Inhaltsverzeichnis für March 2018 in Golf Monthly

Photography: Getty Images When it comes to golf courses, Britain and Ireland are the envy of the world. From historic links to stunning heathland layouts, our courses are unrivalled. Such is the strength of the cast list that compiling our biennial list of GB&I's Top 100 Courses is a very time consuming, if enjoyable, job. As I write this, we are mid-way through the current assessing period that will generate a new set of rankings in December 2018. So many courses that feature in the Top 100, or who are hopeful contenders for it, are investing much time, money and effort into renovations. In truth, if improvements are not being made to a course – no matter how lofty its reputation – it's likely to be treading water or even…

Photography: Tom Miles The GM view: The change is obviously designed to encourage new golfers to join clubs and play in competitions to help measure progress, but there are justifiably some concerns about pace of play. Howard Palm: What a joke! How long is a game going to take now? I will withdraw from competitions effective immediately. Fish: The thought that golf clubs are suddenly going to be overrun with an influx of novices is nonsense, but if we are, and it’s managed correctly, then that’s great income for the club. @scomack09: Ridiculous! Why would someone need a 54 handicap – that’s not helping the game in any way whatsoever. It will mean slower play and unrealistic nett scores! Fingers crossed my club has common sense on this one. It’s…

Photography: Tom Miles “From work to leisure, we plan and facilitate actions via the internet. It’s faster and more convenient” YES The world has changed. Thirty years ago, only a tiny percentage of the population was aware of, let alone using, the internet. Banking was done in branches and holidays were booked at travel agents. Golf outings were organised directly, over the phone, with facilities. Today, people expect everything to be possible via the net, and it pretty much is. From work to leisure, we plan and facilitate actions via the internet. It's faster and more convenient and it offers us greater choice than before. Golf can't hide from these changes. The industry must recognise the level and variety of opportunity each individual now has when it comes to filling…

TITLEIST PERFORMANCE BALLS Replacing the popular NXT Tour and NXT Tour S for 2018 is a brand-new offering from Titleist called Tour Soft, which features the largest core it has ever put in a golf ball. Titleist claims Tour Soft is the softest-feeling ball among its competitive set, thanks to the 1.6in core combined with a special, ultra-thin 4CE grafted surlyn cover made from four different materials. In fact, it is just as thin as some urethane-covered balls currently on the market. Titleist says the result is a soft feel, excellent distance off the tee, control into greens and impressive levels of durability. A new spherically tiled 342 dimple design delivers a penetrating trajectory and consistent flight. “We knew there was an opportunity to deliver a brand-new high-performance ball that…

1 What is the design philosophy behind the Rogue drivers? Rogue represents a different idea of optimising ball speed, aligned to maximising forgiveness. Our first challenge was surpassing Epic. In fact, Rogue has a lot of the same ingredients, but the way the hourglass-shaped titanium rods work in tandem with our X-Face VFT technology delivers even more performance than Epic. 2 Why does Epic remain in the line for 2018? There is still a very clear place for Epic, particularly in the custom-fitting environment. Some players will want a ‘high fidelity' fitting using the adjustable sliding weight, which doesn't feature in Rogue. Some golfers may also have a head-shape preference towards Epic, as the footprint is not quite as large as Rogue. 3 How is the Urethane Microsphere tech in…

Irons TaylorMade P790 2-iron, TaylorMade P730 DJ Proto, 4-PW, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts. Wedges TaylorMade Milled Grind, 52° and 60°, TaylorMade Milled Grind Hi-Toe, 64°, KBS Tour Black 130X shafts. Driver TaylorMade M4, 9.5°, Fujikura Speeder 661 Evolution 2.0 Tour Spec X-Flex shaft. Fairway wood TaylorMade M4, 16.5°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.5 shaft. Putter TaylorMade Spider Tour Black with a T-Line on the crown. Ball TaylorMade TP5x.…

