Despite not playing as much golf as one might expect of a world leader, Lee Westwood has maintained his position at top of the world golf rankings for the 3rd week in a row. In fact, the only change in the entire top 10 ranked world golfers was the two Northern Irish players, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy, who swapped positions to leave McIlroy down in 10th and McDowell up to 9th. Having finished 4th at the Australian Masters at the weekend, Tiger Woods has also stayed put, remaining in 2nd place behind the English world leader.
Outside of the leader board, Lee Westwood has won his 10th European Tour title by closing the UBS Hong Kong Open with a 22 under par aggregate of 258, causing him to leap 3 positions up the rankings, to world number 11! A single step higher for Poulter will make him the 4th Englishman in the top 10 ranked world golfers, along with Paul Casey, Luke Donald and, of course, Lee Westwood. Although that will bring England level with the USA in terms of the top 10, we mustn’t get too cocky as, after Poulter, the rankings are devoid of any English players until Justin Rose and Ross Fisher at 28 and 29.
New world number one Lee Westwood remains confident and, after his performance in Shanghai, who can blame him?
In his first round as world number one, Lee Westwood delivered a magnificent 66 – including 3 birdies in 4 holes – to be beaten only by a 65 from Francesco Molinari. Considering Westwood hasn’t played for 3 weeks, this is impressive work from the Englishman, especially considering his game plan was “just to go out there and enjoy myself and see what happened”. Despite a trio of birdies in the middle holes, Tiger Woods finished behind Westwood with a 68, though seemed happy with the result; “I hit a lot of good shots and also putted well.” the world number two stated.
Not everybody is convinced of Lee’s dominance of the world rankings, however. Nick Faldo, for example, has questioned the validity of naming a world number one who is yet to win a major title. In response, Westwood declared Faldo’s comments to be “Fairly obvious”, explaining that “the previous world No 1 players...have all won major championships. It would be nice to join that club as well”.
Westwood is clearly being realistic about his rise to the top of world golf. When asked about the rankings, he has said “it’s one thing getting there but it’s another thing staying there”.
After 281 weeks at the number one, Tiger Woods drops down to second place in the official world rankings. Tiger lost out to English player Lee Westwood, who spent today "bumbling around Sainbury's" and "shopping for some rubber gloves and mashed potato" as officials calculated his win of top spot.
But Tiger Woods isn't disappointed, he told The Guardian Newspaper:
"You have to win in order to become No1 in the world and you have to win a lot to maintain it. That's just the way it goes."
Tiger Woods' last win was November 2009, days before the media frenzy regarding his private life. Woods took a five-month break from golf after his confessions of extramarital affairs, which led to him divorcing wife Elin Nordegren.
Now it's been reveled that tickets to see Tiger Woods play in Australia aren't selling with tickets still available for the Australian Masters, which saw tickets sell out in advance six weeks in advance last year.
David Rollo, speaking for Golf IMG Australia said the diminished ticket sales are nothing to do with Tiger's extramarital affairs, but rather, are due to this being the second year running that Tiger has visited Australia.
Rollo said "It was the first time he'd been here in 11 years [last year] and at that time I guess there were people who thought he may not be here for another chance to see him."
The official top 10 world rankings:
1 - Lee Westwood (ENGLAND) 8.29 points 2 - Tiger Woods (USA) 8.13 points 3 - Martin Kaymer (GERMANY) 7.98 points 4 - Phil Mickelson (USA) 7.83 points 5 - Steve Stricker (USA) 7.20 points 6 - Jim Furyk (USA) 7.09 points 7 - Paul Casey (ENGLAND) 6.14 points 8 - Luke Donald (ENGLAND) 5.70 points 9 - Rory McIlroy (N IRELAND) 5.44 points 10 - Graeme McDowell (N IRELAND) 5.43 points
Charlie Baron, Las Vegas golfing legend, is to be inducted into the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame tonight, alongside Joe Kelly. Although it’s been over 20 years since Baron helped establish the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, he has directed it with energy and passion since 1988. For this, along with his lifetime’s worth of contributions to local golf, Baron has earned his place amongst the likes of Dwaine Knight and Jim Colbert.
I, for one, leapt for joy at our victory at the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor. However, jubilant though I was at seeing the Americans beaten, I still couldn’t help myself feeling a little bit sorry for Hunter Mahan, as I watched his choked and bumbling attempt to answer questions about his defeat to Graeme McDowell. Apparently, however, this isn’t abnormal for our cousins across the Atlantic:
Golf's biggest tournament is now over for another two years. To help ease your withdrawal symptoms we’ve got you a round up of all the tasty news, stories and gossip!
A win for Europe!
By now you probably know who won the cup for Europe: Irish hero Graeme McDowell. McDowell was overjoyed, calling the experience "crazy".
"This is crazy," added McDowell. "I was trying to do it for 11 team-mates, for all the fans, for the caddies, for Europe and for Monty - and we were all trying to win it for Seve (Ballesteros) too.
"The back nine at Pebble Beach felt like a back nine playing with my dad at Royal Portrush.
"It's so much pressure and this is a special feeling - there's nothing quite like it.
"Monty was amazing. For the last two years he has been up for this."
We want to say a MASSIVE well done for McDowell – what a great victory for Europe!
"Cigar Guy"
If you've been getting your golfing news online it was impossible to miss the Daily Mail’s fantastic shot of Tiger Woods hitting the ball straight into the camera - but in case you have click here to see it.
A Daily Mail photographer captured an amazing photograph of Tiger Woods hitting the ball; sadly Tiger mucked up the shot and aimed it straight at the camera, by mistake. In fact, the ball hit the lens, but not before the photographer caught it mid-flight in the air.
But, that wasn't the impressive part of the photo. The most interesting part of the photo was a man standing on the right that the Internet has since dubbed 'Cigar Guy'. Wearing a turban with a cigar hanging out of his mouth, the 'Cigar Guy' is the focal point of the image, stealing the glory away from the amazing ball, mid-flight.
