M I N U T E S

5

b a l l p o s i t i o n

Place another club or cane

in- between your feet to

represent ball position.

Again, this provides a visual

aid of where the ball is in your

stance, making it easier to

alter for different types of

shot if you desire.

c h a n n e l v i s i o n

Create a channel with two

clubs or canes pointing down

your intended target. Not only

will this assist the alignment

of your feet, shoulders and

clubface, but it will also

provide a visual aid to help

improve your swing path.

Q U I C KF I X E S

I M P R O V E Y O U R G A M E F A S T

neW

seRie

s

When you practise, it’s important you

have some structure to your session and

also select varying targets to hit using

different shape shots.

But the fundamentals required for

every shot are ofen overlooked both on

the range and on the course.

By building a training station on the

range every time you practise, you take

any variables in your set-up out of play,

thus allowing you to work on your swing

and strike. Tis should help recreate the

good shots you hit during practice on the

golf course, something we could all do

with a little more of.

R an ge s tat ion

M I N U T E S

15

hoW to pRog R e s s

Make a mental note of your

best score and try to beat it

next time. If you feel you have

reached a point where it feels

easy, you can make the game

harder by moving your start

position further away or by

making the box smaller.

g a m e R u l e s

The first ball must go into the

box, creating your first marker

ball. Then, attempt to hit the

next ball past that ball and

repeat the process. The game

ends if the ball you hit doesn’t

go beyond the previous ball or

if you strike any of the canes.

Tis is a fun game that can be played on

your own or against two or more people.

Te sole purpose of the drill is to get

you focusing on distance control and

switching on your natural feel.

Using canes or clubs, set up an open

box to putt into as pictured here.

From a start point 20 feet away from

the opening of the box, the idea is to hit

as many balls into the box as you can –

but each ball must go past the last ball

that you hit. Te challenge is great at

creating pressure and developing a feel

for distance control.

Q U I C KF I X E S

I M P R O V E Y O U R G A M E F A S T

box put t i ng gam e

52COURSESYOU MUST PLAY IN 2012

Forget playing the same course week in, week out – follow our A-Z guide and prepare to be amazed!

WORDS K E V I N B R O W N

S T U N N I N G

C O U R S E S

O N E A

W E E KTrump International

Golf Links is set to open in Summer.

ALDEBURGH

Just 6,603 yards but

don’t expect

an easy ride.

◗ Factfile

Location: North of

Felixstowe, off A12.

Green fees: Winter –

£50 a day (Mon-Fri),

£60 (Sat & Sun);

Summer – £75

a day, £60 (after

midday), £45 (after

3pm, all Mon-Fri).

£80 a day, £65 (after

midday), £50 (after

3pm - all Sat & Sun).

Contact: 01728

452 927.

ARDGLASS

Awesome Ardglass

has been likened to

Pebble Beach.

◗ Factfile

Location: 7 miles

south-east of

Downpatrick on B1,

Northern Ireland.

Green fees: Winter

– £28 (Mon-Fri), £38

(Sat & Sun); Summer

– £43/£62.

Contact: 028 4484

1219.

BERWICK-UPON-

TWEED (GOSWICK)

A hidden gem of

a links.

◗ Factfile

Location: Five

miles south of

Berwick, off A1 in

Northumberland.

5 2 C O U R S E S F O R 2 0 1 2

A B E R D O V E YYou could say that Aberdovey has come a long way since its first holes were laid out with nine flowerpots to aim at over 120 years ago!

Wales has some wonderful seaside layouts but none better than Aberdovey which, over the years, has been more thoughtfully – and effectively – moulded by the combined magical minds and hands of Harry Colt, James Braid and WH Fowler.

This wonderfully raw, natural links thoroughbred is flanked by breathtaking Snowdonia National Park scenery on one side and dunesland on the other. It is loved to bits by everybody who plays it with former Masters champion and Ryder Cup-winning captain Ian Woosnam one of its biggest admirers.◗ Factfile

Location: Half-a-mile west of Aberdovey (A493) in Gwynedd, North Wales.Green fees: Winter – £35 a round or £110 for a fourball. Summer – £52.50 (before 2pm) & £40 (after 2pm).Contact: 01654 767493.They said it: “I’ve played at Aberdovey for about 20 years now and it has proved a fantastic venue for experiencing the uniqueness of links golf. The out-and-back layout with its ever-changing winds tests my range of shots to the full.” European Tour stalwart Peter Baker.

