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TEE SHEET how to play . what to play . where to play . SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
CANADA'S MOMENT Royal Montreal’s tree-lined
fairways, elevated greens and closing water holes will reward shotmakers at the Presidents Cup.
6 Editor’s Letter SA Open returns to Durban CC. BY STUART MCLEAN Mind 12 PGA Awards National winners in five categories. 16 Undercover Pro Should I give a lesson to a member’s wife and his mistress? WITH MATTHEW RUDY 18 Undercover Caddie Team events like Presidents Cup can upset the dynamic we have with our players. WITH JOEL BEALL 20 10 rules we choose to ignore The Nudge and my three favourite tournament officials. BY JERRY TARDE
38 Solve the spinout One move to stop slicing, pulling and topping shots. BY JIM MCLEAN
64 Three skills you need You already know how to do them. BY MIKE MALASKA
93 Take the left side out of play Try Si Woo Kim’s bold fix for
eliminating hooks. BY RON KASPRISKE
96 Pivot like a pro Two of my favourite drills for a backswing that sings. BY TASHA BROWNER BOHLIG 108 What’s in my bag Eric Cole. WITH MICHAEL JOHNSON 110 Swing Analysis Matthieu Pavon is an emerging star. BY LUKE KERR-DINEEN
22 Life at the top Today’s elite players have a specialist for just about everything. BY DAN RAPAPORT 24 The Loop Decoding golf’s backhanded compliments. BY COLEMAN BENTLEY 26 History of 59s in SA Competitive and social, official and unofficial. BY STUART MCLEAN
Features 40 Glory’s Cost Will money ruin the chase for greatness? BY JAIME DIAZ
48 DIY golf lessons You don’t need an instructor (like me) to fix these common issues. BY DAVID LEADBETTER 58 Presidents Cup Why the finishing stretch at Royal Montreal is set to create a thrilling finish. BY DEREK DUNCAN 86 Glorious Turnberry A captivating 24 hours at Scotland’s premier resort experience. BY STUART MCLEAN 100 The Hot List The best new golf balls of 2024. BY MIKE STACHURA AND MICHAEL JOHNSON Style 72 Tailored Tiger Tracking the style evolution of our generation’s greatest golfer. BY MARTY HACKEL
28 Ask an architect Many golfers like fast greens, but do they ruin good architecture? 30 A better way to read Putting coach Ralph Bauer teaches how to properly judge break. 32 Two rules you wish you could change Why these bad breaks are just tough luck. BY RON KASPRISKE 33 How to avoid a back-nine meltdown There’s science behind why you make dumb decisions after the turn. BY SAM WEINMAN Body
36 Master the half-wedge Focus on footwork to dial in these shots BY CHEMA SÁNCHEZ
80 Aim big, miss big The bold looks that attracted
lovers and haters. BEN BOSKOVICH
EDITOR’S LETTER E SA Open returns to Durban CC
I t will please many golfers around the world that Durban Country Club is again hosting the SA Open in 2025. It held its first Open 100 years ago, but since hosting the 2010 Centenary Open there were fears the club might never hold the championship again. The course was struggling in terms of conditioning, notably the greens, and had become outdated in its ability to challenge the modern tour professional. The 2010 Open saw a record Open total of 25-under-par for 72 holes posted by Ernie Els, so you can imagine how vulnerable it would be today. Nature, however, has contrived to give DCC another chance. The April 2022 floods in Durban which devasted the course led to a serious appraisal of the club’s future. A decision was taken to rebuild DCC as a modern design masterpiece, with the generous financial support of club member Nic Jonsson, and return DCC to being an exclusive members club. His company Jonsson Workwear has been a major sponsor on the Sunshine Tour the past three years. The Jonsson Workwear Open was played in Durban in 2022, Steyn City in 2023, and Glendower in 2024, the last two co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour. Golf Data’s superb 2023/24 upgrade of DCC’s 18 holes has made each of them infinitely more characterful and challenging, even though there was no room to lengthen the layout. At roughly 6 250 metres it remains relatively short from the back tees. New greens complexes, though, with bent
grass to speed up the putting surfaces, will enable the SA Open tournament director to find tricky pin positions and put more of a premium on shot- making. And there’s now a wide burn winding through several holes at the far end of the course from the clubhouse which will emphasise accuracy and course strategy. The DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour must disregard the club par of 72 and play DCC at par 70 with two par 5s instead of four. This is now the norm at the major championships and it’s anachronistic to do otherwise. The Sunshine Tour seems unfathom- ably loath to introduce this at their tournaments. Holes which were par 5s for Gary Player and his contemporaries in years gone by are not 5s today. At Glendower, in February, a 477-metre par 5 (the club’s eighth) had 48 eagles and 281 birdies. Even at that length it was a straightforward 4 for the tour pros. The par-5 third at DCC is, in reality, a 4 even for low-handicap club golfers, so why keep it as a 5. And either No 10 or 14, both par 5s with water close to the greens, and running in opposite directions to each other, would make strong 4s for the Open. If there’s wind, tees can be moved to suit the conditions. This will be DCC’s 18th SA Open, a record, and ends the longest interval between Opens of 15 years. Its popularity reached a peak when it held six Opens in 18 years, from 1988 to 2005. The championship has been played
in Gauteng since 2011, other than two occasions at Sun City, and it was overdue to be returned to the coastal venues. Hopefully, Humewood (last Open 2006) and East London (2000) will earn a turn to host again. The Open has a new date of February 27 to March 2, so there will be no 2024 SA Open. But that’s nothing new – two SA Opens were played in 2020 – due to where it traditionally fits into the calendar around the turn of the year. Mind you, it hasn’t been played as late in the summer as this for many decades. Stuart McLean stuartm@morecorp.co.za
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Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Wellness Resort.