Photography: Kenny Smith. Shot on location at Trump International Golf Links, Aberdeen When it comes to the short game, there's no substitute for practice. Spending time at the short-game area will improve your feel around the greens, but there are ways to accelerate the process. Place six balls in a host of very different lies around the green. Now select six different chipping clubs from your bag. These should span the lofts from fairway woods to sand wedge. Hit a shot with each club to the same flag from each position. This is a great test for two reasons. Firstly, with variations in the lie you'll quickly gain a feel for which club is most reliable in different positions. For instance, it might be that a fairway wood or long-iron…

Photography: Kevin Murray Golf is a fickle game, as we all know. I can talk until I'm blue in the face about the first rule of golf, but instead I'm going to discuss the players who I think will excel this year, not go into reverse gear. I don't really like discussing negative topics, even though I suppose it's in my job description as an analyst. It can be a tough gig, and one of the tasks I find most difficult is gazing into my crystal ball and attempting to predict what will happen in the future. That, however, is also one of my jobs. The game of golf is absolutely loaded with superstars at the moment, which makes it even more difficult. Gone are the days of predicting Tiger…

Photography: Tom Miles During last year's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, we spent a day at The Duke's course in St Andrews with three European Tour professionals – Daniel Im, Ricardo Gouveia and Laurie Canter. Their brief was to provide you, our readers, with simple, easy-to-understand tips that will help you play better golf from tee to green in the coming year. We think the tee-to-green masterclass that follows achieves just that, thanks to an uncomplicated approach combined with sound practical advice and thoughts. Putting these tips and drills into action might just unlock the door to improvements in the key areas that have been holding you back up to now... 1 HIT LONGER DRIVES LAURIE CANTER A wider stance If I'm looking to get some extra distance on my drives,…

Andrew’s assessment Dale initially told me about the inconsistencies he had with pace control, so we started by examining his set-up to see if that could be causing bad strikes. Using a putting-stroke analyser, we identified his club was releasing too early and often striking the ball off the bottom of the face, which would lead to putts coming up short. His hands were also behind the putter head, while he was using the type of grip you employ for an iron shot instead of a putting stroke. Andrew’s remedy The root cause of Dale's bad set-up was his grip, so we moved his ball position forward and altered his left wrist position to create a flatter line down his left arm and the shaft, which creates less moving parts…

PERFORMANCE Once we found our ideal weight and loft combination, the performance was excellent. Our average carry was 275 yards, helped by high launch with low spin. LOOKS The deep red matte finish really looks the part. The two Power Holes either side of the alignment mark help frame the ball and assist with alignment, as does the contrast with the black clubface. The C300 driver is aimed at a range of players looking for performance and adjustability without the premium price tag. Key technology Power Holes on the sole and crown expand the sweetspot for greater ball speeds across the face. Loft and lie angle can be adjusted without removing the clubhead from the shaft. Two 6g and one 2g interchangeable sole weights adjust launch conditions and shot shape.…

STYLING It's fair to say a small number of the designs will divide opinion, but with so much choice in the line, ranging from clean and classic to outlandish, every taste should be catered for. PERFORMANCE The Biom Hybrid 3 more than held its own on the wet and hilly terrain at Goodwood. The shoes felt stable and gave us excellent grip from different lies. This shoe is aimed at those seeking premium looks and performance, as well as off-course versatility. Key technology The new outsole design ensures multi-purpose zonal performance through three segments: one for stability, another for durability and a third for rotational support. A Racer Yak leather upper provides both breathability and durability, while the 100 per cent Gore-Tex waterproof protection is guaranteed for three years. There’s…

VERSATILE MIZUNO IMPERMALITE F20 Light and soft enough to wear as a windtop, this packs into its own pouch and has removable arms for warmer conditions. GREAT VALUE CALLAWAY GREEN GRASS 3.0 Callaway's Opti-Stretch fabric ensures mobility, while its Opti-Dri technology keeps it waterproof and breathable. SPORTY PUMA STORM JACKET PRO This model is breathable and has 20,000mm waterproof protection to keep you both dry and comfy on the course. STYLISH FOOTJOY DRYJOYS TOUR LTS A popular pro choice during a wet British Masters, this breathable jacket has taped seams and waterproof zips.…

