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REVIEWED We put this new high-tech trolley through its paces

Issue 164 • £4.45

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NEW
GEAR

VERTICAL GROOVE
ADIDAS BOOST
ECCO COOL PRO
TAYLORMADE
P790 IRONS
CALLAWAY
XR SPEED

OPEN PREVIEW !
With Gue st Editor Paul Lawrie
Lawrie answers Harrington’s Hogan’s win
YOUR questions Course Guide revisited
 Guest Editor!
Welcome
PSP Media Group Ltd,
PSP House, 50 High Craighall Road,
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EDITORIAL
Editor Bryce Ritchie @Bryce_bunkered Open Championship win in 1999
Assistant Editor Michael McEwan @MMcEwanbunkered
Staff Writer Martin Inglis @MInglisbunkered
would forever define my life and
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Editorial Intern Chris Doyle
moment I stood over that putt to win the
CONTRIBUTORS
Dougie Donnelly, Kevin Craggs, Scott Clark, Andrew Jowett,
biggest prize in golf. Like every other wee
David Patrick, Murray Urquhart, Steve Johnston, boy on practice greens around the world,
Andy Carlton, David Orr, David J. Whyte
I had a ‘putt for the Open’. To watch it go
ADVERTISING
Sales Manager Will McGrath
in the hole, dead centre, I knew my life
Sales Russell Stander, Andy Robertson & Julie Keith would change from that moment on.
ART & PRODUCTION I’m obviously extremely proud of that win, and the others in
Head of Art & Production Cheryl Gilbert
Art & Design Alison Stark, Steve Curran & Anne Collatin
my career, and also my accomplishments in the Ryder Cup, in
Art & Design Interns Mia Phillips & Paige Graham which I have a very good record by the way!
Production Department Louise Harkins
Editorial Secretaries Tracey Campbell, Louise Hope, Leanne Thorpe But every time somebody mentions Carnoustie, I feel a
& Amy Garwell
sense of pride at what I achieved. Every single professional
PHOTOGRAPHY golfer wants to win the Open Championship. Few actually
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COVER IMAGE manage to do it.
Kenny Smith
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PUBLISHER what every great championship course should do.
Paul Grant
With the Open returning to the course this summer, I have
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR to say I was surprised but delighted to be offered the chance
Thomas Lovering
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cover a few times and I’m a big fan of the mag, so to take
bunkered is a member of the Independent Press Standards
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and are committed to upholding the highest standards of I had some good fun answering readers’ questions on page
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bunkered cannot accept any responsibility for any unsolicited
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ISSN 1363-6561

Scottish Publisher of the Year 2011

Consumer Magazine Editor of the Year 2010
Consumer Magazine Editor of the Year 2008
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Scottish Consumer Magazine of the Year 2004

Member of the Audit

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Paul Lawrie, Guest Editor
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4 bunkered.co.uk
bunkered ISSUE 164 / 2018

GET
MORE!

contents
THE LATEST NEWS & REVIEWS ONLINE
Make sure you bookmark our website so you
can keep tabs on the latest gear, reviews and
breaking news. Visit bunkered.co.uk

86
FRONT 9
16 / Titleist AVX
The brand has released a new
premium ball - and it isn’t a Pro V1
22 / Glasgow 2018 explained
Everything you need to know
about golf’s new team event at
Gleneagles
26 / Danish delight
Why The Scandinavian should be
right at the top of your bucket list

Every viewer, naturally, has an opinion about the

commentators and pundits they listen to every week.
- Dougie Donnelly Page 32

28 / In focus
One of the #SB2K crew ties the
knot, and Poulter’s hairy friend
32 / Dougie Donnelly
It’s not brain surgery but golf
commentary does require skill
34 / Michael McEwan
Coming to terms with being ‘just “It’s easy to fall
another rubbish golfer’ into the trap of
doing the wrong
36 / Change your outlook things.”
Nicola Ellwood on how a better
frame of mind improves your game
38 / Max out in practice
Kevin Craggs on the keys to
preparing for your next round
40 / Improve your irons
Scott Clark shares some
EQUIPMENT important pointers to bolster
your iron play

85 / NEW GEAR 93 / adidas TOUR360

The latest equipment, including: This limited edition Silver BOOST

86 / PowaKaddy C2i
Introducing the next generation
of PowaKaddy’s Compact line
88 / Vertical Groove
On the face of it, this is a
completely different 3-wood
90 / Callaway XR Speed
The incredibly fast XR line just
got a whole lot faster
92 / ECCO COOL PRO
5 things you need to know about
the Danish brand’s new release
8 bunkered.co.uk
colourway is sure to turn heads
96 / Shop Window
Want to add to your bag? Check
out these great new releases
98 / TaylorMade P790 UDI
Meet the driving iron that is in the
bags of the world’s best
100 / XXIO
Everything you need to know
about the Japanese brand
105 / Gear Guide
The latest fairways, irons & more
REGULARS
12 / Mail Bag
The drive to get more women into
golf and more of your thoughts
158 / Doon The Stretch
You could become a millionaire at
Machrihanish Dunes this summer
160 / Crossword
Can you solve our latest puzzle?
162 / Moments
Our Guest Editor’s remarkable
victory at the 1999 Open
150
TUITION
114 / Paul Lawrie
A driver-to-putter guide on how
to be a complete links player
128 / Analyse your putting
David Orr on why you need to
know where you’re going wrong
130 / Back to basics
Kevin Craggs explains why you
can’t ignore the fundamentals
bunkered ISSUE 164 / 2018
contents
42
FEATURES
42 / THE OPEN PREVIEW
Jug of War
Looking ahead to golf’s oldest
major, including:
48 / EXCLUSIVE
Paul Lawrie Q&A
Our Guest Editor answers your
questions about his remarkable
1999 triumph
54 / The hardest finish
We speak to nine pros who
explain what makes the closing
stretch at Carnoustie so tough
60 / Harrington’s
complete course guide
The 2007 Open champ offers
an in-depth look at where The
Open will be won and lost
10 bunkered.co.uk
66 / Bantam Ben
How Ben Hogan made the
most of his one, and only, Open
Championship appearance
74 / EXCLUSIVE
Phil Kenyon
Putting coach to Rory, Rose,
Stenson & Co. explains how you
can improve on the greens
76 / Double Header
Previewing the men’s and ladies’
Scottish Opens and why you
should take your clubs with you
TRAVEL
137 / Latest news
The best courses in the
Bahamas and lots more besides
140 / The Broadmoor
David J. Whyte checks in to one of
the USA’s classiest establishments
142 / Where to Play
The pick of the places to play
in Great Britain and Ireland
148 / Czech it out
Find out why the Czech Republic is
enjoying a surge in popularity
152 / Amendoeira
A closer look at the Algarve resort
that is more than just a bit special
STAY IN TOUCH
INTERACT
 YOUR LETTERS

Mail Bag  letters@bunkered.co.uk

H STAR LETTER
DON'T CALL ME
AN ANORAK
I am really not too
much into numbers
when it comes to golf
– except counting
my penalty strokes.
Nevertheless, I’m
pretty sure that there are four
instead of just three countries with
multiple players as world
No. 1 (Front 9, Issue 163). Germany’s
Bernhard Langer and Martin Kaymer
may just have stayed a combined 11
weeks on top but, being a German, I
can tell you, we are still heavily proud

CONFUSED BY RECENT WOMEN'S CAMPAIGN of both of them.

Many apologies for my poor
I’ve read and seen a lot of things lately about the drive to get more women playing golf in the English. And please don’t call me an
UK, which is great, but – and please correct me if I’m wrong – it seems to be mostly talk and anorak.
little action. For example, I read that it was Women’s Golf Day recently but my club didn’t do Kind regards
anything to mark it. In fact, I know of barely any clubs in my local area that did. Why was this? Jörg Bewersdorf
I’m guessing one major reason was the fact it was on a Tuesday and that completely baffled
me to say the least. Are the people behind Women’s Golf Day trying to suggest that women
don’t work during the week so that’s the best day for it? If so, that’s pretty backward. Surely
having it on a Saturday or Sunday would make so much more sense. I’m also interested
IGNORANT COMMENT
to see what happens with this Women's Charter from the R&A. If this helps promote one Your comment about Minami Katsu’s
message about growing women’s golf, great. But none of my wife's friends know what it's caddie’s get-up is a little ignorant
about, or how it works, or how it's meant to help women. (Front 9 , Issue 163). The masks are
Name withheld worn not so the wearer doesn’t catch
anything. But when they have a cold
EDITOR’S REPLY I'm not a big believer in what's happening right now. Golf seems to love a PR push but such action rarely it’s worn kindly to avoid spreading
delivers. There is no quick fix. Golf needs a cultural shift at grassroots, which is where the golf bodies need to step in. their germs.
Mark Munro

12 bunkered.co.uk
 WIN
a long-sleeved
PING ‘Austin’ top

ON TOUR
Been somewhere nice? Managed to get your
3
copy of bunkered in the snap? If so, send it to us!

1 Paul Bolton and pals

Brian and Locky at Le
Golf National in Paris. 4
2 Newmachar members
Alasdair Campbell, David
Mathieson, Ian Smith
and Mike Herbertson
at Caledonia Golf Club
2 in Myrtle Beach. “It is a
wonderful track and I
would recommend it to
anyone travelling to the
area,” says Alasdair.
3 Billy Smith's annual
golf outing with friends
and family at Aphrodite
Hills, Cyprus.
4 Andy Boyd taking in
the sights of Alaska with
his favourite golf mag.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 13
 Insight, news, views & gossip from around the game

I really liked the AVX. It not only felt softer, but

lighter off the face - yet I still felt it compress against
the face. Distance was exceptional. STEVE N,
TEAM TITLEIST MEMBER
SPEC TITLEIST AVX Colours White and High Optic Yellow RRP £52 per dozen

AVX
FYI

NEW
1 The AVX was
launched in October 2017

TITLEIST
in Florida, California
and Arizona as a part
of a special four-month
test to see if it would be
popular. Initial feedback
was so promising
BALL!
with Team Titleist
members that the brand
accelerated production
to facilitate its global
launch in July 2018.

2 The AVX is produced

at Titleist’s Ball Plant
III in New Bedford,
Massachusetts, home of
the Pro V1 and Pro V1x.

3 The AVX is a
completely new design
from Titleist and the
second entirely new golf
ball released by Titleist
this year (following
the introduction of the
Tour Soft). It features
an entirely new core,
urethane cover, high flex
casing layer and a 352
tetrahedral catenary
aerodynamic dimple
design.

4 It is the first premium

Titleist golf ball to be
available in High-Optic
Yellow.

16 bunkered.co.uk
 Sky Sports’ PGA Tour future in jeopardy
 The PGA Tour recently announced a new $2bn, 12-year partnership with
Discovery that, from next year, will see the media conglomerate take over
global television and multi-platform live rights in 220 territories. Sky’s
current deal with the PGA Tour runs until 2022 and recent events have
brought the strength of this long standing partnership into question.
It’s a new premium Titleist
ball, but it’s not a Pro V1 -
so what is it?
Titleist tested a ball in the
US last year for four months
and golfers loved it - now
it’s going on sale. Here’s the
lowdown on the new AVX...
By David Cunninghame
A
FTER A four-month
trial period in
selected States in
the USA, Titleist
recently announced the
worldwide introduction of its
brand new AVX golf ball.
A comprehensive test
market conducted in Arizona,
California and Florida from
October 2017 to January 2018
resulted in what Titleist says
was a “resounding validation of
AVX”. It’s a premium ball but it’s
not a Pro V1. The AVX, rather,
has been designed for golfers
who prioritise distance and
extremely soft feel in mind. It
will sit alongside the Pro V1 and
Pro V1x but will offer the softest
feel out of the three, as well as
the lowest spin.
The AVX - which stands for
‘Alternative to V and X - is a
response to the demand for
a lower spinning tour-calibre
ball. In order to meet demand,
Titleist has accelerated its
manufacturing of AVX at
Titleist Ball Plant III in New
Bedford, Massachusetts, also
home to the Pro V1 and Pro V1x
models.
twitter.com/bunkeredonline
AVX is something entirely
new from the No.1 ball brand in
golf. The question is, will it be
able to tap into or even rival the
success of the Pro V1?
When compared to the Pro
V1 and Pro V1x, you can expect
lower spin, a lower trajectory
and a softer feel. What I find
interesting with this new
release is Titleist’s decision
to not capitalise on the Pro V1
‘brand’. The AVX retails at the
same price and offers the same
level of tour performance, yet
Titleist is making certain that
the AVX is its own entity.
Perhaps Titleist is hedging
its bets. The Pro V1 and Pro V1x
are the No.1 balls in golf and
that doesn’t look like changing
anytime soon. Although the
test market was a success,
Titleist will not want the
potential failure of this new ball
to taint their flagship product.
That being said, I can only
see this ball selling in large
quantities. Firstly, you’ll have
just about every golfer wanting
to give this potential Pro V1
usurper a go. Secondly, the
desire for lower spin amongst 
17
Insight, news, views & gossip from around the game

AVX PRO V1 PRO V1X

Titleist believes its Sitting in the middle, Titleist Now at the opposite end
premium ball offerings are still believes the Pro V1 will of the spectrum when
more easily defined and be the ball to suit most compared the new AVX, the
differentiated thanks to the golfers, but AVX gives an Pro V1x offers the highest
addition AVX. It offers the additional option for the spin, highest launch and
lowest spin, lowest launch golfer looking for lower firmest feel in the premium
and softest feel of the spin, a more penetrating category.
three options. flight and a softer feel.

Lowest spinning Highest spinning

Lowest launching Highest launching
Softest feeling Firmest feeling

 golfers today will play a huge role. Couple for more yards. Titleist says the catenary AVX stood out from the beginning.
that reduced spin with super soft feel and aerodynamic design delivers a “piercing, “Ultimately, it was important to let
greenside performance of a tour ball and low trajectory while providing a consistent golfers decide whether this ball had a
you have a winning combo. ball flight”. place in our line and the results of our test
The AVX features a proprietary “Golfers have spoken loud and clear market were emphatic.”
multi-component construction for more about the performance of AVX,” said The Titleist AVX will be available in July
distance, a penetrating flight, very low Michael Mahoney, Vice President, Titleist in both white and high-optic yellow, with
long game and iron spin, soft feel and Golf Ball Marketing. “While our R&D team an RRP of £52.
premium scoring control. is constantly exploring new golf ball
Its high speed, low compression core technologies, only a limited number of
tech results in a “powerful engine to prototypes ever make it past the initial
drive distance” with soft feel, while the machine and player testing
invention of a new high flex casing layer phases.
enhances speed and controls spin

18 bunkered.co.uk
 Com e an d watch...
Insight, news, views & gossip from around the game
should be fun!
inside
stretch

ONCORE GENIUS
GOLF BALL
What is this?
Essentially, the OnCore
Genius ball is a golf ball
with GPS embedded in it.

So it’ll find my ball if I

‘lose’ it? How?
Exactly. It captures and
transmits data directly to a
mobile device in real time,
pinpointing its location
with one foot of accuracy.

Fair enough. But what

else does it do?
Well, if you love data,
prepare to be impressed.
The ball also measures
distance between the ball
and middle of the green,
g-force at impact, initial
velocity, carry flight, degree
of draw or fade, spin rate,
time in the air, angle of
descent, height apex and
roll distance.

Wow. So has it been

released yet?
Not yet. OnCore
successfully crowdfunded
more than $125,000
towards the project late
last year and attended the
PGA Show in Orlando, so it
seems the brand is serious
about making this a reality.

How much will they cost?

Just as well you asked.
A sleeve of two OnCore
Genius balls is expected
to cost $49.95. Yes, that’s
almost $25 per ball. If you’re
interested, let’s hope your
home course doesn’t have
lots of water. The PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles will play host to the first European Golf Team Championships

22 bunkered.co.uk
 Tiger vs Phil? Make. It. Happen.
 Phil Mickelson has called out Tiger Woods to play a one-on-one exhibition
match. Ahead of the Players Championship, he said: “Why don’t we just bypass
the tournament and go head-to-head in a high-stake, winner takes all match. I
don’t know if he wants a piece of me, but it would be really fun for us to do.” Tiger’s
response: “We’ll play for whatever makes him uncomfortable.” Let’s do this! 

THE LOWDOWN

Everything you
need to know
Want to whet your appetite with some team golf ahead
of the Ryder Cup? Glasgow 2018 is offering that at
Gleneagles and here’s what’s going on

1 What is Glasgow 2018?

The Glasgow 2018 European Championships is

an exciting new multi-sport event that will bring
together some of the continent’s leading sports,
including athletics, aquatics, cycling, gymnastics,
rowing, triathlon and golf. It will be staged every
four years.
Event ambassadors Carly Booth & Paul Lawrie
2 Why is golf in it?

When Glasgow was being considered as the 6 What’s the format?

venue, the vision was to include golf as part of the
championships given Scotland’s rich history in the
game. The European Tour and Ladies European Tour
were hugely supportive of the concept and thus the
European Golf Team Championships was born.
3 How many players will tee it up?
A total of 64 players will play in the event - 32 men
and 32 women. These 64 players will be split in 16
teams of four, based on nationality. There will be a
maximum of three teams per country and players
from the home nations - England, Scotland and
Wales - will all represent Great Britain.
4 Where will it be played?
It will take place over the PGA Centenary
Course at Gleneagles across five days
from August 8-12.
Within the European Golf Team Championships,
there are three separate competitions: a men’s
team event, a women’s team event and a mixed
team event. The men’s and women’s events will
feature a round robin group fourball matchplay
format, with the winners of each of the four
groups progressing to the semi-finals and then the
final, where foursomes matchplay will determine
the medal-winners. The mixed event, meanwhile,
comprises the teams of four playing in an 18-hole
mixed foursomes strokeplay, with combined
scores equalling each team’s total score.
7 What’s the prize money on offer?
As well as medals, there’s also a chunk of money
on offer. Each winning men’s and women’s team
will receive €200,000 (€100,000 each), while each
team will receive €30,000 (€7,500 each).

5 How will players qualify? 8 How do I buy tickets?

Eligibility will be determined according to the Head to glasgow2018.com. Adult tickets

Official World Golf Ranking (men’s) and Rolex start from just £10, under 60s from £5 and
Rankings (women’s), with points accrued up under 16s go free when accompanied by an
until Monday, July 9. adult.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 23
Insight, news, views & gossip from around the game

BUCKET LIST

The
Scandinavian
Denmark
W
HEN THE technology
company Navision – a suite
of accounting applications
– was sold to Microsoft in
2002, it opened the door for its three
founders to plunge their millions into
what has become Denmark’s premier
golf destination: The Scandinavian.
After four years of wrangling with
the local community, plans for the
site – formerly a clay pit and military
practice area – were approved and,
under the stewardship of Robert
Trent Jones Jnr and his principal
designer Bruce Charlton, it was
transformed into 36 holes laid out in
200 hectares of forest and separated
by streams leading into natural ponds.
The silence and tranquility provide
a stress free, yet enticing experience,
which is probably why four-time
European Tour winner Soren Kjeldsen
has made the club his home.
The Old Course has been designed
with the fundamental element
that accuracy from the tee counts
more than length. There are several
elements of danger here, none more
so than on the tenth hole with its two
nests of fairway bunkers.
The New Course, meanwhile, is
one year younger. Like its sibling,
it is a tight layout with quite a bit
of visual deception, particularly on
the opening hole, where the fairway
seems unbelievably narrow from the
tee. But, as the round progresses, the
longer hitter can begin to open up and
test their skills.
Designed by Henning Larsen
Architects, the award-winning
clubhouse overlooks both courses
and combines a contemporary
Scandinavian design with a very
rustic feel.

26 bunkered.co.uk
Record-breaking Maguire turns pro
 Irish star Leona Maguire has turned pro after a stellar amateur
career. It included breaking Lydia Ko’s record of spending the most
weeks as No.1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. The 23-year-old’s
other list of accolades includes winning the Ladies’ British Amateur,
three Curtis Cup appearances and playing in the Olympics.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 27
Insight, news, views & gossip from around the game

IN FOCUS
2
1. For Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas and Smylie Kaufman, spring break to
Baker’s Bay in the Bahamas was cancelled this year – but it was for good reason. Kaufman got
married to his long-term partner Francie Harris, with all of the crew in attendance.
2. They say dog is a man’s best friend, and that’s certainly the case for Ian Poulter. The car-loving
Ryder Cup hero couldn’t even hop on his treatment table without his hairy pal jumping up to join
him. The dog’s name? Bentley. Of course it is.
3. Paul Casey’s caddie, John McLaren, is one of the game’s most recognisable loopers due to
his frequent shorts and long socks combo. At the Players Championship, he wore socks with the
famous par-3 17th hole on. That’s pretty cool.

28 bunkered.co.uk
 Scotland’s newest range opens
 In the Glasgow/Central Scotland area? There’s a new place for you to go to bash
some balls. Twelve floodlit bays have just opened at Crow Wood Golf Club, a ten-minute
drive east of Glasgow city centre, after a £300,000 investment from the club. “This will
help to bring people through our gates and experience all the club has to offer,” said
past captain Alex Paton. The range is open seven days a week from 9am-9pm. 

4 5

4. Now how about this for a throwback? Here

are Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter,
6 Luke Donald and David Howell at the BBC Sports
Personality of the Year in 2004, where the European
Ryder Cup team was nominated for Team of
the Year. Just take a look at those horrendous
highlights.
5. Uh-oh. Rory McIlroy’s reaction says it all after he
raps a spectator on the hand from 20ft away after
getting into trouble at the BMW PGA Championship.
McIlroy struck three spectators during that round
and, because he didn’t shout ‘fore’, was criticised.
“It’s never nice when you see blood,” he said.
6. Carly Booth takes on the ‘Extreme 19th’ at
Legend Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa. The
tee shot is 430m above the green and can only be
accessed by helicopter. Because of its height, the
tee shot takes almost 20 seconds to land and, as
you can probably imagine, no one has made a hole-
in-one… yet.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 29
 Shark tales...
 Greg Norman is swapping the fairways for the airwaves. The
two-time major champ has launched his own radio show -
‘Attack Life Radio’ - on SiriusXM. The monthly show will combine
golf, business and interviews with the world’s top golfers. You can
Insight, news, views & gossip from around the game stream the show or catch-up through player.siriusxm.com. 

Entertain and inform:

the golden rules of
golf commentary
Okay, it’s not brain surgery but describing the action still requires some skill

Dougie Donnelly
@DougieDonnelly
PHOTO Getty Images

I
DON’T SUPPOSE many brain
surgeons or nuclear physicists
run into people in the pub
who believe they can do a
better job but, believe me, golf
commentators do.
What’s more, the loudmouth
spilling his pint over you is quite
possibly right. After all, how hard can
it be to rabbit on endlessly on the telly
about the game we all love?
Well, there’s a bit more to it than you
might think - but then you’d expect me
to say that as someone who has made
a living for a long time talking about
sports I could never play very well!
Every viewer, naturally, has an
opinion about the commentators and
pundits they listen to every week.
Some are more popular than others,
of course, but there are a few who
seem to attract constant criticism.
Maybe it’s their voice, their delivery,
their ignorance of anyone outside
the world’s top 50, or their insistence
on talking endlessly about their own
achievements. Sound familiar?
As with every sport, golf relies
heavily on ex pros who have been there
and done it. There is no doubt that the
good ones offer a level of insight that
only comes with competing at the top.
However, I’ve never gone along with
the theory that if you could run fast,
score goals or hole putts then you also
had a talent to communicate. Some
of those who have tried, frankly, don’t
know enough words.
I was lucky to begin my career
working with and learning from some
of the greats, like Bill McLaren, David
The great, long-standing BBC ‘Voice of Golf’, Peter Alliss
I’ve never
gone along with
the theory that
if you could hole
putts, you also
had a talent to
communicate
Coleman, Des Lynam, Peter O’Sullevan
and the inimitable Peter Alliss, who, in
his prime, brilliantly combined a deep
knowledge of the game with a well
developed sense of the ridiculous, and
was often laugh-out-loud funny.
All of them knew their subject, had
a wonderful command of the language
and a huge enthusiasm for their sport.
Mind you, Peter rarely broadcast for
more than a couple of hours at a time.
I’m not sure he would have retained
his enthusiasm and sense of humour
going into the fifth hour of a wet
Thursday afternoon in Austria!
That is when I rely heavily on my
colleagues like Ken Brown, Sam
Torrance, Tony Johnstone, Mark
James and the rest. All great players
but also men with a great sense
of humour which we try hard to
communicate. After all, we may be on
air for five hours at a time but, except
for the final round, only the most
committed viewer will be with us for
more than an hour.
Keep it entertaining, keep it
informative and ignore the recent,
serious instruction from an American
producer to ‘imagine you’re being
paid by the word’. I think he may have
worked with the PGA Tour presenter
we long ago christened ‘gorgonzola’. It
doesn’t get more cheesy!
Still, maybe you love his style, just
as you will have your own opinion
about every commentator who picks
up a microphone, whether it’s our lot
or the Sky TV boys in the booth next
door. All I can say is that every one
of us loves the game, tries to add to
your enjoyment of it and, even though
live TV is always a challenge, it’s still
probably easier than brain surgery.

32 bunkered.co.uk
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Coming to terms with

being ‘just another
rubbish golfer’
Yes, I work in the golf industry. No, I’m not a particularly good golfer.

Michael McEwan
@MMcEwanbunkered
PHOTO Getty Images

A
T A RECENT
WEDDING, my wife
and I found ourselves
seated at that dinner
table. You know the
one. It’s reserved
for those who don’t
really know anybody but somehow
have a strong enough connection
with the happy couple to merit a full-
day invite. Former colleagues, old
neighbours, ex-opticians and so on.
You have to work hard at this table.
It’s an awkward environment where
conversation invariably flows like
treacle being poured uphill.
Long before the starter arrives, the
small talk typically finds its way to the
‘comfortable’ topic of work.
So, what is it you do?
It’s a question that strikes the fear of
the Almighty in me. I mean, I love what
I do but I’m at a wedding for crying out
loud. This is my day off.
Also, my answer, more often than
not, elicits further probing. Oh really?
You write about golf? How long have
you done that? Who do you work
for? I take it you travel a lot? Do you
know Tiger Woods? Stuff like that. It’s
harmless and it’s friendly but I repeat:
this is my day off. Sometimes I feel like
saying I’m an accountant.
A good nine times out of ten, I also
get this pearl of predictability. So, I
take it you’re really good at golf then?
What in the name of all things
sacred makes you think that? If I was,
I’d be playing it for a living and would
have driven here in one of my Ferraris.
Instead, I write about it and turned up
If I was ‘really
good at golf’, I
would be driving
around in one of
my Ferraris, not
a seven-year-old
Ford Focus.
today in a seven-year-old Ford Focus.
I know a lot of football writers. None
can recall being asked if they’re ‘really
good at football’ when word escapes
that they do what they do. Likewise
rugby, likewise cricket, likewise
swimming, likewise pretty much every
sport on the planet. Except golf.
It’s a strange question and I dread
it being asked because I know the
answer. No, I’m not very good actually.
Experience has taught me that
admitting to a table full of wide-eyed
strangers that you don’t have a tour
card can be a bit of a mood-killer. The
person who’s jumped to the conclusion
that you’re ‘Michael Monday-Friday,
Rory Saturday-Sunday’ retreats into an
embarrassed clam, whilst others eye
you sympathetically. Don’t worry, you
can feel them thinking, I’m sure writing
about it is nice, too.
Fact is, I’m not ashamed that I’m
nowhere near as good a golfer as
people expect me to be. On a really
good day, I’ll break 90 and drive home
feeling like I’ve beaten Vegas. I’ve been
playing for 20 years and can count on
one hand the eagles I’ve had.
I’ve put more sky marks on drivers
than I care to remember. If the shots
I’ve topped were people, they’d fill
Hampden. I’ve seen parts of some
courses that the greenkeepers
haven’t. I have an easier time reading
Arabic than greens. As for bunkers?
Don’t get me started on those
sand-filled craters of misery.
In spite of all that, I love this bloody
game. The highs, the lows, the good
bits, the bad bits, the weird bits. I love
knowing that no matter how much
I improve, I can always get better. I
love it for so many more reasons than
space here permits me to explain.
I’m not a great golfer. I’m not even a
good one. But I am a golfer. And that’s
good enough. 

