Table of contents for Dec 2025 - Issue 439 in Golf Australia

Back in 2011, Tiger Woods arrived in Sydney for the Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club, with the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne also on his playing agenda during the visit. At the time, Woods was a 43-time winner on the global stage, looking to end a two-year drought without a victory. Even back then, he was a global personality, a cultural phenomenon and someone who could turn an ordinary day into a headline event. I remember it vividly. At the time, I was working for Inside Sport, sitting across the aisle from Brendan James and his Golf Australia magazine team, who’d been out-of-office all week. Anyway, that weekend, my better half and I were in a cab, crawling along the Eastern Distributor in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, inching forward…

This happened almost every year I was on tour. Word would spread among the players about a youngster who was really good – someone who had a chance to be the next superstar; someone who was special. Most times, those rumours turn out to be exaggerations, or completely untrue. Every once in a while, however, they were spot on, as it was with Rory McIlroy. I was actually a little behind when it came to knowing about Rory. I first became fully aware of him during the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie. By then he had played in a couple of Australian Opens and become the European Amateur champion, which was how he had made his way into the field at the Open. Back then, Rory was a slightly chubby…

The pursuit of perfection is seductive, but it’s a cruel and unattainable goal, especially in golf. What does perfection mean in golf, anyway? A flawless round? Every fairway and green hit? Every putt holed? Every shot pure? The truth is, perfection is a human construct; an illusion that doesn't exist. It is often rooted in the subconscious belief: I am not enough, but if I achieve perfect results, maybe I will be. Here is the reality: you are enough. There is nothing to prove, and if you try to use results to validate your worth, they'll never be enough. The momentary satisfaction of a great round fades, and the chase begins again. So, what’s the alternative? The answer lies in mastery. A process grounded not in proving, but in becoming.…

The 13th hole at Black Desert Resort framed the Bank of Utah Championship with a breathtaking rocky mountain backdrop, where sunlit peaks and rugged cliffs stretched as far as the eye could see. Golfers battled not just the course, but the sheer beauty surrounding them, where every tee shot seemed painted against a postcard-perfect landscape. Amid this stunning setting, 23-year-old Michael Brennan made his own mark, firing a final-round five-under 66 to claim a four-shot win at 22-under (262). In his first PGA Tour start as a pro, Brennan’s triumph was as dramatic as the scenery itself, propelling him into the world’s top 50 and cementing his place as American golf’s newest rising star.…

Whether you’re chasing lower scores, or just love a relaxed round with friends, Australia’s PGA Professionals are here to help you get more out of the game. Trained to the highest standards and passionate about sharing their expertise, they’re the go-to resource for golfers of every level. We sat down with PGA of Australia General Manager of Membership, Geoff Stewart to explore how PGA Professionals support golfers – from beginners to seasoned players – and why connecting with your local PGA Pro could be the best move you make this season. As you’ll also learn from Geoff’s insights, PGA Professionals are the custodians and ambassadors of the sport; mentors and lifelong guides for anyone who loves golf. Whether you’re picking up a club for the first time or refining a…

Matt Cleary: Ripper GC were LIV champions in 2024, but ninth in 2025 after a bright start. Jonny Rahm and his Legionnaires were the most consistent and ran away with it. As skipper, you give your team a pass mark? How do you rate the season? Cam Smith: We got off to a better start (a win and two seconds in six outings) than we had the last few seasons, but we let ourselves down a bit in the last six or seven events. We just weren’t consistent enough across the board, all the guys. We played pretty poorly in Detroit in the match play. So I think it’s a pass, but only just. Give it a C-minus. MC: Golfers are pretty empathetic with their own feelings. Did you have…

MORNINGTON PENINSULA THE DUNES GOLF LINKS Tucked away on Victoria’s gorgeous Mornington Peninsula, The Dunes is a must-visit for any golfer ready to join the fray. Consistently ranked among Australia’s top 25 courses, its 18-hole championship layout delivers authentic links golf that rivals even the fanciest private clubs. Add a welcoming clubhouse and a lively membership, and you have a club which feels as friendly as it is impressive. If you’re after something a little lighter, the Cups Course is a real treat. This 9-hole links course is built to the same high standards as the main course, but with a more casual, approachable feel. It’s perfect for families, beginners, or anyone just wanting a fun round without the full championship challenge. Golfers looking to sharpen their skills will love…

