Inhaltsverzeichnis für October 2019 in Golf Monthly

You won’t find a smaller trolley in its folded-down state than the Blade IP. When packed away after play, it has a depth of just 12.5cm, which makes it easy to store in the tightest of spaces, such as under your clubs in the car boot or even on top of the parcel shelf. It offers an incredibly smooth yet stable ride thanks to the bearings in the wheels. The handle console features easy-access holders for your scorecard, pencil, balls, tees and drinks bottle, and the height of the handle can be adjusted. To top it all off, there’s a foot brake to keep it still on slopes. The Blade IP is available in five colours.…

TECH TALK The Prak-tis range of golf training aids uses sliding parts to help you achieve the perfect stance with each club. The tools come with recommended zones to guide you on the correct distance to stand from the ball, plus pointers on the optimum ball position, width of stance and feet angles. Prak-tis is great on the greens, too, with a putting template and stance guide, plus two replica holes to hone pace in the Perfect Putting Complete Kit. The range comprises: Prak-tis Consistent Set-up (£19.95) for all shots before the green; Prak-tis Stand Alone Putting Template (£19.95) and Perfect Putting Complete Kit (£24.95) for use on the practice green; and Prak-tis Pro Complete Kit (£39.95) for long game, short game and putting. GAME BOOSTER Alignment and set-up are…

TECH TALK The Powakaddy FW5s electric trolley is lightweight and can be easily assembled in three simple movements. The powerful yet whisper-quiet 230w motor nestles in a beautifully styled Powaframe, while the unique Plug ‘n’ Play battery system houses the thinnest lithium battery on the market. For 2019, the FW5s features a 2.8in mid-size full-colour widescreen display, an integrated USB charging port and an automatic distance function to send the trolley off on three pre-set distances. The premium gunmetal finish enhances the shelf appeal, complemented by the smart black wheels. GAME BOOSTER An electric trolley can take the physical pressure off and allow you to concentrate on your game. The Powakaddy FW5s is one of the most efficient and easily operated on the market. It’s easy to assemble with a…

TECH TALK The SX500 is one of the best handheld GPS units you can buy. It features a smartphone-like design with a 5in HD LCD touchscreen. PinPoint and IntelliGreen Pro technology combine to give golfers precise information as to what lies ahead off the tee and around the greens – taking into account things like false fronts, tiers or greenside mounds – all without line of sight required. By dragging a cursor to wherever you like on the green, you’ll get an exact yardage to your landing area, allowing you to swing with confidence. In addition, as many as 40 targets per hole have been logged by SkyCaddie course mappers, who mark every relevant point on each hole on foot to ensure the course information is up to date. The…

This bag is a great option for hardy UK golfers who like to carry their clubs but want to keep them dry in the changeable conditions we face in this country. Despite the waterproofing technology, this bag is extremely light and very comfy on the shoulders. The new comfort hip pad ensures that it sits neatly across the back and feels very well balanced. With just clubs and a few balls, the H2No Lite is very light indeed, but there’s plenty of room to pack in equipment if required. The full-length clothing pocket is spacious, while five further pockets offer ample storage, among them a velour-lined pocket ideal for your phone. Overall, this is an extremely versatile bag that can work in a variety of scenarios. On a summer’s evening,…

TECH TALK The versatile AquaFlex stand bag is 100 per cent waterproof and very light at just 2.2kg. It features a fully adjustable quick-release carry strap and a swivel buckle with Smart Fit technology, which allows the strap to automatically rebalance when carrying. The rear stand lock holds the legs in place on a trolley and the bag is kept firmly in place by the brand’s Easilock bag-to-trolley connection system, eliminating the need for a lower bag strap when using a Motocaddy trolley. Thermo-sealed zips and heat-welded seams protect the contents from the elements and there are five spacious pockets. Other features include a waterproof rain hood, a towel and accessory hook, an internal umbrella sleeve and an external drinks pouch. GAME BOOSTER The AquaFlex stand bag really shows off…

Blending style and functionality, this is a fashion item as well as an impressive GPS watch. With over 39,000 pre-loaded courses, the watch gives accurate and clear distances. TAG Heuer’s new Golf app allows you to see 2D course mapping on your watch and 3D renderings on your smartphone. The app offers performance analysis, providing you statistics from each round you play, and also gives you the opportunity to record the distance of your shots. It's stylish, too, thanks to the black ceramic bezel ring, bold black ceramic lugs and sandblasted case and case back, which are fashioned from black PVD titanium. A true stunner.…