Heritage Resorts & Golf The Indian Ocean’s only 45-hole golf destination
Heaven on earth Mark Twain was quoted as saying that “Mauritius was made first and then heaven, heaven being copied after Mauritius.” The secluded Indian Ocean island, inhabited by one million residents, boasts over 170 kilometres of sandy, golden beaches with crystal-clear turquoise waters teeming with vibrant coral reefs. Once the home of the flightless dodo, now extinct, this tropical island offers moderate temperatures, gentle trade winds and ample sunshine. You’ll find natural history, volcanic mountains,
ate from three South African airports to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Interna- tional Airport. From there, it's an hour’s drive or private transfer to the serene paradise of Bel Ombre on the captivat- ing south-west coast. Blissful mornings A day at Heritage Resorts & Golf starts as all days should, with the sound of the ocean lapping against the shore, the scent of the sea breeze, and the peace- ful melody of tropical birds singing. After a tranquil night's sleep in your beautiful suite at Heritage Le Telfair, head for breakfast at the resort’s elegant,
lush green forests and rolling hills, providing a dramatic backdrop to the coastline. Find out why you should visit Mauritius – not least because Heritage Resorts & Golf, a World Top 25 Golf Resort on the south-western shore of the island, has opened the first and only contemporary links golf course in the Indian Ocean: La Réserve Golf Links. Exotic escape Discerning travellers looking for a tropical escape can enjoy both conve- nience and comfort when travelling to this magical island. Direct flights oper-
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the Indian Ocean. The choice of two courses is then yours. You can step out on to the pristine fairways, greens and naturally beauti- ful surrounds of the 18-hole Le Château Golf Course, consistently voted the In- dian Ocean’s Best Golf Course. It has been the host venue for three editions of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, a DP World Tour event. For links golf lovers on the other hand, Heritage Golf Club’s second course – La Réserve Golf Links, opened in Decem- ber 2023 – is a must-play. Co-designed by former Open Champion Louis Oost- huizen and acclaimed course architect Peter Matkovich, the layout is inspired by the wild open spaces of the great links designs and is the first course in Africa to achieve GEO Certified® Devel- opment status. Sundowners on the veranda Après golf is a ‘must.’ Enjoy the luxuri- ous comfort, relaxed atmosphere and warm hospitality at Le Château Golf Course clubhouse, a perfect blend of an English country club and a French brasserie, where magnificent views of the verdant fairways, rolling hills of the Domaine, and the historic 19th century colonial mansion from which
Le Château de Bel Ombre.
Tee time at Heritage Golf Club After an indulgent breakfast, it’s time to make your way to Heritage Golf Club. Before heading to the first tee, golf- ers can warm up on the driving range or 9-hole Par 3 course, hone their short game on the practice putting and chip- ping greens, or visit the newly opened Golfzon Leadbetter Academy, the first and only coaching centre of its kind in
brasserie-style restaurant Annabella’s for a delicious feast, where the atmosphere and service will make you feel at home. For those travelling with family or large groups, the resort offers two addi- tional luxury accommodation options, Heritage Awali Golf & Spa Resort, a five- star all-inclusive experience, and Heri- tage The Villas, a collection of luxury private villas in the heart of the estate.
Le Château Golf Course.
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the island’s year-round tropical climate, provide the perfect location to sit back and relax after a morning on the course. For thrill-seekers, the crystal-clear Indian Ocean is the perfect spot for kayaking, kitesurfing, scuba-diving, dolphin watching or big game fishing. Or you can take a short drive to the Bel Ombre Nature Reserve for quad biking adventures, forest bathing and trail walks to suit all abilities. If you’re in search of down time, then the estate’s luxury Seven Colours Spa is at your service. With all kinds of treatments, from coconut massages to flower-scented baths, you’ll feel restored and rejuvenated for your next round of golf.
the course takes its name, complete a post-round experience. If you have taken up the challenge of La Réserve Golf Links, the clubhouse’s unique ‘green’ roof terrace is the spot to indulge in a refreshing beverage and enjoy delicately prepared dishes from locally sourced ingredients, while watching golfers navigate the 18th fairway and play to the final green. Sun, sea, sand… and more! After a freshen-up at the hotel, grab your sunscreen and beach bag and head to the resort’s private beach. The warm sea and stunning white sand, surrounded by coral reefs and vibrant fauna and flora, coupled with
Heritage Awali Golf & Spa Resort.
Le Reserve Golf Course.