It’s a good job Annika Sorenstam didn’t heed that headline. The Swede may have won 72 professional titles, 10 Majors and $22m on her way to the Hall of Fame, but her real achievement was in debunking this apparent staple of sound golfing technique through her phenomenally effective trademark lifting delivery. ‘Keep your head down’ is arguably the most famous piece of ‘badvice’ in golf, but there are plenty more that are far more likely to hurt than help. Let’s take a look at some of the most common, establish why they present a clear and present danger to your scorecard, and learn some better ways to find the benefits they were supposed to deliver. BADVICE 1. DOWNSWING: ‘ROTATE!’ This is another piece of advice that is routinely thrown about……

GIFTS FOR Him GIFTS FOR Her MADE TO MEET THE MOMENT What does having a style that’s made to meet the moment—any moment—really mean? It means no matter where you’re going, we’re going to have the looks that you’ll not just love, but that will carry you through with elevated versatility. From the course to the court, from early nights in to late nights out, style is more than your appearance, it’s how you feel, too. Discover your go-to apparel designed to meet you in every moment, no matter what’s on the agenda. THE HEATER POLO The Heater polo is a necessity for the man on the move. Available in a range of colours and crafted from cutting-edge performance fabric with micro-feeder stripes, The Heater will quickly become your go-to…

A funny thing happened in October of 2022, when LIV Golf hosted the Jeddah Invitational, 90 kilometres north of Jeddah in the odd and eerie Saudi Arabian future-city of King Abdullah Economic City. It was the first season of the league and, flush with seed money, organisers had paid for media to cover the tournament, and the one a week before in Bangkok. As junkets go, it was up there. Palatial digs. Chartered flights. Daily breakfasts of tangy houmous on fresh flat bread. Yet the work, don’t laugh, could be demanding, too. On day three of the tournament, held at the pristine Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, I was following the group of Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Chase Koepka. And, for 17 holes, I was the only spectator.…

For Zach Ion, life on tour is about riding the wave and relishing every opportunity. The 27-year-old from Coffs Harbour isn’t playing with rigid goals. He is playing because, for the first time in years, he simply loves it. “I have been working hard on it, but it’s been an unexpected start from where I was six months ago,” Ion says. “It’s all just been a bit of a surprise, really,” he told Golf Australia Magazine. That surprise comes from consistent performances and a new perspective, but the road hasn’t been smooth. Not long ago, Ion completed his PGA Membership Pathway Program – a step that helped him reset after drifting from golf in his early 20s. “I was getting myself in trouble and staying very distracted from golf,” he…

For a long time now, it has been a source of disappointment and much irritation to this column. We are talking crowd behaviour, specifically those occasions when large groups of excited Americans gather together to watch golf tournaments in their homeland. At least that is what they claim to be doing … Sadly, all too often at high-profile events in which players from other countries are involved, those “spectators” are more concerned with hurling abuse than catching the action. What really pisses off this Scottish observer, however, is the historic contrast between the reverential treatment the very best American players have forever received from Old World fans and that which leading foreign golfers are more and more subjected to when they are asked to take on Uncle Sam’s nephews in…

If the clubface strikes the ball exactly square to the target at impact, the ball will travel in a straight direction. An open face can produce a fade or a slice, depending on the angle of the clubface at impact. A closed face is the same thing but the other way. It can produce a draw or hook. The importance of grip in this dynamic is illustrated by the fact that, even with exactly the same swing, various grips can produce various angles at impact, and thus various shot shapes. Now, it’s a whole other lesson about swinging the golf club “on plane” and delivering the clubface back to the ball at impact with the minimal amount of friction. Depending on where the clubface returns to the ball at impact…

Long before YouTube tutorials and swing analysers, it turns out golf instructional content came via needle and a groove. At the British Industries Fair in London in 1933, this eager pupil took her first lesson not from a pro, but from a gramophone record. The idea was simple: listen, learn and, presumably, duck when the backswing met the furniture. With perfect posture and a face of fierce concentration, our pupil appears moments away from either a textbook drive or a tragic tangle with the turntable. Who needed Trackman back then, when you had a talking record and unshakable optimism?…

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: WHOOP 5.0 is the latest health and performance wearable from WHOOP, designed to be worn 24/7 (on your wrist or even on the upper arm). It’s a slim, screen-free strap that continuously tracks data like your heart rate, sleep, recovery and activity strain to help you optimise training and rest. This version adds a host of new health insights (we’ll get to those below), but at heart it’s still a recovery coach strapped to your arm. It’s even become popular with golfers, such as Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas. When the small box arrived, I was struck by how little there is to it – just a sleek, black band and a tiny battery pack. The first time I put it on, I barely noticed it. It’s lighter…