A LW O O D L E Y Dr Alister MacKenzie’s first course design and despite his later more celebrated work, he rarely touched such dizzy heights as these.

‘The Alwoodley’ is a glorious heathland with delightful turf, pretty

if penal heather and cleverly-designed greens.

The unique clubhouse is a fine place to unwind after your round – and for a traditional club it is very welcoming to all visitors.◗ Factfile

Location: Off the A61, four miles north of Leeds city centre.Green fees: £80 (all week).Contact: 0113 268 1680.They said it: “What makes Alwoodley so special is the ultimate combination of options from the tee and endless pin positions on huge greens which allows strategy and bold driving to be rewarded in equal measure.” Tom Irwin, TG reader.

B L A I R G O W R I E ( R O S E M O U N T C O U R S E )Scotland is renowned for its historic links layouts but inland golf just doesn’t get any better than brilliant Blairgowrie which is right up there with superstar Perthshire neighbour Gleneagles.

Initially the handiwork of James Braid and later Dr Alister MacKenzie, the course weaves through avenues of fir, pine and silver birch trees as well as swathes of heather and is simply a magical place to play. Down the years Blairgowrie has staged a number of leading tournaments and in fact was the scene of the legendary Greg Norman’s first European Tour victory (1977 Martini event). ◗ Factfile

Location: 15 miles north of Perth, Scotland.Green fees: Winter – £25; Summer – £40 (Apr) & £60 (May-Sept).Contact: 01250 872622.They said it: “The most beautiful inland course I have ever seen.” Tom Morris, professional golf pioneer.

B U R H I L L ( O L D C O U R S E )A venue steeped in pedigree and history – on and off the course. The wonderful par-70 Old Course was created by Willie Park over a century ago and although not long it remains a stern test for players of all levels. With many subtle slopes and undulations the greens in particular are regarded as being among Surrey’s finest and trickiest to read.

You’ll spot Dick Turpin’s Cottage between the 14th and 15th fairways – some say this one-time alehouse was used as a hideout by the legendary highwayman. And it’s all overlooked by one of the most striking clubhouses around, a magnificent Georgian mansion in which Barnes Wallis created the Dambusters’ lethal Second World War bouncing bombs.◗ Factfile

Location: Between Walton-on-Thames and Cobham in Surrey.Green fees: £105 (Mon-Fri & after 1pm weekends).Contact: 01932 227345.They said it: “One of the reasons our charity golf day is so special is because of the wonderful Old Course – I can’t ever imagine the Rick Wakeman Golf Classic for SPARKS being held anywhere else.” Rock legend Rick Wakeman.

B U R N H A M & B E R R O WSomerset is not renowned for the quality of its golf courses so Burnham and Berrow sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb and is an obvious exception to the rule.

It is now widely considered one of England’s finest links – a far cry from 1890 when it set out as a nine-holer on a strip of land called the Warren between the town of Burnham and the

Todaysgolfer.co.uk ❘ is sue 291

Blairgowrie is inland Scottish golf at its best.

Burnham is among the finest links.

>>

is sue 290 ❘ Todaysgolfer.co.uk

words j o e l t a d m a n P ICture s H o Wa R d b o y l a n

ewind just over a year and you wouldn’t

find Sergio Garcia on a golf course.

He’d had enough and taken an

extended break from the game he loved to get

away from the media scrutiny over his putting

woes. But no matter how bad his putting got

(it's red hot again now by the way), there’s no

denying that the Spaniard has one of the most

consistent long games in the business. Afer a

three-year victory drought he won back-to-back

in his homeland this October, climbed to

seventh in the Race to Dubai and is currently

inside the top five in the Ryder Cup standings.

His sub-70 stroke average both sides of the

pond is more than impressive (fourth on the

European Tour and sixth on the PGA Tour).

Here, exclusively for TG, he shares the unique

swing secrets that enable him to be one of the

longest and straightest drivers in the game.