34 bunkered.co.uk
 The world’s longest hole!
 Drive. Approach. Approach. Approach. Maybe lay-up. Approach. That’s kinda
how we think you might play the sixth hole at Chocolay Downs Golf Club in
Marquette, Michigan. It’s 1,007 yards from the back tee and plays as a par-8. It’s
rarely used by the club. Probably because it’s so depressing to play. Apparently
Insight, news, views & gossip from around the game they keep extra ground just in case they need to add yards. Obviously.

Nicola Ellwood
BIO MSc. Master Performance Coach,
Mind-set Coach, and NLP Master Practitioner
@EllwoodNicola
nicola@performanceandmastery.co.uk / performanceandmastery.co.uk

Play ‘As If’

playing your
ideal shot
You’ll play better when you’re
in a better frame of mind

O
UR MINDS can be tricky when
playing golf, creating thoughts
that don’t serve us. You may have
times where you play great and
feel comfortable. You may experience
instances where you feel anything but
comfortable,. It’s these times when our
thoughts and self-talk can kick in: “Uh oh,
it’s hole # next, you always find this hole
tricky”. Or “Oh no, it’s a chip, you struggle
with your chipping”.
These thoughts only serve to sabotage
your performance. It’s frustrating because
you can actually play well. If you think of a
time where you’ve played well, what was it
about that time? Why could you play well?
To play at your best, your beliefs
must serve you and you must have full
confidence that you can play the shot
you’re about to hit. Your frame of mind
underpins your technical ability to play
the shot well. So, if you regularly come up
against a shot you ‘struggle’ with, take back
control and give your mind a better belief
set.
Your frame of mind
Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)
teaches us the ‘As If’ frame of mind. When
you come up against a challenging shot
and wish you were playing a different shot,
environment or play context, act ‘As If’ it is
how you want it to be. For example:
The dreaded chip shot:
You’re about to hit this shot and can see
the ball is practically buried in the grass.
You always chip it poorly when the ball lies
like this. You wish the grass was smooth,
lying in line with the shot, with the ball nervous about hitting it poorly in front of
delicately perched on top of the grass. You your fellow players – as always. You wish
chip it perfectly and it lands on the green, that every hole could be like hole #. You
rolling directly into the hole. You hit it so feel so comfortable and relaxed in your
well when it lies like that. swing because you know it’s going to land
So, act ‘As If’ the grass is like that. In exactly where you plan to place it. It always
your mind’s eye, imagine it is perched on does.
the grass perfectly. Believe that. Know So, act as if it’s your favourite hole.
how you would hit that shot with the grass Have that same confidence, bring about a
lying perfectly, and hit it. You might be feeling of relaxation. Believe that it’ll land
surprised how different the shot feels where you want to place it. See it, believe
when you trick your mind this way. it, feel it, and hit it.
The dreaded hole #... When walking the course with my
As you approach this hole, you recall all clients, I tune into their language and
the times you played it poorly previously. often help them deploy this technique with
Perhaps you never know how to approach transformational results. We all have the
it. Perhaps you don’t like the trickiness of resources within us to play how we want.
the green. You tense up because you are It’s just accessing them at the right time.
A FEW WEEKS back, a client of choices, and can do a bad job of
ALWAYS mine explained why he found a creating either choice. When you
COMMIT particular hole ‘tricky’. He never notice a tricky shot, make a choice,
knew which approach to take, was choose your club, commit and plan
anxious about it and often ended your shot. Know you’ve done the
up hitting it badly. When we don’t best with the information available.
commit, our mind hears doubt, both Play confident in that choice.

36 bunkered.co.uk
 Go Galvin
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Get the most from Kevin Craggs

your practice time @kevincraggsgolf

BIO Coach to Paula Creamer,
Colin Montgomerie, Mel Reid,
Catriona Matthew and more
WARNING Watch out for the pitfalls in trying to improve

E
VERYONE rarely knowing the difference all the information, which leads Hit it Player might occasionally
wants to be between practising HARD and to temporary solutions that clean up the sweep money,
better today SMART. These kind of players quickly revert back to the never their improvement can be slow,
than they were spend hours digging shots out ending road of searching. spending years fluctuating
yesterday. But of the dirt, scraping balls from between the same handicap
it’s easy to fall the pile with little thought of Find It, Hit It Players due to technical deficiencies in
into the trap of their start line or dispersion. These are your hard core their swing.
doing the wrong things. The problem with this is players that only see the You need a little bit of
There isn’t one way to that you may improve as a practice ground from the everything. The key to playing
improve. The key is to know technician but you lose the art clubhouse window whilst the game better is to have a
what the best way is for you and of playing the game. having their bacon roll and repeatable, consistent swing,
how to balance your practice coffee before teeing off. meaning you need to practise
time. To make that time more Searchers & Subscribers Their practice includes a technical competence. To
effective, you first need to be This golfer seeks information few mad swishes on the first achieve this, you must have
aware of the common pitfalls. trawling YouTube, magazines, tee and lazy stretches. In my clarity on how to do that.
and subscribing to any opinion, players will always Finally, never forget there is
Whackers & Scrappers fashionable quick fix that beat practisers as the player no substitute for playing the
The diehard practiser spends offers the ultimate cure. The will possess greater course game. As Albert Einstein once
more time on the range problem with this way is it is craft necessary to shoot a said: “Play is the highest form
than they do on the course, very easy to get confused with score - but whilst the Find It, of research”.

38 bunkered.co.uk
 Reid wary of LET future
 Melissa Reid says Ladies European Tour players need part-time
jobs to make a living. “The LET needs help and quickly,” said Reid. “I’ve
encouraged players to support offers we get in because it’s all good
Insight, news, views & gossip from around the game fighting a cause but there’s not going to be a tour to play on soon.”

Scott Clark
BIO Director of Golf, Prestonfield Golf
Club. For lessons, call Scott
on 0131 667 8597.
@ScottClarkPGA

Good irons lead

to consistency
Here’s something to think about
in the search for lower scores

I
RON PLAY is a major part of everybody’s golf
game. Hitting greens with them makes for a
comfortable round; hitting them close makes
for a great round; missing greens with them
soon becomes frustrating.
Now that the season is well and truly underway,
I am pretty sure you have already thought about
your first few rounds and have started to practice
and work on certain areas of your game. The
chances are that you’ve already done some work
with your irons.
General improvements to your iron play can be
done really quickly and without the need for major
swing changes at this stage of the season. Save
that for the off-season. When I’m playing, I like
to work to a 10% margin for error with my irons.
That means, if I am 100 yards away, I give myself a
10-yard perimeter around the target, 150 yards =
15-yard perimeter, and so on. This not only focuses
my attention to a very specific target area but
allows me to judge whether or not a flag is in good
position to go for it, or whether the middle of the
green would be the better option.
As you know, golf’s never that easy and can’t be
bracketed into exact parameters like this, but the
journey of golf is to always try and improve and,
to do that, you need to measure and monitor your
performance. Your scorecard or handicap often flies to your target is irrelevant. What matters is it gets there. So, embrace
doesn’t tell the full story. your natural shot shape and don’t try to change or work against it during
To set consistent target parameters, you need to every round.
embrace your shot shape and know your average
yardage for each club. Know your yardages
If you don’t know how far you hit each iron on average, you will never be able
Embrace your shot shape to consistently hit target areas. Factors such as the golf ball you are playing
I am proud to say that I move the golf ball from left with, the equipment, the weather, course conditions and even how you are
to right in the air. Always have and always will. I find feeling on the day all influence distance. If you don’t have a baseline figure
it very difficult and unnatural at times to try and for this equation, you will never be able to work out the answer. Spend a bit of
fly the golf ball the other way. But how the golf ball time hitting ten to 20 balls with each club to establish some base figures.

40 bunkered.co.uk
 CARNOUSTIE • PREVIEW

the open
championship
Carnoustie
2018

The Open / July 19-22

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN you bring the biggest prize in golf to one of the toughest
courses in golf? You get drama. No Open Championship at Carnoustie Golf Links has
ever been dull, that’s for sure. Those behind the scenes at the Angus links don’t like the
terms often used to describe the course, but there’s no denying its severity in certain
conditions. Aside from that obvious fact, this links is one of the finest courses in the
world and will take centre stage for the first time since 2007. Our team of writers set
the scene on what could be another exceptional four days of major championship golf.

ESSENTIAL
READING
JUG OF WAR
Martin Inglis previews the biggest
championship in golf Page 44
PAUL LAWRIE ANSWERS
READERS’ QUESTIONS
Our Guest Editor answers
questions from bunkered readers
Page 48
THE HARDEST FINISH
IN GOLF?
David Cunninghame speaks
to various top players about
Carnoustie’s closing holes Page 54
WALK THE COURSE WITH
PADRAIG HARRINGTON
The two-time Claret Jug winner
gives Michael McEwan the lowdown
on the Barry links and where the
jug will be won and lost Page 60
HOGAN REVISITED
Recounting the legendary story of
Ben Hogan’s 1953 Open win Page 66

42 bunkered.co.uk
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 43
 2018
the open
championship
Carnoustie
JUG OF
If past Opens at Carnoustie are anything to
go by, get set to witness an absolute classic
BY MARTIN INGLIS
L
@MInglisbunkered
ET THE BATTLE
COMMENCE.
After 11 years,
the Open
Championship
is back at
Carnoustie and,
if the two most recent visits to
Angus are anything to go by,
you know what that means:
pure, unadulterated excitement
and drama that goes right down
to the wire.
Take 1999, for example, where
Paul Lawrie stormed through
the field and made up a ten-shot
deficit on the final day to win in
a play-off and create one of the
most memorable moments in
Scottish sporting history.
Then, in 2007, it was the
intense play-off battle between
Padraig Harrington and Sergio
Garcia. It came after Harrington,
who had a one-shot lead going
down the last, went into the
44 bunkered.co.uk
Barry Burn twice to make a
double-bogey and Garcia, who
then had his own one-shot
advantage standing on the 18th
tee box, missed a ten-foot putt
to win. You simply couldn’t take
your eyes off the action.
“If there isn’t some
excitement at the 18th here,
you’re not going to get it
anywhere. It’s staggeringly
good,” said the then R&A chief
executive Peter Dawson in the
aftermath of the latter.
The Course
But while no one could argue
that the Opens of both 1999
and 2007 produced incredible
drama, the way in which they
did couldn’t have been more
different.
The course set-up in 1999,
with its narrow fairways, waist-
high rough and lightning-fast
greens, prompted anger and
WAR

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 45
WAR

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 45
48 bunkered.co.uk

Enjoye d this. Always
fun to look back!
“PEOPLE ASK TO
SHAKE MY HAND
EVERY DAY”
Paul Lawrie – the most recent Scot to win The Open
Championship – answers YOUR questions
PHOTOS Kenny Smith / Getty Images
H
OW DOES
it feel to be
an Open
champion?
Mike
Pickering,
Blackpool
First and foremost, I think for
a British golfer it’s the biggest
event in the world. I don’t think
there’s a British golfer that
doesn’t want to win The Open.
To be one of those – and I don’t
know how many there are at
the moment who are still alive,
but it’s not many – I think that’s
pretty cool. I drove home on the
Sunday night with the Claret Jug
in the back seat of my Subaru
Impreza. It was a wet night and
took forever but I honestly don’t
think it gets any better than that.
And when they announce that
you are the ‘Champion Golfer
of the Year’, that is the coolest
thing ever. It’s unbelievably
humbling to have won the one
event that everybody would love
to get their hands on.
Will you reminisce when you
return to Carnoustie?
Gordon Leake, Dalkieth
Every time I go back, whether
it’s for the Alfred Dunhill Links
or something else, I have a
few wee moments to myself
where I think back to ’99. The
17th green always stands out
actually. I holed a massive putt
there against Van de Velde in
the play-off and that
was the point when
I thought, ‘Man, I’ve
just won The Open’. the open
championship
I’m normally pretty Carnoustie
good under pressure
and I had worked so
hard on my routine with Adam
Hunter so, after that putt went
in, I was pretty confident that
I’d done it. Any time I get to the
left hand side of that 17th green,
I have a little bit of a moment
to myself. There are two or
three spots on the course a
bit like that, where your mind
automatically goes back to 1999.
You’re only human. You know,
I holed a nice putt at eight to
make a birdie and hit a beautiful
shot from the rough at 12 to set
up another birdie, so, yeah, you
do think about those moments
when you go back.
What was going through your
mind when you hit that 4-iron
to within five feet at the 18th on
your way to winning The Open?
Colin Burton,
2018
Hopeman
Just one thing:
‘Slow away’. That’s
been my swing
thought for the last
25 years. When I’m
in the zone, that’s the only thing
that goes through my mind. If I
can get the club to move those
first few inches away from the
ball at a speed I’m comfortable
with, I normally hit a good shot.
The only time I struggle is when
I don’t get that first move right
or I let other thoughts creep
in there. So, before that shot,
after I’d gone through what
twitter.com/bunkeredonline
AS TOLD TO Michael McEwan
I was doing and where I was
aiming, the only thing that was
going through my mind was
‘slow away’. Funnily enough,
the play-off was probably the
most focused on that I’ve ever
been at any point in my career.
It was right there at the front of
my mind. Once it was in the air,
I knew it was good. We had 221
yards, which is way longer than
I’d normally hit a 4-iron, but the
adrenaline was pumping, I was
swinging it really good and I’d
just hit a 6-iron at 17 that went
miles further than usual. So, I
knew that if I made a half-decent
contact, all I had to do was carry
the burn and it would kick onto
the green, which obviously it did.
How aware were you of what
was going on with Van de Velde
on the 18th. Were you still on the
practice ground, or were you
watching on TV?
Rod McAllister, Kirkcudbright
At the time that was going on, I
was on the range hitting balls.
49
 Adam had told Paddy [Byrne,
caddie] to go and sit in the little
ball-collecting hut where there
was a TV and to tell us when
Jean teed off at 18 so we could
go in and watch. We did that
and, as soon as I saw the ball
was dry, I said, ‘Right, come on,
let’s go in, he’ll make six from
there’. So, we were heading back
indoors when he hit his second
shot and everything kicked off.
It was as we were walking past
the BBC compound, Dougie
Donnelly shouted down, ‘Hey,
I think you’re going to want to
see this’. That’s when Jean was
coming back out of the water,
so we never actually saw him in
the burn. I’ve watched it since
and you can clearly see a bit of
the ball when he starts to take
his socks and shoes off, so our
rough rule is that, if you can see
any of the ball, it’ll come out. As
soon as the water comes over
the ball, you don’t have a go but,
if you can see any of the ball
above the water line, you know
that it’ll come out if you hit a
decent shot. So, I can see what
he was trying to do.
How did you manage to
re-focus prior to the play-off at
Carnoustie when it looked as if
Jean was going to win?
John Hamilton, Cambuslang
Lawrie raises his arms in celebration after winning the 1999 Open
Adam made me refocus. I’ve
said many times, and I’ll never
get tired of saying it, he did
everything that he had to do that
day as a coach, from making
me have something to eat to
putting positive thoughts in my
mind. As we were in the buggy
driving to the first hole of the
play-off, he told me to look at
Jean and Justin [Leonard]
when I got on the tee, which was
an absolute masterstroke. As
soon as I saw them, I knew that
they were every bit as nervous
as I was and that, in turn, made
me feel better. As coaching
goes, that was right out of the
Sir Alex Ferguson manual. So,
to be honest, getting focused
was pretty easy because Adam
did his job absolutely perfectly.
Had he not, it would have been a
whole lot tougher.
50 bunkered.co.uk
Adam did everything that
he had to do that day as a coach.
He did his job perfectly.
What did Jean say to you when
you holed the winning putt?
Simon Thorpe, Southampton
I honestly don’t remember. I
do know he would have said
something along the lines of
‘well done’ and ‘well played’
because he’s always been an
absolute gentleman. We’ve
always got on really well. I
imagine some people would
rather there had been some kind
of problem between us after
everything that happened and
the way it happened because
that’s a more dramatic story. But
it was the absolute opposite.
We’ve always got on brilliantly.
I mean, he flew in from Hong
Kong for the day – just the day
– to come to my foundation
dinner. That’s the kind of guy he
is. We knew each other before
the 1999 Open. We’d played quite
a few times together before
then and always got on. He’s just
a class act.
Do you think a score of 60 or
less will be achieved at The
Open soon?
Gordon Brown, Thornton
If things keep going the way
they have been, yes. Everyone
knows that links courses need
the weather to protect them.
There’s only so much you can do
to protect them, and wind is the
main thing. If it’s a flat calm day,
the equipment stays as it is and
the ball stays as it is, somebody
will break 60 at some point.
Was there more pressure
playing the last hole to win The
Open or playing the first hole in
the Ryder Cup?
Wilson Syme, Paisley
The first hole in the Ryder Cup.
No question. Way more. On the
last hole of a play-off, you’re in
your rhythm, you’re in your zone.
You’ve already played however
many holes to get to that point.
The first hole is different. You’ve
not hit a shot, you don’t know
how the day’s going to go and
you’ve got apprehension over
how you’re going to hit it. I only
ever get nervous on the first tee
of a tournament and, on the first
tee of the first morning of my
first Ryder Cup, that’s the most
nervous I’ve ever been on any
golf course at any time in my life.
Two different types of victories
but which would you say was
more special for you: winning
the Open Championship or
being part of the winning Ryder
Cup team at Medinah?
Grant Stronach, Falkirk
Carnoustie in 1999 will always
be the biggest thing I’ll ever
achieve. Even if I was to go on
and do it again, winning it for the
first time is always going to be
the one. But Medinah was really
cool too, though. To be part of
that team, having been out of
it for so long, and to play a vital
role in it by winning my match
so easily on the Sunday, is a
close second. But The Open will
always be the highlight of my
career.
Would you rather win The Open
again at Carnoustie or see
Aberdeen in the Europa League
stages?
Greg Harrison, Airdrie
[laughs] I think I’d take The
 “Carnoustie is definitely in my top three Scottish courses,” says Lawrie
Open again. I love Aberdeen
but not that much!
Where were your mum and dad
were when you won?
Bill Riddoch, Aberdeen
They were on holiday in Spain
with my brother. They came
home on the Tuesday after I won
and, if I’m recalling it correctly,
I met them with at the airport
holding the Claret Jug. That’s a
pretty cool way to be picked up
at the airport, eh?
Did you drink from the Claret
Jug? If so, what was the first
thing you put in it?
S. Miller, Kilmarnock
I did take a drink from it, yes, but
I don’t think it was on the first
night. I wasn’t much of a drinker
back then. I had my brother-in-
law with me the whole week.
He’s a teacher, so he came up
and down the road with me
every day because Marian was
at home looking after the boys.
Anyway, we drove home, Gary
stayed with us in the house that
night and we had a couple of
beers. I remember we watched
the play-off again, as Marian had
video-taped it. So, I don’t think
52 bunkered.co.uk
we drank out of it that night, but
we have since, for sure.
Is Carnoustie your favourite
course in Scotland or is there
somewhere your prefer?
John Grant, via email
I think we’re lucky that we have
so many great places to play,
to be honest. There are some
unbelievable ones. [pauses] You
know, I actually think Muirfield’s
my favourite course in Scotland.
That’s where I played my first
Open, in 1992, and I go down
there quite a bit. But Carnoustie
is definitely in my top three.
Players in their 40s have had
lots of success in The Open in
recent years. Does that give
you confidence you could win
again?
Allan Wilson, Livingston
Links courses are the only real
places where you can compete
when you get older. You can
make the ball run and distance
I went to collect my mum, dad and brother from
the airport on the Tuesday after I won and met them
there with the Claret Jug. That was pretty cool.
is not so much of a factor. It’s
all about keeping the ball down
and keeping it low. Plus, I think
the weather is a good levelling
factor, too. It’s not a birdie-fest
unless it’s calm. If you get a little
bit of wind and you’re playing a
links course, that gives the old
boys a chance to show that they
can still do it in a way that the
week-in-and-week-out courses
don’t. That’s why [Tom] Watson
nearly won at Turnberry [in
2009]. I honestly think you’ll see
a senior win a regular major at
some point.
Where is the strangest place
you’ve been recognised?
Donald Beattie, via email
I’m not really sure. I get a lot
of people wanting to shake
my hand just to say they’ve
shaken the hand of an Open
champion. I get that most days,
to be honest. I’m not joking, it
happens nearly every day and
it’s pretty cool. I found it quite
odd at first but I quickly got it. I
mean, I’m a golf fan. If I wasn’t a
golfer and I saw a golfer who’d
won The Open walking down the
street, I’d probably want to shake
their hand, too.
Where do you keep the Claret
Jug these days?
Neil Gilmartin, Glasgow
We’ve got two of them. We’ve
got one that stays in my golf
room. We converted the dining
room of our current house into
a golf room where me and the
boys can hit balls. We’ve got a
net and a putting green in there,
and we use the fireplace for the
trophies that I’ve won. The Claret
Jug sits right in the middle. Then
we have another Claret Jug
that we use for photoshoots,
corporate events and so on. But
my ‘proper’ one sits right there
in my golf room and it doesn’t
move. I see it every day. And it’s
still as cool to look at now as it
was the first time. ●
54 bunkered.co.uk
 AS TOLD TO David Cunninghame

2018

the open
championship
Carnoustie

THE TOUGHEST
FINISH IN GOLF
A player’s perspective on what is often described
as the hardest closing stretch in the game
RORY MCILROY
Open appearances 9 Cuts made 8

 “FOURTEEN is your last clear birdie chance whilst coming in

at Carnoustie. The last four holes are definitely tough, but can be
made even worse or a little easier depending on which direction
the wind is blowing from. If you can play the last four holes in even
par for the four days then you will be at least one shot up on the
rest of the field, if not more. The holes are very fair. If you hit good
shots then you will be rewarded, if you hit a bad shot then you will
be punished and you will be doing very well to get up and down for
par. I personally prefer playing a tougher closing stretch. In my mind
they are more suited towards the better player. I prefer playing one
like this as opposed to ones with a lot of clear birdie opportunities.
Whenever the pressure is on I’d rather have the holes as tough as
possible, because I feel like it plays into my hands.”

PAUL DUNNE STEPHEN GALLACHER

Open appearances 3 Cuts made 1 Open appearances 8 Cuts made 4

 “YOU HAVE a couple of clear cut birdie chances
at the beginning of the back nine, but when you
step onto the last four it is usually about defending
the score you have. Any birdies you can make
on those holes are definitely a bonus. The wind
plays such a key role. If 17 is into the wind, then the
fairway plays a lot wider and makes the downwind
16 and 18 much easier propositions.”
 “NO MATTER the conditions, these closing four
holes are very demanding. You have to hit good
shots, it is as simple as that. It is one of the best
back nines in the world of golf and the closing
stretch certainly plays a large part in that. If you can
finish off with four pars, that is an excellent score
and you’ll definitely be gaining shots on the rest of
the field.”

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 55
Carnoustie’s
Final Four
The closing stretch of
holes in more detail

HOLE NO.15
LUCKY SLAP
Par-4 458 yards
As hard a par-4 as can be
found anywhere on the Open
rota. It requires a long and
accurate drive and then a Hole No.17
powerful approach to the very
well protected green. Into the
wind the majority of golfers will
not be able to get home in two
and, if a lay-up is required, it
must be kept well away from
the bunkers some 25 yards
short of the green as getting
out of these in one shot is
extremely difficult.
CHRIS WOOD PADRAIG HARRINGTON RICHIE RAMSAY
Open appearances 7 Open appearances 21 Open appearances 7
Cuts made 5 Cuts made 13 Cuts made 3

HOLE NO.16
BARRY BURN
Par-3 249 yards
A 249 yard par-3 often played
into the wind. Tom Watson
had five attempts to get a
par-3 here during the 1975
Open Championship and was
not successful in doing so. In
1968 Jack Nicklaus was the
only player to get past the pin
during the final round. This
hole is really a 3.5 and a par is
an outstanding achievement.
 I IMAGINE for the Open it
is going to be playing more
difficult than I’ve ever seen it
whilst competing in the Dunhill
Links. I’ve only ever played it
when the rough has been down,
and it’s tough enough in those
conditions. The first few times I
played here the holes were even
a little bit intimidating. If you
shoot one-over for the last three
holes then you probably won’t
have lost ground on the rest
of the field. There are 18 great
holes on Carnoustie and there
isn’t really any let up. You have to
have your A-game if you plan on
shooting under 70. Every shot
is demanding and that is what
makes it such a great course.
 CARNOUSTIE has easily one
of the most difficult closing
stretches and the 18th hole is,
for me, the toughest finishing
hole in all of golf. I think it has
proven its difficulty over the
years with the number of
disasters we’ve seen on those
final four holes. It is a golf
course that doesn’t need to be
set up tough, it is naturally that
way. They got it wrong in 1999
because they tried to toughen
up a course that didn’t need it.
It demands precision off the tee
and really makes you think about
every shot. I’d take four pars on
15, 16, 17 and 18 every day of the
week.
 CARNOUSTIE is probably one
of the toughest and best closing
stretches we play all year. It’s
a toss up between either here
or Le Golf National in Paris. Of
course the wind tends to play a
much larger role here and can
make it brutal. It can also play
easier or harder depending on
how generous the pin positions
are. 17 and 18 are really tricky
tee shots and you have to think
carefully about what club to hit
because of the Barry Burn. I
think people appreciate the fact
that most of the Open venues
have tough finishing holes. If you
want to be the Champion Golfer
of the Year then you have to
prove yourself worthy of the title
when it matters most.

