asian golf – october, 2014

gainful employment to about 10,000 people. Her main business is in

banking and she is widely recognized as being amongst the wealthiest

people in Vietnam.

56 APGS 2014 Set To Show New Ways To Keep Golf Vibrant And Growing!Golf in the developed world is said to be in the doldrums with hardly any

signs of change or improvement. While the developed world struggles with

the untold challenges that it faces, Asia is bucking the trend and showing

tangible signs of hope and growth for the game of golf. The atmosphere

and mood at the 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Summit will be one of promise and

hope based on sound business foundations.

60 Club Industry Poised For Education Boost! The CMAA-Asia Pacific Pte Ltd’s primary mission is to provide holistic

ISS

UE

169OCTOBER 2014

SPECIAL FEATURES

COVE

R S

TORY

12The Hills Are Alive If US golf is in the rough and the sport in the UK is trapped in a bunker, then

Asian golf appears to be cruising along just fine, nestled safely in the middle

of the fairway. But brothers Ken and Tenniel Chu are doing even better –

they have reached the green on the monster par-five in two and are staring

at a very makeable eagle putt. In short, they are leading the field.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS

24 Martin Kaymer – Back From Golf's Wilderness!A quick introduction to Martin Kaymer, the best golfer from Germany

since Bernhard Langer. A winner of two major championships and a

one-time number one ranked golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking

for eight weeks in 2011.

28 PING's Point Of View: Turbulators: The Future Of FastPING’s G30 series has created tremendous reaction amongst golfers

on a global scale. Besides being revolutionary in technology, the new

generation of clubs have also been doing very well on Tour. The G30

series places emphasis on significantly increasing ball velocity and

accuracy through a combination of advanced aerodynamics, plus new

face designs and materials. PING’s John K. Solheim discusses how the

G30 series represents the “future of fast” in club technology.

46 Say Hello To The "Gator Chomp"!Forget about Tiger Wood’s adrenaline-charged fist pumps! The new way

to gesticulate the ecstasy of victory is to show the “gator chomp” which

is how Billy Horschel announced to the world that he whipped world

number one Rory McIlroy to bag the US$10 million FedEx Cup play-off.

50 Australian Initiative To Grow The GameAustralia’s Golf Industry Central has launched a new initiative called

Grow The Game Central that aims to create a world-wide community

of like-minded people banding together to encourage people of

all ages and backgrounds to play the game of golf or increase their

participation.

52 Asia's Most Powerful WomanShe is one of the most dynamic women business entrepreneurs in

Vietnam. Through her diversified business interests, she provides

3432 Exotics Get Even Better!If you have not laid your hands on clubs that carry the “Exotics” branding

from Tour Edge, you should make an effort to do so. Why? Well, the simple

answer is that “Exotics” are really kickass good – that’s why!

34 The Banzai Boys Are Back!Top quality products. Very tradition bound. Conservative. All of these

descriptions are a perfect fit for Mizuno Golf. In the years that Asian Golf

has covered this venerable Japanese equipment manufacturer, it has

never known the company to step out of its conservative mould. But

all this has suddenly changed and taken on a whole new complexion!

Mizuno Golf has smashed tradition and is poised to boldly

position itself as a manufacturer who dares to push

innovation beyond known industry boundaries. 2015

will see the Japanese manufacturer hit the fairways

with an arsenal of products that is guaranteed to

draw the attention of golfers everywhere!

40 Srixon Rolls Out Some "Heavy Metal"!The pace of new product launches which normally hits

REGULARS6 Asian Golf Editorial Team 8 Shared Thoughts From Publisher 72 Next Issue

ISSUE 169 OCTOBER 2014

66 Black Hat Tips: Practice Using A Wall "Time To Go A-Wall!"Greetings from Thailand!

This is a very good tip that

my father taught me when

I was real young because

the weather in Illinois is not

always sunny. And, you

can practically find a big

“wall” space anywhere if

you really look for it.

66

42

68

68 Pro Tour Golf College: How Do You Know If You Are a Good Enough Golfer to Go to Tour School?It is always inspiring to see motivated and serious golfers wanting to

achieve their big aim in life playing golf successfully on a pro tour, because

many of them have grown up watching their golf stars on TV hitting

winning shots to win the big cheques, and achieve a level of golfing glory,

and they want some of the same.

programmes that are customized to advance the profession of

club management within the Asia Pacific region by fulfilling the

educational and related needs of its members.

62 Father & Son Golf Tournament: Vietnam Gets Ready For A Family Shoot-Out!The Fathers and Sons golf tournament concept has been around for

some time and perhaps the best known event in this tournament

genre is the Annual U.S. National Father and Son Team classic. This

three-day family event has become the largest father-son golf

event in the world. Last year’s 54-hole competition drew over 900

players from 46 states and 7 foreign countries - 24 flights in all.

The tournament’s motto is: Any man can be a Father but it takes

someone special to be a dad. Asia now has its own Father and Son

tournament which will be held in Vietnam.

6246

a frenetic pace at this time of the year, seems

a little subdued. This is probably due to the

gloomy conditions in major markets like North

America. However, one brand that seems to be

bucking the trend is the Japanese giant Srixon.

42 New Products An introduction to a collection of some

of the latest golf products available

throughout the region.

MIKE SEBASTIANChief Executive Officer/Managing Editor

[ [email protected] ]

ANGELA RAYMONDPresident [ [email protected] ]

RAQUEL M. ARCEGAArt Director & Ezine Development[ [email protected] ]

WAYNE LWEEVideo Editor/Streaming services[ [email protected] ]

MYRA PARASAccounts Executive


LAWRENCE YOUNGEditor (New Equipment)


ALICE HOMarketing Executive


SAIFUL SUFIANArt Director


Photographers GETTY IMAGES

Contributing Professionals IMG ACADEMY, TONY MEECHAI, CHRIS SMEAL, DAVID MILNE & LAWRIE

MONTAGUE (PRO TOUR GOLF COLLEGE), NICK RANDALL, STEVEN GIULIANO

Correspondents ROBIN BARWICK (EUROPE), RISHI NARAIN (INDIA)

Contributing Editors TERRY ANTON, ALAN CAMPBELL, KATHERINE ROBERTS, AAERISHNA SHAHSTHY

Printer SPECTRUM ZONE INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD

[ Blk 1022 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-3528 Tai Seng Industrial Estate Singapore 534415 ]

Address ASIA PACIFIC GOLF GROUP (2014) PTE LTD

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Tel: +65 6323 2800 Fax: +65 6323 2838 Company Registration No: 201405689G

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THIS MAGAZINE HAS BEEN PRINTED ON PAPER WHICH IS DERIVED FROM 100 PER CENT SUSTAINABLE PLANTATION FIBRE AND MANUFACTURED IN A FACILITY THAT HAS BEEN CERTIFIED TO ISO-14001 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM STANDARDS.

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06 07 ASIAN GOLF

SHARED THOUGHTS From The Publisher

8 9 ASIAN GOLF

Finally, golfers can expect to see skirts fluttering around the hallowed hall-

ways of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.

In an historic announcement, the staid and conservative custodian of

the game of golf has relented to allow members of the fairer sex to mingle

with men in what is believed to be the bastion of power in golf. This has

been a very, very long time coming and whatever one thinks, this is a good move!

Peter Dawson, the out-going secretary of the R&A said that the club had voted

overwhelmingly in favour of welcoming women members – some 85% of its members

globally voted for women to be allowed into the ranks.

One wonders how much of a factor wives of the members who voted in favour of

this decision caused the swing?

Asian Golf salutes the R&A for discarding its steadfast “ancient outlook” towards

women and to back down from its resolute stand against women members since

1754. We see this as being more than yet another wall of discrimination being dragged

down by rapidly changing times. We recognize this initiative as a bold move which

hopefully will send positive signals to an industry that is currently ailing.

In an apparent move to show how the R&A is trying to make up for lost time,

Dawson said, “The membership has also acted to fast-track a significant initial number

of women to become members in the coming months”.

Jolly good show gentlemen or should we say, “darn it, you took long enough guys!”

Footnote: Wonder if a name change can be considered as part of this change

process? Just consider this – “Royal” smacks of elitism while “Ancient” speaks for

itself. How about a vote on the name? Peter Dawson

AsiAn Golf – A Product of disruPtive innovAtionPushing The Boundaries Of Change Beyond The Limit! A member of the Asia Pacific Golf Group

Print Digital On-line Apps Video Streaming Conferences Education

It’s quite an achievement to have

landed exclusive interviews with

the men and women who are at

the pinnacle of the golf industry

today.

The movers and shakers of golf

who have spoken to Asian Golf

include Callaway Golf’s CEO Chip

Brewer, PING’s Chairman, John

Solheim Sr.; Bob Philion, President

of Cobra Puma Golf; Cindy

Davis, President of Nike Golf; Bob

Bettinardi President of Bettinardi

Putters and Tim Clarke, President of

Wilson Golf.

Powerful men and women who

have shared with us their thoughts,

views and perspectives of the

state of golf today. These are the

people who are moulding the

future of golf and no one can read

the pulse of the industry better

than these industry captains.

Only Asian Golf has been able to

bring you this treat – yet another

measure of our standing in the

global golf industry.

Look Who Is Talking To Us!

Only The Captains Of The Golf Industry – That’s Who!

www.asiapacificgolfgroup.comNo Wonder Golf’s Industry Captains Talk To Us!

John SolheimBob Bettinardi

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12 13 ASIAN GOLF

COVER STORY Mission Hills

If US golf is in the rough and the sport in the UK is trapped in a bunker, then

By Viv Best

ISSUE 169 OCTOBER 2014ISSUE 169 OCTOBER 201

Artist Impression Shenzhen Centreville - Mission Hills Mall

14 15 ASIAN GOLF


While the global game

struggles with multiple

challenges – reduced par-

ticipation levels, course

closures and competition

from other sports that

are less expensive, more

inclusive and quicker to

complete – the Chus’ two

giant Mission Hills resorts

in China are bucking the trend.

Not only are their courses staying busy, but both venues are

undergoing massive commercial developments that propel Mission

Hills into the heady worlds of retail, tourism and entertainment and

don’t so much underscore the company’s “Golf and More” philosophy

as brand it in huge capital letters with several exclamation marks at

the end.

Ken Chu, Chairman and CEO of Mission Hills Group, acknowl-

edges they have invested heavily but is typically bullish about the

future. “No pain, no gain,” he says simply. “Golf is still in its infancy in

China, but we see Mission Hills as taking the lead role and promoting

a new lifestyle, writing the rules and methodology for golf and leisure

development. We are offering something for everyone. You don’t

have to be a golfer to visit Mission Hills. If one member of the family

chooses to go for a round, other members can find plenty of alterna-

tive things to do.”

China’s booming middle class – with its desire to travel, spend and

enjoy new-found leisure time – is a key factor in the Chairman’s opti-

mism. “Look at domestic tourism,” he says. “Chinese make three billion

journeys annually, spending US$235 billion as they do. By 2020 it will

be six billion journeys with US$470 billion expenditure. There are now

300 million middle class Chinese, by 2020 this will be 600 million. This

means 40 per cent of the population will be middle class.” Impres-

sive numbers that include millions of potential new golfers and their

families – and Mission Hills aims to be the venue of choice.

Mission Hills Mall Night View


To this end, it is already well equipped. Mission Hills Shen-

zhen-Dongguan, just north of the border with Hong Kong, is

famously the biggest golf facility in the world, with a dozen 18-

hole courses – all designed by legends of the game, including

Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Ernie Els and Sir Nick Faldo.

The sister complex, Mission Hills Haikou, is located on

Hainan, China’s only tropical island. With 10 courses, it is the

largest public golf facility in the world and welcomes players of

all abilities and, crucially, income levels. “We ensure a round at

Haikou is affordable. Golf is no longer a rich man’s sport,” says

Ken emphatically. The Haikou resort also boasts the world’s

largest spa and mineral springs, covering an area of 176,284

square metres. The spa includes 90 treatment facilities and is

surrounded by 168 hot and cold springs plus an aquatic theme

park with two man-made volcanoes, a swimming pool and a

man-made beach.