S E R G I O ’ S S E C R E T S

Red-hot spaniard sergio Garcia shares his unique swing moves

SWING LIKE SPAIN'S MASTER

E X C L U S I V E I N S T R U C T I O N

P r o T u i T i o n

R

p r e - s h o t w a g g l e

I still waggle the club a few times

before I hit. Tis is really to make

my wrists feel like they are loose

and free to move. Obviously when

I start my swing they are passive.

When the club reaches parallel is

when they come into play, hinging

to set the club on plane.

S M O O T H S T A R TIt’s important to get the start of the

swing right. Te takeaway is crucial

because that is going to help you

get the club in a good position at

the top of the swing. One thing I like

to focus on is to not go out too fast,

making sure I’m in control of the

club at all times.

Ta k e away T i p

I try to keep the clubhead

in front of my hands at the

start of the backswing. I

do this by controlling the

move with my shoulder,

maintaining arm structure

to keep the face square.

Todaysgolfer.co.uk ❘ is sue 291

Todaysgolfer.co.uk ❘ is sue 291

Tearful and heartfelt goodbye to Seve

Waterproofs became standard uniform

Few sportsmen have been so universally loved or been as inspirational as Severiano Ballesteros; his death, at the age of just 54 on May 7, 2011, was met with immense sorrow around the globe.

Seve’s swashbuckling style and film-star looks made him an instant favourite with the fans. He turned professional at the age of just 16, won his first European Tour event at 18 and finished second at The Open the following year, which was the moment he really burst onto the global scene.

Many of those fans have gone on to become the leading professional golfers (and stars of other sports) of today – a good proportion of

them citing Seve as the reason they started playing golf.

Seve won five Majors (three Opens and two Masters), a total of 91 professional tournaments and played in eight Ryder Cups (winning three). He was also world No.1 for 61 weeks – but numbers simply do not explain the impact the Spaniard had on golf.

When he holed the winning putt in The Open at St Andrews in 1984, it wasn’t even shown live on Spanish television. Twenty-seven years later, his passing was marked by a minute’s silence at major sporting events around the world and his funeral was shown live on Spanish state television and a three-

day period of mourning was observed in his home region of Cantabria.

José Maria Olazábal, Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, George O’Grady, Peter Dawson, Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe and many others attended the funeral in his hometown of Pedrena.

But it was Seve’s youngest son Miguel who perfectly summed up the emotion of the occasion as he looked skywards: “Papa, as you can see Javier, Carmen and me are strong. Just like you asked us. For us, it’s not a day to say goodbye. We know you are by our side and we will always be by yours. We love you dad.”

Seve will never be forgotten.

The entire sporting world mourned the loss of a man whose legend transcended golf

Yet again the British summer flattered to deceive and failed to deliverTe weather teased us in 2011.

Te hottest spring on record

(since they began in 1910) had

us all dreaming of an overdue

blistering summer, but what we

actually got was more of a damp

squib. We saw 268.6mm of rain

across the UK through the

summer, which is 18 per cent

more than average.

“Summer came as a

disappointment to most, with

below-average temperatures

making it the coolest since

1993,” says Helen Chivers of the

Met Office. “However, we did also

record our highest temperature of

the year in June when it reached

33.1°C at Gravesend in Kent on

June 27.

“August was a particularly dull

month across the UK with just 79

per cent of the average amount

of sunshine.”

But there was a ray of hope

towards the end of the year as the

disappointing summer gave way

to the second warmest autumn

on record with a UK mean

temperature of 11.2°C.

Some parts of the country even

enjoyed their warmest weather of

the year in late September and

early October.

EMOTIONAL

A lone piper leads

the mourners –

friends, family and

golfing superstars

– at Seve’s funeral.

MISERABLE

The Saturday of

The Open saw

spectators at

Sandwich lashed

with wind and rain.

EQUIPMENT

is sue 291 ❘ Todaysgolfer.co.uk

IT IS ROCKET SCIENCETe name may shock but TaylorMade's new range is as impressive as ever I www.taylormadegolf.eu

TaylorMade like to shock us. Last

year it was white-headed woods

and this year it's a name.

RocketBallz is certainly an unusual

label for the new range which

replaces the highly-successful

Burner series.