STATS: par 72, 6,682 yards GF: round: £55wd Orsett Golf Club , Brentwood Road, Orsett, Essex, RM16 3DR W: orsettgolfclub.co.uk Just five miles from the M25 and a mere stone's throw from the busy A13 lies a surprise package of a course that far exceeds expectations as you turn in off the Brentwood Road. Orsett Golf Club, which dates back to 1899, is one of a handful of James Braid creations in Essex and is laid out over gently rolling heathland terrain, with more of a parkland feel towards the end. The club has a strong reputation locally both for the quality of the test and its year-round playability, with wider acclaim coming via Open Regional Qualifying, which it has hosted 11 times. Like all the best hidden gems, it…

1. BRAMPTON Cumbria If ever a course was suited to the term hidden gem, this unusual but picturesque James Braid design in the beautiful wilds of Cumbria is it. Situated close to Talkin Tarn, a 10,000-year-old glacial lake, there are nine holes either side of the B6413 with plenty of variety and glorious scenery all the way. There are three short holes, including the 1st, three par 5s and three particularly challenging par 4s, as well as several drive and pitch holes that can offer up the chance of a birdie. The most fitting word here is fun. W: bramptongolfclub.com GF: Round: £40wd/£46we; Day: £60wd/£70we 2. SILLOTH ON SOLWAY Cumbria The most northerly course on England's west coast is also one of the finest links in the whole of the…

Photography: Tom Miles “If you can’t occasionally whack a very decent shot off a tee peg to a wide target then may I suggest you consider reading a book instead” And we're off! Off into a new year when we'll all try to live healthier, fitter lives, worry less about stuff that shouldn't be fretted over and be kinder to strangers, especially that slightly weird guy I seem to always queue behind in the supermarket who has yet to learn the advantages to carrying a handkerchief at all times. Actually being a bit kinder to those we know would be even better. Oh, and we'll finally get round to properly taking on board the GM playing tips, rather than just looking at them and going “hmmm” in what we imagine…

Building a team I thoroughly enjoyed watching the EurAsia Cup this year, and while it will never compete with the Ryder Cup, it does seem to be growing in prestige. It was a closely fought affair, and credit must go to both sides, as well as the two captains, Thomas Bjorn and Arjun Atwal. On another note, it was good to see Paul Casey playing. He's almost certain to earn a Ryder Cup spot, and given the fact he's played almost exclusively in American recently, spending time with his prospective Ryder Cup team-mates, like Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood, can only have been beneficial. Jake Tympson, Hastings My debt to the game I took up golf at 12 after a devastating leg infection destroyed my right hip joint. I went…

Illustration: Darren Robinson Copyright: 2018 TI Golf Holdings, Inc, reprinted with permission Robert Trent Jones Sr.'s iconic par-3 3rd at Mauna Kea demands a 200-yard-plus carry over the surging Pacific. Short and left is lost; bailing out to the right or carrying the shot too far leaves you in a bunker. It's a perilous proposition, especially when you add in the wind. Here's how to carry the drink and set up a rare birdie opportunity. 1 Easy does it The tendency on long-carry tee shots is to swing out of your shoes. Take a deep breath and think about swinging at 80 to 90 per cent of full capacity. The smoother you swing, the better your chances of finding the centre of the clubface with less sidespin. Take an extra…

FOOTJOY PRO FLX GLOVE Replacing the SciFlex, Pro FLX is made from a new Traction LT leather to enhance grip while offering a soft, light feel. Comes in three colours. FOOTJOY CONTOUR FLX GLOVE It combines a leather palm for grip and soft feel with a synthetic back and mesh sections for durability and a better fit. SRIXON AD333 TOUR Srixon’s latest SpinSkin coating enhances spin. A lower compression and new dimple pattern promote a longer and more stable flight. CLEVELAND TFI 2135 SATIN PUTTERS Different face milling across the five models produces ball speed specific to the head’s MOI for more consistent roll.…

“TOUR S HAS STYLISH LOOKS, GIVES EXCELLENT SUPPORT AND IS BOTH LIGHTWEIGHT AND COMFORTABLE RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX”Joel Tadman, technical editor FootJoy’s Pro SL took the shoe market by storm in 2017, offering stability in a stylish spikeless package. In 2018, FootJoy claims stability levels have been taken to even loftier heights in the form of the new Tour S. It boasts even wider cleat positioning than the D.N.A. Helix to maximise ground force – something that is key for creating power with control during the swing. A new outsole construction and additional elements also help make it FJ’s most stable shoe to date. Its design is, in places, reminiscent of XPS-1, an underrated shoe from 2011 that sadly got somewhat lost in the lightweight shoe revolution. Tour S…