TECH TALK This compact, lightweight, folding electric trolley comes with integrated GPS technology loaded with 39,000 courses. The lightweight Plug ‘n’ Play lithium battery is the thinnest on the market and removes the need for any wires or connectors when slotting into the battery tray. The Compact C2i GPS also features non-corrosive tempered glass bearings in the front wheel said to last up to five times longer than regular bearings, offering a super-smooth ride. A 2.8in colour display shows yardage information along with further data including battery level, time, hole number and par, current speed and total distance travelled. GAME BOOSTER This trolley’s compact-folding frame means that it takes up very little space when folded. It will easily fit into even a small car boot. With a little practice, the…

End of the line I’ve read a number of articles about slow play on the various tours and much has been written about the use of Green Books. One PGA Tour member’s take was that lines drawn on balls should be banned. Not so long ago I responded to an R&A invite to give comments on ways to speed up the game. One of my suggestions was that lines drawn on balls be banned as too much time is being taken as a result of this. How often have we watched tournament play where some players take an eternity to line up the ball? If they cannot read a green like their predecessors then they shouldn’t be playing the game! Robin Sharp, via email Don’t believe the hype In September’s…

Suzann Pettersen The Norwegian golfer may not have played much this year while on maternity leave, but she still secured a captain’s pick from Catriona Matthew for Europe’s 2019 Solheim Cup team. Abraham Ancer The world top 40 player will become the first Mexican to compete in the Presidents Cup. A 2nd-place finish in the Northern Trust assured automatic qualification. Thorbjorn Olesen Arriving back at Heathrow from the WGC-FedEx St Jude, The Dane was charged with sexual assault, being drunk on a plane and assault by beating. He has pleaded not guilty. Jason Day The Aussie split with caddie Steve Williams and failed to make the Tour Championship.…

The majority of tour players and amateur golfers don’t like playing in the rain, and they certainly don’t like playing in waterproof jackets. The perception is that they restrict the swing, they often feel bulky because they don’t fit particularly well and they’re noisy. They’re also an expensive investment for something you probably won’t end up wearing that much, and which might spend much of its life stuffed in the bottom of your golf bag gathering creases. But FootJoy believes it has come up with a solution to this problem with its new HydroKnit. This pullover is said to combine the performance and protection of a woven waterproof with the comfort, stretch and feel of a knitted garment. So you feel comfortable when wearing it, but get the protection you…

Why did you bring back the copper layer to the MP-20s? Despite our Grain Flow forging process tightening up and an evolving CAD process that predicts vibration patterns, we were still missing something. The one element left from the old classics was a layer of copper. After blind testing, our players preferred the iron with copper plating. What type of golfer is the MP-20 MMC model aimed at? The new MMC is the smaller, sharper version of the original. For a player with a traditional eye, looking for a little stability from off-centre strikes thanks to the multi-material construction, but comfortable with their distances and ball speed, this is definitely the iron for them. The HMB iron is a new concept for Mizuno, so what did you have to consider?…

Wild swings in handicap; no more social golf; possible manipulation of the system; chaos at unprepared clubs... just a few of the scare stories circulating since the announcement of the World Handicap System (WHS) by The R&A and USGA in early 2018. I must confess to having nodded along to some of these during debates on the shift to an average system of handicap calculation. I wanted to find out more about how the WHS will affect golf and how things are progressing, so I spoke to Claire Bates, director – handicapping R&A, and Gemma Hunter, head of handicapping and course rating for England Golf and CONGU’s technical committee chairwoman. I found that the myths are just that and that, despite setting out here with scepticism, I now believe the…

Polarising, flamboyant and immensely talented, Sergio Garcia has a list of achievements most professional golfers can only dream of. For so long the nearly man when it came to Major Championships, the Spaniard’s eventual success at the 2017 Masters was surely the icing on the cake of what was already an illustrious career. The 2018 Ryder Cup was the ultimate cherry on top, a singles victory against Rickie Fowler meaning he overtook Nick Faldo as Europe’s all-time leading points scorer. Watching him during any of his matches against the USA, or on the final green at Augusta two years ago, it is abundantly clear that his passion for the game and the will to win is what drives him, ably assisted by his ball-striking prowess and short-game wizardry. While this…

