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GOLFINTERNATIONALMAGAZINE

ESSENTIAL READING FROM THE BEST IN THE GAME

THE 2010 RYDER CUP SOUVENIR PREVIEW ISSUE

CCOOSSTTAA NNAAVVAARRIINNOO //// GOLF & THE BOSS OF SKY //// PPOORRSSCCHHEE BBOOXXSSTTEERR SSPPYYDDEERR //// MUCH MORE

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INSTRUCTION

PGA Master Professional Luther Blacklock offers a hands-on lesson

for more speed, power & consistency

Into the Dragon's Denthe Twenty Ten CourseLord of the Manormeet Sir Terry MatthewsTeam TalkTim Barter on the players & likely pairingsThe Stuff of DreamsSam Torrance Q&A

Robert Green on Captain Monty...

MONTY’S DATE WITH DESTINY!

Our 40-page preview will get you fired up for thegreatest show in golf

No.

97

THE RULE OF THUMB

The Torrance CourseTee to green, Sam Torrancehelps you to play winning golf

Red Dot • TheoryMind coach Karl Morris on the

pre-shot ‘trigger’ that helped Oosthuizen to Open glory

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Editor: Richard Simmons [email protected] in Chief: Robert Green [email protected] Editor: Dominic Pedler

[email protected]: Tony Seagrave [email protected] Teaching Panel: Robert Baker, Tim Barter, Peter Cowen, JimChristine, Andrew Hall, Simon Holmes, Paul Hurrion,Stuart Morgan, Denis Pugh, Stuart Smith, DavidWhelan & Jonathan Yarwood Regular Contributors: Clive Agran, Peter Alliss, Colin Callander, Jeremy Chapman, Tom Cox, Richard Gillis,Anthony ffrench-Constant, Michael Flannery, John Hopkins, Tony Johnstone, Kevin McGimpsey,David Purdie, Ronan Rafferty, Sarah Stirk, Paul Trow & Jake UlrichPhotographers: David Cannon, Peter Dazeley, Ross Kinnaird, Andrew Redington, Getty Images,Charles Briscoe-Knight, Matthew Harris, Eric Hepworth, Steve ReadRegular Illustrators: Peter Clark, Harold Riley, Dave F. Smith, Tony Husband (www.tonyhusband.co.uk)Overseas correspondents: Karl Ableidinger AustriaJan Kees van der Velden HollandSpencer Robinson Hong KongMario Camicia ItalyAndy Brumer USAAdvertising/Publishing Director:Peter Simmons [email protected]: (020) 7828 3003 • Mobile: 07827 995 080 Advertising Director:Nick Edgley [email protected]: 07774 703 491 Advertising Consultant:Ian Harkness [email protected]: 01702 558512 • Mobile: 07980 464 378US Travel Representative:Gary Edwards [email protected]: (00) 1 843 849 1308Special Projects:Brosnan Event Management Tel: (020) 8691 6836 Printers: St Ives Web Ltd // Tel: 01726 892400Distribution: Comag // Tel: 01895 433600

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GOLFINTERNATIONALMAGAZINE

ESSENTIAL READING FROM THE BEST IN THE GAME

ISSUE 97 • SEPT/OCT 2010

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It’s been quite some time since I last found myself in the position of delivering a few wordsof thanks to ‘all the people who have made this possible...’, the greenkeepers, playing part-ners, catering staff and so on (certainly while holding any sort of silverware – even a spoon!),but on the strength of the evidence you’ll find inside this weighty Ryder Cup preview issuethere are a number of people I would like to acknowledge, first for the generosity of theirtime but above all for the passion and enthusiasm they share for their subject. As the Ambassador for the Celtic Manor Resort – and Honorary Captain of The Twenty

Ten Club – who better than the Wales legend that is Gareth Edwards to take you on a tour ofthe layout that will stage the Ryder Cup? At 63, Edwards made the full conversion(!) to golf

when he retired from international rugby in 1978 (hisfinal appearance being in a victory over France in the FiveNations at the Arms Park for a third consecutive TripleCrown) and he was approached by Sir Terry Matthewssome 10 years ago to become a part of the team involvedin the bid to bring the Ryder Cup to Wales.“When you stop and think about it seriously, it’s

incredible what Sir Terry has achieved,” says the formerscrum-half, once described as ‘the greatest player ever todon a Welsh jersey’. To bring the Ryder Cup, one of thegreatest sporting events in the world to Wales, well you’dnever have thought it possible. With Sir Terry, anything’spossible. And it’s not only the money but the vision andthe drive to see something like this through. I don’t thinkit’s possible to emphasise enough what Sir Terry hasdone for Newport and Wales generally.”Off a competitive handicap of 7, Edwards is the perfect

host and, having watched the course take shape andplayed it a couple of times in the company of captainMontgomerie he knows it as well as anyone. “The thing is,with The Twenty Ten,” he says in that wonderfully warmand engaging accent, “is it really doesn’t give you any-

thing. It’s a tough track. The architect Ross McMurray has been very clever in shaping thefairways and blending in the bunkering, too. That’s a strong feature of this course. But it’saround the greens where the real difficulty lies, in the run-offs and the swales. When theyget these surfaces up to the sort of speeds these players are used to, well, its frightening.”With his record for Wales and the Lion’s Tours, Edwards has known more than his share

of pressure on the rugby pitch. But since hanging up his boots he has also felt the heat oftop-notch team golf, and tells the story of being invited to a crucial tie in the Pro Celebritytelevision series in the ealy 1980s. “Sam [Torrance] called me up one day and asked me if Icould fly out to play at Le Touquet,” recalls Edwards. “I thought why not, should be a bit offun. They always seemed like such a laugh when you see the show on TV. But when I gotthere Sam took me to one side and told me that he needed to win this particular match toclinch the series...and his tone was serious. Put me under a bit of pressure, that did. Anyway,we went out and won – I don’t want to take too much of the credit but you could say Samhoned his skills of captaincy on me! We had a bit of a celebration that night, too. I’ve neverseen so much champagne!”Torrance, Edwards, Monty and Sir Terry Matthews – all play a part in our 40-page Ryder

Cup preview which starts on page 54. My thanks, also, to Sky Sports’ Tim Barter for an illu-minating analysis of the key players and also to his boss, Jeremy Darroch, head of BSkyB, foran entertaining interview (which you’ll find on page 110) and indeed for a sneak preview ofthe 3D television pictures which Sky Sports are rolling out with their wall-to-wall coverage ofthe 38th Ryder Cup. It’s going to be a blast – however you look at it.Enjoy the issue.

Into the Dragon’s Den!

[email protected]

FIRST UP

RICHARDSIMMONS

REGULARS

12 LETTERSDo you have an opinion youʼd like toshare? Why not email us? You could wina custom-fitted Odyssey putter

14 PLANET GOLFJust a great shot – Rory McIlroy playsescape artist at Whistling Straits / 19thHole Q&A – GMac on his US Open win /Dr Felix Shank / new irons from Mizunoand Ping / The Major! / Custom club-fittingwith the experts at Urban Golf / JayneStory and Chi-Power Golf

130 THE AMATEUR SCENEAfter his victory in the English Amateur atLittle Aston, Englandʼs Tommy Fleetwoodmade the transition to the pro ranks lookeasy – but itʼs anything but, he tells GiʼsAdam Hathaway

166 WORLD TOURNAMENT NEWSSuch was the quality of his golf over theOld Course in July, South Africaʼs LouisOosthuizen turned the 150th AnniversaryOpen into a one-man procession. For realdrama, you had to wait until mid-Augustand the US PGA at Whistling Straits,writes Andy Farrell

COLUMNS / FEATURES

38 ANOTHER THING...Donʼt call us...because you canʼt!As the golf world prepares to focus onwhat will surely be dramatic events atCeltic Manor, the gameʼs authoritiesseem determined to keep the sport inthe 20th century, writes Robert Green

40 ON THE AIRStories of winners and losers:So small are the margins betweensuccess and failure that results in sportoften boil down to a few imponderables,observes Peter Alliss

42 AT THE 19TH“Iʼm special: agent required”:After taking financial advice, CliveAgran reviewed his fiscal situation anddecided to get proactive...