But it is what the Chu brothers are adding to these two

resorts that is truly mind-boggling and gives the naysayers in

world golf a lesson in ambition and vision.

On the original Mission Hills site, construction work is

Artist Impression Mission Hills Mall – Interior

16 17 ASIAN GOLF


nearly complete on Mission Hills Centreville Shenzhen,

a 500,000-sqm “HOPSCA” – Hotel, Office, Parks, Shop-

ping facilities, Convention centers and Apartments –

development featuring China’s first Hard Rock Hotel and

the lavishly-designed MH Shopping Mall.

Nearby, after years of planning and research,

together with considerable investment in procuring

historic and relevant golfing artifacts from around the

world, the finishing touches are being applied to the

Dr. David Chu Golf Museum. This is sited in the former

office building of the late Dr. David Chu – Ken and

Tenniel’s father – fondly remembered as the Founder

and Chairman of Mission Hills Group and the visionary

known as “The Father of Golf in China”. It will be the first

golf museum in China and, in keeping with Dr. Chu’s

ideals, admission will be free to all.

Down in Haikou, the scale of construction is even

bigger. In June, the curtain was raised on a giant new

tourist attraction, Movie Town, a three-way collabora-

tion between Mission Hills, mainland film industry icon

Feng Xiaogang – the only Chinese director to have his

star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame – and the country’s

biggest movie producers, Huayi Brothers Media.

one square kilometre and involves total investment of

US$300 million. It includes vintage street settings from

Feng’s most famous movies, four huge state-of-the-art

film studios, an array of shopping and dining options

and countless other entertainment and leisure features.

It is expected to attract five million visitors per year.

Next door, the clocking is ticking towards the

opening of another mammoth commercial develop-

ment, Centreville Haikou, a business, entertainment and

leisure hub that comes complete with duty-free shop-

We ensure a round at

Haikou is affor-dable. Golf is no longer a rich man’s sport.” – Ken Chu


Mission Hills Mall – Exterior

Artist Impression Haikou LanKwaiFong

18 19 ASIAN GOLF


ping mall, multiplex cinema, ice skating rink, two residential areas

and three hotels – a Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance and another Hard

Rock Hotel. The jewel in the crown of this ambitious project is Mis-

entertainment, cultural and dining attractions.

more Chinese students to gain Western-standard

Tenniel, Vice Chairman of Mission Hills

Asia in general, and Mission Hills in particular, are

showing old-school markets a bold new golfing

-

attitude to the game and we can adapt more

-

golf to create integrated resorts, we are far re-

Haikou Hotel

Yao Ming

Kenny G

Jessica Alba

Chris Evans

Golf is still in its infancy in China, but we see Mission Hills as taking the lead role and promoting a new lifestyle, writing the

rules and methodology for golf and leisure development. We are offering something for everyone. You don’t have to be a golfer to visit Mission Hills. If one member of the family chooses to go for a round, other members can find plenty of alternative things to do.” – Ken Chu


Movie Town

The Chus’ expansive vision is in stark contrast to the grim news

coming out of golf’s traditional heartlands. A Bloomberg report in

May this year stated: “Once the go-to activity for corporate bonding,

[US golf ] is suffering from an exodus of players, a lack of interest

among millennials and the mass closure of courses.”

The figures quoted in the report were alarming. About 400,000

players in the US left the sport last year, according to the National

Golf Foundation. While almost 260,000 women took up golf, some

650,000 men quit. The biggest decline was among the younger

generation, with 200,000 players under 35 abandoning the game.

Only 14 new courses were built in the US last year, while almost 160

shut down – making it the eighth straight year that more courses

closed than opened.

The news is not much better across the Atlantic. A KPMG report

entitled “Golf Participation in Europe 2013” revealed that the

number of junior golfers in the continent’s largest markets – the UK,

Ireland, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands – dropped by 7,760

last year.

The report added: “While it is encouraging that golf participa-

tion is increasing in several emerging markets, such as Lithuania,

Bulgaria or Serbia, more noteworthy and alarming is that member-

ship levels in the UK and Ireland have been continuously falling

since 2007. Considering this impact in absolute numbers over

the past five to six years, approximately 228,000 players have not

extended their membership.”

Ken and Tenniel Chu have no time for such gloom. Amid their

myriad construction projects – and we should not forget about the

three new clubs Mission Hills is planning at other locations in China

– they are also busy preparing for the third edition of their World

Celebrity Pro-Am in Haikou on 24-26 October. The event, pairing 24

stars from entertainment and sports with professional golfers, fits

in perfectly with their “Golf and More” philosophy. You might not

normally watch golf, but you would watch Nicole Kidman, Morgan

Freeman, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Kenny G or Yao Ming – to

name just a few of the contestants – play the sport.

“The World Celebrity Pro-am is a crossover between pro and

amateur, male and female players, golf pros and celebrities from

sports and entertainment,” confirms Ken. “The aim of this tourna-

ment is to bring together all the stars and celebrities to popularize

and promote the development of golf in China.”

It is clearly a winning formula, since fans flocked to watch

20 21 ASIAN GOLF


previous editions of the event featuring the likes of Hugh Grant,

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Matthew McConaughey and Adrien Brody.

Last time the tournament was held, it garnered 300 hours total

TV broadcast in China and attracted coverage in 125 newspapers

across the country.

Of course, watching the World Celebrity Pro-Am on TV is one

thing, actually visiting Mission Hills is another entirely, but the

Chu brothers believe they have two factors weighing massively in

their favour. The first is tourism – not only domestic, but inbound.

Earlier this year, Mission Hills Haikou hosted the third annual Asia

Golf Tourism Convention, a wildly successful event that highlighted

China’s huge potential as a golfing destination for players from

other Asian countries and beyond.

Peter Walton, Chief Executive of the International Association

of Golf Tour Operators, was moved to comment: “Hainan was rela-

tively unknown to our golf tour operators so this convention was an

opportunity to put it on the map. Mission Hills Haikou, with its 10

golf courses, stands out as the flagship golf resort of Hainan Island

and is, for me, the most spectacular golf and spa resort in the world.

Delegates were able to play three of the 10 courses and 160 of them

visited other courses on the island for an additional three days, so

we are fairly certain that international golf holiday sales to Hainan

will more than double over the coming 18 months.”

The Chu brothers’ second ace up their sleeve is junior golf. Talk

about investing in the future, Mission Hills runs the most compre-

hensive junior programmes of any golf club, anywhere. The club is

hosting a record 43 junior tournaments this year, including signa-

ture events supported by Sir Nick Faldo, Jack Nicklaus and Annika

Sörenstam. Indeed, the Chief Executive of the R&A, Peter Dawson,

recently went on record as saying: “Mission Hills, by far, is doing the

most for junior golf development in the world.” A big statement,

one backed up by the fact that Mission Hills allows all golfers aged

16 and under to play free of charge on three of its 22 courses all

year round.

While the numbers are impressive and the future is bright, the


siblings running Mission Hills remain thoroughly grounded and

aware of their responsibilities. Ken Chu quotes the “three Ps” as

he outlines the values to which they adhere. “People – meaning

we cannot be the sole winner, it must be all win, and this includes

Mission Hills, our customers, the Government and the country,” he

explains. “Profit – we cannot be a liability and, while we need to be

profitable, so does the local community. And planet, we must think

about the environment and promote sustainable tourism.”

The latter point is extremely important to the Chus. Of the

countless awards Mission Hills has collected in the past two de-

cades, the environmental ones give them particular satisfaction. Re-

use of wastewater, energy saving, air quality monitoring, ecosystem

protection, biodiversity conservation, tree planting and eco trails

are all high on the agenda.

“Profit is not the only ingredient for success,” insists Ken. “Inves-

tors are concerned about short-term earnings but our goal is not to

please investors, it is to change perceptions about leisure tourism.

You must protect the environment and then grow the economy.”

Last year, an independent market research report, “Growing Golf

in the UK”, concluded that 8.5 million people in that country were

keen to take up the sport and that over half of these were in the

15-39 age brackets. The report also stated exactly what would make

this happen – friendly, flexible and family oriented golf clubs. Like

Mission Hills.

Ken and Tenniel Chu, the brothers with the “Golf and More”

approach, have opened their doors and welcomed in men, women

and children – whether they be golfers or not – from all walks of life.

This is the future of golf.

Ken & Tenniel Chu

THE GLOBAL LABORATORY FOR CHANGE.

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Some of the most innovative minds in golf will be descending on Singapore to share their revolutionary thoughts on the future of the game at the 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Summit.

APGS 2014 is the perfect platform for this exciting discourse on how golf should be managed in the rapidly changing growth dynamics of the region.

Singapore, the host nation for APGS 2014, a truly dynamic and forward thinking global hub is the perfect setting for the event’s theme which calls for a “New Drive. New Energy. A Revitalised Industry”.

APGS 2014 is the ideal event for like-minded executives from the golf club industry and golf trade to come together

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ENDORSED BY

24 25 ASIAN GOLF

SPECIAL FEATURE Martin Kaymer Q&A

Strange things seem to happen

to champion golfers. Some hit

the very pinnacle of success and

then drop right off the cliff and

disappear into golf oblivion. Then

there are others who just lose their hunger

to hold on to their winning streak. And then

there are those who tinker around with their

game only to bring about total failure.

One such champion is Martin Kaymer,

one of the best new talents to have emerged

on the global golfing scene. German by

nationality, Kaymer is an exciting player who

went on to ascend the Official World Golf

Rankings and hit the very top back in 2011.

Many felt that he was going to be dominant

at the top of the game for a long time to

come but instead, he slipped from the top

spot only after eight weeks and went on to

virtually disappear from the game.

The apparent cause for the slippage?

Well, you guessed it! Kaymer felt he needed

a swing change and this decision marked

a dismal end to his meteoric rise in world

golf. He became a forgotten champion. An

also ran. A name cast away into golf’s limbo,

perhaps never to return again.

But being German and imbued with

the national characteristics of that nation to

be the best of the best, Kaymer embarked

on a journey to return stronger, better and

determined to be ranked amongst the best

in the world again.

What he has achieved in 2014 stands

full testimony to Kaymer’s return to big

time golf. The guy’s back and has picked

up some impressive scalps along the way.

He signaled his thirst for victory when he

displayed his new game and power

when he romped home the winner

at The Players Championship in

May – the flagship event of the

PGA Tour. Barely a month later,

he stamped his supremacy

on the game when he led

wire to wire at the U.S. Open

to win by a thumping eight

strokes!

After a two year haitus,

the best that Germany has

to offer has again surfaced to

the very top echelons of golf. Martin

Kaymer is back!

Asian Golf met up with Kaymer and

conducted a wide-ranging discussion with

the come-back kid and asked him what

prompted the swing change when he was

already on a career high. Following are

excerpts from that discussion:

As a major winner at the 2010 PGA Championship, and as world number one in

2011, why did you want to change your game?

MARTIN KAYMER: The expectations

A quick introduction to Martin Kaymer, the best golfer from Germany since Bernhard Langer. A winner of two major championships and a one-time number one ranked

M A R T I N

changed

once I won

the PGA Champi-

onship. A few months

later I became number one

in the world, and all of a sud-

den I had won a major and reached

number one and it was a strange

feeling. They were career goals and I

had reached them at the age of 25.

It was a positive thing but it was not

that easy and I had to set myself new

goals. I was not really prepared.

Then at the Masters the spotlight

was on me but I missed the cut again.

I was in the car going back to Atlanta with

my coach [Gunther Kessler] and I was so

disappointed, and I said to him, ‘How can

I be number one in the world if I cannot

even hit a draw, and I cannot play that golf

course?’ Gunther responded, ‘Yeah’. He also

said that I can improve and become a more

complete player.

It was not that I changed my swing,

but I improved certain parts of my game.

