Issue 28 HAPPY HOWELLER THEZONE / ISSUE 28 1
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golfbuddy-A4consumer2013-A4-v03:Layout 1 21/3/13 14:14 Page 1 NEWS Garcia Super-accurategolfGPS back to rangefinders byGolfBuddy winning ways ergio Garcia fred a four-under 68 Sin the fnal round of the Tailand Golf Championship to secure his frst win of 2013. Te 33-year-old held of challenges from Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose and Charl Schwartzel, holing six birdies and two bogeys at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, Tailand to fnish with a 22-under total of 266. \"It's feels amazing,\" said Garcia. \" I've been fortunate to play here three times and I've been getting better every year - but it MoreCourses MoreCountries MoreAccuracy was a great week from the beginning. Over 36,000 fee free. Course maps in over We walk courses for ground- No subscriptions. 130 countries verified data Stenson fnished four shots behind Garcia in second GolfBuddyTechnologyExplained#1DynamicGreen place afer also carding a GolfBuddy Dynamic Green always gives you four-under 68 in Sunday's REAL distances to the front, middle and back of the green directly from your angle of approach. round, while Frenchman Most other golf devices only show FIXED points Alexander Levy (69) was in a straight line from the middle of the fairway. GROUN D So GolfBuddy always shows you exactly how VERIFIED third at 14-under. much green you have to work with - wherever MAPS you are playing from. WE WALK COURSES Not all golf GPS devices deliver this. GolfBuddy does. That’s another reason why we’re the www.gpsgolfbuddy.eu world’s #1 golf GPS specialists. THEZONE / ISSUE 28 3
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NEWS HAPPY HOWELLER Everybody loves a comeback story, especially when it involves a good guy. And David Howell is most defnitely one of life's good guys. ot so very long ago, the Englishman was sitting Nhappily in the top 20 of golf's world rankings. Ten it all went wrong. He sufered a succession of injuries, had problems in his personal life, struggled to focus on his golf, and paid the price. As his game sufered, Howell started spending increasing amounts of time behind the microphone for Sky Sports, proving himself to be a knowledgeable and engaging commentator and analyst, always able to say the right thing at 6 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
NEWS the right time. Te fact that he was a occasional straight drive and it felt like contemporary of the players on the the most sublime piece of luck. I had no European Tour also meant that he was idea how it had happened, nor any clue HOWELLER to be an indication that he accepted his It's a shocking admission, but Howell is as to how it could happen again.\" able to provide an insight into their lives, habits and foibles. It also appeared not the frst to sufer at the hands of this best days were behind him. sport, and he will not be the last. Having gone head to head with Tiger Having reached a high of ninth in the Woods and emerged triumphant at the rankings, at one point he fell as low HSBC Champions event in Hong Kong in 2005 and then going on to win the long road back. He didn't win enough BMW PGA championship in May 2006, money in 207 or 2009 to retain his card, Howell knew that he had beaten the at 576th. Clearly, it was going to be a but his win at the PGA gave him a 10- best in the business. He also fnished year exemption, so he could carry on ffh at the Accenture World Matchplay, playing. and had top 20 fnishes at Te Masters and US Open, and played on a winning At frst it came in fts and starts, European Ryder Cup team in 2006. fnishing 96th and 103rd in the race to Dubai in 2010 and 2011. He was third Te competitive spirit remained as in 2006. It wasn't what he wanted, but strong as ever and he still believed that it was something to work on. somewhere, buried within, was the game that had brought him so much Last year he fnished ffh in the success. Perth International and fourth in the French Open. Te top 60 go forward Giving it up and hiding behind the to the season-ending Dubai World microphone was the easy way out, but Championship - Howell, agonisingly, Howell (or Howler as he is universally fell two places short. But at least he felt known) has never been one to take the competitive again. easy path. It was all starting to click again, and He decided to stick with it, even though it clearly helped that Howler was he now admits: \"For me, it was a injury-free. Tis season he managed collision of circumstances. First, I split fve top 10 fnishes, and even in the up with Emily [now his wife] then I tournaments where he fnished down played a lot of golf when I was injured. the feld, he was starting to put together So I was coming home practically a lot of solid rounds of golf. Te signs every Friday night [having missed were encouraging for his fans, for his the cut] to a social life where I family and for Howell. didn’t know what I wanted, then my mum died. All of a sudden Ten he arrived at the Dunhill Links you’re thinking this game that Championship - it's a tournament that has given you so much isn’t any should suit an easygoing golfer like fun. Howell because it's a pro-am. Many of the amateurs are celebrities who \"How bad did it get? In 2009, provide good company and a lot of I remember hitting the THEZONE / ISSUE 28 7
NEWS SKYPRO_FULLPAGE-ZONE_AD-02:Layout 1 17/10/13 16:48 Page 1 MAKE “WITHSKYPRO,THE “ONEOFTHEBEST “FUN,INTUITIVEAND “IMMEDIATE PRACTICE GUESSWORKISTAKEN GADGETSWE’VE COMPREHENSIVE” RESULTS... BETTER! EVERTRIED– AGREATAPP laughs during rounds that can last six AWAY.BRILLIANT3D,QUICK SKYPROMAKES GOLFALOT.COM WHICHLOOKS &EASY,ANDPROVIDES “PIONEERING... hours. INVALUABLEDETAIL.ONCE PRACTICE GIVESGOLFERS SUPERB” YOU’VETRIEDSKYPRO,YOU FOCUSEDAND ABRILLIANT GOLFMONTHLY Howell was partnered with the actor, WON’TEVERGOTOTHE FUN.BESTRANGE INSIGHTINTO Hugh Grant, a keen golfer who doesn't RANGEWITHOUTIT.” SESSIONEVER!” THEIRSWING” GOLFINTERNATIONAL GOLFSHAKE.COM TODAY’SGOLFER take life too seriously. Rounds of 67 and 68 to open up with were good enough, but when Howell fred a third-round 63 he found himself in contention for his frst win in seven years. Could he hold his nerve? A fawless fnal round of 67 saw him fnish on 23 under par, tied with Peter Uihlein, the young American who has had such a wonderful season. On the second playof hole, Howell drained an \"On the Monday morning it was my eight-foot birdie putt. With it came a turn to do the morning shif with 2012PGA £500,000 winners' cheque and a bunch Freddie. First nappy changed at 7.30am Teacherof theYear of ranking points. and then he was on his tricycle. I don’t Michael Breed think I lef the house all day. Tat Howell believes that his road to enough glamour for you?\" redemption began when he and Emily got back together and married in 2009. Ah yes, David Howell sure knows how Teir frst child, Freddie, was born last to live. year, and twins are due in December. It is instructive that when Paul “I had lost my way in life and on McGinley ask him to be one of his the course as well,” Howell said. “It’s vice-captains for the Ryder Cup match obviously a really sweet moment to at Gleneagles next year he refused. be happy and settled with Emily and Having played on winning teams in Freddie at home and the twins on the 2004 and 2006, Howell quietly fancied way. Life has never been better, and to his chances of making it back on to the win a massive championship really sort team, or at least trying to do so. And of seals the fact that things are good at now he has given himself the perfect the moment and I’m in a really happy platform from which to launch his bid. place.