Soon the Internet was all over the photo, with one blogger doctoring the original photo and pasting Cigar Guy's head onto every member of the crowd AND over Tiger's head too.
See it here: http://deadspin.com/5655370/
Rain rain go away…
Well, of course everybody should have expected the rain during the Cup matches: they were played in Wales after all, a country that's as famous for its rainy days as it is for superstar signer Tom Jones!
But sadly, the American golfers had a bit of an issue with the weather, or rather, the gear they were playing in.
The suits were taking far too long to dry, plus they were becoming bogged down in water. Bags the American team was provided with were reportedly soaked through, prompting complaints from several of the players' caddies.
Because of the rain, little golf was played during the Friday of the tournament, hurtling the waterproof rain suit malfunction into the sporting press as the ‘story of the day!’
Finally, PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka issued the following statement about the suits to Golf Digest magazine:
"All of the companies that produce this rain gear meet the technical specifications that you would want to have for extreme conditions," he said. "They do more testing than we could ever do on our own, and we look at the specifications and take them for what they are. And the fact of the matter is, they didn't perform as well as they needed to. Now, there are a number of players that were quite comfortable with the rain gear, but not everybody was, and you know, we have got to represent all 12 players and 12 caddies, as well."
The following courses are three of Yorkshire’s finest. Ganton and Moortown are great if you’re looking for a challenging course steeped in history and tradition, whereas Rother Valley is perfect if you’re looking for a bargain day out and a great round of golf.
Ganton Golf Club, North Yorkshire
Ganton golf club is steeped in history, since it was built in the summer of 1981, over 100 years ago.
The course comprises of 18 holes and is a challenging Championship Course, so is only suitable to golfers with a current handicap certificate.
It's located near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Ganton Golf Club accepts visiting golfers both during the week and at weekends. Times are subject to availability, so make sure you make the necessary arrangements first.
Ganton hosted the Ryder Cup in 1949 and more recently, the Walker Cup in 2003.
The fees are very reasonable: £80.00 per day midweek (peak season) and £90.00 per day at weekends/bank holidays.
Ganton Golf Club also boasts a thirteen acre practice range and a short game practice facility.
The club oozes charm and visitors have reported that the club is very formal, though pleasant to newcomers.
Moortown Golf Club, West Yorkshire
Founded in 1909, the Moortown Golf Club has seen a lot of history over the last 100 years, including a Ryder Cup win for Great Britain and several rounds of the English Amateur, Brabazon Trophy and European Tour.
The course is located in Alwoodley, near Leeds and accepts visiting golfers, who can select from two different packages for their visit:
The Gibraltar Package:
Morning Coffee & Bacon Rolls on Arrival
For Lunchtime Soup & Sandwiches on Arrival
Warm Up Balls & Facilities
18 Holes of Golf
Longest Drive & Nearest Pin Markers
Two Course Dinner in the Ryder Cup Room
Cost £90 (per head)
OR:
The MacKenzie Package:
Coffee & Bacon Rolls on Arrival
Warm Up Balls & Facilities
Morning Round
Soup & Sandwiches Lunch
Afternoon Round
Longest Drive & Nearest Pin Markers
Presentation Table
3 Course Evening Dinner in the Ryder Cup Room
Cost £105 (per head)
Previous visitors have told us that the club is ‘good quality with an old school feel.’
Rother Valley Golf Centre, South Yorkshire
Rother Valley Golf Centre boasts an 18-hole golf course that was recently voted by Society Golfers as the best golf venue in England for under £20.00. There is also a par 3 9-hole course too.
Rother Valley is cheap compared to the other courses listed here. There are numerous deals listed on their website, including a fantastic Ryder Cup deal: Get a great value bundle deal on 18 holes of golf, a meal and a beer. Prices start from as little as £20.00.
New: Rother Valley Golf Centre now take tee time bookings online - how convenient!
Feedback from golfers: 'This course is one of South Yorkshire's finest.'
We hope you like our Yorkshire golf course guide and found it very useful!
Two documentary film-makers were arrested on the site of Donald Trumps's Aberdeenshire golf resort, after the Trump organisation accused them of entering their offices and filming documents without permission. The journalists were were investigating complaints that Trump's contractor's "accidentally" cut off the water supply to local residents, including Trump's nemesis Michael Forbes.
Award-winning journalists Anthony Baxter and Richard Phinney were arrested whilst interviewing Susie Munro, a resident of the area who objects to the development of Trumps' new resort. When they refused to stop filming, the police took their camera and handcuffed Baxter. Having been arrested for breach of the peace, the journalists were held for four hours and even had their DNA put on record! Their cameras were also held for five days, preventing them from filming.
"This is a blatant example of police interference aimed at stopping bona fide journalists from doing their job." said Paul Holleran, Scottish representative of the National Union of Journalists, "Their footage shows they were asking very pertinent questions in a mannerly fashion as befits professional journalists."
The Trump organisation claims the journalists were "photographing confidential documents" - something Baxter claims certainly isn't true. "We've the footage to prove it" he has said, "We were legitimately carrying out an interview with a member of Mr Trump's workforce at the site and he participated in that interview, freely exchanging information, over a period of time."
The countdown is on! In 21 days the world's largest golfing tournament takes place in Newport, Wales, and we’re going to bring you all the news, stories and information about the event over the next couple of weeks…
There’s only three weeks to go, so here’s the most recent news:
Golf is good for the economy
Newport residents cash in on Ryder Cup
Event attracts Welsh stars like Shirley Bassey
Ryder Cup officials warn about fake ticket scams
Golf is good for the economy:
It's Wales' first year hosting the Cup, which has been running since 1927. Wales, naturally, are very pleased to showcasing the event, which they're certain will create a host of jobs and opportunities for Welsh residents.
