Course Reviews – Penrith Golf Club

If truth be told I wasnt exactly feeling at my most optimistic when setting off for Penrith Golf Club. The rain slapping onto the windscreen wasnt putting me in the best of spirits. None the less we ploughed northwards, skirting the western flank of the Lake District as we travelled up the A6 onwards to the M6 and on to Penrith. As the weather brightened so did my mood. None the less I still had a nagging, if slightly irrational doubt. Penrith is a par 69. It was as simple as that, I have a preconceived notion that courses under a par 70 are somehow inferior to those that boast a par of 70 and upwards. By the end of the round my misconception that a par 69 golf course offers any less in terms of challenge, variety, and enjoyment had been well and truly smashed. The great feature of Penrith Golf Club is its challenge, the variety of its holes and the number of different shots it forces you to attempt.

Throughout your round at Penrith you will constantly be required to hit different lengths of iron shot, from 3 to 4 Irons down to short, but tricky pitches. The variety is most clearly emphasised in the Par 3′s at Penrith. The 1st of the 5 par 3′s is the 160 yard. Played from within an avenue of trees you hit towards a much less protected green. The sheltered tee makes club selection particularly tricky. Another shortish but equally rewarding par 3 awaits at the 14th hole. Neither hole requires much more than a 7 Iron anda good shot is rewarded with an easy par and even a potential birdie. It is the par 3′s round the turn that most starkly emphasise the way that Penrith constantly poses fresh challenges.

The short 14th Hole

At over 200 yards the 9th hole looks like a tough hole on the card. It gets no easier once you get to it. Played from an elevated tee it plays slightly shorter than the number of the card but only slightly. The pear shaped green has an incredibly narrow entrance making life extremely difficult for anyone attempting to run their ball onto the green. The next, also a par 3 doesn’t even reach the 100 yard mark. A simple flick with a wedge to a green on a plateau that proves a hole doesn’t need to be long to present a challenge. You should hit the green, and you know it when your stood on the tee. But you also know that if you miss the green one of several deep bunkers surrounding the green will make par a very difficult proposition.

The short holes might be the highlight of a round at Penrith, but they are by no means the only pleasure. The long par 4 3rd hole is a great driving hole, bending ever so slightly to the left, the hole has a wide enough fairway that you can enjoy really opening your shoulders without worrying too much about the consequences. Cross the road to the middle section of the course (Holes 1-4 and 13-18 are played on one side of the road leading up to the course whilst you cross to holes 5-12) and you encounter some shorter par 4′s where the premium is hitting the fairway and the encroaching trees are a far greater hazard. The 8th is a particularly picturesque example.

In terms of its difficulty Penrith is an ideal venue for groups with a wide range of abilities. This is again down to its variety which seems to be an almost unavoidable word when describing any aspect of the club. Poorer players will feel that it offers them opportunities to make par on the shorter holes such as the afore-mentioned par 3 10th hole as well as some of the shorter par 4′s that only really require a 3 wood followed by a wedge. Better players will relish the challenge of holes like the long 5th. 450 yards and slightly uphill to boot it took 2 of my very best strikes just to reach the putting surface.

As with Kirkby Lonsdale Golf Club, Reviewed previously and played the day before I couldn’t recommend Penrith highly enough. If you want to play a championship course and all that represents then Penrith wont be top of your list of courses to visit. But if you are looking for a challenge, fantastic views, a beautifully presented and maintained course without having to break the bank then you could do a hell of a lot worse.

Course Reviews – Kirkby Lonsdale Golf Club

Unlike many of the courses I’ll be reviewing and playing this year a visit to Kirkby Lonsdale Golf Club is not an unfamiliar experience. I’ve been making the short 50 minute drive once or twice a year since I was in short pants. To me there is something a little bit special about this place,though I’m not entirely sure exactly what it is other than that its just a lovely place to play golf.

Set in the bottom of the Lune valley, the river itself running parallel to the 6th hole with one of the rivers tributaries cutting through the course the location itself is pretty idyllic. As you look out onto the course from the clubhouse foreboding fells look down on you to the right, the Yorkshire dales lurking just behind. To the left the sweep of the valley is much more gentle and forgiving as you look out toward the south Lakes.

The opening is pretty gentle and forgiving as well if Truth be told, an opening par 4 that plays 330 Yards downhill and downwind (I’m sure the wind sometimes plays differently but in all my years of playing at Kirkby Londsdale I have only ever experienced what I presume must be a prevailing southerly wind sweeping up the valley). The next slightly longer but in the same direction at least provides the challenge of an uphill approach, but usually only with a short Iron. An inviting par 3 and reachable par 5 conclude what must be said to be a generous start. The fairways are wide and the punishment for missing them is minimal. But Kirkby Lonsdale is a course that runs in stages, and if the 1st four holes are easy, the next 4 are anything but.

If the start of the round has been simple enough the next 4 holes will quickly bear their teeth unless you have your game in order. The 5th hole is one of the finest Par 3′s I have ever played. Playing 190yds but from an elevated tee to a large green the hole looks inviting enough at 1st glance, the wide opening at the front of the green looks ideal for a slightly drawn long iron running up to the centre of the green. But that’s before you take the wind into play (Its a theme that will be revisited as it plays a key role round this course, perhaps more than any course I’ve played other than the seaside links) when its blowing hard in its usual direction off the left the natural shot is immediately taken out of play and when combined with a putting surface that slopes from left to right you have a hole that at 1st glance offered you a nice large target, but actually requires no little precision with a long Iron.

