RACV Royal Pines

The new beginning for the Australian PGA Championship is off to a flying start with the appointment of Graham Marsh Golf Design as designers at RACV Royal Pines Resort.

The appointment follows hard on the heels of RACV’s commitment to invest at least $5 million in improving the challenge of the course and establishing it as the true ‘home of Championship Golf’ as part of the agreement to host the Australian PGA Championship at RACV Royal Pines Resort for the next five years.

The appointment was made by RACV following input from a Championship Planning Committee involving golf experts from the RACV, PGA of Australia and ALPG.

Sue Blake, Executive General Manager, RACV Club and Resorts, said the Committee was very impressed by the initial design concept which Graham Marsh Golf Design had proposed.

“RACV Royal Pines Resort has a high-profile in the golfing world, and there was strong interest from a number of top-calibre designers, making this a much sought after commission,” Ms Blake said Graham impressed us with his wonderful ability to meet the needs associated with one of our top resort courses also being a test of golf for both men and women professional players, each at their championship levels.

Ms Blake said the exciting design concept, which would be refined in coming months, proposed substantial changes to all green complexes, fairway bunkers and greenside bunkers, with some holes being redesigned and improvements made for spectators.

“The improvements to the course will benefit both the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Ladies Masters, as well as our many members, guests and corporate groups who enjoy playing at RACV Royal Pines,” Ms Blake said.

“RACV and its partners the PGA of Australia and ALPG will now work with Graham Marsh Golf Design to refine the design, and we plan to start work on the improvements later this year, after November’s Australian PGA Championship,” Ms Blake said.

RACV Royal Pines Resort provides a ‘five star’ environment to host the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Ladies Masters, which have a reputation for being fun, relaxed tournaments for players, their families and spectators.

Located close to the new Metricon Stadium, which will be the focus of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the Resort has top quality facilities and regularly hosts major conferences, corporate and sporting events.

Since acquiring Royal Pines Resort in 2008, RACV has heavily invested in new facilities, services and infrastructure including the award winning Videre Restaurant, Executive Lounge, and Trattoria Amici Restaurant for the benefit of our members and guests. Construction of a new Day Spa facility commenced earlier this year.

Mark E. Newell, Chairman, USGA Rules of Golf, Michael Davis, USGA Executive Director and Glen D. Nager, USGA President, during a press conference at the USGA headquarters. (Copyright USGA/Chris Keane)

The United States Golf Association (USGA) and The R&A, golf’s governing bodies, have announced the adoption of Rule 14-1b of the Rules of Golf that prohibits anchoring the club in making a stroke. The new Rule will take effect on January 1, 2016, in accordance with the regular four-year cycle for changes to the Rules of Golf.
Rule 14-1b, which was proposed on November 28, 2012, has now been given final approval by the USGA and The R&A following an extensive review by both organizations. The decision to adopt the new Rule came after a comprehensive process in which comments and suggestions from across the golf community were collected and thoroughly considered.

The USGA and The R&A have prepared a detailed report to explain the reasons for the decision to adopt Rule 14-1b. The report explains the principles on which the Rules of Golf are founded, why freely swinging the entire club is the essence of the traditional method of stroke, and why anchoring is a substantially different form of stroke that may alter and diminish the fundamental challenges of the game. It points out that the Rule will still allow the use of belly-length and long putters and that a wide variety of types of strokes remain for players to use. The report concludes that the new Rule should not adversely affect participation in the game, that it is not too late or unfair to require players to comply with it and that it will remove concerns about any potential advantage that anchoring provides. It also makes clear that one set of Rules is essential to the future health of the game. The report, entitled Explanation of Decision to Adopt Rule 14-1b of the Rules of Golf, can be found at www.usga.org/anchoring or at www.RandA.org/anchoring.

“Having considered all of the input that we received, both before and after the proposed Rule was announced, our best judgment is that Rule 14-1b is necessary to preserve one of the important traditions and challenges of the game – that the player freely swing the entire club,” said USGA President Glen D. Nager. “The new Rule upholds the essential nature of the traditional method of stroke and eliminates the possible advantage that anchoring provides, ensuring that players of all skill levels face the same challenge inherent in the game of golf.”

Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A said: “We took a great deal of time to consider this issue and received a variety of contributions from individuals and organisations at all levels of the game. The report published today gives a comprehensive account of the reasons for taking the decision to adopt the new Rule and addresses the concerns that have been raised. We recognise this has been a divisive issue but after thorough consideration we remain convinced that this is the right decision for golf.”

The current Rule 14-1 of the Rules of Golf will be re-numbered as Rule 14-1a, and new Rule 14-1b will be established as follows:

14-1b Anchoring the Club

In making a stroke, the player must not anchor the club, either “directly” or by use of an “anchor point.”

Note 1:  The club is anchored “directly” when the player intentionally holds the club or a gripping hand in contact with any part of his body, except that the player may hold the club or a gripping hand against a hand or forearm.

Note 2:  An “anchor point” exists when the player intentionally holds a forearm in contact with any part of his body to establish a gripping hand as a stable point around which the other hand may swing the club.

Rule 14-1b will not alter current equipment rules and allows for the continued use of all conforming golf clubs, including belly-length and long putters, provided such clubs are not anchored during a stroke. The new Rule narrowly targets only a few types of strokes, while preserving a golfer’s ability to play a wide variety of strokes in his or her individual style.

The January 1, 2016, timetable for implementation also provides an extended period in which golfers may, if necessary, adapt their method of stroke to the requirements of the new Rule.

David Rickman, Executive Director of Rules and Equipment Standards at The R&A, said: “This Rule change addresses the future and not the past. Everyone who has used an anchored stroke in the past, or who does so between now and January 1, 2016, will have played entirely within the Rules and their achievements will in no way be diminished.”

“The discussion around the Rule has been very helpful, and we appreciate that so many different perspectives were offered,” said USGA Executive Director Mike Davis. “We know that not everyone will agree with the new Rule, but it is our hope that all golfers will accept that this decision is reasoned and motivated by our best judgment in defining the sport and serving the best interests of the game.”

For more information about the adopted Rule, including a demonstration video, photos, infographics, and a Guidance Document for Players and Officials, visit www.usga.org/anchoring orwww.RandA.org/anchoring.

Matthew Griffin

Australian Matthew Griffin won his second OneAsia title in less than a year when the final round of the SK Telecom Open was called off without a shot being played because of thick fog at Pinx Golf Club on Korea’s Jeju Island.

Griffin can credit a spectacular 40 foot putt from off the back of the 18th green on Saturday for the win, as it meant he held a one-shot lead over Korean veteran Kang Wook-soon at the end of three rounds.

The tournament ended in similar circumstances in 2011 when Kurt Barnes was declared the winner after fog prevented any play in the final round.

Built on a plateaux, Pinx Golf Club is prone to rolling fog from the extinct Mount Halla volcano, but the weather had been perfect for two rounds — albeit damp and windy for the third.

“It’s unfortunate to finish like this, but I’ll take it,” said Griffin, 29, who banked 200,000 won (around U.S. $180,000) for the win and leapt to the top of the OneAsia Order of Merit with earnings of over $233,000 for the season.

“I thought my final putt yesterday was big as it gave me the lead, but I didn’t think it would be the winning putt. It just goes to show you really must try and make everything.”

Griffin recorded rounds of 64, 67 and 72 for a 13-under par aggregate of 203 around the 6,732 metre (7,361 yard) course — one better than Kang and four ahead of China’s Hu Mu and Koreans Lee Ki-sang and Park Do-kyu.

The 29-year-old from Melbourne has developed a liking for Korea after winning OneAsia’s Charity High1 Resort Open in September — his second professional title following victory at the South Pacific Open Golf Championship on the PGA Tour of Australasia a year earlier.

“High1 was fantastic but this feels even better,” said Griffin. “I never really played well in Korea in the past — which is surprising because I think the courses suit me — but it looks like I’ve found my way here now.”

Griffin has taken up membership of the Korean Tour and will stay to play next week’s Happiness Kwangju Bank Open before heading to the United States in a bid to qualify for the U.S. Open.