1 Stand upright and hold the putter in your bottom hand. With your left palm facing upwards, move it under the top of the grip and wrap your fingers round securely. 2 Now take your bottom hand off and repeat the process so both palms are pointing at the sky. You should notice your elbows have been pulled into your midriff. 3 Now let the putter head drop slightly under its own weight. 4 Once in this position, hinge your upper body over the ball by bending at the hips and allow your knees to flex so you find an athletic, comfortable address position. Photography: Tom Miles…

1 One of the most common mistakes I see is where golfers have too much of the grip in the palm of the left hand. This encourages the left arm to bend into a position where it’s very difficult to generate power. So, take your grip with the fingers pointing directly towards the ground. The other way to do this is to let your fingers rest in a cradle, again with the idea of the hand pointing straight down. 2 You want the club to pass through the middle joint of your index finger and about an inch of the grip should be visible above the little finger. When I take my grip, I want my thumb to be slightly to the right-hand side. 3 Place a tee peg between…

Fitness fanatic Rory McIlroy has recently been wearing a Whoop Strap 3.0, a fitness monitor that collects health-related data and then displays it in real time on the app. Algorithms then provide suggestions on the amount of sleep, exercise and rest needed to keep the body in peak physical condition. Mystery wedge Gary Woodland looks to have been testing a new Wilson wedge. The HT on the back could stand for high toe. Teryllium teaser Hideki Matsuyama was seen testing a tour-only Scotty Cameron Teryllium Newport 2 at the BMW Championship.…

There was a time when something crafted by hand was supposed to be a good thing. Now in golf, it seems that a lot of design and manufacturing is all about eliminating human error and using computers and machines to provide consistency of design. We’ve seen it with the complex variable thickness pattern in the Flash Face on Callaway’s Epic Flash drivers, designed and supposedly proven by a super computer. The soles on TaylorMade’s Milled Grind wedges are also CNC-milled by a computer-controlled machine to ensure that the geometry is exactly the same on every single wedge. I understand why, but I find the loss of the personal touch a little disheartening, especially in wedges. We know tour pros like to grind away a bit of metal here and there…

If you’re serious about your game, you’ll stop buying that bag of refurbished lake balls and invest in a new model that is best suited to the way you swing and how you want it to feel and perform. A launch monitor can tell you which is giving you the best carry distance or the lowest spin, which is a good starting point, but then you need to put it in play to assess how it reacts around the green, as well as the durability over time. Price is, of course, a factor – your choice ultimately needs to be sustainable financially, but with balls you generally get what you pay for. There are also even more options to personalise your ball pocket, with nearly all brands offering some sort…

Last month, we spoke to course architect Tom Mackenzie about the trend for often fairly comprehensive bunker renovation programmes. When clubs are looking to improve, they have several options – new greens, new tees, hole reconfigurations and so on. The advantage of a bunker renovation programme is that it addresses two main considerations at once – the visual appeal of holes plus the strategic demands that they pose. It’s a win-win scenario as long as the architect doesn’t make things too challenging. I’ve played the odd hole where I feel the test has become perhaps a little too demanding, but I’ve seen far more superb examples of courses where the visuals have been improved beyond all measure, while the strategic demands have been sensibly enhanced. Effingham GC in Surrey would…

How much do members’ guest fees vary from course to course? @BigDfromLeith, via Twitter It obviously varies hugely, but from my experience, the better the calibre of the club, the lower percentage of a standard visitor’s fee a member’s guest rate will be. What makes golfers rank courses and clubs highly? How well they played? Course condition? Course layout? Playing partners? @golffashionguy, via Twitter The Golf Monthly rankings operate to specific set criteria, but outside of that it will be different for different people. Visual appeal scores highly for me. I will often try to play my way round a certain course in my head some time after my visit. The more I can remember, the more of an impression it must have made on me. What is your favourite…

TECH TALK This compact-folding trolley can send GPS information and smartphone notifications direct to the handle. It features a completely new frame, wheel and battery design, which combine to create a much smaller folded footprint. The GPS functionality comes from the free Motocaddy smartphone app, which uses Bluetooth to transfer the distance information to the digital screen on the handle. You can also measure shot distances and receive call, text and app notifications. The assembly process has been made much simpler compared with previous M-Series electric trolleys. With fewer moving parts, the M5 Connect can now be set up in two simple moves. To top off this impressive offering, the new battery design is lighter, smaller and more powerful, so it should last a little longer than on previous models.…