Website http://www.rydercupwales2010.com, which was set up by the Welsh Assembly Government, has stated that similar golfing events in the past has opened Wales up to an international audience, resulting in local businesses doubling their profits! For example,
Jacqueline and Glyn Roberts have run their business in Harlech for 15 years, but have seen it double in size over the past year. They attribute this spectacular success to their region's raised profile due to the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors tournament and golf marketing campaigns by the Wales Tourist Board.
We're hoping the Ryder Cup won't be any different and will help Wales' tourism industry boom!
So next time your wife moans at you for playing golf, tell her you’re just doing your bit for the economy! Newport residents cash in on tournament:
Newport residents are cashing in on the upcoming tournament, with locals renting their homes out to golf-loving visitors for huge sums of money.
Websites like http://accommodationfortheevent.com/rydercup/ are helping Welsh homeowners advertise their properties in front of an audience of Golf lovers.
Two-bedroom homes are being listed for as much as £8,000 per week, which makes the tournament very lucrative for the locals. If you reside in Wales, it may be worth shipping your family out to the local B&B for a week and letting your house out to Golf enthusiasts!
Event attracts Welsh stars like Shirley Bassey:
The Ryder Cup usually attracts some of Golf's biggest names and this year is no exception, with players like Tiger Woods on the bill.
And, excitingly, some of Wales' most popular artists are also confirmed to be putting on performances, including Cardiff's very own Shirley Bassey, Katherine Jenkins, the Loftprophets, Only Men Aloud and Shaheem Jafargholi. Steve Jones will be hosting the events and Catherine Zeta Jones will make a guest appearance during the opening concert.
Ryder Cup officials warn about fake ticket scams:
This week Ryder Cup Europe has voiced concerns over fake ticket vendors. Golf fans are reminded that tickets are now non-transferable; this year all tickets contain photographic ID so you must ONLY buy your tickets from the official vendors.
Guide to avoiding pirate vendors:
Don't let any third parties buy tickets on your behalf.
Only buy shuttle tickets from the 'Ryder Cup Travel Services', as most roads will be closed to other transport during the week.
Only book tickets with Ryder Cup Europe official vendors.
Personally, I try to leave Tiger Woods alone. His affairs are none of my business and I'm not interested in who or what he has done. By contrast, other people have seen fit to make an entire documentary about the golfer. For those who are interested, here is some information.
A new, British documentary is set to portray Tiger Woods as "a deeply repulsive figure". In Tiger Woods: The Rise and Fall, Jacques Peretti claims, along with people who have known Tiger intimately, that he is a project dreamed up by his father, Earl, whilst he served in Vietnam. Designed to be a super-golfer, to infiltrate the white-world of golf, young Tiger was even hypnotized before big competitions, by an member of the U.S. Army.
Raised in an all-white neighbourhood, where he was bullied and introduced to racists at golf clubs, the documentary claims Tiger developed an "awesome arrogance" and sense of entitlement, that eventually led to his downfall. In short, where Michael Jackson's lost childhood meant he was forever a kid, Tiger's lost teenage-years seem to have trapped him in his arrogant adolescent mindset, whilst his talent has landed him with the money to use that arrogance however he pleases.
The Bag Boy Automatic Trolley is a product combining the elegance of both innovative technology and design. This three-wheel trolley is notable for its ease of use as it can be assembled and packed away in one smooth motion, making it unique amongst its rivals. The ease of which the Bag Boy Automatic is both collapsed and assembled is complemented by a low profile chassis, wide contact ergonomics, high speed bearings and a newly designed G Force wheel that has been designed to improve manoeuvrability. The addition of such groundbreaking technologies make the Bag Boy Automatic one of the most feature-laden trolleys currently available on the market.
There are a number of added extras that increase the value of an already excellent package. These include a special brake that allows the trolley to be parked in a specific location, an adjustable handle, a designated holster designed to carry refreshments and valuables, and a bag bracket system that caters for the ranging sizes of junior, ladies and men’s bags available.
The Bay Boy Automatic promises to provide golfers with everything they need in a push trolley, with the addition of some luxurious extras that seasoned players will especially appreciate. The perfect accessory for any golfer looking to travel around the golf course in style during the summer months, the Bag Boy Automatic Titanium Trolley is perfectly suited for golfers looking for a trolley that can fold away with consummate ease.
The new Mizuno MP-68 surpasses previous expectations by providing golfers with a club that combines all the best features of Mizuno's now legendary bladed irons with an additional enhanced feel of quality. The innovative 3D muscle pad has been designed to offset the often unwanted vibrations associated with a bladed club to create a new brand of iron specifically designed for the highly accomplished player.
Mizuno broke waves with their MP-33 design at the turn of the millennium but the new improved MP-68 has taken the PGA Tour by storm with the majority of the world's top players praising its much improved design and ease of use. A shorter hosel and muscle back design significantly improve the centre of gravity, combining with the muscle pad technology and precise weighting system to offer a penetrating ball flight that can be shaped in either direction for effortless total shot control. A new look sole shape has been implemented for crisper ball-striking, along with Mizuno's unique Grain Flow Forging construction to create a club that maintains its standards amongst the elite, whilst being more forgiving and easier to use for the low handicapped player.
The MP-68 is easy on the eye too, with subtle changes to the head design and a more compact PW offering the complete all round package for the talented golfer looking to take their game to the next level.
The big news in golf this week is that rapidly declining golfing legend Tiger Woods ended up finishing tied 78th in the 80-man WGC Bridgestone Invitational. This means that only one player finished with a worse score than Woods, and the winner finished an astonishing 30 shots ahead of the greatest champion of all time. The question is, then: how is it that a player performing so badly can still technically be ranked as the greatest player in the world?
This may certainly seem mysterious to newcomers and golfing laymen, but the answer is really quite simple. The world rankings are calculated using a points system: different tournaments and courses are designated varying amounts of points depending on their profile and difficulty. Players are then awarded points dependent on their finishing position.