\" \"Now my schedule looks much more Seeit.Grooveit.Improveit. When he got home from St Andrews, exciting. I’m back playing in WGCs he and Emily broke the habit of a [World Golf Championship events] for SKYPROit. lifetime and talked about his victory. the frst time in six years and you’ve no chance of making the Ryder Cup team \"We don’t normally talk about golf unless you’re playing in those. Don’t but this felt like a reason to make an get me wrong. I’m not sitting here and exception. So we got past the 'Well predicting I will get back in the team. done' bit and then Emily said, 'I’ve got But at least I now have a chance. SKYPRO.KNOWYOURGOLFSWING. to be honest, I thought Shane Lowry The amazing new SkyPro – golf’s most powerful swing analyser and training tool. Record and instantly playback every golf swing on your was going to win. He played brilliantly, \"So in that sense, and in terms of phoneortablet.Savethegoodones,identifyfaultsinthebadones.Groove yourmosteffectivegolfswingever,andplaybetter.Pairyourwoods,irons didn’t he?' schedule, the win changes everything.\" FROM andwedgeswiththefreeSkyProapp.CompatiblewithiPhone,iPadand iPod Touch with iOS 6.0 or later. Available from PGA Pro Shops. www.golfskypro.com 8 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
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NEWS BY DEREK CLEMENTS RORY’S BACK YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! uch nonsense has been allowed those around him to give him written about Rory McIlroy advice that, at best, was questionable. Mduring the past 12 months, I don't have the foggiest idea why he with everything from his Nike clubs and Horizon Sports Management to his relationship with tennis player fell out afer such a short period of Caroline Wozniacki blamed for his time together. On the face of it, they indiferent form. did pretty well for him, securing the It seems to me that the reason for Nike deal that took him into the Tiger McIlroy's travails is pretty obvious. If Woods earning league. he just focused on his golf, everything McIlroy lef Chubby Chandler's ISM, would have been fne. Instead, he has which looks afer the likes of Lee 10 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
NEWS Westwood, Darren Clarke, Louis In the meantime, he is back to what Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, he does best - playing golf. Playing ostensibly because he did not think attacking golf, hitting fairways that the company could give him the with 300-plus yard drives, crushing attention he felt his elevated status in towering iron shots into the heart of the game deserved. greens, producing miraculous recovery shots when called upon to do so; in I have to say that I was more than a other words, playing like Rory McIlroy. little surprised at that assertion. ISM has done well enough for the players What he isn't doing is holing putts. named avove, not to mention Ernie Els, Anybody who witnessed his opening and it does as well as it does because round of 69 in the Australian Open Chandler employs a number of former will marvel at the fact that he could tour professionals who understand the produce such a good score on such game. a difcult course on a day when he missed at least four putts of less than Horizon is a smaller company, looking three feet. afer a few hand-picked individuals. When Graeme McDowell won the US But that didn't stop him from looking Open at Pebble Beach, the frst man Adam Scott in the eye, going head to run onto the green and embrace to head with the Australian on his own turf and overcoming a four-shot him was Conor Ridge, Horizon's head defcit to win the Aussie Open. Te honcho. only time McIlroy was in front was Indeed, it is a safe bet that McDowell when he holed for birdie on the 72nd played some part in persuading green - and aferwards he clearly felt McIlroy that Horizon would look afer embarrassed at pooping Scott's party. It his interests. was his frst win of 2013, a year he will want to forget but during which he still Instead of focusing on his game during managed nine top 10 fnishes. 2013, there is little doubt that McIlroy has been weighed down by his dispute McIlroy is a confdence player, with Oakley, which has, thankfully, and there is no doubt that he has now been settled. rediscovered his confdence and his game. When he goes back to see Dave He is taking action against Horizon Stockton, the putting guru who has and they, in turn, are suing him for helped him out in the past, his recovery breach of contract, but it is evident that will be complete. Make no mistake - McIlroy has fnally been able to put McIlroy will win at least one major it all to the back of his mind - it is all in 2014 and will soon be challenging expected to come to a head at around Tiger Woods and Scott at the top of the the time of next year's Ryder Cup. world rankings. THEZONE / ISSUE 28 11
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NEWS BY DEREK CLEMENTS TIME FOR A FIFTH MAJOR? have heard some pretty daf ideas will clash with the Olympic Games in my time, but right up there has unless it is moved to a diferent spot in I to be the lunatic proposal to move the calendar. I have to say that I believe the USPGA Championship out of professional golfers have no place at America. the Olympics, but that is an entirely Now let's just think about this for diferent argument. a moment. It is called the USPGA Tere are also those who asked why Championship - the clue is in the three of the sport's majors should be title. It is not the Botswana PGA played in America. Te bottom line Championship, the Australian PGA is that those three majors have been Championship or the Piri Piri.com played in the US for years - and golf is PGA Championship. It is also one of all about tradition. golf's four majors. By tradition, it is played in America. Full stop. Period. Te very idea of Jason Dufner End of story. defending his USPGA title anywhere but on American soil is preposterous. Of course, the reason this idea is being foated is because in 2020, the event Now if the sport wants to create a ffh 14 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
NEWS FIFTH MAJOR? major, why that is a very diferent story. So if we want a ffh major, let's stage it Te existing majors are played between in Australia. All we need to do then is April and August, which means that for decide what to call it. Here's a radical eight full months every year there are idea - call it the Australian Open. no majors. What's that you say? Tere already is But there are European Tour events... an Australian Open? And it is played in Australia, China, Abu Dhabi, Qatar on great courses? In great weather? and Dubai! And there are also LPGA Well, isn't that convenient? Let's get Tour events in most of those same everybody together and agree that we countries. could, and should, confer major status on the Australian Open. Some of the best golf courses on the planet are in Australia. And do you Moving the USPGA Championship out know one of the best things about of the USA - really, what will they come Australia? From October through up with next? A world series of baseball to February, you are pretty much featuring only American teams? guaranteed perfect weather. Tat would never happen! THEZONE / ISSUE 28 15