Pre-loaded with over 38,000 courses, the GolfBuddy VTX handheld GPS comes with a number of new features, including voice audio and Bluetooth connectivity. This pocket-sized, water-resistant device boasts Dynamic Green View, which will adjust to provide an accurate yardage so there’s no uncertainty over the ball. It also comes with a plastic holster so you can attach it to your golf bag, and provides a digital scorecard option. With 15 hours of battery life, the VTX will comfortably last 36 holes. One of its real strengths is its simplicity. There is such a thing as too much information, but this unit gets the balance just right, especially for golfers who prefer their device to act as a quick yet detailed guide. GolfBuddy’s smartphone app also means courses can be updated…

TECH TALK SkyTrak is a photometric launch monitor that captures a series of images just after impact. By looking at the dimples and markings on the ball, these images can be used to calculate the ball’s initial speed, launch angle, backspin, sidespin and side angle. Complex algorithms then accurately predict other parameters like peak height, carry and total distance, landing point and even clubhead speed. Strike the ball away and the ball flight will appear on your device’s screen followed by the all-important numbers. The data is simple to digest and you can delete certain shots during your hitting session if you wish and see if your performance with a certain club falls within the optimum range. GAME BOOSTER We were blown away by the accuracy of SkyTrak. We measured…

GPS & Laser Bushnell Pro XE Garmin Approach G80 Garmin Approach S60 Garmin Approach Z80 GolfBuddy Aim W10 GolfBuddy VTX Motocaddy GPS App Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilised SkyCaddie SX500 TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 Golf GPS Watch Trolleys & Bags Big Max Blade IP Motocaddy AquaFlex Motocaddy M5 Connect Motocaddy M-Tech PowaKaddy Compact C2i GPS PowaKaddy Dri-Edition PowaKaddy FW5s Stewart Golf X9 Follow* Sun Mountain H2No Lite Shot Tracking Arccos Caddie* Hublot Big Bang Unico Golf Watch Shot Scope V2 Apparel FootJoy HydroKnit Galvin Green Ashton Shakedry Peak Performance Meadow Under Armour ColdGear Rush Mock Footwear Adidas Tour360 XT Parley Ecco Biom Cool Pro FootJoy Fury Puma Ignite NXT Under Armour HOVR Drive* Training Aids Live View Golf Prak-tis Alignment Kits* PuttView SQRDUP Golf Zepp Golf 2 Swing Analyser Zen…

I read with interest Wayne Riley’s column in the September issue about Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston’s struggles with mental health, and he’s certainly not alone. Over the last few months, Chris Kirk, Thomas Bjorn, Rikard Karlberg, James Morrison and Robert Garrigus have all spoken honestly about the impact the touring professional’s lifestyle can have on the psyche. Naturally, it goes without saying that I wish everyone going through turmoil the best, and hopefully it will encourage more people to speak out and ask for help. Golf is a fantastic sport and it’s often lauded for its psychological benefits, but it’s still part of life and life can throw things at you that you don’t expect. When your livelihood is so closely tied to your main passion, it’s easy to see how…

1 Korean professional Sungjae Im has been making waves on the PGA Tour this year and is one of the top contenders for Rookie of the Year. The 21-year-old grew up in golf-mad Jeju Island and started playing golf when he was four, tagging along to an indoor practice facility with his mum. Four years later, he beat his father for the first time. 2 It was clear he had a talent for the game. He got his first coach at seven, joined a Korean golf academy at 12 and turned professional at 17. From there he made stops on the Japan Golf Tour and very successfully on the Web.com Tour to secure his PGA Tour card. He never uses a number four ball in competition because in South Korea…

Galvin Green Warren £35 This adjustable-length belt has a stretch webbing strap and cut-out logo metal buckle. Seven colours. FootJoy Braided £40 Boasts a metal buckle with leather trim on a woven strap. Comes in regular and long sizes in five colours. Ping Reversible cut to fit £50 This leather belt is two-colour reversible and has Ping engraved on the buckle. Adidas Braided Stretch £34.95 Designed to move with you, it has braided detailing and a nickel finish on the buckle.…