I just wanted to play Augusta the way it is

supposed to be played, and to make it a bit

easier for me. Before, I always had to play

a long iron into the 10th green because I

could not hit my drive down the left side,


and it was impossible

for me to reach the green

on the par-five 13th in two

because I could not draw the

ball around that corner.

When did you feel your new and improved game was

complete?

MK: At the end of March I practiced with

my coach at Scottsdale. I hit five drives at

every hole: two draws, two fades and then

a straight one, and afterwards we sat down

and realised that I hardly missed any shots

out there. There were one or two, but there

was proof for me right there that I could hit

any shot I needed. It is just a matter of being

brave. Everyone can talk positively, and think

positively, but you have to put it into action,

and you can only really put that to the test in

tournaments. When you play the right shots

in tournaments, in difficult situations, that is

when the confidence develops, and you gain

from that immensely.

I knew in Scottsdale that everything was

there, and I knew it would just be a matter

of time.

Having won two out of the four biggest tournaments of 2014 so far, how

disappointed have you been with the results since US Open?

26 27 ASIAN GOLF

MK: No, not really. To play a tour event in

Cologne is always very difficult for me. It is

difficult to enjoy the event when everyone

makes so many demands of my time. In

France I played decent and I think I had a

top-10 finish there, or just outside, and then

at the British Open I was on the wrong side of

the draw for the first two rounds. I didn’t play

well enough to make up for the advantage

the golfers had on the other side of the draw.

Over the weekend I tried really hard to have a

good finish, but after I was not really able to

climb up the leaderboard on the Saturday, I

thought, okay, just enjoy the last round, enjoy

what I have achieved over the past couple of

months, and it is the best crowd at the British

Open, so I just enjoyed the occasion.

targets for the remainder of the season?

MK: The only target I have is to win the Ry-

der Cup. Obviously it would be nice if Paul

McGinley would consider Bernhard Langer

as a wildcard pick for the team. It would

be fantastic for me, it would be great for

German sports and it would be brilliant for

the European team. It would be very nice if

we can win the Ryder Cup again this year,

but in terms of goals beyond that, I just

hope I give myself a chance to win over the

next few weeks. They are all very big events,

and if I can win then the Race to Dubai and

FedEx Cup will take care of themselves.

Are you convinced Langer still has the game to compete in the Ryder Cup?

MK: Absolutely. There is no doubt in

my mind. I think Paul McGinley should sit

down with Bernhard and ask Bernhard

what he honestly thinks, because the way

I know Bernhard, if he has any doubts

about whether he is capable of taking

on the challenge, or if he did not feel 100

percent comfortable playing in the Ryder

Cup, he would say so. If I were McGinley I

would ask Bernhard if he wants to play at

Gleneagles or not because from my point

of view, Bernhard could only be a help to

the European team. I don’t really know

which other European players are just in

the team or just out, so it depends on that

as well, but if Bernhard wants to play for

the European team, I do not see any reason

why he should not.

It is a tricky decision for McGinley to

make, and it would be a brave decision to

pick Bernhard. Look at the World Cup when

Louis Van Gaal, the Dutch coach, brought

on a substitute goalkeeper just for the pen-

alties; that was a brave move and it turned

out well, so then it looked brilliant. I would

leave it up to Bernhard to decide whether

he wants to play in the Ryder Cup or not.

I have not spoken to Paul about it, but I

definitely think he should consider whether

Bernhard should be part of the team.

I guess it would be a dream come true for you to partner Bernhard in the Ryder Cup?

MK: Just imagine the first tee on the Friday

morning at Gleneagles, with Bernhard Langer

on the tee. I do not think it could get any

better for us.

Bernhard thinks your best is yet to come. What is your reaction to that?

MK: Bernhard and I have a lot of respect for

each other. It is difficult to find the words to

do justice to what Bernhard has achieved in

his career, and what he is still achieving today.

I certainly have a lot of respect for Bernhard,

and while there is a distance between us in

some ways we are still very close. I think it

can be difficult for a lot of people to get that

balance right, but I think Bernhard and I have

a good balance and that is very important.

You are in great shape physically. Can you give us a

MK: I go running three or four times a week,

and I go to the gym for about 45 minutes to

an hour about the same number of times

each week. I don’t do special golf exercises, I

just go with what I am comfortable with and I

listen to my body, so when I feel I need to do

more on my upper body I will, or on my lower

body. There are no secrets – I keep it very

straight forward. I have a fitness trainer who I

see when I am at home.

Is it a weight off your mind that you are virtually certain to play in the Ryder Cup this

year?

MK: No, not at all. I am just concentrating on

each tournament for next two months, until

we get to Gleneagles, and then it will all be

about the Ryder Cup. There are a lot of

important tournaments between now

and then.

You can’t really focus on what might

happen two steps ahead. In order to

get into the Ryder Cup team you need

to play well every single week. My

advice to the players who are not yet in the

team is to focus only on the day they are in

now. They can’t think about how they need

to do this, that and the other, or worry about

being overtaken in the ranking. You just need

to try your best and hope that it is enough.

If you get stressed about the Ryder Cup then

you will get distracted from the job of playing

well every day.

It is not an easy thing to do, but golfers

need to find their own way to achieve it. For

me that is the only way to become successful.

You cannot think too far ahead.

SPECIAL FEATURE Martin Kaymer Q&A


Everyone can talk positively, and think positively, but you

have to put it into action, and you can only really put that to the test in tournaments. When you play the right shots in tournaments, in diffi-cult situations, that is when the con-fidence develops, and you gain from that immensely.”

BY JOHN K. SOLHEIMPING VICE PRESIDENT OF ENGINEERING

28 29 ASIAN GOLF

EQUIPMENT FOCUS PING’s Point Of View

PING’s G30 series has created tremendous reaction amongst golfers on a global scale. Besides being revolutionary in technology, the new generation of clubs have also been doing very well on Tour. The G30 series

and accuracy through a combination of advanced aerodynamics, plus new face designs and materials. PING’s John K. Solheim discusses how the G30 series represents the “future of fast” in club technology.

w w w. p i n g . c o m

At PING, innovation means more than doing something

new or different; to us, true innovation takes technology

forward. We have long been a leader in this effort by engi-

neering products that deliver meaningful results through

a unique approach. An example is our new G30 driver,

already a big success on pro tours. In addition to our usual methods of

increasing distance by optimizing the Centre of Gravity (CG), and in-

creasing forgiveness by raising the Moment of Inertia (MOI), we’ve ad-

vanced driver head design. By integrating turbulators (raised ridges)

onto the crown of the G30 driver, we’ve reduced aerodynamic drag

through impact, which leads to faster clubhead speed and ball

velocity for greater distance. Wind-tunnel testing has substanti-

ated the turbulators’ effectiveness. Out on tour, the yardage

gains have been eye-opening, and players of all abilities are

likewise picking up speed and distance.

Tour-player validation has been swift, and PING pros

across the U.S. and Europe have seen immediate results

with the G30 driver. Kevin Sutherland recently recorded

the first 59 in Champions Tour history playing the driver.

Angel Cabrera won with the driver and a G30 3-wood

in their first week on the PGA Tour (the fairway woods

also have turbulators). With his pink G30 driver,

Bubba Watson, the longest hitter in the game,

unleashed a 424-yard drive at a tournament, at this

writing the longest drive of the year on the PGA

Tour. And PING Pro Billy Horschel has increased

his clubhead speed and gained more than 12

yards in distance since switching to the

G30 driver. He recently won the BMW

Championship in the FedExCup

Playoffs playing the model.


While Turbulator Technology has stolen

the spotlight, the G30 driver’s performance

stems from multiple design attributes

working in sync. This highlights a key point

of difference with PING: We don’t incorpo-

rate “features” into a golf club and focus

exclusively on distance, for example, at the

expense of other benefits like forgiveness,

trajectory, or sound quality. Ours is a bal-

anced approach that optimizes total perfor-

mance (no sacrifices) so golfers can hit the

ball farther and straighter more consistently.

A key source of the G30 driver’s distance is

a hotter new T9S titanium face material that

is made more responsive by PING’s patent-

pending heat-treating process that relieves

stress from the face. T9S is inherently

stronger than Ti 6-4 with the same elasticity,

which allowed us to thin the hitting surface,

resulting in maximum face deflection, faster

ball speeds and increased distance. Four

grams saved from the face were utilized to

add crown turbulators while simultaneously

moving the CG lower and farther back to

raise the MOI, making the G30 driver ex-

tremely forgiving and accurate. And straight

drives fly farther.

TURBULATOR TECHNOLOGY PROVEN IN WIND-TUNNEL TESTING

Without Turbulators With Turbulators

CROWN TURBULATORS HELP GENERATE CLUBHEAD SPEED AND BALL VELOCITY

d es y a t e .

Without Turbulators

The G30 driver also offers greater loft adjustability. Trajec-

tory Tuning+ Technology offers five settings for fine-

tuning ball flight up to 1º prior to a round for maximizing

distance. Settings are Standard, -0.6º, -1º, +0.6º, and +1º.

We were able to expand adjustability without adding

weight to our streamlined, aerodynamic hosel -- another

example of “No Sacrifices”.

Because PING is also an innovator in custom fitting, we

offer a second G30 driver, the G30 SF Tec (Straight Flight

Technology) to fit players whose shots typically end up

right of the intended target. The combination of a sole

weight positioned closer to the heel and a lighter swing

weight produce a right-to-left ball flight that helps steer

the ball back into the fairway. In player testing, the G30

SF Tec driver improved right-to-left shot bend by 12 yards

when compared to the G30 standard driver.

Whether your game is better suited for the G30

standard or the G30 SF Tec driver, either can benefit your

game in multiple ways. I invite you to visit your favorite

golf shop and get fit for our proven new technology. I’m

confident you’ll find the distance, accuracy and consisten-

cy you need to improve your tee shots, your confidence

and your scores.

32 33 ASIAN GOLF

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Tour Edge Exotic E8

If you have not laid your hands on clubs that carry the “Exotics” branding from Tour Edge, you should make an effort to do so. Why? Well, the simple answer is that “Exotics” are really kickass good – that’s why!


Asian Golf has been testing “Exotics” for a

few years now and these clubs have been

permanent favourites. Tour Edge, the

company behind “Exotics” has hit the market

again with two new products – the E8 driver and the E8

fairway woods.

The new E8 drivers deliver distance-dominating

speed with adjustability options that allow players

to fine tune power and control, and bring Exotics to

the forefront of the driver category. At the core of E8

driver’s technology is the centre of gravity location and

its ability to increase ball speed for legendary Exotics

length.

“Our engineers positioned E8’s CG slightly lower

and forward for a higher launch, and faster ball speed

with less spin,” said David Glod, founder and president

of Tour Edge. E8 drivers are available in two options

– E8 (460cc titanium head) and E8 Beta (440cc with

a titanium face) – both feature superior adjustability

with loft modifications and an interchangeable sole

weight. According to Glod, “The Beta utilizes a higher,

more forward CG position to produce a more penetrating

trajectory, increased ball velocity, and minimal spin.”

Variable face thickness technology offers multiple

levels of thickness that maximize the spring-like effect

from more points on the face, especially in the heel and

toe areas.

The E8 collection showcases an added adjustability

option by incorporating an interchangeable sole

weight. The driver comes standard with a 7-gram

weight in the sole, but can be changed with the

purchase of an optional weight kit. The three-

piece weight kit includes a 5-gram, 10-gram,

and 12-gram weight.

Complementing the new drivers

are Exotics notorious reputation

for engineering ‘the best’ fairway

woods in the business. “The

E8 fairway wood delivers an

easy-launching, high trajec-

tory accompanied by Exotics

legendary distance and this

is accomplished with the

upgraded 475 carpenter

steel cup face combo-

brazed to the hyper-steel

body. The shallow face

design also delivers

a high launch with

less spin increasing

distance and ease

of use off the deck,”

explained Glod.

