Indice dei contenuti per July 2017 in Golf Monthly

Photography Getty Images As golfers, there are many things the game offers us that I suspect we take for granted. Physical exercise, friendship, competition, a break from everyday life and the chance to enjoy it all in the great outdoors. Delve deeper, though, and there's even more golf gives you. It teaches you resilience, cooperation, manners and respect for your opponent. The Golf Foundation – the charity promoting golf to youngsters – calls such qualities ‘Skills for Life', and they are at the heart of what the organisation hopes to achieve by getting more young people into golf. To help promote and recognise those values, the Foundation has introduced a new awards programme this year, and is looking for up to 600 UK clubs to support the initiative. Those that…

The GM view: The R&A and USGA are clearly being more proactive, which is good to see, and few could dispute the logic behind limiting video evidence – something that’s been a seemingly perennial source of negative headlines over the last few years. Phil Kennedy: At last, a step in the right direction and away from the armchair slo-mo jury. I’d have added a cut-off point after the player has finished their round for ‘evidence’ to be considered – two hours, for example. Timothy Randolph: I’m glad that action has been taken, but it’s somewhat ironic that the final straw came after an incident where I believe the player in question may have been bending the rules. Darrell Rowe: Just no more call-ins. If the officials on the spot don’t…

Copyright: ©2017 TI Golf Holdings, Inc, reprinted with permission Illustration: Darren Robinson There‘s more than one way to knock wedges close. First things first: locate the flag. Different pin positions demand different wedge-shot trajectories. And even if you hit a lot of greens with your stock wedge, you‘ll knock the ball even closer by calibrating to the pin location. These three trips will give you much more confidence with a wedge in your hand. 1 How to attack a front pin Pin at the front? Running it up to the hole won't work, and your standard wedge might roll too far once it lands. So add loft, and use the steepness of the shot's descent to stop the ball in its tracks. Using the highest-lofted wedge that can get you…

G-RIP FL-1 PUTTER GRIPS The unique triangular shape fits neatly in the palms and promotes consistent hand placement. Tiny silicone buds create more contact points for a better hold while a microfibre cover helps wick water away. STUBURT CLASSIC TOUR EVENT SHOES Spearheading Stuburt’s 2017 shoe range is its most traditional model, boasting premium full-grain leather uppers and a waterproof membrane system that keeps feet cool and dry. GALVIN GREEN BOW The half-zip Bow Windstopper Shell Layer jacket weighs a little more than two golf balls (107g). It protects against windchill via two layers that allow sweat to escape, keeping the body at an optimum temperature. MOTOCADDY S7 REMOTE Updates to the S7 Remote for 2017 include: a more compact, fully rechargeable Lithium handset that can now sit on an…

Fairway Woods 2017 TaylorMade M1, 17° and 19°, Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver TiNi 80XTS shafts. Garcia has the sliding weights on both his fairway woods set slightly in the draw position. Irons TaylorMade P750 Tour Proto, 3-PW, Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 130X shafts. Wedges TaylorMade Milled Grind, 54° and 58°, Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 130X shafts. Driver 2017 TaylorMade M2, 9.5°, Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver Dual Core TiNi 80TX shaft. Garcia uses blue SuperStroke S-Tech grips with 30-gram counterweights installed on all his clubs. Putter TaylorMade Spider Tour Red, SuperStroke 1.0P European Ryder Cup-inspired grip. Ball TaylorMade TP5.…

Photography Tom Miles “Outside of the Majors, I’d say the BMW PGA is right up there for an Englishman to win. Most of us went to watch it when we were juniors” It's amazing that it's been a year since I won the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Everything is still so clear in my mind. I remember, going back to that Saturday afternoon, I'd finished my third round and had played so well and only shot two-under. It felt like I'd turned a 64 into a 70 and when you think back, you feel ‘that was my chance there' and I was pretty frustrated. It's a huge event and it had Ryder Cup connotations, and I thought I had missed my chance. But I had good chats with Phil…