1999 Finishes runner-up to Tiger Woods in the 1999 USPGA Championship at Medinah. Announces himself with the famous shot from behind the tree. 2002 Finishes in the top ten of all four Majors, his best result being 4th in the US Open at Bethpage Black. 2007 Held a three-shot lead going into Sunday in The Open at Carnoustie. Missed an eight-foot par putt to win and lost in a play-off to Padraig Harrington. 2008 Bogeys two of the last three holes to lose the USPGA Championship. 2014 Shoots 66 on the final day of The Open at Hoylake but finishes two shots behind Rory McIlroy. 2017 Wins The Masters, beating Justin Rose in a play-off. It came in his 74th Major – the most before a maiden win. 2018 Defending…

1 Rotate and relocate Tailbone drill This is all about the rotation and extension of your body through impact and into the finish. Place an alignment rod through your belt pointing down to the ground. Your goal is to make sure you rotate and relocate by getting the stick past the ball’s address position in your finish (photo right). This drill highlights how well the centre of your navel – your tailbone – is moving through impact and how well you are transferring your weight from trail side to lead side. If you move on to your back foot through the ball, the alignment stick won’t get past the ball’s address position – a tell-tale sign that you’re hanging back, maybe in an attempt to help the ball up. 2…

1 The first drill is all about reading the break. Find a putt from about ten to 12 feet with some movement in it, then spend time working out the high point of the break, as I’ve done here. Now lay an alignment stick or club down just above that high point. The goal is to get your ball almost shaving the inside of the stick before breaking back towards the hole. This gives you a clearer visual picture of the break in a putt. 2 To see how well you’re rolling the ball on line, set up two alignment sticks to form a channel on a straight six-foot putt. Now add in a tee-peg gate somewhere between the ball and the end of the sticks. You can make it…

1 I really like the relaxed right elbow, which carries on into the next photo. His spine angle is good and his hands are under the shoulders, but note the club’s forward lean – a bit like Henrik Stenson where he’s almost pre-setting the impact position. 2 His right elbow begins to soften as he pushes into the backswing. With a lot of players, they get that elbow way too rigid at the start. There’s no tension here – arms and chest are loading together, whereas many golfers tend to whip the hands away. 3 There’s a strong coil here as he moves into his right side – there’s no question of him getting stuck on the left and becoming ball-bound. People often get ball-bound and reverse pivot over the…

TaylorMade 2019 P790 Iron £1,299for 7 clubs GM Verdict The original P790 was a huge hit for TaylorMade. It was one of the first hollow, compact distance irons to boast an aspirational, blade-style look. In terms of performance, when testing the new P790 7-iron against the original (both 30.5°) on the Foresight Sports GCQuad in the same Dynamic Gold 105 shaft, the differences were marginal, but there are gains to be had. The data showed us that the new P790 provided a fraction more ball speed, and this from a 1mph lower average club speed, suggesting that the head is more efficient. It launched at a similar angle but spun about 300rpm less than the old P790. Despite a one-yard lower flight, the new P790 hit the longest shots, with…

Justin Thomas added a Titleist T100 4-iron to his bag to go with his 718 MB irons before winning the BMW Championship in Chicago. Patrick Reed switched to the 2017 Titleist Pro V1 ball just prior to winning the Northern Trust, liking its higher launch and spin. South African Erik Van Rooyen won in Sweden with a Callaway Epic Flash driver and an Odyssey Stroke Lab Marxman putter. Brooks Koepka sported some new Nike shoes with a cable-tie-style tag through the laces, a hallmark of the Off-Whites shoe line. Gary Woodland swapped in a 15° Titleist TS2 fairway at the Tour Championship, preferring the cleaner look at address.…

My iron set comes with a sand wedge – should I swap it for something more bespoke? John Temple, Twitter If you’re just starting out in the game, a set wedge can do a decent job. But as you improve, the gaps in distance on those scoring shots at that end of the bag will become frustrating, so you will need to add at least one wedge. You may also want to start manipulating the face a little more to play different shots, which is where custom-fitted speciality wedges really come into their own. What is bounce on a wedge and how much do I need? Grahame Lockhart, Facebook Bounce on a wedge essentially dictates how far the leading edge sits off the ground at address. On high-bounce wedges the…

TECH TALK Never afraid to push the boundaries, Stewart Golf has come up with an especially clever piece of innovation that enables the X9 Follow electric trolley to literally follow you around the course, removing the hassle of having to manoeuvre it around yourself. It does this via a rechargeable handset, which connects with the trolley via Bluetooth. Simply press the ‘follow’ button on the handset and place it in your back pocket to set the trolley in the ‘active zone’. It will then follow you when you begin walking and match your walking pace, even down hills thanks to a sophisticated braking system. When you want to play your shot, clip the handset to the trolley handle to put it in the ‘neutral zone’ and it will then remain…

