Filipino golfing great Frankie Minoza hopes a first ever meeting with his country’s world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao will help him land a sucker punch as he chases a third ICTSI Philippine Open which starts on Thursday.

The veteran star played in the pro-am with the iconic WBO welterweight champion at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club today in what is the prelude to the US$300,000 Asian Tour tournament, which is Asia’s oldest national Open. Minoza said he was truly encouraged by his meeting with Pacquiao.

“He’s inspired the whole country with his achievements,” said Minoza, winner of his home Open in 2007 and 1998. “It was a pleasure to meet him for the first time. He’s done a lot for the Philippines and has helped many people.”

At 52, Minoza, who has won all over Asia and Japan, is hoping to launch a legitimate title assault but will face a strong test with a wonderful line-up of stars from the Asian Tour gathered at the famous Wack Wack’s East course.

Japanese star Tetsuji Hiratsuka, second on the Order of Merit last year, last week’s Zaykabar Myanmar Open winner Kieran Pratt of Australia, countryman Adam Blyth, former Philippine Open champions Angelo Que and Elmer Salvador and Bangladeshi Siddikur, making his season’s debut, will be amongst those looking to dethrone title holder Berry Henson of the United States.

No fewer than 38 players in this week’s starting field of 150 have won tournaments on the Asian Tour, signaling the strength of the ICTSI Philippine Open which will be beamed live on the Asian Tour’s global television platform which reaches over 200 nations.

With age no longer on his side, Minoza is counting upon his close affinity to the East course to help him launch a title challenge. In fact, he won a domestic tournament here last December, coming from seven shots back to win in a play-off.

“I like this golf course. When you’re 52 years old, it’s a good feeling when you can still beat the young boys,” said Minoza referring to his victory. “Golf is a funny game, you’ll just never know. I’m hitting the ball good but I’m looking for something with the putting. Hopefully, the ball will go under the cup this week. Winning the Philippine Open were big wins for me, very special. And by far my biggest wins. Winning in your home country, there’s so much pressure. It’s too heavy to carry.”

The 33-year-old Henson is well prepared for his defence, declaring his game was in good shape although he suffered a minor incident by stubbing his toe during a TV promotional shoot earlier in the week.

“I have definitely put in the preparation at home. I knew the shots I was going to hit out here and I mentally pictured those on the range and hit those types of shots. I worked mainly on my hybrids as that’s what you normally hit out here,” said the Californian, who pipped local hope Jay Bayron by one shot last year.

“I wasn’t pleased with the result (in Myanmar) last week. But I was pleased with the way I played. Hit a lot of good shots. I was way out of the tournament but I played well enough to win. It was just the putts didn’t go in.”

Siddikur, the first Bangladeshi winner on the Asian Tour and has finished top-10 in the past two seasons on the Order of Merit, is itching to launch his 2012 campaign at the ICTSI Philippine Open. He went to the United States during the season break for golf lessons with the hope of improving his driving distances where he ranked a lowly 69^th with an average of 266 yards last season.

“I’m looking forward to doing better than before. I went to TPC Sawgrass and learned a few things. He (swing coach Todd Jones) didn’t touch my swing. He just gave me some techniques which I have to apply. Basically I’m trying to create more power. It’s working on the driving range but I’m sure it’ll take some time to get it stable. I’ve gained some 10 yards already which is a big thing,” said Siddikur.

After a luckless stint on the Nationwide Tour in America last season where he missed the cut in nine events by one shot, Blyth has had a good change of luck, first regaining his Asian Tour card from Qualifying School and then finishing second in Myanmar last week after losing in a play-off. He said looking at his old notes from previous sessions with his sports psychologist has helped him immensely.

“I’ve been playing well but not getting the results. It’s nice to finally get a result. It was great to get through tour school as if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have anything this year. There was a lot of pressure,” said Blyth.

“I’ve seen Andrea Furst (sports psychologist) for a long time. It’s about putting what she’s told me into practice. It’s easy to get told things but you have to work really hard on the mental side, more so than the technical side. I went back to my 2008 diary where I had my best year and I recaptured some of the things I was doing then. I applied them at Myanmar and it seemed to work.”

About the ICTSI Philippine Open

As Asia’s oldest national Championship, the ICTSI Philippine Open is no doubt one of the most prestigious Opens on the Asian Tour calendar. It is title sponsored by the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), which is in the business of acquiring, developing and operating container ports and terminals worldwide. Other sponsors include HSBC (Official Bank), Panasonic Philippines (Official Co-Sponsor), Globe Telecom (Official Roaming Telecommunications Sponsor), San Miguel (Official Co-Sponsor), Cathay Pacific (Official Airlines), OMEGA (Official Timekeeper) and BlackBerry (Official Smartphone and Tablet Partner).