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Enjoy an aperitif or two As the sun begins to set over the hori- zon, it’s time to unwind with a refresh- ing beverage at golden hour. Surround yourself with English custom and tradition at The Caven- dish Bar and Lounge while sipping an evening apéritif in a relaxed piano bar atmosphere. Step back in time With an abundance of local flavours, Bel Ombre is a haven for culinary connoisseurs. Most of the ingredients served in the kitchens at Heritage Resorts are hand-picked from the estate. A choice of 12 restaurants awaits, in- cluding light meals at Le Palmier, pan- Asian fusion at Gin’ja and hearty Italian delights at the Kuzini, to name a few. For a true gastronomic experience,
The ultimate wind-down To keep the night young, sail on an evening catamaran cruise or end the evening surrounded by tropical tunes and majestic views at the resort’s trendy and contemporary C Beach Club. Overlooking the tranquil waters of the Indian Ocean and endless stretch of white sand, it’s the ideal location to soak up the twilight beach vibes and enjoy a craft cocktail. The perfect end to the perfect day at Heritage Resorts, Mauritius.
dinner at the historic 19th century colonial mansion, Le Château De Bel Ombre, is a must. Guests embark on a culinary journey of sophisticated cui- sine that combines farm-to-fork dining with the finest local produce that tells the story of the region’s vibrant culture while bringing the unique flavours of Mauritius to life. After this culinary awakening, be sure to take a leisurely promenade through the mansion’s formal French gardens, overlooking the golf course, to immerse yourself in this enchanting setting.
www.heritageresorts.mu booking@heritageresorts.mu To book your stay in paradise, scan the QR code.
MIND / PGA OF SOUTH AFRICA AWARDS PGA’s five champion members International award recognises growing PGA membership applying their expertise overseas. M
T wo of the most respected older professionals in South Africa were among the PGA of South Africa’s national award winners for 2024. John Dickson and Derek James, both former Sunshine Tour players, have again been recognised by their peers in the PGA. This year the PGA have announced a new International award category, recognising the many members of the PGA of South Africa working overseas. Coincidentally, the winner of the PGA Management Award, Darrin Hedley, recently resigned from Bryanston Country Club to accept the position of golf director at Heritage’s Le Chateau course in Mauritius. The International winner is not eligible to win the PGA Professional of the Year Award. This is contested by the other four award winners.
36” group sessions, while there are fo- cused lessons for serious junior golf- ers. To make it less intimidating for beginners, he provides group or two- for-one lesson options. His academy promotes women’s clinics and has in- troduced a young female coach. “I am passionate about teaching and strive to simplify it for all the differ- ent groups who come for lessons,” he said. “Numerous myths and miscon- ceptions exist, and the overload of in- formation on social media can hinder progress.”
Derek James National winner / Club Professional
James, both golf director and PGA professional at Southbroom Golf Club on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, is highly decorated in terms of the awards he has won. He has been Club Professional of the Year three times, in 2002, 2010 and 2014, and has twice won awards as PGA Coach of the Year. He has served Southbroom for 27 years, having moved there following his retirement from the Sunshine Tour, and his well-stocked pro shop
Dickson’s unique approach to cus- tomer engagement and his accom- modating approach has made him one of the best in the golf industry. “He is almost too generous with his time and always keeps his customers front of mind,” was one of the moti- vating comments from a fellow PGA professional. “This dedication to his craft makes John sought after and a role model to his peers.” Dickson teaches everyone from beginners to elite golfers through a variety of carefully designed pro- grammes. One of them is “Operation
John Dickson National winner / Game Development Coach Dickson, who operates his own teach- ing academy at Country Club Johan- nesburg, won the PGA’s new award for Game Development Coach. He had previously won the PGA’s Coach of the Year award three times – this was before the award was split into two separately judged categories; Game Development and High Performance.
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PGA Regional Award Winners SOUTHERN AND EASTERN CAPE PGA Management Meyer Du Toit (Knysna Golf Club) High Performance Coach Morten Bredahl (Scratchgolf) Game Development Coach Roelof Roeloffze (Target36) Club Professional – No award WESTERN CAPE PGA Management Cassie Viljoen (Royal Cape GC) High Performance Coach Andrew Mackie (De Zalze) Game Development Coach Sevey Links (Pearl Valley) Club Professional De Waal Botha (Metropolitan GC) CENTRAL GAUTENG PGA Management Darrin Hedley (Bryanston CC) High Performance Coach Gavin Groves (Royal Johannesburg GC) Game Development Coach John Dickson (CC Johannesburg)
Gavin Groves National winner / High Performance Coach Groves is not a swing coach, but a fit- ness trainer based in the clubhouse gym at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club where he opens the doors at 6am and supervises sessions with both club members and elite golfers. Since 2017 he has served as the of- ficial Strength and Conditioning Consultant for the GolfRSA National Squad, contributing to the develop- ment of elite golfers in South Af- rica. He improves their performance through evaluating their body move- ments and judging which exercises can eliminate limitations and restric- tions in their swing mechanics. In 2023/24, players working with him won seven professional tour- naments, and he was on the 2023 next to the clubhouse is a hospitable meeting place for golfers who visit the region. James, together with his wife Sheena and assistant Dane Adendorff, dispenses friendly conversation and advice to all who enter the front door. He is very much an old school pro- fessional. His job description at this small club is wide and varied, and in- volves long hours, particularly in the holiday seasons when Southbroom goes from sleepy village to teeming with golfers. During the day he can either be found in the pro shop or on the practice range teaching members and visitors, giving clinics to women golfers. He is currently on a coaching drive called Girls & Golf. “I look after everything golf related at the club, organising bookings, daily time sheets and running weekly com- petitions, working with the various club committees, and playing with the members when I can,” said James. “I have a great team working with me at the club. I teach all ages, from begin- ners to PGA pros. It gives me a thrill to see golfers at all levels getting bet- ter and enjoying their golf, which is what the PGA stands for. We are here to grow this wonderful game.”