56 bunkered.co.uk

HOLE NO.17
ISLAND
Par 4 460 yards
Continuing with Carnoustie’s
fearsome finish, the Barry Burn
winds and twists it’s way down
this hole. The drive must be
placed between the island part
of the hole and then the player
is left with a long difficult
approach to a green protected
by whins and bunkers.
HOLE NO.18
HOME
Par-4 499 yards
Possibly, the toughest finishing
hole in golf. The burn is in play
for the drive to the right and
left of the hole, and also short.
Fairway bunkers edge in to
the right-hand side and it was
here that Johnny Miller lost the
1975 Open when he took two
shots to get out of the bunker.
The Barry Burn crosses right in
front of the green and poses
an obstacle for your approach.
It was here that the hopes of
Jean Van de Velde sunk in 1999
when Paul Lawrie went on to
take the title.
58 bunkered.co.uk
and 18 every day of the week.
Hole No.18
JULIAN SURI
Open appearances 1
Cuts made 0
 I’M HAVE to say I am fairly new
to links golf as I don’t get the
opportunity to play it often - but
Carnoustie is, without a doubt,
one of the best golf courses I
have ever played. I think it’s a
very fair test. If you hit good
shots, then you get the rewards.
Although, as I’m now finding with
links golf, sometimes luck can
play a big part in that as well.
I didn’t realise just how narrow
the green was on 16. I can now
appreciate just how amazing
Sergio’s shot was when he hit
the pin there in the playoff in
2007. It’s a great test and finish
to the round.
I’d take four pars on 15, 16, 17
ANTHONY WALL
Open appearances 7
Cuts made 5
 CARNOUSTIE’S last four holes
are as hard as any last four you’ll
find in the world. The ‘Carnasty’
reputation is probably in large
part because of just how tough
those holes can play. We’ve seen
so many capitulate when they
reach this closing stretch and I
think that is something the fans
love to watch. They like seeing
pros battle for a score. That
being said, I absolutely love this
course. It is probably in my top
five because of some of the
good memories it holds and also
what it demands of your ability.
I’ve managed to shoot some
scores in the 60s around here in
terrible conditions and it really
felt like I had accomplished
something.
Padraig Harrington
SIMON DYSON
Open appearances 9
Cuts made 5
 WITHOUT a doubt this is one
of the most demanding back
nines in golf. I once hit a driver
off the 16th tee when the wind
was really blowing into my face
and then gone driver/3-wood
on the 18th. It is crucial that
you make your score before
stepping onto the 15th tee
because you can easily see
shots disappear. If the wind is
blowing and rough is up then you
would probably take one, maybe
even two-over for the last four
holes. It is just that tough.
It’s also a lot of fun. It makes you
play such a variety of shots and
those dinky wee links shots here
and there. It makes you really
think and forces you to commit
to every single shot.
HARRINGTON’S
COURSE GUIDE
Padraig Harrington, the last man to win The Open at
Carnoustie, explains how to master the toughest test in golf
PHOTOS Getty Images

60 bunkered.co.uk

PAR 4
1 YARDS 406
“A generous par-4 to start off with, and a hole
that’s going to be around 15 yards shorter
this year to make room for a new grandstand
around the tee. It’s just a lay up off the tee.
There’s out of bounds and a burn down the
left, so stay away from that and the right
hand bunker and, from there, it’s only really an
8-iron or a 9-iron into a reasonably big green.
Avoid the greenside bunker, make your par
and off you go. It’s as straightforward as that.”
PAR 4
2 YARDS 463
“This is where it really starts. You’ve had
your gentle start. Now, the questions begin.
A good drive is required to negotiate the
bunkers that are in front of you, to the left and
to the right. You’ve got to stay out of them
otherwise you’ll be coming out sideways and
you’ve got to take them on because it’s a big
hole. If you lay up, you’re going to have 230
yards in there, whereas if you hit driver – and
you hit it straight – you’ll have broken the back
of it. You’re going to be going in with a 6- or
7-iron, depending on the conditions. The
green is pretty long and there’s a bunker up
the left that you need to avoid. You can get
some tricky stances and lies in that trap, so
you want to stay out of it.”
The par-4 second
PAR 4
3 YARDS 351
“Lots of options here. Some of those depend
on the wind; some depend on the pin
position. The standard play seems to be to
hit a 6-iron off the tee, short of the bunkers,
which leaves something between a wedge
and a 9-iron into the green but, in a blustery
wind, that can be an awkward club to be
hitting because it’s a small target and the pin
positions tend to be very tight. Personally,
I like to hit a 3-wood or a hybrid over the
2018
the open
championship
Carnoustie
bunkers down the right. There’s a nice bit of
fairway there and, if you can hit it, then you’ve
only really got 80 yards left. It’s a really nice
birdie opportunity. However, hit it in the right
rough, you’ll be causing yourself all sorts of
pain and, if you pull it, it’ll run into a ditch. It’s
your call – but it really is a good chance at
getting a birdie on your card nice and early.”
The par-4 fourth
PAR 4
4 YARDS 412
“The first thing to say is that you’re going to
be taking aim at probably the narrowest
fairway on the golf course. It’s a little bit
left-to-right and somewhat blind. The bunker
on the left draws all of your attention and
there’s OOB to the left of it, so you tend to
push your tee shot to the right. There is a
bunker up the right, which you can carry,
but the real problem is the rough and it all
depends on what kind of condition it’s in.
If it’s playable, the majority of the field will
probably take it on because you’ve got a
big green to aim at, even though that might
mean two-putting from, say, 40 to 50 feet.
However, if the rough is heavy, this hole is a
beast. Trouble left, thick stuff right – in those
conditions, it’s a brute.”
PAR 4
5 YARDS 415
“There’s only one line you want to take off the
tee – down the left. Aim at that trap on the
left of the fairway and hit a 4-iron for safety.
It’s a good 220 yards to reach it and even if
you do it’s not exactly the end of the world, as
you’d be coming out at a good angle. The trap
on the right of the fairway? Stone dead. You
don’t want to go anywhere near it. That being
said, the 4-iron off the tee is the conservative
play and, if the pin is at the back of the green,
you’re still leaving yourself with another 4- or
5-iron to get it up there, in which case you
might be tempted to flirt more with the right
hand side of the fairway off the tee.”
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 61
 PAR 5
6 YARDS 578
“A brilliant, strategic hole. I’ve seen people hit all kinds of
shots here down the years. You’ve got the first cluster of
bunkers in the middle of the fairway and exactly where you’d
be looking to put your tee shot. So, do you lay up short of
them, go over them, go to the side of them? All of those
plays have been used in the past. When you can carry the
bunkers, it brings the two right-hand bunkers into play.
Laying up doesn’t remove your problems; it just relocates
them further down the road. Left brings OOB into play. Right
brings the rough into play. So, if you can hit a good, straight
On e of my favo urite
par-3s in golf!
PAR 4
7 YARDS 410
“A welcome breather after what’s just gone. Lay up short of the two
bunkers on the right. You don’t want to take that left-hand bunker
on. Some guys will but there’s OOB down there if you get too greedy.
Instead, aim at the right-hand bunkers and leave yourself an 8-iron
into the green. Even if you miss it, it’s not the end of the world as it’s
so beautifully manicured that it’s a putter from off the green on pretty
much all sides.”
62 bunkered.co.uk
drive on this hole, you are made up. Then it’s about how
greedy you want to get. You’ve got a birdie chance but you
can easily and quickly turn that four into a seven. It holds
some stature, this hole. We all know it’s called Hogan’s Alley
and why it’s called that. Ben Hogan was the best ball-striker
in the game so we’re all standing there thinking, ‘If I want to
be the best ball-striker, I should be able to play this hole’.
That’s the crutch we’ve all got to bear. We’re carrying the
baggage of players we didn’t even see play. It’s iconic and it
tests you in a different way.”
PAR 3
8 YARDS 183
“A hugely underrated hole, particularly in the public eye, but let’s take
a closer look at it. You’ve got out of bounds five yards left of the green,
and the green slopes towards it; it’s a 5- or a 6-iron into an elevated
green, which the ball never seems to want to hold; and there are two
bunkers on either side. For me, it’s one of the scariest holes on the golf
course and it can ruin your day. There isn’t a player in the field who isn’t
happy to walk off there with a three.”
 PAR 4
9 YARDS 478
“A big, solid par-4. You’ve got three bunkers down the right. The first
two can be carried but, depending on the wind you can run into the
third. Generally, the shot you want to hit off the tee here is a fade off
the edge of the left-hand bunker. Take a club that won’t reach it and
make sure you stay out of the rough short of it. It’s gnarly stuff under
those trees. I’ve seen a lot of shots coming out there snipe into the
sand at the front left of the green and that’s no place to be.”
PAR 4
11 YARDS 383
“Don’t underestimate this short par-4 – it’s littered with bunkers. It’s a
‘strategy’ hole and, like any good strategy, you need to pick one, stick
to it and commit. Get a good tee shot away and it’s a definite birdie
chance. There’s a tier in the green but it’s a nice green. It’s one of those
holes where you tend to end up with a 20 or 30-foot birdie chance more
often than not. It’s not a giveaway by any means but it’s a chance on a
course that doesn’t yield too many clear chances.”
PAR 3
13 YARDS 176
“It’s all about the pin position here. You either hit it close or you’re
in trouble. It’s one of those holes that looks shorter than it is and it
doesn’t give you an option other than to hit it in there nice and tight
to the flag. I think most players in the field will see it as a real birdie
opportunity but, if you make a mess of it, it angers you. It can be a
real momentum-changer. Again, you’ve just got to stand up and hit
the shot.”
PAR 4
10 YARDS 466
“A strangely awkward hole. You stand on the tee trying to establish
where the wind is coming from but you’re back in a corner where it’s
sheltered and so it’s hard to judge. The bunkers are beautifully placed.
The one down the left is in play if you’re hitting driver, which can make
your second shot over the water a bit of a dilemma – but you have to
hit driver. You’ve got no option. This isn’t a hole you can lay up on. Hit a
good drive and everything becomes so much easier.”
PAR 4
12 YARDS 499
“This is a superb hole. It’s a little bit blind off the tee and you’ve got two
hazards up the right hand side at around about the 260-yard mark that
you want to try and lay up short of. The other option is to go down the
left but there’s rough there. That said, the crowd might have trampled
that down a little bit for you, in which case it’s a drive down the left. The
green is wide but not especially long. You rarely see a ball getting close
here but that’s no big deal – just two-putt and move on.”
PAR 5
14 YARDS 514
“Your last real birdie opportunity. You’ve got two choices off the tee.
Some guys will go with driver, whereas you’ve got players like me who
like to lay up short of the right hand trap. I’ll typically hit a 5-wood off the
tee, which leaves me a hybrid over the ‘Spectacles’ into a big, spacious
green. I like this hole as it’s a key hole come Sunday. If you’re chasing,
you’ve got a chance of making an eagle, whereas if you’re leading, you
probably are happy with a birdie to keep your momentum going.”
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 63
 PAR 4
15 YARDS 472
“The difficulty of this hole is often underrated. It generally plays into
the wind and is a right-to-left dogleg with a left-to-right camber on the
fairway. The rough on the left tends to be pretty heavy so, for us, when
we’re playing in The Open, it’s all about how many spectators have
walked down that side. That can make a huge difference. You could
go right, where you’re looking to draw the ball against the fairway and
against the wind, avoiding the two bunkers down there in the process.
One thing you don’t want to do here is lay up. You’ve got to push it down
there. That bunker at the front right of the green, incidentally, seems
to eat up golf balls. It’s not the worst bunker in the world but it’s still a
bunker. For me, four is always a good score.”
PAR 3
16 YARDS 248
“Back in the day, I believe it used to be a driver for most players
but it hasn’t played that way for many years and part of the reason
for that is the downslope just short of the green. The key is to
take a club long enough to carry the front left bunker – which I
know from memory is 20 yards short of the green – and fire it
in low over the top of it. If it stays anywhere on the green, you’re
good. If it runs away left, you’re still putting. You just don’t want to
go anywhere near those big bunkers on the right. It can be very
awkward in and around those. It’s just a big, tough hole.”

PAR 4
17 YARDS 461

“The thing about 17 is that it can play really hard both downwind
and into the wind. Personally, I have found that I have to be a little
more aggressive off the tee. I have to push my drive down into
the bottleneck. If you’re too conservative, you’re leaving yourself
230 to the flag and it’s all downslope for the first 15 yards of the
green. If you hit a good tee shot and are a little more aggressive,
you’re going to have a much shorter club for your second shot.
And even if you miss the green, it’s not the end of the world. You
don’t see a lot of birdies here, though. You’ll get a lot of two-putt
pars but birdies are rare.”

PAR 4
18 YARDS 499

“The toughest finishing hole in championship golf. It’s one of those

13 Par 4
Yards XXX
It’s all about the pin position here. You either hit it close or you’re in
trouble. It’s one of those holes that looks shorter than it is and it doesn’t
give you an option other than to hit it close. I think most players see it
as a birdie opportunity and if you make a mess of it, it angers you. It can
be a real momentum-changer.
holes that keeps you awake at night. You’ve got OOB left, water left,
water right, water short. If you’re looking to get out of here with a par,
you need to hit driver down the right-hand side towards the bunkers on
the right. It’s all about the tee shot. If you lay up with your drive, you’re
going to be laying up with your approach – you don’t want to be trying
to hit that green from 240 yards out. You can pitch it on the green and
go out of bounds. Even if you miss it into the right rough with your
approach, you could still chip it out of bounds with your third. So, you’ve
got to hit the shots. Get a good drive away, get it in the fairway, get a
mid-iron on it and stick it in the middle of that green.” ●

64 bunkered.co.uk
66 bunkered.co.uk
 2018
the open
championship
Carnoustie
HOGAN’S
RUN
How ‘Bantam Ben’ made the most of his one Open Championship
appearance, just four years after a horror car crash almost killed him
By Michael McEwan
 @MMcEwanbunkered
T
PHOTOS Getty Images
HE MORNING OF
FEBRUARY 2, 1949, was
cold, wet and foggy as the
sun rose on the outskirts
of the small Texan town of
Van Horn.
Ben Hogan and his wife
Valerie were driving home to Fort Worth
from Phoenix in neighbouring Arizona. They
had logged 500 miles in their Cadillac the
previous day but still had another 500 to go.
For the Hogans, this was life. By the end of
January 1949, they had already logged more
than 3,000 miles for the year, travelling to
four golf events. Ben had won two of those
and was leading the money list.
Still, the hours on the road were taking
their toll. “I want to die an old man, not a
young one,” Hogan told Time magazine.
How hauntingly, chillingly prophetic those
words so very nearly were.
Beginning the second leg of their
thousand-mile journey home, the Hogans
were heading east along the two-lane
Highway 80. They were only ten miles
into their drive when the fog became
increasingly dense.
Hogan reduced his speed to 25 miles
per hour. Suddenly, he saw what he later
described as ‘four lights winking at me’. A
Greyhound bus was trying to overtake a
truck and had come into Hogan’s lane. The
collision was inevitable.
Instinctively, Ben threw himself across
Valerie as the bus ploughed head-on into
their car. As it turned out, his attempts
to save his wife ended up saving him. The
steering wheel and part of the car’s engine
were driven through the driver’s seat. Had
Ben stayed where he was, he would, in all
likelihood, have been crushed to death.
That’s not to say he avoided harm
entirely. Upon being taken to hospital in
nearby El Paso, in an ambulance that took
90 minutes to arrive, he was diagnosed
with a broken collarbone, a double fracture
of his pelvis, a broken ankle and a chipped
rib. Fellow pros who visited him later spoke
of seeing a prone Hogan, strapped to a
hospital bed and covered in gauze.
His condition worsened when doctors
discovered a blood clot that had formed in
his legs – the result of being bed-bound for
an initial fortnight after the accident – had
travelled into his lung.
That required several blood transfusions,
followed by life-saving abdominal surgery
and another month in hospital. By the time
he was discharged on March 29 – a whole 56
days after the accident – Hogan’s weight
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 67

Hogan unwraps the British golf ball ahead of the first round at Carnoustie
had plummeted by over a stone-and-a-
half to just under eight stone and there was
a legitimate concern that his career was
over. Doctors even speculated he might
never walk again.
All of which makes what happened next
all the more remarkable. In June of 1950,
just 16 months on from the accident, Hogan
won the US Open in what became known as
the ‘Miracle at Merion’. It was the second of
his four US Open wins and the fourth of his
nine major championships.
Buoyed by that remarkable win –
achieved after an 18-hole play-off, no less
– Hogan went on to dominate golf like never
before. He defended his US Open title the
following year, just a matter of weeks after
having won the Masters.
It was 1953, though, where Hogan would
have the most remarkable season of his
career. He disagreed, of course. He is on
record as saying that he was “better in 1948
and ’49 than I’ve ever been”. However, to
most observers, what he achieved in 1953
remains one of the most impressive feats
in post-War professional golf.
After cantering to five and six-shot wins
in the Masters and US Open respectively,
68 bunkered.co.uk
Hogan was the star attraction during his one and only Open appearance
Hogan hitting a tee shot on the second hole during the 1953 Open
Hogan did something he had never done
before – he crossed the Atlantic to compete
in the Open Championship.
Legend has it that the then 41-year-
old only committed to take part after
much persuasion by his good friend Gene
Sarazen. A seven-time major winner
in his own right, Sarazen got Hogan’s
attention when he told him he could not be
considered a true great of the game until he
got his hands on the Claret Jug.
Determined to do just that, Hogan
arrived in Scotland two weeks before the
championship got underway to acquaint
himself both with links golf and the smaller
British golf ball
At that time, the R&A and USGA had
differing views on what the minimum
size of a ball should be. The former set its
Sarazen told
Hogan he couldn’t be
considered a ‘great’
until he got his hands
on the Claret Jug.
minimum limit at 1.62 inches; the latter,
by comparison, went for 1.68 inches. Not a
huge difference on paper – but enough to
cause problems for the likes of Hogan.
Arrangements were made for him to
practise at Panmure, just two miles from
Carnoustie, and he and his caddie Cecil
Timms used the time to the full.
Of course, in those days, there were no
exemptions for the Open. Every player had
to earn their place and so Hogan had to go
through the rigours of a 36-hole qualifier
just to make the field.
After safely negotiating that hurdle, he
opened at Carnoustie with a one-over 73,
a score bettered by only six players on that
first day. The American amateur Frank
Stranahan led the field on two-under.
Hogan bettered his score, despite
putting struggles, the following day, carding
a 71 in round two. Scotland’s Eric Brown
and Dai Rees of Wales took the lead from
Stranahan, with Hogan just two shots back.
The closing two rounds both took place
on the final day. A tall enough task for
Hogan given the enduring physical issues
he faced following the car crash, but even
more considering he was almost floored
by a bout of exhaustion and influenza that
struck him when he woke up on the final
morning of the championship.
He dug deep, recording a 70 in the
morning’s third round to move into a share of
the lead with Roberto De Vicenzo.
What followed that has justifiably taken
its place in folklore as one of the great Open
Championship rounds.
‘Deathly tired’, he chipped in for a birdie
at the fifth. He added another at the sixth,
taking (as he had done in each of the
previous three rounds) the tight driving
line between the fairway bunkers and out
of bounds fence down the left of the hole.
The story goes that his afternoon tee shot
finished in his divot from the morning round.
The hole was later renamed ‘Hogan’s Alley’ in
recognition of his bold, aggressive play.
By the 13th, he had established a two-
shot lead. When he saved par at the 17th,
his win was virtually assured. Another birdie
at the final hole saw him post a new course
record of 68, bettering the mark set in the
morning’s third round by Antonio Cerdá. To
this day, Hogan remains one of only four
Open champions to have improved his score

It is said Hogan’s
afternoon tee shot on
No.6 finished in his
divot from the
morning’s round.
in each round.
That stunning 68 also gave him a
four-shot victory, a cheque for £515, the
Claret Jug, and an unprecedented third
consecutive major victory. It is a feat that
was subsequently emulated only by Jack
Nicklaus until it was bettered by Tiger Woods
in 2001.
Had he not been forced to miss the
US PGA Championship due to a clash of
dates – it finished the day before the Open
got underway and, in any case, Hogan
had chosen not to play the event since his
accident on account of the gruelling playing
requirements of the then matchplay event
– there is a legitimate possibility he could
have won all four major championships in a
calendar year… something no golfer has ever
done. The open-top, ticker-tape parade and
City Hall reception that he received in New
York on his return to America from Scotland
was richly deserved.
It proved to be Hogan’s only Open
Championship appearance. But what an
appearance; what a champion; and what a
Hogan was greeted with an open-top, ticker-tape parade in New York on his return to America
man. ●

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 69

SMASHED IT!
The fifth edition of the Callaway event is hailed as ‘the best yet‘
C
ALLAWAY'S KINGS OF
DISTANCE 2018 has been
hailed as ‘the best yet’ after a
massively successful staging
at Stockport Golf Club, in
association with official
media partner, bunkered.
This year’s money-can’t-buy complete golf
experience saw 96 bunkered readers make
their way to Lancashire and,
for the first time in the
event’s five year history,
to a traditional golf
70 bunkered.co.uk/kingsofdistance
bunkered.co.uk
KINGS OF DISTANCE 2018
club in the heart of the UK for a golf day like
no other.
Almost 100 readers were given the
opportunity to live like a pro for the day and
were treated to special clinics, lessons,
tips and analysis from European Tour
stars Thomas Pieters, Alvaro Quiros and
David Horsey, backed by world long drive
champions Joe Miller and Sandra Carlborg.
Every single reader also got a lesson from
respected teaching pro Peter Barber and
were invited to challenge themselves against
the attending European Tour players in a Beat
The Pro competition, hosted by Sky Sports'
Rob Lee.
The main purpose of the day was to help
the 96 get some serious distance gains. At
the end of the day, the combined yardage
gained was an impressed 1,432.5 yards.
“It was a superb day and a brilliant
experience for everyone involved,” said
Callaway Golf marketing director Nick
McInally. “We say that Kings of Distance gets
better with every staging and this year the
feedback has been that we’ve delivered one
of the best Kings of Distance events ever.”

ALL LESSONS UPLOADED!
OVER 700k
...and counting!
Over 180 Kings of Distance 'lessons' videos
are on our YouTube channel now!
For quick and easy-to-follow golf tips, make
sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Our popular one-on-one lessons videos from
Kings of Distance 2018 have been uploaded to
our channel, where European Tour coach Peter
Barber provides the expert analysis for our
lucky readers. With over 700,000 views to date,
these videos are proving to be an exceptional
outlet for viewers wanting advice in a quicker
timeframe. Subscribe to ‘bunkeredonline’ at
YouTube so you can get notifications when new
Kings of Distance videos are uploaded.
bunkered.co.uk/kingsofdistance
INSIDE THE ZONES AT
KINGS OF DISTANCE
DRIVER ZONE
Helping people hit the ball further is at
the very heart of Kings of Distance. After
a warm-up session, attendees get dialed
into the correct Rogue driver settings by
Callaway’s fitting team. The average gain this
year was 15 yards, with one player gaining an
incredible 53 yards.
JOE MILLER ZONE
Two-time World Long Drive champ Joe can
hit his Odyssey Two-Ball Putter 250 yards, so
who better to dish out driving tips at Kings
of Distance? Miller treated our attendees to
a driving clinic, demonstrating how to get
every last ounce of distance out of every
tee shot.
LONG GAME ZONE
Callaway don’t just want you to hit it long and
straight with your driver – they want you to
make big, accurate gains with the rest of the
clubs, too. This zone was the place to try the
brand’s new Rogue club family. Readers were
also able to pick the brain of the reigning
Women’s World Long Drive champion Sandra
Carlborg, who hosted the zone.
LESSONS ZONE
Peter Barber, who spent 12 years on the
European Tour and is now the Head Coach to
the England North West U16 boys’ team, gave
a free lesson to all 96 attendees. You can
watch these videos on our YouTube channel
and bunkered.co.uk.
SHORT GAME ZONE
The Short Game Zone was the place to
practise tricky greenside shots with all
Callaway ambassadors in attendance
providing regular clinics throughout the day,
giving golfers the benefit of their experience.
PUTTING ZONE
VIEWS! Kings of Distance had its very own dedicated
Putting Zone, run by Odyssey Golf, the No.1
putter in golf. Golfers were given the chance
to try Odyssey’s entire range as well as pick
the brains of putting experts, including Lee
Sullivan, the lead coach from the Harold
Swash Putting School of Excellence in Wigan.
TOUR TRUCK ZONE
Callaway brought its very own tour truck
to Stockport Golf Club, where attendees
got exclusive access to climb aboard and
snoop around. Paul Monks, head technician
at Callaway, provided a detailed tour of the
truck for readers.
BEAT THE PRO ZONE
A new addition for Kings of Distance 2018,
this zone was hosted by Sky Sports Golf’s
Rob Lee and gave golfers the opportunity
to take on one of the Callaway tour pros
who attended the day in a fun, ‘nearest
the pin’ shoot-out. On paper, the challenge
was simple: hit the ball closer than one of
the following players – Alvaro Quiros, Dave
Horsey or Thomas Pieters.
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 71
‘How to improve
your putting’
Top putting coach Phil Kenyon outlines some simple, straightforward
ways to improve your fortunes on the green
PHOTO Kenny Smith
I see a variety of different mistakes and a lot of individual,
technical things but I think your average amateur under-
appreciates the role of green reading and how important that
is. They have no real concept of how to read greens. There
are also inconsistencies in terms of speed control. Most
golfers don’t have their game so finely-tuned as to be able to
discreetly control the speed of their putting in the same way
that the top tour pros can.
One of the biggest problems that most amateurs have is
starting the ball off on the right line. If you can’t do that, you’re
going to struggle to hole putts.
I think the average person doesn’t really have a proper
process for reading a green. They understand that
it’s important to do it because they see players on TV
doing it – but do they actually know what it is they’re
looking for?
Essentially, you’re looking to gather as much
information as you can to make an informed
decision about the putt you’re about to play. You
want to get an appreciation of the gradient you’re
putting across and the angle that you’re coming
from. Those are two of the primary factors that
determine how much a ball is going to break. Once
you can create references for those, then you use
your practice to change those variables and work
on getting an understanding of how much each
influences the other.
Here’s a mistake you’ll see people make pretty much every
day. They’ll walk onto a putting green with three balls. They’ll
hit a putt with the first one and, depending on where it goes,
they’ll react with their second and third balls. The trouble with
that is you’re only really hitting one putt, plus you may have
pushed or pulled the first one so you end up compensating
and trying to do something different – like over-reading – with
the other two.
Sometimes, an effective way to practice is to go out with
one ball. Leave the others in your bag and use the one that
you’ve got. Just work on the basics: reading the putt, hitting
the putt and moving on to the next one.
74 bunkered.co.uk
If you’re looking for a good drill to try, consider going out
onto the practice green with one ball and, once you’ve
picked your line, stick two tee pegs – slightly wider than the
width of your ball – on the first straight part of your intended
line. The trick is to hit the ball through the gate. That way, if
it doesn’t go in the hole, you know it’s either your speed or
your read that’s wrong. This drill is great because it gives you
feedback in three areas: your ability to predict the line; your
ability to hit the line; and your ability to control the speed
of your putt. It’ll quickly show up where your deficiency – or
deficiencies – lie.
There are loads of myths about putting and far too many
clichés. You hear things like ‘low and slow’ and ‘you’ve got to
accelerate’. That can be quite frustrating to listen to.
Those kind of clichés and quick tips never made a
DID YOU KNOW bad putter into a good putter.
The PGA Tour record
for fewest putts in one People talk a lot about pre-shot routines when it
round is 18. Eight different comes to putting. I don’t necessarily buy into the
players have managed idea that you need to do the same things, in the
this. Sam Trahan was the same sequence, before every single putt. For me,
first in 1978, followed by there are two aspects to a routine: one’s physical,
Mike McGee (1987), Kenny one’s mental. For you to physically have the same
Knox (1989), Andy North routine before every putt, I’m not sure that there’s
(1990), Jim McGovern (1992, any science to support that. That’s why, for me,
Corey Pavin (2000), Ken it’s more important to get mentally prepared. You
Duke (2009), and Blake get some guys who do the same thing every time
Adams (2010). and then you get other guys who like to have little
variations. So long as you are mentally focussed on
the putt, I don’t think it matters too much what you
do physically.
Jack Nicklaus once said that he never hit a putt until he
was ready.
I tailor what I do and how I do it depending on who I’m
working with. I think you’ve got to. Everybody’s different.
Ultimately, all you want to do is make your client a better
version of themselves. Yes, of course there are certain
elements that every good putting stroke needs – the ability to
square the putter-face, hit the ball out of the middle, create
the right launch conditions and so on – but, after that, it’s
about treating everybody as the individual they are.
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 75
THE SCOTTISH OPEN JULY 12-15

Double
For the second year in a row, men and women

C
AST YOUR MIND BACK to 2015. It was the first time
Gullane and, more widely, East Lothian, had hosted
the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open
and, with Matt Kuchar having set the clubhouse target
at 11-under-par, all the pressure was on Rickie Fowler.
Fowler, playing in the penultimate group, showed nerves of
steel, birdieing three of the last four holes to pip his Ryder Cup
teammate by one shot for his maiden European Tour title.
Three years on, the event returns to Gullane and, with both
Americans playing, Mr Kuchar wants redemption.
“I’ve had a good run at the Scottish Open in recent years,”
said the 39-year-old, who finished fourth at Dundonald Links
last year before falling agonisingly short in the Open at Royal
Birkdale. “I had a go when I lost to Rickie, I had a nice finish last
year and my Open performances have improved as a result.”
Naturally, Fowler concurs about the benefits of playing in

Gullane is a special place

for me and I can’t wait to get
back there. RICKIE FOWLER

the event. “It’s good preparation for the Open, as you often
see guys who have played the Scottish do well the next week.”
They’re right. The event’s pre-Open slot and links style course
makes it the perfect tune-up, with six of the last eight Claret
Jug winners having competed in the Scottish Open.
One of those, Phil Mickelson, missed Dundonald Links last
year and regretted it after missing the cut at the Open. “I think
playing a week before at the Scottish is very helpful and it may
have made a difference,” he said. Mickelson, at the time of print,
was ‘50/50’ on whether he’d be at Gullane.
But regardless of whether ‘Lefty’ tees it up or not, the field
will be stacked. In fact, the event outshone all other Rolex
Series events on the European Tour last year – only trailing
behind the four majors and WGCs.

Who else is Gullane bound?