The E8 fairway

woods are available in

the following configu-

rations: 3 (13 degree),

3 (15 degree), 4 (16.5

degree), 5 (18 degree), 7

(21 degree). E8 Beta model:

3 (12 degree), 3 (13 degree),

3 (15 degree), 4 (16.5 degree), 5

(18 degree).

Our engineers po-sitioned E8’s CG

slightly lower and for-ward for a higher launch, and faster ball speed with less spin.” –– DDaviid GGlodd

EQUIPMENT FOCUS 2015 Mizuno Line Up

Top quality products. Very tradition bound. Conservative. All of these

-

34 35 ASASASIASIASIASISISIIAANANANANANANANNN GOLOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOLGOLFFFFFFFF


he last two years have not been the best

years for the global golf industry – it has

been a period of doom and gloom. This past

year has especially witnessed a great deal of

blood-letting with major players being pum-

meled in the market including some brands

even throwing in the towel in absolute desperation.

Giant equipment retailers like Dicks Sporting Goods

have ducked out of the golf trade and when something like

this happens, the casket merchants smack their lips and

wait in anticipation to bury the mortally wounded. It’s not

a particularly pleasant scenario but this is telling it like it is,

warts and all!

Against all of this business mayhem, one wonders

what would have prompted Mizuno Golf to tear out of its

conservative epidermis and charge forth into a crestfallen

business climate screaming Banzai!

We think we have the answer to what may seem like a

highly irrational and badly timed business decision. We see it as a

leap of faith based on the company’s implicit belief in the superior

quality and performance of its 2015 range of products.

With the year-end fast approaching, most of the major manu-

facturers would have already started gearing up for their new

product launches but so far, this has been muted this year. PING is

the only major manufacturer which has announced its 2015 offer-

ings headlined by the revolutionary “Turbulator” G30 driver.

It is odd that both PING and Mizuno, noted for their conserva-

tism, have elected to buck the trend and launch game-changing

products. Again, it goes to reason that both the companies have

so much belief and a boatload of confidence in their respective

new technologies, that they have just gone ahead with the intro-

duction of their new clubs.

Well, at least we know that there are major industry players

who are not hanging their heads in despair and are courageous

enough to bring to market their new, state-of-the-art products.

Back to Mizuno Golf and its 2015 clubs. It’s a slew of new


products alright and every single new line is a stun-

ning beauty. The glittering showcase features the

following:

JPX 850 driver JPX 850 woods and hybrids JPX 850 irons MP-15 irons MP-H5 driving irons MP-H5 irons MP-T5 wedges

Darn it – it took our test team a whole month to

go through all of the new-comers from Mizuno. This is

not an expression of exasperation – it is more a reflec-

tion of the joy, excitement and the pure unadulterated

pleasure of being able to play equipment that proved

to be virtually flawless!

Here’s a thorough peek at golf clubs that will keep a

lot of golfers, plus the competition talking for some time

to come. First off, let’s check out the JPX 850 driver. Man,

Mizuno Golf should have been in the motor racing trade

– they certainly know how to pick an adrenaline boosting

colour! The JPX 850 is an absolute he-man of a driver with a club

head cloaked in a piercing blue paint that would make a US$4.5

million Lamborghini Veneno roadster look menacing!

The JPX 850, first seen on tour in April 2014, uses twin

8-gram weights which can be located on either the central slid-


ing rail, or two lateral slots. With 10 unique settings, players

of all head speeds can dial in their perfect launch and spin.

In combination with Mizuno’s Quick Switch shaft release

system, the JPX 850 also offers lofts from 7.5 to 11.5 within

one head for the ultimate in adjustability and a compact,

powerful 440cc head that utilizes a Hot Metal face and Re-

bound Crown to maximize ball speeds.

In describing the new driver, Chuck Couch, vice president

for product management said, “The genius of the new Fast

Track is that it adds the dimension of launch angle and spin

rate. Now we’re truly in control of maximizing all aspects of a

player’s ball flight off the tee.”

Asian Golf’s Equipment Editor, Lawrence Young, who

is not normally easily impressed with equipment, was very

effusive in his appraisal of the JPX 850. He said, “It may not

be the longest driver out there but let me tell you that it

is extremely friendly and easy to handle and it keeps ball

dispersion to a very narrow range.”

Next in line is the JPX 850 fairway woods and hybrids –

again adorned in the same striking blue livery as the driver. It

features a proprietary Mizuno innovation called “Shockwave

Technology”. This enables the entire club head to contract and

expand on impact – delivering an additional energy source to

the clubface. The additional mass also lowers the head’s centre

of gravity, maintaining high ball speeds directly off the turf.

For the fairway woods, there is a 4-degree range of

loft adjustment possible within each fairway head (3/5/7)

through the use of Mizuno’s Quick Switch shaft adjustability.

These are clubs that will add serious distance on the fairways

and they have already earned their rightful place in the Asian

Golf bag of tricks for 2015!

Part of the revolutionary JPX 850 family is the forged

irons which feature the introduction of BORON into Mizuno’s

revered grain flow forging process. It gives the irons a sense

of an out-of-this-world feeling and technically this is a cor-

rect assumption because boron is a chemical element that

is found in meteorites. The addition of boron has helped

Mizuno increase the strength of its forged material, thus

allowing its R&D engineers greater design freedom which

translates into more distance from iron to iron.

The Asian Golf verdict – “It’s a very well balanced and

stable set of clubs that automatically inspire confidence and

it will definitely prove to be a massive hit with high handicap-

pers,” declared Young.

From the Boron-based JPX 850 irons, we shift our focus to

the MP-15 irons – a definitive blend of tradition and technolo-

gy. It’s a purpose-built iron suited for the stronger ball striker

- it is compact with clean lines, designed to enhance both

feel and workability. Forged directly inside the 1025E steel

framework is a re-engineered Titanium Muscle insert, which

maintains thickness behind impact for a solid feel, while al-

lowing weight to be shifted to the perimeter to provide “full

cavity” forgiveness.

“The MP-15 blends the best elements of two great tour

irons – the MP-59 and MP-64. A really compact tour player

type iron, but with stability from off centre strikes. Even good

players need forgiveness when it’s packaged correctly,” ex-

plained Mizuno’s senior research and development manager

Tetsu Kanayama.

Asian Golf’s Young was full of compliments for this classic

Mizuno set of irons and according to him, “These irons are

sleek and very understated in their appearance – they make a

quiet statement but don’t let this fool you … the MP-15s are

one helluva strong set of irons in the hands of a good player.”

Moving along, we come to the MP-H5 driving irons which

feature Mizuno’s “Hollow Flow Construction”. The ‘hollow

flow’ concept is in response to the demands of modern golf

courses – with longer approaches to tighter pin positions on

firm greens.

“MP-H5 will suit players who have grown up on traditional

irons, but don’t want to be left behind on distance and stop-

ping power. In another 10 years we think the majority of tour

players will be using irons like this,” said Couch.

Asian Golf’s Young was quick to agree. “It’s

both revolutionary and a ravishing beau-

ty. I love it! It comes packed ready

for explosion and if you

are the type of player

who has problems

with a driver, I

strongly suggest

that you swap

the big stick for

a Mizuno MP-H5

#1, #2 or # 3 iron.”

Young goes on to

add, “Heck, I was

hitting the #1 iron

well past the 200

metre mark and in my books, that’s some serious distance!”

Young was equally complimentary about the MP-H5 irons.

“Let me tell you – this is the crème dela crème of irons! The MP-

H5 has got to be the iron of choice for low handicappers and it

is a friendly and forgiving performance club – it’s a life-saver on

off-centre hits and this makes it a serious game-changer.”

The final clubs on the test bed are a bevy of eye-popping

beauties – the MP-T5 wedges. Mizuno’s Grain Flow Forged

heads combine the softest touch with a backspin rate only

possible through the use of loft specific grooves. Mizuno’s Quad

Cut Groove concept utilizes a wider, shallow groove from 54-

62 degree lofts (to grab softer, partial strikes) and a narrower,

deeper configuration from 49-53 degrees (for fuller shots). All

grooves are precision CNC milled to ensure exact manufactur-

ing consistency from wedge to wedge.

A new lush Black IP (plated) finish is designed to maintain

its looks over time. The alternative white satin finish is also

permanent.

“The challenge with MP-T5 was to find a way to increase

spin. It came down to square-ness of hit, which is achieved

differently depending on your technique. So we added a huge

variation of loft and bounce options,” explained Chris Voshall,

Mizuno’s senior engineer.

Asian Golf’s Young concurred, “You can use the 56 degree

wedge inside 80 metres by shaping it to suit the distance and

this is made possible because Mizuno has created bounce

angles to accommodate this. All the wedges perform incredibly

well and they are great on feel,” Young pointed out.

Reviewing the 2015 range of Mizuno clubs has been a truly

satisfying experience and this has been made possible because

of the manufacturer’s revolutionary engineering and technology.

It is very apparent that Mizuno has paid a great deal of attention

to player feedback and this is very evident in the way the clubs

have been built and the manner in which they perform.

“Every single club is a class act and the MP-T5 wedges are

from a different planet and I dare say that golfers are in for a

treat when these new models hit the stores in Asia,” concluded

Asian Golf’s Young.

Mizuno has entered a new era with its new technical break-

throughs. 2015 will mark a year of remarkable innovations – all

industry firsts, aimed at increasing ball speed and distance.

Mizuno, we say to you - Subarashii!



40 41 ASIAN GOLF

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Srixon’s new Z Series

The pace of new product launches which normally hits a frenetic pace at this time of the year, seems a little sub-dued. This is probably due to the gloomy conditions in major markets like North America. However, one brand that seems to be bucking the trend is the Japanese giant Srixon.


Asian Golf has just received word that Srixon will be

releasing the new Z Series made up of driver, woods

and irons – the same gear being used by Tour stars

Graeme McDowell, Keegan Bradley, Hideki Mat-

suyama, as well as many others professional staffers

competing on the various professional tours across the globe.

Srixon’s new Z Series clubs offer tour-influenced performance,

real innovation and stunning design, according to the company.

“We’re thrilled to introduce the new Z Series woods and irons,”

said Tomihiro Ieda, managing director of Srixon Sports Asia. “At Srixon,

we approach products like our tour players approach their game. It’s a

constant journey to be better. Designing the game’s best products is

always about raising the bar, and we believe the new Z Series woods

and irons are the best the game has to offer,” Ieda added.

The compact 430cc Srixon Z 745 driver is designed for skilled

players who like to work the ball with maximum distance and pen-

etrating ball flight. The Z 745 driver features Dual Speed Technol-

ogy, which helps maximize rotation efficiency to deliver more club

head speed for increased distance, according to the company.

Srixon’s Quick Tune System offers 36 unique settings for loft,

lie, face angle and centre of gravity. The Z 745 driver’s cup-face

construction, helps create an even larger sweet spot, according to

Srixon, for added forgiveness on off-centre hits.

Complementing the Z 745 is the Z 545. This driver has a sleek and

aggressive design and is meant for players who desire maximum

distance and a mid-high launch in a larger, more forgiving shape. The

Z 545 driver also features Dual Speed Technology, which increases

ball speed and distance by maximizing the driver’s rotation efficiency.

Srixon’s Quick Tune System offers 36 unique settings for loft, lie, face

angle and center of gravity is also incorporated into the Z545.

Srixon’s Z F45 fairway wood has a mid-size design, which is en-

gineered to maximize launch conditions from all lies. It too features

Dual Speed Technology and Srixon’s proprietary Quick Tune System

offers 36 unique settings for loft, lie, face angle and centre of gravity.

An ultra-hot HT1770 maraging steel cup face has raised the club’s

COR by 15 points for maximum ball speed.

Srixon’s new Z H45 hybrid features redesigned shape for

smoother turf interaction and a more confident look at address. The

Z H45 hybrid also features Dual Speed Technology.

