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53 Articles

OLYMPIC GOLF HAS FINALLY FOUND ITS PLACE

When golf returned to the Olympic Games in 2016 after a 112-year gap, I was sceptical. It wouldn’t be a priority for players… A gold medal would never mean more than a Green Jacket or Claret Jug… It wouldn’t be supported by the biggest names in the game… When half the eligible field in Rio pulled out citing the Zika virus, my enthusiasm waned even more. But after watching the men’s and women’s events in Paris this year, I have come full circle – Olympic golf is captivating! The men’s final round at Paris National was one of the highlights of the year; maybe not quite as dramatic as the back nine of the US Open, but certainly on a par with the other three Majors, and arguably better. Paris…

OLYMPIC GOLF HAS FINALLY FOUND ITS PLACE

THE COMPLETE HAT-TRICK

FRONT NINE Lydia Ko needed just one victory to enter the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. She did it on the biggest stage possible in Paris, beating Esther Henseleit by two to become the first golfer in history to complete the Olympic slam. Since golf was reintroduced in 2016, only three players have bested the 27 year old. Silver in Rio, bronze in Tokyo, and now gold in Paris. A few hours later, the Kiwi took to Instagram to announce that she will not be defending her title in LA 2028, having previously made it clear she will not continue playing into her thirties. With a gold medal around her neck, we’re now inclined to believe her. “I do feel like I’m a mythical character in a story,” she said…

THE COMPLETE HAT-TRICK

'I REALLY DON'T LOVE THE RYDER CUP'

FRONT NINE JONATHAN EDWARDS LOCKER ROOM CHAT How did you get into golf? There were two things I wanted to do after I retired – one was to go on a family skiing holiday and the other was to play golf. So I joined a golf club, became an avid player, and I played the Dunhill Links a few years after I retired. My first handicap was 13, then my son and I had consistent lessons throughout the winter and I dropped down to six. I just fell in love with it and now golf is my main thing. Does your athletics background translate well to the course? It’s interesting because golf has become much more athletic rather than purely skill-based. You look at all the longest drivers and the way…

'I REALLY DON'T LOVE THE RYDER CUP'

WINTER RULES REFRESHER

When are Winter Rules being introduced? There is no set time, though the decision rests with the Committee who can introduce a Local Rule for preferred lies (also known as Winter Rules). Most courses in the UK implement a Local Rule from October 1 until April 30, but it’s worth checking your club noticeboard for the status of the course before teeing off. Where do Winter Rules apply? Any part of the general area cut to fairway height or less. This includes fringes, aprons and even paths through the rough when they are cut to fairway height or less. Do I have to mark my ball before picking it up? When taking relief, you are not required to mark the original spot before picking and cleaning your ball. But it…

WINTER RULES REFRESHER

THE 2024 PRESIDENTS CUP

1 The Americans don't lose The last time it happened at the Presidents Cup, Bill Clinton was still in office and Scottie Scheffler was barely two years old. Their record is so dominant that they’ve now won 12 of the 14 matches played, including the last nine in a row, dating back to 2005. 2 Jim Furyk's team is absolutely stacked The Americans are big favourites for a reason. Ten of them are ranked inside the world’s top 20 compared to just two (Hideki Matsuyama and Tom Kim) on the International side. There’s also a good chance that Keegan Bradley will be a playing vice-captain. 3 Canada expects There is nothing Canadians love more than beating Americans. In Mike Weir, they’ve got the country’s best-ever golfer captaining the Internationals and a strong Canadian…

THE 2024 PRESIDENTS CUP

THE IRON THAT THINKS IT'S A DRIVER

To mark the 10th anniversary of the game-changing Apex iron, Callaway wanted to create what they consider to be the holy grail of irons. Step forward the titanium-face Apex Ti Fusion. We know titanium irons are not ground-breaking; TaylorMade had the P790 Ti in 2019 and Callaway had their own tungsten and titanium Great Big Bertha iron decades ago. But the material comes with some inherent problems. Titanium is super light, which is why it’s been used in drivers for decades. However, full titanium body irons create issues for CG positioning. Titanium and steel also hate being fused together, so until now it’s been a major challenge creating titanium face and steel body irons that bring significant gains to the table. But that’s exactly what the £1,999-a-set Ti Fusion does.…

THE IRON THAT THINKS IT'S A DRIVER

In a nutshell Disneyland meets golf and gastronomy at the No.1 golf resort in England. The vibe The Lamborghinis and Bentleys hint at the kind of company you keep in this playful corner of Hertfordshire, which is a popular haunt among the rich and famous. Tiger Woods won the WGC at The Grove in 2006, while Tom Cruise, David Beckham and Kylie Minogue have all set foot on the 300-acre estate at one time or another. Being less than 10 minutes from Warner Bros. Studio also means they cater for lots of families who are taking a tour of the Harry Potter sets. The hotel Just 18 miles from London, the 18th century mansion sits on the crest of a mile-long driveway which takes you past huge swathes of parkland…