GolfRSA tour to the United Kingdom when Christo Lamprecht won the British Amateur Championship. “My involvement in performance golf began in 2013 as Head of Strength and Conditioning at the TuksGolf Academy,” said Groves. “I worked with young professionals such as Brandon Stone and Zander Lombard and under my guidance Brandon won the 2016 SA Open and Alfred Dunhill Championship, plus the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit. “My commitment to long-term ath- letic development enabled numerous amateur golfers, men and women, to transition successfully to the profes- sional ranks. “I have managed and co-managed several SA teams, including at the 2018 men’s Eisenhower Team Trophy. As a regular participant in the annual GolfRSA UK Tour, I helped our golfers achieve wins in the Brabazon Trophy, East of Ireland Amateur, and British Amateur. I managed the gym facility at the inaugural 2024 Africa Amateur Championship at Leopard Creek, providing fitness and performance services to players from across the continent. “I am committed to continuing this work and using my experiences in performance golf to help club golfers at Royal Johannesburg improve their golf through health and fitness.”
Club Professional Greg Jacobs (Royal Johannesburg GC)
GAUTENG NORTH PGA Management Darren Plumb (Mbombela GC) High Performance Coach Kyle Phelan (Centurion CC) Game Development Coach Edwin Compton (Mpumalanga SAGDB) Club Professional Rosh Schoeman (Woodhill CC) KWAZULU-NATAL PGA Management Pierre van Vuuren (San Lameer CC) High Performance Coach Emile Steinmann (Mount Edgecombe CC) Game Development Coach Steve Cottingham (Mount Edgecombe CC) Club Professional Derek James (Southbroom GC)
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 13
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MIND / PGA OF SOUTH AFRICA AWARDS M
that being driven by a mission and be- ing part of a team takes priority over personal desires. The values of the PGA give me motivation and a force to perform. I gain immense satisfac- tion from connecting with fellow golf- ers and hopefully igniting a deeper love for the game within them. “I was proud to be part of Bryan- ston’s Staff Monday golf group, now 22 in size, ranging from barmen to op- erations managers. The group comes together to compete and socialise on off days. Two of our teaching coach- es at Bryanston, Julie Bruyns and Llewellyn van Leeuwen, helped us and played their part in growing the game. These golfers connect with members and guests at our facility, and their shared passion for the game improves the overall experience from arrival to departure.”
Darrin Hedley National winner / PGA Management Hedley, as golf director at The Bry- anston Country Club in Gauteng the past four years, looked after 1 750 golf members in addition to hosting cor- porate days and visitor rounds. One of the new breed of distinguished young PGA professionals working at golf clubs, the 39-year-old has been described as exemplary with his commitment and service to the club and its membership base, con- stantly striving to improve the overall experience. His capabilities recently attracted an offer from the Heritage golf resort in Mauritius, and he moved there as golf director to replace fellow South African Jonathan Menteath. Hedley has come through the ranks, starting out as a junior em- ployee answering phones, to a golf director leading a team of 12 at Bry- anston. This followed a similar role at Dainfern. “I have been fortunate to be men- tored by some of the best within the PGA and club industry, particularly Bryanston general manager Paul Leishman, following in the footsteps of those who have grown the game,” said Hedley. “The PGA has taught me
Visser moved to Emirates GC in September 2023, having previously worked at golf clubs in Abu Dhabi and Qatar. Emirates is the busiest club in the Middle East & Africa, doing in the region of 130 000 rounds a year. Steyn, formerly at Rondebosch and Durbanville golf clubs in the Western Cape, moved to Vietnam three years ago where he has established a 3D simulator business with a mini golf course and restaurant. Dodds, in 2014, helped to concep- tualise and commercialise the first tri-sanctioned pro tournament by the European, Asian and Sunshine Tours, the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. The 2024 edition of the tour- nament will be the eighth event, now co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour. Dodds remains the project lead and promoter. In 2018 he set up The Golf Com- pany in partnership with the Rogers Group in Mauritius. It is a solution driven golf management company involved in the management of four courses on the island and three new golf developments at various stages of completion. Additionally, The Golf Company operates seven retail stores, a golf tour business, and distributes prominent golf brands across the In- dian Ocean region.
Murray Smit National winner / International
Formerly head of the teaching acad- emy at De Zalze golf estate in Stellen- bosch, and PGA Coach of the Year in 2021, the 33-year-old Smit became the national coach of the Singapore Golf Association in April 2023. The four other International PGA finalists were Ryan Dodds – mentored by Jeff Clause at St Francis Links – who owns The Golf Company based in Mauritius; Jonathan Menteath, former golf director at Heritage Golf Club in Mauritius; Tim Steyn, a coach based in Vietnam, and Nico Visser, Director of Golf at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai. Menteath, who first gained promi- nence as golf director at Arabella, had a busy year at Heritage in 2023, last December opening the new La Re- serve Golf Links, designed by Peter Matkovich and Louis Oosthuizen, and then hosting the AfrAsia Bank Mauri- tius Open just two weeks later. He de- signed a membership programme for La Reserve that generated R140 mil- lion in revenue. He is now returning to South Africa.