About the Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), J.Lindeberg (Official Apparel Partner), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts), Cityneon (Official Event Overlay Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Singha Beer (Official Beer), BlackBerry (Official Smartphgone and Tablet Partner) and Srixon (Official Ball). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Article source: Asian Tour

• Dive wins Piranha Order of Merit
  Martin Dive was announced as the Piranha Golf NSW/ACT Order of Merit winner and recipient of the $10,000 bonus..
• Trainee Graduates and award winners honoured
  After three years of dedication and hard work, the newest Members of NSW/ACT Division of the PGA of Australia were officially recognised and inducted to full membership at the annual Trainee Graduation and Awards Ceremony held at the Royal Sydney Golf Club.
• How to play like a pro
  PGA Professional Scott Tasker gives you his tips on how to play like a pro.
• Pratt claims Myanmar Open
  Australian Kieran Pratt birdied the second play-off hole to win his first Asian Tour title at the Myanmar Open in Singapore on Sunday.
• Boeljon wins Aus Masters
  Dutchwoman Christel Boeljon has claimed the Australian Ladies Masters with a birdie on the 18th hole of the final round on Sunday.
• Levin set for Phoenix glory
  American Spencer Levin remains on track for a maiden PGA Tour win after a three-under-par 68 moved him six shots clear at the Phoenix Open.
• Hend in control in Myanmar
  Australian Scott Hend has maintained his lead of the Myanmar Open after the third round at the Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club.
• Levin shoots clear in Phoenix
  Spencer Levin holds a three-shot lead after the second round of the Phoenix Open was suspended due to darkness on Friday.
• Winds force halt in Qatar
  Play was called off on day two of the Qatar Masters due to heavy winds on Friday with the European Tour event now reduced to 54 holes.
• Hend leads in Myanmar
  Australian Scott Hend has taken a one-shot lead at the halfway mark of the Myanmar Open at the Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club.

With great public courses like Kalgoorlie GC popping up all over Australia, can the middle-tier private courses survive?

When I first moved to Melbourne from the US, I had little knowledge about the area’s golf courses. An avid golfer since the age of four, one of the first things I did after unpacking was to grab a copy of the Golf Course Guide to study the ‘lay of the golfing land’.

Needless to say, my jaw dropped at the sheer number of courses around Melbourne. (To this day, my wife still claims I squealed gleefully like a schoolgirl).  Surely, I had died and gone to heaven – there were courses galore – and the green fees/memberships were extremely reasonable compared to similar courses in America. Unbeknown to me, I had landed in a country that has the third highest number of golf courses per capita in the world (behind Scotland and New Zealand), with the majority of these courses in my own backyard.

What’s more, I soon learned that there were heaps more courses being built or designed.  And this wasn’t just in Victoria – there were world-class public courses popping up all over Australia. Courses like Eynesbury, Growling Frog, Barnbougle Dunes, Kalgoorlie, Hamilton Island, St Andrews Beach and others started staking their claim for the almighty Golfing Dollar.

Indeed, the golf scene in Australia was mouth-wateringly good.

Fast-forward to today.

Many private/member clubs have seen their numbers slowly dwindle over the years as golfers began to migrate to the spectacular new public courses. A study last year showed that social golfers outnumbered member golfers for the first time in our history, representing a troubling trend for clubs that had become dependent upon joining fees and member subscriptions.

But that wasn’t the half of it. After enduring severe droughts, a crippling GFC (with a sequel potentially on the way), horrible winter weather and a few floods/disasters across the country, the golf industry as a whole is enduring difficult times, and the share of the Golf Dollar has diminished significantly. Courses are seemingly being sold/bought every month, while new projects have all but dried up (forcing some architects to venture to growth areas like China/Asia).

So what can be done?

While some clubs are choosing to take a “wait-and-see” approach, others clubs are aggressively promoting to this social market. Whether they are dropping joining fees, creating unique membership models, giving away prizes or participating in the “Daily Deals” phenomenon/fiasco like Scoopon (which we have detailed extensively – see our articles online), many clubs today are scrambling to stay out of the rough.

But that may not be sufficient.

Unfortunately, many in the industry believe strongly that there are simply too many golf courses to go around, and that consolidation is the key. This means that some courses will be forced to close their doors permanently or amalgamate with neighbouring clubs. Melbourne’s sandbelt and southern/outlying regions are rife with top-quality, middle-tier clubs that simply cannot survive in the current economy, and there are many areas across the country that are in the same boat. So they need to act soon to survive.

Sad, yes. But very necessary.

As a golfer, this kills me. Every time a golf course closes, I honestly feel empty inside. Even if I have never seen the course, I think about the members, the good times and the rich history that the club represented.  And I lament the fact that there is one more course that I will never have the opportunity to play.

But as a lover of golf, I understand that we must do what is necessary to ensure our industry stays strong and healthy.  While ‘survival of the fittest’ may be a natural part of life (depending on your beliefs), it’s a fact that mergers and acquisitions (and insolvencies and closures) are part and parcel of business, and we would be foolish to think it cannot happen to golf.

But we need not look at Amalgamation as entirely a sad thing. Indeed, some of history’s greatest companies/inventions/creations came about through mergers and collaboration. And the same will happen with Australian golf, eventually, if we can bear the short-term pain for the long-term gain.

See you on the fairways (I hope)

Kieran Pratt (Photo courtesy of Asian Tour)

Melbourne Professional Kieran Pratt has claimed his first career title at the Asian Tour’s Myanmar Open.

Showing the composure of a professional well beyond his years, Pratt won his first professional victory following a three-way playoff with fellow Australian Adam Blyth and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

In his first tournament of 2012, the 23 year-old claimed the title and the US$47,550.00 winner’s cheque following the second playoff hole.

“Fantastic. It feels great to win the first event of the year. Obviously you want to get off to a fast start but to win is obviously better,” said Pratt who is playing in his second year on the Asian Tour.

A former member of the Victorian Institute of Sport golf program, Pratt turned professional in 2010.