HENRIK STENSON JUSTIN ROSE RAFA CABRERA-BELLO IAN POULTER

Played at Castle Stuart prior to his In the midst of some of the best golf Captured his third European Tour title Co-led through 54 holes last year,
2016 Open win and describes the of his career and won the event at at Dundonald Links last year, beating the in-form Englishman has never
Scottish Open as ‘perfect’ prep. Royal Aberdeen back in 2014. Callum Shinkwin in a play-off. won a pro event on Scottish soil.

76 bunkered.co.uk
 THE LADIES SCOTTISH OPEN JULY 26-29

Bill
will be teeing it up at the same venue
BY MARTIN
INGLIS
@MInglisbunkered

L
AST YEAR WAS a watershed moment for the Aberdeen
Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open.
A ground-breaking agreement saw the Ladies
European Tour event become co-sanctioned by the
LPGA on an initial three-year deal, while both Scottish Opens
took place at the same venue for the first time.
The field almost doubled from 80 to 156 and it became the
Ladies European Tour’s flagship event, with the total prize fund
almost trebling from €500,000 ($530,000) to $1.5m.
As a result, an influx of stars teed it up in Ayrshire. None were
more recognisable than 2014 US Women’s Open champion
Michelle Wie, who loved her first experience of the Ladies
Scottish Open so much she couldn’t wait to return.
“I felt like it was great British Open preparation,” she said. “I
took advice from others who had done it and I remember at the
British being really happy I played in the Scottish.”

Last year was probably the

hardest winds I’ve played in
but it was so fun. MICHELLE WIE

While the bulk of LPGA-affiliated players will use it as

preparation for the RICOH Women’s British Open, for Europe-
based players such as Kelsey MacDonald – starved of Ladies
European Tour golf – the event is hugely important.
“It’s like another major for me,” she tells bunkered. “With its
prize fund and being co-sanctioned, it’s an honour to be able to
represent Scotland in an event of that quality.
“It’s tough. Last year, the LPGA had eight weeks of events
in a row in the build-up, whereas we hadn’t had an event in
six weeks. I’ve been playing in LET Access Series events
to try tp stay competitive in the build-up for Gullane as my
preparation for that is my No.1 goal.”
Two ladies’ tours. One week of thrilling action. Oh, and did
we mention, entry is completely FREE?

CHARLEY HILL CATRIONA MATTHEW MI HYANG LEE GEORGIA HALL

The 22-year-old is the UK’s No.1 and The Solheim Cup captain will arrive Fired a final round 66 last year to The 2017 LET No.1 finished ninth last
looks primed to add to her solitary at Gullane in search of a third overhaul veteran Aussie Karrie Webb year and then third in the RICOH
LPGA Tour title very soon. Ladies Scottish Open title. for her second LPGA Tour title. Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 77
 TM

Glenkinchie has been producing whisky since 1837 and is known

as the home of ‘The Edinburgh Malt’. Nestled among the rolling
farmlands of East Lothian just outside the village of Pencaitland.
Come and visit the distillery and experience a real taste of
Scotland. See how the Water of Life is made, see the casks
sleeping in the warehouse and then enjoy a dram or two in the
bar. Have a browse in our shop where you will find a wide range
of whisky and beautiful gifts.
There is something for everyone. Open 7 days a week
with tours running every 30 minutes.
Prices start from £10. Contact us now for more information.
www.glenkinchiedistillery.com
Email: Glenkinchie.distillery@diageo.com
Phone: 01875 342 012
5 Star Stays at Gilmerton House
BE PART OF EAST LOTHIAN GOLFING HISTORY
The Kinloch family have had strong links with golf for
over 200 years.
• Stay at this country mansion near North Berwick with 10 stylish,
very comfortable bedrooms (20 guests) with butler service
• Or stay at 3 bedroom Lodge (6 guests)
Your own stately home for an amazing golfing house party
with all dining needs looked after.
T:01620 880342 E: enquiries@gilmertonhouse.com
Gilmerton House, Athelstaneford, North Berwick,
East Lothian EH39 5LQ
www.gilmertonhouse.com

The Glen
East Links, North Berwick
A Scottish Golfing Gem

Scotland’s Oldest Independent Bottler

Interested in whisky? TAKE ON THE

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Why not get in touch and take advantage of our expert THE PAR 3, 13TH,
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T: 0131 556 5864 F: 0131 556 2527
E: chws@cadenhead.scot
To book or enquire please call or email:
01620 892726
www.cadenhead.scot enquiries@glengolfclub.co.uk
www.glengolfclub.co.uk
 GULLANE BRING YOUR CLUBS

Scottish Open
bound? Bring
your clubs
Combine a trip to the Scottish
Opens with some golf of your own

W
HETHER IT’S of 1,400 hours of sunshine
ONE day or all per year! Are there any more
four days of the reasons you need to tee it up?
2018 Aberdeen Then there’s the question
Standard Investments Scottish of where to play, with a couple
Open or Ladies Scottish Open even within walking distance of
you’re attending, make sure you Gullane and its three wonderful
do one thing: stick your clubs in courses – the championship
your boot. No.1, strategic No.2 and scenic
Why? Well, it’s simple really. No.3. Luffness is a traditional
East Lothian is links with rough
a total golfing thick enough to
hotbed. From ‘GULL-IN OR whet the whistle
Dunbar in the east
GILL-IN?’ of a hungry herd
while at the east
to Longniddry
in the west, the Depending on who you side of the village
30-mile stretch of talk to, the town of Gullane lies Muirfield.
coastline boasts is pronounced ‘Gill-in’ or Its reputation
no fewer than ‘Gull-in’. Some locals say it speaks for itself Gullane
15 world-class is a matter of which side as a 16-time host
links layouts – of the main street you live venue of the Open
an incredible on, with the northern side Championship.
number in such firmly in the ‘Gill-in’ camp Bordering
a tightly packed and the southern side Muirfield is the
geographical area. preferring ‘Gull-in’. Bear Archerfield
We bet you that in mind! Estate, home to
didn’t know that three incredible
East Lothian also has the courses: The Renaissance Club
distinction of being the sunniest and Archerfield’s Fidra and
part of Scotland and the fourth Dirleton layouts.
most in the UK, with an average Founded in 1832, North Kilspindie The Glen

These Open champs all prepared by playing the Scottish Open...

· 2016 · · 2014 · · 2013 · · 2012 · · 2011 · · 2010 ·

HENRIK STENSON RORY McILROY PHIL MICKELSON ERNIE ELS DARREN CLARKE LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN
Haddington Golf Club
www.haddingtongolf.co.uk
• Full membership
£512.75 (other
membership
categories available)
• Monthly payment
options
• Active Ladies’ and
Junior Sections GROUP
• Visitors welcome PACKAGES AND
• Lessons PRIVATE DINING
AVAILABLE ALL
• Fully stocked pro shop
YEAR ROUND Best Western Braid Hills Hotel was built
• Golf Studio in 1886 to accommodate the growing
• Catering and function population of golfers, now boasting five
hire courses within a one mile radius.
134 Braid Road, Edinburgh EH10 6JD
Fresh, seasonal produce served all day,
0131 447 8888 with views of Edinburgh Castle from our
Welcome to East Lothian’s Parkland Gem! We enjoy an www.braidhillshotel.co.uk 1886 restaurant terrace.
ideal location close to the A1 yet enjoying tranquil parkland
surroundings with the River Tyne on its North boundary. Set
in 130 acres, the course contains many natural features as
well as much indigenous wildlife. Come and give us a try -
you won’t be disappointed!

Tel: 01620 822727

Email: info@haddingtongolf.co.uk

Fully covered, state of the art Driving Range

Fabulous visitor rates – green fees from £20
Full 7 day membership just £420

contact 01620 810 733 or

info@castleparkgolfclub.co.uk
www.castleparkgolfclub.co.uk

CONNECT with us

A SOCIAL GAME
A SOCIAL MAG
Stay in touch and get the latest news on the go

Haddington
Craigielaw
Berwick is the 13th oldest golf
club in the world and is a quirky
but hugely enjoyable track. At
the other end of the town is The
Glen which, known as North
Berwick’s ‘East Links’, started
life as a nine-hole course in
1894 before being extended to
18 holes in 1906 by James Braid
and Ben Sayers.
It combines inland turf with
a glorious seaside setting,
where the views over the Firth
of Forth are a joy to behold. After
celebrating its centenary in
2006, it has gone from strength
to strength with new tees,
greens and bunkers.
There are many spectacular
holes here but few can match
the par-3 13th, which plays
partially blind over a sand dune
to a green surrounded on three
sides by the sea.
Just like North Berwick,
Dunbar has two courses that
can be enjoyed. Winterfield is a
short but excellent test, while
Dunbar is laid out on a narrow
strip of land with the best holes
hugging the rocky coastline.
Switching it back west of
Gullane and across Aberlady Bay
Castle Park
are the delights of Kilspindie
and Craigielaw. The former
measures a mere 5,480 yards
from the medal tees and, while
length is not a major factor, it
is an excellent example of links
golf in its simplest form. ‘Hidden
gem’ is so commonly used when
describing courses in Scotland
but, given its quality and in a
location comprising so many
highly-rated layouts, Kilspindie
is certainly worthy of that tag.
Craigielaw, on the other hand,
opened in 2001 and was built
with the idea of hosting high-
profile tournaments in mind,
which it already has done and
will do later this summer as it
prepares to host the Scottish
Senior Open for the first time.
Inspired by the great links
courses of Britain, particularly
those on land less dominated
by dunes, it is equal to many
of the finest examples of such
courses; some of which are
conveniently located nearby.
Further west is Longniddry
and also Musselburgh Links, a
nine-hole links located within
Musselburgh Racecourse that
hosted The Open six times
GULLANE BRING YOUR CLUBS
between 1874 and 1889.
In addition to being a links
haven, East Lothian also
has some cracking parkland
tracks, of which Haddington
is undoubtedly one. Ideally
situated close to the A1 but
nestled in peaceful surroundings
with the River Tyne on its north
boundary, the par-71 course
boasts many natural features
and an abundance of wildlife.
Castle Park, meanwhile,
is breathtakingly beautiful.
Located at the foot of the
Lammermuir Hills, it consists
of two very different nines and,
when in the midst of a round,
it’s hard to believe that such a
tranquil and accessible course
can be found less than 20 miles
from the centre of Edinburgh.
Royal Musselburgh along with
Musselburgh Golf Club and the
nine-hole Gifford are three other
parkland treats that are well
worth checking out.
With so much great golf
to explore, and all within 30
minutes’ drive of both Edinburgh
and Gullane, you’d be foolish not
to sample golf at its very best
here in East Lothian.
twitter.com/bunkeredonline
WHERE TO VISIT
GLENKINCHIE DISTILLERY
Glenkinchie is the nearest malt
whisky distillery to Edinburgh
and the producer of the so-called
‘Edinburgh Malt’. Situated 15 miles
south-east of the capital, visitors
can enjoy an hour-long tour
which includes heading inside a
museum dedicated to malt whisky
production and a detailed look
at the production areas, where
the largest stills in Scotland are
housed. After the tour, which costs
£10 for adults, visitors get a glass
each of the Glenkinchie ten-year-
old, as well as a sample of one
from the variety of others.
WHERE TO STAY
GILMERTON HOUSE
Make your visit to East Lothian
one to remember by staying
at Gilmerton House, an elegant
Georgian home near North
Berwick. Owned by the Kinloch
family, who are steeped in 200
years of golfing folklore, for 30
years this secluded house has
been a successful five-star,
exclusive use home with ten
stylish bedrooms sleeping up to 20
guests and a full butler service for
overnight guests. “Gilmerton House
is the perfect place for golfing
parties to stay for the Scottish
Opens,” says events manager
Janice Ogilvie. “Exclusive use of
Gilmerton House means that the
mansion is your own stately home
while you’re here for your house
party. All your catering and dining
needs are looked after, tailored
to your tastes and itinerary.” For
more information, call 01620
880342 or email enquiries@
gilmertonhouse.com.
81
82 bunkered.co.uk
Loch Lomond
Whiskies
Sleeping giant is now 'The Spirit of The Open'
E
VERYBODY LOVES AN
underdog story, right? From
Tom Watson’s rally
at the age of 59 at the 2009
Open, to Darren Clarke’s
long-awaited triumph at
Royal St George’s in 2011,
golf really does offer up more opportunities
for underdog stories than most other sports.
In business, the tale behind Loch Lomond
Whiskies is certainly an underdog story, too.
Founded in 1814, Loch Lomond Whiskies
can trace its roots back to the Littlemill
Distillery, which was established in 1772 and is
thought to be one of the oldest in the world.
Its current malt and grain distilleries, in
Alexandria, on the banks of Loch Lomond,
were built in the 1960s and are among only
a few in the industry to maintain an on-site
cooperage. The malt distillery at Alexandria
also features a unique combination of
traditional swan neck and distinctive straight-
necked pot stills, enabling it to produce a
diverse range of flavour profiles.
In March 2014, Colin Matthews, CEO of
Loch Lomond Group, with backing, took
ownership of the business and it has since
been transformed. In four years, the group
has significantly expanded its product range,
made important capital investments in its
distilleries, maturation infrastructure and
bottling operations, while its brands are now
present in over 125 countries.
It is this impressive expansion that has
helped land the 'up-and-coming' brand a major
five-year partnership with The R&A, while it
has also signed up Colin Montgomerie and
Paul Lawrie as ambassadors.
The partnership means the distiller’s range
of single malts will become ‘The Spirit of The
Open’, with the Championship at Carnoustie
and the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal
Lytham & St Anne’s offering the platform
for Loch Lomond Whiskies to showcase its
extensive and unique range on a global scale.
“There is an incredibly strong alignment
between the worlds of whisky and golf,” said
The Ambassadors
Matthews. “There is also a great fit between
those who follow golf and whisky, with
research showing clearly that many golfers Colin Montgomerie
across the world enjoy a regular dram.
“Our partnership with The R&A is the "I’m a long-time fan of Scotch single
perfect means for Loch Lomond Whiskies malts and so am absolutely delighted
to use the fabulous platforms of both to work with the team at Loch
Lomond Whiskies who have shown
championships to grow further, both in the UK
great passion and enthusiasm for
and internationally, and it also demonstrates
producing some fabulous whiskies of
our strong commitment and ambition to
great quality and character."
becoming a premium global brand.”
Lawrie, of course, was subject of his
very own underdog story at the 1999 Open
Championship at Carnoustie, where he got
into the tournament via Final Open Qualifying
at Downfield before surging from ten shots
back on the final day to beat Jean Van de
Velde and Justin Leonard in a play-off.
The likeness between his story and the
emergence of Loch Lomond Whiskies is one
of the reasons he got onboard with the brand.
“I certainly know what it’s like to be the
underdog and overcome the odds,” he said. “I
can see parallels with my story and how Loch
Paul Lawrie
Lomond Whiskies have emerged from the “I’m genuinely thrilled to begin
pack and are now becoming one of the most working with the experts at the
dynamic, exciting and innovative brands in the Loch Lomond Whiskies, who share
world of scotch whisky.” my passion for arguably two of the
Lawrie has been working with the Master country’s most loved exports – golf
Blender at Loch Lomond Whiskies to create and whisky. I’m impressed with how
the Paul Lawrie Autograph Edition, which will they’ve established themselves in
go on sale before The Open. the sport in such a brief period."
Montgomerie, meanwhile, is working
with the brand to promote its product range
worldwide, including two 'limited editions'
specially created to mark The 147th Open at
Carnoustie as well as a 'Single Cask' edition
that will carry his name. Later in the year, a
'Colin Montgomerie' limited edition single malt
will also be released.
For more information on Loch Lomond Whiskies
lochlomondwhiskies.com
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 83

Callaway Driver
 XR Speed PAGE 90
INSIGHT
All reviews by David
Cunninghame, a self-
confessed golf geek
who plays off four.
COOL AND COMPACT
F
OLLOWING THE
phenomenal introduction
of the Compact C2 in 2017,
PowaKaddy has taken its
compact-folding concept
onto the next level, with the new
Compact C2i.
The Compact C2i boasts
PowaKaddy’s Simple-2-Fold
mechanism that has proved incredibly
popular since its launch last year. In
fact, last year’s C2 was PowaKaddy’s
fastest selling electric trolley launched
in the last four years.
It can be set up and packed away in
just two simple folds, whilst at 9.4kg, it
PowaKaddy Compact C2i P86 // Vertical Groove 3-wood P88 // Callaway XR Speed driver P90 // ECCO COOL PRO
shoes P92 // adidas TOUR360 Silver BOOST shoes P93 // Shop Window P96 // TaylorMade P790 UDI 2-iron P98 //
newGEAR
latest
The latest innovations and technologies
GEAR
GUIDE
offers one of the lightest options in its
product category.
In addition to its incredibly simple
folding mechanism, the Compact C2i
also offers a host of other features.
“We have been overwhelmed by the
popularity of the Compact C2 since
we launched it in 2017. So, it was really
important the product remained a
prominent part of our range this year,”
said PowaKaddy CEO, David Catford. GEAR GUIDE
“By introducing a larger, full colour In this issue we look
widescreen display, the C2i offers at the latest fairway
golfers the classiest compact-folding woods and laser
trolley around.” rangefinders, along
Turn the page for my full review. with the hottest irons.
Gear in this issue
Vintage Gear P99 // XXIO special feature P100
TWITTER.COM/BUNKEREDONLINE 85
newGEAR
latest

The latest innovations and technologies

SECOND GEN

PowaKaddy Compact C2i

£599.99 A fantastic lightweight, compact and easy-to-use trolley
AS PART OF PowaKaddy’s seems to have a car boot full to the brim
comprehensive range for 2018, the with golf equipment. It takes up very little
new Compact C2i boasts a number space and also only takes a few seconds
of the brand’s leading technologies, to fold up and down. Ideal if you are in a
including an all-new 2.8” mid-size full rush to make it to the first tee.
colour widescreen that offers a visually Although it improves upon the C2,
stunning display along with the brand’s thankfully PowaKaddy has stuck to their
renowned Simple-2-Fold mechanism. simple and easy-to-use design principle.
In addition to its incredibly simple The C2i is without doubt one of the best
compact-folding mechanism, the electric trolleys you’ll find on the market
Compact C2i also offers a host of other today.
impressive features. A USB charging
port facilitates the charging of GPS
devices and smartphones. Plus there
is also a special compartment for balls, SMART INVESTMENT
tees and pencils, which sits conveniently Thanks to
above the trolley handle for easy access. PowaKaddy’s three
An integrated scorecard holder and a year warranty for
soft touch handle can adjust to three the trolley and five
different positions to fit the height of the year warranty for
your hand. lithium battery,
The Compact C2i is powered by the C2i represents
PowaKaddy’s innovative Lithium battery a safe and smart
– with 18 and 36 hole options both backed investment.
by full five-year warranties.

Thoughts
Last year’s Compact C2 was one of
my standout products for 2017. Its
innovative folding mechanism, small
folded size and easy-to-use nature was a
fantastic combination. It delivered what
most of us look for in an electric trolley:
practicality and simplicity.
This new C2i is an excellent
progression for PowaKaddy in the
growing compact trolley category.
Lightweight and once again
easy-to-use, the inclusion of a
brand new 2.8”, mid-size full
colour widescreen display helps
set this product apart from
its predecessor and offers
you even more value for your
money.
The screen is much clearer,
sharper, more readable in bright
overhead sun and a lot more fun
to use.
Its very small folded size makes it a
dream for someone like me who always

86 bunkered.co.uk
 Glenmuir Spring/Summer 18
 Scottish heritage brand Glenmuir’s Spring/Summer 2018 collection, boasts
classic designs, bold and fresh colours and innovative high-performance
fabrics. This collection sees the introduction of a revolutionary functional fabric
made from wicking yarn that delivers more comfort and breathability.

POWAFRAME
The high
performance
low profile
PowaFrame®
Chassis looks
fantastic and
helps give the
C2i its great shelf
appeal.

Why do you think the C2 was
such a hit for you last year?
When we started the Compact
C2 design process – which
was around two years before
have proven so popular with
golfers of all ages and abilities.
It was the fastest selling trolley
launched in the UK for the last
four years, so we were very
too. We believe the C2i is the
ultimate compact-folding
trolley.
Are we going to see the

Q&A
it hit shelves – we realised it
was fairly simple to build an
electric trolley that folds to a
compact size, but it was much
harder to create one that didn’t
involve lots of different folding
actions. The Simple-2-fold
technology on the C2 is the
epitome of simple – it takes
away the complexity of folding
and unfolding an electric trolley.
Once folded, the C2 fits into the
smaller car boots you see these
days and it’s also one of the
lightest trolleys in its category.
DAVID It has a simple carry handle and
a convenient Travel Cover which
CATFORD ensures that manoeuvring
PowaKaddy’s CEO talks us the C2 off the course is stress
through the new Compact C2i free. On the course, it boasts
all the trademark features of a
PowaKaddy electric trolley that
pleased with the reaction!
What is it that makes the C2i
even better than the C2?
We launched the C2 in April last
year, so we didn’t feel it was fair
on retailers and consumers
to be changing the product
massively less than a year later.
The Compact C2 has performed
We believe it is the ultimate
compact-folding trolley.
beyond our expectations, so
there wasn’t a huge need to
make many amends to it. This
year we have added a brand
new 2.8” mid-size full colour
Widescreen Display to make
the screen more aesthetically
pleasing and easier to read
compact range expand?
Whilst different golfers want
different products, there will
always be a market for compact
trolleys – mainly because of the
convenience when travelling to
and from the course. With that
in mind, there may well be plans
to expand the compact range in
the years to come, but for now
we’re really pleased with the
Compact C2i. If we do expand
our compact range, we won’t
forget about other important
products like the entry level
FW3s – last year’s bestselling
model in the UK – and our whole
Freeway range.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 87
newGEAR
latest

The latest innovations and technologies

LATEST TECH

Vertical Groove Golf 3-wood

£229 On the face of it, this is a completely different 3-wood
SPEC VERTICAL GROOVE 3-WOOD Options 14˚ & 15˚ (14˚ is front-weighted Tour model)
Shafts Aldila NV2KV Blue 45g (Ladies), 50gA (Senior), 60g (Reg), 70gS (Stiff), 70gX (X-Stiff)

VERTICAL GROOVE GOLF (VGG) was The VGG 3-wood’s variable-thickness dropped my spin rates to offer a more
the first company to bring a golf club to cupface design, featuring a special 455 penetrating ball flight. It was the model
market with vertical groove technology maraging steel alloy, pushed the club that suited my game and offered
on the face of the club, and now they right up to USGA and R&A limits for face impressive numbers across the board
have a new 3-wood. It is already in play flexure in order to provide maximum ball when testing on a launch monitor.
on the PGA TOUR Champions in the speed. Out on the course both options get
hands of John Daly, Rocco Mediate and through the turf with ease and feel solid.
Mark Calcavecchia to name a few. Thoughts There is also a decent amount of
Let’s get started on the looks. It shares forgiveness on offer, especially with the
The Tech the same white and black crown design standard model.
The 3-wood shares many characteristics as the driver, with a green alignment aid Although the performance is
with the Vertical Groove Driver released stretching back to almost the rear of the impressive, this 3-wood might have a
in 2017. Designed to deliver penetrating crown. This aid is a very effective means hard time justifying the relatively steep
accuracy and huge carry, 17 scoring lines to ensure you aim straight down the price tag with most golfers considering
run vertically on the clubface, instead of middle. It is a unique look and one that the other options out there on the
the traditional horizontal orientation. This will take some getting used to. market just now. That being said, if
patented Vertical Groove Technology is The clubhead sits flush to the you are looking for something
engineered to reduce spin, forcing tighter ground and the shallow and a bit different that delivers
dispersion and leading to straighter ball relatively compact shape on performance then it
flight and greater distance.
VGG says to look for very narrow
is one I’m a big fan of.
Whether you are trying
WE SAY is an option well worth
checking out for yourself.
The green alignment
dispersion stats when testing with a to launch one from the line on the crown
launch monitor, and extreme distance. tee, or coming into the VGG Say
is very effective at
The 3-Wood also incorporates an green from long range “In addition to being one
eight-gram tungsten sole weight which on a par-5, it is a head
lining you up square of golf’s all-time greatest
is positioned according to the loft of the that will inspire you with to the target. drivers of the ball, John
club. In the 14-degree Tour model, the confidence. Daly has always been a very
weight is positioned forward to provide a The standard model is an strong fairways player. We knew
flatter, more penetrating ball flight. incredibly high launching 3-wood. he would be the perfect ambassador
The 15-degree model places the weight If you struggle to get the ball up in the and collaborator for Vertical Groove Golf.
at the rear of the sole, helping you to air off the deck then it is an option well John’s extensive knowledge of clubhead
launch the ball higher and providing more worth checking out. technology has helped us to finalise the
stability on off-centre strikes. The lower lofted tour model effectively specs on our new 3-Wood.”

17 scoring lines run vertically on the clubface, instead of the traditional horizontal orientation

88 bunkered.co.uk
 TaylorMade Spider Mini £269
 Featuring a 15% smaller head construction, Spider Mini delivers
the stability and high-MOI performance of its bigger brother in a
compact, mid-mallet design with Tour-Inspired Alignment and an
optimised weighting system.

The 14-degree Tour model provides a flatter, more penetrating ball flight

The variable-thickness cupface features a 455 maraging steel alloy A 5-wood and a hybrid are expected to launch later in 2018

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 89
newGEAR
latest

The latest innovations and technologies

SUPER SPEED

Callaway XR Speed Driver

£339 The incredibly fast XR line just got a whole lot faster
SPEC Callaway XR Speed driver Lofts 9˚, 10.5˚ and 13.5˚ HT Shaft Project X HZRDUS T800 Blue
Graphite

THE NEW XR SPEED DRIVER from Callaway

takes everything the brand knows about
Although Callaway are happy to admit
that the Rogue will offer you maximum
 FAIRWAYS
driver aerodynamics and face technology performance, don’t expect to feel short
and combines it in their best performing changed by the XR Speed just because of In addition to the driver, the new XR
longest and most forgiving XR driver line the smaller price tag. Speed Fairway Woods, in 3W, 4W, 5W
ever. The technology packed into this driver and 7W, feature a new shallow head
helps to deliver both incredible clubhead profile and a modern Hawkeye sole
X Face VFT and ball speed. The X Face VFT means that that combine to help golfers of all
X Face VFT is the very latest evolution of you retain this speed even on some major
Callaway’s VFT (Variable Face Thickness) mis-hits, leading to a tighter dispersion
designed to maximise ball speeds across and more fairways hit during the round.
the entire face. X Face VFT is the lightest, During my testing it was coming up
most flexible and hottest face Callaway has a little shy of the Rogue’s ball speed
ever designed. numbers, but it was still up there with
the fastest drivers on the market
Triaxial Carbon today.
The inclusion of Callaway’s proprietary The inclusion of a Triaxial Carbon
Triaxial carbon composite crown on XR crown helps to set the performance of the
Speed is 45% lighter vs the XR 16 titanium XR Speed apart from its predecessors.
crown, which significantly improves the The weight savings this has enabled
mass properties and lowers the centre results in a lower CG for a higher launch
of gravity for improved forgiveness with and lower spin, the perfect recipe for
increased distance. increased distance and forgiveness.
When compared to the standard Rogue, I abilities get the ball airborne easier,
Speed Step was seeing a slightly higher flight and higher quicker and more efficiently.
Callaway’s R&D team has also enhanced the spin numbers. The XR Speed also offers The unique sole design helps you to
aerodynamics of XR Speed by improving slight draw bias, so you can expect to see a get through the turf with ease and
its Speed Step Technology right to left trajectory. makes these woods very forgiving.
on the crown of the head, Down behind the ball The inclusion of a refined Next-Gen
reducing air resistance and CALLAWAY SAYS this club looks fantastic Hyper Speed Face Cup optimises
optimising clubhead speed. “Our Jailbreak Technology made Epic and is bound to fill you with ball speeds across the entire face,
the #1 selling Driver globally in 2017, confidence when standing promoting maximum distance, even
Premium shaft and this year the new Rogue family on the tee. It has a more on off-centre strikes.
One of the most premium of woods, also featuring Jailbreak, is rounded shape than Rogue, Yardage gains are then further
aftermarket shafts available off to an equally strong start. but still leaves a large enhanced through the aerodynamic
(used in the super-premium We are however aware that drivers footprint down behind the efficiency of an improved Speed
Epic Driver), the Project X in the super-premium category ball and the Triaxial Carbon Step on the crown, which pushes
HZRDUS comes as standard aren’t accessible to every golfer. crown only helps to add to clubhead speeds to levels way
with the XR Speed. So our challenge with the new XR the appeal. beyond its XR 16 predecessor.
Speed was to deliver the best ‘non- If price is no obstacle, The performance with these fairway
Thoughts Jailbreak’ driver possible, to sit in the then the Rogue is the woods is solid across the board,
The XR Speed is a driver premium category, that would still Callaway driver for you. but it is the innovative sole design
designed to fill a price gap in outperform competitor drivers, as If it is, however, then you that really makes them stand out
Callaway’s line-up for 2018. well as give Epic and Rogue a run for have to check out the from the crowd. They are incredibly
Coming in at £339, it offers their money.” XR Speed for yourself. It easy to launch into the air and the
Callaway fans a cheaper Dr. Alan Hocknell, delivers incredible all round shallow profile will help to boost your
alternative to the premium, Senior Vice President, performance for a driver in confidence when hitting from the
Jailbreak powered Rogue. Research and Development this lower price bracket. fairway.