The 5th is followed by the courses stroke index 1 hole. one of the few tight drives on the course, Out of Bounds and the River Lune on the right, the rough on the left contains just enough trees to ensure that you’ll be awfully lucky to miss left and have a shot to the green. The 7th is short but with the green raised high above you clubbing your 2nd shot is always difficult and the upturned saucer green makes chipping difficult if you fail to hit it.

The final hole on this tough stretch is the Par 5 8th. Usually par 5 holes have me rubbing my hands together and dreaming of birdie. I’d march straight to the 9th tee if you offered me a par here. The 8th is a double dogleg par 5 that continually entices you to go for it, and almost without fail makes you live to regret it. The hole veers 1st right (With out of bounds all down the right side waiting to ensnare anyone brave or stupid enough to attempt to cut the corner (I have been brave and stupid too many time to count) before cutting back left at about 100 yds to the green. Again the temptation is to go for the green but the smart play is to leave yourself a pitch of about 100 yards from the corner of the dogleg downhill to the green.Its a great risk and reward par 5, to my cost I have found the rewards don’t outweigh the risks.

The 9th hole returns you to the beautifully appointed clubhouse, set prominently above the course with majestic panoramic views, it’s an ideal spot to take in a pint and watch your fellow competitors complete their rounds.

Onto the back 9 and again you get off to a relativly easy start. Driving isnt tested quite as it is at other courses with bail out options always available for those not wishing to take on the trouble. Holes vary in length testing out your full repertoire of Iron shots, from short wedges to the longer approach clubs in the bag. The Par 5 14th is one of the stand out holes on the back side. Whilst most of the holes at Kirkby Lonsdale challenge you to plot your path and offer options with their doglegs and changes of angles the 14th hole just bludgeons you into submission. At 560 yards it doesn’t look intimidating long on the card. When you are standing on the tee squinting straight back into the teeth of the wind (there is that prevailing wind once more) it takes on a bit more of a challenge. And when you walk off the green having taken Driver, 3 Wood, 2 Iron just to squeeze the ball onto the front you know you’ve just played a brute of a Par 5.

The approach to the picturesque 16th

The 14th however is an exception and the 16th hole, perhaps my favourite on the entire course reverting more to the tactical style of the majorityof the course. Playing your tee shot from high above the fairway the hole sweeps to the right hugging the outline of Joshua Wood, tightening as it goes along. The drive, like so many others here offers you a choice of lines,a choice of clubs and a variety of tactics. The green is perhaps the most picturesque on the course, framed by the woods rising high to the right and the hedgerow behind you have, in the space of 350 yards, travelled from the most exposed,to the most secluded spot on the course. From there you must simply (If only it we simple) negotiate the water hazards threatening your iron shots into the last 2 holes and you are home and dry.

The condition of the course is always excellent though the greens do tend to be on the slow side, the lush fairways don’t necessarily offer the best value for those that like to measure their driving distance but they provide a wonderful surface for hitting your irons from and any player misjudging their approaches can only have themselves to blame. Sadly the weather let us down rather badly on my last visit and I regret that my pictures don’t do the course any justice whatsoever. I just hope my review has. Their website claims that their course is a “secret jewel” but then so do most golf club websites, on this occasion, Kirkby Lonsdale Golf Club are totally justified in their claim. To see the course in all its glory visit http://www.kirkbylonsdalegolfclub.com, then book yourself in for a round.

Let The Games Begin!

It isn’t supposed to be like this you know. The schedule runs the same every year. The clocks go forward, the golf clubs come out of their semi-hibernation, they’re given a quick clean down to remove the remnants of last years mud, and then we’re ready to go with the season. Golf a couple of times a week after work (Followed of course by the obligatory pint) with a competition at the weekend thrown in for good measure. That early April feeling when the whole season is ahead of you, near enough to 7 months in which to reduce your handicap, win a competition, play new courses, learn new shots, or just or just smack a little white ball around in a field a couple of times a week to relieve the stress of modern life. Whatever it is that gets you out there that April feeling of a new beginning is something special, its exciting.

And yet, this morning when I got up something felt different. It might have been the thick frost that had covered my windscreen or the snowdrifts at the side of the road that are stubbornly refusing to leave their post. It hardly brought to mind the ideal golfing conditions but the fact was, I was due to play what I consider my 1st proper game of golf of the season and I was excited about it. Why? Just because I had that April feeling.

Work came and went as work tends to do, except that today there was perhaps a little more wistful staring out of the window than usual, a little less punching numbers into a spreadsheet. The sky was blue, the clouds were white and fluffy and at half past four I stepped out of the office and headed for the course.

Weekday golf I tend to play with the same fourball, myself, my cousin, my uncle, and Mr Unpolished Putter Snr, I usually just call him Dad. Teams differ every time we play and balls are tossed in the air to determine who partners who. Tonight its me and my uncle paired together. Let battle commence.

I wont lie, It wasnt the strongest of starts to the season. A seven on the opening par 3 wasnt quite what I had in mind. A lovely strike straight over the back of the green with the new irons was followed by a thin, a fat, another thin and finally a three putt. Get all the bad shots out of the way early. Luckily my partner was there to pull me out of the mire and on we strode to the 2nd tee, this is the sight that greeted us.