Srixon’s new Z 745 irons sport a muscle cavity design while fea-

turing a thinner top-line and a more compact shape for a pleasing,

traditional look. The new Z 745 irons are forged from 1020 carbon

steel using the highest quality, most premium process available. A

redesigned Tour V.T. Sole decreases turf resistance through impact

for tighter dispersion.

Next in line is Srixon’s Z 545 irons which combine hot flight and

incredible feel in a slightly larger, more forgiving cavity-back profile,

the company promises. Forged also from 1020 carbon steel, the new

Z 545 irons feature a thin, high-strength SUP10 steel face, which

increases COR for higher ball speed. A redesigned Tour V.T. Sole

decreases turf resistance through impact for tighter dispersion

and Double Laser Milling on the face of the Z 545 irons increases

surface roughness for additional spin and trajectory control.

Finally, the Srixon Z U45 utility sports a refined, iron-like

head shape that helps find fairways off the tee and adds play-

ability on aggressive shots into the green. The Z U45 utility

features a compact top-line and more compact flange

with a slimming mirror chrome finish, which generates a

compact address view that smoothly transitions to iron

sets. The Z U45 utility’s lower and deeper centre of

gravity also helps to promote higher launch and

increased playability.

42 43 ASIAN GOLF

FASHION TREND New Balance 574B Spikeless Golf Shoe

Coming off a successful spring

introduction of the classic 574

golf shoe, New Balance has

announced the addition of the

men’s 574B spikeless golf shoe.

The new 574B is built on the same New Balance

design last used in its popular 574 lifestyle

running shoe and cleated golf shoe. The 574B is

designed for golfers looking for a modern clas-

sic style with a spikeless outsole.

“The 574 golf shoe has been one of our

top selling shoes in the current line,” said Bruce

Schilling, general manager of Golf and Tennis.

Gets Serious About Golf ShoesNew Balance needs no introduction when it comes to athletic shoes but golf shoes? Well, that’s a whole new proposition! The new-est kid on the golf shoe block is ramping up as though to make up for lost time.

“This model has tremendous appeal to the

younger golfer who is already wearing our clas-

sic suede 574, and the mesh upper and spikeless

outsole of the 574B will increase the appeal of

the shoe to even more players. We have also ex-

panded our widths to 2E and 4E in select styles

based on initial feedback we received on the

574,” added Schilling.

The 574B features a mesh upper with no-sew

Fantom Fit technology for ultralight support and

fit, an Ndurance® rubber outsole for maximum

durability in high-wear areas, and a REVLite®

10mm drop* midsole for lightweight cushion-

ing and premium responsiveness. Golfers will

enjoy the same style, comfort, and fit they are

accustomed to from New Balance footwear, plus

performance technologies designed to help

enhance their golf game.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS New ProductsISSUE 169 OCTOBER 2014

How about this - now you can

get out on the fairways with

golf bags to match your cool

Loudmouth oufits. Loud-

mouth Golf and Molhimawk

(“Molly-MOCK’) Inc have introduced their

line of stylish cart bags to their European

customers. The Loudmouth Cart Bag by

Molhimawk measures 35” tall and features

a single putter tube, 14-way top, and anti-

slip rubber feet. The cart bags are currently

available in some of Loudmouth’s most

popular patterns – Oakmont Houndstooth,

Drop Cloth, Shagadelic Pink, Shamrocks and

Magic Bus.

The partnership between Loudmouth

and Molhimawk will produce the first

licensed product available in Europe and rep-

resent an exciting milestone for the future of

Loudmouth Golf in the European market.

“The Loudmouth Molhimawk golf bags

have been a huge success in the US and

Canada, so we’re delighted to bring them

to Europe. Customers have been enquir-

ing constantly for them,” said Loudmouth

Golf CEO, Larry Jackson. “We worked with

Molhimawk to deliver a quality bag for the

discerning golfer who wants the ultimate in

convenience, organisation, functionality and

of course, likes to have fun.”

“We are tremendously excited to an-

nounce the launch of the hugely popular

Loudmouth Golf Bag Line to the European

market”, said Molhimawk co-founder

Richard “Mitch” Mitchell. “These fantastic

bags have already been a huge hit glob-

ally - and we are confident Europe will be

no different.”

Just when golf equipment manufac-

turers are being pushed up against

the ropes, one company decides to

hit the market with something new –

a new golf ball.

Enter Medicus – an equipment

manufacturer who is looking to break into

the golf ball category. The company hired

Golf Laboratories, Inc., out of San Diego to

review its Kick X TourZ ball which is being

matched against the Srixon Z Star, the Cal-

laway SR3 and Titleist’s ProV1, ProV1x and

NXT Tour S. According to the test, the new

ball by Medicus traveled up to four yards

longer in a set of controlled drives from a

robotic hitting machine.

The TourZ features a Metal Fuzion Core,

which Medicus says, creates an exceptionally

high coefficient of restitution, which is the

“spring effect” found in premium golf balls.

Thanks to a fusion of three proprietary metals

that concentrates mass in the centre of its

core, the ball rebounds more quickly when

compressed at impact of a clubface, produc-

ing additional launch speed and distance.

The Kick X TourZ is part of a new line

of performance golf clubs and products

created by Medicus Golf, which for more

than 20 years has been a leading developer

of golf swing training products, including its

best-selling hinged club.

“We believe that our training aids, clubs

and balls make it easier for people to play

golf, play it better faster, and ultimately get

the maximum enjoyment out of the game,”

said Medicus Founder Bob Koch. “It’s very

rewarding to see the TourZ ball stand out in

the distance challenge.”

Established in 1989, Golf Laboratories

has developed leading standards for test-

ing clubs, shafts and golf balls. It provides

complete and often confidential tests that

inform research and development projects

within the industry. For this particular ball

test, the computer controlled robotic hit-

ting machine was programmed to launch

drives with a 110-mph swing speed. While

a Trackman analysis system measured spin

rates, launch angles and speed, 10 balls

from each model were hit and then mea-

sured on Golf Laboratories’ grass range.

“With exactly the same swing, the TourZ

had longer distance than all of the others,”

said Koch. “We chose several popular and

high quality golf balls for the comparison.

As a result, we’re now even more convinced

that the TourZ is one of the game’s leading

premium balls.”

EQUIPMENT FOCUS New Products

44 45 ASIAN GOLF

ust when everyone thought that

Adams Golf would disappear from the

golf scene after its parent, TaylorMade

announced that it would shut down

its headquarters in the Lone Star

state, the company is back in action.

It has announced a new version

of the “Tight Lies” for 2015 - the new “Tight

Lies” fairway woods and hybrid features

the company’s fifth generation of its Slot

Technology. In contrast to previous models

designed with both a sole slot and a crown

slot, the 2015 models according to Adams

Golf, are enhanced by new Ghost Slot

Technology, which masks the crown slot to

create a clean look at address.

It is a new crown slot that is nearly

invisible and features a refined “barbell” cut-

through slot design, which reduces stress

on the face while promising even faster ball

speeds and higher launch, according to the

company. Also another new addition to the

“Tight Lies” family is the Titanium fairway

wood, featuring a Titanium face and crown

with a stainless steel sole.

For the first time, the upside down shap-

ing and the low-profile design are being

put to use in a hybrid. “Tight Lies” stainless

steel fairway woods and hybrids will come

stock with the KuroKage graphite shaft by

Mitsubishi Rayon. Tight Lies Titanium will

feature the Mitsubishi Bassara Eagle Series

graphite shaft.

The Tight Lies fairway wood are available

in lofts of 14.5°, 16°, 19° and 22°. “Tight Lies”

Titanium will be available in lofts of 13.5°, 15°

and 18°. The Tight Lies Hybrid will be avail-

able in lofts of 17°, 19°, 21°, 23° and 26°.

New Tight Lies From Adams Golf

uuu

AA

g

a

it

st

Things are certainly hotting up at Cal-

laway Golf. Last month, the company

announced a brand new driver. Early

September, they launched fairway woods

(featured in this issue) and just as this

issue was going to print, word got out about a new

set of irons.

The latest irons from Callaway are the Apex

Musclebacks which were designed and built in direct

response to Tour players who asked for a classic

muscleback iron built to the exacting specifications

that a blade demands with some playability, too.

The musclebacks are made of soft, 1020 Carbon

steel irons and are intended for elite golfers, with a

Tour-inspired shape and style in a premium forged

design.

Callaway advises that they’re also packed with

game-enhancing technologies like the high perfor-

mance wide-spaced grooves, which deliver more

control and consistent spin out of a variety of playing

conditions. An Optimised Sole Camber enables excel-

lent turf interaction from any lie for more playability

than you’d expect from a muscleback.


The New Product Floodgate Has Opened At Callaway!

46 47 ASIAN GOLF

SPECIAL FEATURE TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola and the FedExCup Playoffs

Forget about Tiger Wood’s

new way to gesticulate the ecstasy of victory is to show the “gator

Billy Horschel announced to the world that he


ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 14: Billy Horschel of the United States poses with his parents Bill and Kathy on the 18th green after winning both the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola and the FedExCup Playoffs at the East Lake Golf Club on September 14, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

This is what golf needs to pick it up from its state of slumber.

We need players with the kind of swagger that Horschel

brings to the game. We like the way he walks (almost

similar to that of the big Wild West cinematic hero John

Wayne). We like the way he looks and talks (strong and

powerful). And he’s got the perfect poster-boy looks for golf! In one

word, Horschel displays a brand of panache that golf needs badly.

Horschel’s dramatic win at the FedEx Cup play-off was no accident.

He was a hot favourite having already won one-leg of this winner-take-

all tournament. In the final round of the battle, he thrashed Jim Furyk

and McIlroy to be declared the undisputed “king of golf” for the 2014

season.

With back-to-back playoff titles (and a share of second place at the

Deutsche Bank), Horschel has won not only the US$10 million but

also the US$1.44 million first-place paycheck at the Tour Cham-

pionship. Prior to this week, he had less than $8 million in career

earnings.

SPECIAL FEATURE TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola and the FedExCup 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48 49 ASIAN GOLF

While all of the focus and adulation was on Horschel, let us not

forget the sterling performance put up by the “old man” Furyk. He

has had a whole bunch of close calls this year and although he

had a chance to put pressure on Horschel, he faltered and had

to settle for a share of second place, his fourth runner-up this

season.

Horschel has been playing the best golf over the past several

weeks leading up to the play-off. Although he was barely a fac-

tor in the biggest tournaments in 2014, Asian Golf had picked

him as a future star a year ago for the very reasons stated earlier

in this report.

In an interview with ESPN, Horschel said that there was the

time he dreamed as a kid he’d get hit in the head with a baseball

bat -- and did. And then there was the time months ago that

Horschel woke up in a fog, having dreamed he had won the

FedEx Cup.

“It was very faint, but I remember holding up the FedEx Cup

trophy,” Horschel said. “As the season went along, I never thought

about it, and figured maybe it was just a dream that wasn’t real.

“But I thought about it last week after I won. I’ve thought

about it this week a little bit that maybe this is supposed to hap-

pen. And maybe that’s why when I woke up this morning I was

calm knowing that this is my chance to win the FedEx Cup trophy.”

And that is the stuff of dreams.

It was very faint, but I remember holding

up the FedEx Cup trophy... and as the season went along, I never thought about it, and figured maybe it was just a dream that wasn’t real.”

50 51 ASIAN GOLF

SPECIAL FEATURE Grow The Game

Golf Industry Central’s direc-

tor Mike Orloff, said he

created the website www.

GrowTheGameCentral.

com to tackle challenges

such as declining participation and the age-

ing demographic of players and to attract a

new generation of golfers.

“Many grow the game initiatives being

trialled today have great merit but don’t

garner enough financial support to get

off the ground,” said Orloff. “Our Grow The

Game Central web platform has

been designed to connect

anyone who is serious about growing the

game and making a difference.”

According to him, “We are at an evo-

lutionary stage in the game’s existence.