At first, this may seem flawed: players will surely accumulate points over their careers, and the greatest contemporary player will be overshadowed by a retired legend! The answer is that each individual player's ranking is calculated from only the last two years of playing. Again, this may seem unfair on a player who has only recently gained form (or, as in Tiger's case, lost form). Of course, the system cannot compensate for this entirely, but some compensation is done through scaling down the points awarded over time: each tournament's value remains for 13 weeks only, and is then reduced in weekly increments until the end of the 2 year period. This way recent form is given priority whilst allowing for anomalous performances.
"Silly", "pointless", and "decadent" are just three of the polite words that come to mind on hearing the news that the brand new golf club in Oxfordshire (imaginatively named 'The Oxfordshire Golf Club') was opened this week by a ribbon-cutting robot.
The stunt was organised so that the Brazilian Director of High Performance Sports, Marco Klein, could officially open the new golf club without having to move from his office at the Brazilian Sports Ministry in Brasilia, over 6,000 miles away. The logic was that Mr Klein was essential in securing Brazil's bid for the 2016 Olympics, in which golf will be included for the first time since people first realised that it was a silly idea.
Asides from being rather odd reasoning for why the Brazilian should have anything to do with the opening of a golf club in Oxfordshire, the basic point remains that Mr Klein actually did not open the new golf club: a robot did. Certainly he sent the digital command that activated the process, but the same would have been the case if he had simply sent a text message to an underling who then did it for him. And that probably would have been considerably cheaper.
The General Manager of the club, Tim Pettifer, explained that they wanted to do something "unusual, entertaining, and which celebrated the global nature of golf". It is a testimony to the imagination and excitement of the golfing lifestyle that a robot with a pair of scissors fulfilled these criteria.
The summer holidays are finally here and, for many of us, that means golfing time! However, even the keenest golfer may find themselves a bit rusty, after some time away from the course, which is why we are bringing you this fantastic deal with livingsocial.com; 76% off a 30 minute golf lesson and 60 minute golf simulator - the perfect way to get back into form before showing your skills on the course!
Alternatively, this would make the ideal gift for a beginner who is keen to learn the foundations of the sport before breaking out some clubs and hitting the ball for real. Fully-qualified PGA golf professionals will analyse their swing and, after a hard hour and half of learning, they can even hit their bar to celebrate their success (or drown their sorrows.
Based in central London, it couldn't be easier to get to for the city-dwelling types, who can't always get away for 9 holes. Check it out here: http://livingsocial.com/deals/4660
The British Open is almost upon us and, in honour of the 'home of golf', we are pleased to present you with a selection of our favourite pictures of the Old Course at St. Andrews. Although I have had the pleasure of playing the course a couple of times, I'm sorry to say that carrying a camera around was the last thing on my mind, so none of these are my personal shots. Please follow the links the the respective websites if you wish to pay tribute to the photographers.
Aberdeenshire council has approved the latest stage of development for Donald Trump’s super-resort near Balmedie, meaning construction could start within a month. Trump himself has declared the course would be open within 18 months, which seems exceptionally ambitious – even for him!
Of course, Trump will still have to overcome the mighty Michael Forbes, who is still refusing to sell his farm to the Trump project. So far, even millionaire lawyers have failed to get any compulsory purchase orders bought upon Forbes, who has responded to their threats by spray painting his own buildings with anti-Trump slogans!
Conveniently however, the last couple of months have seen the passing of a new Scottish law, which allows the council to serve maintenance orders on homes and gardens, meaning Forbes will have to tidy up what Trump refers to as his “dump” of a property; “It is a pig sty. It's terrible, his barn is all rusty and falling down. The hotel has the chance to be something really outstanding but it's awfully hard when a window is overlooking a slum and you see rusting oil cans."
Perhaps Trump should consider that might be the effect Forbes is going for, after all the abuse he has received from the billionaire. Any way of being a thorn in Trump’s side seems like the kind of action Forbes will continue to take.
Unless the only reason you play golf is to get fit, there really is no reason to carry your bag of golf clubs all over the course. Not only is it bad for your back, it will render you tired and out of breath for all your important shots.
Golf trolleys take almost all the effort out of transporting golf clubs, especially if you invest in a motorised one! What’s more, they raise the bag off the ground; removing the need to bend over as far, every time you need to change clubs. Although this may seem like a minor point, an average course of 72 holes requires at least this many changes of club, which involves enough bending and straightening that many golfers actually suffer back problems. Of course, if you invest in an electric golf trolley, you should ensure you buy something durable and with enough battery power to get you around the course.
When you consider how much money people pour into trainers and clubs to get as much out their game as possible, it seems ridiculous to risk tiring yourself out early by carrying all your clubs around.
It's not often we get to report some good news from Aberdeen, where Donald Trump is still attempting to build his billion-pound golf rseort. In fact, the last few posts about the issue have been been infurating readers, as Trump seems to be willing to stop at nothing to build his resort - even demanding the rights to purchase the homes of people living in the area so he can force them to move out.
Anybody who plays golf knows pin-point accuracy is the key element of the sport; you can have either range or direction without the other, or you'll never play at your best. What's more, even if you can hit the fall as far as you need, the first hurdle is figuring out how far you need to hit it! When we see the pros play on TV, they all have a very helpful piece of equipment to aid them - called a caddie! Not all of us can afford caddies, however, and this is where rangefinders come into game.
Last night, I had a shock. I was talking to my friend's fiance and he told me he'd always fancied playing golf, but couldn't indulge because he wasn't physically capable. Confused, I waited with baited breath to discover what terrible yet apparently very subtle disablement he was suffering from that meant he couldn't swing a golf club. As if to explain everything, he picked up a pen and signed his name for me... When I looked at him in confusion, he explained - "I'm left handed".