We’ve heard of “nearest point of relief”, but this is a bit wacky. In the quarterfinals of the Volvo World Match Play event in Bulgaria, Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts hit a wayward tee shot that flew over a toilet block, into a red-staked hazard. In determining the drop location from the hazard, the rules official determined that the nearest point of relief was actually INSIDE the toilet block. After taking the drop (which rolled under the basin), Colsaerts was then given further  ”relief” from the toilet, and proceeded to drop in a grassy spot short of the block, before chipping onto the green.

Of course, this has already begun to spark all sorts of toilet humour, including “he’s feeling flushed”,  ”his game has gone in the toilet”, “hitting a $#!^ shot” and the like. Here is the video for your viewing enjoyment.

(If video doesn’t load, hit “refresh”)

Royal Melbourne will play host to the world's best players once again in November

The International Federation of PGA Tours, an organization of the top professional golf tours in the world that sanctions the World Golf Championships and the World Cup of Golf, is proud to join the State of Victoria and the International Golf Association in announcing that the 2013 World Cup of Golf will return to The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and will be played from November 21-24.

The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, which hosted The Presidents Cup 2011, will host back-to-back events in November. The World Cup will be preceded on the calendar by the Australian Masters, which boasts Adam Scott as the defending champion.

The World Cup has been played three previous times in Australia, each at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The event was last played in Australia in 1988 as part of the nation’s bicentennial celebrations when the United States team of Ben Crenshaw and Mark McCumber defeated the Japanese team of Masashi (Jumbo) and Tateo Ozaki to win the tournament.

“It is an honour to host the World Cup and welcome another international golf event to Melbourne, home of great sporting events and, of course, the incredible Sandbelt region,” said Victorian Premier Dr. Denis Napthine.

“Melbourne is the pride of Australia when it comes to major events, and we would argue rivals any city in the world in that regard. Today’s announcement is another exciting chapter for Melbourne, and we eagerly anticipate the World Cup in November, when we can once again showcase all that Victoria has to offer to the event’s players and fans.”

Brian Thorburn, CEO of the PGA of Australia, welcomed the World Cup announcement.

“On behalf of the PGA, we’re thrilled to be the host sanctioning partner for the 2013 World Cup and to welcome the world’s best golfers back to Australia.

“The Victorian Major Events Company and IMG continue to be wonderful supporters of Australian golf and I congratulate them on their vision to bring the World Cup back to Australia.

“As a nation, we’ve got a long and proud history with this event dating back to its beginnings as the Canada Cup when Kel Nagle and Peter Thomson prevailed twice, and we’re delighted to see this tradition continue at Royal Melbourne in 2013.

“The addition of the World Cup will complement an already strong swing of PGA Tour of Australasia tournaments throughout October and November and will significantly boost the international player prospects for our major tournaments.

“Following on from their successful broadcast of the US Masters, I’m also pleased that Network Ten will broadcast the World Cup live on free to air.”

As part of the move, the event boasts an $8 million total purse and returns to an individual, stroke-play competition for $7 million, with a team component (adding the total scores of two-man teams) for $1 million.

The qualification system for the event is similar to that which will be used in the Olympic Games, when golf returns to the program in 2016. The field will include 60 players (no cut), with eligibility taken from the Official World Golf Ranking. Up to four players can qualify, per country, if they are in the top 15 of the OWGR. Beyond No. 15, up to a maximum of two players per country can qualify.

If two or more players from a country qualify, then the country is eligible for team competition, with the top-two players comprising the qualified team.

The major difference between the World Cup qualification model and that of the Olympic golf competition is that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will each be considered a separate country (for the purpose of the Olympics, those four countries compete as Great Britain). Further, the Olympic Games golf competition will not feature a team component OWGR points will be awarded for the individual portion of the competition.

“We’re thrilled that the World Cup will return to Australia, bringing this historic event to a venue, city and country that have hosted the biggest and best international sporting events for many years,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem on behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours.

“The Presidents Cup 2011 was the best in event history, thanks in no small part to the welcome provided to us by the incredible Australian sports fans, the Victorian government and the Victorian Major Events Company . With all of those ingredients still in place, and added to them Adam Scott’s win at the Masters Tournament in April, there is tremendous momentum and excitement for the World Cup 2013.”

“Melbourne, Australia, is a perfect venue for the World Cup,” said Jon Linen, chairman of the International Golf Association. “We look forward to a terrific competition this November and are confident that the many sports fans in Melbourne will turn out to cheer on the Australian team and the players from many other countries who will be participating in the event.”

IMG, which is staging the Australian Masters in the week preceding at Royal Melbourne, will also manage the delivery of the World Cup.

Global Head of Golf at IMG Guy Kinnings said, “Australian golf is fortunate to have such outstanding support from the Victorian Government and we are delighted to have the opportunity to partner the 2013 World Cup immediately following the Australian Masters, which we are proud to stage at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the first time.”

The tournament was founded by the International Golf Association in association with industrialist John Jay Hopkins for the purpose of promoting international goodwill through golf. It began in 1953 as the Canada Cup and was renamed World Cup in 1967.

The World Cup was staged as part of the World Golf Championships series from 2000 to 2006. In 2010, it was announced that the event would change from annual to biennial, held in odd-numbered years, to accommodate the 2016 inclusion of golf in the Olympics Games.

The United States has a clear lead in team wins, with 24, including Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland in 2011. Australia holds four World Cup titles, the last coming in 1989 (Wayne Grady/Peter Fowler). Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle won two of Australia’s World Cup titles, including the country’s first in 1954 when it was held at Royal Melbourne.

The 2013 World Cup will mark the fourth occasion that Melbourne has hosted the event and it remains the only city outside the United States to have staged the Presidents Cup on two occasions.

The World Cup is the fifth worldwide event sanctioned by the International Federation of PGA Tours, joining the four World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play Championship (Arizona, USA); Cadillac Championship (Florida, USA); Bridgestone Invitational (Ohio, USA); HSBC Champions (Shanghai, China).

Quick Facts: Australia and the World Cup

• Australia is ranked fourth in overall performance at the World Cup since 1953, having won the title four times, and finished runner up five time
• Australia last claimed the World Cup title in 1989, when Peter Fowler and Wayne Grady prevailed over local favourites, Spain
• Royal Melbourne is the only Australian course to have ever hosted the World Cup, 2013 marking the fourth occasion
• Royal Melbourne has previously hosted the World Cup in 1988, 1972 and 1959
• Australia has won the World Cup once on home soil in 1959
• The victorious 1959 Australian World Cup team was represented by PGA Life Members and World Golf Hall of Fame inductees Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle
• Thomson and Nagle also claimed the title in 1954 and finished runners up on two occasions in 1955 and 1961
• Australia’s last glimpse of World Cup success came in 1995 at Mission Hills in China when Robert Allenby and Brett Ogle finished runners up to Fred Couples and Davis Love III who with the win claimed their fourth consecutive World Cup title
• The US team of Couples and Love share the record for the most wins at the World Cup with compatriots Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, who likewise won the title on four occasions
• Formerly known as the Canada Cup, the tournament became known as the World Cup in 1967

Brett Rumford (Picture by Paul Lakatos/OneAsia)

Buoyed by a new caddie, a new self-belief and inspiration by Adam Scott’s recent victory at The Masters, Perth’s Brett Rumford has recently rediscovered his form, and is now setting his sights on cracking the world top-50.

Following his dramatic back-to-back wins in Asia, Inside Golf was one of Australia’s first golf publications to chat with our newest golfing hero.

With back-to-back European Tour wins, Brett Rumford is Australia’s newest golfing hero. Victory at April’s Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea and last week’s Volvo China Open have shot the West Australian to the top of the European Tour’s Race To Dubai. He’s also rocketed to number 76 in the official world golf rankings.

“It’s just an incredible feeling and you just feel privileged to play on a main tour like Europe, it’s so strong and so many great players out there,” Rumford told Inside Golf.

“Winning a couple of tournaments back-to-back, it’s a big deal.”

The 35-year-old is fully aware of the history he has repeated as the first Aussie to win back-to-back official European Tour events since Jack Newton in 1972. “Upon reflecting, I’m probably just more proud of what I’ve achieved, creating a little bit of history. In 41 years I think was the last time Mr. Newton had done it but Graham Marsh did it the same year, ’72 funnily enough.”

Rumford’s win at the Ballantine’s broke a six-year winning drought since his playoff victory over Englishman Phillip Archer at the 2007 European Masters in Switzerland. With no European Tour event scheduled this week, Rumford jetted from China back to his native Perth on Monday. Back into the swing of family life, he’s afforded himself little time to reflect on his stunning play.