The large white patch you can see is the fairway.

The 1st driver of the season went straight down the middle, straight into the patch of white fairway. This was of course the cue for the 1st argument of the season

“You can’t take relief from there”
“Course I can, Its casual water”
“It’s not, Its snow. And there’s no such thing as casual snow”
“Its wet, it came from the sky and it’s not supposed to be sat in the middle of the fairway, I’m having a drop”

After I’d finally got my way a well struck 3 wood to the side of the green led to a relatively simple up and down birdie and a one up lead.

I must be said that as the round progressed the condition of the course left a LOT to be desired. The greens were so slow that at times putter didn’t feel like it was enough club and the bobbles and bounces meant most putts spent as much time in the air as they did on the greens. The bunkers were in an even worse condition, much work was planned on them over the winter, new faces, new drainage, new sand. Sadly for most of the winter they have been filled with snow or rainwater. The work has been started but there remains much to be done. Now having aired these concerns over the course I must say that it is in no way aimed at our greenstaff, golf club members are a demanding bunch, seemingly impossible to please and I wouldn’t wish to add my voice to the perpetual chorus of complains. The greenkeepers at our course work tirelessly, this winter they have been hindered at every turn and they have a huge job on to get the course into a good condition, but they shouldn’t be criticised for factors outside of their control.

Conifers left, Out Of Bounds right, and snow in the centre

Despite the shabby condition of the course we struggled on manfully. Holes were taken and given away and whilst we were never down we were never down in the match we were never more than one up. As we stood on the 7th tee (Which is actually the 8th hole we played due to a few holes being shuffled round because of the conditions) we were one up with two to play. The 7th is stroke index 1 and easily the most difficult driving hole on the course, Out of bounds right, conifers on the left which can gobble up a ball and never release it, and down the middle? Snow up to 12 inches deep in places. Three of the four of us hit the fairway, and then proceeded to spend 10 minutes looking for our balls. Eventually my cousins par with a shot was sufficient to win the hole and we headed for the last all square. My own losing par was only salvaged with the help of a kindly fence post which ricocheted my pushed lay up back onto the fairway.

I'd love to report that the match ended with some spectacular shot making and nail-biting tension, but it didn't. The hole was halved in par and an all square conclusion seemed about right for a match that at times bordered on the faintly farcical. Bragging rights will be gained, squandered, and passed around over the course of the coming season, and over a course in much better condition than the one I played today.

So the golf season for me has now officially begun. It was an odd sort of start and the club will clearly have some pretty serious challenges this year, but is my excitement dimmed? Not a bit of it, I'll be back out there in no time, roll on friday.

Ben Hogan – An Insight Into A Legend

Is there any more enduring, but esentially fruitless debate than the enduring question, who is the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT)? Federer vs Samprass vs Laver, Pele Vs Maradona Vs Messi, Woods Vs Nicklaus. The debate rages, on and on, and yet no conclusion is ever reached, because no conclusion can be reached. Comparing across generations is an impossible task, but that’s not to say it doesn’t have its merits as an interesting conversation piece, one thing that is sure is that the question wont go away, whatever the sport

The reason I have been dragged, kicking and screaming, into the issue is that The Golf Channel recently embarked upon an Ultimate Matchplay championship. The top 16 players of all time go head to head in a public vote to decide who truly is the GOAT. Now you can argue about the make up of the top 16 and its possible US bias, the inclusion of Billy Casper and Phil Mickleson, The exclusion of the original masters of the game like Allan Robertson, Tom Morris (Old and Young) and Harry Vardon. It is however a moot point, the line up is still a who’s who of world golf, Nicklaus and Sir Nick, Palmer and Player, Seve and Slammin’ Sam. Despite the grand line up we all knew who would be competing in the final, the only question was over who would win. For those to whom it matters the winner was Tiger Woods

I’m not going to go down the path of discussing The Bear against The Tiger though. Instead I want to shine a light on a man who I believe deserves to stand alongside those two men, Ben Hogan.

Of course I never actually watched Ben Hogan play, I never even saw him interviewed. Perhaps that is part of his mystique. The legends that followed him, the likes of Nicklaus, Palmer, Player and Watson are paraded in front of us with regularity. The conduct themselves with great dignity and respect, impart wisdom that is always worth listening to, and are a credit to the game of golf. But they don’t intrigue me the way Ben does. There is another, more personal, and perhaps rather silly reason for holding Ben Hogan in the highest esteem. For going on 10 years I played irons from the now sadly defunct Ben Hogan Golf Company, I loved them so much I have just gone back to them.

The numbers alone tell a story of a great golfer. 64 wins on the PGA Tour, 9 Major championships, 14 wins in a season in 1946. All exceptional stuff but with Ben the numbers only tell half the story. I don’t have the time or space to tell the full story, but hopefully what I can convey is a picture of a man who is fit to stand alongside any golfer of any era, if you are intrigued enough as I am there will be so much more to learn and discover.

The story of Ben Hogan is one of contradiction, A man who’s early career was dominated by withdrawals, missed cuts and financial hardship, but ended with him being the most feted payer in the world. A man who attempted to win no friends or favour from anyone, and yet received a ticker tape New York parade and became a national hero. A man who for so long hid his “secret” to playing great golf, and then went on to write golf’s most influential instruction book.