90 bunkered.co.uk
 GolfBuddy VTX GPS £249.99
 Packed with innovative features the VTX promises the thing that all
golfers want: accurate, advanced and convenient handheld distances. It
incorporates a full-colour touchscreen and ultra-slim, lightweight design,
making it simple to use and barely noticeable to carry.

XR Speed features Callaway’s OptiFit adjustable hosel New X-Face VFT face architecture maximises ball speed across the face

The new XR Speed driver is a brilliant alternative to Rogue for the price sensitive golfer

The Speed Step has been refined to improve aerodynamics For the first time in an XR driver we have a Triaxial Carbon Crown

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 91
newGEAR
latest

The latest innovations and technologies

ECCO SAY
GORE-TEX The design of ECCO COOL

ECCO COOL PRO

PRO represents the exciting
combination of two key
innovations which will provide
£210 Five things you need to know about this groundbreaking golfers with increased levels
of comfort, breathability and
design from the Danish innovators protection. Ultimately the shoe
represents the meeting of two
SPEC ECCO COOL PRO Colours Six options available giants of ECCO development,
GORE-TEX® SURROUND® and
SPYDR-GRIP®. The result is
1 3 a shoe that raises the bar in
All-NEW GORE-TEX® SURROUND® every aspect of performance.”
Michael Waack, Head of
The COOL PRO is the latest The SPYDR-GRIP combines with a GORE-
Global Golf at ECCO
technological creation from ECCO to TEX SURROUND membrane upper which
deliver the ultimate blend of form and facilitates an advanced air channelling
function. This new design combines system within a grid-shaped sole
several of the company’s flagship structure, providing 360° breathability
technologies for unparalleled comfort, without compromising on waterproof
5
fantastic performance and complete protection. FLUIDFORM technology
protection from the elements. As is the case with all of the golf shoes
4 in ECCO GOLF’s Spring/Summer 2018
2 COMFORT
Collection, ECCO COOL PRO is crafted
at company-owned factories that utilise
SPYDR-GRIP This unique combination of innovations FLUIDFORM technology to bond the
This revolutionary outsole design was provides outstanding walking pleasure upper and outsole unit, creating a one-
first seen in the ECCO CAGE PRO and and stability in all conditions, as well piece shoe without the use of glue or
utilises an organic structured design for unparalleled climate comfort and stitching. Benefits include flexibility,
outstanding grip. exceptional protection from the elements. durability and a lightweight construction.

92 bunkered.co.uk
 Golfstream Vision £449
 Golfstream has launched its most feature packed electric golf trolley
to date. The aptly named Vision comes with a revolutionary new Caddy
White display screen that can be read in even the brightest, most direct
sunlight. Think e-Reader and you will get the idea

ADIDAS SAY
“BOOST changed the game
for players when we brought
it into our golf category. Now
with the introduction of this
special edition coloured BOOST,
golfers can add another style
option to their line-up while
still enjoying the benefits that
only BOOST can deliver.”
Masun Denison, global
footwear director, adidas Golf.

NEW STYLES

adidas TOUR360 Silver BOOST

£149.95 We love this limited edition colourway
OPTIONS The special edition black and silver BOOST colourway is available now and will be featured in
the popular TOUR360, TOUR360 Knit and the Crossknit 2.0 shoes.

FOR THE FIRST TIME adidas Golf has
introduced the availability of a special
edition colourway for select models in
its range that all feature Silver BOOST.
First seen on tour at The Players
Championship, the new models are
perfect for the golfer looking an
alternative look to the traditional white
BOOST.
Silver Chic
The traditionally white BOOST midsole
that players are used to seeing in
adidas Golf footwear has been coated
in silver to give the shoes an even
more aesthetically clean and uniform
appearance. To go along with the special
BOOST colourway, the uppers in these
select models feature a white and silver
look, which paired with the silver BOOST
midsole and silver outsole produces an
eye-catching and different look.
The Tech
The BOOST technology, proprietary to
adidas in partnership with BASF, provides
cushioning in the form of highly elastic
thermoplastic urethane (TPU) pellets
that are then fused together with heat
and moulded into the midsole shape
for each specific model. adidas firmly
believes this technology makes playing
the game and walking the course more
comfortable than ever before.
Thoughts
There are numerous benefits that BOOST
offers, but incredible energy return,
excellent cushioning and comfort, along
with long-lasting durability, are the key
highlights.
The styling of this new limited edition
releases is second to none. The all-silver
look is one that I love and I’m sure many
of you will too. Add to that the all-round
performance of great traction and
stability, and what we have here is one of
my favourite golf shoes on the market.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 93
 NEW
PRODUCTS
FOR 2018

DRIVERS IRON SETS

NEW NEW
G400 MAX C300 XR SPEED M4 KING F8 P790 ROGUE C300

CUSTOM FIT CUSTOM FIT

OPTIONS OPTIONS
AVAILABLE AVAILABLE
0% FINANCE 0% FINANCE

FAIRWAYS & HYBRIDS SCOTLAND’S

NEW PART
EVOLUTION R ROGUE KING F8 818 EXCHANGE LEADING
WELCOME CUSTOM FIT
CENTRE
CUSTOM FIT BEST PRICES
OPTIONS
AVAILABLE GUARANTEED
0% FINANCE

WEDGES
NEW
MACK DADDY 4 CBX GLIDE 2.0 KING BLACK

CUSTOM FIT
OPTIONS
AVAILABLE
0% FINANCE

816 SM6 HYBRIX ODYSSEY

WHITE HOT
RX

HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE

HYBRIDS
SAVING WEDGES
SAVING GOLF BAGS
SAVING PUTTERS FROM
SAVING
£109.00 £89.00 £99.99 £89.99
RRP £219.00 RRP £139.00 RRP £109.99 RRP £169.00

affordablegolf.co.uk
 NEW STORE NEW STORE

East Kilbride Store Hillington Store Glasgow City Centre Store

2-4 Whin Place 48 Kelvin Avenue Unit 3
Nerston Industrial Estate Hillington 126 Hydepark Street
East Kilbride G74 3XS Glasgow G52 4LT Glasgow G3 8BW
01355 571999 0141 810 4811 0141 564 1580
FREE PARKING FREE PARKING FREE PARKING

NEW NEW

INTEREST FOOTWEAR
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FINANCE TROLLEY
REPAIR
0% INTEREST SERVICE
MONTHLY CENTRE
PAYMENTS
SPREAD OVER
12 MONTHS

NEW GOLF
FOOTWEAR NEW BAGS FOR
2018

LADIES LITE CART

PACKAGE BAGS
SETS
VISIT OUR NEW STORES IN
EAST KILBRIDE
HUGE HUGE AND HILLINGTON
£349.99 SAVING £109.99 SAVING
RRP £599.99 RRP £149.99

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newGEAR
latest

The latest innovations and technologies

1
1 TITLEIST PLAYERS 4UP STADRY STAND BAG £230
With a premium on comfort and all-year-round playability, Titleist’s latest Players 4Up
StaDry model is fully equipped to endure any playing conditions. The durable StaDry
construction and seam-sealed zippers ensure complete waterproof guarantee, whilst
its ultra-lightweight design and premium cushioning foam straps allows you to easily
take on any number of holes, no matter the conditions. The bag also incorporates
design elements that have been validated by insights from dedicated golfers.

2 SUNDERLAND MEN’S ZIP NECK RAGLAN PANELLED

SHOWERPROOF GOLF WINDSHIRT £79.95
Made from 100% performance polyester, this 4 Way stretch three-layer interlock
fabric features a Teflon coated water repellent finish for protection from the
elements and showers whilst out on the course. Its lightweight feel, soft touch and
impressive level of breathability make it an excellent year-round option. We are also
fans of the modern and understated styling.

3 BIG MAX BLADE IP £299.99

Big Max’s new Blade IP incorporates the brand’s fourth generation Fold Flat technology
to deliver one of the most easily stored and transported push carts on the market
today. At a folded size of 88 x 62 cm and an incredible depth of just 12.5 cm in its
folded state, the BLADE IP fits in virtually any car boot with a full golf bag placed on
top. If space is truly an issue then the IP will slide neatly on a parcel shelf or behind
the front seats with its carry case (sold separately) keeping everything clean.

4 BUSHNELL GOLF ION2 GPS WATCH £149

Bushnell Golf has unveiled its new iON2 GPS watch, with a sleek, comfortable design
that boasts Bluetooth technology and a reversible strap. Preloaded with more than
36,000 courses in over 30 countries, the new iON2 is one of the game’s easiest-to-use
GPS devices with instant yardage measurements provided in a simple, but classy
design. Upgrading from its predecessor, the iON, the new iON2 watch boasts Bluetooth
technology that works in sync with the Bushnell App, meaning you can make course
updates quickly and easily through your mobile phone.
2

96 bunkered.co.uk
 Tiger’s new Phase 1 irons
 Since penning a deal back in January 2017, Tiger has been
working in conjunction with TaylorMade to develop a new
personalised irons model. At the Wells Fargo Championship
Tiger revealed on Twitter he would be gaming this set of
new Phase 1 TaylorMade irons.

5 ADIDAS ULTIMATE 365
2-COLOUR STRIPER POLO
£39.95
Engineered with 4-way
stretch for increased mobility
throughout the swing, its
balanced weight fabric is
highly breathable, durable, and
features moisture-wicking
properties for lasting comfort.
The innovative fabric and its UPF
50+ for sun protection combine
to make it a great year-round
option, with the styling suited for
both on and off the course.
6 TITLEIST TOUR
SNAPBACK MESH £20
The timeless tour proven look
with a twist. The performance
front panels with mesh back
offer superior comfort and
unmatched temperature
regulating, while an
Antimicrobial, moisture-wicking
sweatband reduces odour and
keeps you dry. Available in six
colour options: white/black,
black/white, charcoal/white,
white/royal, white/red, white/
Kelly.
7 CALLAWAY 1/4 ZIP
BLOCKED PULLOVER
£54.99
This 1/4 zipped mock neck
pullover from Callaway features
a soft to the touch inner fabric
that provides plenty of warmth
for those mild summer evenings.
Opti-Dri technology transfers
moisture away from the body to
aid in evaporation, while Opti-
Stretch utilises interwoven layers
of spandex to ensure maximum
range of motion so the garment
moves with the golf swing.
8 PXG 0311 GEN2 IRONS $400
PER IRON (CHROME), $500 PER
IRON (XTREME DARK)
Three years in the making, PXG’s latest
irons innovation has been engineered
to improve on PXG’s already outstanding
clubs in every measurable way. Through
innovations in materials, technology
and customisation, PXG 0311 GEN2 irons
deliver better turf interaction, greater
distance, faster ball speeds, higher
launch and improved accuracy. The
GEN2 irons will be available in four
collections – Tour (T), Players (P), Xtreme
Forgiveness (XF), and Super Game
Improvement (SGI).

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 97
newGEAR
latest
The latest innovations and technologies
SPEEDFOAM
TaylorMade P790 UDI 2 iron
£199 Low spinning, penetrating power from this driving iron
SPEC TaylorMade P790 UDI 2 iron Loft 17˚ Shaft Project X HZRDUS Black 85g
THE P790 UDI is a forged driving iron
that carries on from the successful
release of the P790 irons last August.
Engineered with breakthrough
SpeedFoam Technology, it delivers the
forged look and feel of a player’s iron
with increased distance and accuracy
off the tee or fairway.
To date, world No.2 Dustin Johnson,
No.3 Jon Rahm as well as TaylorMade
stablemates Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy
and Jason Day have all played the P790
UDI on Tour already this season.
The Tech
The P790 UDI’s hollow construction is
filled with SpeedFoam material, which
serves a dual purpose of generating
ball speed as well as the management
of sound and feel. Injected into the
98 bunkered.co.uk
clubhead, the low-density SpeedFoam
provides the face support and damping
properties that make the performance
of the P790 unlike any other iron in the
TaylorMade family.
The P790 UDI also features a
re-engineered Inverted Cone Technology
optimised for the slightly smaller face
area. TaylorMade’s previous ICT had a
larger, heavier profile. The new, smaller
Inverted Cone in the P790 UDI allows for
reduced face thickness at the edges,
thus increasing flexibility from heel to
toe and low on the clubface, resulting in
more ball speed across the entire face.
For forgiveness and playability, P790
irons feature strategically placed internal
metal-injection-molded (MIM) tungsten
weighting for precise CG placement and
higher moment of inertia (MOI).
Thoughts
This driving iron is a low spinning
monster and its sleek and modern looks
will suit the eye of just about anyone
when placed down behind the ball.
The technology packed into the
clubhead helps to deliver both incredible
distance and forgiveness for such a
compact and low lofted iron. The flight it
gives is staggeringly powerful.
It is an absolute beast on links courses
and, when the ball hits the ground
running, you will probably find it not too
far short of your best drives of the day. It
is also versatile.
If you want to throw it up in the air
then it is fairly easy to do so, and makes
the P790 UDI a great option off the tee
and when coming into the greens from
distance.
 vintageGEAR
CLASSIC EQUIPMENT
REVISITED

A REAL THROWBACK STYLO has a rich heritage in the golfing industry with many golfing legends
of yesteryear having worn their shoes. An extremely well respected shoe brand

Stylo
back in the 60s and 70s, they became synonymous with quality, value for money
and of course that tassled tongue look.
In 1966 Stylo invented their first one-piece waterproof moulded golf shoes.

Greensneaker
The Stylo Greensneaker was revolutionary at a time when most golf shoes would
become leakier than a sieve after only a couple of ventures out onto a wet golf
course.
With absorbent linings and changeable insoles they were miles ahead of most

golf shoes other golf shoes on the market at the time.

Who remembers owning
a pair of these?
Their popularity soared, so much so that by 1978, 12 years following their initial
release, Stylo reckoned they had sold over a million pairs of Greensneakers to
golfers across the globe.
Many brands would follow Stylo’s lead and go on to create their own one-
piece waterproof moulded shoes, but Stylo were without a doubt one of the
forerunners in the revolution to help keep golfers’ feet dry round after round.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 99
newGEAR
latest
The latest innovations and technologies
Who and what is XXIO?
Everything your need to know about this premium Japanese brand
By DAVID CUNNINGHAME PHOTOS Supplied/Getty Images
XXIO (pronounced zek-si-oh) is one of
the world’s fastest growing premium
golf equipment manufacturers. With the
highest quality materials and revolutionary
technologies, XXIO products are
painstakingly crafted for golfers with a
moderate swing speed.
XXIO has been the No.1 golf club brand
in Japan for 17 straight years. It’s also
currently the No.1 brand in Korea and New
Zealand, and one of the fastest growing golf
brands in the United States. It is part of the
Dunlop Sports Co. LTD family, the parent
company of both Srixon and Cleveland Golf.
What separates XXIO from others is its
design approach. Rather than engineer its
clubs with the best players in the world in
mind, XXIO designs its golf clubs, balls,
and accessories for the exclusive
100 bunkered.co.uk
benefit of golfers with a swing speed
generally under the 95mph mark. XXIO
engineers stop at nothing in the pursuit
of excellence. The result is a family of
products that helps moderate swing speed
golfers experience increased enjoyment of
the game through better performance, and
hopefully lower scores as well.
It is thanks to their 17 years of
developing clubs solely
for moderate
swing speed
golfers
that
GEAR
FYI
has helped differentiate XXIO’s designs and
technologies from anything else out there
on the market today.
In this special feature, hopefully you will
gain a better understanding of who XXIO
are as a brand and how their latest range of
products has been designed to help your
game.

The manufacturing process
XXIO IS DIFFERENT. XXIO designs
the head, shaft, and grip for
each club as a cohesive unit for
moderate swing speed golfers.
This produces unique clubs
that are easy to swing and are
designed to help you launch the
ball higher and further.
XXIO manufactures its own
shafts in a state-of-the-art
factory in Japan. The proprietary
layup and grinding process
removes any ‘voids’ in the graphite
and this process makes XXIO
shafts incredibly consistent.
Fewer than 10 in 1,000,000 shafts
produced at the factory are found
to be out of spec.
The unique shafts are
XXIO’s state-of-the-art factory in Miyakonojo, Japan
Precise manufacturing technologies allow XXIO to produce on such a large scale
lightweight, with balance points
near the grip end. This makes
them extremely easy to swing,
while also allowing to head to be
heavier to boost your clubhead
speed at impact.
Precision goes into each XXIO
club. An example is that each
XXIO product has a unique grip
weight and shape optimised for
that club. There is even a different
grip in steel vs graphite irons.
The construction of XXIO
clubheads are again tailored
towards the benefit of moderate
swing speed golfers. Every
technology packed into the
woods and irons is there to help
you launch it high and far.
SPECIAL FEATURE
Q&A
CHUCK
THIRY
Chuck Thiry, the head of marketing at XXIO, tells us about
the new XXIO X range and Ernie Els’ move to the brand
Can you talk us through the key technologies in the
new XXIO X range?
Our core technology with XXIO is really simple. It is
lighter in the grip, lighter in the shaft and then slightly
heavier in the head. This moves the balance point of the
golf club closer to the grip end to help give the golfer a
more efficient path and create more speed. Basically
we enhance a golfer’s speed as best we can. The grip is
lighter than ever before, it weighs only 22 grams, by far
the lightest grip we’ve ever produced in our golf clubs. We
make shafts that are as light as 36 grams, and when we
couple this with the heavier head weight, it helps a golfer
with a moderate to low swing speed create more lag and
a greater centrifugal force, which then translates into
more clubhead speed and more distance.
How big a benefit is added speed for golfers that
struggle to create it?
It is everything. If you look at what is on the market today
you’re not going to find anyone talking about a 270-gram
golf club. We even make them as light as 252-grams
(XXIO Prime). For that player, like myself, 56-years-old,
losing clubhead speed every year, it is all about retaining
as much of that speed as possible. You hear about all
of these great technologies like trampoline effect and
multi-layer golf balls that can help to generate more
distance, but golfers in their 60s aren’t really going to
be able to take advantage of them. Anything we can do
to give our target audience more speed is going to help
them hit it further and enjoy playing a little more.
What was it that attracted Ernie Els to the brand?
It is fantastic to have Ernie as a global ambassador for
the brand. If you look at our advertising campaigns in the
past they’ve always centred on ‘easier distance, easier
accuracy and easier golf,’ so signing ‘The Big Easy’ fits
in perfectly with who we are as a brand. He has the new
XXIO X driver in the bag and when he first got his hands
on it, it was the feel that really impressed him most.
What difference will having Ernie on board make to
the brand?
It is going to make an awesome amount of difference.
When you think about XXIO, immediately you think of it as
a premium brand made for golfers with moderate swing
speeds. It is more suited to people from my generation
rather than young kids. Ernie is an iconic figure for
people of my age. He is an extremely classy guy who is
known and revered around the globe. If I had to pick one
ambassador for XXIO, he would be the guy. He is a great
fit for us.
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 101
newGEAR
latest

The latest innovations and technologies

An easy choice for

The Big Easy
Why Ernie Els decided to pen
a deal with XXIO

FOUR-TIME MAJOR CHAMPION and Hall of “XXIO is perhaps a less still draws crowds to this day. For
Famer, Ernie Els, joined XXIO as a global familiar name in certain parts ERNIE ELS WITB most golfers of a certain age,
ambassador in January this year. Els is the of the world…but trust me, this most of whom fall into XXIO’s
Driver: XXIO X (9.5˚)
first big name signing for the brand and it is company is really going places! moderate swing speed target
3 Wood: XXIO X
one that makes perfect sense. Nicknamed They have a range of high-end, market, Els is an idol. Signing him
Fairway (15˚)
‘The Big Easy’, Els’ smooth swing perfectly high quality products and some is a coup for the brand.
Utility: Srixon Z U65
represents the easier distance, accuracy innovative technologies that And Els says he’s also going to
(18˚)
and golf that XXIO as a brand looks to help the average golfer get more get stuck into club design.
Irons: Srixon Z 745
deliver for its customers. out of their game. I’m all for that. “Actually, one of the things
(4-PW)
“I’m proud to be on board as XXIO’s new And they have big ambitions, I’m looking forward to is being
Wedges: Cleveland
Global Ambassador,” said Els. “Srixon and too.” able to assist in their product
RTX-3 V-MG (52˚, 56˚,
Cleveland are successful brands in golf, Having Els on-board is development and, obviously,
60˚)
with a proven track record, and I’m familiar massive for a brand not with me playing an international
Putter: Bloodline R1-J
with the company’s products so that’s an particularly well known outside schedule, help create an uplift
Els Gen 1
easy fit for me. In fact, I won both my US of its home country. The South in brand awareness as the
Golf Ball: Srixon
Opens using Cleveland wedges and I’ve African is one of the most company expands around the
Z-Star XV
always loved those clubs. recognisable names in golf and world.”

102 bunkered.co.uk
 SPECIAL FEATURE

PREMIUM

The XXIO X range

Designed with the moderate swing speed golfer in mind
SPEC XXIO X Driver Lofts 10.5˚ & 11.5˚ Price £799 XXIO X Fairways Lofts 15˚, 16.5˚, 18˚, 20˚ & 23˚ Price £499
XXIO X Hybrids Lofts 18˚, 20˚ & 23˚ Price £349 XXIO X Irons Price £1,399 (Graphite 5-PW), £1,199 (Steel 5-PW)

XXIO’s tenth generation of woods and
irons features new True-Focus Impact
Technology, which combines a larger
sweet spot with a shaft that helps you
find the centre of the face more often,
helping you experience easier distance.
XXIO X is extremely lightweight
compared to most golf equipment. With
lighter components and a higher balance
point, XXIO X’s Low Swing MOI helps
increase clubhead and ball speed without
requiring any changes to your swing.
The new True-Focus Impact
Technology — the engine that drives
every XXIO X club — is a combination of
two innovations: Smart Impact Shaft
and High Energy Impact Head. Together,
these features increase a moderate
swing speed golfer’s chances of finding on the heel. To help those golfers hit
the sweetspot from 58% to 68%. the sweetspot more often, COR was
When observing moderate swing increased in those areas, resulting in
speed golfers, XXIO measured the highest effective COR of any
strong centrifugal forces XXIO driver with the largest
that pull those golfers off- sweetspot in XXIO history.
balance throughout the WE SAY Now the premium price
swing. XXIO created the The XXIO X range tag may be a sticking
Smart Impact Shaft with is the lightest and point for some of you,
a unique flex profile that easiest to hit we’ve but XXIO hasn’t been the
works to reduce those ever seen from the #1 brand in Japan for 17
forces, resulting in more years simply by chance. Its
brand.
consistency and a 28 percent products deliver incredible
tighter impact pattern. performance for those looking
When developing the High-Energy for more speed. If you fall into the
Impact Head, XXIO mapped moderate moderate swing speed category, then
swing speed impact patterns and found you must go and test these clubs for
that most mishits are on the toe or low yourself.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 103
 FREE PERSONALISATION
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info@kings-acregolf.com
Tel: 0131 663 3456 KINGS-ACREGOLF.COM
 More detailed reviews - with videos - at bunkered.co.uk/gear

gearGUIDE
THE BEST EQUIPMENT IN GOLF

18 FAIRWAYS PAGE 106

40 IRONS PAGE 108

6 LASER RANGEFINDERS PAGE 107

IN THIS LATEST GEAR GUIDE I run through 18 of the longest and

HOT
most accurate fairway woods on the market. We also have six laser
rangefinders and 40 iron models for you to sink you teeth into, from

NEW GEAR
tech packed game improvement options, to timeless blade designs.
David Cunninghame

