Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 451 i Today's Golfer

When I started playing golf two decades ago, if you wanted a new set of irons, you basically had two options: a set of muscleback blades that looked like butter knives and sent shock waves through your fingers if you caught them a bit thin, or a set of super-forgiving boat oars with enough metal to rebuild the Titanic… Fast forward 20 years and look how much things have changed… for the better. These days, there are irons designed for you if you're in the world's top 100 (in fact, there are several). There are irons designed for you if you're in low single figures but need a tiny bit more forgiveness now and again. There are irons for you if you're in high single figures and need a bit…

Good posture is a non-negotiable if you want to look, feel and play your best on the golf course. Unfortunately, most of us are pre-conditioned to sitting (and slouching) for extended periods of time, which can make it hard to break bad habits and achieve a solid set-up position. Sitting properly while reading this is one simple way to improve your body, but there are other things you can do – and make part of your daily routine – to improve your posture and get you swinging more freely on the first tee. All you need is a club, a chair and a mirror to check your new set-up position. Always consult your coach or PT before adopting any new fitness regimen. 1 TRUNK INCLINATION The objective here is to…

Accessibility is, by definition, the practice of making environments (and other things) useable for as many people as possible. In golf, this ultimately relates to everyone being welcome to join in and play the game. When people ask how old I was when I first started playing golf, they're often surprised when I say 19. Why was it so late? I played what was available to me in school and golf wasn't on offer. Luckily, this is set to change with my Sky colleague Nick Dougherty trying to get golf into every school across the UK through the Unleash Your Drive In Schools programme. More broadly speaking though, is golf an accessible sport in the UK? One widely discussed barrier to golf accessibility in the UK is the cost associated…

Every golfer needs the ability to create power in their swing. Yet too few go about creating it in the right way. Power is not about making your swing longer or simply hitting harder; it has a lot more to do with organising your movement to create rhythm and momentum – something we can all do, irrespective of strength or athleticism. That's where we'll focus now. FIND A RHYTHM THAT CREATES SPEED Creating power through rhythm What we are going to learn here is how we can increase distance, simply by changing the rhythm and cadence of our motion. Chip a series of balls, making sure you keep swing length constant – perhaps clubhead to knee height back and through. ■ Use a slow, floating rhythm and tempo for the…

In a film of golf's greatest hits, Valhalla would feature prominently as one of America's unsung heroes. Despite only opening in 1986, the Kentucky club has been awarded four PGA Championships, two Senior PGAs and the 2008 Ryder Cup. It doesn't shout about it, but no other course has hosted more in that time. It helps that Valhalla used to be owned by the PGA of America, who considered it their flagship property until they sold it to a group of members in 2022. Their former President, Ted Bishop, even talked up the possibility of Valhalla one day becoming a permanent site for the PGA Championship and all domestic Ryder Cups. It proved to be a non-starter, but it did speak to the esteem in which Jack Nicklaus' creation is…

It's hard to say that I went into the US PGA in 2000 bursting with confidence, but I had been playing well. In fact, I flew straight from the British Masters, where I had been defending the title I won in 1999. When I got to Valhalla, I found it suited my eye and my tendency to draw the ball. It was also my type of course because you had to hit a variety of shots. I don't like one dimensional, bomb-everything-with-the-driver golf. At Valhalla, you had to focus on positioning off the tee to set up the best approach shots into the greens. It demands a little bit of everything. I shot a level-par 72 on the first day – a good, solid opening round. Over the next couple…

THIS MUCH I KNOW To read the full interview, scan here Colin Montgomerie is speaking from his home in Berkshire, trying to tear himself away from the golf on TV. The Scot isn't commentating today, but switching off doesn't come easily for a man who wears many hats as a golfer, designer and a newlywed grandfather of two. He'll be heading to the gym after our chat and is already dreaming about teeing it up for the final time at The Open later on this year. But before we get into that – and his revised retirement plans – there are other conversations that need to be had, including those about his former agent, Guy Kinnings, taking over as CEO of the DP World Tour, the reason he never joined…