The secret to great golf isn’t the only secret that Ben Hogan carried with him, there is another, much darker secret, one that almost defined who he was, shaped his outlook to life and golf, a secret that for many years he hid from even his wife. The defining incident of his early life was the death of his father Chester Hogan who committed suicide in their Fort Worth home, some accounts even claim his father committed suicide in front of him. Many have cited this as the cause of his steely introverted personality. It is almost certain that it’s the source of his determined work ethic. The moment his father pulled the trigger on that fatal shot, the family lost their main source of income. Ben and his older brother Royal, were sent out to work at whatever jobs they could get. Ben took a job selling newspapers on a busy Fort Worth train terminal, regularly fighting off other street urchins to secure the best spot. Life and circumstances certainly toughened him up, instilled in him a work ethic that would be a key to his success.

To give an indication of the trials and tribulations of his early career his 1st professional event was in 1930, he withdrew despite making the cut, the reason he gave was that he felt he wasnt ready to compete. It would be 10 years until his 1st individual PGA Tour Victory, he would go on to record 64 in total, this despite having two full seasons wiped out completely by the 2nd world war, with a further two greatly curtailed. He also played a significantly reduced schedule following his near fatal car crash in 1949.

He may have taken his time to reach the Winners circle, and a further 6 years before he secured the elusive 1st major, but once he did there was no stopping him. That debut victory triggered a spell of golf, almost unmatched in championship golf. He played a 12 round stretch of golf in a combined 34 under par with all but 2 rounds under 70. Exceptional by todays standards, unheard of by the standards of the day. The really eye-popping statistic is that over 216 rounds of golf he missed just two greens in regulation. It was the staggering long game, unmatched control of both swing and ball that became the Hogan hallmark.

The most remarkable part of the Hogan Story is his comeback from the collision with a Greyhound bus in 1949 that very nearly killed him. The story is quite literally the stuff of Hollywood movies. If you want to see the tale of his comeback told with tonnes of syrup poured over it then Follow the Sun is most certainly the film for you. It is however the most remarkable tale of triumph in adversity. The initial impact of the collision was so furious that he was lucky to survive, worse however was to follow. As his condition appeared to be improving, blood clots formed in his legs, if left unchecked these would inevitably be fatal. The decision was taken to perform life saving surgery, effectively closing down the veins in which the clots were located, his life was saved but the blood flow through his legs was significantly reduced. Most doctors believed he would never walk again.

As he had been doing all his life Ben Hogan confounded expectations. Walking 18 holes would forever be a painful exercise and it wasnt uncommon to see him bent double in pain, or reliant on one of his golf clubs to hold him up. He even took to carrying a small stool with him from time to time for when the pain became excruciating. If you think Tiger Woods winning a US Open on one leg was impressive, try winning 6 majors without a leg to stand on. Truly awe-inspiring stuff.

An Iconic Image: Hogan plays to the 18th hole. Merion 1950

There is a famous image of Ben Hogan taken during the 1950 US Open. It is one of, if not the most iconic images ever taken on a golf course. The 1950 even was held at Merion (Incidentally the host of this years US Open) Hogan playing one of his 1st events back following the crash required a par on the last to tie the lead and make the following days playoff. Having split the fairway with his drive he fired a 1 Iron into the heart of the green. The picture shows Hogan holing his pose at the top of his swing. It is an image of a man in perfect control of himself, the balance is so immaculate that it looks as though he held the pose purely for the benefit of the photographers. The patch of turf where the ball once sat is almost as immaculate as it was before the ball was struck, a testament to his precision ball striking. Were it not for the craned necks of the crowd, eager to see the result of the stroke you could be forgiven for thinking the pose were simply for the camera. It is in fact one of the all time great clutch shots.

It would be easy to eulogize for much longer, recalling countless other examples of his mastery of the game of golf. It would be easy to go on and on. Except that the Hogan mystique wasnt only built on the golf course, it was built off it. He was a man of few words, journalists would be met with a cold stare if they asked the wrong question, fools were not suffered lightly. The problem is that the legend has rather taken on a life of its own, it’s quite difficult to separate the fact from the fiction. One tale states that Nick Faldo made the pilgrimage to meet Ben at the Shady Oaks Country Club that was virtually his home in the later years of his life. After a very pleasant meal on the veranda overlooking the course Faldo left to hit some balls asking if Ben could come down to the range to offer some thoughts on his swing. Ben Hogan inquired as to what make of clubs he played, on hearing that Faldo was, at the time signed up to play with Wilson clubs Hogan reportedly replied “Well why don’t you ask Mr Wilson for some advice” whatever he actually said, he certainly didn’t accompany Sir Nick onto the range.

Another tale tells of how he ended his relationship with his long time club makers Macgregor. There were tensions between Hogan and his sponsors over his refusal to play their new ball on the basis that it was “The worst ball ever made”. He was invited to the Macgregor facility where he was shown a series of demonstrations to show the quality of the ball, struck various distances with various clubs by a mechanical swinging arm. At the end of the demonstration an unimpressed Hogan promptly declared “If it’s so F**king great why don’t you enter it into the Open” and left. His sponsorship deal was promptly ended.

Just as with his on course exploits there are countless other tales of the off course Hogan that have passed into folklore. There are also tales of him being a loving father, brother and uncle. Countless examples of him being a kindly, but anonymous donor to numerous causes that caught his attention, as well as individually intervening in the circumstances of persons known to him who had fallen into hardship. Not in keeping with the general image of him, but perfectly in keeping with the person those nearest and dearest to him knew.