He quickly came to prominence in his first season on the PGA Tour of Australasia when he played alongside (and outplayed,) Tiger Woods in the third round of the JBWere Masters before finishing in a tie for 22^nd.

Pratt eclipsed the result in late 2011 finishing in a tie for 6^th at the JBWere Masters, the tournament won by Ian Poulter.

As for Blyth, the runner up finish is his third on the Asian Tour since joining in 2007.

Regardless, his final round of 65 in which he overcame an eight-shot deficit to join the play-off will hold the Queenslander in good stead for the rest of year.

“I was never expecting to have a chance to win. I’m disappointed that I had the opportunity to win and didn’t. But I’m still happy with the outcome and how I played. It is a great way to start the season,” said Blyth.

In a big tournament for the Aussie contingent, Scott Hend finished in a tie for 4^th while Marcus Both finished in a tie for 6^th.

Click here to see the complete final leaderboard

Greg Norman Junior Masters winners Anthony Murdaca and Su Hyun Oh.

Oh masters Shark event

RECORDS are meant to be broken and Su Hyun Oh of Kingswood Golf Club in Victoria did just that at the Greg Norman Junior Masters at Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Club.

Playing in the 15 years and under division, Oh beat all-comers with rounds of 71-71-69-70 for a 281 total.

She finished 11-under-par and seven strokes ahead of 2009 winner Annie Choi of Robina Woods Golf Club.

In the boys’ championship, Anthony Murdaca (Grange, South Australia) fired rounds of 68-68-73-70 for a 279 total (nine-under-par) and a one shot win over French Polynesia’s Teremoana Beaucousin, who made up some ground on the final day when he aced the 179m seventh hole on the River Course.

French Polynesia also won the International teams’ event while Victoria took out the Interstate teams, Gold Coast Golf Association the Queensland Inter-district teams with the Graham Marsh Junior Golf Foundation taking out the Inter Foundation Teams event.

More than 220 junior golfers participated in the 21^st Greg Norman Junior Masters.

For a full list of results, go to www.golfqueensland.org.au

Play golf – it’s cheap

PLAYING golf and being a member of a golf club in Australia is inexpensive, according to US PGA Tour star John Senden.

“It is cheap to play golf in Australia,” Senden said. “A lot of people don’t realise that.

“To be a member of a great golf club in Australia will cost between $1000 and $3000 whereas in the US, especially Florida and Texas, you are paying 10 times that amount.

“We do get cheap golf in Australia even though we think it’s expensive to play.

“A lot of kids can play the game for a small amount of money and that’s a good thing.”

Steve Williams the best

BONNIE Doon Golf Club stalwart and top amateur David Meredith reckons Steve Williams is the best caddie in the business – bar none.

Meredith, who caddied for 1981 Australian Open champion Bill Rogers, first met Williams in the mid-1970s.

In fact, he helped Williams get his first assignment in Australia.

“I have known Steve for more than 30 years,” he said. “I went to caddie for Bill Rogers and I got Steve his first caddie job.

“I was sitting beside him and I asked the caddie master to get him a decent player to caddie for and I think it was Ian Baker-Finch.

“He has never forgotten it. I met up with him again at the recent Australian Open,” said Meredith, who has been the locker room attendant at the past five Australian Opens.

“We chatted and he suggested when there was an opportunity we should get together for dinner.

“Steve’s very respectful, handles himself well and was very nice to me in the locker room.

“He’s is the best caddie in the game, the best yardage man in the business and never gets it wrong.”

Of course, Williams has worked with some of the biggest names in golf including Greg Norman, Raymond Floyd and Tiger Woods.

These days he’s on Adam Scott’s bag.

It’s raining aces

IT took a while, but the ETS hole-in-one promotion, exclusive to Keperra Country Golf Club members, has clicked into gear.

The promotion kicked off in November and at first the members were a little “gun shy” but come December and it was raining aces with three in 11 days including two on the same day (December 14).

John Bramich got the ball rolling on December 4 and his story almost suggests there may well have been a hint of some divine intervention.

Ten days later Robert Addison, a 38-year member, got into the act when he aced the par-3 fourth hole using his trusty three-wood.

It was the perfect strike. The ball landed on the front of the green, rolled up and rattled the pin before dropping in to the cup.

The feat created plenty of excitement among his playing partners.

Keith Howells, of the ETS group, personally initiated the sponsorship with KCGC and he was ecstatic to witness the winning of one of the ETS sponsorship packages.

It was Addison’s third hole-in-one at Keperra CGC.

Later in the day, Ken Williamson aced the par-3 27^th hole using a five-iron.

It was his first ever ace.

One of his playing partners, Tony Streeton, still can’t believe he birdied the hole to collect four stableford points and still lost the bet to Ken’s five pointer.

Each player will receive a trophy as a momentum and an overnight stay at the Crowne Plaza Pelican Waters Golf Resort and Spa on the Sunshine Coast. The ETS “play-and-pamper package” is valued at up to $400.

Chris Rutherford

I have never bought anything online. Call me a Luddite if you must, but I do like to see, feel and even try on products of interest.

Still, my resistance to shopping online has not rubbed off on my offspring.

At least once a month there is a knock at the door and I sign for packages that include laptop computers, books, t-shirts and other paraphernalia.

However, I do draw the line on golf gear.

“If you want to buy a new driver, golf balls, glove, packet of tees, go and see the local club pro,” is my advice.