M woods an instant hit Jon Rahm finished runner-up in the first PGA Tour event of 2018 with a new TaylorMade M4 and a visor look on top. It will take a little while to get used to seeing him in it! Rickie’s risque look Rickie Fowler rocked an untucked Puma Aloha Collection shirt on day one at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. A step too far? Tiger upgrades his driver It looks like Tiger Woods plans to use the new TaylorMade M3 driver throughout the course of this season, preferring it to the brand's M4 model.…

Photography: Tom Miles This month, I want to tell you about the hardest round of golf I have ever played. The course starts with a ‘V' and is in Spain. We have watched the pros at Valderrama on many occasions – the Ryder Cup, the Volvo Masters and most recently the Andalucia Masters have all called it home. It remains a golfing mecca, so when I was offered the chance to play it as part of a golfing trip organised by the Aspiration Group, I jumped at the chance. To give you an idea of what it means to play Valderrama, here is a run down of my text conversation with former England forward Dean Ashton, who I invited along as my partner: Me: Deano, you about? Fancy a cheeky…

1 Swing path and target line Shot shape comes down to two key factors – what your swing path is doing in relation to your target line and what your clubface is doing in relation to your swing path. Assuming that your swing path isn't excessively in-to-out or out-to-in, to achieve a pretty straight shot, your clubface must be neither too open nor closed at impact. It's worth remembering that because you're always standing to the side of your target line, your club is only moving straight to target at the low point of your swing, which is why golf's perfectly straight shot is so hard to find! 2 Check your grip If accuracy is a problem, look at your grip as it is the main factor in what your…

Photography: Getty Images As a golf coach, the first thing you look at with any player is the address position, as it gives you a clear idea for how successful the swing that follows will be. The good news is that Tiger's address position is as athletic and technically sound as it ever was. He is in balance, and his knees and armpits look nicely aligned as he stands over the ball. It is an ideal platform from which to start the swing, and I wouldn't expect anything else from one of the game's greats. The takeaway is smooth – it starts with the arms and is followed by the rotation of his torso. The club, meanwhile, is immediately working on plane. Tiger's backswing winds up powerfully and, at the…

LOOKS The King F8 is large down by the ball without looking clunky, and makes you feel help is at hand. The lack of colour reduces shelf appeal, but the irons certainly look cutting-edge. PERFORMANCE Carry distances ranged from 181 to 187 yards – impressive from a 29.5° 7-iron. The spin was low at under 5,000 rpm, but the high launch kept the ball up in the air. The King F8 iron is built predominantly for distance and those who struggle with consistent ball-striking. Key Technology A 20-per-cent-thinner forged face provides more distance than the King F7 model. In this new, progressive set, more of the irons (now 4-7) are hollow to boost performance, moving to cavity backs in the mid-irons and speciality wedges with the Versatile grind in the…

“You only hit 14 drives a round, so choosing a ball for distance alone makes little sense” Barring your grips, it's the only piece of equipment you use on every shot. Yet many golfers I talk to either pay limited attention to the ball they play, or choose a particular model for all the wrong reasons. “It feels soft, which gives me control around the greens” is one common misconception, another being “I've got a slow swing speed so I need a ball with a low compression”. Time for some real talk. Feel versus real Many golfers believe a ball that feels soft will spin more around the greens. How soft a ball feels will come down mostly to the compression, which is the measure of the deformation of a…

Photography: Getty Images STATS: par 69, 6,566 yards GF: £55wd, £65we; Day: £70wd, £80we. Winter rate: £35wd, £40we Southerness Golf Club Southerness, Dumfries, DG2 8AZ W: southernessgolfclub.com Take the M6 all the way to the top, turn left at Gretna, left again at Dumfries, and 15 miles later you will arrive at one of the best golf courses in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. From the fine links outpost at Southerness, it may be just nine miles as the crow flies across the Solway Firth to one of England's finest links layouts at Silloth, but it's 72 miles and an hour and 45 minutes by road on account of the geography in this part of the United Kingdom. The vast majority of links courses within these shores were built in…