44 TOUR TALKFor a lot of golfers, less is more: theBritish Par 3 Championships openedSarah Stirkʼs eyes to the attractions ofthis ʻshort ̓version of the game

210 THE LAST SHOTMonty tees it up with conviction: Toughdecisions had to be made, and he madethem, writes John Hopkins

160 SPIRITUAL HIGH.With such gems as the Boat of Garton,Grantown-on-Spey, Elgin and Moray onthe itinerary, small wonder that Speysideis one of the most popular destinationsfor golfers in search of the trueHighlands experience. That theSpeyside Valley is home to over half ofScotlandʼs malt whiskey distilleries is a rather happy coincidence, as MarkAlexander reports

Essential readingfrom the best in the game

WIN 139 WIN! MACGREGOR FORGED IRONSThe latest forgings from MacGregor continue the

heritage of one of the great names in golf – and you could win a set of either the Pro-M or MT Pro-C irons...

ISSUE #97 // SEPT/OCT 2010 // RYDER CUP PREVIEW ISSUE

Built for purpose: the par-five 18thon the Twenty Ten Course at CelticManor offers the ultimate inrisk/reward

54 THE STUFF OF DREAMS...In a piece of sheer editorial indulgence,we take a trip down Ryder Cupʼsmemory lane with the 2002 winningcaptain, Sam Torrance

62 LOCAL HEROJohn Hopkins explores the remarkabletale of Sir Terry Matthews, a true pioneerand the man who won the Cup for Wales

44 DESTINYʼS CHILDThe Twenty Ten layout was builtspecifically to host the greatest match-play event in golf. Course architect RossMcMurray and Celtic Manorʼs HonoraryCaptain Gareth Edwards provide thecommentary on a whirlwind tour

76 LAST BIG DATE WITH DESTINYEuropeʼs bid to win back the Cup is led bya man who is combustible, contraversialand never less than combative. RobertGreen on Captain Monty

80 A FEW GOOD MENIncreasingly, the support of a trusted team of vice captains is seen as vital to a successful campaign – and Monty has chosen wisely, writes Andy Farrell

84 OK, SO WHATʼS IT WORTH?Gi Business Editor Richard Gillisexamines eight awkward questions thepeople who run the Ryder Cup wouldprefer we didnʼt ask...

88 TEAM TALKWhen it comes to analysing the wild-card selections and the strength of potential pairings, few people in golf are as informed and well-placed as Sky Sports ̓Tim Barter.

88 TOO CLOSE TO CALLAs the date of the match draws ever closer, those in the know – including our own Jeremy Chapman – believe that while Europe may have the edge, itʼs going to be another nail-biter

106 RESORT SPOTLIGHTFor Greece, itʼs game on:In the shape of Costa Navarino, inthe south-west corner of Greece,Europe has a new and hugelyimpressive new destination

110 19TH HOLE Q&AAs Sky sports prepares to roll out 3Dcoverage of the Ryder Cup at CelticManor, Richard Simmons talks to thechief of BSkyB, Jeremy Darroch

114 HEALTHI can see clearly now!: A recentconvert to golf, Joanna Seagravedecided the scenery around her homein the French Alps warranted a closerlook at laser eye surgery

142 WATCHING BRIEFTodayʼs leading sportsmen andwomen are natural partners for theworldʼs luxury watch-makers, asCaragh McKay reports

118 MOTORINGStripped for pure driving pleasure:The Porsche Boxster Spyder is thelightest model to roll out of Stuttgart.And the most exhilerating, reportsAnthony ffrench-Constant

Subscribe TODAY and you will receive a dozen Srixon golf balls with your order. Itʼs a no-brainer – for just £34.99 you will have all eight issues of Gi delivered to your door PLUS recieve a dozen Srixon Z-Star or Z-Star X premium golf balls (which on their own retail for £44.99 per dozen) see page 154

Subscribe today – don’t miss out on a single issue

RYDER CUP 2010 PREVIEW

INSTRUCTION

WITHIN PLANET GOLF26 Rotate! If you slice the ball, then you need to

pay attention as Jonathan Yarwoodpresents two of his favourite anti-sliceremedies....

30 Chi-power GOLF: Jayne Storey continues her series with a look at the benefits of meditation and breathing exercises as a means to combat pressure and hold your nerve

46 MAJOR MINDSEuropean Tour Mind Coach Dr Karl Morris works with Graeme McDowell and just six

weeks before the Open was called in to help Louis Oosthuizen. With the start of a new series, this is your opportunity to apply what are clearly winning methods and techniques

to your game

50 ON THE LESSON TEEWhat makes GMac tick? From the moment hearrived at Pebble Beach, Graeme McDowellwas relaxed and confident in his game. Here,his coach, Pete Cowen, takes you through theswing that won the US Open

94 PLAY IT AGAIN, SAMShot on location on the course that bears hisname at Fairmont St Andrews, Sam Torranceshares the lessons that have made him one ofthe gameʼs most consistent professionals, withadvice all the way from tee-to-green

122 THE RULE OF THUMBThe exact positioning of the left thumb is thevital keystone of the grip and, as such, criticalto your ability to make a sound golf swing. PGAMaster Professional Luther Blacklock givesyou a valuable ʻhands-onʼ lesson – one that willgive you the best foundation upon which tobuild a better

140 JUNIOR LESSONS – PART 5: ʻBOUNCINGʼ IT OUTRichard Harrison continues his grassrootsseries, this issue looking at how a ʻbounceboardʼ can help a youngster to master escapinga greenside bunker

150 SILENT MIND GOLF –OVERCOMING THE FEAR FACTORIn the fifth part of this series of six extracts fromhis book, Silent Mind Golf, Robin Sieger looksat the tried and trusted techniques that canhelp you to alleviate stress

156 THE PROFESSIONAL TOUCHIdentifying your landing area – and visualisingthe ball running out to the hole like a putt fromthat point – is the tour playerʼs secret to gettingup and down. Jeremy Dale shows you how togo about following in their example

ISSUE #97 // SEPT/OCT 2010 // RYDER CUP PREVIEW ISSUE

Probably the best instruction on the Planet!

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(MAGAZINE ONLY)


WARNINGCHASING MAJORS CAN BE HAZARDOUS!

Opening rounds of 71, 68 and 67 saw Irelandʼs Rory McIlroy in the second-last group out on Sundayin the US PGA Championship on the Straits Course at Whistling Straits. And while his long gamewas a little off radar over the opening holes of the final round, the quality of his short game was sim-ply breathtaking – this at the 3rd hole being the pick of the early par saves he made to stay in touchwith the leaders. Ultimately, a three-putt at 15 cost Rory his chance of making the play-off, but ifthere is a more exciting young golfer on the planet, we have yet to see him. As for the manner inwhich Dustin Johnson was denied his place in extra holes with Martin Kaymer and Bubba Watson,all we have to say to the officials of the US PGA is take a close look at this – itʼs called a bunker.

Full details and results from Whistling Straits, page 170

PLANET GOLF JUST A CRACKING SHOT

GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM SEPT/OCT 20108

PLANET GOLF

Green light: TV images did not fully dojustice to Roryʼs brilliance from this trapat the back of the 3rd. Getty images ̓acephotographer, Andrew Redington, did

PLANET GOLF

SEPT/OCT 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 9

Exciting upgradesfrom PingTwo of the products in acatalogue of new hard-ware from Ping have amajor championship linkedto their names. Ping staffpro Louis Oosthuizen playedthe new S56 irons and Tour-SRustique wedges during hisdominating performance at theOpen. Both products were addedto his bag in the weeks leadingup to the yearʼs third major.

Elsewhere, Ping stal-warts Miguel Angel Jimenezwon the French Open withhis S56 irons while HunterMahan added to the roll-callwith victory at the WGC atFirestone.

In addition to the blade-style S56, the company is alsolaunching its first forged iron inmore than 40 years. The Anser iron(available in the UK from November)carries the same name as one of theearly models Karsten Solheim producedbefore he transitioned to the popular invest-ment casting process. The newest version,launched in Japan earlier this year, isforged from 8620 steel with a tungstensole that delivers feel with forgiveness.