There are so many disturbing stories circulating about counterfeit golf gear entering the market.

Royal Queensland Golf Club professional Chris Rutherford said buying golf gear online was “fraught with danger”.

“We hear so many horror stories,” he said. “We have had a number of our members who have bought product online and have been burnt buying on price because they have bought counterfeit product.

“I heard one today where a member was telling me about some identification marks on the golf clubs that he bought online from America.

“He is describing these identification marks and I smell a bit of a rat.”

Because of Rutherford’s close relationship with Titleist, he was familiar with the product and had to inform the member he had purchased counterfeit clubs.

“A lot of people buy off the rack or online from overseas and it’s the wrong equipment,” he said.

“They spend $1500 to save $300 and end up with the wrong clubs.

“There are even people out playing with counterfeit golf balls.

“They think they are buying Titleist Pro v1s online, but they are not the real thing.

“I gave a putting lesson to a member and he pulled three golf balls out of a packet. I took one look at them and told him they were not fair dinkum.

“Another important point is that the clubs are illegal to use in competition because they have not been through the R&A and USGA approval process.”

Rutherford says he won’t sell a customer a set of golf clubs without having them club-fitted.

“If you come in a say you want to buy a particular driver you won’t get it out of the shop without us seeing you hit shots with the equivalent driver.

“Giving the customer what he needs is sometimes different to what the customer wants,” he said.

“We won’t sell you something that we don’t think you can benefit from using.

“Some golfers don’t know what they need. They think they know what they want, but they don’t know what they need.”

Almost every golf club professional has a similar story.

Long-serving PGA member, Sean Kirschenberg, the head pro at Southern Golf Club in Victoria, said the weakening of the US dollar against the Australian dollar had enabled more “backyard” golf businesses to surface.

And that is affecting golf club pro shop businesses.

“We have seen an increase in internet sales and retailers are parallel importing products from US retailers, particularly close-out (older) models,” Kirschenberg said.

Lindsay Gitsham, a PGA member with 50 years’ experience, encourages golfers to do business with their local club pro.

“Club professionals have a tremendous advantage over online traders,” said Gitsham, the former Kingston Heath Golf Club professional.

“The on-course golf shop is a place where you can try before you buy.

“You can’t do that with online shopping.”

Editor’s note: for an in-depth report on the rise of counterfeiting in golf, plus information on how to battle the counterfeiters, read “Fake Clubs, Real Problem”

The big GEAR issue is here, featuring the latest golf gear in Australia for 2012 from the major manufacturers. Plus: Learn how to avoid 10 Killer Cliches in golf, explore beautiful golf courses in the NSW South Coast, and see how the industry is tacking online counterfeiting. All that and the latest Australian golf news and reviews, absolutely free.

Asian Tour chief Kyi Hla Han is predicting a new wave of young stars will emerge and dominate the new 2012 season which kicks off with the Zaykabar Myanmar Open presented by Air Bagan on Thursday.

Han, the Tour’s Executive Chairman, believes the Chinese New Year of the Dragon will coincide with the region’s youth brigade breathing fire into their golf games as the Tour prepares for another stellar season.

With a constant supply of new talents coming through the region’s elite circuit and also via the Asian Development Tour, which was launched in 2010 to help nurture upcoming players, Han is excited and cannot wait for the first tee shot to be struck at the Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club this week.

“The face of Asian golf continues to prosper and change through times and it’s exciting to see more and more talented and young players coming through the ranks on the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour,” said Han.

“I am anticipating the younger generation of golfers to dominate and excel in our new season as there is so much talent within our midst. It is great to watch the quality of players coming through on the Asian Tour and I believe 2012 will be milestone year for us.”

Han believes the likes of Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Chapchai Nirat, Chinnarat Phadungsil, Thanyakon Khrongpha and Namchok Tantipokhakul, all from Thailand, Korea’s Baek Seuk-hyun, Indian trio Chiragh Kumar, Himmat Rai and Anirban Lahiri, Bangladeshi Siddikur and Filipino teenager Miguel Tabuena will sparkle over the next 11 months.

“Players like Chapchai and Chinnarat are well established on Tour and have already won multiple times.  They are still in their 20s and are very much capable of developing their games further,” said Han.

“I have been impressed by the likes of Himmat and Anirban who broke through with their first career victory last season and you can see their confidence level shooting sky high and they will only get better.

“It is also tremendous to see a couple of exciting teenagers such as Miguel and Panuphol displaying their youthful exuberance and raw talents and there is so much that they can accomplish on the Asian Tour. When Korea’s Noh Seung-yul won our Order of Merit title at the age of 19 two years ago, he showed the other players that age is no barrier to success.

“The youngsters are fearless but they do need to compete regularly at the highest level here to sharpen their games and become world beaters which I’m confident will happen in time,” added Han.

However, he is not discounting the challenges of the Tour veterans in the upcoming season and predicted that Thai warhorses Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant will have their own private battle for supremacy.

Thongchai, who has won an unprecedented three Order of Merit crowns, holds the most number of Asian Tour victories with 13 titles while Thaworn, Asia’s number one in 2005, has won 12 titles. Both players were winless in 2011 which Han believes will provide them with renewed determination to add to their career tally.

“We’ve got to watch out for players like Thongchai and Thaworn as you cannot discard their experience and desire to achieve more success. They will be out in full force to achieve more wins under their belts and it wouldn’t surprise me if they do so in 2012,” said Han.