Lynx-A4-v1g:Layout 1 NEWS 23/9/13 17:04 Page 1 “Whatever you want to be, WINNERS AND LOSERS If you’re different you will stand out.” Anita Roddick www.lynxgolf.co.uk Lynx Golf UK @LynxGolfUK Inspired By Passion And Innovation. 16 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
23/9/13 17:04 Page 1 Lynx-A4-v1g:Layout 1 NEWS 2013 NEWS BY DEREK CLEMENTS “Whatever you want to be, WINNERS AND LOSERS If you’re different you will stand out.” Anita Roddick WINNER Phil Mickelson - nobody who saw it will ever forget his astonishing performance to win The Open at Muirfeld. It was the major he was never supposed to win. All that remains now for Lefty to complete the full set is the US Open. He has fnished second six times. Can he ever get that monkey of his back? www.lynxgolf.co.uk Lynx Golf UK @LynxGolfUK Inspired By Passion And Innovation. THEZONE / ISSUE 28 17
NEWS LOSER Tiger Woods - he may have won fve tournaments, but he never looked like adding to his tally of 14 majors. And then there were his rules indiscretions - dropping a ball in the wrong place at The Masters, and causing the ball to move as he attempted to remove twigs. PGA Tour Player of the Year? Sorry, but for me that’s just a bad joke WINNER LOSER WINNER Jordan Spieth - a breath Keegan Bradley - got Jason Dufner - I don’t of fresh air. Won his frst himself into contention get Dufner. I just don’t PGA Tour event when he many times during 2013 understand how somebody was still 19 and looks like but failed to win an event who has achieved as much winning every time he tees as he tied himself in knots as he has can possibly look the ball up. The youngster before being able to hit so miserable while doing it, doesn’t have a weakness. any kind of golf shot. His especially when you see his He is also blessed with a pre-shot routine gets ever wife. Talk about a guy batting wonderful temperament. longer, and he has started out of his league! On the Don’t be surprised to see spitting again. Charming! other hand, his play to win him win a major in 2014. the US PGA championship was fabulous. LOSER Rory McIlroy - signed a huge contract with Nike, parted company with his management frm, seemed to live his relationship with tennis player Caroline Wozniacki on Twitter and then decided he didn’t want to talk about it anymore, his form was wretched and so was his mood. Started the year as world No1, fnished it as No 6, and failed to win or contend in a single event. Also chose not to go to his great friend Graeme McDowell’s wedding. Should anybody still be interested, Rory and Caroline are still an item 18 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
NEWS WINNER Paul McGinley - the European Ryder Cup captain must have looked at the leaderboard at the conclusion of the Dubai World Championship and allowed himself a smile as he looks forward to Gleneagles. Stenson, Poulter, Rose, Westwood, Donald, McIlroy, McDowell and a couple of new kids on the block, Dubuisson and Luiten, all performed admirably. And when you throw in the likes of Garcia, Molinari, Fleetwood, Wood and Manassero, you can understand why McGinley has a nice warm feeling LOSER Paul Lawrie - barely 12 months ago, Lawrie was on the fringes of the top 30 in the world rankings, and was one of the stars of the European Ryder Cup team. What a diference a year makes. He is in now in 90th place in the rankings. The 1999 Open champion missed out on the Dubai World Championship after fnishing the season in 63rd place on the money list. What’s more, he managed only one top 10 fnish all year. Mr Grumpy was even grumpier than usual. WINNER Adam Scott - what can you say? One of golf’s good guys (although I can’t forgive him for that God-awful putter), there was scarcely a dry eye in the house when he won The Masters. Threw away The Open for the second year in succession, but then few to Australia at the end of the season to support his home tour - his presence ensured huge crowds, and he couldn’t stop winning THEZONE / ISSUE 28 19
NEWS NEWS LOSER Ernie Els - what was all that nonsense about not wanting to play in the requisite two out of three of the Final Series in the Race To Dubai? Els has been a great supporter of the European Tour over the years, but nobody is bigger than the tour, and he played in a run- of-the-mill event in America when he could and should have been in Shanghai. You get paid a lot of money for chasing that little white ball, Ernie - it really wasn’t asking too much to expect you to get on a plane and fy out to Shanghai or Turkey. Nobody missed you WINNER LOSER Matt Kuchar - is there a more genuine Bubba Watson - is anybody else man on Tour? Nobody has a bad word growing a little tired of Bubba’s to say about Kuchar. He deals with antics? Yes, he won The Masters. Yes, triumph and disaster in precisely the he produced a wondrous shot to do same way, seldom plays without a so. Yes, he cried (doesn’t he always?). smile on his face and clearly recognises But the PGA Tour doesn’t owe you how lucky he is to be making his living a living Bubba. Stop moaning, stop (and bucketloads of cash) by playing losing your temper on the golf course this game. Kuchar is always happy to and just focus on your game. give interviews, to sign autographs for You’ve got a God-given talent, and fans and to pose for pictures. it will win you more titles, but only if Tiger Woods, please take note you get your head sorted out 20 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
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NEWS LYDIA KO THEZONE / ISSUE 28 22 WORDS BY DEREK CLEMENTS
NEWS here is only one possible On January 29, 2012, Ko became candidate for the title of world the youngest person ever to win a Tgolfer of the year. And it is not professional golf tour event when she Tiger Woods. Nor is it Phil Mickelson, triumphed at the Bing Lee/Samsung Adam Scott, Jason Dufner or Justin Women's NSW Open on the ALPG Tour. Rose. No, it is not Henrik Stenson either. She was 14 at the time, and had fnished Stacy Lewis? You are getting warmer. second in the event the year before. Ibee Park then, surely? Te previous youngest person ever to win No, the only possible contender a professional golf tour event was Japan’s is a teenager who has just turned Ryo Ishikawa, who was 15 years and 8 professional. Her name is Lydia Ko and months. Ko lost her own record later in if you haven't heard of her then shame 2012 to 14-year-old Canadian Brooke on women's golf for failing to project its Henderson, who won the second event brightest prospect in a generation. on that year's Canadian Women's Tour. Unbelievably, Ko was already ranked In August last year, Ko became the LYDIA KO number fve in the world when she made youngest winner of an LPGA Tour event, the decision to turn pro, still aged just 16. winning the CN Canadian Women’s Tat means she is already rated a better Open at the age of 15 years and four player than almost the entire European months with a 13-under-par total of and American Solheim Cup teams - 275. She surpassed the record set by Lexi better than Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr et Tompson at 16 years and seven months al. Everybody in fact, other than Lewis. in September 2011. Her win also made Te LPGA Tour has a rule that states her only