Posts Tagged ‘Golf’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

iSpyGolf Christmas Quiz

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011


A Yule time quiz seems an appropriate interlude to the normal blog. Quite simply, see if you can find the solutions for the number and letter combinations below. You may well have seen a similar style puzzle before – the variation here being that all of the solutions are linked to golf.  As an example, the answer to ‘18 h on a g c ’ would be ‘18 holes on a golf course’ and names and proper nouns are in capitals. Simple!  Good luck, answers next time…

 

  1. 31 t at the W C of G
  2. 12 p in a R C t
  3. 5 e in the FE C P S
  4. 1934 f M T
  5. 2 s d = a d b
  6. 4 M in a y
  7. 80 is the a of P A
  8. 156 p in the f for the O C
  9. 5 in the O W G R is A S
  10. 46 e on the R to D
  11. 14 c in the b
  12. 35 i in a s l p
  13. 112 b on the O C at S A
  14. 2005 M C w the U S O
  15. 15 p s by the E S C t
  16. 30 E T C at Q S
  17. 73 PGA T v for J N
  18. 2013 T O C at M
  19. 22 is the a of R M
  20. 46 d of l on a n i
  21. 3 u p  = an a
  22. 2011 first M w with a b p
  23. 8 O of M T w by C M
  24. 14 p s by the G B & I W C T
  25. 4 M w by P M
  26. 2018 R C at L G N
  27. 1995 y J D w t O C
  28. 1 p s for o o b
  29. 141 O C at R L & S A
  30. 6 M in N F’s c

Tags: , ,
Posted in Ed's View | No Comments »

Greenkeepers Revenge

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

With the exception of the odd pre-Christmas Scramble, we’re moving in to a quiet few weeks at most golf clubs.  With snow in recent years, there isn’t even the guarantee that the course will be open and the greenkeepers have their work cut out to deal with the worst the season can throw at them.

Despite all this, there are still a number of die hard golfers who insist on playing whatever the weather. Naturally, soggy fairways, muddy fringes, and winter standard greens aren’t conducive to great scoring, so perhaps the traditional stableford and medal formats could be shelved for a week in favour of an entirely different golfing beast.  How about a competition that inspires a more social atmosphere and larger participation levels from the membership? I’m talking about the ‘Greenkeeper’s Revenge’. Probably not an event found on the fairways at Augusta, but one that a number of golf clubs in this country have already hosted with great success. For the unversed, perhaps I can shed a little light on the concept.

Greenkeepers have it tough. Crack of dawn starts, lawnmower-homing golf balls, ear bashings from disgruntled members; in many ways, they’re on a complete hiding to nothing.  The ‘Greenkeepers Revenge’ gives them the chance to get their own back with carte blanche to set up the golf course as never seen before.  Part golf course, part obstacle course, the use of tractors, trailers, fake holes, and dirty pin positions are all permitted, and indeed, actively encouraged.  Here’s an opportunity for retribution.

For one day in the year, the greenkeepers do away with the text books. They create a golf course for the members to take on that will test their patience, ability and sense of humour. Revenge is the name of the game, so the goal of the ‘Greenies’ will doubtless be to infuriate the competitors. It might sound like carnage, and in many senses it is, but these guys know what they’re doing and can certainly be trusted not to compromise the golf course. Golfers won’t have seen or played in anything like it, such is the uniqueness of the set-up, and how well you play is much less important than embracing the spirit of the day.  Fun and frustration are guaranteed in equal measure.

The best format (for purposes of sanity) is probably Texas Scramble. Without it, you could be playing all day. For example, anyone who drives a golf ball under a tractor wheel is probably going to require a ‘get out of jail free card’, and the Texas Scramble format permits it. The social benefits of the Texas Scramble add to the concept as well, as teams conjure up methods of negotiating a path around the many obstacles and trickery in place.

It’s doubtless one of the most memorable competitions I’ve played in, from the green with no flag to the obstructing trailer across the middle of the fairway; tee boxes in the rough to holes cut on an upslope.  Every hole has a talking/stumbling point, and while ordinarily the post competition chat in the bar is routinely filled with boring anecdotes such as ‘you should’ve seen Dave’s drive on 12’ or ‘what about that bounce you got on 15’, the conversations instead centre around a tractor blocking the approach to the par 3, or the pin cut 12 inches from the edge of the 18th green.  They’re topics that everyone in the competition can relate to and, unsurprisingly, make for a terrific atmosphere in the bar and, more often than not, a commitment to make the event an annual feature of the golfing calendar.

Admittedly, this isn’t for everyone and may challenge the temperament of the purist, but as a complete one-off event, it is, for many, a welcome alternative to a winter stableford or medal. I love the traditional formats of golf, but I don’t think every competition has to influence handicap or stick to the rules.  To me, it’s just as important to put on events that encourage every member to play and create a lively clubhouse environment where golfers want to stay longer and talk about the day.  It wouldn’t hurt the bar takings either.

Perhaps most importantly of all, the green keepers love it.  If just for one day, it’s a chance for the members to show their collective appreciation for all the hard work that goes in to preparing the course, rain or shine, all year round.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Ed's View, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Jeans & Tonic

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

I have a question for you. Taking golf clubs out of the equation for just a moment, if someone asked you to have a drink at the pub, would you expect to change into a pair of chinos because of the dress code? Moreover, would such an imposed condition influence your choice of drinking tavern? The answer is probably ‘no’ and ‘yes’ respectively.