As he continued to gaze into his crystal ball, the Tour chief also believes that newly crowned Asian Tour number one Juvic Pagunsan (In Photo) of the Philippines will ride on the momentum from winning the Order of Merit crown in December.
“Juvic is capable of winning a couple of times in a season and it was a privilege to see him becoming our new number one last year. With such a wonderful golf swing and cool demeanor, he has all the potential to do great things,” said Han.

He added that recent Qualifying School graduates, American David Lipsky, Australia’s Adam Groom, India’s Rahil Gangjee, American Dodge Kemmer and Thailand’s Arnond Vangvanij will also be eager to shine in the new season after earning playing rights by emerging in the leading pack after a massive group of 579 players from over 30 countries had teed off in the Qualifying School.

“With the Asian Tour being represented by players from close to 30 different nationalities, we are truly an international Tour which holds great appeal for our sponsors and fans. Last season, Joonas Granberg of Finland and American Berry Henson won in their rookie seasons and I am expecting the recent Qualifying School graduates to also stamp their mark in this region. There are many talented players from Qualifying School who are capable of achieving success on the Asian Tour,” said Han.

About the Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia.  This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), J.Lindeberg (Official Apparel Partner), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts), Cityneon (Official Event Overlay Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Singha Beer (Official Beer), BlackBerry (Official Smartphone and Table Partner) and Srixon (Official Ball). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Article source: Golf Industry Central

In a landmark development for professional golf in the region, this year’s Indonesia Open will be joint sanctioned by OneAsia and the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO).

The US$1 million tournament will be played from March 22 to 25 and it will signify the first time the two bodies have jointly sanctioned an event together.

The importance of the occasion will be added to as the Indonesia Open will raise the curtain on both the OneAsia and JGTO seasons.

Emeralda Golf Country Club, located just outside Jakarta, will host the tournament which will see the leading players from each circuit compete.

The tie up between OneAsia and the JGTO is part of three-year arrangement for the Indonesia Open. A press conference will be held shortly in Jakarta to announce sponsorship details.

OneAsia will feature at least 14 events this year with an overall purse of nearly US$16 million.

The Indonesia Open is one of five national Opens on its’ schedule along with those of Australia, China, Korea and Thailand.

“This is a wonderful development for OneAsia which since our launch in 2009 has aimed to build a circuit that brings together the whole of the Asia Pacific region. We have enjoyed excellent growth with the support of our founding members the PGA of Australia, the China Golf Association, the Korea Golf Tour and the Korea Golf Association, and we look forward to developing this further through this new relationship with the Japan Golf Tour Organization,” said Sang Y. Chun, Commissioner and Chairman, OneAsia.

News of the joint sanctioning comes on the back of the recent announcement that OneAsia will boast three new events this year, the China Classic, the Guangzhou Open and the PGA Championship of Malaysia.

“Not only are we trying to create more playing opportunities for players in the Asia-Pacific region but we are also ensuring that we are able to offer a top-tier platform of elite events that will allow our region’s golfers to make an even greater impression on the world stage. Joint sanctioning the Indonesia Open for the next three years with our friends on the Japan Golf Tour Organization is certainly one extremely effective way of achieving this objective,” added Chun.

All OneAsia tournaments have the benefit of being broadcast on a truly global television platform that includes ESPN Star Sports across Asia, Korea’ s SBS television, ONE World Sports, the leading Asia-Pacific focused sports network in the US, and across Africa on SuperSport.

“On behalf of the Japan Golf Tour Organization and its members, I would like to extend our most sincere appreciation to those who made it possible for our Tour and the players to participate in this traditionally rich tournament. We, at the JGTO, have long sought opportunities to establish our presence in the Asian region and this invitation to participate in the Indonesia Open is most appreciated since it will provide our players with playing opportunities prior to the beginning of our official Tour calendar,” said Tadashi Koizumi, Chairman, Japan Golf Tour Organization.

“We are certain that the success of this tournament will bring professional golf in Japan and Asia closer, and we look forward to establishing a mutually beneficial working relationship with the professional golf bodies in the Asian region,” added Koizumi.

Three Japanese players, Masaya Tomida, Koichi Katamura and Masao Nakajima, were among the 20 golfers to secure their OneAsia cards at the recent OneAsia Qualifying School in Sabah, Malaysia.

A host of Japanese players also competed in last year’s Indonesia Open, including Shigeki Maruyama and Hideto Tanihara, which was a strong indication of the interest being shown in OneAsia by players from The Land of the Rising Sun.

“We welcome this initiative for the Indonesia Open which will definitely lead to a stronger field and greater global television coverage. It is a development that allows us to further raise the profile of our national Open and start a new chapter in its rich history,” said Arifin Panigoro, Chairman of Indonesia Golf Association (PGI).

The Indonesia Open was first played in 1974 when the legendary Ben Arda of the Philippines won the title. Arda, the first Filipino to play in the US Masters, was followed into the winner’s circle by several greats of the game including American Payne Stewart (1981) and Frank Nobilo from New Zealand (1994 and 1997).

The tournament became part of OneAsia in 2010 when New Zealand’s Michael Hendry was victorious.

Last year Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant triumphed to claim his first title on OneAsia. The victory also marked his second success in the event as he triumphed in 2005 and was the 15th international victory of his illustrious career.

Article source: OneAsia

This month, we’ll discuss the two most common swing faults by golfers.