“The new Anser iron is very exciting forus,” said John Solheim, who leads thecompanyʼs product development efforts asVice President of Engineering. “Weʼve pushedthe forging process to a new level and createdperformance not previously associated with aforged club. It̓ s a beautiful golf club that has created alot of interest from golfers around the world.”

S56 IronsA steel body design with variable tungsten toe weightingpositions the CG for higher launching long irons and morecontrolled, penetrating trajectories in the short irons.Available 2-9, PW, with choice of Dynamic Gold (R300,S300, X100) or KBS Tour (R, S and X flexes). Suggestedretail £100 per club w/steel shaft; £120 w/graphite shaft.

Anser iron (available November)A forged, multi-metal design, the Anser iron combines an8620 steel body and tungsten sole to provide unequalledforged-iron performance. A hollow sole cavity designimproves feel and provides precise placement of the CG forhigher launching iron shots. The progressive set designoffers forgiveness in the long irons and greater control in theshort irons. Available 3-9, PW, stock shaft Project X (5.0, 5.5,6.0 & 6.5), suggested retail £149 per club.www.pinggolf.com

• Next issue, Dominic will be reviewing more new productsfrom Ping, including the K15 Driver & Fairway Woods, theK15 Iron/Hybrid Set and the new Faith Series engineeredespecially for women.

Edited by Dominic Pedler

Tempting technology

Mizunoʼs Japanese X Factor goes globalPreviously only available in the Far East, MizunoʼsJPX range of stylish yet highly forgiving perfor-mance irons will set a new standard for ʻexotictechnology ̓in Europe.

Until now, Mizunoʼs feature-packed JPX rangewas a prime example of the golf industry quirkwhereby leading Japanese companies confine cer-tain select models exclusively to the domesticAsian market prepared to pay premium prices fortheir most premium technology.

But with the internet breaking down the oldcommercial boundaries and pushing down pricesthrough greater competition, Mizuno are now mak-ing JPX a global sub-brand alongside the alreadyestablished MP series.

Starting with the impressive JPX-800 irons, JPXwill replace the existing highly forgiving MX rangewhich, while effective in terms of performance,were viewed by many as a poor relation aestheti-cally to the tour-proven MP series.

Using super-thin face technology, the JPX-800irons deliver the most forgiving MOI measurementand the highest COR reading of any Mizuno ironyet, but all in a neat mid-size head that few single-figure golfers would sneer at.

Indeed, also debuting this autumn, is the JPX-800 Pro – a more compact game-improvementiron that even a tour pro might play (in stark con-trast to, say, the chunkier MX models).

Look out for a funky marketing campaign featur-ing the mercurial Japanese cartoon characterknown simply as X.

Meanwhile, the revered MP series has not beenresting on its laurels and launches two new forg-ings: a mid-handicapperʼs MP-53 and a deliciouslysleek MP-63. Both feature a novel DiamondMuscle construction and continue the trend in sub-tle but effective refinements in head length, solecontour, weighting and feel – most notably thesound through a fascinating process known asHarmonic Impact Technology.

Our tests were taking place as we went topress, so more on this next issue, along withdetails of other new Mizuno offerings which includeMP T-11 wedges and MP putters.

MIZUNO CLUBSGUIDE PRICE (per club):

JPX-800 £75 (steel)/(£100) graphite

JPX-800 Pro £85 steel/£110 graphite

MP-53 £105 (steel)

MP-63 £105 (steel)

www.mizuno.eu

PING CLUBSGUIDE PRICE (per club):

S56 irons £100 w/steel/£120 w/graphite

Anser irons £149 in stock steel shaft

Tour S Rustique wedgesin soft 8620 steel, available in

52, 56 & 60 degrees, £100 w/steel, £120 w/graphite

www.pinggolf.com

PLANET GOLF EQUIPMENT


PLANET GOLF







(MAGAZINE ONLY)


Want to get rid of thatugly distance-sapping slice?Then let me share with you ahandful of practical tips andswing-thoughts that will getyou on track to release theclubhead more freely and onthe right path

Rotate!By Jonathan YarwoodPHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID CANNON/GETTYIMAGES.COMLOCATION: THE CONCESSION, BRADENTON, FLORIDAWWW.GOLFJY.COM

Working on the proper rotation of the right forearmover the left post-impact will help you to deliver theclub on the correct inside-to-square-to-inside path.It will also maximise your clubhead speed (for dis-tance) and help you to rotate your body to a fullyreleased and balanced finish

Gripping a clubwell down theshaft, I want youto support yourleft elbow withthe back of yourright hand

Rehearsing thethrough-swingmove, you thenrotate your leftelbow so that itrolls along theback of the hand

The back ofthe left handpoints to theground as theleft wrist thenhinges up – asit should in thethrough-swing

PLANET GOLF INSTRUCTION


PLANET GOLF

Condensed into these two pages I am here sharing with yousome of the most effective ways in which I work with studentsto eliminate any tendency to slice the ball, the key being toreplace that weak, cutty action with a powerful rotary swingingmotion that maximises your clubhead speed and distance.And this fundamental action of the hands, wrists and fore-

arms through the critical moments post-impact and beyond tothe finish is something I really urge you serious golfers to thinkabout and work on. The two exercises you see here are amongmy particular favourites, for the simple reason both quicklyintroduce you to feelings that will be totally new to anyone whohabitually slices the ball with an out-to-in swingpath.The slow motion drill (left) is one you can rehearse in

between hitting shots on the range, the key being that you feelthe sensation of the left forearm rotating and the left wrist hinge-ing up as it should in a natural release. Trapping a small ballbetween your elbows and keeping it there as you work on thissame critical area of the swing immediately after impact encour-ages the long extension of the arms and the correct rotation ofthe wrists – any tendency to splay your elbows and the ball fallsout. Together these drills can help you improve the quality ofyour release for more speed, better ball striking and more dis-

Rotation of the wrists & forearmsinto the through-swing will transform your ball-striking – you will generatemore speed and enjoy the sensation of free-wheeling to a full finish

Identifying with the correct release of thehands, arms and club canhelp you to eliminate thiscommon problem – the‘chicken-wing’, where thearms fail to straighten, theelbows are seen to splayapart and the club is ‘heldoff’. This not only slowsthe clubhead dramaticallythrough impact but alsocontributes to the slicingaction across the ball. Incontrast, rotating the rightforearm and extending thearms, as you see here(below & right) maximisesyour speed and squaresthe clubface

As your right arm reaches a position parallel with theground your gloved left handshould be visible beneath theright (not a position slicers ofthe ball will be familiar with!)

Here I’m using a trainingball to help encouragethe long extension of thearms and the correctrotation of the wrists andelbows into the through-swing. The key is to keepthe ball in place (a half-deflated beach ball wouldwork just as well)

2-MINUTE LESSON


PLANET GOLF GMAC @ PEBBLE


PLANET GOLF

Gi: What were your emotions walking

down the final hole?

G-Mac: It was bit like a swan, calm on

the outside, chaos underneath! I was

pretty nervous on the 18th tee. I pulled

out the driver and it’s amazing how

the brain plays tricks on you and you

start thinking about what might hap-

pen and all the various different sce-

narios. I had thought about picking the

trophy up during the day but you real-

ly try not to let yourself get into think-

ing that way. The emotions were flying

around, it was an amazing, intense

afternoon. It still hasn’t sunk in.

Gi: Take us through that second shot to

the final hole when you had a protract-

ed discussion with your caddie?

GMac: I had some text messages from

people saying “I’m glad you listened to

your caddie on 18”. Well, it was actually

the other way around! He wanted me to

hit 2-iron down there. But I didn’t want

to leave myself with a horrible little

pitch across the bunker. I said, “I’m hit-

ting 9-iron to 100 yards. Give me a five

and get me out of here, please!”

It was a dream come true to have two

putts from 25 feet to win the US Open.

It’s something I’ve dreamed of all my life

so it was an amazing experience.