“A little bit rundown, exhausted is what I am. I haven’t really had that much time to think about it. I’m just happy playing with the kids at the moment.”

Rumford’s win at the Ballantine’s was certainly a close call – winning in a playoff over compatriot Marcus Fraser and Scotland’s Peter Whiteford. Last week, Rumford seemingly cruised to a four-shot win with four consecutive rounds in the 60s – taking his total earnings for the two weeks to just shy of AUD$999,000.

The China Open was as much a physical test for Rumford as it was a mental one.

“Monday, Tuesday, I didn’t do a thing. I just tried to let the body recoup. The golf course is very, very hilly at the Ballantine’s, which made it physically quite draining as well. So the mental side I was very, very fresh for China last week. The golf course is flat, I played the pro-am on Wednesday and didn’t really hit too many golf balls at all through the week.”

A hot putter had been the catalyst at the Ballantine’s and a red-hot short game also carried Rumford in China. The man from Perth ranked 57th for the week in greens in regulation – more than making up for it by leading the field in scrambling. “I was feeling very, very tired on the Saturday (in China) but I managed to recoup on the Saturday evening and on Sunday I felt strong enough to obviously play the golf that won me the golf tournament.”

Adam Scott’s ascent to golfing superstardom after his miraculous US Masters victory has injected newfound belief into Rumford. Asked whether Scott’s victory had impacted upon him, Rumford left little doubt.

“Definitely. One hundred per cent. It’s just such a global event the Masters. Having known Scotty over the years, and grown up playing golf with him and being a fellow Aussie and just the significance of winning that event is just massive. I’m just so proud of Scotty for how he handled himself after the British Open defeat to Ernie Els. Even that was inspiring enough. To be able to come back from that devastation is really, really impressive. Good on him too. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer bloke.”

And while Scott’s master class at Augusta had a positive effect on Rumford, the joy of raising twin girls since their birth in May 2011 has severely hampered his preparation for golf tournaments. Hours spent grinding on the range have been reigned in over the last two years for this self-confessed ‘practicer’, in turn reducing Rumford’s ability to contend regularly.

“The last couple of years have been a bit of a blur but this year’s definitely been a lot easier. The first six months to 12 months is really difficult but then it just takes a little while to build that momentum back up again and get your network and the people around you working for you a lot more effectively.”

Until recently, Rumford was forced to scrap his sessions with a sports psychologist to leave enough time for his children.

“It was really difficult to try and mentally prepare, technically, physically, you name it. When the kids are in a good spot, it’s easier for my wife so it’s taking the demands away from me with it being easier on Sally. Now I just feel like my focus is back and I’m actually in a good place to prepare myself and play the golf that I know I can play.”

In late 2012, Rumford made a change to his team, replacing his previous caddie with 67-year-old Englishman John Roberts. Known on tour as ‘Ronnie,’ – Roberts has more than 25 years’ experience as a caddie but had never bagged a win on a major professional tour prior to The Ballantine’s. Coincidentally, on the Friday of the China Open, Roberts turned 67 and Rumford fired a five-under-par 67.

“He’s very methodical with everything that he does,” Rumford says. “He’s never played the game before but he comes from a mentality where he checks everything to the nth degree. In practice rounds he’d be out there for six hours on the Monday going through a golf book that’s already been done for yardages. He’ll double check yardages and put in different numbers just to make sure we’re fully prepared or he’s fully prepared to give me the right number.”

Rumford's caddie, John Roberts, has a desire to win and strict attention to detail

Roberts compliments his attention to detail with a strong fitness background. He competed in marathons around the world through his mid-40s – ensuring he never buckles under the weight of the Titleist staff bag he lugs around each week. According to Rumford, Roberts is ‘very infectious’ but can sometimes let his energy get the better of him.

“He’s definitely over the top at times, but that’s just Ronnie. Self-admittedly, he can get carried away but you’ve just got to love his enthusiasm. He’s got so much want to win as well.”

That burning desire to win has never left Rumford, despite the six-year drought between victories. While family life may be partly responsible for the wait, it’s also been a matter of luck Rumford says.

“Winning’s really, really tough. There’s an element of luck there as well. You can lose a golf tournament by three, four, five shots but have a realistic chance of winning. These things, they’re not noted.”

2010 – a ‘great year’ by Rumford’s estimations – saw him play bridesmaid to Fraser at the Ballantine’s and also finish second at the Johnnie Walker Championship in Scotland. Last year, the Perthian was again runner-up at the Johnnie Walker Championship.

“Last year, Johnnie Walker, I had a good opportunity there and on the Saturday through three or four holes I went double bogey, bogey, triple and lost the golf tournament by four shots. I finished second, but it’s a very, very fine line.”

But Rumford has finally cracked the code in 2013. His world ranking of 76 is a career-high and opens up a world of opportunities in terms of the four major championships. He’s earned a spot in July’s Open Championship at Muirfield, is almost assured of a start in August’s PGA Championship and can qualify for June’s U.S Open if he sneaks into the top 60 in the world rankings.

But Rumford’s major record is almost non-existent. His only major starts have come at The Open Championship – a tie for 16th at Hoylake in 2006 and a missed cut at Royal Lytham in 2001. Major championship success, despite his lack of chances, is what’s always driven Rumford.

“Getting inside the top 50 and getting into those majors, I’ve given myself a great opportunity with the money I’ve got up so far. I’m really looking forward to that and obviously just closing out the year. If the results happen, they happen, if they don’t, then I just need to be patient with that.”

Rumford, Van Pelt confirm for Perth International

Back-to-back European Tour winner Brett Rumford and inaugural Perth International champion Bo Van Pelt from the United States will return to contest the Perth International in 2013.

With his recent wins in South Korea and China, Brett Rumford became the first Australian golfer to win consecutive titles on the European Tour since Jack Newton in 1972.

As a result, 35-year-old Rumford now tops the Race to Dubai with his 2013 earnings of 811,806 Euros.

The Race to Dubai is a season-long competition spanning 45 tournaments in 24 countries across five continents on the 2013 European Tour International Schedule with the top 60 players qualifying for the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in November.

Rumford has won five European Tour titles in his career and has jumped to a career high 76 in the Official World Golf Rankings, said he was looking forward to returning home with these significant wins under his belt.

“It’s always exciting to play an international tournament at home. I had a great time at last year’s Perth International, but this year I will be aiming my sights higher to hopefully round out a career-best year in front of a home crowd,” he said.

Bo Van Pelt won an all-American battle at the 2012 Perth International over Jason Dufner. He recently secured his first top ten finish for 2013 at the Wells Fargo Championship on the back of 12 top-ten finishes in 2012. Van Pelt said he was looking forward to returning to Perth to defend his title.

“I really enjoyed my first visit to Western Australia last October and I am excited to have the opportunity to defend. Lake Karrinyup Country Club was a wonderful venue and it is terrific the Perth International will be played there again,” he said.

Vice President and Director of Golf for IMG in Australia, David Rollo, said this was the first of many exciting player announcements to come.

“The inaugural Perth International was a great success thanks to our event partners, our location, host venue and the support of both the European and Australasian Tours. We intend to build on these strong foundations and it is great to secure the talents of Brett and Bo so early in the lead up,” he said.

The 2013 Perth International will be contested at Lake Karrinyup Country Club from 17 to 20 October. With a prize purse of US$2,000,000 it will again be the richest Tour event in Australia.

The Perth International is the only Australian event in 2013 to partner with the European Tour and will again be co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia. In addition to the outstanding support from Tourism WA, the event will continue to have the support of premium brands including Volkswagen, Crown Perth, The West Australian, Schweppes and TAG Heuer.

GOLF AUSTRALIA has announced that the handicap anchor will rise from four strokes to five strokes this month.

In a letter to clubs last month, Golf Australia Chairman John Hopkins outlined the reason for the change, noting the ‘seasonality’ of handicaps .

“Under our current handicap system, handicaps in Australia are notably seasonal. On average, they increase in winter and then decrease in summer. In general this is caused not by a change in player ability but instead by changed weather impacting on course difficulty. (Note: The degree of seasonality does vary from club to club and from state to state (i.e., Queensland winters are considerably different to Tasmanian and Victorian winters.))

