length, cambered top line and steep progression into a sharp and compact wedge. Price: £135 per iron 2 MP-18 SC irons The Split Cavity head has a compact cavity and a slighter wider, cambered sole that delivers greater forgiveness and playability. The…

Cast your eye down the list of the world’s most prolific golf course designers and you’ll notice a few familiar names. Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Norman... and on it goes. Many of the game’s most decorated players are now some of the most prolific course designers – as the numbers below clearly show. And to that list we might soon be adding a new big name: Tiger Woods. Initially hindered by the global recession, Tiger’s TGR Design portfolio is now growing fast, with three courses open and six in the design or the construction phase (see box right). Business is finally booming. “The design business has not proved as lucrative as Tiger and TGR would have hoped back in the mid-2000s when they founded TWD,” says Adam Lawrence, editor of Golf…

‘It’s not news that Fitzgerald was sacked, but that he lasted as long as he did given the questions over him’ The headline Professional golfer splits with caddie is up there alongside Football manager loses job, Rafa Nadal wins French Open and Jordan Spieth makes long putt for birdie when it comes to lack of shock value. So the recent announcement that Rory McIlroy and the bag man he employed for nine years – way above the average length of tenure on any tour – have parted ways was hardly the biggest surprise. These things happen all the time. Every week in fact. Still, McIlroy’s involvement in this far-from-stunning development made it news for the simple reason that anything golf’s most exciting player does is of interest to fans. Even…

My bad shots tend to be a high block or a bit of a hook out the toe of the club. Both of these are caused by the same fault in the transition and into the downswing. It happens when my left shoulder gets a bit high and the club drops in behind my hands on the way down. From there, you either can’t square the face in time and block it high and right or you try and save it with your arms and you often get the ‘toey hook’. If you have a tendency to hit these shots then you could be doing the same thing. Try this drill that I use to improve my transition. Make ‘dry’ swings in the mirror I try to groove this movement…

1 What’s your putting philosophy? It’s a ‘game within a game’ because it is different from the full swing. But I don’t think it’s something people should be afraid of either. You can learn to love putting, just because it’s so removed from the rest of the game. Working on your putting certainly isn’t like standing on the range hitting balls, which pretty much everyone enjoys doing. There’s a lot of feel involved in good putting. In short, putting involves a different technique, method, skill set and mentality. 2 What is most important? The key is balance – both front-to-back and left-to-right. That’s an aspect of putting that is much overlooked. In the full swing you have rotation, movement and weight transfer, but when I’m putting all I want is…

Alfie Plant The 25-year-old arrived with the 150-strong ‘Alfie’s Army’ in tow, and left with the Silver Medal and a rousing reception down the final fairway. Li Haotong A fearless final round 63 put Li out in front, on the map and on the guest list for next April’s Masters. His putter was on fire, much to his mother’s approval. Robert Streb To drop eight shots in the final six holes of the second round, including a double bogey at the last, was beyond careless. Streb missed the cut by two and had the weekend to conduct a full post mortem. Hideki Matsuyama Seven adrift at the start of Sunday, what might have been had Matsuyama not opened with an OB tee shot and triple bogey. Branden Grace Johnny Miller…

1 ON THE TEE It’s Kuchar’s honour and he puts his drive into the right rough. Spieth slices his drive way right towards a huge dune. His hands are on his head before it’ s landed and he turns for a provisional ball… but we’re told it’s been found and they head off the tee, Spieth looking shell-shocked, shaking his head in disbelief. 2 THE WASTELAND Spieth’s ball hasn’t actually been found. It’s chaos as marshals, police, the crowd and the media begin searching. A fan named George finally spots it, on the far side of the dune, some 127 yards from the fairway. After lots of debate, Spieth declares his ball unplayable. 3 OVER THE DUNE As Spieth explores his options, running up and down the dunes, Kuchar punches…

1 His short game simply has no peers Jack Nicklaus, by his own admission, was never a great wedge player and it took Tiger Woods several seasons on Tour to develop the bunker play and short game skills that he would come to rely on in winning many of his 14 majors. Spieth, however, already has a wide range of recovery shots at his disposal. He’s a precise and deadly pitcher and has sublime touch and second-bounce spin control around the greens – skills he has demonstrated most impressively in navigating the sharp run offs and undulating greens at Augusta National. 2 He has that leaderboard fear factor Like Tiger in his prime, the sight of Spieth on the leaderboard throws the other players off their games. Several times at…

ADDRESS My back isn’t as straight as someone absolutely textbook like Adam Scott, but I’m certainly not slouched either. I like to be athletic and comfortable, without being too rigid. Not everyone is built the same so find the posture that works for you. I splay my left foot slightly open to help my weight move into my left side in the downswing and through impact. TAKEAWAY I’ve been working hard on getting more neutral in the takeaway. That means quieter hands and more of a one piece move for the first few feet. The shaft should parallel to the target line as it passes through horizontal, with the clubhead pointing straight up. Simply turning your lead shoulder under your chin should set the club in this position, but make…