14 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
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MIND / CLUB LIFE
the lesson with a made-up scheduling excuse. Ultimately, I made the justifi- cation that is probably the same that people in the camps of prominent politicians, professional athletes or star actors make when it comes to staying quiet about some of the shady things they see. It wasn’t my business to police their behaviour, and doing so would certainly be bad business. That client ended up booking more days like that, even ones in which he would be on the course with his wife while I gave a lesson to his “friend” at the teaching area on the other side of the property. It was, to me, breathtakingly bra- zen. Recalling these episodes, what strikes me to this day is how totally non-stressed the member and his “friend” were. If you didn’t know anything, the lesson would have looked like any other. The woman was relaxed and focused (and a good athlete who hit the ball well right away). There was nothing anxious or surreptitious about it, and the member discussed it the same way he would the logistics surrounding getting his clubs regripped for a bud- dies golf trip – just matter of fact. What would it have accomplished to speak up? What would it have meant for me to be more invested in his behaviour than he was? None of that would have changed anything about the situation except that he would have found somebody else to give the lessons. There’s also more to it than losing the trust and coach- ing relationship with a person who might spend $10 000 with you on lessons home and away in a year. At these kinds of clubs, even a minor concern about your discretion and “professionalism” means your les- son book dries up almost instantly, and you get the tap. The club will call in somebody from the bullpen, but unlike Major League Baseball, you’re not going to be appearing in that stadium again in a few days. You’re looking for another job. Get sideways with the wrong member, and word doesn’t just travel in- side that club but spreads through that member’s other clubs and the constellation of clubs his friends belong to. – WITH MATTHEW RUDY
Undercover Pro Should I give a lesson to a member’s wife and his mistress?
E arlier IN MY CAREER, I worked at a prominent (and very private) club that tech- nically allowed families and female members but was for all practical purposes a men’s golf club. For most members, it was a second or third club – a place to host client groups in an out-of-the-way-but-convenient place. It was also an environment where members knew they could bring a special “friend” for golf, cocktails and dinner, and no fellow members (or staff) would ask any awkward ques- tions. That meant learning – both ex- plicitly from leadership and implicitly
by paying attention – that providing excellent service meant being excep- tionally polite and attentive and not asking any questions that were not related to the job at hand. It would be nice to say on princi- ple that I would refuse to give a les- son to both a member’s wife and his mistress on the same day, four hours apart, but the reality wasn’t that clear cut. The truth is, this happened many times, and in several flavours with more members than you might imag- ine. The first time, I considered every option from expressing my discom- fort with the situation to begging off
ILLUSTRATION BY ZOHAR LAZAR
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M
MIND / ON TOUR
T he PRESIDENTS CUP IS NEAR, which is a good time to discuss team events. It’s an honour to go to the Ryder Cup and Presi- dents Cup. It means you’re with a player who had a good year, you made good money and you likely have job security. It means you matter. But how much these team events matter to us varies. The Ryder Cup has always had a kick to it, but now players treat it with a solemnity seen only at the majors.
Undercover Caddie Team events like the Presidents Cup can really
Caddies for the American and Interna- tional sides used to view the Presidents Cup as a burden. I know this because I’ve worked both sides. One year my International player said I didn’t have to go with him if I wanted the week off. Today, making a Presidents Cup team for an American is almost up there with qualifying for the Ryder Cup. Players and fans treating these events like premier sporting events has enhanced the vibe. It’s as close as we
upset the dynamic we have with our players
ILLUSTRATION BY FRANK STOCKTON
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says differently is lying. Team events can also go a little too far. Although those special moments do resonate – the first-tee atmosphere, sinking a huge putt to go from dead in the water to daggering your opponent, winning or halving a point when no one thought you could – a lot of the forced yelling and fist pumps and gamesmanship for moments that don’t deserve them rankle me. For example, my player made a six-foot putt a few years back to halve a hole early in the match and yelled, “Let’s go!” to the crowd like he just won the Masters, only it was the first day of the event, and we were already down 3. Ultimately, I do dig these events. They raise the stature of a caddie just like they do for a player. I still wouldn’t trade any of our tour victories for any of the Cups I’ve been to, but it is a nice accomplishment for the résumé. Whatever reservations I have towards team events, I’ll admit, the few that I missed I wished I was there. It’s a little like getting to sit with the cool kids at lunch: Once you’re there, you don’t want to not be there. My favourite part? That camaraderie that develops among players happens with the caddies, too. We’re already a fraternal bunch, and this turns it up more. We’ll do our course scouts together and trade notes. It’s also cool to see the other caddies, when their players are sitting out, come follow our group to root us on. Seeing the fist-pumps and hearing the attaboys from them means just as much, if not more, than anything produced by the fans. The caddie room, however, is what’s really special. Those meetups are legendary. We all understand the position we’re in, and to be honest, we get after it. Some of the stories and shenanigans make their way out of the room and back to the players, and you can tell they’re bummed they missed out. Imagine that: players jealous of caddies. – WITH JOEL BEALL