In a sound backswing, we use a range of muscles – including the abs, obliques and lats – to help us coil through our core and rotate to the top. If these muscles become weak or lazy, our torso will stop contributing and our arms begin to dominate; we will end up making a short, narrow and upright backswing, leaving us in no shape at all to start down. This month's resistance band-based exercise will help you strengthen and condition these important golf swing muscles, improving your swing's stability, structure and range of movement. It works in two steps: Always consult your GP before adopting any new fitness regimen. YOUR COACH NATALIE LOWE TPI Level 3 Trainer and UKSCA Strength & Conditioning Coach, Owner of Manchester-based Pro-Fit Golf Conditioning www.pro-fitgolf…

Bettinardi built their name by making brilliant milled putters for the likes of Jim Furyk, Fred Couples, Matt Kuchar and Matt Fitzpatrick. Now, they're using all that milling know-how in some gorgeous irons. As you'd expect, Bettinardi insist the new MB24 and CB24 irons must be built to the same exacting standards as their renowned, 100% CNC-milled putters. Both are forged from one piece of 1025 carbon steel with additional materials strategically positioned inside to max out forgiveness in two body styles. The best players' irons and blades can never be said to be forgiving, but Bettinardi have aggressively tried to boost playability by using high-density tungsten and a military-grade ceramic matrix composite. These modern-day materials allow the removal and repositioning of mass inside each head to offer improved playability.…

GOLF WORLD TOP 100 This is the first of two rankings in three months where green fees play a key part. Both will be published at a time when the cost of golf is a hot topic. I wrote, three years ago, that I thought that in some instances green fees were too high. It might be a simplistic analysis, but I struggle to see why courses just a few miles apart and presented in similar condition can be £60 apart in green fee. I would rather clubs just admitted they were cashing in on overseas visitors or trying to gain a profile by having an expensive green fee (and yes, that really is a thing). While driving between courses in the Netherlands as I researched the Top 100 Continental…

T he annual TG Editor's Choice Awards showcase the best golf equipment we believe you can buy in 2024. That includes clubs, tech, shoes, clothing, trolleys, bags, balls and accessories… just about everything the club golfer needs to enjoy the game. This year saw a record number of TG Awards handed out, a reflection of just how good so many of the products on sale are. Every club has been hit, every pair of shoes worn, every gadget tested and every ball struck. All these products appear in our ‘Best of… ' guides at www.todays-golfer.com, where you'll also find in-depth reviews, buying advice, videos and club comparison data – plus reviews of all the kit that didn't quite make it into this guide. It's all regularly updated, so when new…

PAYNTR is the brainchild of former cricket pro David Paynter and ex-Nike Golf man Mike Forsey. The duo believe their combined knowledge has enabled them to create a golf shoe better than any other brand, and the 005s are highly impressive. As is the case with every pair of PAYNTR shoes we've tested, their upper is lightweight, flexible and supportive. It's made from Clarino Trivela microfibre, a material designed with performance in mind. It's thin and strong yet maintains its luxurious, comfortable feel straight out of the box. The high traction outsole is a staple of PAYNTR shoes, and the PMXNITRO+ footbed in the 005 gives significant levels of cushioning, too. ‘The high traction outsole is a staple of PAYNTR golf shoes’…

Shot Scope's X5 is one of the best game-tracking golf watches on the market – and at a brilliant price. And for 2024, it gets even better thanks to the addition of Hole Maps, which overlay individual data to every hole through an interactive map view, so you can efficiently plot your way around the course using your own yardages. Its full-colour touchscreen display uses your data to access Performance-Average distances for a golfer's three longest clubs -allowing an informed decision with club selection off the tee. The Zoom Map and Target Line features can be utilised to find the perfect line off the tee, reducing the impact of blind tee shots and providing data that a laser alone cannot. With 36,000 courses pre-loaded onto the watch and the main…

The Drive Pro delivers stability, traction and performance through the innovative Swing Support System -all in a sleek and lightweight design. Developed with world-renowned biomechanist JJ Rivet, the revolutionary three-layer Swing Support System aids the natural motion of the foot, with biomechanically correct diagonal and lateral support allowing golfers to unlock the full power of their swing. Other features include energy-returning Under Armour HOVR cushioning and a Swing Support Strap which combines with reinforcements in the upper for a biomechanically correct lock-in for your feet. Simply put, it's a really stable, comfortable shoe at a great price. ‘Simply put, this is a really stable, comfortable shoe at a great price’…