GUIDE!  @DC_bunkered

PRICING EXPLAINED
All prices provided are RRP. Contact your local golf stockist or
PGA pro for more accurate prices and offers.
gearGUIDE
THE BEST EQUIPMENT IN GOLF
FAIRWAYS
CALLAWAY ROGUE
£269 The first fairway woods to feature
Jailbreak Technology, Callaway’s
Face Cup Technology has also been
incorporated to promote fast ball speed
across a large part of the face. A lower
spinning and more compact Sub Zero
model is also available.
ONLINE uk.callawaygolf.com
CALLAWAY XR SPEED
£229 The XR Speed takes everything
Callaway knows about fairway wood
aerodynamics and face tech and
combines it into their longest and most
forgiving XR fairway line ever. If you are
looking for more speed then you should
definitely check these out.
ONLINE uk.callawaygolf.com
TAYLORMADE M3
£279 An improved track system, that houses
more moveable weight (29g compared
to 25g in the ’17 M1 fairway), allows for
more shot shape adjustability than ever
before. The M3 also utilises an ultra-
thin, ultra-light crown and sole panel to
generate driver-like launch conditions.
ONLINE taylormadegolf.eu
TAYLORMADE M4
£229 TaylorMade’s ultimate distance fairway
has been made even more forgiving.
It advances the use of multi-material
composition, Speed Pocket, Geocoustic
Technologies and ICT integration to
deliver a remarkably high-performing
complement to the M4 driver.
ONLINE taylormadegolf.eu
WILSON C300
£219 Power Holes around the club head
create a larger sweet spot on the face
for maximum forgiveness on off-centre
hits. The deep matte red head also
combines Power Holes and FLX FACE
Technology to increase Face Deflection
by 5% across the entire clubhead.
ONLINE wilson.com
WILSON D300
£155 Specifically designed for those seeking
more distance, the D300 fairways
feature Micro Vortex Generators on
the crown of the clubhead that help to
reduce drag, increasing clubhead speed
and distance. A fantastic option if you
are looking to gain some distance.
ONLINE wilson.com
106 bunkered.co.uk
TITLEIST 917 F2
£280 A high launching, forgiving fairway
wood, the F2 allows you dial in your
launch conditions and ball flight
courtesy of SureFit CG technology. The
Active Recoil Channel 2.0 also helps to
boost ball speed at impact to deliver
complete performance.
ONLINE titleist.co.uk
TITLEIST 917 F3
£280 With a more compact head shape, lower
spinning and lower launching than the
F2, the F3 offers greater shot versatility
and is more suited to the better
player. Both models feature a variable
thickness face insert that helps to
maintain ball speed, on off-centre hits.
ONLINE titleist.co.uk
COBRA KING F8
£199 Featuring many of the same
technologies as the F8 driver, the
improved Baffler Dual Rail System, with
tighter-spaced rails with CG centered
between the rails, reduces twisting,
resulting in a higher amount of speed
retained upon contact with the turf.
ONLINE cobragolf.co.uk
COBRA KING F8+
£199 The F8+ model provides all of the
same technologies as the F8 in a more
compact head size. The CG weight is
front-positioned leading to a more
penetrating flight. As is the case with
all of the King F8 products, it features
Cobra Connect technology.
ONLINE cobragolf.co.uk
SRIXON F65
£299 The new Power Wave Sole absorbs
more stress at impact for maximum
energy transfer, generating higher ball
speed and distance. A Stretch Flex Cup
face has been extended around crown
and sole to create a 10% larger sweet
spot.
ONLINE srixon.co.uk
CLEVELAND LAUNCHER HB
£200 Thanks to the re-imagined HiBore
crown and ultra-lightweight hosel,
the Launcher HB is one of the most
forgiving and easiest to hit fairways you
will find on the market today. You can
also expect a lot of ball speed thanks to
Flex-Fin and Cup Face technologies.
ONLINE clevelandgolf.co.uk
 FAIRWAYS
PING G400
£240 The G400’s ball speed and stopping
power comes from an innovative
maraging steel face that flexes 30%
more, making it Ping’s hottest, highest-
launching fairway wood ever. The
machined back weight is 25% denser to
increase MOI for extreme forgiveness.
ONLINE ping.com
PING G400 STRETCH
£240 With a larger head, slightly forward CG,
13° loft, and lower spin characteristics,
this model has been designed to stretch
your distance off the tee and on shots
into the green. It is without a doubt one
of the longest fairway woods on the
market today.
ONLINE ping.com
MIZUNO ST180
£279 The amplified Wave sole commits every
available gram of weight low, towards
the face – dropping spin rates for even
the fastest, downward ball strikers.
The Wave sole also allows the ST180
to contract and expand on impact –
increasing energy imparted to the ball.
ONLINE golf.mizunoeurope.com
MIZUNO GT180
£315 Miuzno’s ultimate customisable fairway
woods give you the ability to vastly
reduce or increase spin rates. An
evolution of both the Wave sole and
17 grams of sliding weight reduces
the lower end of spin rates for a more
efficient trajectory at higher speeds.
ONLINE golf.mizunoeurope.com
VERTICAL GROOVE 3-WOOD
£229 Designed to deliver penetrating
accuracy and huge carry, the unique
patented vertical groove pattern on the
club face mitigates sidespin to reduce
hooks and slices. For our full review of
this unique fairway wood turn to page
88.
ONLINE verticalgroove.co.uk
LYNX BLACK CAT
£179 Available in three matte colour finishes
and adjustable from 13˚ to 17˚, the Black
Cat is playable as a three or five wood.
It also features a moveable weight bar
system that allows you to adjust launch
and spin, making it one of the most
versatile fairway woods on the market.
ONLINE lynxgolf.co.uk
LASER RANGEFINDERS
BUSHNELL HYBRID
£399 This innovative device combines the
best of both worlds, both laser and GPS
technologies. Precise distances to the
pin are provided through the Hybrid’s
laser function, whilst a GPS display on
the side of the product delivers front,
middle and back yardages to help.
ONLINE bushnellgolf.eu
BUSHNELL PRO X2
£449 The Pro X2 includes a handful of new
and innovative features including Slope-
Switch Technology. The technology
gives users the distances adjusted
based on gradient providing the most
accurate numbers possible, giving you
the best chance of hitting it close.
ONLINE bushnellgolf.eu
NIKON COOLSHOT PRO
£499.99 STABILIZED
This new model from Nikon
encompasses the vibration reduction
function of the COOLSHOT 80 series in
a smaller and lighter body. It features an
easy-to-view red internal OLED display
with an automatic adjustment function.
ONLINE europe-nikon.com
CALLAWAY HYBRID LASER/
£329 GPS RANGEFINDER
Callaway’s most advanced rangefinder
to date incorporates two separate
distance-measuring technologies for
greater accuracy. Combining the pin-
seeking precision of a laser with the
added convenience of GPS distances.
ONLINE callawaygolf.com
CALLAWAY 200
£199 Weighing just 110 grams, Callaway’s
most compact rangefinder can
measure distances up to 800 yards
away and lock onto pins using Pin
Acquisition Technology (PAT) up to 275
yards away. Its low price tag makes a
great option for golfers on a budget.
ONLINE callawaygolf.com
GOLF BUDDY LR7
£249.99 The LR7 is a compact and easy-to-
use device weighing just under 225
grams and features 4 targeting modes
- standard, scan, pin, and pin finder. It
also has a water resistant casing and a
automatic shut-off feature that kicks in
after left unattended for 10 seconds.
ONLINE eu.golfbuddyglobal.com
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 107
 gearGUIDE
THE BEST EQUIPMENT IN GOLF

IRONS

TITLEIST 718 AP1

£115 PER IRON
Built for maximum distance and
forgiveness, the 718 AP1 is more
forgiving and longer than its
predecessor. Combining the classic
Titleist look and feel with advanced
technologies, it is incredibly easy to
hit and get in the air quickly.

ONLINE titleist.co.uk

TITLEIST 718 AP2

£150 PER IRON
Currently the most played iron on
the PGA Tour, the new AP2 is the
most forgiving to date. Precise
perimeter weighting and a unique
co-forged construction, as well as
new tungsten caps, result in a high
MOI for maximum forgiveness.

ONLINE titleist.co.uk

TITLEIST 718 AP3

£150 PER IRON
The AP3 is a completely new iron
from Titleist and is being described
as the ‘player’s distance iron’. It sits
in between the AP1 and AP2 and is
designed to offer the best bits of
both: the performance of the AP1,
and the looks and feel of the AP2.

ONLINE titleist.co.uk

TITLEIST 718 T-MB

£230 PER IRON
The T-MB has grown into a full set
of uniquely designed irons that
deliver effortless distance in a
technical, muscle-back shape. The
hollow-body, multi-material design
produces a powerful combination
of high launch and forgiveness.

ONLINE titleist.co.uk

TITLEIST 718 CB
£150 PER IRON
This high-tech blade construction
delivers tour-proven performance
in a sleek, cavity back profile,
providing precision shot control
with added forgiveness. Packed
with high-density tungsten for
more consistent distance.

ONLINE titleist.co.uk

108 bunkered.co.uk
IRONS

TITLEIST 718 MB
£150 PER IRON
Forged from a single billet of carbon
steel, this muscle-back is one for
the purists and those looking for
maximum shot control. Weight has
been optimally positioned behind
the sweetspot to provide pure,
forged feel on every shot.

ONLINE titleist.co.uk

PING G400
£110 PER IRON
Ping say that thanks to increased
ball speeds, higher launch and
increased stopping power, the
G400 irons offer “tour-player type
performance with the forgiveness
you need to find the putting surface
more often.”

ONLINE ping.com

PING G700
£149 PER IRON
The engineers at Ping prioritised
power and forgiveness when
creating the new G700 irons. The
combination of a hollow-body
design and a thin maraging steel
face helps to make this Ping’s
longest, highest-flying iron to date.

ONLINE ping.com

PING iBlade
£145 PER IRON
The iBlade has the softest, purest
feel Ping has ever achieved, with
the workability and control to shape
shots on command. Ping engineers
designed the clean iBlade iron to
surpass the expectations of skilled
golfers who rely on precision.

ONLINE ping.com

PING i200
£120 PER IRON
Providing the look and feel of
a players-style iron with great
forgiveness for its size. The long
irons are high-launching and
provide maximum distance, while
the compact, precise short irons
give you full shot-making control.

ONLINE ping.com

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 109
gearGUIDE
THE BEST EQUIPMENT IN GOLF
IRONS
MIZUNO MP-18
£135 PER IRON
The craftsmen’s muscleback
sculpted by Mizuno’s YORO
master craftsmen, the MP-18 is a
throwback to the muscle-backs of
Mizuno’s past. It uses an evolved
Grain Flow Forged HD process for
incredible, precise feedback.
ONLINE golf.mizunoeurope.com
MIZUNO MP-18 SC
£135 PER IRON
A compact cavity back with a
slightly wider, cambered sole
makes this more playable than
the muscle back. Though the thin,
tapered top line, short head length
and smaller wedges mean this is
very much a tour-ready iron.
ONLINE golf.mizunoeurope.com
MIZUNO MP-18 MMC
£150 PER IRON
A highly stable, forgiving multi-
metal construction iron, which
also satisfies a player’s aesthetic
demands. Featuring lightweight
Titanium and heavier tungsten
parts, the MP-18 MMC flows easily
into any MP-18 split set.
ONLINE golf.mizunoeurope.com
MIZUNO JPX FORGED
£120 PER IRON
A mid-sized, one piece Grain Flow
Forged iron that comprehensively
ends the normal trade-off between
precision and distance. Produced
from a stronger Boron infused steel
billet, this iron provides incredible
speed and feel.
ONLINE golf.mizunoeurope.com
MIZUNO JPX HOT METAL
£105 PER IRON
The Hot Metal combines offensive
ball speeds with the workability
of a forged iron. This versatile
option gives both strong distance
throughout the set but a level
of workability that is normally
reserved for a players iron.
ONLINE golf.mizunoeurope.com
110 bunkered.co.uk
CALLAWAY ROGUE
£849 (7 IRONS)
Although you can expect incredible
distance and forgiveness, it is the
level of feel that sets Rogue apart
from its predecessors. The elastic-
urethane microspheres inside the
head help to dampen sound irons
whilst retaining high ball speed.
ONLINE uk.callawaygolf.com
CALLAWAY ROGUE PRO
£849 (7 IRONS)
The Pro version has been tailored
to suit the needs of the better
player. It features all of the same
technologies as the standard
Rogue irons but comes in a more
compact package and also features
slightly weaker lofts.
ONLINE uk.callawaygolf.com
CALLAWAY ROGUE X
£849 (7 IRONS)
A completely new category of
irons for Callaway. Inspired by the
popularity of irons like these in
the Asian market over the last few
years, the long and the short of it is
Rogue X has been designed to max
out your distance.
ONLINE uk.callawaygolf.com
CALLAWAY X FORGED
£1,049 (7 IRONS)
The X Forged offer a tremendous
combination of performance, turf
interaction and feel in a triple net
forging. The single piece cavity
back features just the right amount
of forgiveness in a classically styled
and finished iron.
ONLINE uk.callawaygolf.com
CALLAWAY APEX MB
£1,049 (7 IRONS)
The classic shape and style, with a
traditional, slightly thinner topline,
and a beautiful bright chrome
finish in Callaway’s smallest blade
head shape, make this one for the
purists. The precise CG provides a
ball flight preferred by tour players.
ONLINE uk.callawaygolf.com
 IRONS
COBRA KING F8
£649 (7 IRONS)
Boating an all-new forged E9
PWRSHELL Face that is 20%
thinner and featuring an E9 elliptical
Sweet Zone to promote faster ball
speeds across the face, these irons
deliver unparallelled distance and
forgiveness from a Cobra iron.
ONLINE cobragolf.co.uk
COBRA KING F8 ONE
LENGTH £649 (7 IRONS)
Featuring the same technology as
the standard irons, they have been
upgraded to ensure consistent
gappings. The updated TECFLO
Progressive Set Construction
Technology delivers tailored
performance throughout the set.
ONLINE cobragolf.co.uk
COBRA KING FORGED
TEC BLACK
£799 (7 IRONS)
By utilising a dynamic combination
of cutting-edge face, finish and
feel technologies, these irons have
been engineered to provide the
ideal balance of form, function,
distance and feel.
ONLINE cobragolf.co.uk
COBRA KING FORGED
TEC BLACK ONE LENGTH
£799 (7 IRONS)
An all-new Forged 4140 Stainless
Steel face, that is thinner and
stronger, provides improved
deflection and increased ball speed
across the face. 100% carbon fibre
medallions dampen vibrations.
ONLINE cobragolf.co.uk
SRIXON Z965
£660 (5-PW)
A sleek, compact muscleback
blade. A new Tour V.T. sole has
been modified to move even
more efficiently through the turf,
reducing impact resistance and
tightening shot dispersion for
maximum consistency.
ONLINE srixon.co.uk
SRIXON Z765
£660 (5-PW)
Boasting a traditional profile, these
irons also feature the improved
Tour V.T. sole. On top of that, the
soft head is heat treated to give
smooth and consistent feel, while
the grooves are larger than before
for better control.
ONLINE srixon.co.uk
SRIXON Z565
£660 (5-PW)
The Z 565 irons are geared for
golfers of all abilities and feature
a new Tour V.T. sole that allows
the clubhead to move even more
efficiently through the turf,
reducing impact resistance and
tightening shot dispersion.
ONLINE srixon.co.uk
CLEVELAND LAUNCHER
CBX £570 (5-PW)
The Launcher CBX Irons feature
a cup face design, V-shaped Sole,
and Tour Zip Grooves to deliver
maximum distance with wedge-like
accuracy. Large, easy-to-hit long
irons transition to compact, easy-
to-control short irons.
ONLINE clevelandgolf.co.uk
LYNX PROWLER FORGED
VT £599 (5-PW)
Combining a hollow-headed design
with a variable thickness forged
face to deliver a killer combination
of incredible ball speed, higher
flight and playability.
ONLINE lynxgolf.co.uk
LYNX PROWLER FORGED
CB £675 (5-PW)
The Prowler Forged CB promises
to give lower handicappers an
outstanding combination of a
penetrating trajectory, feel and
forgiveness and combines a cavity
back with beautiful design and
forging from 1020 carbon steel.
ONLINE lynxgolf.co.uk
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 111
gearGUIDE
THE BEST EQUIPMENT IN GOLF
IRONS
TAYLORMADE M3
£849 (7 IRONS)
Compared to the 2017 M1 irons,
the M3 has a brand new, more
appealing, compact head shape,
tailored more towards the eye of
the better player. This improved
shape, however, has not come at
the expense of performance.
ONLINE taylormadegolf.eu
TAYLORMADE M4
£749 (7 IRONS)
New RibCOR technology, also
housed in the M3 irons, works in
conjunction with the Face Slots
to stiffen the area outside the
scoreline area while retaining
flexibility and COR in the area inside
the Face Slots.
ONLINE taylormadegolf.eu
TAYLORMADE M CGB
£849 (7 IRONS)
The M CGB irons take a decade’s
worth of TaylorMade’s iron
innovation and combines them with
new cutting-edge technologies to
deliver a complete set of clubs that
are long, high launching, forgiving,
and incredibly easy-to-hit.
ONLINE taylormadegolf.eu
TAYLORMADE P790
£1,049 (7 IRONS)
The P790’s hollow cavity uses
SpeedFoam Technology, a new
proprietary construction from
TaylorMade that serves a dual
purpose of generating ball speed as
well as the management of sound
and feel.
ONLINE taylormadegolf.eu
TAYLORMADE P770
£1,049 (7 IRONS)
Thanks to an advanced forging
process and precision-milled faces
and grooves, the P770’s pure and
simple head shape will appeal to
the better player’s eye and provides
a soft-solid feel at impact and
workable, forgiving performance.
ONLINE taylormadegolf.eu
112 bunkered.co.uk
TAYLORMADE P730
£1,049 (7 IRONS)
The milled channel in the back of
the blade helps to raise the MOI
and improve forgiveness on shots
struck high or low on the blade,
whilst maintaining the level of
workability and shot-shaping ability
that the best ball-strikers require.
ONLINE taylormadegolf.eu
WILSON STAFF C300
£599 (4-PW)
Power Holes surround the entire
the clubhead to help increse overall
flex at impact and expand the
sweetspot. Wilson Staff claims
this increases face deflection by
58%, adding an extra seven yards of
distance.
ONLINE wilson.com
WILSON STAFF C300
FORGED £699 (4-PW)
Designed to meet the needs of
what Wilson calls ‘the crossover
player.’ This is someone looking
for feel, control and workability,
but with a level of technology and
forgiveness that will make life a
little easier on the course.
ONLINE wilson.com
Love these irons! WILSON STAFF
FG TOUR V6 £699 (4-PW)
Made from 8620 carbon steel,
these irons feature 20 grams of
split tungsten weighting, offering
improved sole camber and bounce
for added distance, optimum
trajectories and a significant level
of forgiveness.
ONLINE wilson.com
MACGREGOR
RESPONSE i £199 (5-SW)
Manufactured from 431 stainless
steel and featuring premium
components, the Response i irons
are packed full of performance.
Over-sized head design and
perimeter weighting offer extreme
forgiveness across the entire face.
ONLINE macgregor-golf.co.uk
 Get better online - with video - at bunkered.co.uk/lessons

LESSONS
HOW TO PLAY BETTER GOLF

CONTENTS
114 / Paul Lawrie
Our Guest Editor reveals
some essential advice on
how to master links golf
128 / Short Game
David Orr shares a few tips
to improve your putting
130 / Kevin Craggs
The leading coach shares
his knowledge on how you
should approach becoming
a better golfer
 To rea lly ge t better,
LESSONS go a nd see a P GA
Play your best golf
pro and work hard!

How to be
a complete
links player
MY GUIDE TO THE SHOTS YOU NEED TO SCORE
WELL IN THE PUREST FORM OF GOLF

BY PAUL LAWRIE
@PaulLawriegolf
PHOTOGRAPHY Kenny Smith / SHOT ON LOCATION AT Paul Lawrie Golf Centre

114 bunkered.co.uk
 PLAY
BETTER

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 115
 LESSONS LINKS MASTERCLASS | PAUL LAWRIE

My set-up for hitting

downwind isn’t really
DRIVER SET-UP that different from
my usual set-up but
HITTING you’ll notice that I’ve
teed the ball a little
DRIVER higher and will get a
little more weight on
DOWNWIND my right side to really
fly it down there.
A lot of people think that,
hitting downwind, you want
to do the opposite of hitting
into it. That’s not strictly the
case. Instead, set up with
just a couple of small but
significant adjustments: tee
the ball higher and try to
get a little more weight on
to your back foot. The more
you can catch the ball on the
up, the higher it’s going to go
and, in the wind, that means
it’s going to ride the breeze.
It’s pretty obvious but the
more you can let the wind
push the ball, the further it’s
going to go. But you need
to get it up there first of
all. So, peg it up, take your
usual set-up – making sure
the ball is forward in your
stance – and swing away.

116 bunkered.co.uk
 Hitting into the wind doesn’t mean
swinging shorter, just softer.

DRIVER SET-UP

HITTING
DRIVER
INTO WIND
If it was straight into the
wind, I’d be gripping down
the shaft slightly – maybe
an inch or three-quarters of
an inch – and I’d be teeing
the ball lower. Those are
the first two adjustments I’d
make. I’d then have it slightly
further back in my stance
than usual and it would just
be a more controlled swing.
Not shorter, necessarily. Just
76.8% softer. It wouldn’t be all out.
As soon as you hit it into the
Straight shootin’ wind with any kind of power,
To score well on links, you the ball’s going to balloon up.
need to find fairways... and Get it right and the ball will
few do that better than come out like an absolute
Henrik Stenson. The 2016 bullet, low and penetrating.
Open champ led the PGA
Tour in driving accuracy last
year, finding an incredible
76.8% of his fairways.

I’ve teed my ball low, moved it

back in my stance and have a
little more weight on my left
side for that low, penetrating
flight you want to have when
you’re hitting it into the wind.
Notice also how far down the
shaft I’m gripping compared
with my normal set-up.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 117
 LESSONS LINKS MASTERCLASS | PAUL LAWRIE

IRON SET-UP

CONTROL
YOUR
IRONS IN
THE WIND
The ability to control your
irons is important on any golf
course but particularly on
a links where the wind will
typically be blowing hard.
You can’t just stand up and
smash it up in the air. You’ve
got to be able to control the I’ve taken a slightly shorter
flight of the ball better than swing and, although you
that. So, first things first, you can’t see it, I’m swinging a
want to get it slightly further little slower than normal.
back in your stance than
normal. Your weight then
has to go further forward
and your swing needs to be
shorter and a little slower.
When you’re hitting into the
wind, in particular, any speed
will make it spin, so keep the
speed down to take the spin
off. Similarly, as soon as you
get any weight on your right
side, the ball is just going to
fly up in the air. So, get your
weight on the left, get your
hands ahead, grip slightly
further down the shaft, and
swing easy. Take more club,
too. How much more varies
depending on the conditions
but I’d usually just take one
more – sometimes two – and
just try to ease it in there.
The softer, the better.

118 bunkered.co.uk
When you’re hitting into the wind, keep
the speed down to take the spin off.

I’ve curtailed my follow-

through to keep the ball
flying low through the
wind and to keep the spin
off. In windy conditions,
spin is not your friend.

+2.701
SG Tee to Green
Justin Rose led the
European Tour in Strokes
Gained: Tee To Green in
2017, finishing narrowly
ahead of Rory McIlroy.
Jamie Donaldson, Sergio
Garcia and Eddie Pepperell
completed the top five.

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 LESSONS LINKS MASTERCLASS | PAUL LAWRIE

NOT
THIS

RIGHT vs WRONG
You can see in the above picture that
BUNKERPLAY my set-up is all wrong. I’m too far on

ESCAPING
my left and my clubface is closed. It
would be a miracle if the ball came

POT
out. Meanwhile, in the main photo, I’m
nicely balanced, not fighting against

BUNKERS
the slope and my clubface is open.

One thing you can be pretty

much guaranteed of on a
links course is a pot bunker.
They might look scary but,
with the right technique,
there’s no reason why
you can’t escape them.
The biggest mistake I see
amateurs make when they
attempt to get out is that
they decelerate into the DO
ball. It’s almost as if panic
sets in – but it’s not coming
THIS
out if there’s no speed. You
need speed into the back
of the ball. That’s the first
thing. Most amateurs think
they need weight on their
right and to help it up with
their body. It’s the opposite.
You need to be on your left,
come in steep, hit it really
hard and it’ll pop up.

120 bunkered.co.uk
AROUND THE GREEN

HOW TO 77.3%
BUMP Scrambling
AND RUN Rory McIlroy currently
leads the European Tour in
scrambling in 2018. He has
The bump and run is one of
the classic links shots - and, recovered to make par or
with a bit of practice, it’s better 77.3% of the time
extremely easy to master. after missing the GIR.
At address, you want the ball to
be either middle or slightly behind
the middle point in your stance
with your hands slightly ahead.
As a good rule of thumb, you want
your hands to be in line with the
crease on your left trouser leg.
The biggest thing of all, though,
is that you want to use your
shoulders and not your wrists. You
want the shoulders to move the
club. As soon as you get ‘wristy’,
I always think it’s quite difficult
to judge the strike. With the ball
being slightly back in your stance,
it means you hit the ball and turf
together. That’s the contact you’re
looking for. Most people have the
ball too far forward and they end
up hitting behind it and to get to
the ball the club has to pass the
hands. So, when they don’t pass
the hands, they duff it and when
they do pass the hands, they thin
it. So, ball back, hands ahead,
no wrist break, keep the hands
ahead, deliver a slight descending
blow and hit ball and turf together.

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 LESSONS LINKS MASTERCLASS | PAUL LAWRIE

AROUND THE GREEN

PITCHING
IT OFF
BARE LIES
Bare lies, where there’s very
little grass under the ball and
68.9%
just firm dirt instead, can
be pretty scary for a lot of
Greens in Reg.
amateurs. But the biggest The average European
problem with hitting these Tour player hits 68.9%
shots is not the lie – it’s the of greens in regulation.
fact that all wedges these Denmark’s Joachim B.
days have bounce on them. Hansen currently leads the
Bounce is the back part of way this season on 79.2%.
the sole that sticks up ahead
of the leading edge and it’s
there to help you get the ball
up in the air nice and quick
at impact. However, when
you hit too far behind the ball
off a really bare lie, the bit
that’s designed to help you
ends up killing you because
it hits the hard ground and
literally ‘bounces’ off it,
leading to all kinds of ugly
shots. The secret is to get
as close to the ball as you
possibly can when you play
it. You’re aiming to minimise
the amount of ground you get
between club and ball. I tend
to play these more ‘square
blade’ than open. The more
you open it, the more the
bounce of the club becomes
a factor. The squarer you
get it, the more you take
bounce out of the equation.

122 bunkered.co.uk
 Tulliallan
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IRON SET-UP

PUTTING
IN WINDY
WEATHER
There are two things that
the greens on most links
courses have in common:
they’re firm and they’re fast.
Throw in a bit of wind and
you’ve got a seriously tough
set of conditions. When it’s
particularly windy, I tend to
take a slightly wider stance
for the simple reason that
it helps me get lower to the
ground and more stable. The
more upright and narrow
you are, the more likely you
are to be hit by the wind.
Make yourself wider and
lower, and you lower your
centre of gravity. You’re As you can see above, I’ve
basically anchoring yourself widened my stance for
to the ground. This makes playing in the wind. The ball
you better able to put a is just inside my left heel
steadier, more consistent and my centre of gravity is
stroke on it. This is also nice and low, so there’s little
a good thing to consider chance of me losing my
when you’re standing over balance during my stroke.
a pressure putt. The nerves
you’ll feel holing out to win
a match or to shoot a low
round in a medal can cause
you to tremble a little in
your stance. That’s perfectly
normal and to be expected.
So, counter the nerves by
giving yourself a wide base
and a lower centre of gravity.

IN THE BAG
• Wilson C300 Driver
• Wilson C300 Fairway Wood, 20˚
• Wilson FG Tour V4 Driving Iron
• Wilson FG Tour V6 irons 4-PW
• Wilson FG Tour PMP (54˚) gap wedge
• Titleist Vokey SM7 (60˚) sand wedge
• Titleist Pro V1x ball

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 125
 LESSONS SHORT GAME | DAVID ORR
SET-UP I’m trying to get the clubface matched
off the lines on the mirror, which helps with your
alignment. I want the sightline on my putter right
under the string line, as being centered is crucial
to getting the ball away on the right line. If your
eyeline is too far forward or backward, you’ll miss.
PHOTOGRAPHY Kenny Smith
128 bunkered.co.uk
Analyse
your
putting
stroke
Get to know where
you’re going wrong
HERE’S a drill you can do with
two large bottles of Coke if you
don’t have one of these aids
(just make sure you keep the
juice in the bottles or the string
won’t hold).
This putting aid helps you
work on putting fundamentals.
I use it when I want to check
my eyeline hasn’t moved from
where I want it to be. I want
the yellow line to match the
leading line on the putter.
Doing this gives you a better
understanding of where your
eyes should be.
When the string line is low
– about eight inches off the
ground - you’ll find that you
might hit the string as you take
the putterhead back, then
come in and add a lot of loft
and then bash into the string
line on the way through. Just
remember to keep the string
seven or eight inches off the
ground. It really works.
THE SWING The string helps you keep the putter
lower to the ground. You should see a slight in-
to-in swingline with your putter thanks to the
string. That’s the angle you want. If you take
the club too straight back, you actually de-loft
the putter. You want the putter to stay low.

Go for passive hands
There’s no need to grip your putter too tight
HOW you grip your putter is a very personal
technique. You’ll likely see some very different
grips on tour and on courses throughout the
country. Many are standard, some are a bit
unorthodox, and some are probably completely
unhelpful.
The one thing you should not do with your
putting grip is grip the putter too hard. You want
your hands to be very passive when putting, and
gripping the putter too tightly won’t help your
hands get passive.
I’m pretty individual when it comes to my grip
DAVID ORR
Head Professional, Eastwood Golf Club
01355 500285
 @DavidOrrGolfer
and I use a technique that’s very like a baseball
grip. I like to get the club in the lifeline of my left
hand, and then I get my right hand separate on the
club, with the lifeline just on my left thumb, which
is down the front.
I like to get that feeling because that makes me
feel as though my hands are very passive, with the
stroke coming more from my shoulders and not
my hands.
There are all sorts of grips you can use, many
different methods, but that’s just the one I like to
use.
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 129
 LESSONS HOW TO IMPROVE
Shot on location at
Kingsfield Golf & Leisure
kingsfieldgolfandleisure.co.uk
 KEVIN CRAGGS
Coach to Paula Creamer, Colin Montgomerie,
Catriona Matthew and more 07545 3217666
 @kevincraggsgolf

Getting
back to
basics
YOU DON’T NEED THE PERFECT GOLF SWING -
BUT YOU CANNOT IGNORE THE FUNDAMENTALS

BY KEVIN CRAGGS
@kevincraggsgolf
PHOTOGRAPHY KENNY SMITH

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 LESSONS HOW TO IMPROVE | KEVIN CRAGGS

ADDRESS

GET IN
BALANCE
What is the sole purpose
of your address? We see
through history how guys like
Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Jack
Nicklaus, Colin Montgomerie,
or the more ‘athletic’ guys
like Adam Scott or Justin
Rose, address the ball. The
one thing that stands out is
that they all stand differently.
So do you copy Nicklaus - or A false position is one
do you copy Tiger Woods? you can’t repeat. The
I don’t think you need to old adage that ‘ if it
copy anybody. But I do think feels, uncomfortable,
you need to copy what the it’s right’, well I don’t
common denominators are. generally believe in
In posture, it’s all about being that. Change doesn’t
in a balanced position and have to be awful. It has
being in a position ready to feel slightly different,
to move. Are your feet the but it doesn’t have to
right distance apart so that feel wrong to be right.
you’ve got enough mobility
to move? Are you too far or
too close to the ball? That’s
the starting point. It’s about
finding those key areas.