This blog is only a tiny snapshot of Ben Hogan, You may find it remiss that his glorious summer of 1953 has gone unmentioned. Its fair to wonder why no mention of his relationship, and rivalry with the other great golfers of his age, Byron Nelson and Sam Snead. I have however tried to include some of the qualities that made him such an intriguing character, and such a phenomenal golfer. In an era of constant access to current players, and where former greats fill our screens with their analysis of the current game, and tales of their own times, its worth, just taking the time to get to know a man with a bit of mystery, a touch of mystique, and a huge slice of Genius

The End Is Nigh For The European Tour?

Reading articles and discussions regarding the future of the European Tour I’m reminded of the Famous old Mark Twain quote,not the one about Golf being a good walk spoiled, if you agree with that one then I would respectfully advise you may be reading the wrong blog. No the quote that comes to mind is one he gave upon hearing that his obituary had been published, “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated”.

Golfing forums, blogs, comment pages and press articles abound with negativity. Somehow however, I feel as though the doom merchants and naysayers are rather overstating the case. Lets not hide out heads in the sand, the European Tour is undoubtedly facing some major challenges, but they are by no means insurmountable.

Firstly there is the exodus of big name players to the US. This is not a brand new phenomenon, players such as Luke Donald, Justin Rose, and Sergio Garcia have based themselves stateside for the vast majority of their careers. In recent years the European contingent has grown steadily larger with the likes of Ian Poulter and Graeme Mcdowell claiming full playing rights in the US. The start of the 2013 season however saw a notable surge in players moving across the Atlantic. The European Tours great loyal servant Lee Westwood, finally made the switch and he was joined by Ryder Cup team mates Martin Kaymer, Peter Hanson and Nicolas Colsaerts. Even relative journeymen like Ross Fisher and David Lynn have switched. It has to be said that news of the defections cannot have made for comfortable reading for Tour Chief Executing George O’Grady.

Further complains surround the scheduling of The Tour. It has long been Established that it is a European Tour in name only. Events in Africa, Asia, and Australia means that only the South American market remains untapped, that market will surely be left for the PGA tour. Events in some of the more far-flung locations are increasingly taking precedence, attracting some of the better fields and the largest purses. This combined with a perceived lack of top quality golf on our shores has led to accusations that The European Tour is simply chasing the big money and deserting its spiritual homeland. With all the negativity around it all seems as though the picture is very gloomy indeed.

Let me try to assuage some of these fears. Firstly the exodus of players. It’s important to remember that this exodus doesn’t amount to a desertion. All of Europe’s big name players have retained their cards on the European tour. Most, if not all of them will appear at the PGA at Wentworth in May, and it is likely that their calendars will include events in the period leading up to The Open Championship when the European Tour rolls out some of its strongest events. Will all the pounds and points on offer for WGC events and Majors its extremely likely that our Ryder Cup stars along with all the leading international players will make an appearance as the Fed-Ex aping season ending wheelbarrow filling exercise. They may not feature as much as we would ideally like, but nor are the lost to the PGA tour for good.

It must also be said that much of the gnashing of teeth over the general move into Asia and Africa is unfounded. A close look at the schedule shows that most of these Non-European, European Tour event take place outside of the traditional European golfing season. The start to the season in South Africa and subsequent Desert Swing are hosted at a time when events in Europe wouldn’t be feasible and the Grand Finale will be held after it would traditionally have ended. These tournaments are not an alternative to golf within the continent, they are in addition to it. If question marks can be raised over the schedule in European Golf heartlands its questions that should be resolved by raising money, and interest from right here in Europe rather than pointing an accusing finger eastwards. Our own apparently neglected shores will see the Europe Tour come to town six times, seven if you count the Irish Open, less than we are perhaps used to but more than our fair share in the context of a global game.

I guess that your view of the future of the European Tour may depend on whether you are a glass half empty or half full kind of person. I think it is always worth accentuating the positives as opposed to the negatives. Already this season the European Tour has produced some excellent golf and exciting finishes. As long as the end product remains strong there will always be a Future for the European Tour

Snedekhere To Stay?

Cast your mind back just over 12 months to last years Farmers Insurance Open. Brandt Snedeker beat Kyle Stanley in a playoff in what was one of the more remarkable victories of the year. However it was remarkable more for the way in which Stanley lost it rather than Snedeker won it. I don’t wish to take anything away from Brandt, however with a 3 shot lead coming down the final hole, a reachable and birdieable par 5, it would have taken the wildest of imaginations to believe that anyone other than Kyle Stanley would lift the trophy.

He didn’t though, Snedeker did, and just over a year later he is the hottest property in world golf. Not from a marketing point of view, that title still lies with Mcilroy, it will take more than one missed cut for his star to start to wane. But from a golfing point of view, nobody can touch the start to 2013 that Brandt has had. And yet if you had told anyone watching his win at Torrey Pines just over 12 months ago that a year down the line that Brandt would be the form player on the planet, officially the worlds 4th best golfer, and a hot tip for this years Masters title I doubt very much that they would have believed you.

It’s hard to begrudge Snedeker his success, he seems one of the most likeable of characters, but he isn’t the sort you would expect to sit at golf top table. With his floppy blonde hair, rounded cheeks and ever-present smile he reminds me more than a little of Samwise Gamgee. The ever-present smile and relaxed demeanour is a world away from the more intense characters on tour, but it makes a refreshing change.