The S159 is one of the best-shaped and most desirable wedges we've seen this year. Its test numbers are pretty impressive, too. With a backspin 300rpm above average, the S159 can really get approaches zipping across the green. It also posted the lowest backspin drop-off, which means you can expect good shot-to-shot spin consistency. If you're tempted, make sure you get properly fitted, as there's a good selection of sole grinds, lofts and shaft options to dial into your ideal set-up.…

Cobra hybrids have a habit of cropping up among our award winners within this category. Part of the reason for that is the quality KBS Players Graphite shafts in their mainstream hybrids, which our test pro felt added additional stability on off-centre strikes. Compared to the competition, the Darkspeed flighted shots 20.5% lower than our test average and hit the green at a 17.1% shallower descent angle. There's nothing wrong with that, as long as you specifically want to target a lower ball flight.…

GET IN TOUCH As well as email (editorial@todaysgolfer.co.uk) and post (Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA), you can contact us using any of these social platforms… @Thetodaysgolfer @TodaysGolferBauer @Todaysgolfer @Todaysgolfer THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD LETTER OF THE MONTH Having read the proposed changes to equipment to bring courses into the realms of us mere mortals, I would be interested to see how this would play out across golf if we were all equal. There seem to be many advantages that pro golfers have which club golfers do not and maybe if we addressed these issues, we could leave the balls and gear as they are. Imagine a tour where pro golfers push their own trolleys, work out their yardages, and find their own shanks or slices without the help…

1 Switch hands For this drill use a lofted iron, perhaps an 8 or 9. Begin by switching your hands on the grip; for the right-hander that means the right hand at the top and the left, gloved hand below. Don't worry about interlocking or overlapping; just put all 10 fingers on the handle. 2 Address: Level shoulders From here, address the ball, just forward of centre in your stance. Create a straight line from your lead shoulder to the clubhead. This lead-hand-low hold gives your set-up a more lead-sided feel, your shoulders and elbows much more level. This gives you a little head start in your mission to squeeze or compress the ball. 3 Backswing: L-shape Make no more than a half backswing. You'll quickly feel how the cross-hand grip forces your…

So we're striking it well, and we're developing good speed and distance; so the final piece of the jigsaw is to gain control of direction. While creating power is more about the larger, macro movements of the body, direction is much more reliant on the micro movements of hands and wrists. This is because the hands and wrists control the clubface… and when it comes to direction, the clubface is king. Let's break this down into four easy steps. 1. WRIST CONTROL: HARNESS THE TRAIL PALM We'll begin our search for directional control by focusing on the hands and wrists themselves – specifically the trailing side. Creating more release and speed, the trail hand has the potential to compromise attack angle and face aim, so it's important we get it…

‘The Post’ HOLE 1 Par 4 | 484 Yards 2014 average: 4.024 (10) A relatively gentle opener to start and a chance to get aggressive with the driver and cut the corner of the dog-leg. Despite adding 38 yards, most players will hit a short-to-mid iron into a green guarded by bunkers front-right and back-left. ‘Honest Abe’ HOLE 3 Par 3 | 208 Yards 2014 average: 3.015 (11) Named after Kentucky's only president (Lincoln), this demanding par 3 is guarded by three bunkers and Floyd's Fork, which sweeps in front of and to the right of the narrow, elevated green. The left-to-right gusts are also a big factor here and can send balls careering towards a watery demise. 2 ‘Winning Colours’ HOLE 2 Par 4 | 500 Yards 2014 average: 4.36…

In the past you've written books on the Ryder Cup, the Majors and Colin Montgomerie. Was Golf Wars the toughest, because of how fast moving the story was? It was definitely the most challenging. Normally if you start writing a book, you know the end and where you are going to get to, but I had absolutely no idea. It was like a living organism and it was changing all the time. It was a case of charting what the start position was, which took me all the way back to Andy Gardiner. He would be idly watching golf on the TV, sketching out ideas for a golf super league… ideas which have basically been used by LIV. Seeing what it's done to the sport, how tour golf has been…