the ffh amateur to have won an its members must be at least 18 years of LPGA Tour event, and the frst in more age. Wisely, that rule has been waived for than 43 years. Te winner’s cheque for Miss Ko. $300,000 went to runner-up Inbee Park who was three strokes back. As is the way of things in 2013, Ko decided not to call a press conference or Unbelievably, Ko successfully defended ask her agent to tell the world she was the title this year, this time shooting 265 turning pro. Instead, she tweeted the for a fve-stroke victory over Karine Icher news and also posted it on YouTube. at the Royal Mayfair Club in Edmonton. She said that she opted to do it this way Once again, the $300,000 winner’s share because she didn't want to make a \"big went to Icher. fuss\". Well Lydia, I've got some news for She fnished second in the Evian Masters, you - you had better get used to making a now a women’s major, and announced fuss. aferwards that she would be turning Despite her name, she was raised in prtofessional next year, but she clearly New Zealand, and her progress has been decided that she couldn’t wait. phenomenal. And why would she? She has already For those of you who haven't heard of missed out on more than $1m in prize her, or know little about her, let's start money, although there is the promise of with the bald facts. untold millions to come. THEZONE / ISSUE 28 23
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NEWS STENSON CAPS ‘DREAM’ SEASON HAT was the year that was, We already knew that he had and wasn't it something else? rediscovered his best form, having been TWhoever would have thought in the depths of despair not so terribly that we would fnish the 2013 golf long ago. But he moved to a new level season lauding the achievements of in the second half of 2013. What he Henrik Stenson? has demonstrated on an almost weekly basis since July is a mental fortitude It is impossible to fully appreciate the that compares with the best ever to have mental strength possessed by Stenson, played the game. the Swede who has just won the Race to Dubai, to add to his stellar triumph in Te efort it takes to maintain his the FedEx Cup. level of performance should never be underestimated. Nobody has achieved this feat before, and it is hardly surprising. Apart from It is worth reminding ourselves of Tiger Woods, who is a special case, no his astonishing run. He fnished golfer in recent times has managed to third in the Scottish Open, second maintain his form over such a sustained in Te Open, second in the WGC period, contending week afer week Bridgestone Invitational, third in for the sport's biggest prizes. Make no the PGA Championship, 43rd in the WORDS BY DEREK CLEMENTS mistake about it - it requires far, far Barclays, winner of the Deutsche Bank more than a good golf game to achieve championship, 33rd in ther BMW dewstow golf club, caerwent, monmouthshire, NP26 5AH. what Stenson has. championship, winner of the Tour Tel: 01291 430444 www.dewstow.co.uk THEZONE / ISSUE 28 25
NEWS “It took a little time to sink in when I won the FedEx, and it just kept on feeling better and better as time went on” Championship (and the $11m FedEx round of 66, the chances are that he Cup), 34th in the BMW Masters, 31st would have jumped at it. And that is what in the WGC HSBC Champions, seventh he scored. in the Turkish Open and winner of the But not only was it not good enough, Dubai World Championship. he fnished the day even further behind He should have been exhausted when Stenson than he had been at the start. Te he few into Dubai and was nursing Swede, in complete control of his game, a wrist injury that, under any other had three birdies in the frst fve holes circumstances, would have seen him and fnished with a stunning eagle three withdraw from the Dubai World for a round of 64 and a six-stroke victory. Championship. Stenson and Poulter had struck a wager Instead, he was inspired by the possibility before the Final Series began. Stenson of becoming the frst man ever to win gave Poulter odds of 10/1 that he could the FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai in the not catch him and win the Race To same season. With Ian Poulter breathing Dubai. Poulter wagered $1,000, and did down his neck, Stenson opened with everything he could to catch Stenson. scores of 68, 64 and 67 to go into the Te Swede's victory means that he fnal round one shot ahead of Victor becomes the frst man to win the FedEx Dubuisson. He couldn't go on and win Trophy and the Race To Dubai. Having the tournament, could he? lost a huge portion of his savings to Allen Had Poulter, who started the day four Stanford, the conman now serving 110 behind his rival, been ofered a fnal years in jail, his winnings this season 26 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
NEWS alone give him fnancial security for the “To get the double-double, winning the rest of his life. Tour Championship on both the tours, that's going to take some beating in the He has won three huge tournaments this future. It's been a dream year, a dream year and is now frmly established as the summer for me, and the season of my world's third-ranked golfer. Stenson will life. now attempt to relax, and hope that when he returns to competitive action in 2014 “I’m just very, very pleased with the way I the magic is still there. If it is, there is no played. I knew it was going to be a tough reason that he cannot add a major to his week and I knew the guys were going to resume. He is already a shoo-in for the keep on charging and trying to catch me. European Ryder Cup team, and there will Being in the lead, you want to play solidly be players queueing up to partner him at and not make any silly mistakes. I had a Gleneagles. couple of really good iron shots early in the round to set up three birdies in the “It took a little time to sink in when frst fve holes. I won the FedEx, and it just kept on feeling better and better as time went on “It was blowing pretty hard with a lot of and I'm sure this will be the same,” said sand in the air on the back nine. I was Stenson, who has staged a remarkable just trying to hit fairways and greens and comeback since falling out of the top 200 make pars coming in.” in the Ofcial Golf World Ranking in Henrik, we dof our caps to you. What early 2012. “I have managed to achieve an achievement - the comeback story of something very special here this week. 2013, without a doubt. THEZONE / ISSUE 28 27
NEWS 28 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
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ow quickly things LUKE DONALD turn around. HJust two years ago, Luke Donald was on his way to securing the money titles on both the PGA and European Tours, the frst man ever to do so. He was followed last year by Rory McIlroy, but Donald will always be remembered for being the frst - and for the fact that it secured him frst place in the world rankings. WORDS BY DEREK CLEMENTS 30 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