'GOLF'S MOST CHERISHED TOURNAMENTS AREN'T ABOUT THE MONEY'

In the landscape of professional golf, where prize money and sponsorship deals often dominate conversation, it’s easy to forget the essence and soul of the game we’ve all become so obsessed with. Every once in a while, a tournament takes place that reminds us of this essence. Notably, the events that resonate most deeply with players and fans aren’t those offering the biggest pay cheques, but rather those played purely for pride, honour and tradition. Competitions like the Ryder Cup, Walker Cup and, more recently, the Olympics strip the game down to its core and are a welcome addition to the golf calendar. I was fortunate enough to be at the Ryder Cup in Marco Simone last year and it was a week incomparable to any other. It’s an experience,…

'GOLF'S MOST CHERISHED TOURNAMENTS AREN'T ABOUT THE MONEY'

'I'D FORGOTTEN HOW TOUGH IT IS TO BE IN CONTENTION'

I set the course record, had my best finish since coming back from injury, and there were so many positives. Yet when I walked off the 72nd hole at the Czech Masters last month, I was gutted, man. I had to have an hour on my own, gathering my thoughts and calming down, trying to get over what might have been. Forty-eight hours earlier I’d been buzzing. In fact, three hours earlier I’d been buzzing. I was right in the hunt for the title as I reached the turn and then bang… bogey, bogey, bogey, out of nowhere. No horrendous mistakes, just those fine margins. But within three holes I’d gone from having a real hope of the win to needing to stop the bleeding and fast. It was such…

'I'D FORGOTTEN HOW TOUGH IT IS TO BE IN CONTENTION'

GET IN TOUCH As well as email (editorial@todaysgolfer.co.uk) and post (Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA), you can contact us using any of these social platforms… @Thetodaysgolfer @TodaysGolferBauer @Todaysgolfer @Todaysgolfer TEED OFF! LETTER OF THE MONTH My friends and I are becoming increasingly frustrated that many clubs still insist on making us play off the yellow ‘visitor’ tees. We enjoy the challenge of playing off the white/back tees, but it appears this is still a rarity, especially across North Wales. It’s refreshing to see that Aberdovey have scrapped the ‘traditional tees’ idea, in favour of gold, silver, bronze etc, which enables anyone to play off the tees that best suit their ability. Surely it’s time all clubs adopted this approach? Imagine a scratch female golfer being told that, because…

NO MORE MR SLICE GUY!

Look, we’ve heard it all before. Whatever you do, nothing works. You’ve tried… but you’re stuck with it. The slice can do this to you. It is a worthy adversary with the power to make you doubt your ability, your resolve, even your potential as a golfer. But at TG, we don’t see it that way. With the right approach, you CAN get on top of your slice… and it’s that approach we offer here. It starts with knowing your enemy, ends with knowing yourself, and between the two delivers the understanding and technical changes you will need to slay this particular dragon. You might well notice a different approach here; instead of throwing the usual anti-slice swing drills at you – you know them, you’ve tried them, they didn’t…

NO MORE MR SLICE GUY!

Your guide to the SOLHEIM CUP THE RECORD-BREAKERS The history of the Solheim Cup can be told in one sentence: American dominance followed by a sustained European fightback. In the early years, Team USA won four of the first five matches, including the first event in 1990. They didn’t lose on home soil until 2013, though the Europeans have had more than their fair share of highs since then. Under Catriona Matthew, they completed the home and away double for a second time in 2021, which means it’s been seven years since our American cousins have got their hands on the Cup, their longest run without a victory. All the momentum is now with the blue and gold brigade, who are looking to become the first side in history to…

THE POWER COUPLE LINN GRANT & MAJA STARK The Swedish superstars are almost certainly the first names on the team sheet for the opening foursomes. Pettersen asked them to hit the first tee shot in Spain 12 months ago and Grant believes they’ve only ever lost once in foursomes play, having won the European Ladies’ Team Championship three times together as well as the Sunningdale Foursomes in 2019. Individually, they’ve also taken their game to new heights this season and have now notched seven titles apiece on the LPGA and LET in the last three years, more than any other European player in that period. They have the star quality to cause some major upsets. THE YOUNG GUN ROSE ZHANG The phrase ‘generational talent’ gets overused, but in Zhang’s case…

'WE CAN MAKE HISTORY AGAIN'

