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MASSIVE ISSUE!H 244-PAGE MONSTER MAG H INSIDE: WHAT GEAR H

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SCOREH FIXED! DRIVING, CHIPPING, PITCHING, BUNKERS, PUTTING & STRATEGY H REAL GOLFERS PROVE IT WORKS: FROM 3 TO 28 HANDICAPPERS!

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w.todaysgolfer.co.uk 254

WHAT GEAR 2009EVERY NEW CLUB! PRICES & SPECS

MASTERS

PREVIEW

HTiger plans comeback

- but is it too soon?

H Paddy Slam? What

Harrington MUST do to

win H Rookie Oliver

Wilson dreams of glory H

149 WHAT GEAR COVER LM.indd 2

10/2/09 14:19:48

001 TG COVER LM.indd 1 10/2/09 14:44:51

024-33 Shoot Best score LM.PDP.indd 27 10/2/09 19:37:07

024-33 Shoot Best score LM.PDP.indd 28 10/2/09 19:37:41

TG loves to help players of all abilities improve... so we thought we’d do our bit to help make Mr Woods’ comeback a successful one

tigertg’S tiPS FOr

John Hardy is a Consultant Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon who has operated on many pro athletes:

■ Use a soft knee support to improve proprioceptive feedback - knowing the angle your knee is at without looking at it – for at least two years after surgery.■ Stay hydrated. A simple test of the level of hydration is to lick your lips. If they are dry, your knee cartilage and ligaments are dryer!■ Tiger was right not to return until six months after surgery. It allows bone to grow into the new ligament and start the ligament remodelling process.■ He should consider a Cybex Isokinetic Dynamometer Assessment to gauge his return to strength, agility and speed of reaction.■ Avoid long descents down slopes in the short term because this puts the most strain on new ligaments.■ Avoid playing after rain. The soft ground is likely to increase the twisting forces on Tiger’s left knee during his swing.

In Tiger Woods we have the strongest athlete mentally in golf, if not in all of sport. And no mental ability is more important than staying in the present.

This is staying focused on the process of playing, and it’s fundamental to performing your best in any kind of competition.

Come Masters week, Tiger will have hundreds of people trying to knock him out of the process and into outcomes, with questions such as “Do you think you can win again after knee surgery?” Dwelling on outcomes can be fatal to performance.

Tiger, however, is a master at keeping his mind on the process by focusing on small, simple goals that are 100 per cent under his control.

For example, making a clear decision on every shot, going through a simple routine before he hits, or having a mental break between shots to conserve his energy, are all ways he can focus on process.

A simple focus approach like this will keep Tiger’s mind locked in the present, which is where his best game lives.

avoid dry lips and rainKnee expert John Hardy says

focus on the processTG expert Steven Orr says

Issue 254 Today’s Golfer 37

036-38 Tiger TipsDLLM.CDP.indd 28 10/2/09 17:19:12

036-38 Tiger TipsDLLM.CDP.indd 29 10/2/09 17:20:17

56 Today’s Golfer Issue 254

Could the straight-talking former editor of The Sun have the final word in the quest for the coveted TG £20 note?

During a round of golf with Kelvin MacKenzie it quickly becomes clear why he was the man behind

the growth of Talk Sport radio. This effervescent fellow can talk for England and there’s nothing he enjoys more than discussing the day’s sporting topics.

And with the world’s economic crisis seemingly deepening with every stride over the beautifully-manicured fairways and greens of West Hill in Surrey his predictions – particularly for golf and football – were just as gloomy.

Furthermore, as the editor who turned The Sun into a worldwide tabloid icon with headlines like ‘Gotcha’ the day after the Argentine cruiser the General Belgrano was sunk during the Falklands War, some of his suggested solutions for sporting ailments are aimed at populist appeal.

English cricket might have got into bed with a turkey when it sold its players to Texan billionaire Sir Allen Stanford for the ill-fated Twenty20 Legends series, but

MacKenzie is convinced the world’s pro golf tours have got to devise a shorter version of their game if they are to survive.

“Apart from the Majors and the Ryder Cup just how many people actually go and watch a golf tournament,” he asks in a tone of voice which immediately suggests he is not that great a fan of the way golf is currently marketed.