NEWS Although he couldn't repeat Justin Rose at the US Open fairways, and that leaves him the feat in 2012, Donald had and 25th at Te Masters. languishing in 60th place. another season to remember, He only made the Tour Tat helps to explain why he and continued to ride high Championship thanks to only managed to hit 62% of in the rankings. a fourth-place fnish at the greens in regulation - a total BMW Championship and of 155 players were ahead of Tis season will be best remembered for the slump fnished the season with him. a \"paltry\" $1.9m in prize- endured by McIlroy, who And it doesn't get any better. started 2013 as the world's money - in 2011 he won He is regarded as one of the twice, had 14 top 10 fnishes best player and is currently best putters on the planet, sixth. Donald, however, and earned $6.6m on the but in almost every putting PGA Tour alone, while last has fallen even further. category during 2013 he Unbelievably, he stands year it was one victory, eight languished among the also- top 10s and $3.5m. 14th and will soon be rans. Donald is also seen as overtaken by the 20-year-old So just what went wrong in a fantastic iron player - from phenomenon that is Jordan 2013? At 36 years of age, he 50-125 yards he stands third, Speith. should still be in his prime. but with long irons he barely One of Donald's biggest scrapes into the top 80, and By anybody else's standards, fve top 10 fnishes would disadvantages over his rivals you don't win tournaments is that he stands just 5f 9in from there. represent a decent season, but Donald had raised the and weighs less than 12st. It Simple then - during the means that when he plays bar and, crucially, missed winter he needs to get longer the cut in two of the season's with the likes of Dustin and straighter from the tee. If Johnson, he is consistently majors, Te Open and he can do that, his iron play PGA championship, whole outdriven by 50-70 yards. will improve, he will put the Now that wouldn't be so bad fnishing eighth behind ball closer to the hole and he if Donald was consistently will drain more putts. fnding fairways, and there is a misconception that he is one of the straightest hitters on the PGA Tour. Te statistics tell a diferent story. His average driving distance is less than 280 yards, which puts him in 157th place, but he only hits 62% of THEZONE / ISSUE 28 31
DEREK CLEMENTS CUTTING UP ROUGH Golf over 50 ETTING older is not fun. Of course, Then one day I was playing golf with a friend, these things are relative. I can hit a drive and felt a twinge of pain in my Gremember thinking that my life was back. A few holes later, there it was again. over when I turned 30. It didn't help when We got to the 17th tee and I unleashed a I picked up the ofce phone on the day of beauty. Or at least my partner told me it was. my birthday, only to discover that the wags I I couldn't see where it had gone because worked with had paid for a recording of \"The my neck had locked solid - trying to move Oldest Swinger In Town\" to be played for me. my head even a fraction of an inch caused excruciating pain. But I somehow managed to survive my thirties. In fact, I played some of Within a couple of hours, my the best golf of my life during neck had freed up those years, and also achieved success in my career. I even had a decent car on the drive and was able to aford a top- of-the-range set of Wilson Staf irons and persimmon woods. How I loved them! There are no persimmon woods today. Now we used huge drivers made of titanium and ftted with graphite shafts - in my day, graphite was something you put in a pencil. And who came up with \"fairway metal\" as a way to describe a three wood? The head is no longer made of wood, but a three metal? Give me strength. Right then, where was I? The memory is the frst thing to go, you know. Oh yes, I remember. I was in my thirties and all was sweetness and light. 32 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
again and was feeling fne. But I don't mind to get back on the golf course again. telling you that I was worried. It happened It took a while to get back into the swing of again, of course. And again. I wasn't to it, but eventually I did. Then I hit 50. And that know it at the time, but these were the frst is when I realised that golf, and the people I symptoms of rhumatoid arthritis. I battled played with, had changed forever. with back pain for what seemed like years (that's because it was), visiting one back I am now a member of my golf club's senior specialist after another, only to hear them tell section. In days gone by, I used to walk into me that my back was fne. the changing rooms and be overcome by the smell of aftershave - now it is the pong I visited physiotherapists, chiropracters (the of liniment that predominates. On the work of the devil), accupuncturists - you hangers are an assortment of body supports, name it, I tried it. They all told me there was bandages, braces and girdles. nothing wrong with my back. I could barely get out of bed in the morning, and I stopped Then there is the conversation. We used to playing golf because of the discomfort, but talk about the latest cars, the way the new there was nothing wrong with my back. Ferrari accelerated to 60mph in two seconds. Everybody who knew about these things We would tell jokes, compare notes about said so. our sex lives, make a pass at the barmaid and complain about work. And then....one morning I woke up to discover that my fngers and toes had Now? \"Percy will be back next week. His knee swollen to twice their normal size. It was replacement operation has been a success.\" a Sunday and I had to go to the local fre \"David? Didn't you hear? He's having a station and beg them to cut the rings from pacemaker ftted.\" \"We raced round today - my fngers. But it was a Eureka moment four hours and 50 minutes.\" \"Oh, my aching because when I went to see the doctor back.\" \"Derek, give me a hand to stand up, the following day and she looked at my will you?\" swollen joints she fnally referred me As you look around you, almost everybody to a specialist who was able to either has white hair or no hair at all. put me out of my misery Paunches hang over trouser belts. Those who by telling me what was don't have paunches are thin only because wrong - and giving they are unwell. And on competition days, me tablets that you have to listen to somebody given a stopped the pain report on the state of health of various other within 72 hours seniors. and allowed me Worst of all is turning up at the club and realising that the fag is fying at half mast. It happened recently. An 80-year-old by the name of Lennie Cofll had a hole-in-one on the Friday, bought a bottle of whisky so that everyone could have a drink, went home, fell asleep and never woke up. What a way to go! THEZONE / ISSUE 28 33
MATT KUCHAR'S TT KUCHAR swing is not a thing of beauty - even he would admit that. He aims right of the target and during his backswing he seems to wrap the club around his waist. It means that he should hook every shot he hits, and that it should be almost impossible for him to get the ball up in the air. And he certainly shouldn't be a world-class player. But he doesn't hook every shot, he does get the ball in the air and he most certainly is a world-class player who has enjoyed a stellar year on the PGA Tour. Only Tiger Woods MA who made the cut in all 23 and Henrik Stenson earned more than Kuchar, tournaments in which he played. He also won his frst World Golf Championship title and now vies with Lee Westwood and Steve WORDS : DEREK CLEMENTS Stricker for the unenviable crown of Best Golfer Not To Have Won A Major. Te tall American world number eight piled up earnings of $5,616,808 to 34 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