“When handicaps become seasonal, inequity is introduced when players travel from one region to play in a region with different weather patterns. This is because the players with seasonally increased handicaps gain an unfair advantage.

“Being mindful that the GA Handicap System does not contain DSR just yet, GA believes that as we head  into winter, the increase of the Anchor from 4 strokes to 5 strokes will result in a more desirable proportion of golfers across Australia being Anchored than would otherwise occur. GA also believes that a 1-stroke increase in the Anchor will not compromise the primary objective of this important regulation. (Note: In accordance with standard practice across all components of the GA Handicap System, GA will continue to monitor the efficiency of the Anchor in the short and mid-term.)”

The new 5-stroke Anchor Regulation will take effect on Tuesday 14 May. GOLF Link will re-calculate the handicaps of all Anchored players at that time.

For the full announcement, visit www.golfaustralia.org.au.

We are all familiar with the unwritten laws of golf. The third shot off the tee is usually a good one; long putts are easier to hole when they are for triple bogey; and golf balls always go further when you’re trying to lay up short of the water hazard.

Obviously, some are more steadfast than others are, but in the lead-up to a recent golf trip I learned of another one: The anticipation of an upcoming golf trip is directly proportional to the fear of playing poorly on it.

The anticipation can vary in different ways.

If we’re talking about a golf trip that has had at least six months of planning (primarily to give each golfer plenty of time to etch the event into the family calendar) then the anticipation will be palpable. Sleep will be lost on the night before the trip; the heart racing at a pace that only US Masters contenders can possibly relate to.

And what about the idea of holding bragging rights over your golfing mates for a full year? On the back of the revelations about peptide abuse in the professional sporting world, The Golf Trip Champion is now one of the most respected titles in world sport, and your mates will be bringing over the expensive imported beer at your next BBQ.

The anticipation of playing one of Australia’s best golf courses can also be huge. The thought of lush fairways, slick greens and using green-coloured sand to fill in your divots is enough to get any golfer excited. It’s hardly the environment you want bring your ‘D’ game.

I was fortunate enough to play Royal Adelaide for the first time recently. I’d watched Greg Norman and Nick Faldo walk those fairways as a kid but it’s probably an understatement to say they didn’t walk the course that I saw. My golf was a disaster. I hadn’t played that badly in years and while there was still some enjoyment in playing the highly-regarded golf course, I played a game that Sir Nick and The Shark wouldn’t have recognised.

More recently, I went on a golf trip to Barnbougle Dunes; an adventure that included a combination of every one of these aspects of anticipation.

The golf trip had been in planning for over six months–during which time the sledging had increased to a level that would have made Andrew Symonds proud–and we were about to spend three days walking the fairways of Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm; both rated in Australia’s top-10 best golf courses.

We arrived running on less than four hours’ sleep, primarily due to a fear of playing a version of golf resembling croquet for three days. We had caught a plane to be here and there was no place to hide on the northern Tasmanian coastline.

The atmosphere was tense on the practice range before our opening round. The sledging had stopped and only a few words were spoken. There was a sense of trepidation was as if none of us had ever set foot onto a practice range before a round of golf.

I’m pleased to say my golf wasn’t a complete disaster. I didn’t come home donning a nauseating dinner jacket or carrying a miniature trophy through the airport, but I did manage to play a few shots I can tell the kids about at bedtime.

Surely the whole experience must be a lot like making the cut at your first major golf tournament? Guys like Tiger Woods and Adam Scott have made it well-known that their whole year revolves around performing well at the majors, and the let-down when they don’t must be heart breaking.

Still, if they’re lucky, the best professionals can play a major golf tournament four times a year. The average amateur golfer is lucky to get the “all clear” to play golf on consecutive days perhaps once or twice a year–and not only is the fear of playing bad golf much greater, but also much more likely.

Creating a 'Par-3' scorecard will help you analyse which part of your game is affecting your scores the most.

We always hear how the majority of our game is played within 100 metres from the green, but how many golfers actually know by how much it is affecting their overall scores?

To play ‘bogey’ golf, i.e., 1-over per hole (which will see you shooting around 90) the following should occur on most holes:

Par 3s:
Tee shot finishes safely within 100 metres from the green
Chip or pitch finishes on the green
Two putts for a bogey 4

Par 4s:
Tee shot in play
Second shot finishes safely within 100 metres from the green
Chip or pitch finishes on the green
Two putts for a bogey 5

Par 5s:
Tee shot in play
Second shot finishes safely
Third shot finishes safely within 100 metres from the green
Chip or pitch finishes on the green
Two putts for a bogey 6

To help you break 90, playing the ‘100m Par-3 Game’ during your round may help you realise how much your short game is affecting your scores.  Simply keep a separate scorecard and record a ‘Par-3 score’ from the first shot you play from inside 100 metres until your ball is holed out on each hole.  Recording your putts each hole will also assist in tracking your short game statistics.

Ideally, you should be playing the ball onto the green whenever you are inside 100 metres and then two putting at worst for a par of 3.  This should be your first goal in your quest of breaking 90.

The Par-3 Game will take the pressure off your game while you are playing.  It will help you understand that you don’t need to hit the miracle shot or get it close every time to score well — simply keeping the ball in play, getting it onto the green and two putting will improve your scores.  Any bad shots–which sometimes happen–should be negated by the times you can hit the green from outside 100 metres or 1-putting, which saves a shot.

How to analyse your ‘100m Par-3 Game’ scorecard:

Add up your score and amount of putts you’ve had.

• If you have had any more than 36 putts then putting is your first lesson.
• If you’ve had less than 36 putts, but shot more than 54 then chipping & pitching is your first lesson.
• If you’ve had less than 36 putts and less than 54 total then you need to analyse your irons & woods play.

Having a plan to improve your game is crucial to lowering your scores.  Being able to analyse your game so you can come up with a plan is a vital step that will help your build your practice plan.

VIDEO LESSON

After analysing your golf through the “Par-3 Game”, you will need to start working on those areas that are affecting your score the most.  For a series of video clips which will assist with different areas of the game inside 100m, visit www.willowgolf.com.au.

 

Brett Rumford (Photo: OneAsia)

Brett Rumford became the first Australian to win back to back European Tour titles for more than 40 years with a short game masterclass at the Volvo China Open.

Jack Newton, in 1972, was the last Australian to achieve the feat, and Rumford followed in his footsteps by adding the Volvo China Open to his victory in last week’s Ballantine’s Championship.

The two wins were secured in contrasting fashion, as Rumford had to overcome a nailbiting play-off in Korea last week, but strolled to the title by four shots at Binhai Lake, in Tianjin.

Rumford surged clear with five birdies in ten holes to turn the final round into a procession, and a brace of bogeys late in his round were of little consequence as he signed for a four under par round of 68 and a 16 under par total to finish four clear of Finland’s Mikko Ilonen.

Rumford was 138th in The Race to Dubai prior to his win last week, but now leads the way on €811,806, having won €775,406 in his past two tournaments.

“It’s surreal,” said Rumford. “I’m more than pleased, but its not my doing completely — I have a great team around me.”

“It’s the first time I’ve actually played the week after a win. It’s hard to get my head around it at the moment.

“It was such a long wait for my last win, so to win again this week is beyond my wildest dreams. Pegging it up this week, the confidence was high and the course was really to my liking.

“Physically yesterday I was a bit flat, but I got myself up this morning, and got the job done. It was a tough day in that wind, and credit to Mikko [Ilonen], because he pushed me hard. But I managed to give myself some breathing space with the three birdies on the bounce. The bunker shot on the 12th was definitely the turning point, because I could so easily have dropped a shot there. After that, I was always pretty confident of not letting it slip, although those two late bogeys gave me a bit of a scare.”

Ilonen’s 71 saw him finish on 12 under, one ahead of France’s Victor Dubuisson, with first round leader Robert-Jan Derksen taking fourth.

SCORES

After round 4 of the Volvo China Open 2013 being played at the par 72, 7,667 yards Tianjin Binhai Lake Golf Club course (a- denotes amateur):

272 – Brett RUMFORD (AUS) 68-67-69-68.

276 – Mikko ILONEN (FIN) 69-63-73-71.

277 – Victor DUBUISSON (FRA) 71-72-66-68.

278 – Robert-Jan DERKSEN (NED) 66-70-73-69.