Let me take you back to Friday last year, after the foursomes. You’d just lost the opening four matches. What was going through your head at that time, because Laura Davies said she was thinking of damage limitation? I imagined a lot of different scenarios but I never really prepared for a scenario of being 4-0 down. But at the same time there was no panic on my side. I didn’t think the girls had played that badly. It can happen, sometimes you get outplayed. It was almost like a good wake-up call. A lot of Solheims in recent years have luckily gone our way and sometimes you think that is going to keep happening. I guess it made us roll up our sleeves and realise that it’s not going…

'WE CAN MAKE HISTORY AGAIN'

IN DANGER OF GOING UNDER

SUSTAINABILITY IN GOLF We’ve been banging the sustainability drum for a while now. But without the proper buy-in from every one of us, many golf clubs risk going under due to rising costs, new employment laws, environmental legislation and the ever-increasing desire to build new houses on green spaces. Over the next nine pages, we look at the biggest challenges facing the golf industry, profile two clubs that are doing things right in the UK, and reveal the part you can play in safeguarding the future of our courses.…

IN DANGER OF GOING UNDER

SUSTAINABILITY IN GOLF When The Open Championship made its long-awaited return to Royal Portrush in 2019, the Emerald Isle was the ideal setting for what, at the time, would be the greenest Major Championship ever held. After more than 100,000 single-use plastic water bottles had been consumed at Carnoustie a year earlier, the R&A responded by handing out 5,000 Openbranded, reusable bottles to fans to fill at the 19 water stations spread throughout the grounds at Portrush, as well as issuing each player and caddie with personalised stainless steel bottles. But when The Open returns to the Causeway Coast again in 2025, it will be even greener and this time, it’s the County Antrim club – and not the game’s governing body – who take the lion’s share of the…

TAKING A GREENER APPROACH

SUSTAINABILITY IN GOLF With partnerships across both the amateur and professional games, national governing bodies and non-golf organisations including government agencies and non-profit organisations, the GEO Foundation have a footprint in almost 70 countries worldwide. “Our culture is very much like a caddie,” explains Executive Director Jonathan Smith. “The foundation set itself up to know the terrain, help navigate the course and to build a decent set of tools to support the golf industry’s leadership.” There are several different forks to the GEO Foundation which can be broken down into four main tenets: advocacy, programs and solutions, innovation, and impacts. By helping to devise strategies and practices for such a wide-ranging collection of those within the golf industry, and then collating and curating all the data, the GEO are able…

TAKING A GREENER APPROACH

GOLF'S SILENT KILLER

SUSTAINABILITY IN GOLF COASTAL EROSION Links golf courses owe their very existence to the sea and the deposits it provides. Millions of years of sand being blown inland from the shore have created the towering dunes and firm terrain that have become the canvas on which these masterpieces are painted. But the sea giveth and the sea taketh away. Coastal erosion is gradually eating away at the coastline, and this is a particularly pressing issue for courses situated on the powerful Atlantic Ocean where breaking swells can reach heights of up to three metres. Alnmouth Village, Ballybunion, Formby, Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Lahinch and Royal Portrush, to name just a few, have all had their own issues. Earlier this year, Alnmouth Village reported that around 25 to 30 yards of England’s oldest…

GOLF'S SILENT KILLER

GOLF'S BATTLEGROUND

SUSTAINABILITY IN GOLF The very term ‘sustainability’ conjures up images of regulations, of being restricted and being told that there are certain things that you cannot do. But while it is true that certain practices are inflicting long-term damage on the game and the environment, sustainability practices are about finding practical solutions to problems rather than being focused on outright restriction. And the elephant in the room is the fact that the practices of yesteryear are no longer viable. Centuries of fossil fuel burning, deforestation, urban growth, global population increase and chemical dependency means that genuine green space is at an all-time premium and pressure on the golf industry is sure to increase as the need for food, housing and public recreational space is only likely to increase in the…

GOLF'S BATTLEGROUND

THE SPACE-SAVING NEW COURSE

SUSTAINABILITY IN GOLF Does Spey Bay take inspiration from any of CDP’s other courses? We have another reversible course we’ve been working on, but that would be a new construction. In terms of taking an existing course, looking to improve it as far as possible while designing in an additional route to essentially provide two different courses out of one site, that is new for CDP. Most reversible courses have been created from scratch, so it may be a first in terms of creating something from an existing routing. What environmental difference does it make to a project, having multiple courses on the same site? It’s an added benefit, for sure. It’s more sustainable to manage and maintain, economical in the land it takes up, but golf can also be…