Te RBZ driver may be a bit of a

beast, but the exciting story comes

in the form of the fairway wood and

hybrid. Engineers developed a

technology that saw a steel face

plate welded to a cast body, as well

as a newly-designed Speed Pocket

behind the face which improves

the flexibility in the head for extra

yards. TaylorMade say better

players will be able to get an

additional 17 yards. For the first

time, they’ve been able to produce

a steel fairway wood that reaches

the legal limit in terms of speed.

TaylorMade have made the

RocketBallz driver adjustable,

unlike the Burner, and it features

TaylorMade’s superb Flight Control

Technology (FCT). And with the

driver at less than £250, it's sure

to win many friends.

Options (available end of Feb)

RBZ driver (9.5°, 10.5, HL) £249.

Tour version (9° or 10.5°) £329.

Fairway woods (15°, 17°, 19°, 21°,

24°) £179 each. Rescues (19°-27°)

£139 each.

B I G S H O E S T O F I L LTe RBZ driver and

fairway wood replace the

Burner range. While the

new range is all about

speed too, the new driver

is now adjustable.

S W E E T S U C C E S SInverted Cone

Technology behind the

clubface enlarges the

sweetspot for better

forgiveness on mishits.

TG SAYS: Te name takes a bit of getting used to but the RBZ range looks great and is well-priced. If it lives up to the Burner's reputation then it will be another huge success for TM.

T EC H N O LO GY L E S S O N . . .

N E W

TAY LO R M A D E

R O C K E T B A L L Z

T h e D R I V e R

Te FCT allows easy

adjustment of the face

angle, lof and lie to

one of eight settings

for 60 yards of side-to-

side adjustment.

Inverted Cone

Technology enlarges

the sweetspot for

greater yardage

on mishits.

T h e F A I R W AY

TaylorMade's

engineers have

welded a steel face

plate to a cast body

which, coupled with

the newly-designed

Speed Pocket behind

the face, reaches the

legal speed limit and

improves flexibility in

the head for distance.

T h e h Y B R I D

Te hybrid features

similar technology to

the fairway wood,

and it's very much a

forgiving rescue that

will appeal to a wide

variety of golfer. Te

higher-launch

properties combined

with a low spin rate

make it a great option.

w o r d s K E V I N B R O W N

COURSES

This breathtaking corner of south-west England guarantees golfers an exhilarating time on and off the course at any time of the year

THE GREAT ESCAPE

Te St Andrews of England – founded in 1864,

this revered links is England’s oldest course.

It oozes history and tradition. Five-times Open

champion JH Taylor was born in the village of

Northam overlooking RND where he started his

illustrious career as a caddie boy.

Although at first it seems flat and featureless,

you gradually understand and appreciate its

numerous intricacies, nooks and crannies.

Hopefully you’ll negotiate colossal Cape bunker,

and the sea rushes which are prominent afer the

turn. And ensure you visit the superb museum.

Doyen of golf writers Bernard Darwin summed

Westward Ho! up in his book Te Golf Courses of

the British Isles, stating: “It is, as is the case of a

few other great links, a reverent pilgrimage.”

◗ Vital statistics

Location: Two miles north of Bideford (A39).

Green fees: Sun-Turs: £55, Fri & Sat: £60.

2-FORE!-1: Mon-Turs & Sun (on day rate).

Contact: 01237 473 817 or

www.royalnorthdevongolfclub.co.uk

North Devon has successfully been meeting

holidaymakers’ needs for countless years but

unbeknown to many, it’s a quality golf destination

boasting two of England’s finest links venues.

Te breathtaking links of Saunton’s East and

West courses and historic Royal North Devon, the

oldest course in England, sit at opposite ends of

Saunton Sands. Te Sands are a three-mile

stretch of golden beach overlooked by towering

sand dunes and which Barbados would be proud

of – and the Taw Torridge Estuary.

Saunton always features prominently in

Britain’s Top 100 Courses listings and is widely

regarded as the best links never to have staged

Te Open. Quaint and quirky Royal North Devon,

more simply known as Westward Ho afer the

seaside village it dominates, sees golfers share

the links with roaming sheep and horses. Te

course, originally designed by Old Tom Morris

in 1864, is plotted on common land and the

animals have life membership!

But there are plenty of other golfing reasons

to pay the area a visit, including stunning clifftop

track Ilfracombe, which is playable all-year round.