end the season ranked players in the PGA Tour's won in a single season third in the PGA Tour elite season fnale at ($4,233,920) without a money list. He turned pro East Lake Golf Club in victory. in 2000 and won his frst Atlanta, where Woods, “And now in 2013 to tournament two years his playing partner in the have won two titles, later, but then had to wait fnal round, ended up including a World until 2009 for his next, joint 22nd. Both players Golf Championship, but he hasn't looked back admitted aferwards it seems like it has since. that they were ready for just been a continued a break. Instead they “It’s been my best year to headed of to Muirfeld progression of better date, having a multiple- Village for the Presidents and better golf,” said the win season, a lot of top- Cup, where they formed American, who won the 10s and no missed cuts,” a formidable partnership WGC-Accenture Match said 35-year-old Kuchar, that featured some highly Play Championship who was one of fve entertaining high fving. in February and Te nominees for the PGA Memorial in June. Tour’s Player of the Year Kuchar says that he feels He is a big fan of Woods, award eventually won by his game is continuing to and everything the world Tiger Woods. He is one of improve. \"Little by little, number one has achieved the most popular players I think my game has just in the game. on tour and always seems gotten better each year to be sporting a huge and that's been a great Tere are those who smile as the crowd chant progression,\" he said. “I still believe he has \"Kooch, Kooch.\" don’t know how many underachieved, having guys can say, year afer not won a major for more “It was a very solid year year, that they continue than fve years. Kuchar and I take a lot of pride to get better. In 2010, I is not one of them. “He in not missing a single had my best year to date is certainly held to an cut this year. I think with a win at the Barclays incredibly high standard, that’s a difcult thing Championship and I also like no other. People just to do and shows a high won the money title and expect him to come and level of consistency. I feel the scoring title. win every week and to like I nearly played well dominate, and for a long every week and to come “In 2011, I might have time he did. But a fve- to Atlanta [for the Tour been winless but I still win season? Jeez, that’s Championship] and to had a very good year, and amazing. He has set the not play well was very then in 2012 I won the bar so high that when he disappointing but looking Players (Championship).” doesn’t play well, people back at the year as a In 2011, Kuchar recorded are surprised.” whole, I certainly have a an incredible nine great taste in my mouth.” top-10s, including two Almost as surprised as runner-up fnishes, and they would if Kuchar Kuchar fnished in a set a PGA Tour record wasn't in contention, tie for 26th out of 30 for the most money week afer week. THEZONE / ISSUE 28 35
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RYDER CUP TIGER and the Americ an team ethic very time the Ryder Cup But it was what he said aferwards that comes around, European revealed the most. In Europe, it is widely Egolf writers ask why it is believed that Woods is not a team player, that no American team captain that he doesn't get on particularly well can get the best out of Tiger with his teammates and fnds it difcult Woods. to communicate. Apart from the lunacy of partnering Now read the following quotes from Woods with Phil Mickelson (a Woods afer he beat Richard Sterne on partnership made in the Land of Nod by the 18th green and tell me that they are Hal Sutton, who admitted that when it not the words of a team player: failed to work, he had no Plan B), Woods “It feels good. It was a team efort this actually has a pretty good Ryder Cup whole week. We really played well and Only record, and will surely fnish his career as gave ourselves a really nice lead going the competition's record points scorer. into the singles and it was a tough day, £35.00pp And his record in the Presidents Cup is tough conditions, rain, wind, tough all around,” he said. not too shabby either. Despite sufering from continuing back problems, “I was like in a similar position as he fnished with a record of 4-1 at Freddie; where is our fourth point going Muirfeld Village (better than any other to come from? I was at a point where I player), and secured the winning point wasn’t feeling my best coming down the www.bowood.org for Freddie Couples' team over the stretch, and happened to get a one-up lead. I was just trying to hang on to that. Internationals. THEZONE / ISSUE 28 37
RYDER CUP Uncrowded courses Problem was, I knew I wasn’t feeling good, and if I happened to mess up 18 we had to continue playing until it was unrivalled service decided. “I really don’t want to play anymore. I just thought - can I win, can I halve this last hole, somehow? And it unbeatable value ended up being that way. “To have the opportunity to win the Cup for Freddie and all the guys on the team, it means a lot to me, and to be able to have trust in the guys and be able to go out there and earn a point, it means a lot.” Despite many rain delays throughout the competition, and the pain in his back, Woods said he had enjoyed being back in the team environment. “We have a great time, you kidding me? Tis is why captain David Love was an assistant to when you frst experience it, you want to Fred Couples. get back on these teams each and every Book early and save 10% * year. It’s just a lot of fun. It was a long On Sunday, International side, captained week but it was worth it. We did it” he by Nick Price, needed to win the last said. seven singles matches just to earn a draw but captured the frst four and lost only And just in case anybody thinks that afer Woods beat Sterne. the Ryder Cup doesn't matter to the Americans, there were some revealing “It was a tough day I think for all of us,” comments made by Steve Stricker, a Stricker said.“I mean, it had a scenario Pack your clubs at member of the team that sufered a brewing much like the Ryder Cup last no extra cost shock defeat by Europe at Medinah last year coming down to the end, so I year and feared that history might be think we can all take positives from this repeating itself at Muirfeld Village. going forward to next year. \"As golfers, “Last year still stings,” Stricker said.“If we’re dealt defeats all the time,” Stricker you ask the guys that were on that team said.“It’s more about picking yourself last year, I guarantee every one of them up and dusting yourself of and getting 2014 brochure out now would think that last year at the Ryder ready to go again. But I think it was a Cup hurts. So I think it’s important that good step for all of us to win again.\" we came here and got a win, moving Te Americans seem to have grasped forward in the right direction to try to that there is no \"I\" in team, and there Is there better way to enjoy golf in France or Spain? win the Ryder Cup next year.\" was some serious bonding going on Nine of the 12 US players who lost at at Muirfeld Village. Tey will travel Medinah were on the Presidents Cup- to Gleneagles next year confdent of Call 0871 244 0665 email [email protected] winning squad and 2012 US Ryder Cup regaining the Ryder Cup. or visit brittanyferries.com/golf 38 THEZONE / ISSUE 28 *Applies to 2014 golf packages booked by 31 January 2014. Excludes promotional offers. Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras.
