Table of contents for Apr 2025 - Issue 431 in Golf Australia

It was fascinating watching the mixed reactions – enthusiastic and critical – to the wild scenes coming out of LIV Golf Adelaide in February. Beer cups flying through the air, raucous celebrations, and the Aussie staple, the shoe-ey, all turning The Grange into Party Central. Contrast that with Augusta National, home of the Masters, where traditions run deep and the only thing thrown is an approving glance at a perfectly manicured fairway. Even the roars are polite. The two events could hardly be more different, yet both captivate audiences in their own ways. These days, it seems no self-respecting tournament can be staged without a designated party zone for the more boisterous fans. The PGA of Australia, when announcing its 2025 PGA Championship dates, wasted no time in confirming that…

LIV Golf Adelaide 2025 wasn’t just about the action on the fairways, it was about a whole new level of off-course indulgence. Enter The Ripper House, the ultimate fusion of world-class golf, high-energy entertainment, and top-tier luxury. This exclusive new experience, named after the then-reigning LIV champions, Ripper GC, took the golf, but louder mantra to a whole new dimension, proving the party doesn’t stop at the 18th hole. An extension of the action at The Grange, The Ripper House was more than just a hospitality suite, it was an escape. Over the weekend, select guests left the course behind and stepped into an ultra-private residence, where the champagne flowed and the beats dropped … as the youngsters like to put it. And the guest list? A who’s who of…

Royal Pines has seen some of golf’s best descend on the Gold Coast layout, hosting numerous massive tournaments, including the 2018 Australian PGA Championship, won by Cameron Smith, and the same event the following year, taken out by Adam Scott. The course looked the same, but some of the clientele were slightly different as Callaway launched its new Elyte range with a collection of celebrity ambassadors, including cricket legends Shane Watson, Allan Border and Glenn Maxwell, AFL great Brendan Fevola, former NRL Premiership winner Scott Sattler, and plenty more. The atmosphere was buzzing as these ambassadors scored the first look at the new range, testing it firsthand, taking part in fun challenges, chatting with Callaway’s experts about the cutting-edge technology behind the new designs, and getting fitted for clubs. On…

Here, I’m going to demonstrate the keys to gaining sufficient elevation and stopping power for chips around the green – a very common skill requirement around the tight lies of the Melbourne Sandbelt, but an action which can be applied on most surfaces around the green. We need to begin in the correct setup position to allow us to produce the right flight and height of shot. The ball position moves forward in the stance, with weight largely on the lead leg (the left for right-handers). The hands are forward and the handle leans forward with them, the butt of the club pointing to your left shoulder. Keep your hands relatively “soft” – don’t strangle the grip. You also want to visualise the arc of the ball and the spot…

Who says romance has disappeared from elite golf? At the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld 2025, American Brian Campbell proved that love and victory can go hand in hand. As he sank a clutch birdie putt on the 18th during the second playoff hole, his reaction wasn’t just about the thrill of competition, it was shared with his girlfriend, Kelsi McKee, who was right there to celebrate the moment. The scene in Puerto Vallarta was a perfect blend of high-stakes golf and heartfelt emotion, showing that even in the pressure of a final round, there’s always room for love.…

Under slightly overcast Hawaiian skies at Ko Olina Golf Club, Minjee Lee stood over her ball, poised to seal victory. The then-19-year-old Australian had already made waves in the golfing world, but on this particular April afternoon, she was about to prove she truly belonged among the LPGA elite. Trailing by five shots heading into the final round of the Lotte Championship, Lee knew she needed something special. And something special is exactly what she delivered. A flawless, bogey-free 64 – an electrifying performance which sent a jolt through the LPGA tour’s ranks. Lee wasted no time setting the tone for her round, rolling in a birdie at the first, but it was her back-nine charge which cemented her win. The defining moment came at the par-5 13th hole, where…

The Masters and Augusta National always elicit excitement from golf fans and players each April. It’s a sentimental place for us to visit, a pilgrimage for many, and its charm affects the competitors as well – especially those who’ve had good history and created lasting memories on the property. “You get the feel-good factor there when you arrive at Augusta,” Justin Rose says. “You’ve got Magnolia Lane in front of you. You get onto the backend of the clubhouse and the course just opens up in front of you. It’s just a place I feel comfortable at.” Rose will be making his 21st appearance and has already collected 11 top-20 finishes at Augusta National over his career. Other players who certainly feel comfortable on these hallowed grounds are 2011 champion…