DO THIS Let your arms drop

down to give yourself the
feeling that you’re relaxed.
You want a position you
can stand to regularly,
rather than one you have to
manipulate yourself into.

Sam Snead Ben Hogan

Jack Nicklaus

132 bunkered.co.uk
 AT THE TOP

You’ll always see
that left forearm
on or above the
shoulder. That
identifies that
there’s width in the
swing and you need
width for distance.
SET UP
FOR MAX
GAINS
At amateur level particularly,
the backswing tends to
obsess people more than
anything. And after coaching
for years, my old coach,
Alex Lyle, used to say
“there’s no ball at the top of
your backswing”. I’ve been
reminding people of that for
years. However, there are
a couple of things that we
do see amongst all these
different players, see below.
DO THIS The first thing you
need to do is complete a
full shoulder turn. That left
shoulder goes at or beyond
the ball - that’s key. The
second thing we always see
is that the left arm always
sits on or above the right
shoulder. It never really
sits below it. People talk
about the right knee being
straight or not – but one
thing you will always see
is that left arm above or
on that right shoulder and
your left shoulder goes at
or beyond the ball. Those
are some of the key things
you need to worry about.

Dustin Johnson Greg Norman

Jack N icklaus

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 LESSONS HOW T0 IMPROVE | KEVIN CRAGGS

IMPACT

MOVE YOUR
WEIGHT
The impact area is non-
negotiable. It’s the defining
area of where the ball goes.
The ball will always start out
on its initial flight depending
on where the clubface points.
You’ve got to get that face No matter how good
pointing to where you want the path is or how
the ball to start. It has to be good the speed – or,
travelling at the right speed really, where the
for it to go the right distance, face is pointing,
and it has to be travelling if the strike is off
on the right path to give the toe or the heel,
you the right shape. But, the ball is not likely
most importantly, you have to go where it is
to strike it from the centre. supposed to.
When it comes to impact,
there are less differences.
Bear in mind, impact is not
a position. It’s something
you swing through.

DO THIS There are two

key factors you’ve got to
remember. Firstly, your
weight has to move into your
left side. And secondly, you’ve
always got to have the club
travelling at enough speed
for it to travel on the right
path. What happens when
people put too much speed
on, the body doesn’t travel
left, it travels backwards.
You need the right speed,
continuous and smooth, but
also make sure your weight is
travelling into your left side.

Ben Hogan Jack Nicklaus Tig er Woods

134 bunkered.co.uk
 THE FINISH

SWING IN
BALANCE
Once you’ve got through
the impact position, you’ll
arrive at the follow-through
where the primary purpose
is to slow the club down. The
follow-through is the breaks
It’s a classic of the golf swing. When you
coaching cliché, watch the best players today,
but always swing players don’t fall off balance.
in balance. Good They swing in balance.
players are never Always try to think about
off balance moving in the right direction
because they move with your entire swing.
correctly, with
their right shoulder DO THIS One common
coming through, denominator here is that
and they turn you’ll see all different hand
towards the target. positions, but they are all
very much into that left side.
The right foot is released and
invariably, the right shoulder
rotates through and onto the
target. Positionally, they’re
all on their left side and their
right shoulder has turned on
towards the target. Nobody
has fallen backwards.

Fred Coup le s Michelle Wie

 Planning a Golf Outing in
2018?
Come and walk in the footsteps
of legends at Burntisland Golf
House Club
Treat your party to a memorable golfing experience on a
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the backdrop of the Binn Hill on the north side and beautiful
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www.burntislandgolfhouseclub.co.uk Driving Range • Well Stocked Golf Shop • Buggies Available • Group discount rates available
travel
Sponsored by
The best of golf around the globe

THIS ISSUE
140 A taste of
The Broadmoor
What is it like inside
a premier US hotel &
country club? David J.
Whyte found out
142 Where to Play
The pick of the best
courses you can play
this month across
Great Britain &Ireland
148 Czech Republic
Visitor numbers to
the European country
are soaring and it isn’t
difficult to see why
152 Amendoeira
Why the Algarve resort
is one of the main
attractions for golfers
flocking to the region
The Grand Lucayan Beach & Golf Resort and, inset, Sandals Emerald Reef Course

THE TRAVELLER

Best courses in the Bahamas

With so many islands, you’re totally spoilt for choice

T
HINK OF THE BAHAMAS and sun,
white, sandy beaches and gently
swaying palm trees no doubt
spring to mind. But, among the 700
islands in the Atlantic archipelago, there
are also some world-class golf courses.
So highly-rated are these courses that
some have been used to host tournaments
on golf’s biggest tours so, if you’re keen
to combine a luxury beach holiday with a
couple of rounds, here are some courses
you should definitely visit…
The Abaco Club
Great Abaco Island
theabacoclub.com,
A regular haunt of 2011 Open champion
Darren Clarke, the Abaco Club on Winding
Bay is the world’s first tropical links course:
a heralded Scottish-style design set hard
by the sea but in a climate that’s ideal for
enjoying the outdoors. Designed by Donald
Steel and Tom Mackenzie, the Abaco Club
has many classic links design features,
including pot bunkers and sloping greens.
Baker’s Bay
Great Guana Cay
bakersbayclub.com
If you follow Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler
& Co. on social media, you’ll know Baker’s
Bay isn’t your average golf club. The
location for their ‘Spring Break’ antics,
the experience includes a music-infused
practice facility, a no-shoes, no-swimsuit-
suggested dress code, two on-course bars
and multiple holes along the ocean. Nice!
Albany Resort,
New Providence
albanybahamas.com
Home to the PGA Tour’s Hero World
Challenge, Albany’s 18-hole championship
course – designed by Ernie Els – combines
the best of links and desert features, with
windswept dunes and many scenic and
challenging water features.
Emerald Reef,
Great Exuma Island
sandals.co.uk/main/emerald/em-home
Designed by Greg Norman, the award-
winning Sandals Emerald Reef Golf Course
is recognised as one of the most scenic
ocean-side golf courses in the Caribbean
and is renowned for its challenging
fairways. A golfer’s paradise, six signature
holes hug the coastline of a scenic
peninsula.
Grand Lucayan Beach & Golf Resort,
Grand Bahama Island
grandlucayan.com/reef-club
The open, breezy Reef Course - designed
by Robert Trent Jones Jr - measures just
shy of 7,000 yards from the back tees, with
expansive greens and fairways scattered
with bunkers, water hazards and more.
The greens are large, mostly flat and
deceptively quick, while 13 of the 18 holes
have water in play.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 137
 Barassie
Links at KBGC

27 holes of Ayrshire Links Golf

Year round play

TWO COURSES - ONE CLUB

4ball rates May-Sept
from £250
NEW TWILIGHT RATE*
Weekdays after 3pm T: 01292 313920
£180 per 4ball www.kbgc.co.uk
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

*Restrictions apply, please book via Club Office on 01292 313920 option 2

The Greg Norman-designed KN Golf Links Cam Ranh will officially open later this year
New Vietnam course for the Shark
KN Golf Links Cam Ranh is Norman’s third layout in the country
G
REG NORMAN has hailed KN Golf
Links Cam Ranh, his latest design
venture, as ‘an experience unlike any
other in Vietnam’ after visiting the
course recently.
Scheduled to officially open later this year,
KN Golf Links Cam Ranh will be Norman’s
third course in Vietnam – along with Danang
Dunes and The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip – and
first in the new resort destination of Cam
Ranh, which is taking shape along an 8km
stretch of incomparable coastline less than
an hour’s flight from Ho Chi Minh City.
“The scale and natural topography of the
property lends itself beautifully to a great
variety of golf holes,” said Norman, who
played a round there recently with the owner,
KN Investment Group chairman Le Van Kiem.
“It plays links because there’s a lot of up
and down and natural contouring to the
layout, so you get these sensational visuals
from tee boxes especially, as well as really
cool run-off areas where the ball can roll and
turn. It’s a lot of fun already.”
The site is dominated by spectacular
white sand dunes and is within minutes of an
international airport that will soon be home
to a new $163m terminal.
After getting out on the course,
Norman remarked that the tenth and 15th
holes were his favourites – a pair of par-4s
that play downhill towards azure ocean
waters and three small islands about 10km
offshore.
However, what struck the Aussie most
about the 7,165-yard, par-72 layout was its
playability.
“You can make a course difficult, but you
can also make it so people can get around on
their own skills,” he added. “What’s clear to
me here, especially after observing a range
of players have a go at it, is that anyone can
play all 18 holes.”
When finished, KN Golf Links Cam Ranh
will be the first milestone in the inaugural
phase of KN Paradise, an 800-hectare
hospitality venture that’s also due to include
a suite of hotels, an array of real estate
opportunities and entertainment options,
and at least nine more holes designed by
Norman.
“I could not be more pleased with how this
project is coming together,” said Mr Kiem.
“It fills me with so much pride and I cannot
wait for the rest of the world to see it and
experience it.”
ê CITY BREAKS ê
DUBLIN
The best cities for fun times
on and off the course
GET THERE
You can make the one-hour flight
to Dublin from both Edinburgh and
Glasgow with a choice of airlines:
Ryanair, British Airways and Aer
Lingus. You can get there pretty
cheap with flights from as little as
£30 return, while a bus will take you
from the airport to the city centre in
about 30 minutes.
PLAY HERE
Dublin is home to so many golfing
gems, there are almost too many
to choose from when visiting for
the weekend. One of these is Royal
Dublin Golf Club. Only 20 minutes
from the city centre, it has hosted
in excess of 50 professional and
amateur championships over the
years. Seve Ballesteros dominated
here twice to win the 1983 and 1985
Irish Opens and the course is still
very highly rated today.
PARTY HERE
If you’re in Dublin for the first time, a
place you must visit is Temple Bar,
a bustling riverside neighbourhood
spread over the city’s famous
cobbled streets. Crowded pubs
host live folk music and DJ sets and
diners pack restaurants serving
Asian, American and Irish cuisine.
As you can imagine, there’s plenty
Guinness to keep you going into the
early hours of the morning, too.
SEE THIS
When you visit a city, you always
want to experience something that
you won’t get back home – so why
not head to a Gaelic football match?
It’s an immensely enjoyable sport to
see live in action and the Dublin GAA
are one of the best supported teams
in the country.
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 139
travel

FOR MORE, VISIT

COLORADO.COM

140 bunkered.co.uk
THE
BROADMOOR
David J Whyte takes a break from his US cross-country tour
and checks into one of America’s classiest establishments
PHOTOS Supplied
I
’D JUST FINISHED PLAYING SOME CRACKING COLORADO
‘Rocky Mountain’ courses. Now, it was time to get back to work!
That meant checking into The Broadmoor, one of the most
luxurious, highly-respected hotels on the planet. But before I
got there, I just had to pay a visit to ‘The Garden of the Gods’.
Only in America can you find an attraction with such an
ostentatious name. Is this where Fred Flintstone meets up with
Walt Disney? Maybe I’d run into Charlton Heston sitting on his
heavenly throne. Actually, in spite of its name, it’s a pretty amazing
place. Located just outside the city of Colorado Springs, The
Garden of the Gods Park is a national landmark made up of towering
sandstone and limestone rock formations that reminded me of the
back of a Stegosaurus. There have, in fact, been many fossilised
dinosaurs discovered in this valley. I took a guided Segway tour,
which is a nice way of seeing the place bar the chance of skint
knees!
The Broadmoor The staff treat
You can feel a bit overwhelmed arriving at a
place as grand as this but, in practice, you
you like an old pal
could not be more welcome. That’s what I that just showed up
love about the world’s best hotels - they make
everything seem effortless. Why doesn’t for the weekend.
every hotel make you feel this way? The staff
treat you like you’re an old pal that just showed up for the weekend.
It’s not forced or fake; they’re just really good at it. I got into my
palace of a room and the porter took real pleasure in showing me
how my mirror-in-the bathroom TV worked.
As the sun set behind Cheyenne Mountain, I hit the pool. The kids
here line up like Wimbledon ball boys and girls ready to dash off
and fetch you a towel or cool drink. They’re
surprisingly international too. I spoke with
staff from South Africa and Switzerland,
FOLLOW eager to get a summer at The Broadmoor
DAVID on their CV.
For more It’s also interesting to note The
information on Broadmoor is run by the same company
David’s travels that owns Sea Island Resort in Georgia. Of
including videos all the American golf properties I’ve visited,
of most places Sea Island stands out as one of the finest
he has visited and, as I began to get its measure, The
go to Broadmoor was rapidly rising right up there
linksland.com with it.
ROAD TRIP
PART 3!
The East Course
My blissful little Broadmoor bubble was about to burst! The next
morning, I teed up on the East Course, pictured left. The East is a
beast from the very beginning and there’s no let-up all the way back
to the hotel’s welcoming towers. It’s easily one of the toughest golf
courses I’ve sampled.
The first four holes seemed to be the most demanding and that
can be demoralising! But it was the greens all the way that were the
real challenge: sloping, swift and subject to a mysterious ‘mountain
effect’ where the ball seemed to be repelled from Cheyenne
Mountain. It was the 14th by the time I’d secured my first par. A very
tough day at the office!
The East is a true championship course in top-class condition
and it will be interesting to see how the pros get when the US Senior
Open Championship takes place here in late June this year.
The West Course
Later that same day, after a comforting
lunch, I played the West Course with two guys
named Joe. Both were employed as marshals
on the golf courses, so their insights and
anecdotes were entertaining.
“They’ll double-seed the rough but other
than that the seniors will take The East as
it comes,” said Joe No.1 regarding the impending tournament. I
was managing the West a lot better, so happy to leave the trials
of those East greens to better golfers than me. The West’s were
considerably easier, almost slow in comparison with not nearly as
much movement.
The West is also the more scenic of the two, with deer crossing
the fairways as we played. “You might even see some bears,” one of
the Joes told me. “If a bear comes after you,” he added, “run downhill
because their back legs are bigger than the front and they end up
tumbling.” Yeah, right! I’d just jump in the buggy and scarper!
I had one more night in The Broadmoor with a delicious meal at
the Ristorante Del Lago. There are no less than ten restaurants and
ten cafés at The Broadmoor and I’d like to sample everyone of them
but I was up at 3am to drive up to Denver International and catch
a flight to my next American encounter. I’d be having breakfast in
California.
NEXT ISSUE
TOURING SAN DIEGO
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 141
the

MONDAY finish

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Tuition | Blogs | & much more
142 bunkered.co.uk
bunkered.co.uk/mondayfinish

from
£25
per round
DEER PARK GOLF &
COUNTRY CLUB
 Livingston, West Lothian
 Par 72 Yards 6,711
deer-park.co.uk
 Deer Park is one of the premier
golf and country clubs in central
Scotland, offering a range of
sporting activities whether your
interest is championship golf,
fitness or leisure. Centrally located
off the M8 J3, it hosts the Deer
Park Masters on the Tartan Tour
every year. Meandering through
the West Lothian countryside,
the course offers fantastic views
to Edinburgh and beyond and,
with five sets of teeing options
for you to choose from, you can
carefully decide how difficult a
challenge you wish to encounter.
toplay
from
£30
per round
GRANGEMOUTH
GOLF COURSE
 Grangemouth, Stirlingshire
 Par 71 Yards 6,432
falkirkcommunitytrust.org/sport
 Regarded as one of the best
municipal courses in Scotland,
Grangemouth is situated on 500
acres of countryside surrounded by
Polmont Woods and a local fishery,
with fine views of the Ochil Hills on
the back nine. Easily accessible from
the M9, the course opened in 1974
and has played host to numerous
PGA events over the years – a clear
indication of how highly it is rated.
The signature hole is undoubtedly
the par-3 seventh, which plays over
the edge of a reservoir to a slightly
elevated green that is guarded
by several greenside bunkers.
GB&I where
 GET MORE bunkered.co.uk/wheretoplay
from
£45
per round
PORTLETHEN
GOLF CLUB
 Portlethen, Aberdeenshire
 Par 72 Yards 6,663
portlethengolfclub.com
 Portlethen is fast maturing into
one of the more popular parkland
courses in the north-east of
Scotland, having been blessed with
natural features - the most notable
of these being the Findon Burn.
Lined with mature broadleaf trees, it
crosses five of the holes on the front
nine to influence shot selection.
Course development in recent years
has seen the planting of around
21,000 trees, the restoration of a
drystone dyke, construction of
stone bridges, and new tee boxes
at several holes. Pay it a visit and
you won’t be left disappointed.
twitter.com/bunkeredonline
from
£26
per round
WISHAW
GOLF CLUB
 Wishaw, North Lanarkshire
 Par 69 Yards 5,999
wishawgolfclub.com
 Founded in 1894, Wishaw is a
parkland course that possesses
a great deal of history. The club
moved to its present site in 1935,
with the course laid out by the
legendary five-time Open champion
James Braid. The course itself
measures just under 6,000 yards
from the back tees and is renowned
for its excellent condition, with
many of the fairways framed
by mature trees and offering
wonderful views. The par-3s
are particularly enjoyable but
have been the undoing of many
a good score down the years.
143
 Portlethen Golf Club is conveniently situation
Peterhead Golf Club on the A90 only 6 miles south of Aberdeen City
Founded 1841 Centre making it an ideal location for golfers
travelling to or from the City from the South.
The 18th Oldest Club in the World
Set among the dunes and across the Craigewan
links the course is a classic example of Scottish
seaside golf at its best - and the toughest!

Telephone: 01779 472149
Email: enquiries@peterheadgolfclub.co.uk
As well as hosting the Scottish Under-16 Boys Stroke-play Championship in 2013 the course has been chosen
to host many local Golfing events including the 72 hole North-East Open and offers players the option of a
gentle, but still testing, 5,757 yard, Par 70, SSS 68 course or for those who prefer a greater challenge play
from our white tees lengthens the course to 6,449 yards, Par 72, SSS 71.
Visitors and Societies welcome. Practice facilities, trolley & buggy hire, professional shop, restaurant and bar.

Visit: www.peterheadgolfclub.co.uk T: 01224 781090 www.portlethengolfclub.com

We also have a public bar with a vast PACKAGE 1 The Esk

The hotel is surrounded by a choice of golf
courses - within a short commute. We
have an on-site popular a la carte
restaurant which serves classics such as
Fish & Chips and a Sunday Carvery
available till 8pm every Sunday.
variety of whiskies, wines and premium gins. 1 night’s bed and breakfast plus 1 round on
The hotel also boasts the Boatlea Ballroom The Medal and 1 round on The Broomfield.
suitable for up to 200 guests. £116 per person
A variety of packages are available direct
PACKAGE 2 The Prosen
from the hotel such as dinner, bed and
2 nights’ bed and breakfast plus 1 round on
breakfast (an allowance of £20 PP for
dinner) for only £90 for anyone visiting The Medal and 1 round on The Broomfield.
£156 per person
the area for golfing.
We also offer competitive B&B rates PACKAGE 3 The Clova
and if you would like to make it special 2 nights’ bed and breakfast plus 2 rounds on
we have a variety of executive suites to The Medal and 1 round on The Broomfield.
upgrade to for a small cost. £212 per person

For bookings, The Park Hotel, 61 John Street, Montrose DD10 8RJ
reservations &
T: 01674 663400 | E: reservations@parkmontrose.com
more information
| 01346 582481 | reception@tuftedduckhotel.co.uk |
Corsekelly Place, St. Combs, Fraserburgh AB43 8ZS
please contact www.parkmontrose.com

22 George St, Montrose, DD10 8EW GREAT OFFERS

reception@thegeorge-montrose.co.uk A limited number of
01674 675050 accommodation packages
still available for
www.thegeorge-montrose.co.uk
BRITISH OPEN
at Carnoustie (19-22 July)
THE SENIOR OPEN
at St Andrews (26-29
July) on the Old Course
Whether you are looking

Value
to attend only one or
both events, you’ll find

to a tee
us hard to beat on rates
A great choice for a weekend Golf Break in Angus! and location.

Golf packages for between two and twenty golfers can be arranged Bookings can be made directly via our
BO OK NOW !
for Edzell and Forfar and other local courses all within easy travelling website ace.st-andrews.ac.uk or by c.uk
e.st-andrews.a
ac
distance. Our great value Golf packages start at £50 per person. calling O1334 463000

01334 838555 01334 479900

www.clubcars-standrews.com

Club Cars can meet all your taxi requirements, from shopping trips and nights out to airport
transfers and corporate golf outings. Our spacious saloon cars mean that your comfort is assured
and estate car capacity is available when luggage space is required.
We also operate people carriers seating up to 8 passengers. We operate quality vehicles which
are both clean and well maintained; similarly, we aim to create a favourable impression by being
smartly attired. Taking a conscientious and professional approach to all our customers.

www.standrews-chauffeurdrive.com

144 bunkered.co.uk
 toplay
GB&I where

DRUMOIG GOLF COURSE from

 Drumoig, Fife £35
per round
 Par 73 Yards 6,472
drumoiggolfhotel.com

 Drumoig is set within 250 acres of spectacular Fife countryside

that weaves its way through a natural bird and wildlife haven. Just
ten miles north of St Andrews and home to European Tour pro Connor
Syme, it’s a hugely underrated course that is full of interesting holes,
particularly around the turn. You’ll struggle to find a better trio of
successive holes in Scotland than nine, ten and 11 here. They are
incredibly impressive. The par-4 18th hole surrounded by water,
meanwhile, offers an incredibly testing end to the round.

BAMBURGH CASTLE GOLF CLUB from

 Bamburgh, Northumberland £47
per round
 Par 68 Yards 5,604
bamburghcastlegolfclub.co.uk

 Bamburgh Castle Golf Club is often quoted as being one of the most
scenic courses in Britain and, with views of Lindisfarne Castle, the
Farne Islands, the Cheviots and, of course, Bamburgh Castle, you can’t
really argue with that assessment. The course is one of the truest links
experiences to be had in England and, although it is relatively short, it’s
tricky, fun and thought-provoking. It starts with two par-3s followed
by two par-5s – there are six par-3s in all – and the last three holes
are a great finish to any round, with birdies possible on all three.

MEARNS CASTLE GOLF ACADEMY from

 Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire £15
per round
 Par 33 Yards 2,249
mcgolfacademy.co.uk

 Mearns Castle provides access not only to its impressive nine-hole

golf course, but also first-rate practice facilities to hone your game. It
is the belief at Mearns Castle that golf should be accessible by all and
played in a fun, friendly and relaxed atmosphere – and you’ll certainly
find that here. The course has just been redesigned to create a new
layout, which now allows you to play out an exciting finish over the final
three holes. The greens are all USGA spec, meaning they are playable 12
months of the year. They are fast, firm and a true test of any golfer.

GIFFORD GOLF CLUB from

 Gifford, East Lothian £18
per round
 Par 35 Yards 2,996
Simply giffordgolfclub.com
by making the
effort to start  Renowned for its friendliness, Gifford sits in a beautiful part of
something, you’ll East Lothian at the foot of the Lammermuir Hills. It is particularly
be miles ahead of well renowned for the high quality of its greens, whilst the ‘Speedy
everybody Burn’ that comes into play on several holes has undone many
else. players down the years. For those wishing to play a full 18 holes on
the nine-hole course, the different positions of some tees for the
GARY PLAYER back nine provides new challenges. In a region that is blessed with
high-quality links courses, be sure to try out this parkland treat.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 145
 Shotts Golf Club
Blairhead, Shotts, ML7 5BJ
Corporate & Society Days
• Visitors Green Fees
• One Round Weekdays........ £30
• Day Ticket............................................. £40
Limited weekend deals available –
contact club for rates.
Good food and a warm welcome awaits
all visitors to this excellent James Braid designed
course. Golf buggies available.

Clubhouse: Tel. 01501 825868 • Pro shop: Tel. 01501 822658

Email: info@shottsgolfclub.co.uk

We have some Ralston Golf Club

great golf packages
arranged with clubs
one of West Central Scotland’s top golf clubs
in Scotland including:
Gourock, Crieff, 8-49 seater
Rowallan Castle, coaches with Memberships available in all
Largs & Hirsel, Crieff boot space & categories.
and more! luggage racks We welcome and cater for
visiting parties and corporate
golf days.
Tea/coffee, rolls,
hot food and Only 10 minutes from
travel included Glasgow.
- join us for one
of our great golf Contact the secretary on
days out!
0141 882 1349
Tel: 01555 773945 Mob: 07912 566 432 / 07772 953 308
Email: enquiries@xtraminicoachhire.com
www.xtraminicoachhire.com www.ralstongolfclub.com

Torwoodlee Golf Club

Situated just outside Galashiels in the beautiful Scottish Borders
countryside, with over 100 years of history, Torwoodlee is a
picturesque 18-hole 6,021 yrd, par 69 golf course. Flanked by the River
Gala and set amongst a mix of mature woodland and rolling parkland,
it is one of the most challenging golf courses in the Scottish Borders.

4 BALL SPECIAL FOR ONLY

including buggies £120 01896 752260 YOU DESERVE THE BEST GOLF BREAK IN THE
(OPTION 3)

www.torwoodleegolfclub.co.uk SCOTTISH BORDERS INCLUDING FREE GOLF!

torwoodleegolfclub@torwoodleegolfclub.com
New WoLL Estate overlooking THE woLL Golf course, The most popular golf resort in
the Scottish Borders & no wonder with FREE GOLF and our award winning restaurant
in the Clubhouse. CALL us now 01750 32799 or check out our website for availability!
NEW WoLL estate, ASHKIRK TD7 4PE 01750 32799· info@wollgolf.co.uk
@Ewan Davidson Photography www.wollgolf.co.uk

Fulford Golf Club | Yorkshire

Where only the views rival the golf

Summer Rates Available

for last minute bookings please book online
English Boys (Carris) Championship - July 2018
T: 01668 214321 R&A British Girls (under 16) Open Championship – April 2018
sec@bamburghcastlegolfclub.co.uk 01904 413579 | info@fulfordgolfclub.co.uk
www.bamburghcastlegolfclub.co.uk www.fulfordgolfclub.co.uk

146 bunkered.co.uk
 toplay
GB&I where

KINTORE GOLF CLUB from

 Kintore, Aberdeenshire £30
per round
 Par 70 Yards 6,126
kintoregolfclub.net

 Originally constructed as a nine-holer, Kintore opened as an 18-hole

course in 1991 and is characterised by its tree-lined fairways that are
crossed by burns, producing interesting and tricky holes. Less than
15 miles from Aberdeen city centre, the course overlooks the River
Don and provides spectacular views over the Don Valley to Bennachie
and the distant Grampian Mountains. Kintore Golf Club has always
remained committed to keeping the character and standard of the
course to provide a quality and enjoyable golfing experience.

STRANRAER GOLF CLUB from

 Stranraer, Dumfries & Galloway £35
per round
 Par 70 Yards 6,308
stranraergolfclub.net

 Stranraer Golf Club has the distinction of being the last course
designed by the great James Braid. In spite of being set on the shores
of Loch Ryan, a saltwater loch that is the main ferry gateway from
Scotland to Northern Ireland, Stranraer is strictly a parkland course.
Laid out on former pastureland with many stands of mature trees, its
undulating ground offers fabulous views up and down the loch, where
you will see the various ferries sailing to and from, while stunning
views over to the Ailsa Craig and Isle of Arran can also be enjoyed.