No public house or restaurant would score such a commercial own goal. If you’re looking for business, why on earth would you actively discourage potential customers? So why are so many golf clubs still refusing to budge one iota on this issue?

I need to clarify my view fairly early by saying that I’m not campaigning to turn every golf club in the country into a complete free for all on dress standards. I don’t have a problem putting a shirt and tie on, I don’t mind adhering to a dress code, and I do understand why many golf clubs have a reluctance to change. I like the traditions of the “old school” clubs.  But the signs are that I’m in the minority. How many busy golf club bars do you see these days? Discounting club competition days, I doubt many are a hive of activity on an evening.

I’ll concede that dress standards aren’t solely responsible for a quiet golf club bar – prime example being the link to the drink drive limit. Anything more than a pint and you are on the bubble of the law. Stiff penalties rightly act as a deterrent to driving to a bar for this very reason, and golf clubs suffer from the fact that they are, almost by definition, out of town.  But are they helping themselves? For some golf clubs, the lucky ones, there is no concern. Bar takings are up, their members are happy, and dress codes are still observed. Good luck to you, and long may it continue. But what about those clubs where the staff outnumber the punters, where the atmosphere is flatter than the local ale, and where a lack of bar takings is one of the financial strains on the club? Is there still an archaic dress code in place?

Now I’m not suggesting that you have to relax dress requirements to the point of absurdity, but I’m sure there’s some middle ground here. For starters, is a pair of jeans that offensive anymore? The future King is regularly seen sporting a pair, as is the Prime Minister, and indeed pretty much 90% of the population. Just to clarify, jeans are no longer associated with punk rockers, uncouth individuals, or football hooligans. And more importantly, the golf club has already accepted the individual as a suitable candidate during the membership application process. Does a pair of jeans really alter this perception of the individual? Of course not. So the issue isn’t with the member, or the pair of jeans – it can only be a matter of upholding traditions.

I can sense the sceptics would fail to recognise the middle ground between those people that wear jeans and the root of all evil. Or perhaps they would dismiss the notion without giving it any thought or fear that it’s a “slippery slope” if they took that first step. However, failing to recognise this middle ground might also be a failure to recognise the precarious position of the club. Not only financially, but socially, too. A busy bar is a happy bar, full of happy members and happy members invariably become renewing members. Admittedly, a jeans policy alone isn’t going to singlehandedly save a golf club, but it might help. And in the current climate, there aren’t many golf clubs that can afford to be complacent.

I think the traditionalists can still be kept happy, too. I’m not campaigning that jeans become mandatory, or that the jacket and tie be hung up, never to be worn again. Clearly there are occasions when a smarter code of dress may be required, and in an effort to satisfy all members of the club, it’s probably right that flexibility to impose a dress code is retained. For some places this may still be the majority of occasions. But that’s not to say that a club match would be considered ‘low brow’ should the decision be made to permit jeans.

Club dinners, certain evening functions, and special occasions do often require a little effort in the wardrobe department to give a sense of style or occasion, and nobody minds dressing suitably. But what about those other times (the majority of the time) when members and visitors choose to go elsewhere for a few drinks or meal because of the restrictions in place over what are essentially most people’s “everyday clothes”? Those times when the bar is closed because it isn’t financially viable to keep it open due to the lack of business.

As an example, I recently met a golfing friend of mine for a drink at his club after he’d finished playing. It was early evening, but the bar was absolutely packed. There was a lively social atmosphere, a broad spectrum of members all enjoying themselves, and frankly an environment you rarely see in a golf club these days. The difference? A few weeks prior, the golf club had introduced a “jeans” policy allowing members to wear jeans up until a certain time in the golf club bar. According to my friend, ever since this change had been put in place, the bar had regularly been full. Brilliant, I thought, though he was quick to point out that this rule only applied up to a certain time, and that half an hour later the bar would be empty. Sure enough, he was spot on. Now you can read all sorts of things into that, but it’s a striking example that a golf club bar can be instantly transformed from ghost town, to a bustling hub of social activity, and back again, all within a few hours, and all because of a pair of jeans.

The dress code is still one of the primary image problems for the sport, and like it or not, it has an influence on attracting newcomers to the game. Jeans on the golf course is a separate issue. I’m all for encouraging new players to the game, but for me this isn’t the reason people don’t PLAY the game of golf. Jeans in the clubhouse is part of golf’s stuffy image (like it or not, it has one), but there are some much wider issues than a bit of blue denim that prevent newcomers picking up the game. I can’t think of a sport that you actually PLAY whilst wearing jeans, but generally the most popular ones allow you to wear a pair whilst socialising around them. Golf is a sport where a pair of jeans will only serve to discomfort when in action. But the purpose here isn’t to address the issues surrounding participation levels of golf, that’s a different beast altogether. Yes, permitting jeans in the clubhouse might show off golf as a “game that’s adapting to modern times” but in reality, this alone isn’t going to shed golf’s elitist image.