STATS: par 72, 6,775 yards GF: £25-£55wd, £30-£70we per round (varies with season) Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa, Southport Old Road, Formby, Southport, L37 0AB T: 01704 875699 W: formbyhallgolfresort. co.uk THE GOLF Championship: par 72, 6,775 yards; Woodhey Dunes: par 27, 1,395 yards The Championship course has hosted both the European Senior and Challenge Tours, with Formby Hall's favourite son securing his maiden professional win here in 2011 on the EuroPro Tour. The course can stretch to over 7,000 yards (if so desired!), but it is predominantly flat so a relatively gentle walk. There is much water to contend with, and despite being some way from the coast, many tricky revetted bunkers, too. Water cuts in tight to the 3rd and 4th greens heading out, and coming home…

Practice makes perfect I’m not normally one for cold-weather golf, and when the new year rolls round I’m typically reticent to get back out on the course. However, I’ve already played a couple of rounds this year and I’m as optimistic as I can remember about the season ahead. I decided to commit to improving in 2018 by spending some time each week practising, so your February 2018 issue, with Rick Shiels’ instruction, came at the perfect time. I’d never really given much thought to practice before, and on the odd occasion I found myself on the range, I tended to just belt balls aimlessly. Shiels’ tips have given me real focus and I’ve already started to see some improvements. I can’t wait for the qualifiers to begin! Aaron Williamson,…

GF: 8,000kr (approx. £58) W: gs.is Stats: par 72, 6,543 yards Photography: Getty Images Iceland may not be renowned for its golf, so it will probably come as a bit of a surprise that the country has more golf courses per capita than anywhere else on the planet – around 65 courses for its mere 334,000 inhabitants. Anyone who has visited the country will know that it is, however, renowned for its stunning scenery, so it should perhaps come as less of a surprise that many of its golf courses are blessed with quite spectacular settings and some of the most dramatic golf holes you're ever likely to play. Sudurnesja Golf Club, which lies on the Reykjanes Peninsula in the south-west corner of the country close to Keflavik International airport,…

“WITH 11 MODELS IN THE ROGUE FAMILY, YOU’LL EASILY FIND A COMBINATION THAT WORKS”Joel Tadman, technical editor Callaway’s GBB Epic woods were one of the success stories of 2017. Alongside them in 2018 will be the even better Rogue range. The Rogue drivers focus less on adjustability, but come in Standard, Sub Zero and now Draw versions. The two titanium bars that form Jailbreak are now hourglass in shape, making them 25 per cent lighter and more efficient. A new variable-thickness X-Face has been designed to accommodate the effect of Jailbreak at impact, and the CG is now lower in the head thanks to the removal of carbon fibre pieces on the sole, which tended to scratch up. The result, Callaway says, is ultimate distance without compromise. Another change from…

1 Describe the basic premise of Tour S? All the components on the outsole and some on the upper are designed for stability – it's the most stable shoe we've ever made. Compared with D.N.A. Helix the cleat placement is wider. XPS was a great, stable shoe but it was a touch heavy, so we've made Tour S much lighter. 2 Who would benefit from a more stable shoe? Someone who moves their lower body around a lot during their swing or generates a lot of clubhead speed would benefit most from this type of shoe. 3 How has the premium price been justified? The stability, comfort and attention to detail. The foam in the collar provides a customised fit. The dual-density fit bed offers comfort and perimeter stability, as…

Sergio Garcia has been officially unveiled as a Callaway staff player Tyrrell Hatton has signed to play Adidas footwear and apparel Andy Sullivan will both play Ping clubs and wear its apparel in 2018 Both Chris Wood and Patrick Reed will now wear Nike footwear South Korean KJ Choi has signed a deal to play 13 Ping golf clubs PGA Tour Champion Xander Schauffele has signed with Callaway…