Live View takes the guesswork out of swing changes by allowing the golfer to see the movement and position of their body and club in real time. Simply position the camera at the desired angle and then place your paired device on the ground in front of your ball. This allows you to look at your swing from a different angle while staying in your golf posture so you can rehearse certain moves in situ. The app then displays what it sees – your swing – in real time. You can draw circles and plane lines to highlight positions, capture videos and even send them to your coach for analysis. It’s lightweight and portable, and you can attach it to your golf bag. A new Live View AR version arriving…

TECH TALK Weighing just 174g, this is the lightest rain jacket Galvin Green has ever created. That lightness is possible thanks to the unrivalled Gore-Tex membrane being placed on the outside for the first time, without a face fabric. This allows water to bead off the surface, keeping any chilling effect to a minimum and allowing a much faster dry-off time. It’s highly breathable and totally windproof. Having the Gore-Tex membrane on the outside eliminates friction as you swing and means the jacket takes up minimal storage space in your golf bag when folded away. GAME BOOSTER Galvin Green’s garments have become the benchmark for all-weather performance. They always deliver the highest levels of comfort and protection and consistently push the boundaries to help golfers play their best in all…

In a world where technology dominates and we can’t seem to go five minutes through life without using some sort of gadget, it’s time once again to embrace some of the finest innovations in golf. Our Tech 50 products, however, aren’t mere five-minute wonders. No, we genuinely believe they can enhance your enjoyment of the game and even knock a shot or two off your scores. We’re not talking about the bread and butter of drivers and irons, but rather the under-appreciated support acts that are actually more important than you might think. You can have the best 14 clubs in your bag, but without the right footwear, clothing, GPS device or electric trolley for your needs, you could be opening the door to distractions and annoying deficiencies that will…

The Garmin Approach G80 is not only an excellent GPS device, it’s also a launch monitor! It provides yardages and full-colour hole maps of over 41,000 courses, and users can move the pointer to see distances to any point on the sunlight-readable touchscreen. It also offers users Garmin’s PlaysLike distance feature, giving you yardages adjusted for uphill or downhill shots, which can be turned off for tournament play. The launch monitor is able to track clubhead speed, ball speed, smash factor, swing tempo and estimated distance and we found it to be pretty accurate. We especially like the Target mode, which challenges you to hit a specific carry distance. It also works with the free Garmin Golf app, letting you compete and connect with fellow golfers.…

Photography: Getty Images Every golfer owes a huge debt of gratitude to the person who introduced them to this most wonderful of sports. It could have been a parent, a sibling, a relative or a friend who encouraged you to pick up a club and ‘have a go’. For me, it was my Uncle Mike who ignited my passion for golf, which over the past 32 years has provided me with countless joyful experiences, made me many great friends and taken me to some fantastic places. He sadly died a few weeks ago, aged 93, so it’s an appropriate time to remember his role in sowing the seeds for my love affair with the game. Golf was not Uncle Mike’s first sport – that was rugby, where he played at…

Now the dust has settled on Rory McIlroy’s bumper payday at the Tour Championship, questions will be asked about the success of the new scoring format. The PGA Tour has struggled to find the right formula ever since the Playoffs began in 2007, and the latest offering was brought in to avoid the confusion of having two winners on the day. But did it work? There were initial fears that a runaway leader could emerge early on and the tournament would peter out, but thankfully that didn’t transpire. In fact, Rory and Brooks Koepka, the two top-ranked players in the regular season, ended up going head to head in the final group. This couldn’t have worked out any better for the PGA Tour, especially as the whole thing could well…

No Efforts to expedite play can only be considered a good thing and the shift from a five-minute to a three-minute limit when searching for a ball was introduced with this admirable objective in mind. Whether it’s either fair or effective, though, is questionable. A three-minute search limit frequently gives amateur golfers insufficient time to make a reasonable effort to find a ball and this has possible consequences. Rule 18.2 states that a ball is lost if not found in three minutes after the player or his or her caddie begins to search for it. With such a small window now available, are players more inclined to delay reaching the vicinity of a potentially difficult situation until all playing partners are ready to help with a possible search? This is…