THE SPACE-SAVING NEW COURSE

SERGIO'S SECOND COMING

It is mid-afternoon at JCB Golf & Country Club in Staffordshire and Sergio Garcia is reminiscing about some of the shots he hit when he won the Irish Open as a fresh-faced teenager. “I remember the birdie putt on 13, a par 4,” he says, using his hand to demonstrate. “A nice, kind of longish, right to left putt. That was a good one. Then obviously I remember hitting the shot on the last, I think it was a 5-iron. There was water on the right and I hit it to five feet. An unbelievable shot. Yeah, I remember that one.” In truth, his memory is almost as impressive as the performance that saw him become the fourthyoungest winner on the European Tour at 19 years and 176 days. It’s…

SERGIO'S SECOND COMING

Watch hundreds of video tips at www.todays-golfer.com PRESENTED BY Shot Scope QUICK TIP STRAIGHT AND TRUE To improve your chipping accuracy, find two alignment sticks or old clubshafts. Align them with your target, close enough to sit a ball on top of them. Now address the ball. Feel you are square to the sticks, although you can withdraw your lead foot a touch to give your arms a little extra room to swing through. Use the sticks as a reference to square the clubface, before tracking the line from the ball to the hole to get used to what a square path looks like. Now strike the ball. All you’re looking to do is deliver the club up the line of the sticks, and not across them. This real-time alignment…

BALANCE AND FOOTWORK

Ask a club golfer what they are working on and you can be pretty sure they won’t say “footwork”. It’s a part of golf technique that gets chronically overlooked… and to our cost. The quality of our connection with the ground determines the quality of our movement, promoting or hindering all those other movements -pivot, rotation, clearing the lead side – that golfers prefer to focus on. So here, let’s put the horse back in front of the cart with some basic foot rules. While targeting three different skill levels, take a look at all of them; it will improve your understanding of how footwork affects the swing, and how to use the ground. YOUR COACH NEIL WAIN PGA Professional based at Keele GC, Staffs BREAK 100 Build solid foundations…

BALANCE AND FOOTWORK

BETTER GREENSIDE BUNKER CONTACT

YOUR COACH DEANA RUSHWORTH Former England international and Advanced PGA Professional, Witney Lakes Resort, Oxfordshire STEP 1: WRIGGLE TO LOWER YOUR BASE Of course we are taking the sand from under the ball, so the base of the swing needs to be lower than the ball itself. Take care of this at the start by wriggling your feet an inch or two into the sand. As well as lowering your base, this gives your stance a firm foundation. That sense of security will help you commit to the shot. STEP 2: SQUAT TO LOWER THE HANDLE Stand a little further from the ball than usual and increase your knee flex. This sets the handle a little lower and the clubshaft angle a little flatter. It’s a set-up that promotes a…

BETTER GREENSIDE BUNKER CONTACT

SWAYING… AND INCONSISTENT CONTACT

We can define a ‘sway’ as excessive lateral movement -away from the target – during the backswing. While an element of lateral movement is fine – it promotes good weight shift and helps create momentum in the swing – we will quickly run into difficulties if we let it get out of hand. In this article we will take a look at how to recognise a sway and the problems it causes, before learning a couple of swing drills that will reinforce a stronger concept for you to build you motion around. Indeed, even if you don’t classify yourself as a ‘swayer’, they will improve your backswing mechanics. Let’s get started. YOUR COACH STEVEN THOMAS PGA Fellow Professional and Head of Coaching at 3 Hammers Golf Academy, Wolverhampton stevethomasgolf.com ✘…

SWAYING… AND INCONSISTENT CONTACT

SCORE WITHIN 60 YDS

PLAY BETTER PRESENTED BY Shot Scope TRUE PICTURE CHEAP SHOT A 20-handicapper can expect to take a full shot more to get down from 60 yards than from 20 yards. Whatever your skill level – or your clubhead speed – there will be times in a round of golf where the green is just out of reach. So what is the best strategy here? Should you target a specific area that appears to offer a safer route to the green? Or should you just go with power, taking your strongest option and bashing the ball as close to the green as possible? Common sense will obviously colour your decision – there’s little point going with power if a vast lake fronts the green – but when there is no big miss…

SCORE WITHIN 60 YDS

FORGET INFORMATION: TRY INSPIRATION!

YOUR COACH KARL MORRIS Karl has worked with multiple Major winners. Check out his Brain Booster podcasts for free on iTunes www.themindfactor.com By all accounts, the YouTube video-sharing platform is so vast and growing so rapidly that no one is able to give an accurate picture of how big it actually is. And yet, out of this content colossus, I have a clear favourite clip. It lasts 37 seconds, just long enough to show Seve Ballesteros rifling a long iron into the 5th at St Andrews in 1984, with playing partner Lee Trevino crooning, “Touch of class, baby,” in the background. I must have watched it at least 500 times. OK, you’ve got me. I haven’t watched every video on YouTube. But even if we have another two or three…

FORGET INFORMATION: TRY INSPIRATION!