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40 DUSTIN JOHNSON THEZONE / ISSUE 28
NEWS HERE isn't a golfer on this Tere are those who look at these fnishes planet who doesn't want to and say they are evidence that Johnson is a Thit the ball further than we choker. Te evidence suggests otherwise. already do. And it is all Dustin He joined the PGA Tour in 2008, has Johnson's fault. already won eight times and is still only When you hear a commentator tell you 29. He won the recent HSBC Champions that he is playing his second shot at a tournament in Shanghai in superb style, 580-yard par fve with a seven iron, you holding of the challenges of Ian Poulter do a double take. Is this man from another and Graeme McDowell in the process. planet? During his four rounds, he had 28 birdies and two eagles. I use a seven iron for my second shot at par fours that measure 380 yards! And McDowell was impressed with what I consider myself to be a decent golfer. he saw from the American. \"He's just Johnson is an alien. a quality, talented, very athletic classy player. Yeah, he makes mistakes, but when As it happens, he is a very friendly alien, you've got a game as good as him, you can who is highly unlikely to eat your babies get away with a few mistakes.\" or subject you to horrible experiements. Unless, that is, you challenge him to a Johnson is one of a select number who can long-driving contest. It is not so very long reduce the world's toughest and longest ago that 300 yards was considered to be golf courses to their knees. Yes, he hits the the benchmark for big hitters, but Johnson ball prodigious distances, but you don't has moved the bar. He makes the likes of win eight times just because you can hit a Tiger Woods and Gary Woodland look golf ball a long way. short. And they are not! Te American is becoming one of the Johnson has had chances to win majors, game's great shotmakers. He possesses a most notably the US Open at Pebble great imagination, and is equally capable Beach in 2010, when he went into the of striking towering iron shots or shaping fnal round leading the feld but sufered them through the wind. And on his day, a meltdown on a course over which he he can putt with the best of them. had already won on two occasions. Later Afer his victory in Shanghai, Johnson that same year he was in the mix at the US said he was confdent that he will win a PGA Championship but sufered a two- major. shot penalty for grounding his club in a bunker at the fnal hole. Te powers-that- \"I held them of, and fortunately I played be decreed that it was a really well coming down the stretch. Tey put a lot of pressure on me, but I'm really bunker - to everybody else looking on, it proud of myself the way I handled it and was wasteland. the way I fnished. Tis is probably my Te following year he should have won biggest win, and with the feld and the Te Open at Royal St George's but hit a tournament, World Golf Championships. ball out of bounds going down the stretch, Hopefully there's just better things to and his chance was gone. Darren Clarke come.\" emerged victorious. It is hard to argue with that. WORDS: DEREK CLEMENTS THEZONE / ISSUE 28 41
NEWS 42 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
EQUIPMENT Tour level performance ftted to your swing speed Callaway have lanuched what they call common swing speed categories; 90mph ‘important game-changing technology’ and below (SR1), 90-105mph (SR2) and with the launch of Speed Regime Golf 105mph and above (SR3), allowing golfers Balls, a family of Tour-level products to ‘custom ft’ an exact Speed Regime Golf engineered to golfers’ individual swing Ball to deliver total performance. speeds to maximise distance and spin. Te Speed Regime family also features Available in three models – SR1, SR2 a new, proprietary, sof cover, delivering and SR3 – Speed Regime Golf Balls tour-level control for the short game, plus deliver Tour standard aerodynamics and Callaway’s trademark HEX pattern, which performance across all three products optimises aerodynamics by covering a regardless of swing speed, creating greater surface area resulting in longer, optimum spin separation for longer drives more stable and penetrative ball fights. without compromising on feel around the Speed Regime 1 is a four-piece ball, while greens. Speed Regime 2 and 3 are fve-piece balls To maximise the beneft of Speed Regime featuring a thin outer mantle, which also technology, Callaway’s R&D team have helps reduce spin of the driver even developed the golf balls to match three further to achieve explosive distance. THEZONE / ISSUE 28 43
EQUIPMENT When TaylorMade introduce a new launch, lower spin and faster ball speed. SLDR DRIVER driver, the world of golf sits up to take Te driver's lof is adjustable, direction notice - and quite rightly, too. Pioneers of the adjustable driver, they were also (fade, straight or draw) through a frst on the market with white drivers reinvention of TaylorMade’s movable and fairway woods (I am sorry, but I weight technology (MWT), making it can't bring myself to call them fairway more efective and easier to use. Te metals). And when some of their SLDR features a blue, 20-gram weight leading Tour players announced that that slides on a track located on the they didn't care too much for the white front of the sole - Mizuno used a similar clubs, TaylorMade listened. system some years ago, but it never caught on.. Tey could have simply starting producing the R1 in black and told Te movable weight shifs the the world it was a new model. Indeed clubhead's centre of gravity horizontally they did go back to basics and return towards the heel, to promote a draw, or to market with a black driver, but the toe, to promote a fade. A lightweight SLDR is no R1 copycat. Fujikura shaf comes as standard. It is a beautiful looking club, and So what's the verdict? I have always according to Dustin Johnson, it is also loved TaylorMade drivers, and this one a master blaster. Te biggest hitter on looks and feels great, and sits behind the PGA Tour reckons he is hitting the the ball quite beautifully. I may not ball at least 20 yards further, and here have gained 20 yards (I wish!), but the is something you should know - his ball is travelling 10 yards further, and R1 had eight degrees of lof, while his I am not convinced that I have found SLDR has 10.5. David Lynn won the my optimum setting yet. It is a fabulous recent Portugal Open/Masters with an club. Some players have said that they SLDR driver set at 11.5 degrees. don't like the feel it gives at impact, but I haven't the foggiest idea what they are TaylorMade say that the extra distance talking about. comes from a lower and more forward centre of gravity that promotes a hotter All those Tour players can't be wrong. 44 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