PRESENTED BY Shot Scope Watch hundreds of video tips at www.todays-golfer.com QUICK TIP SAND ART Many elite players play bunker shots with an open clubface. Besides adding loft for a high, soft flight, an open face enhances sole bounce – encouraging the sole of the club to skid nicely through the sand rather than dig down into it. To train an open face, pile sand on the face of your sand wedge and place the ball on top – you'll need to open the face wide to achieve this. Take your address and make a slow-motion takeaway. You can only keep the ball balanced by keeping the face open, looking at the sky; hood the blade at all and the ball and sand will fall forward. Still in slow-mo, move…

In essence, the golf swing is a blend of body rotation and arm swing. But one of the most common swing errors sees the arms dominating the motion, leaving the body underused. The biggest issue this causes is loss of power and distance, but it can also affect the path of the swing, creating general strike inconsistency. Fortunately, a remedy is at hand… Rotation and lift Picture the club's journey during the backswing. Of course it will move upwards but it will also move around us, from in front of our chest to behind our head. It's the armswing/body turn blend that allows the club to follow this ideal, up-and-around path, the core providing the rotation and the arms delivering the lift. But if the arms dominate the motion, we…

YOUR COACH GARETH JOHNSTON PGA Head Professional at Bishopswood GC, Hants www.garethjohnstongolf.com 1 The range is an arena designed for practice and training… so I am always surprised at how many golfers are hitting shots flat out, with the same effort and intensity they no doubt use on the course itself. For a variety of reasons, when we swing at 100% we are in fact moving away from the ideal conditions for learning and improving. In contrast, your 70% swing creates far more opportunities to make your range time count. 2 Speed kills awareness. The faster we move, the harder it is for us to notice and feel how we are moving; and by extension, the harder it is to change how we are moving. Eastern martial arts are often held up…

APEX 24 MB £217 per club Category: Muscleback blade Forgiveness rating: 1/5 Handicap range: Four and below Construction: Forged from a single piece of 1025 carbon steel 7-iron loft: 34° WHO ARE THEY FOR? As lovely as the Apex MB is – and let's not beat around the bush here, the straight topline and leading edge shaping are absolutely beautiful – you only need look in top players' bags to see who believes this is the best iron for their own game. Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele both choose the Apex TCB (Tour Cavity Back) instead, so the MB is for a very small audience indeed. From the joint weakest loft in the Callaway iron family, it should come as no surprise at all that the MB produced the least amount of ball speed…

Golf equipment doesn't come cheap, so it's important to make sure the gear you buy is the best fit for your game. Whether that's golf clubs and balls, shoes and apparel, bags and trolleys, or even umbrellas and tee pegs, our knowledge and first-hand experience will help you make the best choice every time – you can find it all at www.todays-golfer.com To ensure we produce the most accurate and reliable test data available, we create a controlled environment indoors to assess clubs. We use premium balls (Titleist's Pro V1 this year) and a Foresight GQQuad launch monitor to gain date from our ultra-consistent test pro, Neil Wain (below). In line with the thinking of top engineers at golf 's biggest brands, we believe it's imperative to have a consistent…

The sporty Armstrong GORE-TEX Paclite jacket weighs in at just 300g (in size medium) and features stretch technology and shaped sleeves to deliver unrestricted movement during your swing. Made using bluesign-approved fabric, this 100% waterproof and windproof jacket also incorporates an adjustable chest and front pockets for increased comfort. The garment is available in five colour combinations for the 2024 season. ‘Stretch technology and shaped sleeves deliver unrestricted movement during your swing’…

The COOLSHOT 20 GIII boasts a compact, waterproof construction that takes entry-level performance to new heights with Nikon's Locked On Quake Technology – previously only available in higher-end Nikon rangefinders. This feature takes the guesswork out of finding the right target: when the distance to the flag has been accurately measured, the rangefinder will vibrate to confirm. Combined with Nikon's First Target Priority algorithm, players can be sure they are locked onto their target, and not the trees behind it. It also features high-quality optics that offer high-contrast views from Nikon's renowned multicoated glass. ‘A compact, waterproof laser that takes entry-level performance to new heights’…