279 – Ricardo SANTOS (POR) 70-72-68-69, Pablo LARRAZABAL (ESP) 71-66-69-73.

280 – Andreas HARTO (DEN) 72-71-70-67.

281 – Felipe AGUILAR (CHI) 71-73-68-69, Paul CASEY (ENG) 71-68-72-70, Thomas BJORN (DEN) 70-73-68-70, Joost LUITEN (NED) 73-67-68-73.

282 – Ricardo GONZALEZ (ARG) 73-71-67-71, Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 68-67-72-75.

283 – Raphael JACQUELIN (FRA) 68-72-75-68, Jeev Milkha SINGH (IND) 72-69-73-69, Andy SULLIVAN (ENG) 74-68-72-69, Aaron TOWNSEND (AUS) 69-70-74-70, Gregory HAVRET (FRA) 72-70-71-70, Lee SLATTERY (ENG) 69-68-74-72, Paul LAWRIE (SCO) 69-72-70-72.

284 – Emiliano GRILLO (ARG) 73-71-70-70, Paul WARING (ENG) 72-68-73-71, Steve WEBSTER (ENG) 73-67-71-73.

285 – Johan EDFORS (SWE) 73-69-73-70, Mark FOSTER (ENG) 70-69-75-71, Stephen GALLACHER (SCO) 70-71-71-73, Matthew BALDWIN (ENG) 70-71-70-74, PARK Sang-hyun (KOR) 69-70-71-75.

286 – Tommy FLEETWOOD (ENG) 71-70-72-73, Soren HANSEN (DEN) 72-69-72-73, Richie RAMSAY (SCO) 71-68-73-74, Damien McGRANE (IRL) 73-66-73-74.

287 – AN Byeong-hun (KOR) 73-68-74-72, Markus BRIER (AUT) 71-71-73-72, Moritz LAMPERT (GER) 72-72-71-72, Matthew GRIFFIN (AUS) 70-68-76-73, Soren KJELDSEN (DEN) 72-68-74-73, DOU Ze-cheng (am, CHN) 70-72-72-73, Branden GRACE (RSA) 74-67-72-74, Graeme STORM (ENG) 70-68-74-75.

288 – Nick CULLEN (AUS) 72-69-78-69, Eddie PEPPERELL (ENG) 75-68-75-70, Richard BLAND (ENG) 72-71-75-70, Estanislao GOYA (ARG) 70-74-74-70, Kristoffer BROBERG (SWE) 74-67-75-72, Edoardo MOLINARI (ITA) 75-68-73-72, Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 74-69-72-73, Alexander NOREN (SWE) 70-73-71-74.

289 – Andrew DODT (AUS) 72-71-77-69, Magnus A CARLSSON (SWE) 71-73-72-73.

290 – Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 76-68-76-70, LIANG Wen-chong (CHN) 74-70-75-71, Fabrizio ZANOTTI (PAR) 71-69-77-73, Rafael CABRERA- BELLO (ESP) 72-70-72-76.

291 – Michael HENDRY (NZL) 74-67-75-75, Richard FINCH (ENG) 71-70-75-75, Terry PILKADARIS (AUS) 69-73-74-75, JB HANSEN (DEN) 73-69-71-78.

292 – Niclas FASTH (SWE) 73-68-78-73, Garrett SAPP (USA) 70-74-74-74.

293 – Joel SJOHOLM (SWE) 74-65-76-78, Peter WHITEFORD (SCO) 73-69-73-78.

The 2013 Masters will go down in Australian golf folklore as probably one of the most exciting, nerve-wracking, fist-pumping , heart-thumping, take-your-breath-away, get-the-monkey-off-our-backs  golf tournaments in the history of our sport.

For the rest of the world, however, it may be more remembered for a pair of incidents that may have irreparably changed the game.

But first, let’s celebrate The Good: The Green Jacket is finally ours! Mere words cannot express what this means to Australian golf. The decades of hope and heartbreak, faith and failure, dreams and despair cannot truly convey the deep-seated emotions that have rocked Aussie golf fans for as long as we can remember. It’s almost as if we’ve been holding our collective breath for decades, and can finally exhale in a blue-faced, light-headed euphoria.

And let’s not forget how good this is for Adam Scott himself. It wasn’t that long ago that his game was in shambles. Many an eyebrow was raised when Greg Norman named him as a captain’s pick for the 2009 Presidents Cup. This leap of faith resulted in a resurgence by young Scotty, who promptly clawed his way back to the top. Following a heartbreaking loss at The Open Championship last year, Scotty bounced straight back again at The Masters. This sort of redemption can only awaken a deeper hunger inside him. Yes, he IS that good. Yes, he CAN win more majors. And yes—whether he likes it or not–he is now THE face of Australian Golf – he is supplanting his childhood hero Norman; he is now an idol that the fresh-faced junior golfers will aspire to. His name will forever be etched in Australian golfers’ minds.

Indeed, Adam Scott’s victory at Augusta is exactly what Australian Golf needs, at exactly the right moment.

But therein lies the challenge to the Australian Golf Industry. We MUST build upon this. And it MUST happen right away.  We failed to build on the momentum from the recent Presidents Cup (in fact, the following months/years were some of our poorest ever for golf) so there is no better time to go “over the top” and get the sport of golf into the minds of potential golfers everywhere.

Of course, with The Good comes The Bad.

I’m referring, of course, to the two “rules” incidents that happened early in the tournament. Namely, the “Slow Play” ruling against 14-year-old Guan Tianlang, and the “Dropgate” ruling surrounding Tiger Woods.

Earlier this year, the USGA was very clear that they would be targeting slow play. Like the highway roadside signs that say “This week, Police are targeting: Drink Driving” the USGA appear to have an agenda to speed up the game, in the hopes that this will result in more people playing golf, etc.

If this is indeed the case, then they have demonstrated their intentions loud and clear. Unfortunately, it came at the expense of Tianlang, whose brilliant play could have been one of the best stories to come out of The Masters. Instead, it made headlines for all the wrong reasons.

I’m not alone in my belief that the USGA and R&A are slightly misguided in their priorities. Slow play and broomstick putters aside, we must at some point address the “elephant in the room”: the golf ball. It goes too far.  It’s causing billions of dollars in lengthening/renovations to great courses, thus making courses harder to play (and longer to complete a round).  It’s making the game about Driver-Wedge versus Driver-Long iron.

If the USGA wants to really combat slow play, then they need to work with TV broadcasters to stop showing every pre-shot routine by the professionals. These mind-numbingly slow moments are now being emulated by everyday hacks, beginners and juniors. While Tiger is debating whether or not to scratch himself, there are, believe it or not, dozens of other players out there actually swinging a club!

Speaking of Tiger and TV, let’s move on to The Ugly.

By now, you’ve heard (too much) about the “Dropgate” saga, where Tiger made an illegal drop, which was flagged by a TV viewer, causing a “no infraction” ruling, which was then adjusted after Tiger  admitted that he took the drop a few yards further back…it’s a madhouse.

Firstly: Tiger broke the rules. Plain and simple. He made an illegal drop to gain an advantage on his approach shot. And yes, he was given a two-stroke penalty. AFTER he signed his scorecard. Normally this is a DQ. Would ANY other player be given the same slap-on-the-wrist treatment? Probably not. Would most professionals immediately withdraw themselves? I reckon they would. For Tiger to play on (claiming that he was simply abiding by the decision) was, in my opinion, an absolute travesty.

Golf is a game built on integrity. It is assumed that a golfer will do the right thing; to call a penalty on him/herself; to know and abide by the rules without exception, despite the stakes or importance of the tournament.

Unfortunately, golf is also a game ruled by politics and TV ratings. So was there more to Tiger’s “Non-DQ” than just a simple ruling? Maybe. TV Ratings aside, if Tiger isn’t in The Masters, then it really isn’t The Masters these days, is it? But that doesn’t make the situation right.

Secondly, just when did it become acceptable in ANY sport for the TV viewers (maybe we call them the “Fourth Umpire”?) to ring in and discuss rules infractions with the event’s officials? Can you imagine how this would be viewed in AFL, Rugby League, Cricket, or any other sport? Could John Q Couchpotato simply call Billy Bowden on his mobile phone during the Ashes and inform him that the England batsman is using an illegal bat? Preposterous.