The strange thing about Snedekers success is that it has really rather snuck up on us. The win at the Farmers Insurance Open did little to change the general perception of him as little more than just another tour player. A very fine player certainly, but on a tour full of fine players there seemed little to set him apart from the others. A trip to europe for the Matchplay went fairly unheralded, this wasnt a big name American signing. A fantastic 2nd round and good final placing may have gone a little way to raising his profile , but none the less, heading into the Fed-Ex playoff series, he would have been considered an outside bet for a place on the US Ryder Cup team. A look through his seasons results reveal why. Prior to the Fed-Ex playoffs apart from the afore-mentioned Farmers Insurance and Open Championship performances, his only other top 10 was a T9 (Defeat in the last 16) at the WGC World Matchplay.

It begs the question then, Is Snedeker really one of the worlds best golfers, or is he simply just on hot streak that stretches back his last 9 events to the start of the Playoffs last year? It’s a question that will only be answered in the fullness of time, however a quick look at his game suggests reasons to be confident.

His putting stroke, whilst unusual in these days of the silky smooth putters like Luke Donald is a throwback to a bygone age, and has been remarkably consistent since he joined the tour, consistently placing in the top 20 putters. The long game has been less consistent, however the swing, whilst it’s certainly brisk is also very simple with very little that looks like it could break down. His demeanor previously mentioned suggests he is likely to cope under pressure too. But there are also question marks as well. Why has he taken until the age of 32 to find this form? Is the new found form with the long game simply a blip? Does the laid back demeanor betray a lack of ambition, or is there fire in the belly?

The next year will give us an idea as to the real Brandt Snedeker. Do we have on our hands a real contender. A look back through the rankings show plenty of players with a brief period in the top 10 before sliding back into the pack, Is Snedeker just the next Anthony Kim, Camillo Villegas, David Howell or Henrik Stenson? Or is he a little bit more permanent? I for one, hope he is the latter.

US Tour Needs To Take Flight In Phoenix

The European Tour is going down the pan apparently, as financial hardship bites across Europe sponsors are losing interest, not prepared to splash the cash. The quality of the fields is waning as Europe’s elite are lured over the Atlantic by the promise of high quality fields, ranking points aplenty, and perhaps most importantly, a Fed-Ex payday bonanza. Conversely the USPGA Tour is going from strength to strength under the leadership of General Fincham. The goal is world domination and the target is well and truly in their sights.

Lets be honest, there is an element of truth in that assessment, though the doom-mongers are perhaps a being a shade over-zealous in their negativity. One thing that is for certain is that you wouldn’t know the PGA tour was the hot ticket judging by the start of the season.

The European Tour schedule breaks you in Rather gently. A couple of low profile, low prize money events before christmas kick off the season. Since then however the Volvo Champions event in Durban boasts a high quality field and it is followed by the early season desert swing which boasts three more high quality fields. The golf thus far has not disappointed either. With the exception of Oosthuizen’s come from behind win in the opening event of the calendar year, the winners haven’t been the big names you might have expected. The standard has been exceptional though, and the finishes memorable. More of the same is expected at this weeks Dubai Desert Classic.

By contrast the “superior” US tour has been somewhat lacking in excitement. Why not start at the beginning. The Hyundai Tournament of Champions is supposed to be a blockbuster start to the season. The concept is good. Take all the winners from the previous season, parachute them into a tropical paradise on a unique and memorable (though slightly gimmicky) golf course. You would think that all the ingredients were in place for one of the highlights of the season. Then the big names fail to show, the world’s top 4 Mcilroy, Woods, Donald, and Rose dont want to know. A couple of the other big draws, Mickleson and Els also decline their invitations and a little bit of the gloss has come off the product already. And then there was the weather, never before have I seen a tournament start on its scheduled final day, indicative of the desperation of the tour, and the sponsors to get the event played and whilst a worthy winner was in the end produced a 54 hole tournament doesn’t carry the same prestige as it would if played over the full allocation of 72 holes.

The following weeks Sony Open produced what is so far the best story of the season in the emergence of an exciting young talent and potentially a star of the future. Russell Henley won the Sony Open in real style and his nerveless 5 birdie finish suggests he has the ability to produce when it matters. To do it in his 1st event as a tour member is special, but with Ryder Cup stars like Kuchar, Simpson, Bradley and the Johnsons, Dustin and Zach in the field, a final group featuring a couple of unknown rookies is doubtless not what the sponsors were looking for.

The Humana Challenge at least resulted in the 1st and only tight finish of the season, but without wishing any disrespect to Brian Gay, Charles Howell III and David Lingmerth they aren’t the names that will set the pulse racing. Yet again US Ryder Cup stars were in attendance, yet again they failed to feature.

One name that surely does get the pulse racing then is Tiger Woods! For a tour that had limped along providing a rather mediocre spectacle for the first few weeks surely a dose of Tiger was just what the Dr ordered. Well sadly not, as he squeezed the life out of his opponents he also squeezed all interest out of the event. A monday finish as a result of fog meant that the event not only lacked any excitement but it also felt disjointed. It’s a measure of how anti-climatic the whole thing was that the biggest draw in golf wins an event and the main talking point is slow play.