S Posture at setup: It is easy to spot this poor postured golfer. If you look at their lower back from down-the-line, it has an excessive swayback or curvature creating what we commonly refer to as the “S-posture” or lower crossed syndrome .  In photo 1, you can see the curvature in the lower back (red line), the rounded shoulders or kyphotic appearance and the tight right arm, high right wrist position( yellow line) and tight neck muscles . Note how the chin is tucked into the chest (green circle).

This posture is a common setup fault of golfers, and some golfers actually position themselves this way on purpose because they have been told to “stick your butt out at address”, however by setting up this way, they are putting their lower backs in jeopardy. Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints of all golfers. You can actually stick your butt out at set up without arching your back if you just hinge from your hips and keep your spine in a neutral stable posture. Obviously, this requires good core strength and proper stabilization in the lumbar spine.

Unfortunately, not all golfers can easily fix this fault, due to the physical limitations that will accompany this fault. S posture setup relates to tight hip flexors (the muscle at the front of your hips) and poor awareness or activation in the deep lower abdominal muscles.  This adaptation occurs from prolonged static postures (i.e. sitting and a sedentary lifestyle). The end result is that the pelvis tilts and creates a very unstable position for the lower back.

Kyphosis of the shoulder girdle is the result of poor lifestyle habits and sedentaryism, and is often seen in those golfers who sit at computers for lengthy periods or who travel frequently. This creates weakness in the muscles that support the shoulder blades and neck. Muscles in the chest and upper neck tighten up considerably, creating stiffness and loss of extension in the mid back (thoracic spine) preventing  the golfer from achieving an optimal posture at setup and therefore do not allow the body to turn in the correct direction (whilst maintaining good postural shape) and the arms to function correctly.

If you have an “S Posture”, it very easy to eliminate. All you need to do is perform stretches to help lengthen your hip flexors and lower back muscles, and perform exercises that help develop strength in the abdominals and glute muscles. Once these muscle imbalances are corrected, work on developing strength in a stable neutral lower back posture.

Loss of Spine Angle (Shape): This is simply any significant alteration from your body’s original set up angles (postural shape) during your golf swing.  Photo 2 shows the typical look of a golfer who loses spine angle or alters their body levels. Note how the body has gone around (yellow line), low across the chest position of the arms (blue line),  the spine angle straightened from where it started at address in the original postural angle (green line). From this position the club will work outwards, the arms will move out first and then try to get inside and shallow on the way down. The classic “over the top/ outside in move”.

A common denominator in good players is that they maintain this spine angle from the start (what we call ‘more over the ball’) , this creates more room to fit the arms coming down. Body angle stays over and the arms drop

When the spine angle changes on the backswing, the body will turn first, making the hands and arms move more out and steeper at the start of the downswing.

Again this swing fault can be due to physical limitations. These range from poor flexibility in  the thoracic spine, poor rotation range in the neck and poor range of motion in the shoulder joints to name a few.  To correct this, you will need to undertake a series of specific exercises targeting postural change and flexibility through the spine and motor pattern correction drills.

A "GolfNutter" tees off at Kingston Heath

Kingston Heath, one of Australia’s finest courses, recently played host to nearly 70 GolfNut subscribers in the first GolfNut Golf Day.

GolfNut, a golf deals website which mixes up access deals to top private clubs as well as value-based offers to public and hybrid golf courses, set up the Kingston Heath day as it’s inaugural offer back in late 2011.

“Kingston Heath has a deserved reputation for being the best course in the country,” explains GolfNut CEO Andrew Davies. “We wanted to kick off our business with something really special for GolfNutters – providing the chance to play a course they would not normally have access to was ideal, and Kingston Heath was the perfect host.”

Sixteen groups teed off for a shotgun start at 7.30am and the heat of the day was just starting to take its toll when everyone finished up for a well deserved drink and steak lunch in the Clubhouse. Winners were ‘Bill’ (names have been shortened to protect the innocent takers of sick days) in the Stableford competition with 41 points, and Graeme in the Callaway competition with a net 72.

One of the participants on the day (let’s just call him ‘Gary’) was enthusiastic about the chance to play Kingston Heath. “The day was extremely well run, and the friendly relaxed atmosphere created by both the staff at Kingston Heath, and the organisers from Golfnut, left a lasting impression on all who participated.”

GolfNut remain committed to smart deals for golf clubs and have developed a suite of products to give clubs some options in how they structure their offers on the GolfNut platform. The Kingston Heath Day was just the first step and Davies hopes the industry gets behind them as they widen their offering to golfers in coming months after the peak summer season.

ABOUT GOLFNUT

GolfNut gives golfers the chance to broaden their golfing experience and take advantage of great value golf, as well as providing access to private courses, by offering weekly deals sent straight to their email. It’s free to sign up and privacy and security is guaranteed. GolfNut is Australian-owned and run by golf industry people.

See www.golfnut.com.au or www.facebook.com/golfnutters for more details.

PGA Professional Ray Wilson was among those honoured by the Governor General on the Australia Day honour list, awarded the Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia last week.

Wilson, the Club Professional at Strathfield Golf Club since 1961, was recognised for his ‘service to the sport of golf and to the community through a range of charitable organisations.’

A significant contributor to his local Rotary Club, Wilson has regularly been involved with youth and fundraising initiatives through Strathfield Golf Club and other community programs.