Now is the time to foster the creativity and

entrepreneurship of a strong community

network. The strength, motivation and pas-

sion of many individuals working together

can be very powerful and will eventually

impart change.”

“We can leave our dependency on grow-

ing the game to the governing bodies or

we can get involved and personally make a

difference,” Orloff pointed out.

Australia’s Golf Industry Central has launched a new initiative called Grow The Game Central that aims to create a world-wide community of like-minded people banding together to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to play the game of golf or increase their participation.

Grow The Game Central is targeted at

anyone who loves golf, makes a living off the

game and wants to grow the popularity of

the game.

“It’s time individual golfers, clubs, facilities

and commercial entities all take a more active

role in promoting and ensuring the ongoing

health of our sport,” pointed out Orloff. “Grow

The Game Central is all about taking a ‘grass

roots’, ‘bottom up’ approach to supporting the

numerous grow the game initiatives happen-

ing worldwide.”

“We are utilising modern approaches

such as “crowdsourcing” and “crowdfunding”

to help overcome some of the problems and

move closer to achieving our vision. “A world

with too many golfers”

The project will leverage off Golf Industry

Central’s large international network of indus-

try contacts in Australia, New Zealand, Asia,

Europe and the USA.

To get involved in Grow The Game Central,

anyone can join the on-line forum to discuss

what is happening locally and internationally,

contribute news or best practices, and support

initiatives happening around the world. .


We are at an evolutionary stage in the game’s existence. Now is the time to

foster the creativity and entrepreneurship of a strong community network. The strength, motivation and passion of many individuals working together can be very powerful and will eventually impart change.”

52 53 ASIAN GOLF

SPECIAL FEATURE Madame Nguyen Thi Nga

For her entrepreneurial spirit and

drive and for her passionate at-

tachment to golf, Madame Nga

will be honoured at the 2014

Asia Pacific Golf Summit with

the prestigious Asia Pacific Golf Woman

Entrepreneur Of The Year Award. This

award will be presented to Madame Nga

at the Asian Golf Awards in Singapore on

November 15.

Madame Nga serves as the Chairman

of Southeast Asia Joint Stock Commercial

Bank (SeABank), which has more than 155

branches in Vietnam which collectively

employ more than 2,100 staff with total

assets exceeding S$4.7 billion.

Besides her hectic schedule as a top

banker, she is the Chairman of King’s

Valley Corporation, and the Chairman of

BRG, a group of companies doing diversi-

fied businesses which include real estate

She is one of the most dynamic women business entrepreneurs in Vietnam. Through her

Madame Nguyen Thi Nga

development, golf courses, resorts, hotels,

construction, infrastructure, retail chains,

and automobile distribution. Madame Nga

also serves on the ASEAN Business Advisory

Council and actively contributes to the

activities of the Council.

Amongst the golf properties that she

owns is the award winning Kings’ Island Golf

Resort in Hanoi and the Doson Seaside Golf

Resort in the city of Haiphong. “Both these

golf courses are of international standard and

Kings’ Island is widely regarded as the most

popular and best golf course in Hanoi,” said

Madame Nga.

Her passion for golf continues to play out

in Vietnam as she is now anxiously awaiting

the completion of her newest golf course, the

Legend Hills Golf Resort which is located in

a spectacular setting in the province of Soc

Son in Hanoi. The Legend Hills Golf Resort is

Jack’s Nicklaus’ first golf course in Vietnam.

“I wanted Jack to design my course because

I wanted it to be ranked as the best course in

Vietnam,” said Madame Nga.

According to her, this brand new 18-hole

golf course will feature “twin greens” on

every hole, thus offering a golfer the unique

experience to play 36-holes on an 18-hole golf

course. The new course is expected to be open

for play in 2015.

More than US$100 million has been invested

in the Legend Hills Golf Resort and some of its

other features besides the golf course will be a

sports entertainment centre, restaurants, hotels,

eco clubs, villas, parks, public services and lakes.

Commenting on the Legend Hills Golf

Resort, Madame Nga said, “Jack Nicklaus is

not only a legendary golfer but also has a

reputation for designing very unique and

impressive golf courses and we know that he

will deliver a golf course that will be the pride

of Vietnam.”


Madame Nguyen Thi Nga

SPECIAL FEATURE Asia Pacific Golf Summit 2014

56 57 ASIAN GOLF

Golf in the developed world is said to be in the doldrums with hardly any signs of

change or improvement. While the developed world struggles with the untold chal-

lenges that it faces, Asia is bucking the trend and showing tangible signs of hope and

growth for the game of golf. The atmosphere and mood at the 2014 Asia Pacific Golf

Summit will be one of promise and hope based on sound business foundations.

The 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Summit is truly living up to its

mission which is an emphatic and declared commitment

to help golf grow in Asia.

While golf in most of the developed world is in a lan-

guid state, Asia, especially the emerging parts of this giant

Continent, is showing tremendous promise of growth.

Living up to this promise is perhaps Asia’s golfing flagship – the

Mission Hills Group. What this group is doing to grow golf in Asia is

nothing short of being truly spectacular (read the cover story).

The group’s “golf and more” philosophy will be showcased at APGS

2014 by its vice-chairman, Tenniel Chu who will share his thoughts

on how Mission Hills has invested heavily and is very bullish about the

future. “No pain, no gain,” is how his brother, Dr. Ken Chu, chairman of

the group views the future.

“Mission Hills is taking the lead role and promoting a new lifestyle,

writing the rules and methodology for golf and leisure development.

We are offering something for everyone. You don’t have to be a golfer

to visit Mission Hills. If one member of the family chooses to go for a

round, other members can find plenty of alternative things to do.”


The Asia that we know today is young and vibrant

and totally ready for change and growth and this is fertile

ground for new ideas and innova-tive thinking to attract new play-

ers to the game and to keep the industry on the right

path towards growth. – Mike Sebastian

SPECIAL FEATURE Asia Pacific Golf Summit 2014

58 59 ASIAN GOLF

Stadium Golf is a platform that brings golf indoors utilising advanced golf sim-

ulation techniques – the primary thrust of this concept is to create a realistic and immersive experience for all level of players, especially juniors and beginners using the best golf sim-ulation technology in the market made avail-able through our exclusive technology and equipment partners.” – Balwant Grewal

So, the stage for the future of golf in

Asia is set! It is an exciting future and yet

another tangible sign of how Asia is leading

the way for golf’s growth.

In keeping with the theme of APGS

2014 which is “New Directions. New Energy.

A Re-vitalised Industry” – the programme

has been structured to look at trends and

solutions designed to help the industry in

Asia stay ahead of its challenges.

“All of us in the industry know what

the challenges are and we don’t need to

be reminded of the problems. Instead, we

need to get excited and engaged with the

opportunities that abound to help all of us

seize the moment and grow the game of

golf in Asia,” said Mike Sebastian, chief ex-

ecutive officer of the Asia Pacific Golf Group,

the producer and owner of APGS 2014.

“The Asia that we know today is young

and vibrant and totally ready for change and

growth and this is fertile ground for new

ideas and innovative thinking to attract new

players to the game and to keep the industry

on the right path towards growth,” he added.

Innovations that will be launched at

APGS 2014 include a revolutionary concept

called “Stadium Golf”. Conceptualised and

developed entirely in Singapore, Stadium

Golf is the brain-child of golf entrepreneur

Balwant Grewal, Managing Director of Sta-

dium Golf. “Stadium Golf is a platform that

brings golf indoors utilising advanced golf

simulation techniques – the primary thrust

of this concept is to create a realistic and

immersive experience for all level of players,

especially juniors and beginners using the

best golf simulation technology in the mar-

ket made available through our exclusive

technology and equipment partners.”

“Our concept creates a TOTAL golfing

experience that is designed to be very ac-

cessible, affordable, fun, easy to learn and

play and our commitment is to introducing

golf to the masses and to ensure that it is

sustainable.” Grewal added.

According to Director of Stadium Golf,

Gane Ramachandra, “Stadium Golf will

be a 24/7 facility and the plan calls for

Stadium Golf to be available in areas of high

population density and plans are in place

to roll this business model out throughout

the region very soon. In that regard we are

seeking regional partners as part of our

development and expansion plans.”

Central to Stadium Golf’s programme

will be its method of teaching the game to

juniors and beginners. “We have developed

an accelarated teaching system that is guar-

anteed to help juniors and beginners play

golf at our Stadium Golf facilities within

four-hours of being exposed to the basic

principles of the game,” said former LAGT

professional, Nicole Liu Xiaoyan, a Director

of Stadium Golf. Her teaching technique is

based on her exclusive programme which

enabled her to learn golf in 18 months prior

to turning professional on the Ladies Asian

Golf Tour.

Another innovative programme is Au-

thentiGolf, a Singapore high-tech company

that is the first in the world to provide

authentication of golf clubs.

The developers, Leonard Wee and Ste-

ven Tan, keen golfers themselves saw an op-

portunity to help put an end to counterfeit-

ers producing fake golf clubs. “There are too

many counterfeit golf clubs in the market.

There is a need for a company to be the au-

thentication bureau of choice for consumers

to have peace of mind when purchasing new

or used golf clubs,” said Wee.

The revolution that the Mission Hills

Group together with Stadium Golf and Au-

thentiGolf are just some of the examples of

the exciting trends that are taking place in

the evolution of golf in Asia. “Everywhere in

the region, exciting new ideas, innovations

and change initiatives are being launched

and this activity only goes to prove that

golf is not only growing in Asia but is also

serving as the beacon for the future of the

game,” added Sebastian.

24/7 REDEFINEDMARINA BAY SANDS® SINGAPORE

60 61 ASIAN GOLF

SPECIAL FEATURE CMAA –Asia Pacific Chapter

Club Industry Poised For

The club management industry is in for exciting times

ahead as the CMAA-Asia Pacific rolls out its training and

education programme for 2015.

The programme which is going to be very com-

prehensive will be delivered by CMAA-Asia Pacific in

partnership with best-of-breed education and training partners.

“We have invested a great deal of time working on plans with

our education partners to ensure that we are in a position to

provide top quality programmes on a sustainable basis to the club

industry in the region,” explained Lawrence Young, director of edu-

cation for CMAA-Asia Pacific.

The education partners who have entered into agreements with

CMAA-Asia Pacific include:

Training Vision

http://www.trainingvision.com.sg/

Singapore Training & Development Association (STADA)

http://www.stada.org.sg/

SDH Institute

http://www.sdh.edu.sg/

Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI)

http://www.shri.org.sg/_about_shri.asp

STADASTADA is a forty-two old organization which was established in 1972

by a group of training professionals from diverse industries who are

both committed and passionate to learn and share best practices.

STADA fulfils this role through community of practice in different

Human Capital Development domains, offering professional devel-

opment opportunities and networking activities.

“By partnering with CMAA-Asia Pacific, we hope to bring growth

to the human capital development community in the club and hos-

pitality industry as we push boundaries by using technologies, best

practices and knowledge to achieve thought leadership in the field

of learning across generations and to meet the diverse needs of the

learning community,” said Robert Yeo, STADA’s chief executive officer.

“This partnership is a significant milestone because it reflects

STADA’s efforts to partner with professionals to provide solutions

to organizations in the areas of change management, organization

development, employee engagement, cultural change, leadership

development, professional certification, coaching and mentoring,

and team innovation,” stated Lim Khia Tat, president of STADA’s

management committee.

SDH INSTITUTESDH Institute is a forward looking school with a clear focus on

hospitality education which strives to develop its students in a

holistic manner. SDH’s programmes not only equip its students with

the professional and business knowledge and skills for the global

hospitality industry, but also aim to inculcate an attitude of service

excellence and entrepreneurship.

According to Chia Tuck Keong, managing director of SDH, “Our

comprehensive range of Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma,

Post-Graduate, Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree and professional

learning programmes, unique learning approach and caring student

support, create a truly distinctive educational experience which we

believe will stand to benefit all those engaged in the club industry

in the region.”

With a strong presence in the hospitality industry, SDH has pow-

erful industry linkages with leading hotel chains, integrated resorts

as well as top food and beverage establishments.