Gi: If Gregory Havret had made his

birdie putt at the last would you have

played your second shot any different-

ly, or would you have been happy to

take your chances in a playoff?

GMac: I would have gone for it with

something like a 2-hybrid. I was pre-

pared to hit that shot and it was a good

number for me – 231 yards. But then

lots of guys went into the [front right]

bunker and didn’t get up and down. We

talked it over as Gregory putted, and

although you never pull against a guy I

was happy to see him two-putt and take

that decision away from me.

Gi: How often did you look at the

leaderboard?

GMac: The 11th was the first time I

looked at the leaderboard. I’d bogeyed 9

and 10 so I felt I needed to see what was

happening and try to compose myself. I

looked again on 15 and saw I was two

ahead. At that point I was feeling great

about my chances even though I knew

that the last three were tough. But I really

didn’t allow myself to think it was mine

until I’d cosied it up on the 18th.

Gi: Was there a key shot for you?

GMac: My second shot to the 13th in

the final round, when I hit a 7-iron to 8

feet. I missed the putt but at that point

I think I realized that I had what it

took. I had Phil, Tiger, and Ernie

behind me but they weren’t really mak-

ing a move. The golf course was really

tricky on Sunday and that’s why no

one really got it going.

Gi: Was the course fair? Some holes

stirred considerable controversy.

GMac: The set up was reasonably fair.

Good golf was rewarded, bad golf was

punished. Apart from 14 and 17 it was

fair. 14 was a brute: in the practice

19TH HOLE Q&ADominic Pedler caught up with new US Open champion, Graeme McDowell

With his commandingperformance at PebbleBeach in June, GraemeMcDowell finally ended40 years of European hurtin the US Open sinceTony Jacklin in 1970. GolfInternational was on handas the new championrelived his historic weekon his return fromCalifornia.GMACLOOKSBACK

“The first 48 hourswere a total blur!”says GMac on thecelebrations thatfollowed his his-toric victory atPebble Beach.Back in the UK, avisit to Callaway’sEuropean HQ atChessington (left)provided the firstopportunity toshow off the hand-some silverware

PLANET GOLF


rounds I honestly said that I would be

happy to take four 6s there. And at 17,

I think only seven or eight guys hit the

putting surface on Sunday, which is

crazy. But I liked the course and

thought the USGA did a good job mov-

ing a lot of the tees around and keep-

ing you thinking.

Gi: How did you celebrate?

GMac: It started in the players’ hospi-

tality area with some food and cham-

pagne with family and friends, my cad-

die and a few other caddies like Billy

Foster. We then went to an Irish pub in

Carmel called Brophy’s Tavern. It was a

long night, with a few glasses of cham-

pagne and plenty of adrenaline. I was

on Cloud Nine. I woke up feeling

amazing and saw the trophy there in

the corner of the room.

Gi: We hear you were in demand for

some celebrity functions before you left

California…

GMac: The first 48 hours were a com-

pete blur. I went to LA for The Jay

Leno Show where I was a guest along

with Dakota Fanning. And then I did a

cameo appearance on the set of

Entourage [US comedy-drama TV

show], which was a blast.

Gi: What sort of response did you get from

people in the immediate aftermath?

GMac: It was amazing: calls, text,

emails, Twitter – my website crashed

on the Sunday afternoon. I had some

great messages from people like

Monty, Tony Jacklin, and [Northern

Ireland actor] Jimmy Nesbitt. Tony e-

mailed saying “Welcome to the club!”

Gi: Was it hard to focus given what was

happening to Dustin Johnson?

GMac: You never want to see a guy go

through that. I’m trying to beat him

but you don’t want to see a guy beat

himself. He handed me the lead pret-

ty quickly on Sunday and I had a bit

of a wait on 3rd tee while he went

through his trouble. Those 10 min-

utes actually gave me a bit of time to

get my head screwed on for the day

and really focus.

Gi: How important is your relationship

with your caddie?

GMac: The caddie-player relationship

Two putts for theUS Open...a dreamcome true: GMacand his trustyOdyssey WhiteHot No.7

Golf International: You play the Callaway FT-3 driver which is oneof the earliest Fusion models. I bet the reps have been trying foryears to get you to play one of their newer models?Graeme McDowell: Very much so! And I have actually been test-ing the FT-9 TA which I also like and which is my back-up driver.But driving is one of my strengths and I̓m driving so well with theFT-3 – which was one of the reasons I moved to Callaway in thefirst place. I̓m an old school kind of guy, and I like the old-schoolhead shape of both the FT-3 and the X-Tour fairway wood.My ball speed off it is quite fast and until I find something fasterand more accurate I̓m finding it difficult to change. If it̓ s not bro-ken, don t̓ fix it! Gi: The Aldila Voodoo shaft in your driver is known for the specialX-core construction that̓s said to make it dramatically more sta-

ble. Did you choose it especially for its dispersion?GMac: I feel that I am more accurate with it, but it̓ s also helped me keep myspin rate down which has also helped with distance. And the lightweight [65grammes] helps me feel the clubhead more. I̓ vealways liked a lightweight shaft in the driver. I̓ vebeen an Aldila guy for a long time. I wentthrough all the NVS shafts and now theVoodoo, it̓ s a great shaft.Gi: How much do you rely on launch monitorswhen testing equipment? Are you a techie wholooks regularly at his ballspeed, spin rate andlaunch angle?GMac: I do jump on the TrackMan from time to time to makesure that I̓m flighting it optimally. My launch angle has always been quite low butI̒ ve managed to change that over the years – it̓ s now about 11-12 degrees withmy driver. And TrackMan has helped me to monitor that, as well as my spin rate,to get the optimal distance.Gi: Talking of trajectories, youʼve moved recently to the Project X Flighted shaftsin your Callaway X-forged irons which have a special kick-point profile through-out the set.GMac: Iron trajectories are especially important to me. The lower kickpoint in thelonger irons improves my generally low trajectory [at this end of the set]. But, withmy short irons, I don t̓ like to see high, l̒oopy ̓ball flights. I grew up playing in thewind so I like to play punch and knock down shots. I̓d been struggling earlier in theseason but the higher kick-point of the Project X Flighted in the short irons helpsme get the more piercing flight I want, and with more control over the spin rate.Gi: Your Odyssey White Hot #7 putter has been in your bag for many yearsnow.GMac: I̓ ve been using putters from the White Hot insert range since I was ayoung amateur. I̓ ve got used to the consistent feel of the insert. I̓ ve alwaysbeen a mallet fan. I used the #5 in college, then I used a 2-Ball for a long time. Ipicked up the #7 on a putting green about three years ago and it just sat perfect-ly square for me. I̓ ve used it ever since.Gi: Your wedges seem to have a lot of bounce but also a very distinctive leadingedge that has been ground completely square.GMac: It̓ s partly an alignment thing. When I pick up a typical wedge the bladejust looks too rounded, so I ask the Callaway technicians to grind the leadingedge straight. But I also have it ʻrolled ̓slightly, adding a bit of bounce on thatedge to stop it from digging in too much. But, generally, I like a lot of bounce on

GRAEME’S GEARGraeme McDowell talks to Dominic Pedlerabout his approach to equipment and theclubs that helped him to US Open glory.

continued overleafcontinued overleaf

INSTRUCTION ANALYSIS / PETE COWEN


Graeme McDowell tuned up for the US Open atPebble Beach with a performance in the WalesOpen at Celtic Manor that he described as the‘best of his life’. Rounds of 63 & 64 on the week-end, over a demanding 7,300-odd yard layoutrepresented phenomenal golf – and it was a sig-nificant endorsement of all we have been workingon for some time. As his coach, I am especiallysatisfied that the hard work we have been invest-ing in the short game is finally paying dividends inthe full swing – make no mistake, the better yourunderstanding of impact, spin, compression andflight control around the green, the better thegolfer you will become from tee to green.Looking at this sequence the first point to

make in the set up is that Graeme appears nicely

relaxed over the ball and the arms are comfort-ably placed to create a good ‘sweep angle’ (i.e.the angle between the clubshaft and the arms). Iwouldn’t suggest this is a perfect posture, as I’dlike to see him holding his mid section a littlemore – that’s an area in which he can getstronger. But it’s pretty good.Graeme likes to keep the clubhead outside his

hands as he makes his first move – that’s one ofhis key thoughts and one that prevents the swinggetting too far inside. In the sequence generallyyou get a good sense of the way Graeme worksaround his centre, and (looking at frame 3) thisgives him the feeling that he can make his armswork up on plane as the wrists hinge. This helpshim ‘load’ the left shoulder, which you can see is