Wilson served on Strathfield City Council from 1983 to 1991, during which time he also took on the role of Deputy Mayor in 1988.

In 2009 Wilson was named Citizen of the Year by the Strathfield Municipal Council, while only last year he was recognised by his fellow PGA Members with an achievement award as part of the PGA of Australia’s Centenary awards program.

Brian Thorburn, CEO of the PGA of Australia, said Wilson’s latest award is just recognition of a distinguished career spent giving to others.

“To be recognised in the Australia Day Honours List is one of the highest acknowledgments for any individual and I sincerely congratulate Ray on behalf of the PGA and all our Members,” said Thorburn.

“Ray’s contribution to the local community through golf and otherwise is truly commendable, and we are extremely proud to have an already highly respected PGA Professional honoured in such a way.”

PGA Chairman and fellow Professional Mark Gibson added to Thorburn’s sentiments;

“A person like Ray Wilson does a lot more than just teach golf.  He is a mentor to a lot of young people, he has kick started many people’s lifetime enjoyment of the challenging game of golf- a game that has tremendous health, economic and social benefits to the entire Australian community.”

“The selfless giving by people like Ray is the fabric of Australian society.”

The full list of Australia Day honourees can be found at www.gg.gov.au

Article source: Golf Industry Central

• Top 100 driving Barnes for QLD PGA
  As the highest ranked player in the upcoming Queensland PGA Championship field, former Champion Kurt Barnes says 2012 is his year.
• Snedeker wins in playoff
  American Brandt Snedeker won the Farmers Insurance Open on Sunday after a dramatic playoff in California.
• Ray Wilson awarded OAM
  PGA Professional Ray Wilson was among those honoured by the Governor General on the Australia Day honour list, awarded the Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia last week.
• Harwood finds lead at the TAS Senior Open
  Victorian Michael Harwood, has found familiar territory jumping to an early lead after a fine round of six under par 65.
• Rock upstages Tiger, Rory
  Robert Rock held off Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods on Sunday to pull off a sensational win at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championships.
• Stanley set for Farmers glory
  American Kyle Stanley will begin the final day of the Farmers Insurance Open in California with a whopping five-shot lead.
• Woods, Rock share Abu Dhabi lead
  Former world number one Tiger Woods moved to the top of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship leaderboard on Saturday, tied with Robert Rock.
• Stanley leads Farmers Open
  American Kyle Stanley leads the Farmers Insurance Open by one shot after Friday’s second round.
• Olesen leads, Tiger lurks
  Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen holds a one-stroke lead at the halfway point of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship after Friday’s play.
• 2012 Rich River Title Up For Grabs
  The 2012 Rich River Classic commences on Tuesday 31st January at the Rich River Resort on the Murray River in Moama, New South Wales.

While the USGA’s new rules for 2012 generated a lot of headlines regarding situations like the wind affecting the ball, raking bunkers, etc., one new rule was almost lost in the fray, and affects anyone who uses iPhones or other smartphones with GPS programs.

At the heart of the matter is the fact that smartphones like the iPhone have applications (Apps) built in to the phones that could give golfers information on weather, slope and even compass bearings.

While the USGA and the R&A have, over the years, permitted the use of electronic devices for distance-measuring only (under local rule), the rise of smartphones forced the associations to make clarifications to the rules. In 2009, they stated that it was permissible to use a smartphone with a weather/compass/etc., app installed, as long as you didn’t actually use the apps.

Now, according to the new 2012 rules, simply having an offending app on your phone is cause for disqualification if you use your phone’s golf app during a round.

The rule in question (14-3) reads:

“A multi-functional device, such as a smartphone or PDA, may be used as a distance measuring device provided it contains a distance measuring application that meets all of the above limitations (i.e., it must measure distance only). 
In addition, when the distance measuring application is being used, there must be no other features or applications installed on the device that, if used, would be in breach of the Rules, whether or not they are actually used.”

In a letter to one of our readers, Paul Swan (who alerted us to this story), the R&A stated:

A compass can aid a player in determining the direction of the wind (For example, if a player is in a sheltered spot on the fairway.)   If the player knows from an earlier forecast that the wind is coming out of north east, but can’t feel it and because the flag is not moving in a way to make it obvious, a compass would, in theory, assist the player in determining the wind’s direction.

So why not just remove the offending apps from the phone, you may be thinking.

It’s not that simple. In fact, it’s impossible for some phones. Apple, for example, has hard-coded the weather app into the phone’s operating system. Same thing with the built-in web browser (which would allow users to look up any weather/wind information on the internet.)

That all said, it’s still ok to have a smartphone in your bag — i.e. to use it as an actual telephone. (Unfortunately, that is the one thing my smartphone isn’t that good at!)

Maybe golf’s ultimate wannabe heavyweight, that ubiquitous and annoying social climber named Trump, can co-opt the rights, since selling the product is at the core of this proposal and he’s got deep pockets.

After all, the way things are headed, those hoping to claw their way into the PGA Tour starting next year first must serve a full season as an “apprentice” on the tour’s developmental circuit.

Click here for full golf story and golf news source  PGA Tour proposes killing Q-school, big changes to developmental tour

Article source: Golf Industry Central

A $6 million redevelopment is taking shape at the Mildura Golf Club.

The project will redesign the layout of three holes of the golf course, allow a 100 housing block subdivision and the development of a new resort.