If we were to write down a list of reasons why short putts are missed, ‘poor aim’ and ‘poor focus’ would be right up there at the top of the list. For this month’s Challenge, I’m going to show you a fun way to work on both. All you need is a putter, a practice green and a sleeve of three balls. But don’t throw away the sleeve; it’s about to become your favourite training aid. YOUR COACH SIMON PAYNE UKCC Level 3 Coach and PGA Fellow Professional at Cowglen GC, Glasgow 1. Line aid Find a straight three or four-foot putt on the practice green. Empty the sleeve of balls and open both ends of the sleeve. Place it midway between the ball and the hole, making sure its…

NEW LAUNCHES ▶ TESTS ▶ TG TOP 10S ▶ BUYING ADVICE ▶ COMPETITIONS HERE TO HELP YOU BUY BETTER WHICH WEDGE? How to choose the best for your game from the multitude of new options out there. NEW IRONS: CALLAWAY The Apex iron gets an AI-powered makeover. NEW IRONS: MIZUNO The JPX replacements push new boundaries. NEW IRONS: PXG The tech-packed 0311 GEN7 family hits the streets. DRIVING RANGE TEST Toptracer versus Trackman -the verdict.…

CALLAWAY'S AI-POWERED APEX MAKEOVER

Since their first Apex iron laid the foundations for the players’ distance iron category in 2014, Callaway’s premium family has been renowned for offering some of the best irons available. Callaway admit their Apex 21 models didn’t quite hit the spot in the same way as previous versions. But rather than rush out an all-new franchise, the company took a step back to assess the market and analyse what sort of tech would truly help golfers play better. Callaway wanted to understand why rival irons such as TaylorMade’s P790 and Titleist’s T150 have become so popular among decent golfers. They realised that, over time, too much emphasis had been heaped on distance, whereas greater consistency plays a bigger role in helping golfers score lower, more frequently. So they went back…

CALLAWAY'S AI-POWERED APEX MAKEOVER

Q Who are they aimed at? It’s not too difficult to spot who each of these new models is aimed at. The Ai200 falls into the player’s distance iron category, so it’s for reasonable players who want long distances without sacrificing feel and consistency. See it as a competitor to the TaylorMade P790, Titleist T200, Ping i530 or PXG 0311 P GEN6 and you’ll be thinking exactly along the right lines. The Ai300 is much more of a game improver model, which will sit well in the hands of players who don’t want to compromise on the look, sound, feel or consistency of their forgiving irons. See it as a forged rival to the cast Ping G430, TaylorMade Qi or forged Titleist T350. Q What are the benefits of the Ai’s…

MIZUNO PUSHES BOUNDARIES WITH NEW JPX925

BIG LAUNCH Mizuno are no strangers to a challenge. Two years ago, they released the JPX923, creating a family of irons that appealed to both the modern and classic golfer. But with an update now due, Mizuno went about exploring areas they’ve never been to in the popular series, to see how far they could push their technologies in pursuit of performance. And this is the result: the JPX925 Hot Metal. With the success of the previous generation, there was always going to be a lot of carry-over from the 923 design. Chief among these is the nickel chromoly used across the face and hosel, which allows for a very high strength-to-weight ratio, so you can make the face thinner and increase ball speeds. This high-strength choice has been pushed…

MIZUNO PUSHES BOUNDARIES WITH NEW JPX925

ARE THESE PXG'S BEST IRONS EVER?

PXG changed the irons landscape in 2013 when they revealed the 0311 range, a hollow body, injectionmoulded family that prioritised feel, forgiveness and fitting. Now, everything PXG have learned about irons has been incorporated into their newest family, the GEN7. Five-times forged and then milled, the two irons (P and XP) feature the thinnest faces in golf, a mere 0.05in thick, combined with a new internal polymer. This material is exceptionally lightweight and helps reduce the mass of the core, which allows more weight to be positioned low and to the perimeter of the back side of the clubhead, increasing the moment of inertia (MOI). Combined with PXG’s variable face tech, the idea maximises face deflection and delivers faster ball speed while creating an exceptional sound and feel. Here’s everything…

ARE THESE PXG'S BEST IRONS EVER?

TOPTRACER vs TRACKMAN RANGES: WHICH IS BEST?

TOPTRACER RANGE TOTAL: 40/40 Ease of use Whether you download the app and scan the code (to access and save your data) or just want to play as a guest, it’s very easy to navigate. The game modes are intuitive, quick to load and quick to display ball flight info. The screen is also fast and responsive. 10/10 Game modes Toptracer have 11 game modes and something for everyone. As well as options for beginners, including classic courses from forward tees, Toptracer also cater for serious golfers who want to get better. You can keep track of your stats on an app, too. 10/10 User experience Toptracer uses 3D graphics rather than the 2.5D found on most other systems. This is most evident in Virtual Golf, where the camera moves…

TOPTRACER vs TRACKMAN RANGES: WHICH IS BEST?