I’ll reiterate – I’m not for one minute saying that there is never a time for a dress code at the golf club. Nobody minds dressing up for an occasion, whether it be the golf club, fancy restaurant, or special function. But people do mind dressing up for a social drink at the bar. The trouble is, when economic times are better, some clubs will claim they don’t need to change because they are doing alright. When times are tough, some will say they have more important issues to deal with. But perhaps it’s some of these taboo subjects that will turn the tide of club fortunes, and perhaps jeans are one such tonic in the bar.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Ed's View | No Comments »

CS Morgado Course Review

Friday, November 25th, 2011

North of the beaches at Portimão in the Algarve, nestled in the foothills of the Monchique Mountains, is CS Morgado. A relatively new addition to the Algarve golfing landscape, Morgado is rapidly maturing into a quality golfing destination that succeeds in blending the challenge of a championship course with the demands of holiday golf.

The Experience

The CS Morgado Resort feels distinctly different to other golfing destinations in the region. Set back from the coast and blending seamlessly with its rural setting, at times playing Morgado feels more like taking a stroll through the Portuguese countryside, complete with olive trees, hoopoes and views away to the picturesque hills. This is an attractive side to the Algarve that is too easily overlooked by tourists flocking straight to the beaches, and while the facilities at CS Morgado are anything but basic (in fact, they are ultra‐modern), the resort exudes a relaxed, back‐to‐nature contentment that can be a very welcome change of scene.

The ambience of the quiet and stylish clubhouse is worth absorbing, as you lounge in comfortable chairs on a shaded terrace that adds a touch of opulence to your post‐round drink. Here you can look out and admire a course that sits comfortably in its traditional surrounds, and gaze at a deep blue sky punctuated only by the occasional passing of a brilliant‐white egret. This experience is about more than just golf.

CS Group is the fastest growing hotel group in Europe and the investment at the CS Morgado Golf Resort, with its two five star hotels on‐site (yes, two!), is plain for all to see. The first of these, the CS Morgado Golf Hotel, is now open for golfers looking to stay and play both courses, and while construction continues on the estate, it’s only really in evidence in the distance and on driving in and out of the resort.

Location

While further inland than most of the courses in the region, the CS Morgado Golf Resort’s central position in the Algarve makes it an excellent base for golfers getting away from the more famous and expensive destinations around Faro (courtesy of the A22, the drive from Villamoura and Quinta do Lago now takes less than 30 minutes). And with the Álamos course providing a very different but no less enjoyable test on the opposite side of the clubhouse, this is an off‐the‐beaten‐track destination that’s well worth a detour.

The Course

As the longer of the resort’s two eighteen hole courses (the other, Álamos, opened for play in March 2006), Morgado is a European Golf Design layout that stretches to a formidable 6,399 metres (7,040 yards) off the championship tees. Thankfully, played from the forward tees, it is a somewhat easier proposition and you can set about enjoying a challenging rather than humiliating golfing experience. After all, you’ve headed to the Algarve to play golf in the warmth of the Iberian sun, not to search for balls in waist‐high undergrowth.

That’s not to say that Morgado could ever be classified as easy, especially given the prevailing wind that seems to blow against you more often than not. It’s perhaps worth mentioning that the breeze can be deceptively cooling and, with little shade to be had out on the course, it’s worth making sure you have plenty of sun lotion and water with you. Taking a buggy is the advisable option.

Front 9

Having loosened up on the driving range (a satisfying experience in itself given the peacefulness of the location and quality of the facility), a relatively gentle opening par four awaits. The out‐ofbounds is far enough right not to worry most and there’s plenty of room left if your three‐wood doesn’t fade as much as you’d planned, given the soft left‐to‐right shape of the hole.

Be warned, Morgado isn’t short of fairway bunkers but if you can plot your way between them successfully, you’ll likely to be on for a good score. The greens are large, very large on occasion, so judging the distance on your approach shot is perhaps more important here than at most courses. At times you could knock it on and still be faced with a 30 yard putt – not for the faint‐hearted!

The second hole plays much the same as the first, albeit demanding a longer approach shot, and you’ll be relieved to have a couple of pars under your belt when you step on to the third tee and see what awaits. If ever you had to commit to a confident swing, this is it. In truth, the landing area is quite sizeable but with out‐of‐bounds the full length of the hole on the right and water lining the fairway on the left, there’s little room for error. Get a good drive away and the wind is still likely to keep the green well out of reach for all but Alberto Quiros. Playing 535 metres (roughly 580 yards) into the wind, this is a monster of a hole that you’re simply looking to par and move on.

The next offers a little respite. Again the water plays down your left side, but a good strike will take most beyond it and into relative safety, whether on the fairway or off it. But don’t stray too far right or you’ll be in considerable trouble, with the possibility of having to reload. If you stay on the straight and narrow you’ll be left with a short iron but clubbing is vital into this particularly deep green. The fourth is the first short hole of the day, though not that short at 209 metres (230 yards) off the back tees. There’s a stream bisecting the hole but if you’ve chosen the right club and struck it well enough, you’ll be well clear. Up at the green, though, this is no easy two putt, with the wide and undulating green demanding a well judged approach putt.

