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106 Today’s Golfer Issue 252

If you go down to Bearwood Lakes in leafy Berkshire today (well, some time in the near

future anyway) you’ll get a number of surprises. The biggest of all is that you can actually play golf there!

Not so long ago Bearwood Lakes was a ‘no go area’ for visiting golfers. It was right up there with the exclusive – some would say snooty – venues of Loch Lomond and fellow Home Counties track Queenwood, as one of Britain’s most exclusive courses.

Such prestigious clubs preferred to keep visitors at bay, pandering to their super- rich members by giving them the course to themselves. They had, after all, paid an absolute fortune for the privilege.

You couldn’t play there for love nor money. Actually, that’s not strictly true – you could tee it up if you had the ‘lolly’, but you needed lots of it.

How times have changed. With the country entering economic recession the credit crunch has bitten so hard that even the world-famous Loch Lomond has been put up for sale. Who knows, the new owners may allow even ordinary club golfers the chance to tread its fairways!

That’s certainly what has happened at Bearwood Lakes. Although Bearwood hasn’t exactly flung open its doors willy nilly, it’s definitely left it ajar for Joe Bloggs to experience its many delights.

Bearwood ‘went open’ in April 2007, the classy par-72 layout no longer being

BEARWOOD LAKES

The economic downturn has at least had one positive effect – you can now go and enjoy Berkshire beauty Bearwood Lakesby KeVIN bROWNphOtOgRaphy JaMes CheaDLe

➤

SECRET SHARED

COURSES

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Issue 252 Today’s Golfer 107

NNORTH SOUTH EAST WEST

Driving test Trees and water make

Bearwood a stiff challenge.

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warm-upSTORIES, NEWS, OPINION AND PRIZES... SERVED HOT FROM THE GOLF BUFFET

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Teeing it up on top of

the world

This is the breathtaking view from a tee 8,000 feet in the air on Mount Currie near Vancouver in Canada.

Perched above Big Sky Golf Club, you can see all the fairways and greens of the links-style championship course stretching out through Pemberton Valley.

In order to preserve the stunning natural beauty of the peak, first climbed in 1922, players launch biodegradable balls into the atmosphere.

There is no green to try to hit, it’s just a bit of high-altitude fun - and not surprisingly even the journey up there is exhilarating.

The tee is only accessible by a 20-minute helicopter flight from the Four Seasons Resort, and comes as part of a £290 package that also includes a round of golf at the Big Sky course below.

The harsh winter weather at Whistler Ski Resort, where the course and mountain are located, is perfect for hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics – but means this spectacular 19th hole is only reachable from May to October.

“It’s a great attraction that has brought a lot of interest and a different experience to our guests,” said Four Seasons’ Samantha Geer.

Mountain-top highs at Canadian resort!

A high-Altitude drive!

Issue 252 Today’s Golfer 9

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TUITION

With the festive season and all the over-indulgence at an end it’s time to take to the range, the course and your

living room so that you can shoot lower scores in 2009!by carly cummins

photography by bob atkins

geT yOUr mINd, bOdy

aNd gameIN shape

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QSC

HO

OL

IF HE READS THIS GREEN WRONGLY, HIS GOLF

CAREER COULD BE OVER.WELCOME TO...

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Q-SCHOOL

Asix-foot putt to win The Open or the same scenario to save your

professional golfing career at Q-School – which do you imagine is the more gut-wrenching?

It’s a tough one. Only a select few are ever in a position to claim the Claret Jug but hundreds face the prospect of losing their livelihoods every year at Q-School.

While missing an Open putt still brings prize money, plaudits and probably a chance to win next week, failing with a Q-School knee-knocker means a return to the satellite tours or selling Mars bars in a pro shop.

Some Q-School veterans worry about the tournament for the entire season because they know success in golf’s version of the torture chamber means a ticket to a succession of tournaments which could pay off their mortgage in one fell swoop.

In contrast, failure to earn a card could see them moving back in with the parents.

The final stage of 2008 Q-School took place at PGA Catalunya in November, with 30 European Tour cards – that passport to potential golfing riches – again on offer.

TG followed three of those in search of a card as they attempted to pick their way through golf’s ultimate survival challenge…

A top 30 finish at European Q-School could mean the multi-million pound dream comes true. Anything worse... and it doesn’t!

Q by ROSS bIDDISCOMbEphOtOgRaphy gEtty IMagES

ISSuE 252 Today’s Golfer 41

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46 Today’s Golfer Issue 252

The BBC sports presenter has kept his cool while covering live events around the world. Could he stay calm enough to snatch the TG20?

As John Inverdale’s opening drive on Wentworth’s East Course powered its way down the left-hand side of

the 1st hole there was a fleeting moment when the BBC sports presenter feared it could prove far more costly than the £20 note at stake in this TG20 challenge.

Because, while the ball was airborne, a 4x4 driven by one of Wentworth Estate’s well-heeled residents appeared from behind the cover of the trees. The driver then proceeded along the road that crosses the fairway without stopping to see whether any golfers might be playing the hole.

From 200 yards away it was not possible to see whether car and ball made contact. But our hopes of a near miss were raised when the driver carried on driving rather than stop to inspect any damage. The incident was however enough for the radio and TV star to pause and ponder about the trouble that could have followed.

“In a situation like that who is to blame? Have we got insurance cover for third party

liability playing here?” asked John who, at Turnberry this summer, will be covering his 17th Open Championship for the Beeb.

“Having been to so many top golf tournaments over the years it has amazed me that there are not more serious injuries caused by golf balls flying into packed crowds of spectators.”

There was to be more on the subject of errant golf balls later in the round.