JIMMY DEMARET 3 wins in 11 years (1940, 1947, 1950) (Posing his follow-through in a Hawaiian shirt during a 1940s Masters Tournament) SAM SNEAD 3 wins in 6 years (1949, 1952, 1954) (Teeing off during The 1954 Masters) ARNOLD PALMER 4 wins in 7 years (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964) (On his way to winning the 1964 Masters) JACK NICKLAUS 6 wins in 24 years (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986) (Watched by Sandy Lyle as he celebrates winning at Augusta in 1986) GARY PLAYER 3 wins in 18 years (1961, 1974, 1978) (Getting suited up by defending champion Tom Watson after taking out the 1978 Masters) NICK FALDO 3 wins in 8 years (1989, 1990, 1996) (Attacking Augusta on his way to winning the 1990 tournament) TIGER WOODS 5 wins…

“This image of Gabi Ruffels showcases what a lot of amateur golfers out there are constantly trying to achieve with their swing – a beautiful high, extended finish,” offers Certified PGA Professional, Advanced Coaching, and the Head Teaching Professional at Bankstown GC, John Burrough. “However, in order to do this, it all starts with the footwork. You will notice how Gabi finishes with her foot pressure in her left heel and right toe without her left foot spinning out and facing the target. “This is proof of the incredible athleticism and stability required of the foot and ankle joint to finish in this position. “From there, the left leg can fully extend and the right hip can move through so that the hips are completely facing the target in the…

In the context of golf courses, the terms “resort” and “country club” can conjure images of a friendly roll around manicured grounds. Nothing too up, nothing too down, nothing which might metaphorically, or actually, beat up upon the golfer. For surely it’s in resort and club owners’ interests to make their guests happy. Cypress Lakes Golf and Country Club, the greater property of which is known as Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort, is not like that. Not to say you’ll be beaten up. And not to say the friendly local staff don’t want you to be happy. And you will one-hundred-percent enjoy a round of golf at Cypress Lakes. But the golf course proper is a proper golf course. It’s interesting and varied. It’s a test of golf. Mainly, though, it’s…

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Greetings from the great state of California, golf and cultural exchange, and the fine city of San Francisco, where there is craft beer and steep streets and freaky, driverless taxis. And, I am here to tell a man, there is some of the all-time top golf. Driverless taxis? The bastard things are called “Waymos” and they roll around the streets like terrible droids. They’re storm trooper-white, there’s a spinning thing on their rooves, and I don’t like ‘em at all. They weird me out, even if they appear to drive perfectly. It’s like they’re too perfect. They’re not right. The golf? Dear sweet home of Johnny Miller, it is pure. We played Harding Park (Miller’s home track), Poppy Hills, Bayonet & Black horse (36 holes, a former course for military…

Especially for the millions of golf fans around the world who have never been fortunate enough to attend a Masters Tournament, this column has the potential to sound a bit weird, but here goes. Having made 20-odd visits to Augusta National between 1989 and 2024, your humble correspondent won’t be visiting golf’s so-called “rite of spring” this year. And you know what? I am more than happy not to be going there. Which doesn’t exactly make me unique. As many of my fellow journalists like to say, the best view of Augusta, Georgia is in the rearview mirror. Arriving can be a thrill; leaving is invariably a relief. Don’t get me wrong. I have strong feelings of envy for those fans – and players – who will be making their…

1. Tea Olive PAR 4, 445 YARDS A slight dogleg right which requires a precise second shot to an undulating green. A poorly struck approach shot may result in a difficult two-putt. Drives to the left may catch the trees and the hole plays uphill. 2. Pink Dogwood PAR 5, 585 YARDS A dogleg left which may be reachable in two. Large, deep greenside bunkers require special attention on the second shot. 3. Flowering Peach PAR 4, 350 YARDS A classic par 4. Golfers attempt to hit short of the four fairway bunkers, resulting in a full club to the green, where it is better to be long than short. Green slopes right to left with a thin neck on the left side guarded by a bunker. 4. Flowering Crab…

DESTINY FULFILLED For me, like almost every Australian, Adam Scott claiming the Green Jacket in 2013 was, and still is, the greatest ever Masters moment. His historic victory just happened to coincide with my first visit to Augusta National for the year’s first major. It was a week which began with conservative expectations that our small Aussie contingent of players could do well, and ended with Marc Leishman, Jason Day and, of course, Scotty being there at the end. Today, 12 years on, I can still recall the rumble of the ground as the gallery lost their minds at Scott making his putt on 18, and looking across that final green to see Leishman fist pumping the birdie. That roar was only surpassed later when he claimed the Masters with…

QUICK TIPS WEDDING WRING A sound grip knits the hands together, encouraging them to work as a unit. This leads to greater clubface control, more accuracy and improved consistency. To develop this, grab your bag towel. Hold it loosely in your hands. Feel both palms are under the towel, facing the sky, with your arms relaxed by your sides. From here, imagine the towel is soaking and you are going to wring the water out (inset). You would do this by twisting both hands inwards, thumbs moving towards each other. When you do this: ◼ The Vs between thumb and forefinger become stacked, lead hand over trail hand. ◼ The palm of the trail hand feels lightly pushed into the thumb of the lead hand. Above all, note how the…