example, the great Billy Foster, caddie for Matthew Fitzpatrick, genuinely views himself as part of the team. When his side wins, it makes his year. When his side goes home with the L, it’s like a part of him dies. (I say “side” because although he has worked more than a dozen Ryder Cups for Europe, you might forget he was with Tiger Woods at the 2005 Presidents Cup.) Former caddie-turned-broadcaster John Wood is in there as well. They arguably love those events more than anything else. Then there are others, like me. It’s not that I dislike team matchplay events, but players and caddies are creatures of habit, and a Presidents or Ryder Cup week throws that cadence, and in ways the player-caddie dynamic, into the blender. Here’s the way I’ve described it to caddies who haven’t been. You hear players talk about “team” a lot, right? Agents, managers, instructors, physios, chefs – they are all part of the team, but a lot of those folks are on the periphery. When things really matter, it’s just the player and caddie inside the ropes. What happens there, good and bad, creates a bond. To us, that is the team. At the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, that player-caddie “team” dynamic transitions to the 12 respective players on each side. The camaraderie among them is unlike anything they have during the season. Getting everyone to concentrate on one goal under one flag develops a certain fellowship. For years I heard that the Europeans weren’t as close as they were made out to be during Ryder Cups, but I’ve seen that phenomenon up close, and that bond is real, as it should be. As a consequence, caddies are the ones pushed to the periphery, ever so slightly, and though some caddies don’t take it personally, for me, the emotional investment isn’t quite the same. This is especially true for those who caddie for a different nationality. It can be hard for an American looper facing the American team, or a European or International caddie doing the same. You’re obviously hoping to do the best you can for your guy and your team, and we say it’s not a loyalty divided. However, I’ve been in that position, and it’s weird. It just is, and anyone who
get to a college football atmosphere. Given how many American players and caddies come from the football- crazed South, it’s hard to convey what an amped-up crowd and perceived higher stakes do for your adrenaline, expectation and excitement. I hate to use the term goose bumps, but when you enter these first-tee amphitheatres or hear fans belting out songs and anthems, it goes right to your bones. Some caddies really get into it. For
Undercover Caddie says to keep your Lee Greenwood renditions to yourself during the Presidents Cup.
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MIND / HEADLINE M
THE NEXT ONE'S GOOD
P lease don’t take offence to this statement of fact, but public-course golfers tend to nudge their golf balls to a bet- ter lie more often than private-course players do. I consider myself somewhat of an authority on this subject because I’ve played half my life at public courses and the other half at private clubs. It’s not a moral judgment. Publinxers are just as honest, ethical and serious about the rules of life as anyone, but the natural convention at your average public course is such that conditions allow for The Nudge. You know what I
10 Rules We Choose to Ignore The Nudge and my three favourite tournament officials By Jerry Tarde
mean: the gentle prod with a clubhead just a few centimetres to a slightly up- graded patch of turf. No harm, no foul. Jack Nicklaus has always argued that the rules should let you roll your ball out of a divot hole. The munici- pal course I grew up on was one giant divot hole. We simply codified “Win- ter Rules” year-round. When betting big money, we insisted on “playing the ball down” – and if you drove it into the woods, you had to keep clapping your hands until you hit the next shot. Bobby Jones used to say there were three kinds of golf: Everyday golf,
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as disregarding the difference between red and yellow stakes and taking the more favourable drop from water hazards as if they’re all lateral (red). 9 Stroke and distance on out-of-bounds It’s legal now if the local rule is observed, but we’ve been doing it for years, only you’re hitting your fourth stroke. My pals look at OB as a water hazard, drop and hit 3. It saves going back to the tee and slowing play. 10 Teeing off in front of the markers You mean that’s against the rules? My second-favourite rules official was Frank Hannigan, the executive director of the USGA, 1983-’88. When Denis Watson was hit with two pen- alty strokes for waiting more than 10 seconds for his ball teetering on the edge of the hole to fall, the ruling cost him the 1985 US Open (he lost by one stroke). I asked Hannigan what he would have done under the circum- stances. He said, “I’d have made sure I was standing where I couldn’t see what was happening.” My all-time favourite was Bobby Jones’ father, known as The Colonel, who sometimes pinch hit as a tour- nament official at the Masters in the early days. According to our Augusta National scholar David Owen, The Colonel was called upon for a ruling after torrential rain. The player request- ed relief from casual water on the 12th hole near the creek. “Where do you stand in relation to par?” The Colonel famously asked. “Eighteen over,” the player responded. “Then what in the goddam hell difference does it make?” The Colonel said. “Tee the thing up on a peg for all I give a hoot!” As Owen and other historians have pointed out, the word “hoot” may not be journalistically accurate, but the story sums up a reasonable approach to the rules.