What you can learn fromthe swing that won the USOpen? Rather than changeyour natural imprint, it’s bet-ter to work on fine-tuningyour technique to improveyour all-round game

In a balanced set-up,relaxed arms/handscreate this desirable‘sweep angle’

To keep theclubhead outside thehands is one of of G-Mac’s keyswing thoughts

Hands passive asthe shoulders andthe arms create theearly momentum

Graeme worksthe club‘around hiscentre’ – this is a swing controlled byrotation of the body

Left shoulder‘loads’ while thewrists work theclub up on plane

The bowedleft wrist is acharacteristicof G-Mac’stechnique; hehas built hisbody actionaround it

GRAEME MCDOWELL


already in a strong rotated position as the left armreaches parallel with the ground.One thing I would like to see a little more of is

flex in the right knee and thigh through the half-to three-quarter back positions. This flex gives aplayer ‘control of the ground’, as I like to term it.Lose the flex and you lose pressure (control). Thisis something I emphasise to all my players. Thedownward pressure you feel through your feetand lower body is what enables you to interactwith the ground and use it as a power source –the key is that you keep the ground. At the top we can identify a good right arm

position which keeps the right shoulder nice andstable. And I like the 90-degree angle that is cre-ated between the arms. I like to see that as a

constant. I also like it when the right shoulder sits‘down’ – i.e. it doesn’t get behind the player. A lotof golfers lose control of the right shoulder at thetop, which can lead to the club getting behindthem. Graeme doesn’t do that. A lot of people pass comment on Graeme’s

‘bowed’ left wrist at the top, but this is a constantin his swing. Since he was a boy, Graeme hasbuilt his body action around this particular char-acteristic. It’s natural and I see it as a positiverather than a negative. If you want proof, just look at the delivery posi-

tion: he has worked out how to get the clubheadsquare as he approaches impact, and that’s thesecret to playing good golf. Through the ball, histransfer of energy is fantastic. I don’t think there is

any doubt he has ‘got the ground’ as he shiftsinto the downswing with a very powerful ‘squat’motion and then displays fantastic stretch rota-tion of the torso as he unwinds through the ball.You can almost feel the force of the leverage ashe rotates a firm left side and applies the pres-sure on the ball with the right side of his body.It is the quality of this body rotation that sta-

bilises impact for consistency – there is no ‘flip’ ofthe club. And this is a valuable lesson to takefrom this sequence: if you focus on turning theinside (i.e. your body – the hub of the wheel) itsimpossible for the outside (i.e. your arms, handand the club – the spokes and rim) to overtake.The faster and more efficiently you rotate theinside, the further and straighter you hit the ball.

Here you appreciate thevalue of ‘keepingthe ground’ –i.e. feeling thepressure throughthe feet andusing the groundto ‘squat’ into astrong hittingposition

Quality of the bodyrotation stabilisesimpact as right sideapplies the pressure

And the quality ofthat body actionexplains the consis-tency of G-Mac’sdelivery position –on plane, on target

Rotation and lever-age – the secret togenerating speedand power

Free-wheeling toa finish, the shaftexits through theleft shoulder –again, on plane

Totally balanced,the armsfold over toa finish –the conse-quence ofwhat hasgone on before


INSTRUCTION SAM TORRANCE

Playit agaın

Sam

The greatest lessons my fatherever taught me had their basisin the simplicity of a repeatingmotion. Aye, Bob Torrance isnot one to over-complicate thegolf swing – and neither am I

By Sam TorrancePHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID CANNON/GETTYIMAGES.COMLOCATION: THE TORRANCE COURSE, FAIRMONT ST ANDREWS

Golf is played fromthe ground up, and agood foot/leg actionhelps you make a fullturn behind the ball


Through all my years as a touring professional, I have neverreally been one to get too involved in the teaching of thegolf swing. I’m not one for complicated theory, and I’venever been a player who enjoys spending hours on therange hitting balls. I’ve been fortunate in that, through mywhole career, my father, Bob, has looked after my swing inhis typically no-frills manner. As he has always said, a goodswing is created “from the ground up, not from the headdown”, and with a driver in your hands this is a messageworth repeating as you prepare to tee it up.What I have always taken that to mean is that it is

absolutely vital, as you stand to the ball, that you really feelthe turf with the soles of your feet; grip it and interact with itas you then wind up your backswing. Above all else, my own favourite swing thoughts are then

to make sure that I turn my back until it faces the target andto keep my head steady throughout.One of the my swing idiosyncrasies is that, almost to ini-

tiate the backswing, my head moves slightly away from thetarget, perhaps three of four inches. But it maintains height– you don’t ever want to be dropping or dipping your head.Having primed my motion, I then keep my head perfectlystill as I turn and wind up my backswing around a consis-tent spine angle. Very rarely have I achieved a position withthe shaft parallel at the top; what you see here (3) is the fullextent of my backswing movement – but just look at howwell my back is turned on the target with my weight acrossand into my right side. That’s the point I want to make.Coming back down, my objective is to keep my head

behind the ball as I unwind and let the arms and the club-head accelerate and ‘collect’ the ball off the peg. It’s a bigmistake to think in terms of hitting it – just let the ball get inthe way as you swing through to a balanced finish.One other characteristic of mine is that I like to hover the

clubhead behind the ball with a driver. I remember seeingJack Nicklaus do this when I was a boy and I copied him. Ithelps me to keep my hands and arms relaxed, which in turnmakes for a smooth first move away from the ball.To summarise my thoughts on the tee, as per the advice

of my father it is focus on things that are simple and effec-tive: keep your chin up at the set-up, give yourself room tomake a full turn so that your back faces the target and try tokeep your head as steady as you can as you then unwindthrough the ball.

DRIVERStability repeats – my keys to making a solidswing on the tee

I like to hoverthe clubhead –that keeps myhands and armsrelaxed

Start smooth –you don’t hit theball with yourbackswing!

Turn behind theball – I want myback facing thetarget...

...and thenunwind to enjoythe view







(MAGAZINE ONLY)



NINTENDO WII / GOLF PROPERTY / COSTA NAVARINO / MOTORING / WATCHES / MEMORABILIA & MORE...

GOLF INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE SEPT / OCT 2010

A driver’s dream: the Porsche Boxster

Spyder see page 136


Gi: Where and when were you first

introduced to the game?

JD: I first got into golf as a kid growing up in

Northumberland. A lot of my mates at school

played. Golf in the northeast is a working-

class sport, and you find the golf courses in a

lot of the little villages on the

Northumberland coast – places like Alnwick –

are central to the community, so it was a

great time in my life. The thing I love about

golf is that it is inter-generational game. I was

introduced by my father, and now I play with

my son.

Gi: What's best golf lesson you ever had?

JD: I can still recall my dad telling me to slow

down! I’ve not actually had many formal golf

lessons, although we were recently down at

Celtic Manor with the Sky Sports team and I

had two very good tips: Tim Barter told me to

grip a little softer, and Ewen Murray suggested

I stand with my feet a little wider with a driver,

both of which really helped me. The thing

about good coaching, I think – and it’s equally

true in business – is the really good coaches

give you simple thoughts and uncomplicate

what you have made a very complicated issue!

Gi: What other parallels do you draw

between golf and business?

JD: I think there are quite a lot actually. First

of all, both are about positioning yourself.