NEWS SPEEDBLADE IRONS When I got in touch with my As you would expect, they are contact at TaylorMade to tell forgiving, which means that of- her that I would like to try out centre shots still fy really well. the new SpeedBlade irons, But it is when you strike the she told me that she and her team had just returned from a ball properly that you get the full beneft of the SpeedBlade week in Portugal, where they had been testing the cubs, and technology - I normally hit a seven iron 150 yards through signed of by telling me that the ball had been going miles. the air, but have added fully 10 yards with the SpeedBlade Now, of course, you would seven iron. expect her to say that, And don't listen to anybody wouldn't you? Te real proof of the pudding is in the testing who tells you that it is impossible to manouevre the though. ball with today's irons because And boy, do these club pass it simply isn't true. I had no the test. TaylorMade reckon problems hitting it right to lef that golfers of all standards will or with a gentle fade. enjoy these irons. Te irons look great, combining Let me tell you that I am a two-tone, satin nickel chrome a 12-handicap golfer, and plating with dark smoke satin consider myself to be one of the iron plating. better 12-handicappers, and I just adore them. But the key to performance is what TaylorMade call the I am consistently amazed by Speed Pocket, TaylorMade's product range. a handle-bar But never before have I been shaped slot so surprised by a set of irons. in the sole of THEZONE / ISSUE 28 45
EQUIPMENT the 3-7 irons that enables a large area of stand over the ball and KNOW you are the face to fex and rebound at impact, going to hit it well. Te slender topline resulting in faster ball speed, higher and sole in the short irons promote better launch and better feel. workability, feel and control. Te improved Speed Pocket has been Te Speed Pocket contains polymer and widened and lengthened, giving golfers the major bonus with this material is that more face area toward the toe and heel, you never feel vibration going through which is what promotes a high launch your hands and wrists. angle and strong ball fight. Te Speed I am a TaylorMade fan (have been for Pocket also features a cut through slot internally, which allows for more fex and years) and it is when I pick up a set of irons as good as the SpeedBlade that I rebound on the bottom part of the face. know why. Te longer irons feature a thicker topline Try them out for yourself - you will love which help with confdence - you just them. 46
EQUIPMENT ATV WEDGE I have had a 58-degree ATV wedge in my bag for a while. ATV stands for All- Terrain Versatility and was designed to be used to play a variety of shots - chips, pitches, explosion shots, out of the rough, of hard, tight lies, on fop shots and bump-and-runs. Te ATV sole is designed to excel at each one. Te ATV sole is slightly convex (it bows inward), and there’s signifcant relief at diferent bounces depending on how the toe and heel. Tat reduces resistance you position it for the shot you’re hitting and changes how the sole reacts with and how much you open the face. It is turf and sand, depending on how the the most versatile club in my bag. club is positioned and how much the It is ftted with Lamkin’s latest wedge face is opened. grip, which extends further down the You won’t fnd a bounce number on the shaf, giving improved feel when you ATV clubhead because the sole takes on choke down for added clubhead control. LOB WEDGE SpeedBlade wedges feature classic tour blade design - available as an attack wedge (50 degrees), sand wedge (55 degrees) and lob wedge (60 degrees), they are fnished in dark grey. Te sand wedge and lob wedge feature TaylorMade's All Terrain Versatility sole to promote feel,spin and control from a variety of lies and are ftted with heavier than standard steel shafs for improved performance and consistency. Tey look good and they perform superbly. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SPEEDBLADES THEZONE / ISSUE 28 47
NEWS It has somethIng your Irons don’t. ™ That something is called the Speed Pocket – a slot in the sole of the club that enables the face to flex and rebound on impact to dramatically increase ball speed. The result is a fast, soaring launch that makes for a consistently higher and further ball flight and soft, even feel. Your irons ™ don’t have the Speed Pocket, but TaylorMade SpeedBlades do. So, what are you waiting for? ©2013 taylormade golf Company Limited.
EQUIPMENT NEWS Dear Santa, I was wondering if there is any chance of having a set of Ping S55 irons for Christmas please? I have been a very good boy, and will leave some mince pies and brandy out for you. Thanks, Derek model, so there was a feeling that these Well, my letter to Santa didn't fall on deaf S55 IRONS may have had rather more to do with the - and they are. ears, although I suspect that Professor Ping irons might be something special shiny new Ping S55 irons that arrived at Watson played a part in helping to design front door than the old boy with the red these clubs. He was looking a blade-style suit, the white beard and the reindeer. design that would allow him to move the Tere has always been something special ball both ways. And that is precisely what about Ping and its products, ever since the arrival on the scene of the classic Ansa putter that is still used today by many of the If you are a better player, you really don't world's best players (and has been copied by the design team at Ping came up with. want to address the ball and look down and almost every maufacturer on the planet). see a huge, thick head resting behind your Ten came the classic cavity-back Ping ball. Playability is key, and the S55s inspire Eye irons, which, once again, formed confdence - they look superb, and they feel the blueprint for just about every game sensational, even on of-centre strikes. improvement iron that has followed it. Te club features a stabilisation bar behind Earlier this season, I was fortunate enough the face - the bar behind the long irons to receive a Ping G25 driver for review is smaller, to keep the centre of gravity purposes - a driver that promptly found its down, while it is larger in the short irons to way into my bag. raise the centre of gravity in order to fight Te S55 was launched amid considerable shots lower and provide better control on fanfare. Ping knew they had something approach shots. special on their hands, and so did their staf players. Te development team at Ping have come up with a great set of irons that all better Hunter Mahan and Bubba Watson wasted no time in putting a set in their bags - players will enjoy. I love them - my natural and Watson is a player who takes a lot of shot is a draw, but the S55 irons will happily convincing when it comes to changing his impart a fade on the ball too. clubs. Yes, they have joined the G25 driver as a It was the frst time since 2004 that the permanent fxture in my golf bag, and I American had agreed to play with a new really do still believe in Father Christmas. THEZONE / ISSUE 28 49
EQUIPMENT Sunderland unveil 2014 collection underland of Scotland, has unveiled a fresh and exciting Scollection for 2014. Te brand, famous for its multiple award-winning waterproofs, ofers a full range of clothing to suit all weathers which includes UV sun protection shirts, base layers, mid layers, wind proof feeces and jackets and, of course, exceptional rainwear. One of the areas in which Sunderland excels is mid- priced waterproofs which are still guaranteed to give ultimate performance and this season sees the introduction of the superb new ‘Vancouver’ waterproofs for men. With a RRP of just £95 for the jacket and co-ordinating trousers for £65, the Vancouver suit couples contemporary styling with three-year guaranteed water protection. Te laminated fabric technology makes for a jacket that is water resistant, comfortable and breathable and like its mid-range predecessor, the Classic, it looks destined to be a frm Pro shop favourite. Click here for great deals on Sunderland waterproofs 50 THEZONE / ISSUE 28
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