Not only is the Fourth Umpire a blight on the sport of golf, it is also completely biased against the most popular or successful players. In any given tournament, for example, TV viewers could see almost EVERY shot that Tiger Woods will make.  Every practice swing, club change, pre-shot routine, etc. Same goes with whomever is leading the tournament on any given round. Meanwhile, there are 90 other players out there who don’t get a single second of coverage. So there are likely dozens of miniscule rules infractions in any given tournament that could go unnoticed.

In this case, if we want to keep golf fair to everyone, the “Powers that be” must draw the line, and maintain a “closed loop” regarding the rules and TV viewers.

Thankfully, the right man won the event this year. Our man. Our Adam.  And that, for me, is good enough. For now.

Su Hyun Oh

Su Hyun Oh tweets an early morning photo of a vacant chipping green at Metropolitan Golf Club with the caption “entire green to myself!”

The 16-year-old amateur has both a handle on the ever-advancing digital space and a genuine love for the game she has played since the age of nine.

I stand beside her while she peppers the practice area’s flags with crisp pitch shots and it’s immediately apparent this bubbly talent is somebody who has the mettle to match the very best in women’s golf.

Her T2 finish at the Ladies Australian Masters in February was a clear highlight of her Australian summer, which also included a T9 at the Women’s New Zealand Open, T16 at the Women’s Victorian Open and a T28 at the LPGA-sanctioned Women’s Australian Open.

No mean feat for a year 11 schoolgirl.

Oh was born in the South Korean city of Busan before moving to Australia when she was eight.

She first honed her craft at Long Island Country Club in Frankston, making giant strides to be a shock qualifier for the 2009 Women’s Australian Open at her home club, Metropolitan, at the age of 12.

Despite it all, Oh remains wary of turning pro.

“I wouldn’t be able to get the starts that I got this year if I was a pro,” Oh says to me as we stand casually beside Metro’s putting green.

“I guess it’s a little bit different when it’s your job to earn money and win tournaments. The pressure level’s a bit different I guess.

By her own admission, Oh often doesn’t feel pressure.

But she says it’s been to her detriment.

Holding a narrow lead over 7-time major winner Karrie Webb late on Sunday at the Ladies Australian Masters, nerves evaded her altogether.

“I wasn’t nervous at all which is really weird. It was like my concentration level dropped too much. It was just all too loose. I should have been sharper. Hopefully when I’m a pro I’ll be able to win it. I learned a lot that week.

The Australian summer gave Oh a glimpse of the lifestyle of a travelling professional golfer.

“I really enjoyed it, in New Zealand especially. It was really difficult to find accommodation and all the travelling. In Australia, you sort of know what to do but in America you’re going to have to ask the experienced players what to do. As a rookie you’ve just got to find your own way.”

The groundbreaking form of Kiwi sensation Lydia Ko allowed Oh to fly under the radar but those in the know can recognise her supreme talent.

Webb is one of them.

“I played a practice round with Karrie and she gave me her email and said ‘if you need anything then just email me and ask me.’”

Oh hasn’t done so yet and she might not have to with another face-to-face encounter potentially just around the corner.

She has her sights set on victory at June’s Ladies British Open Amateur Championship and an invitation to play both the US Women’s Open and Women’s British Open as an amateur.

Major championship experience would almost certainly be the final feather in her cap as an amateur.

“It depends on how I play in the middle of the year. I’ll go play the British Amateur and then I’ll play all the US tournaments, the US Girls and US Amateur, so we’ll see.”

Oh is intent on squeezing every drop out of her amateur career.

Her success at the top level is complemented by an incredible year in 2012 that landed her the Australian Girls Amateur title and runner-up finishes at both the World Junior and Riversdale Cup.

Away from competition, Oh is doing everything necessary to get the edge on her opponents – coached by Matt Cleverdon at Kingston Heath Golf Club and trained by South Yarra fitness guru Matt Chaplin.

“We work really hard together, the whole crew. I think that’s really a benefit to my game.”

Oh credits Chaplin with not taking the fun out of exercise.

“(We do) rapid movements. It’s more dynamic. More golf-related, sometimes not golf-related. We just mix it up a little bit.”

With such a worldly background, it’s easy to forget Oh is just a regular teenager complete with resentment for homework.

A student at McKinnon Secondary College in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, Oh is kept on her toes between golf trips.

“I’ve got so much homework. It always happens, when I catch up then I go away and I have to do another catch up. I’m always a little behind. You’ve just got to do the work. If you don’t do the work you’re in a bit of a mess.”

“All the stuff’s mostly on the net. You just type it up, send it over and they check it for you. I just have to do all the assessment tasks when I get home.

Establish a routine

Pick any professional sport and situation where the athlete has plenty of time to think, analyse, visualize, worry etc. Now think of someone from that sport that is very successful.  For example: basketball and Michael Jordan preparing for a free throw.  Picture your athlete performing under pressure and ask yourself whether you think they have developed a routine that they practice outside of competition time. The answer will be yes 99% of the time.

The idea of athletes using routines is not new. Baseball players use routines in the batter’s box. Bowlers use routines before they bowl. Goal kickers in all codes of football use routines to prepare before they kick.

Golf as you know all too well is a self-paced game, which allows us time to prepare for shots so you can feel ready. When you are playing a sport where someone throws a ball at you, you don’t have much time to think so you simply react. In golf, we actually have too much time; we are on the course for four and a half hours and it only takes a total of five minutes to hit all your shots. Consistency is the number one priority for most golfers. And that’s the goal of a good routine. Nowhere in golf are routines more important than in putting. A successful putting routine helps you to (1) feel confident and eliminate doubt and indecision  (2) stay entrenched in the execution; and (3) trust your natural stroke (hint – which you have practised outside of competition times for many hours.)

I personally call the time spent reading the putt, assessing the speed of the green, slopes, etc., as the “preparation” phase NOT actually part of your routine. The routine in my opinion is more the steps that you take at the ball before you pull the trigger and hit the putt.

Below are a few tips that should help you build your own putting routine:

• Know exactly where your routine starts
• Write down what order you do things and for how long
• Notice what you look at, i.e., intermediate target, ball, hole then putt etc
• Get someone to time it for you
• Practice it over and over and over, so when your are under pressure it will come naturally

Golf swing ER

Hi Glenn,

I never seem to be able to control the distance on my putts. I read your articles and wondered if you could give me a few tips – Peter (Bunbury, WA)

Hi Peter

This is quite common, so you are not alone by a long shot. The first thing I test when golfers are having similar problems is whether they are hitting the same spot on the putter face each time i.e., the toe, heel or centre of the face. To check this you can simply put a small piece of Blu-Tack on both the toe and the heel of the putter and hit a variety of putts–short, long, straight, breakers, etc–and see if there is a pattern there. If your contact is inconsistent, I would encourage you to continue practicing with the Blu-Tack on. Start with short putts with a slow stroke and then slowly increase the length and speed. This will improve your consistency with striking the centre of your putter face and more than likely your ability to control your speed on the greens under pressure.

 

 

Need help? The Doctor is in!

Is your golf swing in need of CPR? Does your driving feel DOA? If so, the Doctor is in! Email him at ed@insidegolf.com.au with your swing symptoms and he will write a prescription for success in next month’s issue!

 

 

 

Limited Edition Masters Collage

Celebrate Adam Scott’s historic Masters victory at Augusta!

This limited edition (ten pieces) official 2013 Masters Flag collage is matted and framed as shown, with three images, and an informative plaque, to an approximate overall size of  76x86x5 cm.  Each piece is custom made and displayed on fabric.

Inside Golf is giving away one of these historic pieces ($495 value). Simply like our Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/insidegolf) or enter below:

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Brett Rumford. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Australia’s Brett Rumford showed he is the man for the big occasion when he prevailed in a three-way play-off with compatriot Marcus Fraser and Scotland’s Peter Whiteford to win the €2,205,000 (Approximately US$2.8 million) Ballantine’s Championship.

After returning to the 18^th tee for the play-off, Rumford fired a spectacular second shot which landed within six feet from the pin.  The 35-year-old made no mistake in draining his eagle putt which made him the second Australian after Fraser to win the Ballantine’s Championship.

Rumford could have sealed his victory at the Ballantine’s Championship in regulation play as he looked set to be cruising towards victory after an outward-30 at the Blackstone Golf Club.