By the time you’re an advanced golfer, you can start letting go of some of the club features that helped control the subtler aspects of your shots as a beginner and intermediate player. Where before it was important for you to have some perimeter weighting on your Game Improvement irons, you are now ready to swap these for some Player irons, which will give you some real control over the ball. Although you will sacrifice some forgiveness, you should be hitting consistently already, so this shouldn’t matter.
You can also start reducing the loft on your drivers; do so gradually, however, to make sure you don’t dump yourself in at the deep end with a club that you struggle to use well. At this stage, golf becomes more and more about the feel of the clubs, the feel of the swing and the feel of the shots. Less-advanced clubs protect you when you make mistakes, but they don’t allow for the fine-tuning that makes a good player into a great player.
A huge difference in the club set of an advanced player is that it must cover the whole range of shot-distances, as well as trajectories. Try to get a set of clubs that allow for no more than 15 yards between one club and another and alternative clubs for situations where the course or weathers is against you.
For the first time since starting out of the Ladies European Tour, Russia's Maria Verchenova has finished top of the leaderboard, signing for a 67 at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco. “How did she do it?” I hear you cry...perhaps the key to her success is in what she’s been doing when not playing golf at all...
Over the winter months, the Russian hasn’t huddled from the cold like us mortals; she’s being out running six days a week and even lifting weights to stay in shape! “I was keeping myself fit through the whole winter and going to the gym and preparing to play so I felt I was going to be pretty close” she explained, as if it was no particularly big deal. I’ll be honest; I never considered running half a dozen times a week would help my golf...maybe I was wrong!
As if a strict winter fitness routine wasn’t enough, Verchenova also found time to design her own range of golf clothing! Apparently the range is inspired by women’s tennis...so it should be interesting to see how it goes down on the golf course! She says her golf clothes “will come out really soon in about two months or so and it's going to be really young and fashionable and bright colours for really young girls... Hopefully the first year I will just wear it and show it and the next year we will try to sell it.”
I think it’s safe to say we‘re all looking forward to seeing what she has in store.
Here is Britain, the most dangerous thing we're likely to encounter on a golf course is probably one another! It's not that we're even prone to outbursts on violence in this country but, when it comes to harmful wildlife, badgers don't really strike enough fear in us to put us off our putting.
Unfortunately, this isn't always the case for golfers in other countries, as businessman Hong Kee Sion discovered six years ago...when he got bitten by a crocodile during a casual round of golf in Malaysia! It sounds unlikely but, whilst looking for a golf ball, he slipped into a marshy part of the course and mistook the croc for a log...which he then stepped on! Luckily he managed to fend the crocodile off using his golf club (which is news enough in itself!), but he was bitten in the process and required a whopping 38 stickes in his leg!
The reason I'm bringing this up today is that it has taken this long for poor old Hong Kee to win his legal battle for compensation, which amounted to £8, 500 - enough for a few rounds at St. Andrews... Apparently, since the attack, the resort has fenced off the area, which turned out to be a crocodile rearing ground! I mean really, I couldn't make it up if I tried - they put their golf course next to a crocodile rearing ground?! Or perhaps they built their croc rearing ground next to a public golf course - either way, it reeks of idiocy! Sou
It's been a while since we've had an update on Donald Trump's exploits in Aberdeenshire, so here's the latest news. You know, just in case you were in a good mood and wanted something to make you angry...
A two-day exhibition has taken place at the Udny Arms Hotel in Newburgh, displaying the masterplans for Donald Trump's billion-pound golf resort to the public. In my opinion, this is madness! Does he not know any British history? Has he not heard of William Wallace and Guy Fawkes? Combine the Scottish pride of one with the devious underground plotting of the other and the last thing you should do is show them the blueprints for a highly controversial building, set to devastate Scottish lives!
Unsurprisingly, the exhibition was met was fury, especially from the Tripping Up Trump campaign group, determined to support the families whose homes Trump plans to claim. One local home owner, David Milne, was actually told to "clear off" by project director Neil Hobday, which is a curious way to go about attempting to gain support for the project...
As many of you will know, families living on land wanted by the Trump Organisation are facing losing their properties under compulsory purchase order, should Aberdeenshire Council give the plans the go-ahead later on this year. Donald Trump considers this to be “another significant step towards our goal of building the world's greatest golf course and resort”, but that’s because he’s a selfish goon.
So, golfing friends, it has finally happened; Phil Mickelson's controvertial Pind Eye 2 wedge has been banned, after weeks of arguments and accusations that the American is a 'cheat' for using his 20-year old club.
For those out of the golf news loop, there has recently been a change in the regulations on golf clubs that has disallowed the use of clubs with U-shaped grooves. These grooves allow the generation of extra spin, making it easier to play our of the rough. By banning these clubs, it is hoped more golfers will focus on playing to the fairway and the rough will have more of a negative impact.
However, the rule only applies to clubs made post-1990, meaning Mickelson's Ping Eye 2 wedge was still technically legal, despite having banned grooves! This wasn't good enough for the world of professional golf though, where Scott McCarron said Mickelson was "cheating" and even our very own Lee Westwood accused him of "bending the rules".
Phil Mickelson's club will be officially banned after the 29th March.
Regular readers may remember our report on the biggest eBay scam ever, which involved nearly 100,000 transactions involving fake golf clubs, golf clothing and general golfing accessories. Those of you who were as enraged as I will be pleased to hear that today, the people involved in the counterfeiting operation are facing jail sentences! Who says there’s no justice in the world? I think they should be given a chance to escape their sentence by playing a round using one of their counterfeit golf balls – the ones that exploded on impact!