GET GUARANTEED CONTACT A five-wood or hybrid virtually guarantees a solid and predictable contact, which makes it much easier to predict and control the release from any lie – from clipped aprons to long rough. I try and use as little loft as possible for any shot around the greens and I like to see amateurs using fairways woods or utility woods to chip. Using a lofted wedge from a scrubby lie demands a lot of skill and precision to hit a good shot. Bumping the ball forward with less loft means you use a more neutral stroke and less manipulation, which makes it a much easier shot with more margin for error. Simply use it like a putter and the loft with lift the ball just enough and the…

Callaway Big Bertha OS Callaway’s internal ‘standing wave’ lowers weight and aids launch; it’s now tungsten-loaded to enhance its effect. Exo-Cage construction allows Callaway to strip out unnecessary weight and create a light, stiff chassis that helps the new face cup to work optimally. A new 360º cup face means face edges are thinner for better retention of energy across the face, improving ball speeds across a wider area. Cobra King OS A new thinner and stronger steel face creates a larger sweet zone with a sole lip to help ball speed on low-face hits. King OS irons are hollow right through the set, a construction that allows them to move weight lower and further back for head stability on off-centre strikes. Tungsten weighting in the toe has moved the…

Price: £380 for Argon jacket; £380 for Arn trousers Galvin Green has become synonymous with top-of-the-range waterproof clothing and the new C-Knit range continues that fine tradition. The Argon jacket looks bright and fits fantastically well. The Gore-Tex fabric is breathable and waterproof and the stretch meant I never felt restricted when I swung. The rubberized collar and cuffs are great additions. The only negative for me was the lack of pockets. I often have issues with waterproof trousers but the Arn are roomy enough to easily slip on over your shoes and another pair of trousers, while still fitting nicely and not feeling too baggy as you walk and swing. They certainly aren’t cheap, but as with so many things, you get what you pay for and the quality…

GW VERDICT The G400 is an improvement on the G. It looks fast and compact behind the ball and the improved sound and feel are obvious. It did, however, have a tough act to follow. G remains a forgiving and powerful driver, and it must be said performance gains with the G400 were relatively modest. The fact it seemed to spin the ball more suggests an upgrade would make most sense to the lower spinner or shorter hitter needing help keeping the ball in the air. www.ping.com…

DESIGN Good use of a mature environment but one that wasn’t especially interesting in terms of terrain. SETTING No coastal views or breathtaking elevated drives, but a tranquil atmosphere and is purely course throughout. PRESENTATION Despite the very harsh winters, the New is in superb nick. A well-resourced team, yes, but a splendid result. PLAYABILITY The various tees work well here – a beast off the tips but playable further forward with no forced carries. HOLES The six 3s, 4s and 5s on the front nine hint at the New’s terrific mix. You are never bored on this modern track. CONSISTENCY Another strength - it is genuinely hard to think of anything especially weak, and it has proper highlights too. TOTAL SCORE One of the best new courses on the…

1 Time for an extra round? Brokenhurst Manor, a Harry Colt design in the New Forest, is closest to Stoneham. Or, when you are at North Hants you’re just 11 miles from Hankley Common, set apart from the other stars of Surrey and so often missed off a trip there. 2 Even if you don’t play Old Thorns, this very popular resort should be your base, offering modern rooms, a lively sports bar and restaurant, a gym, and on-site Starbucks. 3 Check regional flights into Southampton as well as Bournemouth or Gatwick. Very cheap if booked early, they take lots of labour out of the trip. 4 We ate at Old Thorns in the evening, but we are assured by locals you’ll find excellent fayre at The Ship Inn, a…

Sometimes you face shots with very little margin for error, so you have to do everything you can to minimise the risk. Aim for the centre of the green so you allow some room to miss it long or short and left or right – and hit the club that will find the centre of the putting surface with your average shot, not your best shot. Visualise the exact shot you want to hit, rather than focussing on where you don’t want to go, and relax yourself by being ready to accept any consequences as well as consciously loosening your grip before you pull the trigger.…

If you’re playing into the wind, through crosswinds or you simply need more control to hit a tight fairway, you want to try and flight the ball down with a more penetrating trajectory that will bore through the wind and is easier to control. Fortunately, this is relatively easy to do. Most of the adjustments that will help you hit a lower, more penetrating ball flight can be done at address. CHOKE DOWN THE GRIP First, this adds control so you’re more likely to hit the sweet spot. Second, you won’t swing quite as fast, so it will launch a little lower and with less backspin, which can make the ball balloon up or curve off line. BALL BACK A LITTLE Moving the ball an inch or two further back…