Five and six head up and back down, either side of a stream that runs down the left side of both. Take particular care on the fifth as the water cuts into the fairway around the landing area more than you can see from the tee. A decent drive makes for a relatively easy hole but with out‐of bounds right, a straight drive is imperative.

The sixth, a par five, allows you to open your shoulders, with anything right of target still offering a straightforward shot back into play. That’s unless you’re particularly unlucky and find yourself up against one of the indigenous trees that are attractively dotted around. Longer hitters may fancy their chances of getting up in two but the raised green will discard all but the perfect approach.

The eighth is a good par three that plays uphill to another enormous green, before you launch your drive back towards the clubhouse on the ninth. At 282 metres, this is driveable for some, but for most you’re left with a short but knee‐trembling pitch shot onto a green that’s greatest protection is the audience watching from the clubhouse terrace. If you’ve driven it on, you’ll take pleasure in strolling up the fairway, putter in hand.

Back 9

As enjoyable as the front nine is, the back nine is what makes Morgado memorable. From your tee shot on the tenth, you begin to climb into the hills and will be grateful for your buggy. The raised tees and undulating fairways create a more distinct and impressive collection of holes that wind their way into the countryside before turning back (and downhill) for home.

The tenth is an uphill par five that dog‐legs gently away right‐to left at the end. This is an appealing drive with plenty of room (if you miss the bunkers!), set against a traditionally bucolic vista. For the vast majority, this is a good three‐shotter, so leave yourself with your favourite wedge distance to give yourself a birdie chance.

A short but pretty par three rewards your climb to the top of the hill. Exposed to the wind, picking the right club is probably harder than the shot itself. Get it wrong and you’ll be left with a devilishly tricky second, wherever you finished up. Strategy is key at the twelfth as you decide whether to hit a long iron onto a fairway that cuts diagonally between a plethora of bunkers or launch a driver and hope you clear them. There’s no way back from the desert terrain that visually erodes the hole from the left, so hit driver at your peril. Your approach to the green above you is difficult to judge, though there’s a little bit of space behind the green so long is probably better than short. Not too long though!

The thirteenth is, to my mind at least, the best hole on the course. A risk or reward par five that plays along the spine of the highest point on the course, you stand on the tee faced by a snaking fairway that disappears over the crest of the hill. Left is dead and everything pushes you right, down to equally penal scrubland. A good drive, evading the well‐placed fairway bunker leaves you contemplating a long but inviting second, down the hill to a narrow green that sits atop the next undulation. There’s nowhere to miss, so layup or hit it very straight. Or just go for it and keep your fingers crossed – what the hell, you’re on holiday, aren’t you?

The next tee shot is an enjoyable launch from a raised tee down to a fairway that sweeps across you to the right. It’s imperative not to bite off more than you can chew and the elevation tends to foreshorten the distance visually, so take care. From the centre of the fairway you’re still faced by an imposing approach to a green abutted on the left by a lake that grows in size every second you stand over your shot.

The fifteenth is a short but attractive uphill hole, fringed by olive trees, before you embark on the sixteenth which is a long par five that welcomes a tee shot struck with wild abandon. That said, it helps if you keep it on the short stuff. Like most of the par fives at Morgado, into the wind this plays as a good three‐shot hole, so don’t be too greedy as there’s plenty of trouble up by the green.

The penultimate hole is a good‐looking downhill par three that, depending on the wind, can be anything from a mid‐iron to a wood. Take a par and move on to the last, with its spectacular view down the hill to the clubhouse and beyond to the vineyards of Reguengo. Like so many holes at Morgado, the eighteenth is all about the tee shot: hit a good one and you’ll have a mid‐iron just waiting to be struck to the middle of the green, en route to a rewarding chilled bottle of Sagres on the terrace.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Course Review | No Comments »

‘Fore…’ Things To Stop Doing When You Reach Middle-Age!

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

“There comes a moment in every man’s life when he realises he shall never play the Dane”.
(Uncle Monty, ‘Withnail and I’)


1. Stop warming up.
Whilst medical advice would point to the beneficial effects of a quiet half hour of yoga before a round, followed by working through the bag on the range, and then twenty minutes of putting, the reality is very different. The soft draw you have just perfected on the range will be replaced by a great carving slice off the first tee, only causing you to wander off down the first tee in a worse mood than had you ‘got away with an ugly straight one’ as you usually do. By now you have mastered the ‘straight out of the car swing’ – in fact it is likely to be one of the most controlled you hit all day. Having perfectly gauged the pace of the (perfectly flat) practice green, the curling, uphill twenty-footer you have on the first green will still finish 8 feet short, and you’ll miss the one for bogey. No, warming up is a complete waste of time. Indulge instead in a full fry-up; the sort you never have time to make at home. Only this time someone else is making it for you. While you read the paper. Something else you never have time to do.

2. Don’t hit the soles of your shoes with your sand wedge after a bunker shot.

Whilst Phil Mickelson (every middle-aged golfer’s hero) can make this look nonchalantly cool, you will almost certainly hit your ankle bone, which is very, very painful indeed. You will, of course, not even flinch as the embarrassment would simply be too much, so you deal with the pain in private. (Unlike how you usually deal with pain at home, where you would have collapsed to the ground like an Argentinian footballer, writhing around as if you had just been felled by a large metal object). Funny that.