“With the formalisation of this agreement, CMAA-Asia will be

able to fulfil its mission objective to help upgrade the human capital

employed in the club industry in the region,” added Murali Nair,

executive director of SDH Institute.

TRAINING VISIONTraining Vision is a leading training institute that specialises in pro-

viding an integrated and holistic approach towards the design and

methodology of workforce development training programmes.

“We are delighted to be working with CMAA-Asia to bring top

quality training and education to the club industry in the region and

it is our hope that together, we will be able to make a significant

contribution to the future growth of the industry in our region,” said

David Kwee, Training Vision’s chief executive officer during the sign-

ing of the official memorandum of understanding today.


CMAA-Asia Pacific will collaborate with Training Vision to of-

fer various training and education modules in service related areas

including the co-creation of specific programmes to address special

needs of the club industry.

“We elected to partner with Training Vision because of their solid

track record and the shared vision that both our organisations have to

help upgrade service standards in the region and they are an organ-

isation that will bring a lot of value to the table over the long haul,”

said CMAA-Asia Pacific’s Young.

Training Vision has been established since 1991 and includes

among its clients top international corporations and various organisa-

tions from the government and public sectors in the region.

SINGAPORE HUMAN RESOURCES INSTITUTEThe Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) represents over

3,000 human resource professionals. Founded in 1965, SHRI is com-

mitted to promulgating and maintaining high standards of profes-

sionalism in human resource management and development.

“SHRI assists organisations to relate training to their bottom lines

and through collaborations with a global network of consultants,

practitioners and trainers, SHRI can effectively blend training and con-

sulting services to deliver complete, integrated and holistic solutions

to meet corporate and people development needs,” explained Kao

Beng Lee, SHRI’s executive director.

“With these four partners coming on board with CMAA-Asia

Pacific, we now have alliances with world class education and training

organisations to help us deliver quality training and learning experi-

ences to the club and hospital industry and most importantly, most of

the programmes that we will be offering together with our education

partners will come with valid and recognized certification,” Young

pointed out.

Young concluded by saying, “Going forward, the club indus-

try in the region can expect to have top quality education which

they can use to upgrade their manpower and at the same work

towards improving the entire club experience for members and

other users.”

David Kwee (left), CEO of Training Vision with Mike Sebastian

62 63 ASIAN GOLF

SPECIAL FEATURE Father and Son Tournament

The Fathers and Sons golf tournament concept has been around for some time and perhaps the best known event in this tournament genre is the Annual U.S. National Father and Son Team classic. This three-day family event has become the largest father-son golf event in the world. Last year’s 54-hole competition drew over 900 players from 46 states and 7 foreign

motto is: Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad. Asia now has its own Father and Son tournament which will be held in Vietnam.


We are delighted to be organizing and hosting this prestigious event and we hope to make

this an annual tournament.” – Nguyen Huu Thanh

MR. LE VAN KIEM

Owner: Long Thanh Golf Resort

he Inaugural Asia Pacific Father and Son Golf Tourna-

ment is scheduled to be held in Ho Chi Minh City and

will be hosted by the award-winning Long Thanh

Golf Resort. “We are delighted to be organizing and

hosting this prestigious event and we hope to make

this an annual tournament,” declared Nguyen Huu Thanh, general

manager of the Long Thanh Golf Resort.

The tournament will be played on the resort’s challenging Hill

Course on December 6 and 7. It will be a total family affair and is

open to any father/son type relationship, from grandfathers and

grandsons to uncles and nephews and an exception will also be

made to include daughters.

“It’s all about having fun and enjoying a great vacation with

family members,” said Huu Thanh. The entry fee per player is

US$450 and this includes a package involving airport-hotel trans-

fers, transfers to the golf course daily, lunch and dinner on the

first day and lunch and a gala awards dinner on the final day plus

goodie bags and prizes.

Accommodation will be at the Sheraton Hotel in Ho Chi Minh

City and special arrangements have been made for very attrac-

tive rates.

“We want all of our guests to feel totally at home while they are

in Vietnam and we are doing everything within our power to make

their stay and play in Ho Chi Minh City a memorable one,” said Huu

Thanh.

Space will be limited so register early!

The winning father and son team will take home the Challenge

Trophy presented by Vietnamese philanthropist and owner of the

Long Thanh Golf Resort, Mr. Le Van Kiem. Besides this prestigious

trophy, there will be other prizes.

The following can be downloaded at:

Entry forms / Hotel reservation

http://tinyurl.com/fsgt2014

Tournament rules and regulations

http://tinyurl.com/fsgt-rr2014

The inaugural Asia Pacific Father and Son Golf Tournament is on the cards. Fathers and sons or direct related members of a family will do battle to see who emerges as the best of the best in the region.

This prestigious tournament will be staged on December 6 and 7, 2014 and the host venue is the award winning Long Thanh Golf Resort in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The tournament is open to any combination of family members – father and daughter, uncle/aunty and nephew and niece. This arrangement provides for a wider family involvement and participation.

The winning team will walk away with the Asia Pacific Father and Son Trophy presented by Vietnamese philanthropist Le Van Kiem.

In Celebration Of Fathers And Sons

DECEMBER 6 & 7, 2014LONG THANH GOLF RESORT, HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM

Entry fee is set at US$450 per player and this will include: Daily two-way transfer from the Sheraton Hotel to the golf course. Lunch, refreshment and dinner on both days. Prizes and goodie bags. One practice round on December 5.

The Father and Sons Tournament is designed to promote greater family involvement in golf and clubs are encouraged to enter club teams to participate in that promises to become an annual tournament.

Organised by: Long Thanh Golf Resort

Come and be part of the region’s first ever total family golf event ... The Inaugural Asia Pacific Father and Son Golf Tournament!

ONLINE Registration is open at: http://tinyurl.com/fsgt2014

For enquiries, please contact Alice Ho at [email protected] or call +65-63232800

DOWNLOAD PDF – RULES & REGULATIONS: http://tinyurl.com/fsgt-rr2014

Recently, I’ve had students inquire about their weekly practice schedule.

During the bonding phase of the TMG Academy’s International Prepara-

tory Programme, it’s imperative to assess the player’s daily routine in or-

der to advise on a productive practice schedule. This is very important,

especially in the Bangkok area where the traffic is unpredictable.

Therefore, having a tip that makes sure both your backswing and through

swing are intact creates a good confident feeling. And, if you can randomly do the

following tip throughout the day in the office or in your home, you will be able to

take your confident swing to the golf course on your next round!

Greetings from Thailand! This is a very good tip that my father taught me when I was real young because the weather in Illinois is not always sunny. And, you can

anywhere if you really look for it.

GAME IMPROVEMENT Black Hat Golf Tips

66 67 ASIAN GOLF


Born and brought up in the United States, Tony Meechai won his first golf tournament at the age of nine. He began working in the golf

industry when aged 15 and competed in various Mini Tour and PGA Tour qualifiers after turning professional in 1994. Armed with a Bachelor’s

degree in Business Administration from New Mexico State University and a degree in Marketing and Professional Golf Management, he has

made a name for himself in Asia over the past decade, during which time he has served as Director of Instruction at Thailand’s Heartland Golf

Schools and Springfield Royal Country Club as well as presenting tips on numerous region-wide golf television shows. Recently, he founded the

Tony Meechai Golf Academy that combines a curriculum including academics and golf education for aspiring Tour professionals. Programmes

are in conjunction with international institutions throughout the world. For further information, please visit www.tmggolfeducation.com

ABOUT TONY MEECHAI

www.tonymeechaigolf.com

Doing this drill successfully

also demands that the golfer be bal-anced at all times, another benefit that will serve the golfer well when he goes back to hitting balls.”

Why is this tip so good? Golfers don’t

have a real good sense of where the club

is because the club is out of sight during

much of the swing. Many players have no

sense of where it is positioned in relation

to the hands, arms and body. Players often

swing the club too much around the body

on the backswing and, on the forward

swing, heave the club outside the target

line and cut across the ball from outside to

in. The following drill makes these move-

ments impossible and will improve both

your back and through swings.

Here’s how I use this drill with students:

I will point out a wall size that is appropriate

for the golfer. Using a golf club, I will have

the student stand with his back to the wall.

The heel is several inches from the wall. I

will have the student make his normal

backswing and try to avoid hitting the wall.

If the club strikes the wall on the way back,

the student is swinging too much around

his body. If the golfer strikes the wall on the

forward swing, it is evident that he swung

excessively from outside to inside the target

line on the downswing.

Ideally, the player should cock the

club upward when his backswing is about

half completed. This will help him avoid

hitting the wall at the top. On the forward

swing, try to swing from inside the target

line, making the club swing toward the

target. If the club doesn’t hit the wall on the

follow-through, then the golfer knows he is

making progress.

Doing this drill successfully also demands

that the golfer be balanced at all times,

another benefit that will serve the golfer well

when he goes back to hitting balls.

Remember, you can find a wall any-

where! Make good use of it to improve your

golf swing!

It’s that time of the year again when ambitious male and female golfers start planning to go to a tour school in an attempt to earn playing rights to play on a professional golf tour.

They want to live their dream of becoming a highly paid professional golfer like Adam Scott, earning their income playing in professional golf tournaments.

and professionals ranging in age from 18 to 50 from all over the world, all with the same big goal in mind.

They want to earn the right to play on a professional golf tour.David Milne (left) and Lawrie Montague (right).

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE A GOOD ENOUGH GOLFER TO

GO TO TOUR SCHOOL?

GAME IMPROVEMENT Pro Tour Golf College

68 69 ASIAN GOLF

It is always inspiring to see motivated

and serious golfers wanting to achieve

their big aim in life playing golf suc-

cessfully on a pro tour, because many

of them have grown up watching their

golf stars on TV hitting winning shots to win

the big cheques, and achieve a level of golf-

ing glory, and they want some of the same.

In today’s article we will explore the

important question “how do you know if

you are a good enough golfer to go to tour

school?”

We hope that by the end of our article

you will have a clearer idea about whether

you are really ready to compete on tour, or

that possibly you need to work at your game

for a little longer to get ready.

Now as I’m sure you already know all

tour schools operate in a similar way in that

they publish dates on their website for the

stages of their tour school, which is usually

from 2 to 4 stages.

Each stage is usually 4 rounds of golf and

the amateur or professional golfer who has

entered tour school will play the first stage

of tour school at a golf course/s chosen by

the respective tour, and hopefully they will

play well enough to continue on to stage 2.

For example at the European Tour

School they have three stages, with the first

and second stages being 4 rounds each and

the final stage 6 rounds.

At most tour schools you will have

to compete over at least two stages, or 8

rounds of golf to get to the final stage, and

you will have to play to a very high standard

to earn your card.

And keep in mind just getting a tour

card isn’t really enough, as in most cases

you will need to finish high enough in the

final standings to gain entry into most of

the tour events.

To enter tour school you will also need

an official handicap of around scratch (0) to

enter most tour schools, although you can

enter the Australasian Tour School with a

handicap of 2.5, however we suggest that

if you don’t have a true scratch handicap or

better, then keep practicing because you

won’t be good enough to get through the

qualifying stages.

So How Good Do You Really Have to Be?

How good do you have to be to really

have a good chance of earning your tour card?

It’s the only question that you need to truly

consider and quite honestly unless you have

a competitive score average of par or better

in national ranked tournaments over a whole

season playing at least 50 rounds of golf, you

are best to keep working at your game.

The simple fact is that every tour school

is geared to this minimum standard of excel-

lence.

Think about this for a moment, you will

play a minimum of eight rounds to qualify

for a small tour like the Australasian Tour, and

as many as 17 rounds to qualify for a major

tour like the Web.com Tour, and you will be

required to play to much better than par in

all kinds of weather conditions on the bigger

tours to secure your card.

The majority of players entering tour

schools are not nearly at this standard, and

the results show in the final analysis every

year. Yes many of these tour hopefuls can

score well around their home course, and

maybe even around the local courses in their

district, but tour school is a different animal

altogether.