Photography: Getty Images 16 1869: golf’s first recorded hole-in-one Young Tom Morris achieved this feat on Prestwick’s 8th hole on the original course en route to winning his second Open Championship. 16 2007: Tiger Woods wins the first FedEx Cup Play-offs On this day 12 years ago, Woods claimed his second season-ending Tour Championship title and in the process won the first FedEx Cup Play-offs and a $10million bonus. 15 1985: Europe halts American Ryder Cup dominance Sam Torrance holed the winning putt at The Belfry in 1985 to stop the run of seven American victories. From this point on, Europe has won a further 11 times in 16 events. 20 Mizuno MP-20 irons available at retail Mizuno’s brand new MP-20 family of irons will hit the shelves on this…

ADRIAN OTAEGUI Age: 26 World Ranking: 97 The match play specialist had a stellar year in 2018 with a win and five top tens, finishing 23rd on the Race to Dubai. ADRI ARNAUS Age: 24 World Ranking: 133 Last year’s winner of the Challenge Tour Grand Final has two runner-up finishes on the main circuit this year, including in his homeland at Valderrama. JORGE CAMPILLO Age: 33 World Ranking: 64 The charismatic Spaniard had a spell in early 2019 where he recorded a win at the Trophee Hassan II, two runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes in the space of six events. NURIA ITURRIOZ Age: 23 World Ranking: 187 Leads the Ladies European Tour rankings for 2019 having played just five events, thanks to two wins and a runner-up finish.…

2017 John Deere Classic He was four strokes back but birdied four of the last six holes to win. 2018 The Memorial Won a play-off against Kyle Stanley and Byeong Hun An to win in Ohio. 2018 The Northern Trust A final-day 69 secured his first FedExCup Play-off event. 2018 Dell Technologies Championship He followed up with another just a week later. 2018 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open His fourth win during the 2018 calendar year.…

In the full swing, you need your grip to provide as much range of movement in your wrists as possible – to hinge the club on the way back and then again on the way through. The game on the greens, however, comes with a different set of challenges. With putter in hand, clubhead speed is no longer an issue. If your grip allows for a full range of motion in your wrists (as it does in the full swing), it stands to reason that the path of your stroke will struggle to repeat consistently. This was the thinking that sparked a new putter grip and method from BJM Putter Grips. The traditional technique for holding a putter involves the palms of your hands facing each other. However, if your…

1 One reason why players can struggle with the quality of their ball-striking is because they don’t get their body pressure forward enough. When hanging back, there’s a lack of weight shift towards the target on the downswing, which causes heavy strikes. 2 If we move the body in the downswing with the correct sequence, then the bottom of the swing’s circle will be moving forward of the golf ball. This means that your task is to strike the ground forward of the ball. If the body doesn’t move towards the target, more often than not you’ll hit the turf first. 3 To get this perfect strike, you must keep the body moving towards the target throughout the whole of the downswing in a similar way to how you would…

As we all know, golf isn’t a game that’s always played in perfect weather with the sun on your back. Often, we’re having to contend with wind, rain or cool temperatures… and sometimes all three. Here, we team up with European Tour pro, Laurie Canter, for some expert advice on how and when to adapt your set-up, technique or mindset to help keep your score intact when the elements conspire against you. 1 FROM THE TEE How to pick the wind Reading the wind can be tricky, especially on tree-lined courses, so doing your homework is really important. That might just mean getting a map of the course, working out where north is and then marking on the wind direction. Then, when you’re on the 11th, for example, you can…

1 Chipping Try to make sure you use the bounce of the club, which is the back of the sole, rather than the leading edge. Feel that you release the right hand at impact and feel the bounce hitting the ground. Usually if you do that, you’re not going to take much of a divot so it’s going to be more of a sweeping stroke, and that’s going to give you more consistency. 2 Increasing power When I try to hit a ball hard, I make my backswing slower. When people try to hit it hard, they often speed up their backswing and then have to slow down coming into the ball. So slow down the backswing and once you get to the top you can unload the power from…

Driver Callaway Rogue, 9°, Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Orange 70 TX shaft. Fairway wood Callaway Rogue, 15°, Mitsubishi Tensei CK 80 TX shaft. Irons Callaway X Forged 18 (3-9), True Temper Project X 6.5 shafts. Putter Odyssey Lucky 777. Ball Callaway Chrome Soft X. Photography: Getty Images Wedges Callaway Mack Daddy 4, 48°, 52° and 56°, True Temper Project X 6.5 shafts; Mack Daddy 4, 58°, Dynamic Gold S400 shaft.…