He led by two shots with two holes to play until a double-bogey six on the 17^th hole saw him lose the outright lead.

The 35-year-old, however ensured he was back in command during the play-off with his brilliant approach shot where he eagled to finally end his six-year title drought.

“It was a roller coaster day for me. One shot can really turn events, and obviously 17 proved that.  I seemingly had everything under control, and I was thinking, it’s just two good drives coming home and then I hit two into the trees which wasn’t my ideal finish,” said Rumford.

“It’s an honour to win any time, and it’s only getting harder and harder. As the years go on, I’m getting older and there’re more and more young guys coming through with really big games, and the face of golf is changing with technology and obviously with the fitness of these young guys coming through, the ball going so much further. So it’s great to be in this position today and an honour to win the Ballantine’s Championship,” added Rumford.

Fraser, who was bidding to win his second Ballantine’s Championship following his victory in 2010, tipped his hat to Rumford for being a deserving winner.

“I played very well this week and came up a little bit short. I got beaten by some pretty good golf today.  That shot into the playoff hole was pretty impressive.  He (Rumford) would easily agree it’s one of the best shots he’s ever hit to, so full credit to him.,” said Fraser.

“I played the play-off hole really well.  Hit the second shot a little bit left and hit a great chip to about a foot. But that wasn’t good enough and that’s the way it is, that’s golf and we are big boys, we’ll get over it I’m sure,” added Fraser.

It was a heartbreaking moment for Whiteford as he could have sealed his win at the Ballantine’s Championship with his birdie putt from five-feet on the final 18^th hole.

The ball, however went inches off from the pin, leaving Whiteford deflated and searching for answers.

“I thought it was a decent putt but I obviously misread it.  I’ll  take the positives, press on and see if I can go one better,” said Whiteford.

The sixth edition of the Ballantine’s Championship was the first event to be played in Korea on the Asian Tour this season and is once again sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Korea PGA.

Leading scores after round 4 of the Ballantine’s Championship 2013 being played at the par 72, 7281 Yards Blackstone GC course (a- denotes amateur):

277 – Brett RUMFORD (AUS) 73-67-69-68, Marcus FRASER (AUS) 70-70-69-68, Peter WHITEFORD (SCO) 70-69-69-69.

* Rumford won with an eagle in first play-off hole

279 – Romain WATTEL (FRA) 70-69-71-69.

280 – Louis OOSTHUIZEN (RSA) 69-71-71-69.

281 – Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 71-72-73-65, KIM Hyung-sung (KOR) 71-69-74-67, Stephen GALLACHER (SCO) 70-68-75-68, Pablo LARRAZABAL (ESP) 70-70-68-73, Alexander NOREN (SWE) 71-67-69-74.

282 – HONG Soon-sang (KOR) 71-71-73-67, KIM Gi-whan (KOR) 67-72-75-68, S.S.P. CHOWRASIA (IND) 71-70-73-68, K.T. KIM (KOR) 74-68-71-69, Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 71-66-75-70, Jose Manuel LARA (ESP) 71-67-72-72.

Adam Scott

Just a few months after winning the gold jacket in the Australian Masters, Adam Scott has  finally delivered the goods for Australian golf — taking home the green US Masters Jacket in dramatic fashion over Angel Cabrera in the dusk at Augusta National.

First, Scott made an out-of-this world putt on the 72nd hole in regulation — igniting a thunderous chorus of cheers that was heard from Augusta to Down Under. The putt gave him a one-shot lead over Cabrera at 9-under par. Not to be outdone, Cabrera (in the following group) then pured his approach shot to two feet, with  the ensuing birdie leaving him tied with Scott, sending this 77th US Masters to a playoff.

After squaring the first playoff hole on 18 with pars (with a near chip-in for birdie by Cabrera that barely shaved the hole), they moved to the tenth.

On that second playoff hole, Cabrera’s bid for his uphill twenty-footer somehow stayed above the hole and it set the stage for Adam Scott’s historic winning putt that he poured in confidently. At last, Australia has its green jacket that’s been coveted all these years.

In unquestionably his finest moment as a professional, Scott gave credit to the great Greg Norman for his influence on his career.

“Part of this is for him because he’s given me so much time and inspiration and belief,” Scott said, “And I drew on that today.”

While Norman was certainly an icon and inspiration for Scott throughout his early years, he was also responsible for helping Scott turn his career around, courtesy of a Presidents Cup “Captains Pick” in 2009, which came as a surprise to many as Scott was in a horrible slump at the time.

Many believe that that moment was a turning point for Scott, and has helped boost him back into the world’s top performers.

Perhaps Scott’s story will continue to inspire others to pursue the magnificent green jacket here at Augusta National.

Following the win, Australian golf fans went wild on Twitter, with many fans tweeting their support. In addition, the Australian golf industry showered praise onto Adam:

(With Garret Johnston)

Terry North has been performing Stand-up for 15 years, has toured Australia, performed New Zealand and off course the UK.

Before this he worked on the European Golf Tour for nine years.

Put the two together and you get “FAIRWAY TO HEAVEN”

If you love golf, or even if you just like it a bit, you will love this show. This is what they said in Adelaide:

Terry North’s latest show, Fairway To Heaven, is a comedic tribute to all things golf; called so because, as the Fringe guide says, all the other four-letter words were taken. With the odd ‘wife’ and ‘life’ joke thrown in here and there – as you do – there is plenty to laugh at with an array of golf one-liners too good to pass up. Comfortable on stage, and full of interesting golfing facts and YouTube clips, North takes his audience on an amble through golfing tips and spits in a relaxed, fun evening that is definitely one for lovers of golf.

Show’s are at: The Elephant & Wheelbarrow, cnr Bourke And Exhibition Sts, Melbourne.

Sunday/Tuesday 9.30pm, Thursdays 9.30 and Saturdays and Sundays 4.30pm

Full details can be found here: http://www.tixnofee.com/listing.php?showid=267

Andrew Tschudin showcases Toowoomba and City Golf Club

Garry Roberts (left) and playing partner Shane Hogan celebrate after winning the Auto Club Golf Championship and a trip to the World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Challenge in Malaysia.

GARRY Roberts and Shane Hogan only had one thing on their minds after winning the 36-hole Auto Club Golf Championship final at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast – passports.

That’s because the major winners’ prize was a trip for four to Malaysia to play in the World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Challenge next month.

After a big night of celebrations at the gala presentation dinner, Garry arrived home to check if his passport was valid.

It was, but Shane didn’t even have a passport and hurriedly had to apply for one to ensure he, too, would be on the plane to Malaysia.

The pair, representing Yamba Golf Club, won the event after carding a 36-hole total of 103 points for a remarkable come-from-behind win in wet and heavy conditions.

On day one, the duo returned 48 points to be in third place behind Southern Golf Club’s Dexter Plack and Jack Miltos (51 points) and Mount Lawley’s Travis and David Northey (50 points).

After a good night’s rest, Shane and Garry fired up in round two scoring a massive 55 points to edge out Dexter and Jack (50 points) by two points.

Oxley Golf Club’s Chris Bath and Barry Thoms (46-52 – 98) finished third.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said stunned winner Garry Roberts.

“We had 50 points walking up the last and I said to Shane ‘that’s a good score’.

“I made a seven for two points on the last hole and then Shane holed a monster putt for a birdie and five points … unbelievable.

“When the big fella got that five-pointer he couldn’t stop smiling.”

Shane was the team’s rock on day one, according to Garry.

“Shane played really well and got most of the points to keep us in contention,” he said.

“On Friday (day 2), we teamed together really well and one of us had a ball on the fairway most of the time.

“Shane has a new Titleist driver and he was really consistent off the tee.

“The guys we played in the second round (Peter Lambert and William Thomas Basan from Magenta Shores) were really nice blokes.

“They urged us on a bit even though they were in the top-four themselves.”

Garry, who plays off a handicap of 33, and Shane, off 26, qualified for the final after winning the regional event at Yamba Golf Club.

“I found out about the event in Inside Golf magazine, which I pick up every month from the club,” Garry said. “Shane and I are members at Casino Golf Club, but they didn’t have a regional event so we entered at Yamba.

“I’m really glad we did because it’s an unbelievably good event.

“It was such an enjoyable experience and the people we met from all around Australia and New Zealand were just the nicest people.