At the 2013 Web.Com Tour School final

stage Zach Fischer finished 31 under par

for 6 rounds, (averaging 5.1 under par per

round) and won the tour school earning his

card to play on the Web.Com Tour in 2014

which was a phenomenal effort.

Now you would think with that standard

of play he would do really well on the Web.

Com Tour but as of the end of August 2014

he had earned just US $65,000 dollars, rank-

ing him 77th on the money list, (from the 18


events he had competed in) and he made

the cut in 11 events and missed the cut in 7

(61 percent).

His score average (actual) at the end of

August 2014 was 70.68 ranking him 87th in

this category. So it just goes to show that

even qualifying for the Web.Com tour in

spectacular fashion doesn’t guarantee you

anything, as you still have to play to a very

high standard every day you compete, if

you want to learn how to become a success-

ful tournament professional.

To give you an idea of just how good

you have to be, to earn last card at the Web.

Com Tour School in 2013, you needed to

finish at 16 under par for the final 6 rounds,

which is averaging 2.6 under par each day.

This is after successfully qualifying

through the first 3 stages.

4 TOUR SCHOOL TACTICSSo how do you develop you game to a high

enough standard that you give yourself the

very best chance of playing on a pro tour,

and more importantly, to develop your

game to a level where you can stay on tour

for years to come?

Here are our 4 tour school tips for any

serious amateur or professional golfer con-

sidering developing their game with the sole

purpose of competing at a tour school, and

winning a card to play on a professional golf

tour.

Tour School Tactic 1. Score Average is the Big DealUnderstand that your competitive score

average over at least one full season (and

a minimum of 50 rounds) in national and

international ranked tournaments (amateur

or pro events) is the only real barometer of

whether your standard is good enough to

go to tour school.

Playing to par or better in local club

events, and district tournaments, is just

not going to be nearly good enough for a

serious crack at tour school; you need to

compete and consistently contend in major

amateur tournaments to be sure.

Don’t be misled by well-meaning family

and friends who tell you that because you

hit the ball like a top tour player, and you

play great on your home courses that it is

your guarantee of success at tour school.

Over the years many home town heroes

have gone to tour school and come home

with their tail between their legs.

Let me say it again, your long-term com-

petitive score average playing hundreds of

holes at lots of different golf course venues,

on different golf course styles, in all kinds of

conditions, and to a very high standard, is

all that matters.

Tour school and tour golf will always be

about how well you can score over hundreds

of holes, and it’s not about anything else.

Tour School Tactic 2. It’s Not About Mental ToughnessYou don’t just need ‘Mental Toughness’ to

succeed in qualifying and playing success-

fully on a pro tour, what you really need is

The Mental Toughness Endurance Factor,

which is not exactly the same thing.

GAME IMPROVEMENT Pro Tour Golf College

70 71 ASIAN GOLF

Any golfer can be mentally tough

enough to play decently for a round

or two, but the true test of whether

you can make it on a pro tour is go-

ing to get down to your emotional

endurance and grit over hundreds

of holes.

Emotional endurance describes

your ability to completely maintain

and manage your emotional state

to no more than a slightly frustrated

level in every type of condition imag-

inable, over hundreds of holes.

How many holes can you play

when things are not going the way

you want before you get frustrated

and angry?

Can you play at least 90 holes

of competitive golf without letting

poor performances derail your scor-

ing ability?

Emotional endurance is the key

tour player factor that helps you to

keep your score around par over

long periods of time, and many miles

of golf course travelled.

The Sprint Golfer and The Ultra Marathon GolferAt Pro Tour Golf College we describe to our

students the crucial difference between

what we call a sprint golfer, and what we

call an ultra-marathon golfer.

Sprint golfers are good for 18 holes—

maybe 36 holes, and then they run out of

gas. The true tournament golfer however is

someone who can play to a very high stan-

dard over 72 holes or more, week-in-and-

week-out without suffering from depression

or anxiety because of a run of poor play.

In our experience you have to be an

ultra-marathon golfer than a sprint golfer,

and your goal should be to train to become

an ultra-marathon golfer if you want to suc-

ceed as a professional tour golfer.

18 holes of golf is a walk of roughly

7100 yards from the men’s tee’s which

equates to about 4 miles, or 6.4 kilometres

of walking.

Now how many rounds of golf, and

miles of golf holes do you need to walk to

become a top tour golfer?

Hundreds of miles is the only answer

that makes sense, and what this essentially

means is that you must learn how to man-

age and maintain a low golf score average

over hundreds of miles of golf holes.

I’m sure that you can see that your

emotional endurance combined with well-

developed golf skills specifically developed

for playing golf on tour is going to be essen-

tial for your success?

Tour School Tactic 3. Develop Your ‘Tour Skills’ to Tour GradeTour golf skills are the golf skills you will rely

on when your tee to green long game is go-

ing a little haywire.

Tour golfer’s average around 12 greens

per round in regulation, from round to

round, which means that on their good days

they miss about 4 greens in regulation, and

on their bad days they miss 8.

Believe me when I tell you that you will

have more bad tee to green days than good

ones.

The tour skills you need to develop to

what we call tour grade, and they will be

the high and soft flop shots, and a variety of

spinning and releasing pitch shots, as well as

bunker shots from all types of lies to access

tight pin placements which are the norm on

a pro tour.

And you will also need to be able to ac-

complish this in wet and dry conditions, and

from all types of surfaces and lies.

You will also need to be proficient with

your recovery techniques from the different

types of grasses surrounding the greens.

On top of this you will also need to be a

fearless putter on severely sloping and fast

greens, and have the nerve to keep holing

the tough putts inside 5 feet, from hole to

hole, and from round to round.

Have you noticed when you watch tour

events on TV how good the scrambling skills

of top tour golfers are, and how this ability

helps keep them in contention?

You will see the tour skills they rely

on that keep them on top of their score

management from round to round, and you

need to be constantly working and devel-

oping your tour skills to tour grade to help

you keep your score average down around

par or better to have any chance of making

it through tour school.

Tour School Tactic 4.Finally you will need to be a full time golfer

to consider going to tour school. This means

that playing golf is your full time job, and

playing, practicing and developing your

golf skills is what you do for a minimum of 5

to 6 hours per day, for 5 to 6 days per week.

Tour school is not for part-time golfers,

or for those who “just want to give it a try to

see if they’re good enough.”

Before you go to a tour school you will

have invested literally thousands of hours

into your game, and you will have earned

the special level of confidence that you

need, to know that you have made the right

choice in your life.

Going to tour school is serious business

for serious golfers, and will require your

highest standards of excellence for you to

have any chance of obtaining your card.

So if you believe with all your heart and

mind that you have what it takes to go to

tour school, and you have maintained a par

or better average in important tournaments

for a season or more, then you just might

have a chance of winning playing privileges

to play on a professional golf tour.

And live your dream.

We wish you the very best.

For all the latest news and views from the Asian golf scene, subscribe to Asian Golf – Asia’s most powerful golfing voice! www.asiapacificgolfgroup.com72 ASIAN GOLF

NovemberASIAN GOLF ISSUE 170

The prestigious Asian

Golf Awards will feature

prominently in the

November issue of

ASIAN GOLF. This issue

will highlight the top

three nominees in

each category for 2014.

The winners will be

honoured at the Gala

Awards Banquet during

the staging of the 2014

Asia Pacific Golf Summit

scheduled to be held in

Singapore.

New From Nike GolfNike Golf has begun stirring and the “swoosh” team is expected to announce its 2015

Nike Vapor Flex Driver. Leaked documents from Nike Golf reveal that there will be three

versions of the new driver. The most interesting of the three models is the upcom-

ing Vapor Flex Driver, which features its own version of cavity-back technology along

with Nike’s new Flex Flight Module. More to come!

Singapore All Set To Rock With APGS 2014! The region’s top summit on golf is just weeks away

and the 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Summit promises to

be the best in the series. This year’s event, the eighth

in the series will be staged at the iconic Marina Bay

Sands Resort. The theme of this major golf knowledge

event is “New Directions. New Energy. A Re-vitalised

Industry”.

The golf industry in Asia awaits the release of the first-ever comprehen-

sive industry survey conducted by the Asia Pacific Golf Group in con-

junction with the CMAA-Asia Pacific Pte Ltd and Golf Business Advisory

Services Pty Ltd of Australia. Conducting the survey which includes

three special reports, has been a major undertaking but more impor-

tantly, it has now paved the way for more such surveys to be done on

the golf industry in the region, especially Southeast Asia.

Asian Golf Awards – The Top Nominees

Golf Industry Survey Completed!

WorldWide Holdings selangor MastersWinner: CHapCHai nirat

WINNER: MI JUNG HUR

YOKOHAMA TIRE LPGA CLASSIC

WINNER: coNNIE chEN

tENERIfE opEN dE EspaNa fEmININ

WINNER: Hyo-Joo KIm

EVIAN CHAmPIoNSHIP

WINNER: BILLY HORSCHEL

TOUR CHampIONSHIp BY COCa COLa - FEdEX CUp

WINNER: JOOST LUITEN

THE WALES OPEN

WINNER: PAUl CASEY

KlM OPEN

WINNER: EUROPERYDER CUP

Team Europe was just too good and proved that they had the best golfers in the world when they completely steam-rolled Team U.S.A. to retain the Ryder Cup for the third time in a row.

Team Europe had everything going for them when they ran riot to pull off a 16½-11½ triumphant win in a tournament that had everything on dis-play – total determination, burning passion and unmatched team spirit. It all came together to create a powerful will to win.

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy set the tone when he got Europe off to a flying start in the singles action and Jamie Donaldson put the finishing touch some two hours later to grab the Ryder Cup for Team Europe.

Trailing 10-6, Team U.S.A. needed to win 8½ points out of the possible 12 available in singles but after an early run of good play, it could only win four matches and earn 5½ points.

Captain of Team U.S.A., Tom Watson acknowledged defeat graciously when he declared, "The U.S. players responded early, but they just couldn't keep it going - but the credit goes to Europe. They are stacked with great players …. we came here thinking we could win, knowing it would be a great challenge, but we fell short.”

Reacting to the win, Team Europe’s Captain Paul McGinley exclaimed, "Proud is the first word - I want to say as captain it's been a real honour to get these 12 players, they have all been Colossus, and all of them, the caddies, the backroom team, five vice captains, it's been a huge team effort."

WINNER: EUROPEEUROPEaNs PULL OFF a TOTaL ROUT OF THE YaNKs!

WINNER: PRom mEEsaWat

YEaNGDER touRNamENt PlaYERs ChamPIoNshIP

1st Runner-up 2010 & 2011

Best Clubhouse in AsiaEight times since 2000

Best Championship Course in Asia2008

Best Course in Thailand2002 – 20101st Runner-up 2011 & 2013

Best Par-3 Signature Hole (#6)2001 – 2003

Website: www.thaicountryclub.com E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (66 38) 570 234 Fax: (66 38) 570 225

Long Thanh Golf Resort is a true paradise for any golfer.

Two world-class golf courses – one that traverses hilly terrain while the other meanders through spectacular lakes.

Both the Hill Course and the Lake Course are fascinating showcases of breath-taking landscapes

populated by a wide array of flora and fauna.

Golfing in Long Thanh Golf Resort is an experience of world-class golf combined with a unique brand of service and the warmth and friendliness of Vietnam.

All this delivered in a tranquil setting located in the southern economic triangle and just 40 minutes from Ho Chi Minh City’s centre.

National Highway 51, Tan Mai 2 Hamlet, Phuoc Tan Village, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam Tel: +84 61 3 512 512 Fax: +84 61 3 512 513

Long Thanh Golf Resort -A Golf Paradise Like No Other!

Come and Discover What Playing Golf in Paradise Really Feels Like

www.longthanhgolfresort.com

GolfersParadise

h l l d

asian golf – october, 2014

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