“Look at the European Open at the London Club where I play a lot of my golf. There were fairly decent crowds over the first couple of days, but that was only because entrance was free. How often do you see tournaments on TV where there seems to be no-one watching?

“What golf needs is not only a shorter version but much stricter rules about slow play. Where’s the entertainment in watching players take five-and-a-half hours over their rounds?

“What I think they should do is develop a Twenty20 format for golf. Have a worldwide tour for the very best players

Kelvin MacKenzie

bY GRAHAM OTWAY PHOTOGRAPHY JAMes bOARDMAN

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FROnT PaGe

neWS!

056-60 TG20 McKenzie LM.CDP.indd 2 9/2/09 15:04:42

056-60 TG20 McKenzie LM.CDP.indd 3 9/2/09 15:05:10

PRODUCT

88 Today’s Golfer Issue 254

Long and forgiving, these weapons look set to impress...

TG EXCLUSIVE

In the autumn last year we brought you the Cobra L5V, a mighty impressive driver that many of you will already have in your bag. But for those of you not quite ready to take the leap into the world of adjustable big sticks, Cobra have launched the S9-1. In addition to the driver, the range also features a fairway wood and some gorgeous irons. And the S9-1 range comes in a Pro version too, for better players. TG Equipment Editor Jon Greathead went to the launch at Manchester’s new Golftorium for a closer look.

S9-1 DriverIf you like the club to look ‘no-nonsense’ behind the ball, the S9-1 will have you purring. We enjoyed the look of the L5V, but the S9-1 is a step up from that. It’s more subtle and traditional in comparison so looks cleaner at address.

In terms of science, the 460cc club features Cobra’s ‘Hotter 9 points’ technology as well as a Dual Rhombus face insert – which basically means there is more energy on the ball at impact, giving you greater distance. We certainly found that when giving it a rip on the simulators – carry was consistently up around the 260-yard mark, 30 yards longer than his usual efforts.

And whatever your swing speed or preference in terms of shaft weight, you’ll be sure to find a suitable head/shaft combination because of the huge range of fitting options available. The S9-1 is available in six models, including a Seniors, an Offset and two models of the Pro driver, the Pro D and the Pro S. The Pro D offers a lower, more penetrating ball flight, while the Pro S helps those seeking a higher launch angle. ■ Information: The regular S9-1 will retail at £249 and will be available in lofts from 9.5˚ – 13.5˚. The S9-1 Pro drivers will retail at £329 and will be available in 8.5˚, 9.5˚ and 10.5˚ lofts.

S9-1 Fairway WoodCobra’s Speed LD won last year’s 3-wood test in TG so an improvement on that model was going to be hard to achieve. But the S9-1 gives it a pretty good go!It also features the ‘Hotter 9 Point Face Technology’ which maximises ball speeds and distances across all of the clubface, while the Dual Rhombus insert technology helps to create a massive sweetspot.There is also a Pro version, which looks pretty small at address but is terrific in the hands of strong players.■ Information: The S9-1 fairway will retail at £149, with the Pro model costing an extra tenner!

Cobra unleashes new wood range

Power hittingThe technology in the S9-1 driver gave our man 30 extra yards when he tried it out!

088-089 Gear News 1 Cobra LM CDP.indd 150 6/2/09 17:57:49

NEWS TOUR TEST SHOWCASE STYLE COMPETITION

Issue 254 Today’s Golfer 89

Sleek cityThe S9-1 Pro woods

are small, but offer great workability.

A friend in need The fairway wood

offers tremendous forgiveness – as you’d

expect from Cobra.

To view first hits of the new S9-1 range, visit our website at www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/cobra2009

WE LOOK AT COBRA’S S9-1 RANGE OF WOODS

088-089 Gear News 1 Cobra LM CDP.indd 151 6/2/09 17:58:21

104 Today’s Golfer Issue 254

PRODUCT

See thousands of products rated and slated @ www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/equipment

Contact www.powakaddy.co.uk

What’s the score? The FW II is an update of the massively popular Freeway trolley, which has been around for a lengthy period of time. PowaKaddy have long been one of the pillars of the electric trolley society and the latest addition, which comes some 26 years after the very first PowaKaddy, looks just as solid as previous offerings.What do we think? The first thing to say is that, because it’s a PowaKaddy, it has a massive reputation based on pure quality.