“There’s definitely a wow factor to the Auto Club Golf Championship.

“Tournament director John Harriss and his team did a great job and the gala dinner, with Brett Ogle as emcee, was fantastic.

“We had a ball and would love to come back again next year.”

More than 2500 golfers took part in regional qualifiers with 48 pairs from around Australia and New Zealand making it to the final.

As their prize, the regional winners each received a three-night trip to the Gold Coast for golf, fun and luxury at RACV Royal Pines Resort.

“This year we are hoping to attract 5000 competitors and in 2014 we are aiming for 10,000,” Harriss said.

Still, Garry and Shane have a dilemma. They have to mull over who will join them at the World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Challenge.

“We talked about it in the car on the way home,” Garry said. “There are so many people we can take, but whoever we choose we are bound to step on someone’s toes.

“We will take someone whose company we enjoy and who we get along with.

“When I arrived home and broke the news to my wife Jackie she said, ‘I have a passport, I’ll go with you’.

“I said, ‘yes, but you don’t have a handicap’. Jackie’s whole family play golf and she is a handy golfer, but she doesn’t have a handicap.”

Jackie might not make the “team”, but the odds of her going as a member of the support crew and gallery are extremely good.

“Jackie’s already been on the internet looking it up and is pretty keen to go,” said father of four, Garry.

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Ace amateurs drive away winners

NO ONE could wipe the smiles off the faces of Aussie Nelson Delpledge and Kiwi David James at the Auto Club Golf Championship.

That’s because both players drove away with a brand-new Suzuki motor vehicle – Nelson winning a Suzuki Kizashi for a hole-in-one in a regional event at Victor Harbour in South Australia and David a Suzuki Alto after winning a four-person shootout at RACV Royal Pines Resort.

David, from Wellington in New Zealand, edged out Grace Zabajnik, Garry Roberts and Warren Byrnes in the shootout.

Suzuki Australia general manager Tony Devers was at RACV Royal Pines to present Nelson and David with the keys to their new cars.

“How good was that,” exclaimed excited gala presentation dinner emcee Brett Ogle from Fox Sports.

More than 200 attended the magnificent Scottish-themed gala presentation dinner.

A formal precession from the RAAF Amberley Pipe Band Guests ushered in the guests who enjoyed a sumptuous meal and entertainment by special guest, famous Scotsman “Sir Sean”, flown in especially for the evening.

Ogle, too, ensured it was a fun-filled night by sharing his golf knowledge and adding a personal touch to the event.

Earlier in the evening, Ogle interviewed one of Australia’s hottest golfing prospects Stacey Keating.

Keating was a tournament guest and spent the final day on the par-3 11^th tee greeting players and hitting tee shots to the 11^th green.

If a competitor’s ball finished closer to the pin than Keating’s they won a prize.

The two-time Ladies European Tour winner and Women’s Victorian Open champion peppered the flag all day, but a few competitors did manage to claim a prize.

Of course, the major prizes went to inaugural champions Garry Roberts and Shane Hogan and car winners Nelson Delpledge and David James.

Gary Burmester - Club Professional of the Year

MT WARREN Park Golf Club head professional Gary Burmester is making a habit of making the news.

Last month, Burmester received the Queensland Club Professional of the Year Award at the Queensland Golf Industry Awards at Jupiters Gold Coast.

Recognised by a panel of his peers, Burmester has been actively involved in the Queensland golf industry, his efforts highlighted by a record eight appearances at the Holden Scramble Championship final, staging a number of PGA tournaments, showing leadership to his PGA trainees and project managing a number of key course design changes.

Earlier this year, Burmester and Tasmania Golf Club pro Nick White made the news when chosen as the two additional professionals to represent Australia against China.

The pair will join the 2012 winning Holden Scramble teams, Glenden and Deniliquin, to play the Chinese in home-and-away matches.

And late last year, the 51-year-old hit the headlines when he out-muscled his much younger and fitter Sunshine Tour rivals to win the long-drive competition at the Howeston Golf Course pro-am.

In fact, Queensland Golf Industry Awards emcee, Fred Lang, made mention of Burmester’s famous victory over the flat-bellies.

Burmester is a popular figure around Mt Warren Park Golf Club where he has dedicated more than 30 years of his life to the job.

He gave up work as a cabinetmaker in the late 1970s to pursue a professional career and did his traineeship at Helensvale Golf Club under the guidance of Randall Vines.

When Burmester completed his traineeship in 1980, he hit the road in his panel van to play the Troppo Tour with the likes of Peter Senior, Ian Baker-Finch, Wayne Grady, Peter McWhinney et al.

Times were tough in the early days and Burmester slept in his panel van to save money.

“Most of the guys would stay in hotels and motels, but I would sleep in the back of my van on a double mattress,” he said.

“One of the guys would let me shower in their room and then I would jump in the back of the van, put the golf clubs on the front seat and settle in for the night.

“Next morning there’d be car loads of pros ready to drive to the next pro-am.

“We all had CB radios so we could talk to each other on the road.”

Burmester said they were fun times when the players enjoyed playing a few harmless pranks.

“I could tell you some interesting stories, but it’s best if I don’t,” Burmester teased.

One of his proudest achievements as a professional was playing in the rich Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

“There were some great players in the field like Greg Norman, Curtis Strange, Craig “Walrus” Stadler and Rodger Davis,” he said.

“I played in two of those and made the cut both times. I remember having an eagle on the 18^th when there was a huge gallery around the green. It was a great feeling.”

Last year, Burmester joined the Australian Legends Tour and managed two runner-up finishes.

“I am really enjoying playing the tour again,” he said. “After 30 years, I have started practising again and will trying to get in the Australian Club Pro Championship again.”

Still, what Burmester enjoys most is mixing with the club members. He also loves tinkering and repairing golf clubs out the back of his pro shop.

Now he is sharing the knowledge and passing on the skills to the next generation of trainee pros.

“We do a lot of club repairs as well as lie-and-loft angles and spray paint metal heads to make them look new again. Some of the other club pros even send clubs here for me to do because I have the machinery.”

And if a member has an old golf cart that needs to be brought back to life, Burmester is more than happy to tackle the job – big or small.

Aside from organising three Holden Scramble events each year, Burmester organises a pro-am and the Bunga Masters.

What’s the Bunga Masters?

“Well, Bunga is my nickname so I started the Bunga Masters where I take 32 to 40 members on a mystery tour to play a 54-hole event,” he explained.

“We all jump in the bus and they don’t know where I am taking them.

“Sometimes I will tell the bus driver to go around a round-about a few times just to confuse them.

“They are all quality venues so the members are never disappointed.”

The full list of Queensland golf industry award winners:

PGA Chairman’s Award: Bill and Lyn Weston, Howeston Golf Course

Golf Print Tournament of the Year: Bartons/ BMD Wynnum Pro Am

Metropolitan Tournament of the Year: Norris Motor Group Royal Queensland

Regional Tournament of the Year: Pat O’Driscoll Real Estate and Tropical Auto Group Capricorn Golf Classic and Toowoomba BMW and Westpac Middleridge Pro-Am

Club Professional of the Year: Gary Burmester, Mt Warren Park Golf Club

Teaching Professional of the Year: Grant Field, Grant Field Golf Academy

Trainee of the Year: Atomu Watanabe

PGA Trainee Order of Merit winner: Ben Fletcher

PGA Sunshine Tour Order of Merit winner: Grant Scott

Platinum Partner Program PGA Rookie of the Year: Sven Puymbroeck

PGA IGI Excellence in Education Award: Steven Jeong

GMAQ Manager of the Year: Steve Hutchinson, Twin Waters

GMAQ Golf Club of the Year: City Golf Club

Golf Queensland Junior Male Amateur of the Year: Viraat Badwhar

Golf Queensland Junior Female Amateur of the Year: Lauren Mason

Golf Queensland Male Amateur Award: Cameron Smith

Golf Queensland Female Amateur Award: Ali Orchard

Club Super Volunteer of the Year: Terry Ward

Toro Superintendents Golf Course Turf Apprentice of the Year: Jacob Freeman

Bayer Superintendents Environment Award: Dave Morrison

Chesterfield/ John Deere Superintendents Achievement Award: Dean Henderson

Superintendents Industry Recognition Award: Jon Penberthy

Golf Supplier of the Year: Coca Cola Amatil