Photography: Jon Humphries It's obviously a Ryder Cup year this year, which means every tournament takes on added significance. It's the biggest event in golf, and boy do you feel that weight when you know you've made the team. In the lead-up, it's almost hard to keep yourself grounded and remind yourself that it's just a golf tournament on another golf course. It's been built into such a huge event now and you feel that pressure of not letting people down – your teammates, the people you stand on the range with at European Tour events, people at home and yourself. It's a team event, but selfishly you want to come out of it having done your bit. It's hard not to put a lot of pressure on yourself. The…

Most of us are guilty, at times, of taking our lives for granted. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the golf course. A bad shot, a lost ball or worse, a bad round, can all spark a dark mood and a period of prolonged sulking. If this rings any bells within your own golfing outlook, let us introduce you to Bernie Broad. A Major with the Grenadier Guards, Bernie was blown up by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while serving in Afghanistan in 2009. After successfully fighting for his life, he went through a five-year rehabilitation process to address the catalogue of life-changing injuries he was left with. Despite prolonged efforts to save them, Bernie lost both of his legs. Incredibly, it was during this darkest of times that…

1 Shallow, not steep From my experience, players who struggle with their short game are too steep. As the club descends towards the ball on too severe an angle, one of two things happens – it either gets stuck in the turf and you hit the shot fat, or the ball is squeezed out (often a little thin) with a low flight and minimal control. Place an alignment stick in the ground on the angle shown here. Stand three feet back from it and hit a series of shots. Can you get the club to pass underneath the stick while the ball pops over it? You should be able to do this without manipulating your technique. If the ball goes under and the club clatters into the stick, you are…

Getting your ball to rest at the bottom of a 4¼” hole is arguably the most challenging part of our game, as many of you will know all too well. Golf Monthly reader Dale Harrison has had a particular tough time recently. The 5-handicapper can clearly play, but his lack of confidence on the greens and his ever-present three-putt potential have stunted his ability to shoot the low numbers he's chasing. Keen to revive his game, he applied to take part in one of our reader lessons with GM Top 25 Coach Andrew Jones, an experienced golf professional whose impressive CV includes training the Kent county team. The two men met on the undulating practice green at The London Club to see if Andrew could help make that small hole…

“THE M3 LOOKS BETTER THAN THE M1 AND DELIVERED LONGER DRIVES, BUT WE COULDN’T TELL IF TWIST FACE BOOSTED ACCURACY”Joel Tadman, technical editor DISTANCE The M3 delivered marginally more ball speed than the M1. Extra adjustability also gives you more chance of eking out a few more yards, by fine-tuning launch conditions and shot shape further. FORGIVENESS We can't say for sure if Twist Face tightened our dispersion, as many other variables play a part. But, that said, the off-centre performance was impressive. LOOKS The new matte-silver colour and graphics add a more premium feel. The Twist Face is just about visible, but not to the point where it looks excessively curved or off-putting. The M3 is aimed at golfers who want the ability to fine-tune their driver’s settings…

LONG GAME Distance and ball flight off the tee was comparable to premium offerings. The driver spin was a touch higher than we'd like, but on the course it seemed pretty stable in the wind. SHORT GAME The AD333 Tour does feel fairly soft, and grips nicely when you strike a chip or pitch cleanly before gently releasing out. This ball is aimed at mid- and slow-swinging golfers who want near-tour-ball attributes like distance, soft feel and greenside spin without the premium price tag. Key technology On the 2018 AD333 Tour, Srixon’s third-generation SpinSkin replaces the previous version to provide more control around the greens. Use of 338 dimples compared to 324 on the previous version creates a longer and more stable flight, while a slightly lower compression (from 75…

Photography: Daniel Gould There are few brands Tin golf that carry a better reputation than Galvin Green, a Swedish golf-only company that has won players over for decades with its long-lasting and Gore-Tex-protected waterproof garments. But as with many things, having the best quality comes at a cost, and Galvin Green’s latest offerings retail at more than £500 for a jacket and pair of trousers. For many golfers, the lure of an exciting new driver will outshine the practicality and longevity of a premium waterproof suit. As such, we wanted two normal club golfers to test the benefits and potential pitfalls to help highlight what you get for your money. Our duo received suits three months ago and then went about wearing them through wind, rain and snow during games…