Gary Alliss Abbey Hotel & Lea Marston Golf Hotel, West Midlands Paul Ashwell St Ives GC, Cambridgeshire Dougie Bell Kellys Golf Centre, N Ireland Steve Cooper Gainsborough GC, Lincolnshire Kevin Craggs Falkirk Alistair Davies Marriott Forest of Arden, Birmingham Peter Dawson Hedge End Golf Centre, Hampshire Andy Dunbar Stratford Oaks GC, Warwickshire Peter Finch Quest Golf Studio, Prairie Sports Village, Burnley Paul Foston Smarden, Kent John Jacobs Cumberwell Park GC, Wiltshire Andrew Jones Littlestone GC, Kent Neil Marr Meldrum House, Aberdeen Steve North St Andrew Links Golf Academy Neil Plimmer Cuckfield GC Barney Puttick Mid Herts GC Andrew Reynolds Royal Cinque Ports GC, Kent Steve Robinson Sandburn Hall, York Rick Shiels Quest Golf Studio, Prairie Sports Village, Burnley Gary Smith Sutton Green GC, Guildford Clive Tucker Wildwood G&CC, Surrey Ged…

Walter Hagen Born: 21/12/1892 Rochester, New York Died: 6/10/1969 Traverse City, Michigan Hagen was a great champion, a showman and a bon-viveur who enjoyed the company of celebrities and royalty. Through his play, his actions and his personality he changed the perception of the golf professional. By refusing to accept the image of golf pro as second-class citizen that still lingered in the 1920s, especially in the UK, Hagen broke down social barriers. Gene Sarazen said of The Haig: “All professionals should say a silent thanks to Walter Hagen each time they stretch a cheque between their fingers.” Seve Ballesteros Born: 9/4/1957 Pedreña, Spain Died: 7/5/2011 Pedreña, Spain Seve earns his place on these pages for two reasons – his genius on the golf course and his role in the…

Q I was playing yesterday when I hit my ball just off the fairway and within 3ft of a large tree. I was unaware of how far the roots came out, so I wanted to check if the ground under or around the ball was free from them. I did this by using a wooden tee and testing within a few inches of my ball. Did I break any Rules in doing so, and if yes, what penalty should I have incurred? I did ask in the pro shop afterwards and got a 50/50 split between yes and no! I didn't move the ball in the end as it seemed okay in front and behind, but went on to top it 50 yards! Dellboy, GM website forum A It is permitted…

Hands up any golfer who doesn’t want to shoot lower scores. Obviously we can’t see where your hands are, but an educated guess would suggest no hands in the air right now! To help two Golf Monthly readers do just that, we teamed up with COBRA for this exciting ‘Smarter Ways to Lower Scores' project. Equipment, lessons and practice are the three keys to improving, and this project fully embraces the first two, with our candidates chosen for their stated desire to also put in the hours. COBRA Golf has long been about innovation and improved performance, and its exciting 2017 range is no exception, whether the state-of-the-art Connect system in the F7, F7+ and KING LTD drivers via a partnership with Arccos, or the groundbreaking F7 One-Length and Variable-Length…

FORGIVENESS Wide soles, the length of the blades from heel to toe and extra leading-edge bounce make it easier to achieve a clean, crisp strike. You can get away with bad swings more than you might think! DISTANCE Lofts and levels of workability are similar to the iBlade’s, but the i200 carried three to four yards more on average, probably due to extra mishit help via the perimeter-weighting and blade size. These irons will appeal to any golfer who likes a compact profile but doesn’t want to lose out on forgiveness or distance control. Key technology A clubface 30 per cent thinner than on the Ping i iron that it replaces allows more weight to be located in the heel and toe for extra forgiveness. It also makes the face…

“I’d love to put Cobra Baffler rails on my TaylorMade M1 fairway. It would go miles, even from a bad lie in deep rough” It's quite likely that all the other equipment manufacturers secretly embarked on a frenzy of highfiving and Champagne-popping when Nike announced it was departing the club-making business. The job losses were obviously sad to see, but its tour staff and retail customers have had to go somewhere for their gear. On the tour side of things, it looks like Mizuno has been one of the biggest beneficiaries – certainly in irons – while TaylorMade and Callaway have made even more headway in the woods category, and Titleist has extended its dominance of the golf ball count. But Nike clubs aren't dead just yet. They are still…

1. CANWICK PARK Lincolnshire Canwick Park, on the outskirts of Lincoln, dates back to 1893, since when it has undergone many changes including a move to its current site in the 1970s. Architects have included Hawtree and Sons and Dave Thomas, with today's course running along the side of Canwick Hill. This creates some demanding stances, but rewards with views down over the city. The start is tough, with the 1st a genuine three-shotter, and there are just three short holes, the last of which is over 200 yards. W: canwickpark.co.uk GF: Round: £20wd, £30we; Day: £35 2. WOODHALL SPA - BRACKEN Lincolnshire Sometimes overlooked due to its illustrious older brother, the Hotchkin, the Bracken has its own style and challenges and offers an excellent contrast. It was designed by…