General manager Marcus Guthrie says the new holes are almost finished and the entire development is planned to be done over three years.

Click here for full golf story and golf news source Mildura Golf club revamp in full swing

Article source: Golf Industry Central

Just a little over a year since the devastating 2011 floods hit Queensland, golf courses in Brisbane and further south on the Gold Coast have copped a lashing from Mother Nature this week. After a dry start to 2012, more than 80mm fell at the start of last week with a further 250mm falling in parts of south east Queensland in the past 36 hours.

Click here for full golf story and golf news source Brisbane GC evacuates pumps, shed as rains hit

Article source: Golf Industry Central

The 59th PGA Merchandise Show Week is steeped in tradition but overflowing with innovation. All of golf’s top influencers and market leaders are in one place, plus more than 200 companies new to the Show. Product presentations from nearly 1,000 leading golf companies and brands to comparison shop and bring back the best merchandise assortment for golf-savvy consumers.

Note: Inside Golf will be at the PGA Show this week, and will bring you a full report of the latest gear!

Click here for full golf story and golf news source 2012 PGA Merchandise Show

Article source: Golf Industry Central

• Wilson wins Humana title
  Mark Wilson’s three-under-par 69 was enough to hold off Johnson Wagner and win the Humana Challenge by two shots in La Quinta.
• Meriton Sydney Invitational
  Entries are open for amateurs and professionals for the upcoming Meriton Sydney Invitational.
• Harwood dominates Oatlands NSW Legends
  Michael Harwood has continued his outstanding form on the Australasian Legends Tour winning the Bing Lee/Samsung NSW Legends Championship at Oatlands Golf Club
• GOLF Link Mates FREE 14 day trial!
  The new GOLF Link Mates website includes loads of great new features. Join now or sign up for a 14 day FREE trial!
• Grace goes back-to-back
  Branden Grace’s dream run of form continued on Sunday as the 23-year-old took out the Volvo Golf Champions event in George, South Africa.
• Colsaerts back up on top
  Nicolas Colsaerts’ fluctuating form continued at the Volvo Golf Champions, with the Belgian taking a share of the lead after three rounds.
• Grace shoots into lead
  Local Branden Grace has a four-shot lead at the halfway point of the Volvo Golf Champions tournament in South Africa.
• O’Malley and Stolz headline Vic PGA
  The Adroit Insurance Group Victorian PGA Championship is starting to take shape with Peter O’Malley and Andre Stolz joining the field at Forest Resort Creswick from 13 – 19 February.
• Toms, Villegas lead Humana Challenge
  Camilo Villegas and David Toms share the lead at the Humana Challenge after both carding nine-under-par opening rounds of 63 on Thursday.
• Colsaerts on fire at Volvo
  Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts carded a course-record 64 to take a four-shot lead after the first round of the Volvo Golf Champions on Thursday.

(Photo courtesy of Lynn Hague)

While people all over the world are celebrating the arrival of 2012 (and potentially paying the price the following morning!), the team here at Inside Golf are preparing to make 2012 a year-long celebration. And this year, the focus is on YOU.

Inside Golf is opening our pages to you, our loyal and passionate readers.   We’re rewriting the book (so to speak) on what goes inside a golf magazine. And you are calling the shots! From reader-submitted course write-ups, to equipment reviews, to golf course photography and even fictional stories, poems, jokes and more, we’re setting aside space in every issue for your interesting and fun content. In essence, we’re making Inside Golf YOUR magazine!

Best of all, we’ll be offering great prizes along the way. So warm up your keyboards, and get writing.

A few points to consider:

• Shorter is better. While we love to read your amazing stories and course reviews, our pages in Inside Golf are limited for space. So please keep your submissions short and sweet. If you simply MUST go long, then please keep it all under 600 words (maximum)
• Proofread: Try reading your story out loud. Does it still make sense? Also, if you find that you have trouble catching your breath, then you likely need to break up the really long sentences into shorter ones.
• Photos: We are happy to accept your photos. For them to be printed, however, they need to be print-quality (i.e. high-resolution Jpg file — straight from the camera). We unfortunately cannot print photos that are copied/pasted inside Microsoft Word, or Powerpoint, etc. (Trust us, they look HORRIBLE in print). Also, we cannot reprint copyrighted photos from other sources.
• Keep it PG-Rated: Remember that Inside Golf is a national publication, and is read by golfers of all ages – from the 8-year-old junior to the 100+ year-old veteran. So keep your stories lighthearted and family-friendly.

Simply email your submissions to ed@insidegolf.com.au. It’s that simple.

This year, we’re also launching the 2012 Inside Golf Readers’ Choice Awards, celebrating Australia’s favourite golf courses, the most exciting equipment, the best instructors/teachers and more.  Stay tuned for news on how you can nominate your favourites in the industry.

Our 2012 Reader Survey is also coming soon. This will give you the chance to tell us what you want to see in Inside Golf. Our goal has always been to offer a balanced mix of golf content –and we aim to publish a little something for everyone. But we want you to tell us what you want more of (or even less of).  The sky is the limit. Again, stay tuned!

Finally, I’d just like to say a simple “Thanks” to all of you for your wonderful support, and for helping to make Inside Golf Australia’s most read golf magazine.  We know that you love your golf as much as we do, and the fact that you’ve named our magazine as the best in the country helps validate all the hard work we put into every issue.  Thanks for that.

Happy New Year, and we’ll see you on the fairways!