Often in business, ‘Route A’ isn’t always the

best answer – you have to think through two

or three decisions, and it’s the same in golf,

how you hit the ball and how you unlock a

hole. They are both essentially long-form activ-

ities, so you have to accept that things can go

wrong, and not get too worried about that. But

when things do go wrong, it’s vital you don’t

follow a bad decision with another bad deci-

sion. In other words, you don’t follow one bad

shot with another bad shot. So thinking clearly

in those situations is critical. And then the

third thing that springs to mind is that you

have to be willing to embrace risk. You can

play conservatively, both in golf and in busi-

ness, and do well, but there is a point at which

you have to be willing to be more aggressive

and take a risk. In business you have to be

willing to invest. When I think of the develop-

ment of HD or 3D television technology, these

are markets we have effectively created in the

UK – and at a time when many people were

saying they would never work. So there’s a

point when you have to say, ‘Right, now’s the

time to the attack!’.

Gi: Where is your favourite golfing

destination?

JD: It would have to be playing links golf in

Scotland. I’ve actually just returned from a

trip with my brother-in-law and my son. We

played five times, including the Old Course in

St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. It

was very special. We were lucky with the

weather, too. We had very little rain, a gentle

breeze and a fair bit of sunshine. You really

can’t beat it.

Gi: What piece of new technology has most

improved your game?

JD: Probably the driver. I suspect it hasn’t had

such a big effect on very low handicap players

but for someone like me who plays off 8, and

who doesn’t get to play as often as he’d like,

19TH HOLE Q&A WITH JEREMY DARROCH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE BSKYB

Three years into his role as thechief of BSkyB – a job that hasoften led to him being describedas “one of the most powerful menin sport” – Jeremy Darroch is embracing the challenges thatface Britain’s biggest pay-to-viewTV provider. And, like most of us,he wishes he had more time forhis real passion: golf. Editor Richard Simmonspopped the questions

MEDIA


you can pick up these modern drivers and

feel pretty confident that you’ll be fairly OK.

Gi: A dream fourball?

JD: OK, so it’s me and Seve versus my son

Matthew and Graeme McDowell. But here’s the

deal – both Seve and me are time-warped about 20

years back. And the thing is, I’m guessing that we

would spray it all over the place and then spe-

cialise in getting up and down –which would real-

ly get right up their nose!

Gi: What’s the best round of golf you’ve

ever played?

JD: I’ve had a few rounds where I’ve finished a

couple over par. Probably the best of those was

at Loch Lomond a few years ago – I actually

birdied three of the last five holes, including

holing a bunker shot, which is unheard of for

me. It reminded me that in golf, just as in busi-

ness, you never really know what’s around the

corner. Good or bad.

Gi: What’s the main strength of your game?

JD: I’d say from 100 yards and in. I’m usually

quite consistent with my wedges and can nor-

mally get the ball close enough to give myself

a chance with the putter.

Gi: And weaknesses?

JD: A couple of things – off the tee I tend to

hit at least one destructive shot in a round,

which says something about my technique.

The other thing I’ve found more difficult

recently is maintaining concentration for a

full round. I tend to play nine holes more

often these days, and when I do get to play 18

I struggle to stay focused. I might play 13 or

14 holes fairly well and then lose concentra-

tion. The time it takes to play 18 holes, I

think, is a real long-term threat to the game.

Four or five hours is just too long. There is no

excuse for a twoball not being round in any-

thing less than three hours.

Gi: What’s your favourite gadget?

JD: My iPad. In fact, I have to show you this

[cue demo as he calls up Sky Sports News].

You have basically all of the main sports, up-

to-the-minute news, video streaming. You can

go to the mobile TV app, which gives you all

of the channels. There is an additional fee

over and above your domestic subscription

for the Mobile TV, but it’s a great facility for

those who want to stay connected.

Gi: Who do you most admire in your

own field of business?

JD: Rather than any single individual, the peo-

ple I admire most are the generation we have

coming through at Sky. We have some really

outstanding people and we’re a young compa-

ny. We have a great pool of talent and if you

look across the organisation, well, it’s just

going to keep getting better. I am constantly

impressed by new people – how complete

they are. They have no glass ceiling and they

are very positive.

Gi: Management Today recently ranked Sky

as one of the most admired businesses in

the UK – to what do you attribute that?

JD: We are a fundamentally positive business

and we try to control our own destiny. We are

always open to new ideas and we do interest-

ing things – we are trying to do more in terms

of putting something back. We are currently

involved with schools, using our power in

sports to work with young kids with social or

behavioural problems, using the power of Sky

Sports to help them get their lives back on

track. Golf is a part of that programme. And

we are getting some incredibly strong results.

Gi: Being such a terrific visual spectacle, golf

must be one of the sports likely to benefit

most from 3D TV, which you are rolling out

at the Ryder Cup. How challenging is film-

ing golf in 3D?

JD: It’s challenging and exciting because it’s

the next real frontier. The 2006 Ryder Cup at

the K Club was the first time we shot golf in

HD, which was fantastic at the time. 3D takes

it to the next level, as you really do get per-

spective of the course, you can see the con-

tours and the details of each shot. At Celtic

Manor we will shoot all of the games on the

1st tee and then jump to the 4th or the 5th

hole and catch them up again. We will also

have a number of roving cameras to follow

any particularly exciting match. The thing we

are learning with 3D is that it provides an

entirely different perspective on the game. The

camera angles are different, the art direction is

different. So producers and cameramen have a

blank canvas in terms of what we deliver. I

think our audience will be fascinated by it.

There is just so much more richness in terms

of what you – the viewer – sees.

Gi: When you look at the issues facing golf,

with falling participation numbers and golf

clubs struggling to attract members, what

can Sky do in terms of helping the game

and attracting new players?

JD: Sky can help in a number of ways. First of

all, it would be a mistake to overlook the

investment we make in terms of securing

broadcast rights. That really is a significant

financial commitment. The relationship that

we have with the European Tour has been one

of the most productive partnerships of any

Following some good advice from Sky Sportsʼexpert analysts Tim Barter and Ewen Murray,Jeremy took his A game to The Twenty TenCourse at Celtic Manor (left); this year Skyʼswall-to-wall Ryder Cup coverage will be avail-able for the first time in 3D; (below) three birdiesover the closing five holes turned a so-so roundat Loch Lomond into a truly memorable outing

You’d imagine that most manufac-

turers would think twice about

conjuring a new car which auto-

matically evokes thoughts of

mangled metal and sudden

death. But then, Porsche isn’t most manufac-

turers and, with the new Boxster Spyder, seems

entirely content to rekindle memories of the

1954 550 Spyder in which silver screen legend

James Dean lost his life. He called it the “little

bastard”, with good reason as it turned out.

However, in its 2010 iteration, the Spyder

has – with the possible exception of an hilari-

ously complex DIY roof mechanism, which

we’ll come to – absolutely nothing of the bas-

tard about it whatsoever. Unless, that is, you

consider paying rather more for almost

entirely less to be something of an affront.

The more includes a price tag of £44,643 –

which makes the Spyder the most expensive

Boxster variant you can buy – and a modest

performance hike. The 3.4 litre flat-six is the

same capacity as that of the Boxster S, but

boasts an additional 10bhp, now delivering

320bhp at a peak of 7200rpm, 950rpm higher

than the regular car. Maximum torque is also

boosted, from 266 lb ft to 273lb ft at 4750rpm.

The less, most significantly, concerns

weight and ride height. By dint of aluminium

doors and a one-piece rear deck, a folding

canvas and carbon-fibre frame roof that

weighs just 11kg, carbon-backed bucket seats,

the lightest set of 19” inch allow wheels the

company makes, and the deletion of every

creature comfort including the stereo, air con-

ditioning, door pockets, cup holders, the cowl

over the instrument binnacle and even the


PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER

Shorn of irrelevant creature comforts, the Boxster Spyder is the lightest of all the models to roll out of Stuttgart. It’s also the most exhilarating forthe driver who likes to feel at one with the heart of the machine. Gi’s motoring correspondent Anthony Ffrench-Constant reports

Stripped for pure driving pleasure

The body side graphics are coolly retro, while theaddition of a new sports suspension and shorter,stiffer springs gives the Spyder a lower, meanerpoise than the Boxster S. As with all convertibles,it’s designed to look its best with the roof stowed

door handles (replaced with fabric pull

straps), Porsche has shaved some 80kg from

the Boxster S weight. At just 1275kg, this is

the lightest car rolling out of Stuttgart.