So what is the Tour doing wrong? Well the honest answer is not a lot. The poor weather blighting two of the four events cannot be helped. The fact that three of the four events have been won at a canter is nobody’s fault, close exciting finishes cannot be engineered. I would argue that the quality of the courses is questionable with the winners of the 4 events averaging better than -5 per round thus far, though tougher tests are to come.

Stadium or Golf Hole. Lets hope the fans at 16 have good reason to get excited.

Whilst the tour can rightly argue then that they aren’t doing much wrong I’m sure they are also hoping that the Phoenix Open will see the tour burst to life. Last year it was the Brandt Snedeker’s improbable Farmers Insurance Open victory that kick started a fantastic series of event that ran right through to the Masters and beyond. Lets hope that this season the Tour bursts from the flames in Phoenix. The fans round no 16 need something to shout about.

New Years Resolutions: No 2 – Lose a shot.

As golfing New Years Resolutions go, this is a fairly obvious one isn’t it. Surely all golfers want to improve and get better. The better you play the more you enjoy your game, and as the only reason we play golf is for enjoyment trying to get better is just trying to enhance your enjoyment. For the club golfer your handicap is the representation of how good (or bad) a golfer you are, and losing a shot is the vindication of the work you have put in, and the proof that it is working.

I am now entering my 4th season back as a golfer having played only periodically in the few years before. In that time I have managed to lose 4 shots to reach what is for me a new low of 5. With every shot that has come off my handicap playing to it has (naturally) become more difficult and whilst the short-term goal has to be just consolidating the new handicap, the long-term one has to be to take the next step and lose another shot.

Reaching 5 however is something of a watershed. It is the point at which category 2 becomes category 1. It is also the point at which the reward for a good round changes from being 0.2 off your handicap per stroke under par to 0.1 off your handicap. Not only is it more difficult to get under par, not only is the margin for error smaller, but even an exceptional round may not be enough to see my playing handicap drop.

This year I’ll be taking my inspiration from a man who is something of a coaching pioneer. Not Sean Foley of the currently fashionable “Stack and Tilt”, Not David Leadbetter, the man who totally rebuilt Nick Faldo’s game to major winning glory. It’s not even a golf coach or swing guru of any kind. My inspiration for the year will be David Brailsford.

For those of you that don’t know David Brailsford is the performance director for British Cycling, and General Manager of Team Sky. In the last twelve months he has masterminded 7 Olympic Golds out of a possible 10 and the first ever British Tour De France winner. To top off a rather special year he was awarded the sports Personality of the Year, Coach of the Year award, for the 2nd time. It’s fair to say his methods work.

How does this apply to golf? The techniques involved aren’t exactly mutually beneficial. It’s all in the concept of Marginal Gains. What exactly is Marginal Gains? as Mr Brailsford himself explains “The whole principle came from the idea that if you broke down everything you could think of that goes into riding a bike, and then improved it by 1%, you will get a significant increase when you put them all together,”. By the end of the Olympics this tactic had worked to such an extent that the french camp were left clutching at straws, complaining that the British cyclists were using different wheels, no doubt they were less than impressed when Brailsford explained our wheels went so fast because “they’re round”. Hopefully by the end of the year I can have my opponents wondering if my Pro V1′s are rounder.

How will this be applied? There are plenty of things that I can do.For example, Turn up at the course more than 10 minutes in advance of my tee time, give myself half an hour instead, have a few putts, hit a few chips, loosen up with a few practice swings. Dont turn up hungover every sunday morning. Have breakfast before teeing off and take a bit to eat and a drink on the course rather than waiting till after the round to grab any sustenance. None of these improvements can have a measurable effect but all combined can only serve to ensure I am better prepared and have a better chance of going low.

And then there are those things that can be statistically analysed. Last year, for the 1st time I actually managed to compile some statistics of my play, with the help of http://www.howdidido.com, this year I intend to use a free phone app called Golfshot to compile more convenient and more accurate statistics. Again rather than attempting a complete overhaul of my game I will be looking to improve all facets of my game, but each by a small amount. The mini targets are as follows.

Putts Per Round, Last Year = 31.88. Target = 31
Scrambling up and down, Last year = 49.30%. Target = 55%
Greens In Regulation, Last year = 44%. Target = 50%
Driving Accuracy, Last year = 42.86%. Target = 50%
Double Bogies or Worse, Last year = 10.42% Target = 5.55%
Birdies, Last Year = 9.03%. Target = 11.11%

A series of small improvements following the Brailsford formula that should combine to produce a significant improvement in on course performance. Of course these improvement wont just happen because I set them as targets. Last year our chipping green was forced into action as an auxiliary final hole whilst the proper green was being relaid, this year i will have the opportunity to work harder on my chipping. I will concentrate more on pure and consistent iron play rather than trying to hit every shot with a different shape.

And finally a confession, so far i’ve made out that it’ll be all hard work and dedication. I’ve also been treating myself. My 10 year old Mizuno Driver and 15 year old Big Bertha Warbird 3 wood have finally been upgraded. New toys are always fun, you cant wait to use them. Perhaps that is why, with three months to go to the start of the new season i found myself staring out at this.

New Years Resolutions: No1 – Broaden My Horizons

In my last blog I wrote about the joy of winter golf, or more accurately the lack of joy that I derive from tramping around the golf course in the deep mid-winter. However I also mentioned how I’m starting to get restless, the desire to return to the course is starting to creep back in. Like all golf addicts there is only so long anyone can go without getting their fix.

