Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 12 April 2016
“There are three kinds of lies,” said Mark Twain. “Lies, damned lies, and statistics.” The sentiment was echoed by another of the world’s great thinkers, Homer J. Simpson: Unfortunately, I’d wager that well over forfty per cent of people don’t realise that traditional golf statistics are at best useless and, at worst, downright harmful. Allow me to explain. Putts per round “I putted terribly today.
Written by Staff writer, Today's Golfer on Monday 4 April 2016
Every birdie or better that Lee Westwood and Louis Oosthuizen make during this year’s four majors will earn kids clubs thanks to UPS. #bags4birdies is designed to support golf’s future talent, giving them the kit they need to succeed on the course. Ping will partner with UPS in this initiative, developing PING Moxie G junior clubs and other golf gear for the...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 31 March 2016
One of the many unique things about Bubba Watson is that he says he’s never had a golf lesson. Whether that’s strictly true – Bubba played college golf, which normally involves regular coaching – is a debate for another time. What’s interesting is that the rest of the world’s best players have golf lessons all the time. These are the most naturally...
Written by Michael Catling on Tuesday 29 March 2016
First Luke Donald dabbled in the world of fine wines. Now the former world number one has opened his first-ever golf course in Asia. Ba Na Hills Golf Club, which was designed in collaboration with IMG, officially opened on Good Friday and completes a grand slam of designer courses in Vietnam which have been built in the last seven years. The...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 29 March 2016
We’ve found ourselves talking about golf-related robots an awful lot lately. First, there was the RoboGolfPro, which you hold onto while it makes the perfect swing, allowing you to copy the movements of whichever top pro you choose. And then there was the robot called Eldrick that made a hole-in-one to the delight of thousands of watching spectators during the...
Written by Rob McGarr on Saturday 26 March 2016
Golf balls are having a pretty tough time of it lately. Only recently they were being fired at the sharp edge of an axe, and now one with a smiley face is being subjected to torture by a welding torch. This time the torment was being adminstered by YouTube channel ‘LET’S MELT THIS‘, which, as the name would suggest, specialises in...
Written by Rob McGarr on Saturday 26 March 2016
It’s a golfer’s worst nightmare. You lose a ball, reach into your bag for another, and realise that you’re down to your last. Running out of balls – be it due to losing a hatful or simply not having enough in your bag at the start – is about as embarrassing as it gets. But what are the repurcussions if you’re...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 24 March 2016
Slow motion video has been a fantastic addition to golf. It enables us to analyse swings in frame-by-frame steps, revel at the explosive power as the world’s best players make impact, and wince as balls virtually disappear before lipping out, dimple by dimple. It also allows us to witness the answer to that immortal question: what happens when you hit a...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 23 March 2016
How do you choose what golf ball you use? For most amateurs, the answer is: “I don’t. I use whatever I find.” It’s often said as a statement of pride. “I haven’t bought a ball in three years. I just find them and use them.” It’s understandable. Golf balls can be expensive, and most of us are looking ways to make the game...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 21 March 2016
Should golf be compulsory in schools? That might sound like a strange question, but consider this: 1. Many people agree that golf is a good sport for all people, but especially youngsters, to be involved in. Among the many benefits of golf, it teaches self-discipline, instills fair play, helps with mental arithmetic and can be a useful tool in career progression. 2.
Friday 18 March 2016
Fantasy Golf is back for a sixth season and it promises to be bigger and better than ever. Thousands of you signed up last year, with Shane Mills claiming top spot. Here’s what you could be in with a chance of winning this year! Terms & Conditions apply. La Manga Holiday – 4 nights, three rounds Win a four-night break* for...
Written by Rob McGarr on Friday 18 March 2016
It seems barely a week goes by without sport being dragged into the mire of another cheating scandal. Thankfully, golf tends to be largely immune from the issues facing tennis, athletics, cycling and football at the moment, but it’s still nice to have moments that reassert golf’s position as arguably the most honest sport going. The latest involves seven-year-old Yago Horno...
Thursday 17 March 2016
It’s massive! Our new issue is so thick, it stands up on its own – and comes with a free 2016 R&A Rules Book What Gear 2016 Your guide to more than 300 new clubs on sale this year. Beat your slice for good It’s the ultimate slice guide – why it happens, key moves to sort it and reader swing flaws...
Wednesday 9 March 2016
Fantasy Golf is back for a sixth season and it promises to be bigger and better than ever. Thousands of you signed up last year, with Shane Mills claiming top spot and a holiday to La Manga Club in Spain. This year, we’ve revamped the rules and have some bumper prizes, including trips to Majorca, Sicily, Belek and La Manga. To...
Monday 7 March 2016
Adam Scott is the hottest player on the planet right now after bagging the WGC Cadillac Championship last night for his second win in as many weeks. The win will lift the Aussie from No.9 to No.6 in the world and makes him the favourite to win a second green jacket at Augusta National next month. “I’ve used my experience to my...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 3 March 2016
Bunking off school always seems like a great idea, but the reality rarely lives up to the expectation. You spend the whole day on edge, worrying that your teacher is going to realise that the note you wrote from your mum has suspiciously similar grammatical errors to your homework, or that when your dad innocently asks how your day went...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 2 March 2016
That might seem like a silly question, but it’s exactly the question being asked by the Laureus World Sports Awards, for which the nominations have just been announced. The annual awards ceremony honours remarkable individuals and teams from the world of sport, along with celebrating the greatest sporting achievements of the last year. This year’s shortlist for the Laureus World Sportsman of...
Written by Denis Pugh, PGA Master professional and coach to Francesco Molinari and Ross Fisher on Wednesday 2 March 2016
Views on how the golf swing works are like stories about near holes-in-one – everyone has one, and no-one really wants to listen to anyone else’s. When the PGA manual was being reviewed in 2001, I was invited to sit on the coaching committee. We all did our best to come up with a ‘common acceptance’, but the differing personal beliefs...
Written by Today's Golfer on Wednesday 2 March 2016
They entertain millions on the TV and radio. They have won Champions League and Premier League titles. They have sold out worldwide tours. They have millions of followers on Twitter. But when they get on the golf course, some of Britain’s most famous celebrities still have a lot to learn. We asked TG Top 50 coach Adrian Bishop to cast his...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 1 March 2016
If there’s one thing we’d all like to do, it’s improve our handicap. Golf is the only sport where a single number tells the world how good – or bad – you are. It’s a question of pride. It doesn’t matter what car you’ve got waiting in the club car park, how expensive your clothes are, or how new your...