A new sports suspension incorporates

shorter, stiffer springs, firmer dampers and

new front and rear anti-roll bars. Thanks to a

20mm drop in ride height and the lack of

bulk from the lightweight roof, the Spyder’s

centre of gravity is 25mm lower than that of a

Boxster S.

Ironically, the less also relates to perfor-

mance. Though the Spyder will yell to 62mph

from a standstill in 5.1 seconds (a frankly

imperceptible 0.2 seconds faster than a

Boxster S) and on to 163mph, you’ll only be

able to manage that with the roof removed.

Roof in place, top speed is limited to 124mph,

thereafter the complex fabric construction pre-

sumably making a decent fist of offering itself

up to the slipstream, piece by piece, unaided.

Roof in place, the Spyder looks good

enough. The body side graphics are coolly

retro, and it’s lower, meaner and a whisker

less effeminate than a standard Boxster. As

with all convertibles, however, it’s designed to

look at its best with the roof stowed and,

indeed, the transformation is dramatic; from

good enough to absolutely fantastic.

Trouble is, you have to take the roof – or as

Porsche variously refers to it, ‘sunsail’ or ‘cap’

– off first…

Strict adherence to the family motto – If All

Else Fails Read the Instructions – allied to an

entirely misguided whiff of intuition saw me

start by undoing the windscreen-head lever.

Wrong, of course. This is actually the last step

in the process, and almost impossible to recti-

fy once released out of sequence.

Happily, Porsche provided a laminated card

of roof removal and replacement instructions

to avoid excessive rummaging through a phone

book-thick glove box manual. Unhappily, this

took the form of a 16-panel cartoon featuring

more directional arrows than a Day Three map

of Operation Overlord and 20 individually num-

bered actions for roof removal, yet, bizarrely,

only 17 for replacement.

Mercifully, youthful years of Airfix-spon-

sored locating tab A on to lug B while ensuring

no glue attaches to pin E in order to ensure


“There remains nothing quite like a Porsche for plug-ging the driver right into theheart of the machine. Your relationship with all the majorcontrols is perfect, the levelsof tactility not far adrift fromwhat’s available in arespectable racing car”

INSTRUCTION LUTHER BLACKLOCK


The Rule of

Positioning your lefthand in such a waythat the thumb runsparallel with the shaftis key to a sound grip– and will help youmake and repeat abetter golf swing

Thumb


If you were to come and see me for a 5-minute golflesson, and I could teach you just one vital element oftechnique, I would focus on the position of the leftthumb on the grip. This tiny detail is the keystone ofthe grip and – as such – critical in the process ofmaking a sound golf swing. Aligning the left thumbcorrectly, using the natural and neutral form of yourhand, gives you full control of the clubface and a yourbest chance of controlling the golf ball. Of course,there are many great players, both past and present,who have succeeded with varying styles of grip, soobviously this is not the only way to do it. But in myexperience this simple piece of advice will give you thebest foundation upon which to build a sound andeffective swing

By Luther BlacklockPGA MASTER PROFESSIONALPHOTOGRAPHY: MATTHEW HARRIS • SHOT ON LOCATION AT WOBURN GOLF CLUB



As you prepare to take your grip, stand up comfortably and

allow your left arm to hang down by your side naturally (1). Thepalm of your hand will want to face inwards, and the fingers will

curl slightly – that’s just the way we are designed. What I want

you to do is just straighten the left hand, pointing the fingers

directly down to the ground and making the back of your hand

square to the target line (2). Doing this creates a thumb positionposition that is then neat and parallel to the clubshaft, the thumb

resting just to the right of centre on the grip as you look at it.

The position you see in the sequence of fitting (above) showsthe correct placement of the left thumb on the grip as the hand

is applied and the fingers curl around the shaft to take a secure

hold. You can see that the thumb is pointing downwards, high-

lighted by the red line I have marked on the glove, sitting just to

the right of centre on the grip (as you, the player, view it). Notice

that the tip of the thumb does no protrude any further than the

first knuckle on my index finger – it is comfortably ‘short’ on the

grip, which helps to create the snug fit. This principle, plus the

concept of the thumb running parallel to the shaft and slightly

right of centre is the essence of this instructional piece.

Oh, and bye the way, you can forget that old adage about

the ‘V’ formed between the left thumb and forefinger pointing

How to fit the left hand correctly – try this simple procedureParallel alignment of the left thumb with the shaft encourages perfect grip

As you wrap your fingersaround the grip to takehold, check that yourthumb is ‘short’ and parallel with the shaft

Right handcomes in naturally frombeneath thegrip

Pad at the base of theright thumbcovers the left

With your left armhanging to your side,straighten your handand point back ofglove to the target


The benefits offitting the lefthand correctlyare overwhelm-ing! So get towork on get-ting this keyfundamentalright everytime!

up towards your right shoulder. With such a variety of human physiques,

and the fact that you adjust the ball position quite significantly to play dif-

ferent shots with different clubs, such crude advice does not do justice to

such an important principle.

Nine reasons to be careful when fitting your left hand...Good golf begins with a good grip...and with just a few minutes’ rehears-

ing the routine above you will take care of what I believe is one of the

most important fundamentals in golf – the correct fitting of the left

hand/thumb. And when you get this right you will enjoy a host of benefits

that will immediately improve your ability to swing a golf club.

So here are nine reasons to be careful when taking hold of the club

with your left hand. Remember, it is not true because I say so; rather the

fact that this is the natural structure of your hand.

• A neat left thumb encourages good posture

• Fitting the left hand correctly encourages a straight left arm at address

• The neutral placement of the hands makes it easier to square the

shoulders as you finalise your position over the ball

• A good grip establishes a good angle between your left forearm and the

clubshaft at address, helping to ensure that the hands are at their ideal

height for any given club

• The fleshy pad at the base of your right palm will dovetail neatly with

the left thumb, thus unifying both hands

• A well-formed grip grip aligns the forearms nicely

• The wrists/forearms work within the safety of the swing plane

• The neutral position of the left thumb prevents the excessive wrist hinge

that can lead to an overswing at the top

• Bonus ball: You won’t wear out your glove so quickly!

With the left armcomfortably straight,you create a wonder-ful Y-shape with yourarms and the club

Taking the club correctly in the left hand helps you create goodposture angles at the set up. As the right hand joins the left, theelbows & forearms establish a good working relationship andyou will more easily assume a ‘square’ set up over the ball







(MAGAZINE ONLY)




If your left thumb extends too far down the shaft (i.e. it is draped well beyondthe first knuckle of the index finger – as per the image above), what tends tohappen is that you lose the cohesion of the unit of a good grip and, at thesame time, render yourself open to the situation where the wrists are liable tohinge excessively as you reach the top of the backswing.I have known some cases where a ‘long’ left thumb also negatively affects

posture, as the way in which the hand is angled in order to physically extendthe thumb down the shaft causes a player to address a ball with their handstoo low, leading to a slumped posture.Neither of these scenarios is particularly desirable, and so I urge you to

check your own grip and make sure that the left thumb is ‘short’ on the grip,so that your right hand is able to fit snug – that gives you the cohesion youneed.Being susceptible to a ‘long’ left thumb is more common in female and

junior golfers who have less strength in their hands and wrists than an adultmale golfer. But I’ve also seen the damaging extension of the left thumb inplayers who use the ‘interlocking’ style of grip and who allow the hands toget too deeply interlocked, to the extent that the web of the right little fingeris driven into the web of the left index finger.For that reason alone, I would advise against the interlocking grip in favour

of the Vardon or overlapping style.The chief danger with a ‘long’ left thumb is that the security of the grip

itself is challenged, as extending the left thumb has the effect of making itmore difficult to grip the club firmly with the last three fingers of the left hand– precisely where you should feel your grip pressure. Too much pressure isexerted on the joint of the left thumb (rather than its pad), the teel-tale signbeing that you tend to wear a hole in your glove. In a good grip, the leftthumb pad takes the strain at the top.