1 The three-minute lost ball Three minutes is allowed by the rules, but my opponents search for 10 min- utes and then really start looking. My third-favourite rules official David Fay says, “I’m a one-minute guy. If I can’t Especially in autumn golf, if you lose your ball in the leaves, no penalty, just drop one where you think it should be. You can tie but can’t win the hole. Named after the esteemed Dave An- derson, the late New York Times sports columnist who had a great waggle. 3 The Mulligan find it in one minute, screw it.” 2 The Anderson Leaf Rule Invented on the first tee at Winged Foot, a member named Mulligan always required a second drive to find the fairway, and it spread as common practice everywhere. 4 The Gimme Legal in match play but widely applied in stroke-play club tournaments. What starts as “no gimmes” on the first few holes becomes “inside the leather” by the turn and three- and four-footers when you’ve shot yourself out of it. A guy I know as Pelé goes immediately to Stage 3. 5 Failing to post It’s not a rule of golf, but if you have a handicap, you’re expected to post every score to maintain an accurate handi- cap. Vanity players post only their low scores, sandbaggers only the high ones. 6 Carrying more than 14 clubs My buddies laughed when Wesley Bry- an got penalised four strokes for acci- dentally having two 7-irons in his bag at a PGA Tour Monday qualifier. I’ve seen guys with more than 14 headcovers. 7 The Consultant What’d ya hit? Some guys take a survey before making a club selection on par 3s. 8 In the interest of public safety Moving your ball from a tree root – or even a tree trunk – without penalty might be a sensible rule. Same with cleaning mud off your ball in the fair- way. If you remove a loose impedi- ment, and the ball moves, disregard the penalty. Dropping incorrectly on the golf-hole side of a paved cartpath instead of the actual “nearest point of relief” is acceptable. So is taking relief from movable objects like irrigation boxes as “mental interference,” as well
competitive golf and championship golf. The first is like walking a crack in the sidewalk. The second is like walk- ing a tightrope six feet above the floor. “Championship golf is a high wire, and they take away the net,” he said. Most golfers I know walk on solid ground and have only a nodding acquaintance with the rules. What do I mean? My top 10 rules we choose to ignore in everyday golf but wouldn’t if we were playing in some- thing important like the Open or even a club championship, which thankfully most of us never do, include:
Jerry Tarde once played nine holes with 8 X’s and a 1 on his card at Glyfada Golf Club in Greece.
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M
MIND / RAP REPORT
Life at the Top Today’s elite players have a specialist for just about everything By Dan Rapaport
C OLLIN MORIKAWA HAS A FOOT GUY. No, seriously. The 26-year-old two-time major champion employs two trainers to design his fitness regi- men – one of whom, Rian Chab, focuses on Morikawa’s feet. “If we relate it to the
might not stick as well as they could.” Welcome to the modern world of elite professional golf, which is more of a team experience than ever. The pro game has long been synonymous with rugged individualism, and it re- mains true that only one person hits
human gait cycle, the foot should pro- nate and supinate,” Chab says. “If it gets stuck in any of those positions, it can negatively impact how the body moves. It’s not to say that the feet are the prob- lem, but if the feet are neglected, other swing adjustments you make above
ILLUSTRATION BY ASAF HANUKA
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today’s stars turn to statistics experts who create customised instructions for each of their players, the details of which depend on their strengths, weak- nesses and the golf course. These stat gurus will also craft detailed practice plans for players with an emphasis on improving specific parts of their games. Hunter Stewart isn’t an average stats guy. He played collegiate golf and was on the 2015 United States Walker Cup team. After a brief pro career, he dived into the data world and con- vinced two pros, Maverick McNealy and Robby Shelton, to let him help them. He now works with several play- ers on the PGA Tour. “Every player has different strengths,” Stewart says. “Some of them are going to hit drivers on certain holes that others aren’t. You’re not going to see my guys playing to the exact same spot. If you’ve got one player that’s a bad iron player and one that’s one of the best at it, and then you’ve got another guy who’s not a great driver and one who is, you’re going to see a bunch of different strategies.” For the player, who McCabe calls “the tip of the spear,” a bunch of team mem- bers means a bunch of cheques to cut. It’s not uncommon for an elite player to pay out as much as $1 million or more annually to his entourage. (Most of these collaborators are paid a flat fee, plus a percentage of on-course win- nings.) I asked Morikawa if he winces at the idea of slicing a tournament cheque into so many different pieces. His response speaks to the mind-set of players in 2024, when professional golf is big business. “When it comes down to it, it’s all an investment on this business, this brand that we’re building,” Morikawa says. “So whether I need to pay for this person’s flights or for helping me work out a little more, it’s all an investment for me to get better and perform as best as I can. It’s not tough to write these cheques because I’m trying to improve myself, and all these people around me are trying to do the same.”