Photography Tom Miles “Harrington was gracious enough to congratulate his old rival but cool enough to rein back on the more effusive stuff” Unless you're very lucky you will have experienced that feeling at work that despite everyone else thinking the tall bloke from the accounts department is a really nice guy, you simply can't stand him. There may be one or two good – for you – reasons to feel this irritation whenever he is nearby, or there may actually be none. Whatever, the fact is that however hard he does, or doesn't, try, you are never going to be pals. So it is with Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington. It's been no secret for several years now that the emotional Spaniard and the left-field-thinking Irishman prefer it when…

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Photography: Tom Miles NO In the modern world, time is precious and the length of the average 18-hole round of golf is one of the big challenges our game faces when it comes to attracting and retaining participants. It's understandable that people are reluctant to give up five hours of their Saturday to endure interminable faffing and dawdling in front of them. They'll steadily lose their cool and end up leaving their weekly ‘leisure activity' more stressed than when they arrived, asking, “Why do I bother?” There are plenty of ideas about nine-hole competitions, even six-hole events, but the very simplest way to solve this problem is for everyone to play faster – walk faster, take less time over shots and follow all the usual guidelines for expediting the game.…

The takeaway is a crucial part of the technique, but many players ignore it in favour of other areas. However, if the club starts working on the wrong path, you will need to make compensations later in the swing to get the club back to the ball. The best-case scenario is a heavy draw or fade; the worst case is erratic ball striking. Use the following drill as a checkpoint to ensure your swing is starting neatly on plane. Place a headcover about 3ft behind your ball, directly on your target line (I'm using a karate pad that I use when I teach). As you take the club back, all you are looking to do is clip the headcover. This stops you from whipping the club away too far on…

“C-KNIT REPRESENTS THE PINNACLE OF GOLF WATERPROOF INNOVATION. IT’S UNQUESTIONABLY THE BEST SUIT AROUND” Joel Tadman, technical editor Premium technical performance apparel specialist, Galvin Green, leads the way when it comes to golf outerwear. For 2017, the brand has brought exciting new technologies to all four clothing layers, the most game-changing of which is the new three-layer Gore-Tex fabric with C-Knit Backer found in its new waterproofs. It is the lightest three-layer stretch Gore-Tex fabric ever produced, and is unique to golf and exclusive to Galvin Green. It was first showcased by the European team at the 2016 Ryder Cup, where it went down a storm with the players thanks to its ‘Slide and Glide' comfort and soft, breathable qualities. ‘C-Knit' stands for circular knit, and the fabric…

Mizuno has signed PGA Tour players Lucas Glover, Jhonattan Vegas and Nick Watney Cameron Smith helped win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with a full set of Titleist T-MB irons Six-time tour winner Simon Dyson has signed with Cobra Puma. His last win came at the 2011 KLM Open Curtis Luck has signed a multi-year deal to play Callaway clubs, ball and glove. Kerching! Edoardo Molinari returned to the winners’ circle using a Bettinardi Studio Stock Arm Lock putter Kevin Chappell won in Texas using Nike Pro Combo and MM Proto irons plus an Engage gap wedge…

Photography Kevin Murray "It would have taken a very brave man to say that the boy we saw at Medinah in 1999 would then take 17-and-a-half years to claim his first Major" Who doesn't like Sergio Garcia? He's a champion. His win at The Masters left a tear in everyone's eyes all around the world. If you're a golf fan, then you love Sergio! Who could ever forget the dashing young Spaniard, just 19 years of age, sprinting up the 16th at Medinah in 1999 after hitting one of the most memorable and remarkable shots from tight up against a tree to within birdie range? It would have taken a very brave man to have predicted that the boy we saw then would take 17-and-a-half years to claim his first…