In terms of sporting injuries, John has his own horror story. Three years ago his passion for rugby almost ended up in the courts. In December 2005, while playing for the veterans of the Esher Club in Surrey against Staines, he was the victim of a vicious and unprovoked stamping incident.

With blood pouring from his head he was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital where he had 10 stitches inserted in a five-inch long boomerang-shaped gash on the right side of his forehead.

“I thought about taking the guy to court,” he reflected. “And I would have

john inverdale

bY Graham OtwaY PhOtOGraPhY James bOardman

➤

Man Behind

The Mic

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FAULT FIXER

WET SAND SAVERChange your technique to ensure you always escape bunkers in the winter

See bunker video tips with Lee Scarbrow at www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/leetips

Issue 252 Today’s Golfer 73

With winter well upon us it’s a common sight to find the ball resting on a bed of compact sand in the bunker.

Hard sand is not a nice lie and all too often golfers either thin the ball out across the green because they’ve struck it too cleanly without collecting

any sand, or do the opposite and dig down too deep into the sand resulting in the ball travelling nowhere.

Most players go wrong because they don’t realise that you need to alter your address to play this tricky wet sand shot successfully.

For starters, rather than opening the clubface up wide, you should keep it square to the target.

Use this small piece of advice to get you started then follow my other pointers and you should have no difficulty making a sound recovery.

LOW AND CLOSEDInstead of rotating the clubface away in the takeaway as you would for a normal greenside bunker shot try to keep the clubface a little bit shut in the takeaway and the backswing a little shorter and under control.

CLUB ABOVE BUNKERDrive the leading edge of the wedge down into the sand to explode the ball out and try to get your clubhead above the lip of the bunker in the followthrough. This will ensure the ball comes flying out with forward momentum.

SQUARE THE CLUBFACEThe key to playing this shot well is not using the bounce on the sole of the club like you would normally. Instead, use the leading edge. To do this, rather than opening up the clubface, keep it square at address, aiming at the target.

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100 Today’s Golfer Issue 252

PRODUCT

Hot irons?Nike’s new Tiger-influenced Victory Red family of three irons has enjoyed plenty of publicity since their launch... but do they work for real golfers? We took three readers to Sprowston Manor to find out

RealiTy CheCk

Zak Virgin Handicap: 7Clubs used: Nike VR Forged TW Blades £720Positives: The TW

Blades are stunningly good-looking clubs. Words such as traditional, crisp and clean immediately come to mind but, if I’m honest, they looked very unforgiving! Happily, this proved not to be the case for the most part.

I loved the clubs down to the 5-iron, but I struggled a bit with the 3 and 4. Saying that, when I got the 4-iron out of the middle it was carrying 190 yards, which is a big strike for me. I actually think £720 represents good value for money. If you’re using these sort of clubs, you’re a serious golfer so you expect to pay a little more for the best.Negatives: As I said, I struggled a little with the 3-iron, but I won’t be the only golfer who says that! Aside from that, I can’t really grumble with the possible exception over the forgiveness.

I’ve got a set of Ping S58s and I wouldn’t trade those in for the Nike TW Blades. They just offer more sympathy on poor shots, but for the proper low single-figure handicapper, the blades are a great choice and I would recommend them.

RatingsLooks: HHHHH

Feel: HHHH

Forgiveness: HHHH

Value for Money: HHHH

Overall: HHHH

Matt Newnham Handicap: 15Clubs used: Nike Split Cavity 3-PW £720Positives: Overall, I

liked them a lot. I’m in the market for some new irons because my old Cleveland set have seen better days and I was instantly impressed with the Split Cavity irons.

Out on the course, the short irons were top drawer – I found I got more control with the wedge, 9 and 8-iron than my set, as well as getting more spin on the approach shots.

And what’s more, I found myself gaining distance, especially with the longer irons. I was also pleased to discover that they were very much on the forgiving side too.Negatives: I couldn’t believe it when I was told the price of the Nike clubs! I think £720 is quite a lot of money for these if I’m honest and I would certainly have to think twice before shelling out this much on clubs. Yes, they were solid, but I would expect for them to really blow me away at that price. But they didn’t. I also found them quite a bit heavier than I was expecting which, while creating additional distance, was something that I was aware of throughout the whole of the range.

RatingsLooks: HHHH

Feel: HHH

Forgiveness: HHHH

Value for Money: HH

Overall: HHH

Tom SharpeHandicap: 20Clubs used: Nike VR irons £560Positives: For a so-

called ‘game-improver’ iron, the VR irons were certainly not on the over-chunky side, which is something I warmed to immediately. They’re very easy on the eye and I’m happy to report, very easy to use. I found I was consistently putting a nice strike on the ball and I certainly saw a pretty sizeable improvement in terms of distance across the whole range. And I didn’t lose any accuracy either, with the VR irons being extremely forgiving and easy to get in the air. If this was my first set of irons, I would be extremely happy. Negatives: I might be put off a little by the price. It seems quite expensive for a game-improver iron. I’m not sure how long they’d last if I progressed quite quickly and for an occasional golfer, £560 is a fair wedge. I would be looking to pay around £350-£450 for a game-improver set, and then look to splash a bit more kit as I progressed. I’d rather spend less money on a first set of irons and have cash for a new driver too. My only other negative is I wasn’t sure about the slightly darker, gun-metal colour.

RatingsLooks: HHH

Feel: HHH

Forgiveness: HHHH

Value for Money: HH

Overall: HHH

See video reviews of these clubs and more @ www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/equipment

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reality check nike irons

Your

verdict

nike victory

red irons

Visit www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/compare for the best price on thousands of

clubs and other golf equipment!

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