If you're the type of golfer who likes the confidence boost of standing on the tee knowing the game's most forgiving driver is in your hands, the Max 10K has your name all over it. Drivers just don't come any more forgiving. It wasn't our test pro's fastest or longest driver of 2024, as we'd expect of a super-MOI model. But posting a carry distance just four yards back from the very longest while also being one of the two most forgiving drivers on the market is a first-class performance – and those results were posted with a stock shaft.…

ECCO's groundbreaking LYTR technology is at the heart of the LT1, which is extremely light, comfortable, stylish and waterproof. The brand's LYTR Foam is a cutting-edge material engineered to deliver unparalleled cushioning and rebound. It's integrated into the LT1's sole, and when combined with ECCO's ultra-soft PHORENE material in the midsole, it creates a flexible, cloud-like sensation as you walk. A Dynamic Traction System provides golfers with multi-directional grip for superior performance when you play. Available in both lace and BOA styles for men and women, it also features a waterproof membrane that keeps your feet dry and comfortable in wet conditions. ‘LYTR technology is at the heart of the LT1, which is extremely light, comfortable, stylish and waterproof’…

The original 2023 Paradym TD was an absolute beast, and the Ai Smoke is even better. But to use it successfully, you need to fit Callaway's target audience for the AI-designed head: a high-speed, consistent player. If that's you, this is a seriously fast, powerful and strong low-spin driver option. If you don't quite fit the profile, you're putting way too much forgiveness on the line in a chase for ball speed. With a 276-yard carry, this was our pro's second longest low-spin driver in 2024.…

The Qi10 LS has a huge amount riding on it, as this is the model that will be played by the majority of TaylorMade's tour stars, including Rory McIlroy. Our data has it producing our fastest ball speed of not just the low-spin driver category, but, in the hands of our pro, the fastest ball speed of any driver we tested this year. That highlights the benefit of front-weighted, low-spin drivers for high-speed players, and a performance that explains why brands spend millions on R&D to create tech such as carbon fibre faces.…

Hybrids need to fill yardage gaps between your longest fairway wood and iron and be able to flight shots higher, with more spin and a steeper descent angle than an equivalent long iron. Our 2024 test results spell out that the Ai Smoke HL is better equipped to do that than most. Compared to our test averages, the HL launched and flighted shots higher, so shots hit the green at a steeper angle. That means long distance approaches jump on the brakes when landing on the dancefloor.…

YOUR GUIDE TO FRANCE T here was a distinct feeling of ‘winning' as we rolled off our Brittany Ferry into Saint-Malo at 8am in our own car, with our own clubs and having slept very soundly on the overnight crossing from Portsmouth. The feeling might have been exaggerated by the contrast with the tedium of airports, the exasperation of golf club carriage costs by airlines and the endless delays before, during and after a flight that mean being late is now just a fully expected part of flying. There is another way, and this was proof. The ‘Bretagne' was bang on time and the disembarkation was as swift as loading onto it in England had been. Some good, reasonably priced fish and chips the previous evening and a half-decent coffee as…

ENGLAND T here are 14 courses in Golf World's benchmark GB&I Top 100 located in the counties of Surrey and neighbouring Berkshire, and a further six listed in the Next 100. It is the greatest concentration of world-class courses anywhere in these islands and thus an area any connoisseur of great golf courses has to visit at least once in his or her lifetime. However, unlike the other golfing hotspots of our GB&I Top 100 list – such as Ayrshire, Fife, East Lothian, Devon and Cornwall, Southport, Kent and south-west Ireland – there really is no obvious place to stay when playing Surrey and Berkshire's superstars. Or so we thought. Until we discovered Wokefield Estate. You may already know all about Wokefield Estate and be shaking your head at our…