WHICH WEDGE IS BEST FOR YOU?

THE TEST SCAN HERE FOR THE BEST WEDGES Upgrading your wedges depends on a few factors that can include how often you play, course condition, groove wear and your practice habits. Generally, we’d recommend golfers look to replace their wedges every 60 to 100 rounds, which will give most golfers a two-year life cycle. And that neatly coincides with the launch cycles of golf’s biggest brands, who all have new models out for 2024. While the tech upgrades in new wedges might not be as headline-grabbing as they are with drivers or irons, there are still advantages to be found – shaper grooves, more grooves, deeper grooves, more forgiveness, more options… And when you think about how many times you use a wedge compared to how often you pull driver,…

WHICH WEDGE IS BEST FOR YOU?

THE WINTER SUN RANKING

GOLF WORLD TOP 100 COURSES MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA THE MOST AUTHORITATIVE RANKINGS IN THE GAME IN ASSOCIATION WITH Regular readers will realise I regularly change the way our Top 100s are presented. This is not done on a whim, but based around what I think is the optimum way to give the most information to you. This month, I’m doing it as a series of travel features with the ranking following at the end. The list itself is naturally important and will hopefully be a helpful guide to planning a trip to one or more of the countries covered here, all of which are perfect winter sun destinations. But because they are a little further afield and might be roads less welltravelled for some readers, I thought that…

THE WINTER SUN RANKING

Your guide to ABU DAHABI

GOLF WORLD TOP 100 Abu Dhabi is sometimes thought of as the quiet neighbour of Dubai, but that is only relative. There is plenty going on in ‘AD’, as befits the capital of the United Arab Emirates. You won’t get traffic jams here and you can have more of an authentic experience if you want it – in Dubai there are few Emiratis, whereas in AD 20 percent of the population is – but if you want a fun night out, it’s also waiting for you. There is loads to do away from the golf course, ranging from Ferrari World adventure rides to Yas Waterworld, or visiting the Louvre museum to cycling round the F1 track (which is free of charge). Abu Dhabi has the best beaches in the UAE…

Your guide to ABU DAHABI

Your guide to AL AIN

Al Ain is part of Abu Dhabi but is about 90 minutes from the main city and feels distinct from the bustle of downtown and the white sand and turquoise waters of Saadiyat Island. Here, roads are lined by beautiful hanging baskets of flowers rather than skyscrapers. For some, its sedate rhythm of life will be absolutely perfect. We stayed at Al Ain Rotana, which has excellent rooms, an epic gym and a super pool area perfect for lazing around with a cool drink in hand. At night, it transforms into a lovely spot for al fresco dining with fairy lights and a feeling of a Greek taverna. There is more than enough to do here, too. You can get up close to camels in the camel market, drive up…

Your guide to AL AIN

Your guide to MIDDLE EAST - BEST OF THE REST

GOLF WORLD TOP 100 Dubai and Abu Dhabi might dominate the Middle East scene in many ways but there are some exceptional golf trips waiting to be enjoyed outside the UAE. Oman is certainly one, with a more authentic Arabian experience than in the UAE allied to epic off-course attractions and some terrific golf. It blows you away with Wadi Shab (a beautiful river canyon), Bimmah Sinkhole (an amazing well the size of a circus ring that you can swim in) and Jebel Akhdar (a truly breathtaking mountain range). You can snorkel in the famous Daymaniyat Islands, luxuriate in the fabulous Kempinski Al Mouj, and take a day trip to sub-tropical Samanah. On the course, Almouj is so good it could easily be the No.1 course in this list, mixing…

Your guide to MIDDLE EAST - BEST OF THE REST

I played the MENA Tour from its inception, which was 2011, and it was a bit beyond its time really. It was set up by the Emirati behind the Dubai Desert Classic and was intended to help develop golf in the region by bringing in pros from established parts of the golf world. I had some great times on it and got lifetime membership, having won 10 times. It was when I was coming back from serious injury and it was great fun travelling all round the region. So, I saw a lot of the courses, and the thing about Dubai and the UAE in general is that the level is just incredibly consistent; I wouldn’t argue with anyone too long about which is the best or even the second…