At the centre of operations was Gary Bellchambers, who pleaded guilty to his role, as well as to the unauthorised use of trademarks relating to counterfeit Sony memory sticks and Qantas business class lounge invitation cards! It would seem Mr. Bellchambers is quite the entrepreneur! Or should I say, was quite entrepreneur, before being slung in jail. Also charged are Keith Thomas, Chris Moughton and Sharron Williams, as well as couple Roy and Kay Cottee, who were found guilty in December of conspiring to sell or distribute counterfeit goods.
The majority of the counterfeit golf clubs were made in China before being sold all around the world, as our previous post reported.
In Saturday’s Evening News, the subject of declining golf club members was opened up to questions. One reader wrote the following; “Why pay £580 to play golf in the wind and rain,” he queried, “when the Playstation and the Wii get the job done in the comfort of your own home?"
My response to this question might be obvious, but captain of Lothianburn golf club in Edinburgh, David McBain, put it well himself; "The comment indicates perfectly the national trend towards obesity and early ill-health through lack of exercise” he claimed, following up by pointing out “You can't get...the wonderful wellbeing it brings, on a computer”.
He is, of course, perfectly correct. It is a total mistake to even associate sitting in front of the TV twitching a game controller to the sport of golf. Sure, the video game may have the word ‘golf’ in the title and the little figure on the screen may be making golf-movements, but this is not what golf is. Golf is, essentially, the sport of accurately hitting a ball around a course – there is nothing even vaguely similar involved when playing golf games on a computer. You may as well compare cooking a meal to flicking through the cookery channels on Sky!
The key difference between beginner and intermediate golf players is the consistency with which they make good contact with the ball, the speed of the club head and the well-centred contact between club and ball. All these things contribute to an increase in shot length and accuracy, which changes the type of club they are best-suited to using.
So, when it comes to choosing the right clubs, keep all this in mind; although you’ll still need a degree of forgiveness, you can sacrifice some of that for an increase in club control. Don’t be too tempted to drop the amount of loft in your clubs just yet, or even to down-size your club heads. You may feel a little foolish playing with your bigger heads when others have down-sized but, chances are, you’ll outplay everybody else of a similar standard if you stick at it! What’s more, your game may well go downhill if you change before you are ready, which can be crippling for your morale. The most important thing to do is take a good look at your shots and choose the clubs that will best support your strengths and weakness; watch your ball flight and choose clubs that will help you develop as a golfer as well as making support technique problems. If your shots have started moving left to right, consider a shot with more of a draw bias on it, for example.
If you are looking to expand your choices, consider adding in a lob or gap wedge to your clubs. You should, however, probably stick with a set of game improvement irons; you’ve still got a lot to learn, so don’t go compensating too much for bad technique!
Before you write in to complain, the post title doesn't contain a grammer mistake...read on!
Normally when I notice the words 'Tiger', 'golf' and 'car' in the news, I ignore whatever the report might be, assuming that it will be something about the world's top ranked golfer and his rocky personal life. Tdoay, however, I kept reading beyond the headline and realised that what I had found was nothing to do with Mr. Woods whatsoever! The news was, however, slightly amusing and related enough that I thought I'd share it with you anyway.
If you're like me, you'll have little interest in American sports beyond the various golf the country plays. Even so, you might recognise the name Jim Leyland - the manager of the Detroit Tigers baseball team. Apparently the ex-catcher had his toe run over by a golf cart driven by coach Gene Lamont (whoever that is). A trainer from the team has reported that they assume it's broken, although it hasn't been X-rayed.
It goes to show; they may look small and pretty harmless, but those golf carts can do some serious damage! I, for one, still prefer to walk around the course - it's what attracted me to the game in the first place. I won't pretend I haven't had some close shaves though... Now I'm going to be extra careful!
Choosing beginner golf clubs is similar to Christianity; forgiveness is central to the whole operation. Given the high frequency of mistakes, swing problems and fluctuating hits, you should make sure you choose a set of clubs that won’t punish you too severely for your golfing sins.
For one thing, consider oversized club-heads; they might not look cool, but they’ll help you connect better with the ball, resulting in fewer miss-hits and momentum-related injuries! To further help these contact issues, a set of slightly shorter clubs will also help your accuracy when it comes to actually hitting the ball. Of course, you’re still likely to malfunction a few times, so choose club features that will help reduce the negative impact your beginner swing will have on the flight path of the ball; perimeter weighting on the irons will keep flight as straight as possible, offset club-heads will help you hit the ball squarely and additional loft will increase the length of your shots, as well as keeping them on the straight and narrow.
In case that’s confusing; lofted clubs created extra backspin, which will help reduce the sidespin most beginners get on their shots.
When it comes to putting; practise makes perfect. There’s not a lot a club can do for your putting accuracy, just keep playing!
In my last post I commented on the way Ian Poulter's victory was just as important for English golf as it was for his own career. Making up 50% of the top ranked golfers in the world (three of the top six) English golfers seem set to continue the dominance we've seen recently.
Although Poulter's victory has been all over recent golf news, let us not forget Lee Westwood's fantastic victory in the Race to Dubai not too long ago, not to mention the fact that Paul Casey is still ranked number six! Below that, we also have Ross Fisher, Luke Donald and Oliver Wilson all in the top forty - things are definitly looking good.
But back to Poulter, since it's his turn in the limelight. As far as technique goes,we all know he's not the best. His recent short game has been exceptional (as displayed by his two pin shots the other day) and his putting has been impressive as well. His ball striking, on the other band, isn't the best around - yet that doesn't seem to be holding him back. Why? I think perhaps Englishness plays a role here as well; Ian Poulter is full to the brim with good old fashioned English dive and determination. He may wear pink from head to toe, but inside he's made of iron! An excited time lies ahead for English golf!
The idea behind changing the rules about golf club grooves was to limit the amount of spin players can get on the ball when playing out the rough, with the intention of forcing players to play more on the fairway. It could be, however, that they new regulations are causing more bad than good as, after being accused of cheating on the grounds on the clubs he was using, Phil Mickelson skipped the WGC Match Play last week. With Tiger Woods out of it as well, this put Steve Stricker at the head of proceedings which, as great a player as he is, isn't exactly going to inspire the golfing world.