1 The Chevron Championship goes by many names. Sometimes it is referred to as Dinah Shore, after the tournament's founder, but more recently it has been known as the Kraft Nabisco Championship and ANA Inspiration, among others. 2 Before last year, the event was held for 51 years at Mission Hills, famous for Poppie's Pond, which the champion would jump into after winning. It's a tradition which is now repeated beside the 18th green at Carlton Woods, the new home of the Chevron Championship in Texas. 3 Jack Nicklaus considers the Signature Course at Carlton Woods to be among his finest creations. The tree-lined layout features plenty of jeopardy with water coming into play on half the holes, including the last two. Atthaya Thitikul would have won last year with…

1 UNDER ARMOUR STORM DAYTONA HALF ZIP GOLF SWEATER £39.99 | SAVE £25 Get the Jordan Spieth look for almost half the usual price. This stylish fleece repels water and cleverly adapts to the temperature, keeping you warm when it's cool and letting out extra heat when the sun comes up. You can also take your pick from a choice of six colourways. 2 PUMA GS FAST SHOES £60 | SAVE £50 You do need to be a certain type of golfer to wear a statement pair of all-white sneakers, but we can't fault the price or performance. Not only are they waterproof and easy to clean, but they're also supremely sleek, comfortable and versatile. And if the white's too much, other colours are also available. 3 CALLAWAY ROGUE CLUBS…

With thanks to beautiful Canterbury GC, a classic Harry Colt parkland creation in east Kent. Visit www.canterburygolfclub.co.uk It's no surprise that so many club golfers find the prospect of making progress in their games overwhelming at times. With so many needs to meet, creating a structured plan for progress can feel like a hopeless task. Where do you start? And how do you build on that start in a way that ensures you move forward and not back? This article will give you the answers to these important questions. Start with strike, or contact. You cannot even begin to work on the shot's distance or direction until you find the middle of the clubface consistently; and as you'll know, a good strike gives you a headstart in both areas. Only…

1 Address: Shift the axis forward Again, take your regular address with your short iron – ball position just forward of centre, lead arm and clubshaft forming a line. But now place your attention on your lead armpit area, or perhaps where your shirt sleeve pushes against your side. For your next few swings, this is going to be the centre – the pivot point – of your action. 2 Backswing: ‘Stacked' rotation As your backswing begins, feel yourself rotating around this new point, a few inches forward (towards the target). This new pivot point will encourage you to remain a little more lead-sided through the first part of the swing. That stops your torso falling behind the ball… and dragging the swing's low point with it. 3 Delivery: Getting on top With…

THE WANAMAKER TROPHY The champion takes home the largest trophy of the four Majors. The Wanamaker Trophy stands at 28in high and weighs 27lbs (just under two stone). “I was shocked by the weight when I picked it up,” said 2008 champion Padraig Harrington. The winner gets to keep a replica for a year, before receiving a smaller replica for good. According to 2013 winner Jason Dufner, it holds 43 beers! FIVE-YEAR PEACE OF MIND For the next half a decade, the winner earns an invite to the Masters, Open Championship, US Open and Players Championship, as well as a PGA Tour card for the same period. A DP World Tour membership is also granted for the next seven years. AN INVITE FOR LIFE For as long as he lives,…

I suspect almost every one of you sees 220 yards as a ‘gettable' distance, the green in range; but I also suspect that belief is based on a random, celebrated shot you hit five years ago, rather than your typical experience! When you base your tactics on your average result – not your best ever one – your results will improve. That's what I want to achieve here, through strategies designed to match ability. YOUR COACH ADRIAN FRYER solidgolf.co.uk Fellow of the PGA based at Liverpool Golf Centre liverpoolgolfcentre.co.uk Shot at the beautiful Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta, Lisbon, Portugal. comporta.com For the average three-figure shooter, 220 yards means a 3-wood off the fairway. Needing plenty of clubhead speed and a precise strike, this is a tough shot for…

If you are an experienced golfer, I expect you have come to view expectancy as something of a tease. You know how it goes: a fantastic practice session on the eve of a big tournament… struggling to overcome a sense of surging optimism as you try to sleep… excitement on the way to the course… a curious miscue during your warm-up that came from nowhere, amid a growing sense that things feel different today… and ultimately, a performance that emphatically fails to deliver on the expectancy you had last night. You're not alone. We've all been there. It is a rare day indeed that our actions actually live up to our expectations. The problem is that, as a race, we humans rather enjoy expectancy. This is because most of us…