Your guide to MOROCCO

www.viyagolf.com It is possibly foolhardy to try to condense the attractions and options of Morocco into just a few pages. This extraordinary country has so many alluring places to visit, from its largest city Casablanca – a must for film lovers – to sprawling Tangier. Or Ouarzazate, also a noted film-making location, where Gladiator, among many others, was shot, to the beach resorts of Agadir and Tarfaya. Or UNESCO World Heritage Site El Jadida to mystical Marrakesh, with its myriad souks, bars and restaurants and epic ‘Big Square’. The good news is that the courses are largely collected in three key areas: Marrakesh, Rabat & Tangier, and the Atlantic coast down to Agadir. Atlantic coast We will start in Agadir in the south. Royal Palace of Agadir is one of…

Your guide to MOROCCO

Your guide to EGYPT

Your key decision about Egypt is whether you want golf and iconic sightseeing from your break, or golf plus a Red Sea beach holiday. Cairo offers the former, Hurghada the latter. Both do so in exceptional ways. You don’t need me to explain the nongolf appeal of Cairo but suffice to say it is as vibrant, bustling and enjoyably chaotic a city as you might imagine. A boat trip on the Nile, the markets, Tahrir Square, the immense Egyptian Museum and, of course, the Pyramids are bucket-list stuff. A couple of Cairo tips before we move on to the golf. The first is that I’ve driven all over the world and Cairo is up there with the trickiest. It’s more stock car racing than driving. Ubers – albeit in some…

Your guide to EGYPT

Your guide to TUNISIA

Most of Tunisia’s golf lies down its coast in the cities of Hammamet, Sousse, Monastir and the capital, Tunis. Hammamet is home to the country’s No.1, Yasmine Valley, a Ron Fream design with large bunkers, tiered greens and water. The Citrus Club has 45 holes, with La Foret the main attraction. Also designed by Fream, pine trees frame much of it, as its name suggests. Les Oliviers in contrast – but again aptly named – is routed among an olive grove, and its open nature means there is a frequent and often welcome breeze. In the capital Tunis, a little further north, The Residence is the standout, a modern Robert Trent Jones Jnr course that is part of a high-end resort on Gammarth seafront. Carthage is a sporty and historic…

Your guide to TUNISIA

THE MENA LIST IN FULL

www.viyagolf.com 1. Yas Links Abu Dhabi 2. Al Mouj Oman 3. Emirates (Majlis) Dubai 4. Royal Palace of Agadir Morocco 5. Trump Dubai Dubai 6. Els Club Dubai 7. Jumeirah (Earth) Dubai 8. Al Zorah Ajman 9. Michlifen Morocco 10. Saadiyat Beach Abu Dhabi 11. Dubai Creek Dubai 12. Mazagan Beach Morocco 13. Royal Dar Es Salam (Red) Morocco 14. Dubai Hills Dubai 15. Abu Dhabi (National) Abu Dhabi 16. Education City Qatar 17. Doha Qatar 18. Somabay Egypt 19. New Giza Egypt 20. Jumeirah (Fire) Dubai 21. The Allegria Egypt 22. Assoufid Morocco 23. Katameya Dunes Egypt 24. Tazegzout Morocco 25. Royal Greens Saudi Arabia 26. Al Houara Morocco 27. Royal Club Bahrain (Montgomerie) Bahrain 28. Al Ain Abu Dhabi 29. Royal Palm Marrakesh 30. Royal Dar Es Salam (Blue) Morocco 31. Al Hamra Ras Al Khaimah 32. Arabian Ranches Dubai 33. Madinaty Egypt 34. Emirates (Faldo) Dubai 35. La Vie Muscat Oman 36. Ayla Jordan 37. Royal Marrakesh (Green & Red) Morocco 38. Yasmine Valley Tunisia 39.…

THE MENA LIST IN FULL

'CELEBRITIES ARE A LOT SHORTER AND NOT AS GOOD LOOKING IN PERSON'

BARE MY SOUL MICHAEL BLOCK What’s the best and worst thing about your new-found fame? That I’m travelling the world, meeting a lot of cool people. The most difficult thing? That I’m travelling the world. I’m 48 and being on the road so often means I miss my family and kids a lot. I miss my job as well, but at the same time I know this isn’t going to last forever. I don’t really say no much. Have you given up teaching now? I haven’t given a single paid lesson since the PGA Championship in 2023. Do you miss it? No. I’ve always enjoyed teaching friends and my boys for free more than I’ve enjoyed teaching for money. I do miss running a golf course though. We hear your son’s…

'CELEBRITIES ARE A LOT SHORTER AND NOT AS GOOD LOOKING IN PERSON'