It does seem that, as golf technology advances, the game becomes less beautiful to watch. Clubs and balls have advanced to the point that players can now pull off the same shots, no matter what the conditions; nothing ever changes, it is starting to feel like just the same (admittedly impressive) shots over and over. I, for one, miss the days when things like wind speed and direction played a real role in the type of shots even top players had to play. Fairways get tedious after a while; I enjoy seeing people risk the rough for a good approach!
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell agrees with me (or would do, if he knew I existed) that changes in the rules and advancement in technology may be creating more problems than solutions. "It’s caused a lot of bad press and bad publicity and cost the manufacturers a lot of money and the players a lot of headaches" he said recently, going on to mentioned he feels, "The days of the shotmaker are nearly dead...a lot of golf courses today really favour guys like Quirós who fly it 350 yards off the tee, which I think is a bit of a shame."
We may relentlessly mock him for his golf clothes, but not since Faldo's Masters victory over 13 years ago has there been a golfing victory for an Englishman like Ian Poulter's defeat of Paul Casey in the final of the Accenture Match Play. In his own words, "It’s been a long time coming. I’m very happy. I knew I was in great form coming in. I felt calm all day on the golf course. Nerves didn’t come into it." To be honest, Poulter didn't need to tell us that; it was obvious from the way he played that he was confident to the core, as he wiped the floor with Paul Casey's valient efforts to keep up.
Now rated fifth in the world rakings, Ian Poulter is only one position below Lee Westwood and a spot higher than Casey! As great as this is for Poulter, it is even better for English golf as a whole, as our countymen now make up 50% of the Top Six ranked world golfers! When you consider Tiger Woods is still the top ranked player, the top six are essentially a top five; three of whom are English! A staggering achievement all round!
It seems, since the very start of the sex-scandal-laden few months, the world of golf has been getting used to the idea that it may well have lost its number one. The blog team here are wondering...can golf survive as we know it without Tiger Woods?
He may not be Eurpean, but Tiger Woods is widely considered the most dynamic, exciting and talented golfer of the modern generation. We may not always like how he plays or how he acts, but we keep watching him anyway! Golf may well need Tiger Woods like WWE needs Triple H; we don't like him all that much, but it wouldn't be the same without him.
Want some proof? When Tiger Woods plays in a tournament, the ratings rise up to 50% - not even Triple H raises ratings like that! President of CBS Sports, Sean McManus declared that they are "doing perfectly fine" without Woods in the sport; "Golf is still a valuable product for us." he went on to say. A valuable product, eh? If ever there was a clear indication of the Americanisation of golf, that may well be it! Perhaps that's what will change now Tiger is gone; maybe it'll become more about the game and less about the ratings, the money and the hype.
So, we put it to you readers; what will golf be without Tiger Woods? Better? Worse? Simply different? Exactly the same?
Golf, on the hole (hilarious), seems fairly straight forwards to your average player or spectator. Compared to other popular sports, there don’t seem to be that many rules; all you have to do is hit the ball into the hole in as few shots as possible. Sometimes you get penalty shots added, but even that is quite rare. Compare this to football, rugby or (heaven forbid) cricket, where you practically need a rule book next to you at times, and you’ll see what I mean.
However, there is actually far more to the rules of golf than people seem to realise; there are rules and regulations that govern everything down to the grooves on golf clubs! The reason I’m bringing this to your attention is to warn you that these regulations (about grooves) has changed and, sooner or later, you’re going to have to do something about it.
In short, the new rules mean the limit on groove volume is going to decrease, meaning all grooves will have to be shallower and narrower. The idea is that shallow grooves will make it harder to get spin on the ball out of the rough; encouraging players to aim for the fairway more than they otherwise might do.
Despite being a world leader in golfing equipment and technology, Srixon's new Trispeed balls are designed to suit all kinds of golfers. By combining a soft and large Energetic Gradient Growth core with a soft middle layer and 324 dimple design; Trispeed balls have a naturally high launch angle, pentrating trajectory and low spin, as well as a high speed, yet soft compression.
In short, this means the balls travel exceptionally far, yet have a shallow landing angle for increase carry and roll. The 324 Powershear dimple pattern is also perfectly tuned for amateur swing speeds, meaning this ball will work well at a wide range of skill levels.
For the price, these balls have about the softest compression on the market, without losing any distance or response. Perhaps a bit pricey for some, they are well worth the money if you can afford them!
At this time of year, it's nice to know somebody is putting some effort into designing golf clothing to stand up to the weather! Sunderland's latest range is actaully called Coldwear and is designed to help us poor players cope with the horrific temperatures in these early months. The bonded fleece has some of the best reviews, so let me tell you about it.
Made from lightweight fabirc, the Sunderland Coldwear bonded fleece has three interlocking layers of fleece, perfect for keeping you warm as you play, without reducing movement. Not only do these layers keep you warm, however, they also have other added advantages including water repellency from the polyester knit and breathability without water penetration from the PU film.
All together this makes for a very useful piece of kit that looks great as well! They come in stylish colours for both men and women, in a style that hides their incredible power.
A couple more myths you may have heard floating around!
Myth 3: the power of your golf swing comes primarily from your arms.
This seems to be quite a modern myth, possibly caused by Tiger Woods' bulging biceps... Whatever the cause, I've similar things spouted around my club in the last few months, as we've sheltered from the horrible weather outside. So, for the record, powerful golf swings aren't caused by powerful arms. Sure, they'll help, but the most important thing is a fluid weight shift acorss the proper axis. It is technique far more than it is strength; otherwise Tripe H would have a 600 yard drive!
Myth 4: your club should be parallel to the ground when it reaches the top fo the back-swing.