The FWII is no exception. The elliptical frame is sturdy and solid, as well as being easy on the eye. We like the easy-to-use control panel and the cool console-esque handle. The FWII is fitted with a distance-measuring facility, as well as a Digital Distance Function which allows the golfer to set the trolley to travel a distance of 10, 20 or 30 yards. And one gem that we nearly missed was that the FWII folds down completely, even when the super-light lithium battery is still in place. Awesome.

POwakaDDy FReeway IIPrice: £449 (18-hole), £479 (36-hole), £699 (Lithium battery)Weight: 9kg Warranty: Two years

Contact www.stewartgolf.com

What’s the score? Stewart’s previous stand-out trolley was the X3R. It was a great bit of kit, but my word was it a heavy son of a gun. The F1 Lithium was developed to keep all of the cool features of the X3R, but making it an all-round lighter package. In fact, it’s 45% lower in weight than the X3R, tipping the scales at 12kg.What do we think? The remote controlled F1 Lithium trolley is a different beast to every other model we featured. For a start, you can’t put your own bag on it…

the integrated Stewart bag provided is a major part of the trolley. But this isn’t a bad thing necessarily – you simply clip the bag into the trolley base and you’re ready to roll, so eliminating the need for fiddly catches or clips. The LCD screen tells you when you need to change the battery, in both the trolley and the handset. Talking of batteries, it fits snugly inside the belly of F1. It’s a stunning looking piece of equipment but it’s also very expensive! At over two grand, you could buy a car for that!

STewaRT F1 LIThIUmPrice: £2,500Weight: 12kg Warranty: Two years (battery one year)

Folds awayEven with the lithium battery in place, the FWII folds down perfectly neatly.

Fun bagsIf you like your collars and cuffs matching, the trolley bag combo will get you smiling!

motion controlA digital distance

function lets you set the FWII’s progress.

Smooth linesThe battery is

swallowed into the belly of the beast,

keeping style levels up.

BEST FOR

LUXURYToday’s

BOOT

TEST

BEST FOR

EASY USEToday’s

BOOT

TEST

0103-108 Trolley reviewDLLM.indd 132 11/2/09 12:38:53

the test trolleys

Issue 254 Today’s Golfer 105

Contact www.gokart.co.uk

Contact www.hillbilly.co.uk

What’s the score? A British-made trolley that lets you add a splash of colour, with a range of different battery covers. Lots of trolleys look pretty similar without a golf bag on it – the GoKart looks completely different!What do we think? It’s a trolley with the Marmite factor – you’re going to love or hate the look. We think it’s pretty cool and although the plasticky look and design has been around for a while, it’s still mighty impressive and it looks like a fun piece of kit. It’s easy to

assemble – the battery simply clicks onto the frame once unfolded – and we love the different battery cover colours you can choose from – they certainly brighten the grey frame up. As you might expect from a trolley in this price range, there’s nothing too clever here. There are two controls on the handle; an on/off switch and a dial to control the speed. And it folds down to a tiny unit, it’s easy to carry and a quality bit of kit for the money. Simple but brilliantly effective.

What’s the score? HillBilly has been an established name in the golf industry for the last two decades and the unfussy Terrain model, which is available in black or silver, is the latest addition to the family.What do we think? This is a very solid trolley that will undoubtedly serve you well. If you’re looking for an all-singing, all-dancing model, this isn’t it though. It wasn’t the most technologically-advanced models in the review but then neither is it the most pricey;

and it does have some nice features. The soft touch grip allows for ambidextrous handling while the bag locking system greatly reduces bag twist when out on the course – one of our pet hates! It was simple to assemble; the “booklet” provided is no more than one bit of card, but that has adequate and clear instructions that are easy to follow.

The Terrain also has the capability to be sent to the next hole, with a convenient 10m, 20m or 30m distance function.

GoKart

HillBilly terrain

Price: £199Weight: 2kg Warranty: two years

Price: £289Weight: 10.8kg Warranty: one year

Keeping it simpleOld school, classic looks will please many a traditional trolley fan.

extra coverThe funky variety of battery covers on offer really brightens up the trolley’s look.