3. Stop wearing performance fabrics in any garment other than rainwear.

You do not move fast enough to sweat much, so you do not need ‘wicking material’, all but the most subtle logos will look ridiculous, and white belts should be outlawed on anyone over the age of thirty. If it is cold, you need tweed or corduroy, plus a woollen jumper. You will really have embraced middle aged golf when you are comfortable playing in your usual weekend clothes; when there is no discernible difference between the clothes you wear to the pub, to walk the dog, to do the gardening, or to play golf in. Think how cool Vijay or Freddie Couples looked, strolling around Augusta in their deck shoes…bad backs? Nonsense, middle-age style.

4. Do not fist pump upon holing a putt.

You make significant business decisions every day at work, and at home you are responsible for the financial and emotional wellbeing of your wife and children. Golf is only a game. It may be a tricky four footer, but it is only a putt. You never fist pump when you successfully vacuum the living room, so keep your emotions in check please. There is only one exception: the hole in one. Should you be fortunate enough to have an elusive ‘ace’, you have absolute licence to go magoo. There is nothing quite like the sight of a middle-aged man regressing to the sheer silliness and childish excitement that the ‘perfect stroke’ brings about. You’ll probably never have another one, so enjoy it while you can…and if your playing companions later tell you that you looked like an idiot, just ask them if they’ve had one. Chances are they won’t have…

 

Guest Author: The Colonel

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Guest Author | No Comments »

Improve the Improvement Section

Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

I’m willing to make a bet with you. If you dug out a few golf magazines from a couple of years ago and compared them to a selection of this month’s publications on the shelves, you’d find instructional pieces regurgitating the same suggestions on how to improve your swing.
Now, I’ll immediately concede that it must be difficult for publishers and editors. For starters, there are a limited number of shots on which you can effectively provide instruction when illustrating a point with a pen and a few photographs.  It’s also true that the fundamentals of the golf swing don’t change much, even if the audience itself, not to mention the equipment, does.

My frustration, however, lies in the fact that most instructional pieces suggest a pretty fundamental overhaul of your technique, something that (to me at least) seems pretty inadvisable given that the instructor hasn’t seen you hit a single shot.  Not to mention the fact that there’s no “one size fits all” approach to the golf swing, as the array of swinging styles at the very top of the game serves to prove.  It’s not the instructor’s fault, of course.  Asked to write an instructional article, you’d assume that they’re given a remit and are only following the magazine’s protocol on this style of article. But, my question is, why don’t instructional pieces in magazines provide ideas on how to improve without a major transformation of technique?   If that’s what’s needed, you won’t find the answer in a magazine and are much better off seeking professional advice from a PGA Pro on a one-to-one basis.

My argument is that, while I realise instructional tips and articles are key to a magazine’s appeal and take up a significant number of column inches, I think the content of these pieces should be something that all standards of golfer can emulate and benefit from.  It’s pointless telling your high-handicapper how to hit a ‘controlled fade’, as, and I am sure the high-handicapper would be the first to concede, the reason they play off a high- handicap is because ‘control’ in lacking in most shots.  And, as noted above, everybody has a unique golf swing, so passing on a generic method to hit a fade is probably only going to help one or two lucky people.

You won’t convince me that the average golfer can read the “How to Hit a Controlled Fade” feature, and subsequently go straight to the course with a Montgomerie like natural five yard cut. That’s not to say that the advice isn’t correct, but for my money it’s an unrealistic expectation.  Personally, I think the golfer could be much better served with a different approach.  I also think there is a gap to fill.

Pretty much everyone I know hits the ball brilliantly when in the middle of a lesson (a worthy testament to the merits of PGA Professional advice), only to find that this magic touch has deserted them the moment they next take the clubs out. That next game on the course, or that next session on the driving range, seems to be the blight of many a golfing life. Surely this is an area where the instructional pieces in magazines can help. Why not focus on those tips, games, drills, and thoughts that hone the skill and will aid the transformation from ‘best player on the range’ to ‘best player on the course’ much more effectively? Use these articles to bridge the gap.

Surely this serves to benefit the club professionals as well.  Instead of leading golfers to believe they can get a lesson from a generic article, why not encourage them to support their local pro, and then use the instructional space to show them how to practice with applicable games, drills, and tips? And, it might actually help us all do what these sections are attempting to do… improve!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Ed's View | No Comments »

Rule Revisions: A Softening at the R&A

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

A golfer with a good knowledge of the rules has, in my mind, an advantage over the player that merely has a grasp of the basics. For example, knowing when you can take relief without penalty can make all the difference to your scorecard or match.  OK, realistically not many people are actually going to read the Rules of Golf from cover to cover, but the recent rule changes are certainly worth swotting up on, for this very reason.

These are the most significant amendments, and what they mean to us as golfers.

Ball Moving After Address (Rule 18-2b) A new exception is added which exonerates the player from penalty if their ball moves after it has been addressed when it is known or virtually certain that they did not cause the ball to move. For example, if it is a gust of wind that moves the ball after it has been addressed, there is no penalty and the ball is played from its new position.

Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions (Rule 13-4) Exception 2 to this Rule is amended to permit a player to smooth sand or soil in a hazard at any time, including before playing from that hazard, provided it is for the sole purpose of caring for the course and Rule 13-2 (improving lie, area of intended stance or swing or line of play) is not breached.

Time of Starting (Rule 6-3a) The rule is amended to provide that the penalty for starting late, but within five minutes of the starting time, is reduced from disqualification to loss of the first hole in match play or two strokes at the first hole in stroke play. Previously this penalty reduction could be introduced as a condition of competition.

Hole-in-One (Rule 3-2b) A new ruling excludes hole-in-one prizes from the general prize limit and allows high value prizes, including cash, to be awarded. This exception, which brings The R&A into line with the USGA Rules of Amateur Status, is specific to prizes for holes-in-one achieved while playing a round of golf and neither separate events nor multiple-entry events qualify.

I’d also recommend some videos that the R&A have put together with details of all the changes for the 2012-2015 Rules of Golf. Click on this link here to view them.

What’s encouraging is that the R&A are demonstrating a willingness to listen as well as react, when coming under pressure from golfers and the media. Not only this, but the changes are coming after careful deliberation and time. We all want to see the rules working in the best interests of the game, but if there was a reactionary change to every controversial rules infringement, then the average golfer’s understanding would be totally muddled. Common sense has clearly prevailed and some pressing issues have been tidied up that will benefit both professional and amateur golfers alike. Nobody wants to see championships decided by unnecessarily harsh penalties at any level, and it looks like the R&A have shut the stable door before the horse bolted.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Ed's View | No Comments »

Keep Scoring When the Swing Goes A.W.O.L.

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

Everyone goes through spells where their long game feels as though it’s packed its bags and left town for good.  It can, and often does, detract from your enjoyment of the game, while a really bad bout can have you questioning your sanity and retiring those good-for-nothing sticks that are ruining your life.

How much comfort it gives, I don’t know, but there’s some solace in the fact that it happens at every level, whether it’s one of your friends or a famous pro like Harrington or Woods.  An AWOL golf swing constitutes a pretty fundamental problem, but personally, I believe the reason it truly frustrates more than other issues (perhaps like dodgy bunker play or nervy putting) is that it stops us scoring almost entirely.  We’re into the realms of mid-teen stableford scores and dog licence matchplay thrashings.  It is so debilitating and, often, humiliating.

But this is where the pros set themselves apart and still end up cashing the cheques. How many times have you watched a top pro spray it all over the course only to see them return a 72 or 73 at the end of their “horror” day?  And how do they manage to conjure a score like that?  Very simply, they have a short game that repeatedly gets them out of jail.

I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t care less how I hit it if I shot 65s week in and week out. Equally, I’d go crazy if I struck it like Rory McIlroy but shot way above handicap on a regular basis. So clearly the source of the aggravation isn’t how well we hit it, but how well we score.

It’s a modern cliché to bang on about the importance of scoring shots from within 100 yards, so instead of simply emphasising the value of improving this area of your game, here’s a simple chipping drill that will actually give you with the tools to address any chipping problems you may have.

You’ve probably seen, read, or tried the pretty well known putting drill that requires you to hit putts from increasing distances to within a certain length in order to improve your control of pace. It’s one I’ve used on many occasions and fully advocate, but you can apply this same concept to your chipping with what I believe are even more beneficial results.

Stage 1

Find a chipping area with plenty of length to it, and start the drill by hitting a short chip-and-run shot to a target 10-12 feet in front of you. Take a second ball and play the same chip shot, but with the goal being to hit this ball slightly further than your first effort. The aim of the drill is to continue hitting chip shots beyond the previous ball. Anytime you hit a chip that finishes short of the last one, or off the end of the green, you start the drill again. Your first goal is to get as many chip shots as possible to finish between your first ball, and the end of the green. Simple! You’ll quickly notice that as your success at this game increases, your striking consistency naturally improves, as does the feel of pace, spin, and control.

Stage 2

Once you’ve got a good feel for one club, you can try it with others too, so that you learn the same control with two or three different clubs in the bag. If you can develop your control with an 8 iron, gap wedge, and lob wedge for example, then you’ll quickly establish a huge variety of short game shots around the green.

Now play the same game but alternate clubs between shots. So instead of hitting 8 iron, 8 iron, 8 iron… with increasing levels of force, you might hit 8 iron, lob wedge, gap wedge, lob wedge, 8 iron, etc, each time attempting to hit your shot a little past the last. This way, you’ll quickly learn how to use the three different clubs to hit chip shots the same distance. You’ll soon start to notice where these various shots land, how they react when they bounce, and indeed how to play a multitude of trajectories and spin. Undoubtedly this will help you around the greens.

The value of this on the golf course is unparalleled. Consider those awkward little lob shots over a bunker, or the bump’n’run shots along a double tiered green. Instead of blindly choosing your ‘go to club’, you’re now armed with an array of short game shots that Phil Mickelson would envy! Plus, you’ll have the confidence and visual feedback to know you can pull them off. I can’t promise that this drill alone will appease the frustrations associated with an absent golf swing, but your scores and enjoyment of the game certainly won’t continue to suffer when it does go AWOL.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Ed's View | No Comments »

The 2011 Golf Season in Review

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

Having previously shared my opinion that end of season money spinners are a bore, I couldn’t resist offering the first review of the 2011 season.  OK, it’s a little early, I’ll concede, and there’s interest in seeing whether Luke Donald can top both the US Money List and the European Order of Merit come the end of the season.  But, as for individual tournaments, if you really believe any of the remaining events will overshadow those already completed, then I’m ready to hurl a hotdog in disagreement.