So you want a better short game? Yes, of course you do! After all, golf is all about getting the ball in the hole as quickly as possible, and only a laser-sharp short game can deliver that. As tour pros demonstrate on a weekly basis, it’s the ability to turn three shots into two that allows you to win the match, shoot your lowest score possible, or simply turn an ordinary round into a pretty good one. A good short game day is a good golf day. But as well as better scoring, the short game is perhaps the most fun part of golf. With lies, slopes and conditions ensuring every shot is unique, greenside golf lets us demonstrate skill and express ourselves. Without a base level of competence -whether…

SET UP FOR A MORE SOLID STRIKE

BREAK 100 Pre-set the strike It’s safe to say that for the golfer looking to break 100, the biggest issue is making a clean and solid strike. The key here is to get as close as possible to the ideal impact position at set-up. That way, you can build your action around stability and simplicity – two qualities every reliable chipping action possesses. Follow these rules to make pure contact a habit. 1. Chest ahead of ball A clean, solid chipping strike is all about creating a slightly downward attack angle. This minimises your chances of striking the ground before the ball and delivers a pure, compressing strike. This begins by setting up with the ball a little behind your chest… which promotes impact with the club on its downward…

SET UP FOR A MORE SOLID STRIKE

SHARPER GREENSIDE PLAY

For the golfer looking to break 100, the priority around the green is to build confidence in a clean, solid strike. That means developing an action that is simple, repeatable and effective. ‘Up, Down, In’ – a simple way of representing backswing, downswing and follow-through – is the ideal technique for this. Let’s take it step by step. BREAK 100 Strike chip shots pure… every time! Set-up Use the shaft angle Take your regular set-up (1). With the sole of the club flat on the turf, focus on the shaft’s angle. Ideally, stick a cane or shaft in the ground behind the shaft at the same angle, just inside the heel of the club. Backswing Think 'Up' Move the club back, keeping the shaft and head outside the cane (2).…

SHARPER GREENSIDE PLAY

Typically under 100 yards, pitch shots are, of course, far more about control of flight and distance than the creation of power. Any golfer looking to shoot in the 90s needs to find an address position that promotes those qualities. But because this swing is shorter and less aggressive, we must also make sure we use the set-up to encourage the rotation and mobility that keeps the swing on a good path and plane. Bring these elements into your address… 1. FACE ON A narrow stance A wider stance has the effect of locking your hips into place; move your feet closer together and you will find that you become increasingly free to rotate and move through your pelvis and core. So bring your feet in under the insides of…

THREE WAYS TO GET UP & DOWN

Struggling to break 100? Your priorities are solid contact and taking no more than three to get down, so you need to make greenside shots as foolproof as possible. The simplest play is to putt the ball, but if the grass is wet, longer or clingy, you need a shot that launches the ball clear of the grass while keeping it low. That’s why, whenever the grass is short enough to run the ball in, a hybrid is an excellent choice… WHY USE A HYBRID? The average hybrid has around 20-25º of clubface loft. That is enough to shoot the ball up, out and forwards, even from a slightly downward attack angle. Its rounded edges and deeper sole also tend to cope better with ground contact than the more angular…

THREE WAYS TO GET UP & DOWN

BUNKER MENTALITY

In greenside bunkers we are not actually looking to hit the ball. Instead, the club takes a shallow divot of sand from underneath it and the ball rises up on the carpet of sand that’s removed. Because of this, we need your address position to promote a wide, flat bottom to the arc of your swing, helping the club sweep forward through the sand and under the ball. To do this, work these elements into your set-up… BREAK 100 Set up for a level attack FACE-ON Two vital changes From the turf we squeeze down on the ball with a ball-turf contact, but in a bunker the club must move forwards through the sand to take a shallow sand divot. Adjust ball and club position to encourage it… Ball position…

BUNKER MENTALITY

LEAD HAND GROOVES A BETTER FEEL

If you are a golfer who is looking to shoot regularly in the 90s, the first thing to take care of on the greens is those short putts, from 3-5ft. You’re not going to hole all of them, but if you can make missing more of an exception than a rule you can quickly trim a handful of crucial shots off your 18-hole score. To improve your holing out, I want you to focus on your lead hand. Whether it goes above or below the trail hand, it performs a key role in controlling the face. Here’s what to do… Make the connection Putting becomes a lot easier when you align the back of your lead hand with the putterface as you take your grip. When you do this, you…

LEAD HAND GROOVES A BETTER FEEL

BREAK 100 Position your lead hand Golfers at this level need to grasp one key element about learning the game: the grip we use for putting is not the same as the one we use for the full swing. Indeed, a full-swing grip will make it hard for you to gain any level of consistency on the greens. Let’s look at why… and how to form a more effective putting hold. NO! Lead hand Gripping for speed In the long game, we of course have very different objectives than the short game. We are looking to build an action that develops speed and power, and the grip is a big part of this. We need to hold the club in a way that gives our wrists the mobility to cock,…

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