With the new year comes new years resolutions, the usual things crop up year upon year upon year, I’m going to quit smoking, hit the gym, get a new job and by the 31st December I’ll be unrecognisable from the figure you see in front of you. It never lasts of course. Golfing new years resolutions are different, they last longer for a start, you generally don’t even get a chance to break them until April by which time most other resolutions are a distant memory.

For me the new year is the time I start to think about and plan for the upcoming season. It’s not just inspired by the change of calendar on the wall. The PGA tour season swings back into life almost as soon as the last Auld Lang Syne’s have been sung at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, it pushes golf back into your consciousness where it had previously taken a back seat to Xmas planning, Football, Rugby, England’s winter cricket tours and whatever else occupies your time. Watching some of the best in the world in a tropical paradise (though tropical storms were more the order of the 1st 3 days) soon changes all that and golf is once again at the forefront.

And so it was a few weeks ago, whilst watching Dustin Johnson win the season opener in Hawaii, that I made my the 1st of my golfing new years resolutions. To Broaden my Golfing horizons.

I intend to play at least 10 new courses this year. The best way of doing this is to get out and about playing in various open competitions. Opens tend to be significantly cheaper than playing a normal round, you will always find the courses in the best possible condition, and you never know, you might even play well enough to win a prize. I have therefore spent the last couple of week searching through www.golfempire.co.uk  picking out event from Cumbria to Nottinghamshire, The North East to the Fylde Coast. My diary is already crammed full, most weekends already have several events for me to pick from. All I have to do now is find some willing partners.

If I struggle to find a partner then at least I have www.northernmatchplay.com to fall back on. The 36 hole opening round guarantees each entrant at least one away match, and with regional finals at courses of the standard of Alwoodley, Silloth On Solway, Woodhall Spa and Royal Birkdale to look forward to along with a Grand Final that allows you to follow in the footsteps of Ernie Els at Lytham St Annes it represents excellent value and a great chance to get out and about.

Looking out of the window and seeing all the snow on the ground a summer full of travel and competitive golf may seem a long way away, but with a bit of planning I promise you, despite the freezing temperatures, your appetite will be whetted for the golfing summer ahead.

I’ll also reviewing the new courses I play over the season, check back in the season for a new reviews page and updated posts. You might pick up some ideas on where to play yourself.

Fancy A Winter Round? Nah Thanks

There are places in the world where making provisions for a winter round of golf involves just popping a jumper into the golf bag in case it gets a little bit chilly. This blog does not apply to people from those places, Unless they want to see how the rest of us live.

You see I’m not really a winter golfer, I don’t even own a pair of waterproof trousers, If they are required, then I’m not playing. It’s just not for me. The last time I set foot ona golf course was over two months ago now, and even then it was in the rather more pleasant surroundings of the Algarve. Since then the clubs have been cleaned up (the putter for once remains polished) and the bag remains firmly ensconced in the garage.

There are those that play almost as much in the winter as they do in the summer. If the course is open then they’ll be on it. They’ll tell you that a round of golf in the wind and the rain and the cold is bracing. So apparently is Skegness, but quite honestly I’d have absolutely no intention of going there for fun either.

About as muchfun as winter golf

Alternatively they’ll try to assert some bizarre version of superiority. They are tough, gnarled competitors,we’re led to believe that their courage in the face of adversity and driving drizzle is somewhat admirable. I’d simply call it daft. Whats more, they will deride the summer golfers like myself for not wishing to brave the elements. If i wished to pursue a hobby in which bravery is a pre-requisite I’d have taken up BASE jumping, white water rafting or alligator wrestling. On a golf course the bravest I ever want to have to be is when I firmly rap in that downhill four footer for par, straight into the middle of the hole.

There is still worse than the casual winter golfer. There is the winter league golfer. If there was ever anything worse than going out in the cold, wet, windy, winter weather, it is being obliged to do so EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY MORNING,on the tee at half 8 in the morning, rain or shine. You have to be there, if you miss you aren’t just letting down yourself, you are letting down your team. But I’m told its grand, they stop for coffee after the ninth I’m told, you know, to warm up. I don’t need warming up, I’m still in bed thanks.

Proper winter golf

It’s not just the weather that puts me off either. The course is either a skating rink or its borderline swamp. Instead of tee beds you are asked to play off unforgiving concrete based mats. Worst of all are the greens. Longer than the Augusta rough, and with every heelprint forming a crater just waiting to throw a well struck putt off-line, they are the very last thing you need to encounter when your confidence on the greens is fragile.

And yet despite all the drawbacks of winter golf a funny thing is starting to happen. I’m starting to get itchy fingers.

Standing alone in the kitchen at work hands start to come together, my fingers start interlocking. Before I know it i’m rehearsing my backswing.My practiceis rudely interrupted by the arrival of a colleague. The obligatory moments uneasy silence inevitably follows before I quickly pour my brew and leave. The incident will go unmentioned.

You see, for all the faults of winter golf , for all the arguments against it, I’m just dying to get back out onto the course. There are new clubs in the bag and the range no longer cuts it. I need to get back out onto the course, in the cold, and the wind, and the rain. I need to confirm to myself that its awful, just to satisfy that craving for another couple of months. By that time it’ll be spring and the golf can begin in earnest. It can’t come soon enough.