So which tournament has been the pick of the bunch? Well, I’m not about to summarise every event of the season, so I’ll concentrate on the big events, a few of which stand head and shoulders above the rest for sheer entertainment.  If you think I am missing any that deserve inclusion then please feel free to tell me.


US Open

Runaway winners can sometimes kill a tournament as a spectacle, but occasionally watching someone dominate in a fashion that leaves their own peers searching for superlatives is truly thrilling.  You know you’ve been privileged to witness something extraordinary and perhaps pivotal in the future of the professional game. This was why the performance of Rory McIlroy at this year’s US Open was so captivating and why it will live long in the memory. Coming of age, overcoming the demons of The Masters, the quality of golf was simply exceptional on a tremendously difficult course.  Not since Woods was winning US Opens and Open Championships by a country mile have we seen anything like it, and for a change, this conquistador comes from this side of the Atlantic.

Solheim Cup

Even non-Europeans must agree that the Solheim Cup was one of the most enthralling events of the year. The level of play and excitement was straight from the top drawer all week, and the finish stirred the emotions of everyone involved. Women’s golf was given a tremendous boost by the event which was being touted as a mismatch and potential walkover for the United States, but the closely fought, unpredictability of the matches had the golfing world gripped.

The Masters

With the exception of just about everyone but Charl Schwartzel, The Masters in 2011 will be remembered for the anguish of watching Rory McIlroy collapsing under pressure.  Here was a world class athlete succumbing to a mental breakdown that we could all sympathise with without ever having experienced the level of scrutiny he was having to endure.  It was agonising but compulsive viewing. With three holes to go, McIlroy had already fallen out of contention while the likes of Luke Donald, Adam Scott, and even Tiger Woods, were making a charge. Schwartzel produced the kind of finish that should be remembered as one of the greatest of all time, but my suspicion is that it will be forever overshadowed by McIlroy’s meltdown.  Whatever the outcome, this year’s Masters was undeniably engrossing.

The Open

It was Darren Clarke, but for a time it could’ve been Thomas Bjorn, Tom Watson, or even the amateur Tom Lewis, who walked away as winner at The Open in 2011. Each would have been a fairytale ending in its own right, so The Open seemed destined to be one of the most popular in recent years. As it was, Darren Clarke plucked a performance out of nowhere, and thus fulfilled his lifelong ambition. The changeable weather provided much fascination too, as a battle with the elements played out over the links of Royal St. George’s over the four days. The only disappointment for me has been the lack of form for Clarke since but perhaps in the off-season he’ll reassess his goals and we’ll see a resurgence in 2012. I’m optimistic that there will be more victories for him in the future.

Walker Cup

The Walker Cup surprised many people, not only for GB & Ireland’s win as underdogs, but also because this was utterly compelling viewing.  Who needs the professionals?  A lot of credit should go to the BBC for covering the event so comprehensively. Undoubtedly the profile and status of the Walker Cup was raised by the performances of Tom Lewis at The Open and Patrick Cantlay on the PGA Tour in the months preceding the matches. Either way, it demonstrated the gap between the best amateurs and the professionals continues to narrow, whilst providing further evidence (if it were required) that we fans love matchplay golf.

US PGA

Keegan Bradley created some long-handled headlines by clawing back a five shot deficit to beat Jason Dufner in a play-off to win the PGA Championship.  Bradley subsequently failed to earn a spot on the Presidents Cup team, losing out to a man who’s plunged outside the top 50 in the world rankings but happens to be called Tiger Woods.  Sadly, the belly putter and Bradley’s absence from the Presidents Cup were the overwhelming talking points after the US PGA Championship, which somewhat belittles Bradley’s achievement.  In the interests of offering a comprehensive list of memorable events for 2011, I couldn’t omit the year’s final Major, even if it wasn’t the best spectacle.  Still, if Bradley doesn’t warrant a mention on Fred Couples list, he certainly deserves one here.

Seve

For all the great golf and European success, the 2011 season will also be remembered for one great loss.  Severiano Ballesteros was the heart of the European Tour for a golfing generation and his premature passing sent shockwaves through the golfing world.  Not since the awful circumstances of Payne Stewart’s death has the golfing fraternity been so affected by the loss of one of its own. Thankfully Seve left us all with an abundance of happy memories and that famous pose on the 18th green at St. Andrew’s will remain one of golf’s iconic images for all time.  He was a hero, a genuine legend of the game.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Ed's View | No Comments »

Back to School at the London Putting Academy

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

Luke Donald’s incredible run of consecutive holes without a three putt came to an end last week at an astonishing 449. With statistics like that, it’s no surprise to find Donald occupying the World No.1 spot, Major win or no Major win. Donald will be the first to acknowledge that his phenomenal success this year has been largely down to an incredibly sharp short game, and, in particular, his ability to hole-out. The best putters always feature at the top of the leader boards and lately Donald’s putting has been akin to Woods in his pomp; inside 10 feet is as good as a gimmie.