Accommodation-wise the elegant four-star

Saunton Sands Hotel is ideal, overlooking the golf

club and boasting incredible sea views.

Away from the course stroll along the beautiful

beach, try surfing, or just enjoy the hotel’s cream

teas, sun terrace (in the warmer months!), indoor

and outdoor pools, spa and beauty salon.

And make sure you take a drive to Braunton,

reputedly the largest village in England, and the

popular seaside town of Ilfracombe, with

attractions including wildlife cruises from the

pretty harbour.

But if you prefer to do sightseeing by land, the

Tarka Trail – a scenic 21-mile traffic-free cycle

path – perfectly sums up what North Devon is all

about... the great escape.

V I S I T w w w . 2 4 1 g o l f. c o m T o b o o k l a S T - m I n u T e

T e e T I m e S a T m o r e T h a n 7 0 0 c o u r S e S

Powered by

The

beST of

brITaIn

N O R T H D E V O N

Todaysgolfer.co.uk ❘ is suE 291

1. ROYAL NORTH DEVON

Par 72, 6,398 yards

words C h a r l e s B r i s C o e - K n i g h t a n d K e v i n B r o w n

ELEGANCE AND EXCELLENCEWith great golf, weather, cities, food, art, history and beaches, it’s no wonder 24 million visitors descend on Costa Brava annually

TRAVEL

C O S T A B R A V A

One of the best golf resorts in continental Europe

with the stunning Stadium course right up there

among the leading layouts. It’s been dubbed the

‘Beast of the Brava’ – more than 7,200 yards of

PGA Tour quality golf; fortunately you can take

your pick from several tees.

Te neighbouring Tour is a shorter track that

mere mortals can attack with enjoyment and

without fear of losing too many balls.

Both courses feature two loops of nine that

return to the clubhouse, along with strategic and

hazardous lakes and ponds.

Te Stadium course has its own Augusta-style

Amen Corner with the par-4 13th probably being

the signature hole owing to the awesome views

gleaned from an awesome elevated tee.

Pick of the Tour course is the short par-4 3rd

requiring a precise drive to a sloping fairway into

an undulating green protected by a large pond.

◗ ViTAl sTATisTics

Green fees: Stadium: £62-£112. Tour: £55-£90.

Contact: 0034 972 472 577 or visit

www.pgacatalunya.com

Te Catalonian region of Costa Brava offers more

golfing style and elegant alternatives than most

areas on Spain’s Mediterranean coastline.

So when we arrived in Girona via Ryanair at

midnight, it seemed a shame not to take in the

sights of a two-millennium-old region that boasts

Salvador Dali as one of its sons.

Stats can lie of course, but the fact that the

region is actually the prime tourist region of Spain

is one we hadn’t appreciated until this visit: 24

million visitors enjoy the area annually, including

a good sprinkling of golfers who shy away from

the scorching heat of the courses further south.

Costa Brava does offer year-round golf but on a

cooler and, it has to be pointed out, generally

cheaper scale.

Te golf courses are sheer class and include

regular European Tour venues PGA Catalunya

and Greg Norman’s El Prat as well as brilliant

Bonmont which was created by Robert Trent

Jones and has hosted two Catalan Opens.

Having a more typical Mediterranean

ambiance, the historic city of Girona boasts many

“micro-climates” – at TorreMirona the wind was

blowing one side of the course but was dead

calm on the other! Off-course excursions to

historically notable venues abound and quaint,

quiet villages with more “chocolate box” homes

and buildings than the Cotswolds, mean that

time away from the course will be usefully spent

contemplating Greek, Roman and Medieval

history and architecture.

Ten there’s the post-round sustenance. Both

gastronomic excellence and a wine-producing

reputation going back to Romanesque days, is

a major draw. In fact the picturesque coastal

region is home to more than 20 Michelin star

restaurants. On and off the course, you just

cannot fail to have a ball in this corner of Spain…

and all at a reasonable price.

1. PGA CATALUNYA

Stadium Course: Par 72, 6,675 yardsTour Course: Par 72, 6,065 yards

f o r T H o U S A N D S m o r e c o U r S e

r e V I e W S A N D I m A g e S V I S I T

W W W.T o D Ay S g o l f e r . c o . U k / c o U r S e S

Todaysgolfer.co.uk ❘ iS Sue 291