Apparently, we get what we pay for in life. LineFix360 makes a mockery of such wisdom. For the price of a couple of fancy coffees you can buy yourself one of the best feedback and training aids in the game in the form of this little piece of aluminium, which allows you to draw a neat, accurate 360º line around your golf ball. As some of the best players in the world and biggest ball manufacturers have grasped, a strong, clear line encircling the ball makes for a fantastic and totally legal alignment aid. Just line the circle up with your start line before taking your stance, and as you look down on the ball, the circular line gives a proven direction for the putt, helping you square your blade…

Name: Marcus Armitage Nationality: English Age: 36 Tour: DP World Pro wins: 6 What was your first car and what do you drive now? My first car was a £500 Nissan Micra. I crashed it four or five times so me and my dad rebuilt it using parts we got from a scrapyard. Now I've got a VW Transporter and a Tesla. The VW's a passion wagon for me and (girlfriend) Lucy, and really speedy. What was your first job? Carpet fitting. My dad sold carpets on Oldham market. I was selling rugs and giving it the patter on the stall with my cousins from about the age of 10, but then I did the fitting with a guy who worked for my dad. I fell asleep on someone's stairs…

Stewart Golf are already noted for producing some of the game's finest electric golf trolleys, yet this British brand are consistently seeking ways to enhance their offerings with innovative new designs. Their most recent advancement is the VERTX Remote, which Stewart believe represents the “ultimate remote machine”. We wouldn't disagree. It incorporates Active Terrain Control (ATC), a novel system which lets the trolley respond to its environment and autonomously allocate power between its twin motors based on the course gradient. In contrast to basic downhill braking, ATC ensures that the VERTX maintains the desired speed and direction when moving uphill, downhill or across side slopes. The model's remote boasts a 100-yard range, providing you with complete control to navigate the trolley around the course. Stability is crucial for remote trolleys…

Motocaddy's new M5 family is a slick range of electric trolleys – perhaps the most sophisticated and stylish the brand have ever launched. The M5 GPS is a star in the compact range, which features a cable-free lithium battery seamlessly integrated into the design. Its fast, accurate GPS gives key data for 40,000 courses. The crystal-clear, 3.5in display beams out accurate green visuals and readings to the front, middle and back, while a dynamic green view allows drag and drop positioning.…

The entire Callaway Ai Smoke family has taken us by surprise this year, as time and again it performed brilliantly on our 2024 test data sheets. The Max fairway hasn't let the side down, either. We love its shallow profile and found it incredibly easy to launch high from the turf; a trait our test data totally supports as shots launched and flew higher than average while spinning just below it. If you have reasonable levels of clubhead speed, those returns will up your distance.…

Following success in the 2022 and 2023 TG Awards, this year marks a hat-trick of wins for the Zerofit Heatrub Ultimate Baselayer. The first thing that sets the Ultimate apart is the warmth it generates, backed up by science. It has been independently tested for Heat Retention at the Boken Quality Evaluation Institute in Japan, which found it to be five times warmer than a standard baselayer. Testing at the Institute resulted in a rating of 0.78; a standard baselayer would have a rating of 0.1-0.14. The astonishing level of warmth is thanks to the ‘Heat Threads' on the inside of the garment, which are activated through even the slightest movement, even in temperatures as low as -10°C. What we particularly love – apart from the toasty feeling all round…

MAURITIUS YOUR GUIDE TO… T he big decisions for guests staying at Heritage Le Telfair and Heritage Awali in Mauritius used to revolve around which of the many appealing restaurants to have dinner in and perhaps whether to have an extra nightcap in the handsome Cavendish bar as time ticked into the smaller hours. They've also always had to ponder whether to spend their time chilling out by heading for the white sand of the beach that lines the resort or opt for the beautifully appointed pools instead. It's also true that there's long been a choice of watersports to factor in, as well as other activities that range from tennis to hiking – plus a comprehensive Seven Colours spa menu to ponder in both hotels. To that list of decisions…