KEY STATISTICS European Tour career earnings: €7,788,199 European Tour top-tens: 41 Highest Major finish: 3RD (2009 OPEN) Height: 6FT 6¼IN Biggest prize: €833,330 Chris Wood first appeared in our consciousness at the 2008 Open Championship, where he finished 5th as an amateur at Royal Birkdale to land silver-medallist honours. Since then, he's quietly established himself as one of the European Tour's premier players. Inches stood between himself and potential Open glory the following year at Turnberry – something that's often overshadowed by Tom Watson's heartbreaking final-hole bogey – and continual progress defined the years between his Major near-miss and victory in the 2016 BMW PGA Championship. Wood turned professional after that sensational amateur performance at Birkdale and paid a visit to Q-School at the end of 2008, comfortably earning a…

How did you progress from playing into coaching? I went to America in the 1970s and had lessons from Gardner Dickinson. He was one of Ben Hogan's disciples and a great teacher. He gave me ten lessons over a two-week period, which were very expensive – $200 an hour, it was. But I was prepared to spend my money to try and get better. I've always been interested in technique and I wanted to know why I'd failed as a player. If you don't learn from your mistakes, there's something wrong. How did your tour coaching start? It started with Ian Garbutt. As a 17-year-old he was the youngest English Amateur Champion. I started working with Ian when he was 12 or 13, and he evolved as I did. We…

“THESE IRONS ARE SOFT LIKE BUTTER, OFFER A CONSISTENT FLIGHT AND ARE SURPRISINGLY FORGIVING” Joel Tadman, GM technical editor FEEL/SOUND The soft feel and muted sound are a giveaway as to this iron’s forged construction. Yet there’s a hot, powerful sensation at impact that lets you know there’s help lurking behind the face too. LOOKS There are no Face Slots or Speed Pockets to clutter the look of the P770s. They have a stripped-back, clean aesthetic at address with a mid-to-thin topline and barely a hint of offset. FORGIVENESS Given this club’s compact profile we enjoyed the level of assistance on offer. It gave us greater consistency in both accuracy and distance on slight mishits from either the heel or the toe. Key technology In the P770 irons, the…

HIGHER FLIGHT TAYLORMADE TP5 This five-piece ball has a new core design that aids height and distance to help shots fly further and land softly. LESS DRIVER SPIN CALLAWAY CHROME SOFT X Same great aerodynamics and urethane cover as the Chrome Soft, but with a firmer core for a lower-spinning flight. RELIABLE SPIN CONTROL SRIXON Z-STAR A soft urethane cover combines with a ‘Spin Skin' to grip your grooves and offer enhanced spin control. SUPER-SOFT FEEL WILSON STAFF DX2 SOFT This 29-compression model costs under £20 a dozen, making it one of the world's softest and best-value balls.…

Photography: David Cruickshanks, Getty Images Barriers to entry I am looking to join a golf club for the first time at the age of 46 and I’m getting frustrated with the ‘age related’ full memberships that many of my local clubs offer. I support student rates wholeheartedly, but I cannot understand why there is a price band for those in their 20s and 30s, with my age band being the most expensive? It’s now 2017, and while this may have been applicable in the 1970s, the majority of my co-workers in these other age brackets have both a) more time to play and b) more disposable income than I do with a mortgage and children. It is completely turning me off the idea of joining anywhere locally on a permanent…

The pre-eminent La Manga Club in Spain continues to thrive some 45 years after opening its doors for the first time. The Murcian resort remains popular with tourists from around the world thanks to its supreme sport and leisure facilities, diverse accommodation offering and first-class bars and restaurants. Throw in a glorious climate and the overall package starts to look rather appealing indeed. There are three championship golf courses at La Manga, as well as a family-friendly pitch-and-putt layout and a David Leadbetter academy. The South – a past Spanish Open host – is laden with water hazards and expansive bunkers but also generous off the tee. The North has similar characteristics and a wonderful selection of par 3s, like the 4th, below. Some view The West as the jewel…

1 What differences will golfers most notice? The ‘Slide and Glide' effect in the jacket and trousers will be noticeably different. The fabric slides easily over the clothing you wear underneath and that minimises the restriction some might feel when swinging in conventional outerwear. It's also incredibly light and soft. 2 What other features have you introduced? The upper edge of the collar is made in a new way. For the first time, we've used a ‘rubberised' elastic fabric in an ergonomic shape to create a panel that sits close to the back of your neck to prevent rain entering. The sleeves have a new cuff design, too, which uses the same fabric as the collar for protection, but with a zip for width adjustment. 3 How do you justify…