Although this is an indication of good form, the exact position or angle of the club at the end of the backswing is not as important as the technique you are using to achieve it. Your left arm must not bend (or should bend only very slighty) and, as your club goes back, your back should rotate to face the direction you are aiming. If you keep you wrists at the correct angle, you shouldn't have to concern yourself with whether or not your club is perfectly parallel to the ground at the height of the back-swing - it will all come together naturally. Check this out - the perfect backswing, but the club isn't quite parallel to the ground.
I'm sure all regular readers will know about Donald Trump's leviathon golf resort he is preparing to build in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. I'm sure you will also remember the amount of opposition he has come up against; from environmentalists to simple mentalists - Donald Trump has attracted a furious response from the people whose houses and homes he is destroying for the sake of his new golf course.
Nevertheless, as most billionaires seem to be able to do, Donald Trump has beaten them all and is going ahead with the course. The only thing left in his way is a tiny piece of land - half an acre of ex-car park - which he doesn't yet own. Now, normally this would result in some kind of bidding war, whereby lots of people would attempt to drive-up the price that billionaire Trump has to pay for the land. They might even succeed in buying it, just to sell it to Trump at an even higher price! Alternatively, somebody could out-bid Trump, take the land and not sell it to him - messing up his plans and making themselves a hero in the process.
Sadly, however, Aberdeenshire Council have granted Donald Trump 'special purchaser' status - meaning he is the only one allowed to bid for the land. So instead of there being a fair bid on the open market, Trump has been allowed to bid for the land privately, due to the "local economic benefits" the golf resort will bring. To you and I, this translates as "the free membership and executive suites that have been offered to members of the council".
In case you were afraid golf might escape for the onslaught of technology that accompanies most other sports these days; the Casio EX-FS10 camera has recently been released, claiming it can analyse your golf swing and compare it to Tiger Woods'. It sounds...terrifying.
The Exilim line of cameras were impressive enough before this but, now they've added their new 'swing analyser' into the mix, they're downright scary! Can't be just rate you good or bad? Or tell you what to do better? Why compare me to the best in the world?!
On the plus side, it's very easy to use. Somebody aims the camera at you and you thwack away at your balls...alright, let me phrase that differently. You perform shot after shot in front of the EX-FS10 and it analyses your posture and swing plane for you, at the same time as filming high-speed 720p video, at 1000fps if needs be! Awesome, no? Other than that, however, it's a pretty standard camera with 9.1 Megapixels and 3x optical zoom.
Prices vary between £120 and £300, so I would advise doing some research before buying this badboy.
It's time for another golfing technique tip! From the responses we've been receiving, it seems that one shot many readers aren't comfortable with is wedge shots at around 50 yards - so that's what we're going to talk about today.
On a 400 yard hole, you'd think you're home free once you're within 50 yards - but golf doesn't work like that. In fact, the first 300 yards are the easiest part, once you've learnt how to drive! The tricky bit it getting the ball that final little distace; without hitting a hazard, ending up in the rough or over-hitting the green. It's times like this that a nice, short wedge shot can save you a lot of time and bother! Wedge shots lift the ball high and, with extra back spin, drop it down in a specific place - so you don't have to worry about the ball rolling on. As long as you place your shot well, you're home free!
Ket things to remember when playing a short wedge shot including keeping your weight on your front foot throughout the shot, placing the ball slightly forwards in your stance and making sure the backswing is slightly shorter than the followthrough. All this will help you lift the ball high, but drop it accurately. Follow our old post about adding spin to your ball for even better results!
Today I will shed some light on some old golf myths, related to your swing. Pay attention now.
Myth 1: you should swing as if there was a straight line going right through your head and spine, around which your shoulders should pivot. You should pivot only around that axis.
Untrue - the axis around which you should pivot changes during the swing. For one thing, ignore the 'axis' down the head, spine and between the feet; one of the keys to a good golf swing is the weight shift from one foot to the other. Instead, on the back swing, imagine the straight axis to be through your back leg; then, when you move onto the down swing, push through an axis through your front leg. The key is the weight shift - this cannot happen through one central axis.
Myth 2: The head shouldn't move during the swing; it should stay over the ball and stay still.
This is nonsense; since your torso will move backwards during your back-swing, your head will move with it. Keep it level but, for goodness sake, don't concentrate on keeping it in exactly the same place!
Bearing in mind the millions spent on developing sports equipment worldwide, golf clothes really haven't come on as quickly as they probably should have been. When it comes to clubs and golf shoes, the choice is vast; they cater for everybody; no matter what your size, shape or ability, there are clubs designed to improve your game. Of course, none of this matters if you can't swing the damn things because you're too tied up in layers of golf clothes, keeping out the rain!
Well, no longer does this need to impact your game for finally technology has caught up with golf clothes! The result is this - layering techniques. The idea is that, instead of big, heavy clothing in cold or wet weather, you should combine various clever items of clothing; achieving better results without any negative impact on your performance.
To be honest, I'm going to stick with my old jacket... The way I see it, golf costs me enough money as it is, without having to invest in half a dozen layers of high-tech insulation clothing! Bring back the wooly hats!
I'm certain everybody reading this blog has wondered this at some point in their life; "How fast do golf balls travel?" More importantly, "What is the fastest anybody has any hit a golf ball?" Well, today we're not only going to tell you the world record for the fastest moving golf ball - we're also going to show you.
Sport Science weren't just interested in finding the fastest moving golf ball - they were interested in finding the fasting moving ball in the world of sport. This included measuing the speed of tennis balls, baseball and even balls used in pelota -which reaches 188 miles per hour!
Some of you may be aware that Tiger Woods' golf balls have been clocked at a staggering 184 mph, which is exceptionally fast - but not fast enough to beat the pelota ball. What nobody had tested, however, was the speed of long drive champion Jason Zuback's golf ball!
In this video you will witness the fasted ball speed ever recorded - a golf ball hit by Jason Zuback.
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