MURRAYSHALL HOUSE HOTEL from

 Scone, Perth & Kinross £50
per round
 Par 72 Yards 6,120
murrayshall.co.uk

 Unquestionably one of Scotland’s finest golf resorts, Murrayshall

nestles within 350 acres of beautiful, rolling countryside. Located only
a few minutes’ drive outside Scotland’s ancient capital, Perth, the four-star
estate comprises, amongst other things, an elegant, luxurious hotel
and two simply fantastic courses. The Murrayshall Course is the senior of
the two 18-hole layouts and is a superb test. Winding its way through mature
woodland, it requires imagination, good shot-making, and a strategic
brain.

GAILES LINKS from

If you’re  Irvine, Ayrshire £100
per round
going to talk  Par 71 Yards 6,903
negatively about gaileslinks.co.uk
a course, you’re
almost throwing  The only Open Final Qualifying course in Scotland from 2014 to 2017,
yourself out Gailes Links has also hosted the Home Internationals and co-hosted the
to begin with Amateur Championship. It’s scarcely surprising, then, that 1985 Open
because golf is a champion Sandy Lyle calls this classic track ‘one of the world’s truly
mental game. great tests of links golf.’ Willie Park Jr redesigned the layout in 1912,
increasing its length by almost 400 yards. Apart from that, the course
JORDAN SPIETH hasn’t changed substantially. With its heather and gorse-lined fairways,
Gailes presents a hugely enjoyable, very attractive and fair challenge.

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 147
travel
Bohemian Rhapsody
David J Whyte gets the lowdown on the Czech Republic
P
PHOTOS Supplied
RAGUE is well-
known for being
one of Europe’s
most popular city
break locations,
with its keen
prices and superb
beer – but what surprised me most
was the superb standard of golf
courses surrounding the city.
You don’t hear that much about
golf in Czech Republic. But let me
assure you, there’s plenty of it and
it’s really quite exceptional!
Prague City Golf
In spite of its rather insipid
name, Prague City Golf is my
new-found favourite. Located 15
minutes south-east of the city, it
offers a surprising palate of links
conditions.
Here, Alex Cejka, the German
tour pro with Czech roots and a
home in Prague, along with British
architect Jeremy Ford, have
conjured up something as good
as a sandy-based seaside track.
Open to the wind, Prague City
packs plenty punch. Factor in 130
bunkers, many of the ‘pot’ variety,
and you get the picture. This is a
feisty, zesty little test that has to be
included on a Prague visit.
Just another ten minutes down
the motorway, the brand new
Panorama Golf Resort offers 27
holes of widely differing terrain
(Forest, Meadows and River)
making for a great variety of shots:
up, down and all around along with
dramatic views from its upper
echelons.
Even though I didn’t play it on
this visit, the other Prague course
I must mention here is Albatross.
This is undoubtedly the premier
track in the country. Host to the
D+D Real Czech Masters, Albatross
is as fine an inland track as you’ll
find anywhere with service and
amenities to match. You can play
here for a little more than €70, a
steal for a course of this calibre.
148 bunkered.co.uk
Bohemian Rhapsody
The region of West Bohemia is
tucked into the folds of wooded
hills close to Germany’s eastern
border. From Prague, it’s a two-
hour drive and, en route, we
stopped at Greensgate Golf Club
next to the town of Plzen.
Greensgate has been around
for 14 years and already seen many
changes in that time. We teed
up on this tight but aesthetically
pleasing par-72, 6,700-yard course
that weaves between hills, forest
and along by Lake Ejpovice.
It’s not long but it is complicated,
doglegging frequently and this is its
defence. The par-3 11th is the most
memorable hole, a tiny island green
which looks like the size of a table-
The par-3 11th at Greensgate Golf Club
tennis bat from the tee.
Karlovy Vary
Back on the road again and Karlovy
Vary is a sophisticated little town
at the heart of West Bohemia’s spa
region with ultra-classy hotels,
shops and restaurants.
There are ten courses near
to Karlovy, one of which is
Franzensbad Golf Club. It’s an
elevated parkland course with a
nice texture to the loam - not unlike
Scottish heathland courses. It rises
and drops, not steeply but keeping
the terrain interesting.
The Mariánské Lázně Golf Club, Karlovy Vary Golf Resort
meanwhile, is an exceptional
parkland course first established
in the time of King Edward VII who
officially opened it in 1905.
It is tree-lined but then opens
out onto wider fairways with the
occasional little lake to watch
out for. Both Marianbad and
Franzensbad are solid tests,
perhaps more in line with ‘resort’
courses and of an older style while
those near Prague are of a more
modern, demanding standard.
For a great value-for-money
golf break, this a central European
option that is well worth Czech-ing
out. The Albatross Course
 THINGS TO
KNOW
 WHEN TO COME
The month of April gets nice in
Prague and the golfing season
stretches well into October. Cooler
continental weather comes a bit
earlier in the mountains of West
Bohemia but you should be able to
enjoy golf there until mid-October.

 WHERE TO STAY
The Imperial Hotel Karlovy Vary
and Falkensteiner Hotel Mariánské
Lázně are both fantastic options,
while the Dutch Pub and La
Bedeguita del Medio restaurants -
both in Prague - and Becher Platz
resturant in Karlovy Vary are first-
class stop-offs for your evening
meals.

 GETTING THERE
Prague is easy to get to from
Scotland and the rest of the UK.
There are direct, low-cost flights
from either Edinburgh or Glasgow
(easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair at
around £100 return plus the
cost of your clubs and checked
luggage). You can hire a car and
self-drive in the Czech Republic
but it’s easier and not much
more expensive to let a ground-
handling company look after the
transport.

 HOW TO BOOK
Golf packages to Prague and
West Bohemia are available to
book through all good UK golf tour
operators. For more information
on golf in the Czech Republic,
visit czech-republic-golf.com,
czechtourism.com or cgta.cz.

An overview of the Albatross Course, home to the European Tour’s D+D Real Czech Masters

twitter.com/bunkeredonline 149
Be part of a Scottish
island whisky legacy
Take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for whisky lovers
A
BRAND NEW SINGLE MALT scotch
whisky distillery is being built on the
Isle of Arran – and you could be a
part of its story.
Lagg Distillery, which is being built by Isle
of Arran Distillers Ltd in the village of Lagg,
is offering 700 people a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to purchase one of the distillery’s
first casks and become a member of the
exclusive Lagg Cask Society in the process.
Work on the distillery, located on the
southern tip of the island, started in February
2017, with it expected to produce spirit for the
first time in early 2019 ahead of a grand opening
in around Easter 2019.
This area in and around Lagg was a hotbed
150 bunkered.co.uk
of whisky production – both legal and illicit –
during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The Lagg Single Malt will be heavily-peated,
with a rich, earthy character, yet retaining the
elegance and finesse that typifies Arran whisky.
Production will take place under the watchful
eye of master distiller, James MacTaggart, who
anticipates that the Lagg spirit will evolve into
one of the world’s finest whiskies.
He said: “To own one of the first casks
from a single malt whisky distillery is a rare
opportunity indeed and, with my 40 years of
experience in the industry, I firmly believe the
Lagg Single Malt will mature into something
truly magical.”
Membership of the Lagg Cask Society
includes ownership of one of the first casks
to be filled at the distillery, as well as the
guarantee of a bottle from Lagg Cask No.1,
which will be strictly reserved for the society.
No further casks will be sold to the public
during the first ten years of production to
ensure members are part of a very exclusive
group of like-minded individuals.
Membership also includes a complimentary
golf pass, which entitles each member to a
round of golf on each of the Isle of Arran’s
seven golf courses - Brodick, Corrie, Lamlash,
Lochranza, Machrie, Shiskine and Whiting Bay.
Visit laggwhisky.com or contact info@
laggwhisky.com to find out more on how to join
Lagg Distillery on its journey.
 Membership benefits include
Barrel of Lagg Single
Malt Whisky
Membership of the Lagg Cask
Society entitles each member
to ownership of one of the first
casks (approx. 200 bulk litres) to be
produced at the new Lagg Distillery
in the fourth quarter of 2018. Using
malted barley peated to a level of
50PPM (parts per million), this new
spirit promises to be something
very special indeed. Master distiller
James MacTaggart will source
the finest quality American oak
ex-Bourbon barrels to nurture this
spirit over a minimum of ten years
maturation. Members’ names will
be stencilled on their cask, which
will be stored on site at the Lagg
Distillery.
Bottle from Cask No.1
The first cask to be filled at the
Lagg Distillery will be reserved
exclusively for the Lagg Cask
Society. After ten years maturation,
the cask will be bottled with each
member entitled to 1x 70cl bottle.
Such a rare expression will be
fittingly packaged and made
available for personal collection
for each member from the Lagg
Distillery.
Lagg Cask Society
Members Day
Ahead of the official public opening
of the new Lagg Distillery in
spring 2019, members of the Lagg
Cask Society will be invited to an
exclusive behind-the-scenes day to
see the new distillery first-hand and
meet the team.
The Lagg Hotel
Opened in 1791, the Lagg Hotel is one
of the oldest inns on the island and
has retained much of its original
character. Each member will be
entitled to one complimentary
night, including dinner, bed and
breakfast at this historic inn as part
of their visit to the distillery and
Lagg area.
Wall of Fame
Each member of the Lagg Cask
Society will have their name forever
enshrined within the new distillery
on our ‘Wall of Fame’. You will
literally be ‘in with the bricks’!
Membership
Discount & Tours
Each member will be presented
with an individual membership
card entitling them to a free
standard Distillery tour and 10% off
purchases of whisky made in the
Distillery Visitor Centre shop for ten
years (from date of membership).
Arran Golf Pass
Each member of the Lagg
Cask Society is entitled to a
complimentary Arran Golf Pass
which entitles the bearer to one
round of golf on each of the Isle of
Arran’s seven golf courses. Each
pass is valid for 12 months – what
better way to round off your visit to
Lagg Distillery?
twitter.com/bunkeredonline 151
travel

AMENDOEIRA
A closer look at the Algarve golf resort
that’s more than just a little bit special
PHOTOS Supplied

FOR MORE, VISIT

AMENDOEIRA
RESORT.COM

152 bunkered.co.uk
Hole No.3 on the O’Connor Junior Course The closing hole on the O’Connor Junior Course
T
HE PAST 20 YEARS
have seen the
Algarve emerge
as one of the
most sought-
after golfing destinations,
not only in Europe, but in
the world. Despite facing
fresh competition from the
middle east and neighbouring
countries, the Algarve still
leads the way with over
250,000 golfers making the
pilgrimage to the Portuguese
coast every year.
The glorious summers and
mild winter temperatures are
what make the Algarve such
a widely popular destination.
Average temperatures are over
15 degrees centigrade from
March to November allowing
golfers to play all year round.
The best golfing months are
considered to be May to June,
with over 12 hours of sunlight to
enjoy each day, it comfortably
allows golfers enough time to
play 36 holes with a leisurely
lunch.
Amendoeira Golf Resort,
located in the heart of the
region, is one of the main
attractions for any golfer who
flocks to the area – and with
world class practice facilities,
luxury accommodation
and most importantly two
championship courses on
property, it’s easy to see why.
Amendoeira can impressively
boast two golf courses
designed by Ryder Cup legends,
twitter.com/bunkeredonline
The Faldo Course and O’Connor
Junior courses, both named
after their namesake. The Faldo
Course, designed by six-time
major champion and World Golf
Hall of Fame member Sir Nick
Faldo, takes inspiration from
traditional English heathland
designs with tough angles and
subtle tiered greens, but also
utilises the severe undulation
creating some breathtaking
vistas across the Algarve
countryside. As any great
designer does, Faldo made his
own playing legacy felt in the
design of the Algarve course.
“The real skill is that when you
stand on the tee, the golf hole
tells you what to do and if you
do what it tells you there is
reward, but if you don’t, you’re
penalised,” he said of his design.
The O’Connor Junior Course,
designed by the late Christy
O’Connor Junior, complements
the Faldo Course perfectly,
but by no means should be
regarded as the lesser of the
two set-ups. It is a much more
traditional layout with fairways
running alongside each other
and much less elevation
change. The course requires
great ball control to avoid the
many water hazards and to hit
the right parts of large, rolling
links-like greens to set up
birdie chances. As O’Connor
Junior did in the 1989 Ryder
Cup, he saves his best for last
at Amendoeira – a short par 4
with a gentle incline and a river
153
travel

running adjacent to the fairway

leads up to a two-tier green
surrounded by scenic cliffs. The
risk-reward 18th offers a great
chance to finish your round with
a birdie, but at risk of running
up a big number in front of the
overlooking clubhouse.
Beyond two championship
courses, Amendoeira boasts Expect quiet, stunning surroundings during your round on the brilliant Faldo Course
the only floodlit par-3 course in
Europe. The Academy Course
is a great place to hone your
game with a few practice balls,
play a round with some drinks
with friends or to pick up the
game as a beginner. Though the
course is a nine-hole layout, the
shot options are endless, with
multiple pin placements and
three teeing areas on each hole.
The Academy Course will always
be a firm favourite with all the
family and is a must play on any
trip to Amendoeira.
In between rounds on either
of the three courses, visitors
have free rein of the world-class
Another view of the Faldo Course The on-site villas boast all the mod cons
facilities Amendoeira has to
offer. The iconic clubhouse
offers a range of dining options;
the Greenside Bar and Café is apartments and villas for groups of all sizes; TENTH BIRTHDAY!
the perfect spot to stop by for a quick snack the five-bedroom superior villa for the whole This year marks the tenth staging
at the turn or the Clubhouse bar and family or a guys’ trip complete with seven of the Oceânico World Kids Golf
restaurants are ideal for a sit-down breakfast, bathrooms, kitchen, spacious lounge, dining Championship. The event has always
lunch or dinner. The restaurant offers quick area and beautiful outdoor terrace with BBQ had an international flavour and has
and easy buffet options, or a menu packed and swimming pool. seen winners from England, Scotland,
with Portuguese Ireland, Portugal, Sweden and France
delicacies and a vast range
of wines.
In between rounds, visitors in its 10-year history.
The event prides itself on being one
If your game needs have free rein on the world- of the most professional events in
some work between junior golf and consists of three
rounds, Amendoeira class facilities at Amendoeira. rounds over four days, with a
has you covered – a fully rest/practice day before the final
serviced driving range with pristine grass turf Or if you’re planning a couple’s trip you round. There are five different age
and instruction bays mean you can right your could take a one-bedroom apartment with categories for both boys and girls;
wrongs under the Algarve sun, whilst taking in a personal terrace area, luxurious lounge U10, U12, U14, U16 and U18, meaning
the beautiful view of the Monchique Hills in the area, kitchen and make use of the communal that children of all ages can get
foreground of the range. If it’s your short game swimming pool. involved. The U18 section is OWKG’s
that has been letting you down, Amendoeira Transport to Amendoeira couldn’t be easier, flagship category, with R&A World
boasts three practice putting greens and a there are countless flights every day from Amateur Golf Ranking points up for
short game facility that is immaculately kept in Edinburgh and Glasgow to both Portimao and grabs.
the same condition of the course to offer the Faro airports, each are conveniently located The 2018 event promises to be the
best conditions during your practice. within 30 minutes by car. When in the Algarve, best yet, with special celebrations
The perfect way to round off a day at public transport is frequent and competitively throughout the week for competitors
Amendoeira is to retire to the luxury on-site priced, with buses running for 24 hours and families laid on in honour of the
accommodation. The resort offers a range of between Faro, Albufeira and Vilamoura. ● tenth edition of the event.

154 bunkered.co.uk
Classifieds

Sunninghill Hotel
Station Hotel Portsoy Elgin

3 NIGHTS’
DBB AND
3 ROUNDS
FROM £279 Many excellent courses nearby including: Elgin, YOU
H
Forres and Moray. Good rates can be negotiated. S

I
Comfortable, en suite rooms available at excellent

W
prices. We serve a la carte meals daily using
the best local produce. A fine selection of malt
whiskies and real ales are available in our friendly

E
R
bar with new Scottish gin and cocktail list to try! W E
ER
E H
Hay St, Elgin, Moray
T: 01343 547799
E: info@sunninghillhotel.com To advertise in bunkered please
www.sunninghillhotel.com call 0141 353 2222

• W
 e specialise in providing top class golf breaks at affordable
prices
• 15 modern, comfortable en-suite rooms
Awarded Lanarkshire’s
• Many top class courses and ‘hidden gems’ to choose from Best Tourism Business 2016
including some of the best old traditional links courses in
Scotland Taste our Best Food Award
• Great food, friendly locals’ bar and large games room with all • Sky/BT Sports, Pool Table •
Sky Sports and BT Sports shown • Free WiFi •
• 2018 already filling up fast but we will do our best to DB&B Packages from
accommodate you!
£49pp
Station Hotel Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, AB45 2QT 145 High Street Biggar
Tel: 01261 842327 E: enquiries@stationhotelportsoy.co.uk 01899 220044
www.stationhotelportsoy.co.uk info@elphinstonehotel.co.uk
www.elphinstonehotel.co.uk

MAGDALENE FIELDS GOLF CLUB

Situated on the border between Scotland & England

signoaur
t
holeure

GREAT PACKAGES AVAILABLE FOR PARTIES OF 8 OR MORE

• Coffee & bacon roll + 18 holes £20 per person
• Coffee & bacon roll + 18 holes + 2 course meal £24 per person
• Coffee & bacon roll + 12 holes + soup & sandwiches + 18 holes £28 per person
• Coffee & bacon roll + 12 holes + soup & sandwiches
+ 18 holes + 2 course meal £36 per person

T: 01289 306130
www.magdalene-fields.co.uk

156 bunkered.co.uk
 North East / Central / England / Mail Order / Miscellaneous

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twitter.com/bunkeredonline 157
 doon the
stretch

The millionaire-making shot attempts will take place at the dramatic 139-yard par-3 fifth hole

Dumbarnie DEVELOPERS BEHIND

Scotland’s latest major golf
course, practice facilities and
clubhouse and project manager,
had, with the idea is to retain
more tourist spend in Fife.

Links will
course project, Dumbarnie Paul Kimber, told bunkered that “In terms of quality, we’re
Links, believe they will create a the course can rival the likes of aiming for high-end daily green
‘special’ experience on par with Kingsbarns. fees. I don’t know what they’re

be ‘really some of Fife’s finest.

Construction work is set to
“Here, we can create
something really special,” he
likely to be but we’ll be aiming
towards Kingsbarns prices.

special’ get underway imminently after

Fife Council approved the plans
for an 18-hole championship
said. “The premise is based on
the overspill from St Andrews
and the success Kingsbarns has
That’s the ambition for the
investors – with discounted
green fees for locals like

158 bunkered.co.uk
 PGA Tour pro might quit… at 29
 John Peterson says he’s on the verge of quitting golf for a job in real
estate development as he doesn’t enjoy the PGA Tour lifestyle. “I just don’t
enjoy the travel out here very much – I don’t like it at all, honestly,” he said.
“Thirty-five weeks on the road a year or so? It’s just not for me.” Dear John,
you must be crazy. Sincerely, golf fans everywhere. 
Make a million
at Mach Dunes
Up to 12 golfers could win $1m later this year
in a hole-in-one contest on the famed links
O
N OCTOBER 14, 2018, twelve
lucky golfers could wake up as
millionaires. That’s because
The Village at Machrihanish
Dunes has kicked off its ‘Mach Dunes
Million’ hole-in-one contest, which
has $1m on the line.
Up until September 30, golfers who
register and play an 18-hole round at
Machrihanish Dunes will be entered
into a set of random drawings that will
determine 12 finalists to shoot for the
‘Mach Dunes Million’ on October 13.
The millionaire-making shot
attempts will take place on the
picturesque fifth hole at Machrihanish
Dunes, left: a dramatic, 139-yard
par-3 overlooking the mighty Atlantic
Ocean. Each finalist must be an
amateur golfer and will have one shot
to make an ace. A successful and
verified hole-in-one will land the golfer
the $1m jackpot.
To qualify for the drawing, players
must be aged 18 and above and pre-
register at the Machrihanish Dunes
golf shop. Golfers can play as many
times as they like and will be entered
into the drawing each time to be one
of 12 potential winners.
Finalists will be chosen at random
Kingsbarns.”
The course, Kimber says, will
be a friendly, resort-style links
course that visitors will find fun,
easy to play and get around, with
lots of teeing options to cater for
all abilities. It’s possible it could
open as early as September
2019, with a grand opening
scheduled for spring 2020.
Subscribe to
us on ...
on six separate dates – the last
Monday of each month – from the
qualified and registered pool of
entrants. The two finalists chosen
in each of the six drawings will be
announced upon meeting contest
requirements and confirming
a commitment to return to
Machrihanish Dunes for the ‘Mach
Dunes Million’ hole-in-one contest on
October 13.
“The natural links landscape at
Machrihanish Dunes has been crafted
by the sea, sand, and wind over
countless centuries and is perfectly
and naturally suited to the purest
form of the game of golf,” said David
Southworth, founder and CEO of
Southworth Development, an affiliate
of which owns and operates The
Village at Machrihanish Dunes.
SCAN THIS TO
“The course was designed to be
challenging, and what could be more
rewarding than winning $1m playing
a game you love? We look forward to
offering a potentially richer future for SUBSCRIBE
IN SECONDS
some lucky golfers.”
For more information on
Machrihanish Dunes and to book your
round for the chance to win $1m, visit
machrihanishdunes.com/million.
just click ‘subscribe’
youtube.com/bunkered
Prize Crossword
Once you have completed the crossword, re-arrange the WIN... A DOZEN SRIXON
letters in yellow squares to form a major champion. ULTISOFT GOLF BALLS
Across 1 2 3 4 5 6
7. Legendary beak re-shaped by this major winner! (6,7)
8. Steve, joint leader with Tom Watson after 36 7
holes of the 2009 Open Championship (6)
9. In 1983 Seve Ballesteros succeeded
him as Masters champion (7)
10. Fine powder found in DJ’s first four letters! (4)
15. In 2011, he succeeded Lee Westwood 8
as the world’s No.1 golfer (4,6)
16. Curtis, the 2003 Open Champion (3) 9
17. Englishman who tied 12th at the 2018 Masters (4)
18. Despite shooting a first round 80, he tied
10 11 12
second at the 1985 Masters (7)
20. In favour of Jon Rahm or Justin Thomas, for example! (3)
21. Design of a golf course (6) 13 14
22. ______’s Creek, a crucial feature on Augusta National (3)
15

Down
1. Tony Finau finished a remarkable 10th
on his Masters _____ in 2018 (5)
2. He was the European Tour’s Chief 16 17
Executive from 2005 to 2015 (6)
3. One of Sky’s golf commentators (6,7) 18 19
4. A bunker or water, for example (6)
5. Born in 1931, he remains the BBC’s ‘voice of golf’ (6) 20
6. Little Sandy’s only an English golf professional! (5)
9. The 1973 Open Championship was the last year 21 22
it was used in the Open Championship (5,4)
11. The 2018 Masters was won with a score of 15 ______ par (5)
12. Ian Poulter seems to have stopped wearing flamboyant ones (8)
13. Golf format….or TV series! (5) Answer..............................................................................................................................................................................................
14. Role Chubby Chandler no longer has with
Lee Westwood and Danny Willett (7) Your Name......................................................................................................................................................................................
19. Number of Sandy Lyle’s major wins (3)
Address............................................................................................................................................................................................

Issue 163 answer Kilspindie .............................................................................................................................................................................................................

Winner Susan Munro, Dornoch
Email ................................................................................................................................................................................................
ISSUE 163 ANSWERS Across 6. Alvaro Quiros 7. Mission Hills 9. USA 11. Best 13.
Shot 14. Eagle 15. Captain 17. Torrance 19. Wedge 20. Narrow Down 1. Alliss 2.
Marsh 3. Dodo 4. Push 5. Tom Lehman 8. St Andrews 9. Uresti 10. Algarve 12.
Send your entry to ‘Prize Crossword’, bunkered, 50 High Craighall Rd, Glasgow, G4 9UD.
Trade In 16. Angel 18. Park Crossword kindly produced by Jim McLaren / jim.mclaren5@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Golf’s ‘cost’ affecting women’s participation, says survey

WOMEN golfers are hugely memberships for women to Managing director of
outnumbered compared to help get them into the game. Golf Support, Gary Swift,
men and are struggling to fund Women reportedly account said: “When assessing why
the cost of playing the game. for 16% of golfers in the women aren’t playing, it
That is according to a new UK and the report also pointed mainly to the costs
report from Golf Support revealed the majority of associated.” A total of 215
(golfsupport.com), which says ladies say the ‘overall cost golf clubs from 17 towns and
more than 90% of clubs in of the game’ is the main cities across England and
the UK don’t offer discounted reason why they don’t play. Scotland were reviewed.

160 bunkered.co.uk
 You’ve GOAT to be kidding me…
 No, this is true. An Oregon resort is now offering the chance to play
golf with a caddie goat that loyally follows you through the course. The
experience is being offered at Silvies Valley Ranch, a 150,000-acre resort
in Seneca that features three golf courses and a goat and cattle farm. The
goats carry specially designed golf club bags made from bridle leather.

Lydia Ko Liam Johnston

An emotional Lydia Ko ended a near two-
year win drought at the LPGA Mediheal
Championship to silence some doubters
- namely former coach David Leadbetter.
“Wow, what an emotional rollercoaster,” she
said. It was her 15th LPGA Tour win and just a
reminder: she’s still only 21.
In only his third Challenge Tour event, Liam
Johnston beat fellow Scot Grant Forrest to win
the Andalucía Costa del Sol Match Play 9. The
25-year-old’s victory comes more than two
years since the last Scottish success on either
the European Tour or Challenge Tour. “It’s a
dream come true,” said the Dumfries man.

GOOD MONTH BAD MONTH

Luke Donald The Florida Mid-Am

After making just three cuts in nine PGA Tour
events, Donald revealed he was taking time out
due to back pain. “My team and I have decided
it’s best for me to receive treatment and take
time to recover,” he said. A consolation for
him, though, was being named one of Thomas
Bjorn’s vice-captains for the Ryder Cup.
A punch-up marred the end of the Florida
Mid-Am. According to a police report, the
caddie of winner, Marc Dull, below, punched
his opponent Jeff Golden in the face during a
delay after a dispute, forcing Golden to WD. “He
[the caddie] said, ‘I want to apologise’, but soon
after, I was being punched,” said Golden.
 moments
landmark victories | inspirational players
What a
1999 moment...
Lawrie conquers Carnoustie thanks all!
F
ORGET THE COURSE SET-UP. Forget what Jean
Van de Velde did. Remember, instead, the way in
which Paul Lawrie became just the second Scot in
almost 80 years to win the world’s oldest and most
prestigious professional tournament.
Despite having started 1999 by winning his second
European Tour title at the Qatar Masters, Lawrie still had
to go through Open Qualifying at Downfield. Having safely
negotiated that hurdle, the then world No.159 travelled up
and down the A90 each day from his home in Aberdeen to
Carnoustie, staging the event for the first time since 1975.
In testing conditions, Lawrie began with a two-over
73 to sit tied for fourth after an opening round in which
Australia’s Rod Pampling was the only player not over-par.
A second round 74 kept the Scot in the hunt as the cut fell
at 12-over, before a 76 in round three cast him ten shots
adrift of leader Van de Velde with 18 holes to play.
What happened next inscribed both Lawrie and the
1999 Open indelibly into Scottish sporting folklore. On a
162 bunkered.co.uk
final day when the stroke average was 3.64 shots over-
par, and there were more rounds in the 80s than the 60s,
Lawrie produced a stunning four-under 67 to tie Van de
Velde and 1997 champion Justin Leonard after 72 holes.
A four-hole play-off ensued. After the first three
of those, Lawrie had a one-shot lead. His drive at the
18th safely found the fairway and, with Leonard and
Van de Velde in trouble, the Scot knew that finding the
green with his approach would surely seal victory. He
hammered a 4-iron from 221 yards that carried the ‘Barry
Burn’ at the front of the green and bounded up to four
feet. He coolly converted the birdie putt to complete the
biggest final round comeback in major championship
history and become the 22nd Scot to win the Open.
After completing his media commitments, it was late
in the evening when Lawrie left Carnoustie for the final
time that week, and drove back to Aberdeen in his Subaru
Impreza, with the Claret Jug strapped in the back seat.
It was, as he said himself, ‘a fairy story’.