What happens when you get the left thumb position wrong?Beware of the following common mistakes – all of which are caused by the incorrect fitting of the lefthand/thumb at the set up. If you recognise anything here in your own game then thumb back (!) to thebeginning of this article and dedicate some time to getting this key fundamental right

The so-called ‘long’ left thumb can lead to the handsbeing too low at the set up, causing a slumped pos-ture, and – invariably – to signs of overswing at thetop via excessive wrist action and a breakdown in thesecurity of the grip

‘Long’ left thumb costs you the security of a sound gripExtending thumb down the shaft also affects posture & invites excessive wrist action

‘Long’ left thumb destroysthe unity of a good grip,and the hands are inclinedto work independently. Itwas Gary Player who oncesaid: ‘You have to own theclub at the top’ – fitting theleft hand correctly is criti-cal to you doing that


Gi Travel

With such gems as the Boat of Garton, Grantown-on-Spey, Elgin and Moray on the itinerary, small wonder that Speyside is one of the most popular destinations for golfers in search of the true Highlands experience. That the Speyside Valley is home to over half of Scotland’s malt whiskey distilleries is a rather happy coincidence, as Mark Alexander reportsPHOTOGRAPHY: MARK ALEXANDER

WHISKY AND GOLF WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER. PERHAPS

it’s the intoxicating aroma of the spirit mixed with the exhilaration

of the game, but their compatibility has created a multi-million

pound industry based on the bond between sport and booze.

Their association has been long and fruitful. At the corporate

end, tournament sponsorship has been the most obvious

upshot, but the relationship between a round of golf and a wee

dram goes far deeper than advertising boards and prize money.

Clinking glasses at the end of a hard-fought match has been

customary since golf came of age. It’s part of the fabric. So

where better to explore this lasting bond than in the golden

land of the Speyside Valley where almost half of Scotland’s

famous malt whisky distilleries are located.

This remarkable wedge of the Scottish Highlands is home to

clear springs and abundant supplies of fragrant golden barley –

the key ingredients for making whisky. It also boasts a string of

fabulous tracks penned by some of the legends of golf course

design, with views to match.

River rivalry

Laid out by James Braid and opened 112 years ago, Boat of

Garton (known locally as the ‘Boat’) has long been associated


THE DELIGHTS OF SPEYSIDE

The par three opening hole atthe Boat of Garten, a JamesBraid classi and renowned asone of the Highland’s mostpicturesque layouts

with Highland golf, and with good reason. This parkland track

has an enviable reputation for its scenic charms which are evi-

dent from the first tee. The par-three opener certainly tests the

nerves but also provides the first glimpse of Lairig Ghru and

Braeriach – the great mountain passes and corries of the

Cairngorm mountain range.

For all its Highland grandeur, the first hole does little to indi-

cate what’s to follow however. After all, the fairway is relatively

flat and sedate. The second hole puts the record straight with

undulations, dips and hollows that create a fairway of infinite

possibilities. It’s a pattern repeated from then on in with blind

shots and uneven stances galore. In fact, the challenge present-

ed by the Boat is anchored in the course’s contours which can

entice your ball into danger all too easily. For the first-timer,

playing the course with a member (the Ladies Captain in my

case!) is a must.

“The Boat is a great example of a course that doesn’t need to

be long to be difficult,” says Scottish golf course architect Tom

Mackenzie who advised the club on some changes to the course

a few years back. “It’s narrow, bouncy and up and down, so you

have to negotiate your way through it. You can’t just blast your

way round. It is Highland golf.”







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35

Paul Casey. The man then ranked 9th in the world could not getinto a team representing the 12 best players in Europe. The win-ner of the 2006 Worldmatch Play Championship, the runner-up atthe 2009 and 2010 Accenture Match Play Championships and theman who finished third in the Open was surplus to requirements.Casey, paired with Harrington in New Jersey on the day ofMonty’s announcement, must have found it hard to understandwhy he was excluded and the Irishman was included. No one, though, could doubt Edoardo Molinari’s claim to be

the third of Montgomerie’s selections. “In my 24 years on tour Ihave never seen a finish of that quality when under such pres-

sure,” Montgomerie said of the older Molinari’s surge to victory inthe Johnnie Walker Championship. If there had been any doubtsabout Edoardo, winner at Loch Lomond in July and now atGleneagles near the east coast of Scotland in August, his remark-ably gutsy birdie-birdie-birdie finish dispelled them. What youwant from a teammate is that he has mental strength, intestinalfortitude, and the older Molinari clearly has. Europe has a very strong team, stronger from 1-12 than any

previous team, even though it has only three major championswith five major titles between them – three by Harrington, oneeach by Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer. The 1987European team that became the first to win in the US had fourmajor champions – Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langerand Sandy Lyle, who at that time had won seven majors. Will Monty’s men be good enough? They should be. Perhaps

they must be. So much is riding on this Ryder Cup. The biennialcompetition is the cash cow for the European Tour, generatingsomething between £50 million and £60 million, and victory inWales will make up for rather worrying reports in the weeks lead-ing up to the event that tickets and the sale of hospitality unitswere going more slowly than expected. Montgomerie has a fewtesting weeks ahead of him, culminating on October 3. He hasmade a good start, though. In Scotland, he played a blinder.

id you have doubts about Captain Montgomerie inthe forthcoming Ryder Cup? Were you thinkingthat he might not be focused on the events atCeltic Manor, what with all that is going on his pri-vate life? Steady, steady. It is too early to tell how

Montgomerie will do in Wales in October but in Scotland inAugust he gave us an insight into his character and showed he isup for a fight with Corey Pavin’s team. If Montgomerie’s captain-cy is as good as his performance in the Scottish glens then theRyder Cup is on its way back to this side of the Atlantic. Looking like a well-fed civil servant and lacking only a pair of

half-moon glasses over which to peer at theassembled media, Montgomerie gave a polishedperformance. Some surprising stumblers overEdoardo Molinari’s name aside – he was Edoradoand then Eduardo before he was “the excellentMr Molinari” – the captain demonstrated thatadding the combined brainpower of PaulMcGinley, Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn to hisown made sure that the most positive messagepossible was sent west across the Atlantic. CoreyPavin, the US captain, and other members of theUS party who were watching the announcementmust have been impressed at two unexpectedmasterstrokes Montgomerie came up with. The first was the addition of Sergio Garcia to

the team as the fourth vice-captain after Clarke,Bjorn, and McGinley. It had always seemed morelogical to have four vice-captains, one for eachmatch, than three and now he has them. Nevermind there is only one Spaniard in the team,Garcia is there because he has been the heartbeatof Europe teams in the past and because of hisirrepressible personality at Ryder Cup time. Hisexperience gained from playing in the past fiveRyder Cups won’t do any harm either to a teamcontaining six rookies, particularly if the unthink-able occurs and Lee Westwood is not fit to play.Padraig Harrington, with five previous appear-ances, then becomes the senior pro.The second master stroke was to include Rhys

Davies, the young Welsh player, who has suchpromise and whose presence out on the coursealongside Montgomerie will be a sop to the Welshspectators. Montgomerie had spoken warmly ofDavies during the Wales Open. At Gleneagles hecalled Davies “the guy with the million-dollar putting stroke” andsaid he was going to play in many Ryder Cups in future. “Rhyswill be my buggy driver,” Montgomerie said. Within moments of Montgomerie’s announcement, the thought

was of Justin Rose warming up on the practice ground before thefourth round of the Barclays event in New Jersey, the first of thefour FedEx Cup events. Two tournament victories in the space offour events in the US this past summer were not good enough toget him into a second Ryder Cup and being ranked 22nd in theworld was not good enough either. Having won three points out offour in the previous Ryder Cup counted for nothing. This decisioncould come back to haunt Montgomerie, as could the exclusion of

LAST SHOT

After Edoardo Molinari's superb victory at Gleneagles, no one was surprised to see the gutsy Italian join brother Francesco on the bus to Celtic Manor. Elsewhere, the captain had some tough calls to make

Monty tees it up with conviction

JOHNHOPKINS

D

Faith in histeam: theremay be sixrookies inMonty’s line-up for CelticManor, but it’sa side packedwith talent


golf international 97

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