Get a gripThe soft touch grip

makes the Terrain easy to steer and control.

easy to assembleLiterally a few clicks

and you’re ready to go. And we like that!

BOOT

TEST

BOOT

TEST

0103-108 Trolley reviewDLLM.indd 133 11/2/09 12:39:20

116 Today’s Golfer Issue 254

It was just before the 1992 Open at Muirfield and Tom Watson, arguably the greatest links player

of all time, was admiring the scene from his turreted sea view room at North Berwick’s Macdonald Marine Hotel.

The hotel impressively overlooks the East Lothian town’s glorious West Links course and the five-times Open champion was enjoying the afternoon entertainment as those playing in Open qualifying experienced some real fun and games on the notorious par-4 16th hole.

The amazing 16th green is 50 yards wide – give or take a few inches – but a mere 15ft deep. It’s a devil to hit... and even harder to putt on. There’s a big gully running through the middle of it so it’s a real rollercoaster and it is definitely a place for potential putting nightmares. Watson could scarcely believe what he was seeing from the comfort of his hotel room.

Intrigued by the qualifiers’ ups and downs, he was keen to try it himself. So after dinner he grabbed his clubs and set out later that evening to tackle 16.

But he didn’t get far, being stopped by Course Superintendant Stuart Greenwood who bluntly informed Mr Watson the course was a ‘no-go’ area ahead of the following day’s Open qualifying.

Watson was determined, though, and after a fairly lengthy discussion he got his way, albeit in the company of Greenwood!

And when introduced to a North Berwick member at the 2006 Seniors Open at Muirfield he quipped: “I’ve been thrown off your course, you know!”

Prominent figures have long been a feature at North Berwick. Arthur James Balfour, Prime Minister between 1902

north berwIck

Whisper it, but the Edinburgh area is arguably even more impressive than St Andrews. We try one of its top tracksby kevIn brownphotography glyn satterley

➤

STEEPED IN HISTORY

COURSES

116-121 Courses main LM.CDP.indd 150 6/2/09 18:53:24

Issue 254 Today’s Golfer 117

NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST

Life’s a beach The North Sea awaits

any shots out to the right on the 2nd.

116-121 Courses main LM.CDP.indd 151 6/2/09 18:53:45

138 Today’s Golfer Issue 254

TRAVEL

It had all started promisingly enough. Ryanair had got us to our destination on time and

weather reports were favourable. But as we left Reus Airport to make

our way to the southern Catalonian resort of PortAventura, we were greeted by the ugliest of sights.

Virtually the first thing you clap eyes on are the billowing chimneys belonging to the massive – and grotesque – Repsol oil refinery in Tarragona. Clearly, I hadn’t done my homework.

The ‘monster,’ sorry plant, has been around since the 1970s and nowadays churns out about 150,000 barrels of the stuff a day.

So you could say it was rather a (excuse the pun) crude, shock to the system. Costa Dorada actually means Golden Coast and stems from the shimmering glints of gold caused by the reflection of the sun on the fine, white sandy beaches.

So the tangled metal and clouds of smoke were a bit of a surprise.

This industrial scene may explain Aussie ace Greg Norman’s rather downcast appearance at the opening of his North Course at PortAventura in the autumn.

It should have been a happy, memorable occasion but the double Open champion looked far from ‘chipper’. The ghastly steel towers form a far-from-impressive backdrop to his first Spanish course design.

Then again, he may have had a torrid time beforehand on the infamous Dragon Khan, the rip-roaring rollercoaster ride and main attraction at the neighbouring PortAventura theme park.

No doubt Norman wasn’t despondent

costa dorada

We visit an emerging, action-packed golf destination which may eventually put the Costa del Sol in the shade...by kevIn brown

THRILLS & SPILLS!

➤

138-142 Travel Guide LM.indd 150 6/2/09 18:31:42

138-142 Travel Guide LM.indd 151 6/2/09 18:32:05

WIN A POWAKADDY TROLLEY & BAG WORTH OVER £500!Four chances to start the season with a terrific new powered trolleyWINA DREAM TRIP TO THE CARIBBEAN!

WORTH

UP TO

£3,500

144-145 Travel comp LM CDP.indd 151 6/2/09 18:36:19

144-145 Travel comp LM CDP.indd 152 6/2/09 18:36:53