Batman’s putter? Some stealth-looking all-black Odyssey Works putters were seen on the PGA Tour recently. The matte-black finish with no alignment lines is likely to be for tour players only. Cobra’s throwback Cobra has revealed a limited-edition Wood Grain King F7 driver as a throwback to the old persimmon models. Indecisions... GMac used the Callaway Big Bertha Epic Sub Zero driver at the RBC Heritage, but switched to a TaylorMade M1 a week later in Texas. He also wore Under Armour Spieth One shoes.…

Just a year after turning professional, Wood plotted his way around Turnberry in 2009 with a stunning final-round 67 to finish tied for third, two better than the previous year when he shocked the golfing world, finishing fifth as an amateur. Wood shot level-par 70 in the first two rounds at Turnberry, five strokes inside the cut. Any chance of victory looked to have disappeared after a third-round 72, which contained five bogeys. He started the final round six shots behind the 54-hole leader Tom Watson. An eagle on the par-5 7th was followed by a birdie on the 8th, which propelled Wood into a share of the lead. Further birdies followed on 10, 15 and 17. A bogey at the 72nd hole proved costly. It came after Wood failed…

“I have to pinch myself. I only turned pro a couple of years ago” How did you get into golf? I watched The Masters with my dad when I was 12 or 13. I was lucky to be living close to Bowood golf course. My dad wasn't a golfer and I was more into rugby and football. When I was 16 I started taking it more seriously and I got into the Wiltshire squad. Then I was invited to the south-west training squad. I got into the county finals playing for Wiltshire at Ganton and holed the winning putt – the first time that Wiltshire had won it. Then I got invited to England training. So it’s all happened really quickly? Yeah, it's incredible really. I keep having to pinch…

Who’s the hardest worker? Padraig Harrington. Who has the deepest understanding of the golf swing? Probably Danny Willett. Which one player should our readers copy? Thomas Pieters, if you’re big and strong and want 330-yard drives! Who’s the best ball striker? Henrik Stenson. To be fair, Clarkey was unbelievable back in the day, as was Lee. Who’s the harshest on themselves? Clarkey, without a shadow of a doubt. Henrik’s close though. Who asks the most questions? Probably Danny Willett. Who’s most likely to be late? All of them [laughs]. Which win has given you the most pleasure? I think all of them. The first Major with Graeme McDowell was unbelievable really, then all of a sudden two come along at once with Louis Oosthuizen at The Open. Louis won, Lee…

MANOEUVRABILITY It’s very light and easy to navigate. The fourth wheel definitely enhances stability – something you’ll notice on side slopes, in strong winds or if you use a large cart bag full of heavy gear. ASSEMBLY The fold-flat mechanism works perfectly. With just two simple clicks it folds completely flat and will easily sit in the boot of your car with your clubs on top and plenty of room to spare. This push trolley is targeted at space-conscious golfers who play regularly on a hilly course but don’t want the hassle of an electric trolley. Key technology The Big Max Blade Quattro stands out with its clever four-wheel design that doesn’t affect the ‘fold-flat’ nature of the trolley, allowing it to be stored in a confined space. The extra…

“FROM TIGHT TEE SHOTS TO RECOVERIES AND GREENSIDE CHIPS, ONE OF THESE MODELS COULD BECOME THE MOST VERSATILE CLUB IN YOUR BAG”Jake O’Reilly, GM technical writer From soft-landing long approach shots to greenside chipping from scabby lies, hybrids can be your best friend. Their wider soles and deeper weighting make them much easier to hit than the daunting long-iron, providing a more appealing prospect on tough par 3s and long par 4s. As you would expect, technology has advanced over the last five years or so. Hybrids now enjoy many new features, such as adjustable hosels and sole slots that spring to add distance. There are even new categories that have been borne from hybrids, like Ping's G Crossover, which the company claims offers the power of a hybrid…

THE GOLF Championship: par 72, 6,948 yards; Burnside: par 68, 6,028 yards; Buddon: par 68, 5,652 yards The Championship course will host The Open for the eighth time in 2018. It is a supreme test of golf, a links for the connoisseur that is distinguished by its superb, revetted bunkers. An indication of its severity is that the yellow tee par of 70 is four shots fewer than Standard Scratch. There are plenty of highlights such as Hogan's Alley on the 6th and the Spectacle bunkers on the 14th, then an amazing sting in the tail taking in the mammoth par-3 16th and two closing holes where you must cross the Barry Burn five times. Carnoustie should be on every golfer's hitlist, with the shorter Burnside and upgraded Buddon courses…