Whereas players of the past relied mostly on instincts, today’s stars turn to data experts. “My job is to get them to believe in themselves more and to handle what- ever comes their way,” McCabe says. “Confidence is not knowing you can do “I’ll be honest,” Fitzpatrick says. “It’s worked wonders.” Another doctor who is a member of multiple players’ teams is Dr Bhrett McCabe, a clinical psychologist who works with Jon Rahm, Sam Burns, Bil- ly Horschel and Davis Riley, to name a few. McCabe will sometimes walk with his players during practice rounds, but he prefers to do his work away from the golf course – say, in a coffee shop or a rental house. it. Confidence is knowing that you can face anything before you. Do you pre- pare the way you need to prepare? Or are you always fixing problems? Lastly, are you ready to go into the uncertainty of competition and get ready to brawl when pressure picks up? If I can get them to believe in themselves to do that, we’re 99 percent of the way there.” Part of that belief comes from trust in your clubs. Every player on tour, even those without an endorsement deal, will interact with equipment reps throughout the season. These reps are in charge of making sure every piece of equipment is dialled in on any par- ticular week. Kenton Oates, a tour representative for Ping, will attend 35 to 38 tournaments a year. “We’re checking in with players on Sunday or Monday, whenever they get to the golf tourna- ment, making sure that they don’t need grips and that their clubs are all good,” Oates says. “Do you need a fresh lob wedge? How’s your gear? Is your driver good? We’re basically a motor racing pit crew trying to make sure all their gear is ready to go.” Once they get their body right, their mind primed and their equipment prepped, the players shift to on-course strategy. Whereas pros of bygone eras would rely on instincts and experience,
the shots. But behind that name on the leader board sits a surprising number of collaborators, all working together in pursuit of the slightest edge. Cruise around a PGA Tour practice facility on a Tuesday, and you will see caddies, swing coaches, short-game coaches, putting coaches, mental-game coach- es, equipment specialists, trainers, bio- mechanists, data analysts – and, yes, maybe even a foot guy. Caddies are, of course, nothing new in professional golf. Nor are swing coaches, who have been fine-tuning the world’s best for decades. But play- ers are now seeking guidance from experts across different fields – like Dr Sasho MacKenzie, a Canadian professor in the department of human kinetics, who has a PhD in sports biomechanics. MacKenzie calls himself a “golf-score optimiser,” and he looks at the game through an analytical lens. Most of MacKenzie’s work involves educating swing coaches on the science behind the golf swing, though he does work with some players directly. One of those is 2022 US Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick. In conjunction with Fitzpatrick’s swing coach, Mike Walker, and with the assistance of data capturing technology and computer animations, MacKenzie helped Fitz- patrick gain 8 kilometres per hour of clubhead speed in about two years. “Clubhead speed is an equation,” MacKenzie says. “It’s a literal equation; the things the golfer does add up to clubhead speed. I can measure it.” MacKenzie identified different ways for Fitzpatrick to increase the output of that equation without changing the feel of his swing. Increased grip pres- sure was one of them, so MacKenzie encouraged Fitzpatrick to practice hitting big, high draws. MacKenzie believed doing this would naturally help Fitzpatrick apply more “force” to the grip early in the swing. Once Fitzpatrick felt comfortable with that motion, MacKenzie instructed him to start releasing hard and to the left, a fade-like release that Fitz- patrick preferred. MacKenzie then filtered that information through Walker and had Fitzpatrick train with “The Stack,” MacKenzie’s speed-build- ing system. The result was about a 10-metre increase in driving distance.
Dan Rapaport believes his game has improved by talking to so many experts. Call it verbal osmosis.
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THE LOOP L
Decoding Golf’s Backhanded Compliments Just because it sounds nice, doesn’t mean it is By Coleman Bentley
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS NO, REALLY, A BOGEY IS GOOD FOR YOU .
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS UNFORTUNATELY, IT’S STILL YOUR SWING.
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS I STOPPED UPDATING YOUR SCORECARD AN HOUR AGO.
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS THE ONLY PLAY WITH THOSE TOOTHPICK ARMS.
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS YOU’RE NOT REACHING THEM IN A MILLION YEARS.
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS AT LEAST YOU MADE CONTACT THIS TIME.
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS WRONG SPEED, WRONG STROKE, WRONG CLUB, WRONG COURSE, WRONG DAY.
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS NO ONE EXPECTED YOU TO GET IT THERE.
ILLUSTRATION BY ADAM HAYES
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MIND / SUNSHINE TOUR
History of 59s in SA Competitive and social, official and unofficial. By Stuart McLean
S hooting 59 (or lower) is an ambitious achievement which has become more attainable in recent years for tour professionals. Already, in 2024, there have been five 59s, a 58 and a 57 on the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and LIV Golf League. One of those 59s was by 19-year-old South African Aldrich Potgieter in Colombia. There was nearly an eighth recent- ly from Shaun Norris in the 54-hole SunBet Challenge at Wild Coast Sun. It would have been only the third “official” 59 in the history of the Sun- shine Tour, which is a surprising fact
considering the opportunities there are every year. Norris, who has had more 59s than any golfer in South Africa, signed for 60 at Wild Coast, having walked up the uphill 18th needing a birdie three for 59. But missing the fairway with his tee shot meant the magic number eluded him. The 42-year-old would have been the first to shoot 59 there. (Jean Hugo had a 60 in 2019, and failed to birdie both 18 and the par-5 16th.) “Improved technology has made it easier today for tour pros to break the 60 barrier,” says Norris, who says he has had five 59s in social games at his home
course of Silver Lakes in Gauteng North. “With Wild Coast being par 70 and 5 800 metres long it’s remarkable that no one has yet shot 59 in a tournament, especially as the Sunshine Tour goes there every year. But then again the course is still a good championship test, and we don’t often play there on a calm day. Plus, the greens are no longer of a high standard.” Norris had a remarkable run of scores from 4 to 14, playing those 11 holes in 33 shots. “My hot streak ended when I missed a birdie putt at 15, but I then birdied the next two holes to set myself up at the last for a 59. But once I missed the fairway I knew I couldn’t get it close to that day’s front pin. I’ve now had
three 60s in tournaments and this one came after I made bogey at No 2.” Norris is a rarity among South Africans in having three tours on which to play. He won his first DP World Tour title at Steyn City in 2022, and has five wins in Japan, where he usually bases himself between August and November. The first Sunshine Tour 59 was by Peter Karmis in June 2009, and that was in Swaziland where he had 3 eagles and 7 birdies in the final round. He won the Lombard Insurance Classic that week, shooting 28 on the back nine at Royal Swazi Spa, and Karmis has the distinc- tion of being one of a few golfers in the world to close with a 59 and win. That’s only happened twice on the PGA Tour.
Peter Karmis was first Mr 59 on the Sunshine Tour. Above: His scorecard at Royal Swazi Spa.
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