Given that most mortals will forever be denied the pleasure of swinging a golf club like Luke Donald, perhaps we should all be focusing instead on emulating him on the greens. The challenge is finding a way to do so and trust me, heading down to the putting green for 20 minutes with your faithful wand and a handful of golf balls isn’t going to cut it.

Recently I visited the London Putting Academy at Royal Blackheath GC in South East London (incidentally held to be the oldest golf club in the world having been instituted in 1608) and was thoroughly impressed by the set-up that owner and operator, Matthew Johns, has built. From the outside, it’s an unassuming place, but inside is a flawlessly controlled putting environment with state-of-the-art software. My eyes were immediately drawn to the photographic testimonials on the wall – signed tributes to Matt from successful pupils clutching trophies.

The academy provides the three things you’ll need to have a shot at breaking Luke Donald’s 449 hole streak – a world class fitting centre, expert guidance, and the most erudite putting coaching I’ve come across. The Quintic Ball Roll software can tell the exact speed of the putt, the amount of skid or bounce, the time until the ball begins rolling forwards, the time until the ball has completed one revolution, the amount of hook or side spin, and the initial launch angle. Basically, everything you’ll ever need to know about what your putts are doing and areas for improvement.

Matt coaches the individual rather than a method, and he quickly makes you understand that an ideal putt will be one that is ‘rolling’ forwards as soon after impact as possible. Much like a snowball rolling down a hill, forward rolling momentum is less likely to deviate than one that hops, skips, and bounces.

Having put myself to the test with my current putter, a Ping Redwood, I was pleased to learn that I was maintaining control of the pace of my putts and wasn’t hitting them with any overly-worrying amount of side spin. My problem, however, was that the ball wasn’t rolling forwards quickly enough after the point of impact owing to a launch angle that was a little high causing the ball to lift and then bounce in the early stages of the putt, which makes pace control more difficult as the ball loses speed at an uneven rate.

Matt then asked me to try again with a GEL Hurrion Sedo II putter. Face balanced with a grooved face insert, he chose it to reduce the small amount of side spin I was imparting and to promote a faster forward roll with the groove technology. Immediately the forward rotation improved from that of my current ‘plain faced’ putter, while the launch angle also reduced as a direct benefit of using the Pendulum++ shaft that is fitted into the GEL Hurrion Series putters.

Stage two involved a perception test to identify the ideal head and eye position at address, with the aim being to align my eyes correctly to ‘see’ a straight putt, taking away any compensation or manipulation in the stroke. Once we had identified my ideal position, Matt used the GEL fitting putter to ensure the length of my putter promoted a balanced and suitable posture, and to ensure that the sole of the putter sat perfectly flat to the floor at address – a vital key for reducing side spin and alignment errors. Following this perception test he identified the ideal ball position to help control the launch angle, and also encourage positive forward rotation in the initial stage of the putt.

The final test was with all the modifications in place, and it unsurprisingly produced my lowest side spin rates, most consistent forward rotation (closer to ‘true roll’), and a launch angle closer to the optimum.

The long-term benefit, of course, relies on practice once away from the London Putting Academy, but as Matt says, “When you go away and miss putts, you’ll be able to identify whether you pushed or pulled it, misread it, or hit it at the wrong pace. We’re all human and we all miss putts. The key to improvement is to understand why a putt missed, so that you can go back to the practice green knowing what you need to improve.”

What sets the academy apart further still is the opportunity for regular coaching beyond the fitting process via various tutorial packages that Matt has implemented. Many of us seek regular ‘swing’ lessons from a PGA pro but how many lessons concentrate on putting? When you consider how many shots you take with a putter compared to that of your long game, it’s clearly the greatest opportunity for improvement.

Some might consider it a niche, but the value of quality putting performance is unequivocal. Names such as Dave Pelz, Dave Stockton and Paul Hurrion are all highly respected putting coaches who’ve had major success over the years. Think of Harrington holing everything in sight when winning three Majors in just over a year, or McIlroy’s runaway victory at the US Open? Both players would fully endorse the influence of Paul Hurrion and Dave Stockton respectively.

Equally, given a quiet moment, most coaches would concur that there is a correlation between their own reputations and that of their players. I’m prepared to wager that you can’t name a famous coach who hasn’t had a famous pupil. Obviously they can argue that it was their help and advice that allowed them to win, but were Butch Harmon and David Leadbetter as famous before the likes of Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods started winning?

While we’d all jump at the chance of a lesson from Butch Harmon, access may be a little tough and, let’s be honest, price may be a factor for most of us, too! Access to the London Putting Academy is fortunately a little easier, undoubtedly cheaper, and it’ll certainly do wonders for your game. I’m sure Matt will concede that he’s not in the same bracket of fame as Butch, David Leadbetter or Pete Cowan, but for my money, he’s only one high profile player away from being so. Catch him while you can!

To contact Matt at the London Putting Academy, please call 0208 8501763 or email matt@londonputtingacademy.com. Fitting sessions start at £25 and there are a range of other packages, and tuition options available. Please see the London Putting Academy website by clicking here.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Ed's View | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »