Dunlop 65

The Dunlop 65 was the golf ball for 50 years. It notched up more wins than any other golf ball - todays top rated titleist pro v1 still hasnt surpassed its record.
Scottish inventor John Boyd Dunlops rubber company started making balls in 1908, but it wasnt until they used the 1912 lattice pattern patent of one of its employees, Albert Penfold, in the 1930os that the 65's reign began. The ball adopted its legendary number to celebrate Henry Cottons record breaking 65 during the 1934 Open at Royal St Georges.
It was first known as the Maxfli 65 before changing to the Dunlop 65. The original British ball had a diametre of just 1.62in, compared to the 1.68in American one.
We eventually followed the American lead and the smaller ball was outlawed by the R&A in 1988- the nail in the coffin of the Dunlop 65.

Southport & Ainsdale Merseyside Par 71, 6,399

Living in the shadow of Royal Birkdale might give some clubs an inferioriority complex. But when you've held two Ryder Cups and have a brilliantly quirky course designed by the legendary James Briad thats just not going to happen. It might not be long by modern standards - a mere 6,700 off the backs, just over 6,300 off the daily tees - but Southport & Ainsdale is unquestionable one of the most challenging courses in the area. Infact, with many semi blind holes that dip and dive through the dunes, all the while flanked by tangly rough and dense heather, big hitting can easily get you in trouble. Like another top links layout - Royal Lytham S&A opens with a par3. Its a 180 yarder and the green is surrounded by nine cavernous pot bunkers. You'll be happy to open your account with a par. The course is always in good nick and being less than half the price of its near neighbour, its a definate must play!

Mizuno MP-T wedges - Black Nickel - 53º & 58º
These wedges are quite simply brilliant! They have a nice and weighty controlled feel to them and make it easy to get the ball up over any greenside obstacle and stop more or less where you want it. They're not the most forgiving of clubs, but with practice and a nice mid paced controlled swing i can't think of any club i'd rather have when trying to chip over a bunker onto the green. With the amount of spin generated of the milled face, they make my short game so much more fun, and accurate!
Good, solid, fun clubs - and beautifully crafted...

The Hampshire Golf Club

At the beginning of December i had a bit of a mental break down and was written of sick from work, the doctor advised that i take soem time out and that exercise would be good for my mentla health, i used to play golf alot back in the late eighties but had not found the time since so packed up the game, i now had the time and dusted of my old clubs and set of in seach of my nearest and cheapest golf club, this justed happend to be The Hampshire golf club, which offer winter rates monday and Wednesdays 18 holes for £15, the staff in the pro shop we frendly told me wher all the facilities were and what the local rules were, the site currenlty has a driveing range a 9 hole par 3 practice course and are building a new driving range which will be under cover.

The course itself is set in rolling chalk downs with young trees planted along the edge of the fairways still very small so the course is very forgiving which is godd for a novice like myself, there are a good selection of par 4 and 5's which would test the best of golfers and some nice short par 3s, the views from the top of the golf course are worth the visit and the club house food and staff are great.

Overall its a great club and well worth a vist they have a good website www.thehampshiregolfclub.co.uk and i would ring in advace to get a good tee time, i have pled this morning in the freezing conditions with other golfers and the course was still in good condition, they have several mebership offers on and good deals in the pro shop.

I will be looking forward to my next visit and recovery to good mental health, and maybe in the near future i will treat myself to some new clubs.

CUCKFIELD GOLF CENTRE, West Sussex.

As a relative newcomer to golf it has been fun reading reviews of the many great golf courses we have in the UK. Someday I hope to have the game, the courage, and the opportunity to play some of them. But for now I have a lot more practicing to do and I want to recommend Cuckfield as an ideal place for any golfing newbies.

This is a nine hole course in the Sussex countryside and I challenge anyone to find a better place for a novice to learn to enjoy golf. A warm and relaxed atmosphere is prevalent in the pro shop/ bar/ café and indeed out on the course where you will find polite and friendly golfers of both genders and all ages.

Naturally with people learning the ropes the pace of play will not be brisk. But I find this easier to deal with when it is not down to poor etiquette but just temporary incompetence! Besides, the views across the hills is terrific and any delay just helps me to practice switching off and then refocusing when it is my turn to play. This is something I am told that every golfer needs to master.

Cuckfield is a treat for beginners but dont think it is somehow inferior. There are proper tees, greens and fairways and, whilst not overly penal, it has bunkers, rough, plenty of slopes and OOB to contend with. It merely plays shorter and easier than other fine but tougher courses in this area. As a guideline, a friend who has a 10 handicap went round in +1 for the nine holes.

In my opinion the best holes are 1, 3, 8 and 9. After driving downhill off the first tee a tree in the fairway needs to be negotiated if you are to make progress back uphill on this par 5.
Number three is a sharp dogleg where a better player may well carry the copse of trees and get within a very short flick to the green.
Eight is a nice par 3 from an elevated tee (shouldnt all par 3s have elevated tees? I cant think of anything worse than making an ace but not being able to witness it from the tee). The putting surface slopes from left to right so the objective is to aim high and have the ball feed down towards the flagstick.
The finishing hole is a par 5 played uphill. I am told that the fairway is fairly generous and that the well placed bunkers can be used as sight lines to aid club selection and course management. Yeah right, for a 10 handicapper maybe! He certainly hit two very nice opening shots and then lobbed a wedge over the bunker and onto the raised green for a finishing birdie.

I should also mention that each hole is nicely separated from the others so it is extremely rare that players on another fairway will interfere with your progress. Also there are alternative tees if you wish to go around again and these do make enough difference to change the nature of the holes.

Highcliffe Castle Golf Club, Dorset - Review.

Do you like your golf courses long and hilly requiring 4/5 hours per round? Where length is everything and accuracy takes second place to power? Where the rough has to be penal if it is to be proper rough?

Well, in such case, Highcliffe Castle G.C. is not for you. It is a level, 18 hole parkland course of 4783 yards off the back tees with a par of 64.

However, you need to be accurate with your tee shots if you want to find the fairway and avoid the trees and bushes. There are no water hazards but the small greens are well protected with bunkers and surrounding banks.

There are eight par 3's on the course but two of these are over 240 yards and a five is always beckoning. Stray from the fairway and it is easy to run-up a double bogey on any of the holes.

Located on the Hampshire/Dorset border, Highcliffe Castle G.C. is between the New Forest and Christchurch with Bournemouth four miles away. The clubhouse has recently been extended and modernised but retains it's friendly and wlcoming atmosphere.

The course is best played during the summer months as temporary greens are sometimes used in winter. An excellent head greenkeeper and his staff do work hard though throughout the year to keep
the course in first class condition.

Highcliffe Castle Golf Club is a members' club founded in 1913 in the grounds of the adjoining Highcliffe Castle - which is not actually a castle but an attractive old house being restored by English Heritage and the local council. The house and grounds are open to the public and offer splendid views across The Solent to The Needles and the Isle of Wight.

I would certainly recommend Highcliffe Castle G.C. as worthy of consideration if you are looking for a reasonable test of golf and course management in attractive surroundings - although, be warned. Many a young tiger has come to demonstrate his prowess and gone home a rather chastened individual!

Norman Maton

The Ramside Hall & Country Club

The Ramside course comprises of three loops of nine holes - the princes, bishops and cathedral courses. Each loop has its own individual features, but all blend well with each other, and alows different courses of the day.
The course is maturing well, and the young tree copses, protected in the first years by blue stakes, are now growing well, particulary in the more sheltered areas. With a vibrant membership, and as an increasingly popular Corporate venue, Ramside is rapidly becoming known as one of the north east's top courses.
Its a fair course, which was designed to allow the good golfer to make thinking shots with options to take score - reducing risks, while the high handicapper will not be demoralised as there are playable alternative on most holes. There are large areas of mature woodland around the course, and when all the copses reach maturity and indeed as they come into play with the removal of the blue stakes, the course will really show its mettle. Add in the fourteen lakes and some maliciously placed bunkers, and you'll have played a course that will long remain in the memory.

'A hint of Harry Colt gives an air of venerability unique in such a young course'
Golf Monthly, July 1998

Lubker Golf Resort, Denmark
The Best New Course In The World, as rated by Golf Magazine. Beating out the Castle course in St. Andrews. This Robert Trent Jones jr. creation 1/2 hours drive from Denmarks second city Aarhus, certainly lives up to the hype. 27 holes of great golf awaits the visitor. Built on sandy soil with lots of waste bunkering the conditioning is what sets it apart. Fantastic turf quality worthy of the European tour from the opening day. The course looks like it's been there always even though it just opened in Sept. 2008. It's a great mix of strategic and penal design with a lot of risk reward holes. There are some forced carries that might trouble the higher handicapper/shorter hitter and the course generally favours the longer hitter but you certainly need your putter going as the greens are not only very fast and smooth but also quite undulating. With a number of run off areas around the greens your short game is also challenged and the diffrent kind of bunkers around the greens also heightens the challenge. Every part of your game and every club is tested on this true gem of a course. As a little appetizer i can say that the 9th hole on the Sand nine requires a carry of around 200 yards from the regular tees just to carry the water hazard. Come to Denmark and enjoy this masterpiece before it's overrun.

Throughout the month every review was extremely interesting, well thought out and generally well compiled. Thanks to the person or persons who were responsible for it's inauguration. Nothing more to say other than good luck to all entrants and happy golfing in 2009 to everyone, especially the staff of Golf Monthly, may your circulation continue to increase.

Titleist Scotty Cameron RED X

Having used the same putter for over 25 years, I have recently invested in a new one, the RED X.
Over the last 10 years the options available in putters is vast. As 50% of the game is on the greens its important to have a putter you get on with. You will find many putters that will do the job, but it could take you time before the right one is found. Look no further.......try the RED X first....It will give your confidence a boost - and that, after all, is what putting is all about.

The RED X is well balanced, and the ball comes off the face with a nice roll. Yes the price is high at about £150, but for a club you will keep in the bag for years, it's worth it and you will get your money back by winning the £5 every Sunday. Go to your local pro shop and try before you buy, but I am sure you will agree the putter is great and makes the game just a little bit easier. Remember, you get what you pay for and this club is quality.

Sky Caddie SG2.5
I did a lot of research before purchasing a Sky Caddie or another GPS product. I have had my Sky Caddie for 8 months. The 2.5 had everything I needed and the low price fitted my needs. It is simply excellent. There are extras that can be bought to enhance it like a case, a carrier for your trolley and even filters to protect the screen.

The first time I used it I played at my home club and shot level par off the yelow tees which is very rare for me but since having the Caddie it has become the norm and already I have taken 2 strokes off my handicap and for the first time I have become a single figure player which has really boosted me and as such I have now taken up lessons and a desire to go even lower this coming season. I tend to find that my shots are more or less pin high if not a little wayward at times but the distance is there so I know that I'm now getting that part right, and my confidence is growing with every game due to the Sky Caddie.

I would say that the Sky Caddie really comes into it's own when you visit another course that you are not familiar with as you can easily plan your way around the course with ease, although it can't improve your swing it really can improve your course management and help to lower those scores. I persuade my 19 H/cap friend to purchase one and although his h/cap has yet to come down his course management has increased and his confidence has increased too and I believe that it is only a matter of time that his h/cap will come down due to Sky Caddie.

Now that these distance measuring devices are being allowed into club competitions this can only be a good thing for the club monthly medal as this will surely help to speed up the play.

There are of course varius other versions from Sky Caddie available with the SG5 having all the bells and whistles on but to be honest the SG2.5 does all that you need.

Happy New Year & Happy Golfing
Regards
Dale

Nike SQ Sumo 5000

I got this driver on sale for a really good price and just thought i'd give it a quick go and then go back to my titleist 907 D2. But it's still in my bag for the following reasons.

1. Forgiveness, the drives that sliced and hooked with the titleist now only turn into manageable fades and draws. It's still workable but you can put an agressive swing on it, confident that it'll keep the ball in the fairway.

2. Deep face design means that I can tee the ball higher and get a much more consistent flight. Nice and high without balloning. Before I tended to hit my share of low shots even though the titleist is 10.5 and the nike only 9.5 deg. It means that I get 10-15 yards more carry. And in the winter months that means more distance and at my course a greater chance of carrying bunkers.

3. Feel, with the Diamana 65g shaft it has a nice heft to it and backs that up with a nice meaty feel on impact. It does make a loud noise though, but it actually makes me swing more controlled.

4. Looks, This point can be devissive as many feel the large shape back to front and the two colored crown gives it a gimmicky look. For me it means that I tend to take the club away lower in a more one-piece takeaway instead of snatching it away, also helped by the slightly heavier weight mentioned earlier.

All in all I have improved my fairways hit percentage with better distance as well so it's a win-win deal. This is a briiliant driver for the price and i would recommend it to all handicap levels.

Taylor Made Tour Burner irons.

Got these in July and have been moderately pleased. The 4 to 7 are good but above these the soles are too wide and the sand iron appears almost unwieldy. Having said that , it works well! This might be a case of accepting help from the club designer rather than massaging an ego by carrying around clubs that look good but performs sporadically.

Gives the clubs a try, you might be doing yourself a favour.

Happy new year.

HIPPO VIPER COPPERHEAD BAG

My first impression of this bag was, "Wow! This thing is really light!" This bag is ultralight and ultra strong. One of the major pluses with this bag is the multitude of pockets that it has. This bag has everything from a small wallet/phone/valuables pocket, to an extra large waterproof pocket which literally holds EVERYTHING you could ever imagine needing on the course. I have packed this thing with eight sport drink bottles, and I still have extra room for other stuff I may want. This is a carry bag, and the shoulder straps are very comfortable. Get them adjusted properly and you will barely notice the bag as you're walking to your ball. This bag is truly amazing as to how they designed it, but it feels absolutely perfect. Not too big, not too small and carries everything I need. There is and eight way divider system in the club storage part so you can separate all of your carbon shaft woods, hybrids, and putter while the irons are left in one large section. The only downside to this bag is the colorway I bought it in. I really wish I had the red/black version, but alas 'tis just a bag. Overall this bag is worth the investment and will make you proud on the course!

CALLAWAY TECH SERIES GLOVE

Contrary to the Callaway Tour series glove, this glove is SUPERB!!! I immediately went back into the pro shop after buying the Tour series glove, and bought the tech series glove. This was definitely a good decision. I would wear these all day. These are so comfortable, and you barely notice it's there when you're playing. I wear these all over the place, from the driving range to the 18th hole. Another plus is that they're relatively cheap compared to other gloves. This glove, unlike the tour series glove, actually does mold to your hand and form a nice "glove-like" feel. For us golfers who are also footballers, the feel is just like kangaroo leather. It has decent water repellent properties and is very durable when you take care of it. On that same note, this isn't a glove that you can just chuck in your bag when you're done. Call me obsessive compulsive, but I wash this glove after every use to get the bit of my club grips that have worn off on the palm of this glove to keep it in tip top shape. This way the glove doesn't get crusty and allows it to keep its soft and supple leather feel. I would DEFINITELY buy this glove again. In fact, I even bought an extra so that I can have one for the range, and another for the course so that one single glove doesn't get too worn out. All in all, take good care of this glove and it will return the favor!

CALLAWAY TOUR SERIES GLOVE

When my old glove eventually died, I decided to go with the Callaway Tour Series glove. I had heard good reviews and many of the people I play with also use it. Initially I was impressed by the synthetic feel, but after putting it on, I can safely say that I hate it. I would never buy this glove again. Callaway advertises that it will stretch and conform to my hand. The glove never did. It was the right size according to the Callaway fitting chart, so no user error. This glove is by far the most uncomfortable glove on the planet. It compresses your fingers an unbelievable amount and movement is severely restricted, instead of increased like Callaway advertises. The only plus to this glove is the superior venting. This glove has more little holes and mesh-like fabrics to wick the sweat away than I have ever seen in any glove. Unfortunately, the uncomfortableness of the glove trumps the technology. Sorry Callaway, but stick to the good leather and the soft supple feel that it has.

Cleveland CG Gold Irons

These game improvement irons with Cleveland's gelback insert are a perfect fit for a player looking for a uniform ballflight with a moderate amount of forgiveness. The ballflight provided by these is high and straight with little, if any curve to it. Perfectly struck shots fly right in line with the target. However, I have found that it is hard to hit big draws and fades with these clubs, which is a negative for the lower handicap player.

Distancewise, these clubs are pretty average. Well struck shots fly about as far my previous irons, which were old and worn down. Mishits, however, lose a moderate amount of distance. Several times, I wound up thinking that I had a decent shot on or around the green, but my shot was actually well short and right.

When hit in the center of the clubface, the feel is soft and crisp. Mishits do not sting too badly, while thin shots do siting quite a bit.

These irons look pretty good, with a moderately thick topline and moderate offset. The offset decreases from the long irons to short irons. The yellow insert on the back may look flashy, but at adress the CG Golds look like any other game improvement irons. The long and mid irons have a good amount of offset, but at adress, short irons look almost like they are aimed right because there is so little offset.

On a scale of 10, for performance i would give these irons a 7, but at a low price i would give them an 8 for value. A perfect pickup for about a 14-18 handicapper, but don't expect anything special.

All Hail the Magical Mr Moore!!

Having recenly returned to golfing after an extended layoff, I was struggling to get to grips with a part of my game that used to be the best, puting. The touch and feel that used to invariably save my card in the past had deserted me and, try as I might, flatly refused to return. That was until the fateful day I wandered idly into the Direct Golf shop at Huddersfield (you know the score, in between meetings, got an hour to kill, think I'll take a 20 mile round trip detour and see what they've got in new!!) The first question on enetring the shop from the manager was "Hi, how's your golf going?, which obviously subjected the poor guy to a 15 minute drone from me bemoaning the loss of my former glory with the flat stick (bet he wished he'd never asked for days after). On hearing my tale of woe, he said "right then, let's see what we can find to fix you up!"

After measuring my grip and deciding that the 34" shaft was needed, I proceeded to try out a number of the massive range of putters on offer in the nicely secluded (and well stocked with a dozen or so different makes of balls, unlike some shops I've been into where you have to scratch around to find even one) practice green at the back of the shop.

Having tried all of the ususal suspects from the top makes, blades, mallets, 2 ball, and the like, I finally happened across the saviour of my card, the HOTBLADE, TAD MOORE HBM1003, and after a 15 minute courtship, bought it immediately!!

Milled from a solid block of alluminium, with a grooved face to get the ball rolling earlier rather then skidding off the face, this putter is absolutely superb. The head is nicely weighted and precision face ballanced, which means even off centre strikes still roll true and straight where you want them (I've deliberately hit shots right off the toe of this club and the ball still goes eactly where I want it to go!!) The grip is plain red and is superbly thick and tacky, and the underside of the head is a lovely shiny chrome plate which realy sets off the whole thing. As you look down on the head, there seems to be soooooo much metal behind the ball that it's difficuilt to imagine how you can miss with it, and despite the size, it's reasonably light! The feel off the face is suitably soft, with just the right amount of feedback to give me supreme confidence on every putt. The well padded head cover closes with a very satisfying clunk as the magnettic catch engages, and the red colouring and logo's on the cover look great in the bag.

Since aquiring the putter and getting it going in anger on my local courses, I have immediately begun to regain my form on the greens, have taken 9 shots off my average score, and am now looking forward to getting my handicap back at a reasonable level in the summer (should we ever get one)

Overall I can fully recommend the TAD MOORE HBM1003 to anyone looking to invest in an new putter, and to say it cost only £55, compared to some makes ridiculously inflated prices, I would consider it my bargain of the year, and I can't see me changing it for quite some time.

So, All hail the magical Mr Moore for creating a thing of beauty and quality, which has saved one more poor golfing nut from a lifetime of "what if's" and "if only's" (at least on the greens, if nowhere else!!)

IZOD GOLF POLO

I'll keep this short and sweet. I wear this shirt every time I play, and for good reason. Aside from the brilliant colorway, its the perfect performance polo. The moisture wicking properties are amazing, the overall feel is great, its soft as a baby's ***, and moves with my body perfectly. I have a few other polos I can wear, but I routinely choose this one as my primary golf polo shirt. Go and get em!

HIPPO HEX2 PUTTER

To sum up the Hippo Hex2 lineup, this review will be about their latest Hex2 Putter. Once you get past the initial feelings of "what the bloody hell is this?" you'll love it. This putter looks like some sort of battle mace or club. The looks are devastating, and the performance sure doesn't fall short.

The shaft is a little shorter than some of the other putters I have used but the feel is exceptional. The balance is perfect, and the face is very soft feeling when you strike the ball. Instead of the instant reaction that some putters give you, this one feels like the ball pops off the face and is more controlled. I love the way that it is almost effortless to hit the ball exactly the same way every time. This is due to the perfect balance of the club, and the unique shape of the grip. The grip is "D" shaped which allows for the hands to be more comfortable than a regular cylinder shape. I had the chance to use this against the Nike and Taylormade putters of similar design and this one definitely won. The feel is in a class of its own, and the overall menacing design compliments it perfectly.

All in all, if you don't have this club, you're missing out!

RED HAWK GOLF COURSE ==== SPARKS, NEVADA, USA

The Resort at Red Hawk in Sparks, Nevada features two amazing golf courses nestled in the hills in the outskirts of Reno. I had the chance to play in a foursome on the private Hills Course. For your convenience (and much to my happiness) they provide GPS screens that display the distance from the tee and to the hole, as well as the topography of every hole. This is a major plus when trying to choose which club to use.

The Layout:
If you don't use cart included in the fee, I hope you're an Olympic athlete. After the first two holes, its all uphill to the top of the hills, where you then proceed to play the other 16 holes as you make your way back down the mountain. The first two holes are relatively easy, save for the water hazard right in front of the tee box on the first hole and the nasty undulations in the rough on the second hole. After that, though, you are in for a crazy ride. The top of the hills are EXTREMELY windy and will carry your ball in every which way, so every shot MUST be a low draw. The fairways are long and relatively wide, so if you can keep the ball low, you'll be fine. The downhill also helps a lot when reaching for extra yardage to get that birdie. Another plus is the lack of bunkers in the fairways and next to the greens. To compensate for this, though, Hale Irwin has added thick hazards on either side which often consists of either boulders or waist high grass and reeds. The greens are relatively easy to land on and the pins aren't placed in nasty corners like some courses.

The Environment:
The air is extremely dry, and as a result so is the grass. The fairways bounce like crazy and your ball will usually carry an extra 40 yards. Don't get too excited, though, because the greens are super fast. A tiny putt will last you 20ft and a high-backspin chip will roll you right back to where you came from (not really, but you get the point). The Resort provides nice carts with lots of water and ice to keep you hydrated in the dry air. The scenery is spectacular and the overall experience is an amazing privilege to be able to play on this private course.

REDWOOD GOLF CENTER === Redmond, Washington, USA

The Redwood Golf Center is a driving range only. Don't let this description fool you, though. The rates are cheap (only a couple pounds for 84 balls) and the range is very nice. It is level, wide, and the distance markers go all the way to 250+ yards. Each booth has a field turf mat with markings on it to help guide your alignment and swing. Each booth also has interchangeable rubber tees to aid with everything from irons to your driver on a tee shot. They have also placed large buckets at about 50 yards to have a target for shooting your wedges. When it gets crowded, there is a second floor with an equal number of booths to shoot out of, so you're sure to get on if you need to. I highly recommend anyone to going to Redwood Golf Center to hit a bucket and get some practice time in when you're not on the course.

Maidenhead Golf Centre

It is the penultimate day of 2008 and it is very very cold but I am 42 years old and I am a golf addict and I need my fix. Fortunately Maidenhead Golf Centre is a short drive away and is ideally suited to meet my need to feel club on ball. If Old Trafford is the Theatre of Dreams then in golfing terms this range represents my Field of Desire.

One of the main features of Maidenhead Golf Centre is its location, situated on just off a dual carriageway on the outskirts of town. It is nicely tucked away, a hidden gem if you will, and as a result doesn't suffer like many other ranges from noisy youths trying to smash every ball out of site. It is used by golfers who are there purely to work on their game and is an oasis of tranqulity. It is a family concern, operated for many years by Mike and Rowena Upcott who treat visitors to a warm welcome and the clubhouse offers an informal elegance and a chance for a warming drink. The sofa's are comfortable and the coffee table is always well stocked with golfing magazines (including Golf Monthly naturally) it is sometimes an effort to tear yourself away from the chatter and warmth to go out and practice.

One of the reasons I like the range is the feeling of quality that exudes throughout that makes me feel that the effort I'm putting into improving my game on a cold Tuesday morning will reap its own reward. There are several bays for the hardy (well at this time of year anyway) that are located outside and the rest are fully covered and are heated to help the golfers keep warm during their practice session. Each bay is equipped with Impaktee range mats and the balls are top quality Srixon range balls in yellow which makes them easier to see particularly against the powerful range lights at night. There are numerous targets to aim at as well as a practice bunker and a number of further enhancements are planned in the coming few months to make practicing even more enjoyable.

Golf as we all know is a fickle sport and so for those who need an extra helping hand or the serious golfer looking for that extra edge there is a range of coaching on offer. Mike Upcott has been a teacher at Maidenhead Golf Centre for over twenty years and has built a fine reputation locally. The teaching has recently been enhanced by the arrival of N1 golf and Paul Harrison and Grant Sayer who along with Mike can cater from absolute beginners and juniors as well as the experienced golfer. The range also offers a membership scheme for £30 per year. Members benefit from extra balls per bucket at cheaper rates all of the time and an extra 20% discount during happy hour. They also get a discount on an initial assessment lesson and on golfing equipment.

I would recommend Maidenhead Golf Centre to anyone in the Berkshire area who is looking to improve their game at a range that is inviting, well run and well maintained. We may not be able to match the professionals but this Field of Desire does allow you to do just that. We all know that dreams can come true so come along and work on your game and maybe your 2009 Club Championship has your name on it.

Happy Golfing

Martin Bedborough

The Sunice Hurricane waterproof jacket.

People say that there is no such thing as a bad car anymore, it is merely a matter of whether you want to pay a bit extra for the added luxuries of say a Mercedes or Lexus. I would say that the same is true of waterproof gear now as they all do a good job of that basic requirement- keeping you dry. But at the start of the year I bought a Sunice jacket and am impressed by the extra little features that come with it.

The use of velcro on what they call Action Cuffs makes them quick and easy to adjust. I like to have a different tightness when using the putter compared to when swinging on the tee and fairway, and sometimes I like to have the sleeves pushed up onto my forearms. These cuffs allow for this comfortably.

The cuffs also have a fold in the fabric referred to as a rain channel that prevents water dripping from the sleeves onto your wrists and hands. It is simple and very effective.

One of the pockets has a divider within and one of these segments holds a flannel-like cloth for cleaning your ball or drying your hands. A clever little touch made even better by the popper arrangement that keeps me from losing it yet still detachable for washing. (Before their website was revamped the separate part of the pocket for the cloth was rather grandly described as a docking garage!)

I have noticed that this jacket is warmer than others I have owned. Great for most the year, but I do have to remember to have only one layer underneath in the summer.

Of course it goes without saying that the Hurricane is very comfortable to wear and to swing in. And the waterproofing has stood up to all 2008 could throw at it including around the shoulders- I always carry me bag making these potential problem areas for any jacket.

So it does what it says on the tin, it does it very well, and even the little luxuries are actually very practical. Nice one, Sunice.

Footjoy Dryjoy PODs.

If you are new to golf and are looking for shoes I would advise you to stay away from the cheaper shoes that are often described as "the most comfortable, soft and flexible shoe you can get".
Playing golf puts tremendous strains on your feet. You want a shoe with a relatively stiff sole to help increase stability to help you launch off your right foot during the swing, as well as well as one that provides good support mid foot.

Most cheap pairs of "waterproof" golf shoes will not keep your feet dry for long and can be uncomfortable if you play often. Therefore if you plan on playing lots of golf, then you simply have to invest in a decent pair of golf shoes.

I would recommend Footjoy Dryjoy PODs; they tick all the boxes in what to look for in a shoe: comfort, style, waterproofing, breath ability, traction and price.

They are extremely comfortable due to the EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) midsoles that provide lightweight cushioning underfoot. They are 100% waterproof whilst allowing your feet to breathe and are very durable. With better mid foot fit and arch support than any other shoe I have tried.

Footjoy have developed a new outsole featuring Stability PODs, these versatile flex points allow more of the shoe to maintain contact with the ground throughout the swing giving you more stability and control in all conditions.

One great touch is the MyJoys option on the Footjoy web site, this allows you through a variety of colours and personalised messages to design your shoes how you want them
.
At around £120 for the MyJoy version they may seem quite expensive, but the quality is supreme and they are built to last. My last pair of Dryjoys are over a year old and show no signs of ageing.
They are a must have for any serious golfer who values comfort and style and I know many golfers would agree with me.

One thing to bear in mind is that they seem to be on the large side size wise, I normally wear a size 8 but with these I was a 7.5, so I recommend you try before you buy.

Review - Bettinardi BC3 Putter

Having used only two putters over the last 13 years, I'm not a serial putter changer ! It has to be something that has "that bit extra" to make me change putter. I have previously used the Odyssey Dual Force Rossie and latterly the Odyssey original 2 ball putter to good effect. My prefference is for a mallet type putter, so when I saw the BC3 in the shop one day, I had to give it a whirl.

It is indeed a thing of beauty to look at, but looks dont hole putts ! The balance is just right for my liking. The face sits square at address no problem at all. There are no graphics on the top edge, the only marking being a line on the flange behind the putter face. Very minimalist, very clean and clear, just how I like it.

In use it is, so far, a thing of beauty. Easy to line up, good feel when the ball comes off the face and with enough weight in the head to be able to feel the putter move through the ball as you make the stroke. My ball of choice is a TaylorMade TP Red and this really compliments the milled face on this putter. You know when you have made a good stroke, you also get engough feedback to let you know when you haven't connected well !

A vey nice looking club with a very nice feel. I'm looking forward to lowering my putting stats with this piece of precission engineered putter. For me it does have "that bit extra" so it will be in the bag from now on.

Course Review ; Castlemartyr Links, East Cork, Ireland.

Every year I try to add a few new courses to my repetoire; maybe a couple from the top courses in Ireland and also one of the newly designed courses to get a feel for new trends in golf architecture.
Late in 2008 I had the pleasure of playing at Castlemartyr Links which is only open for play 12 months.

Situated on a rather compact 110 acres of East Cork farmland (formerly a boys Secondary school and training ground for Priests) it is designed in a 'LINKS' style by one of the great unsung heros in Golf Architecture Mr Ron Kirby. Ron, who is now based in the Sunshine State of Florida, was the principal Architect for Gary Player when Player was earning big bucks on the PGA Tour whilst still running a successful Golf Design Business on the side. Ron also served in a similar role for Jack Nicklaus while Jack was clocking up the majors. They and their wives became great friends since. Ron assisted Jack in designing courses all over the world, even as far as the Philipines for President Marcos (his wife had a bit of a shoe fetish). Since the early 1990's Ron has been designing in Ireland, adding Old Head, Scellig Bay and Dromoland Castle to his impressive CV.
Now as the course is 5 miles from the sea the purists will grumble .....'you cannot have a links without the smell of seaweed and the gusting offshore winds' .... 'this guy must have had too many whiskeys from the near by Jameson Distillery' ...however please bear with me. Ron, with the help of those excellent Bulldozer Shapers from SOL Golf Construction have reshaped the entire acerage to create rolling fairways of hard rich green ryr grass, flanked by wispy golden fescue grasses, protected by nests of pot bunkers, leading to green complexes with firm approaches and hidden features not seen until the player is upon them. Although in his mid seventies Ron is not afraid to utilise new technologies and has therefore used a new product in the greens base-mix 'PermO2Pore' for the first time in Europe . This is a laboratory tested granular material used instead of the more common peat additive in the green base layer composition. It provides a links style firmness with excellent root zone for durability and permeability. Great stuff for budding Agronomists.
Hole # 1is a gentle uphill introduction with many of the RK signature links characteristics coming into play.
The second is a real feast for the eyes from the Tee box. The Tee box itself is square format with a hardwearing fescue grass surface. A pleasure to tee it up on. The vista is a subtle rolling fairway of rich green rye, golden fescue grass appears on ridges either side peppered with young gorse plants burtsing with yellow flower. The firm green will hold a high flited 7 iron but the trickery is also evident as about 60% of the green is 'hidden' until you are upon it.
Hole #5 (par 3) requires a well struck 3 iron rescue to make it onto a 3 tier green. A 12th Century castle provides the backdrop here and reminds one o a byegone time when this area was a playground for the infamous Oliver Cromwell.
Hole # 10 a par 4 index 1 plays into the teeth of the previling SW wind. Again the green complex is full of RK trickery with a prominent ridge running through the middle to create numerous challanging pin positions on three levels.
Holes # 11 and #15 are dog leg par 5's. Three good digs required any day of the week.
Ron describes the Par 3 # 14 as 'one for the older ladies'. He is a sadist really as its 240yards long from the Tiger Tees and has fairway bunkers (must be the only Par 3 in the world with these!) to catch out the ladies who try to make it on with a three wood along the ground .
The 18th Par 4 plays its true index back towards the castle. If one is 50 yards short in two there is the option to putt through the firm ground approach.
Footnote; before leaving Casltemartyr make sure you stop for a few pints of the black stuff at Shortts Bar at the entrance to the golf club. It is owned by Pat Shortt a big celebirity in Ireland for comedy, TV and lately is a MOVIE STAR. You will not find a more genuine Irish pub with none of the modern fittings in sight ; its raw and beautiful. Local folklore (and Wikipedia) has it that the Rolling Stones stopped in here on the Cork leg of their Irish Tour in 1966. Mick Jagger & Keith Richards fell out of the place and went onto to be inspired to write one of their most famous tracks 'SATISFACTION' , as in I can't get no, no, no.

yours, with the greatest respect to RK
Andrew Scanlan

Chart Hills, Kent

Everything at Chart Hills is on a grand scale. You round a corner in the road approaching the course and the striking clubhouse springs into view. Then there's the massive - and full carpark. And then there are the bunkers; there is sand everywhere. The only thing, on first impression, that isn't particulary grand is the tiny sign leading to the course that Nick Faldo helped to build back in the early 1990's.
Britains greatest modern-day golfer and most recent Ryder Cup captain played a major part in the planning of Chart Hills. It was his first European course design and he took a very hands-on approach for the impressive project.
The course, which opened in 1993, sits near the wonderfully-named village of Sutton Vallance. Its the kind of quaint place that has won Britain's Best Kept Village contest for the past 14 years. The course is pretty too - in a seductive way, as it teases golfers into trying to thread tee shots through bunker infested fairways. But to be honest, many bunkers don't, or shouldnt, at least come into play. They are only there for aesthetic reasons.
From the offset, it wont be long before first time visitors are quietly asking themselves: 'what the heck is going on here?' And if you get as far as the 5th without any disasters, a snake is waiting to pounce! The Anaconda bunker is by far Britains biggest sand trap, slipping and sliding virtually all the way down the right hand side of the tricky par-5 before snaking across the fairway short of the green. There is more bunker bother at the short par-4 9th, leading up to the clubhouse. You fire uphill over two sets of sand traps, but its the new, vertical steep-walled greenside bunker that could really wreck havoc. Its deep, really deep, and if you end up near the front of this little demon you're in big trouble!
However, after the trials and tribulations of the front nine, the halfway house couldnt come soon enough. The sausage and onion sandwiches restored some much needed energy. Even the halfway hut is an impressive building, the splendid Norwegian-style log cabin is half hidden in a wooded copse but you wont want to miss it.
The tough bunkering continues on the back nine and comes to a head at the uphill, par-5 16th. Standing on the tee what you see ahead of you can only be described as a battery of cavernous bunkers. But its all a mirage. Your eyes are playing tricks with your mind,but its not until you're walking up the hilly fairway that you realise you have bags of room. The same applies to the most signature of all signature holes, the short-but-oh-so-sweet par-3 17th. Theres not a grain of sand in sight. No, instead of that powdery, yellow stuff ths one has water instead. Its a mere 120 yards to an island green so obviously there is very little to worry about.....
From the many elevated points, the course paints a glorious picture with the wispy, hay-like rough providing a splendid contrast to the lush green fairways and greens. The quality of a golf course is often judged on the standard of its greens and Chart Hills has a very impessive set of 'dancefloors'.
Chart Hills is no walk in the park, infact its a long way round (7,119 yards off the back tees) particulary on a hot summers day. But once safely in the splendour of the newly rebuilt clubhouse you can reflect on what a genuuinely good course Chart Hills is. And, after a well-earned, cool, refreshing pint you can sit back and gaze through the huge panoramic windows to spy on fellow golfers struggling with the devilishly difficult bunkers and greens.
The killer question so often asked about the quality of course is: "Would you go back?" I most definately will return, but I'd try not to leave it too long - so I dont forget where all the bunkers are!

Purley Downs Golf Club - Purley, Surrey

Situated on top of the North Downs, this undulating course is always well drained and never gets muddy.
The course is well kept with a welcoming club house. The are some stunning views from some parts of the course and Windsor Castle can allegedlly be seen from the 7th fairway, I think it was more visable when it caught fire. Green fees are always welcome through the week but please phone first.

The course seems a lot hillier than it really is as the first hole is a demanding Par 3, down hill, onto a large plateau green. The walk uphill , through the woods, to the 2nd tee is probably the steepest part of the course. The 2nd and 3rd holes are challenging par 4's followed by a shortish par 3 and a par 5 reachable in 2. The 6th is a difficult par 4 (index 1) followed by a dog-leg par 4. The 8th is an interesting par 3 (200 yards from the back tee) and the 9th a beatiful par 4.
The back nine starts off with a demanding par 4 followed by another beautiful par 4. The 12th is a par 5 that runs along the side of the East Grinstead Railway line with the fairway sloping from left to right. Back up hill with a fairly short par 4 which is followed by the dog-leg 14th (index 2). An interesting par 3 now beckons followed by a short par 4, reachable for the long hitters. The final 2 holes lead back to the club house and are both fairly demanding par 4's. The view from the 18th tee is of the club house which is always open for refreshments snacks of main meals. Hope to see you there you won't be disappointed.

Richard Grainger

Footjoy ReelFit golf shoes.

I have previously owned some very good golf shoes from a couple of the major brands, but these are my first Footjoys. They had quite a lot to live up to because as a long term reader of Golf Monthly I have seen all the adverts over the years and also heard many positives through word of mouth. So let me say straight away that they exceeded expectations.

Starting from the ground up, I had noticed that Reeffits do not have the mass of grip features that other shoes use to compliment cleats. But I need not have worried as they offer more than enough to keep my feet solidly planted throughout even on my wildest thrash at the ball.

The padding within the shoe, on the tongue and around the collar is excellent- and do not underestimate the importance of this. It is not just a case of feet not aching, it is having your feet feel fresh even on the thirty-sixth hole of a long day. The leather was supple from day one and appears to be hard wearing. They have also passed the waterproofing test we call the summer of 2008!

And so to the item that sets these shoes apart. The boa lacing system. Now I am someone who would re-tie my laces once or twice a round to ensure a snug fit. So firstly these do keep their tension far better than laces and secondly, if I do re-do them (probably more out of habit than need) it is a much more simple, clean and efficient operation than with laces. I have nothing against laces and I do not like technology for technology’s sake, so let me offer the following as a guideline to how good these are. If I were offered the exact same shoe in laces or Reelfit I would gladly pay 20 to 25 per cent more to have Reelfit.

I must say that I could happily have done without the purple and yellow on the sole of the shoe. If it had to be coloured then why not green to match the turf? But being on the sole it genrally remains discreet and does not spoil the classy look of the shoe where the raised rectangles do just enough to prevent them from looking old fashioned.

To date I would score these ten out of ten and as long as the waterproofing remains then I cannot see me changing my view of these.

Adams Insight XTD 3 Wood

I change my kit quite alot. Quite simply I am easily distracted by the promise of shiny new things and so it is unusual for a club to find a constant position in my bag. Some are sold, some are traded in and some hide in the cupboard until the replacement loses favour and an opportunity for the club to redeem itself is given. My Adams 3 wood is the exception to the rule.

Finding a 3 wood that I can hit off the tee and fairway has been an almighty and expensive quest for me. I have tried many but never found the correct combination. My Benross was good off the tee but not off the flat, my Taylormade Burner was the opposite. The Adams Insight, however, ticks both boxes. It is designed to be a cross between a 3 wood and a hybrid and the looks take a little getting used to. The stepped, square head started out as being distracting and it will never be attractive but I have got used to it. The secret, I feel, however, is in the shaft. This is shorter than the average 3 wood and it has given me control without loss of distance. At last I have a club that I feel at home with in all conditions. When hit sweetly it gives out a resounding 'ping' and fires the ball effortlessly down the fairway. For a club designed to be easy to hit, however, it does not give excess height and is ideal for use into the wind.

This has really become my 'go to club' on long par 3s on par 5s and when my tee shot needs more accuracy than distance.

I appreciate that Adams are not the most glamourous of brands and are flogged to death by a certain retailer but the Insight 3 wood really is an absolute beauty and a godsend to those who struggle with a fairway wood.

Menion should also go to the most ingenious of headcovers. The whole of the back is hinged and magnetised so as it easy to remove whilst being extremely protective. A minor point I know but if the amount of people who have pointed it out is anything to go by, a point worth mentioning.

If you are nervous of 3 woods and are just about to give up and move to hybrids, I recommend that you at least give one of these a go. It has changed my game and, to date, is the only club that I really would not change in my bag.

Review - Mizuno MP57 Irons

Having previously played Mizuno's MP30 Irons and found them to be a little less forgiving than I required on a bad day, I took the opportunity to try out the MP57s when they were unveiled early in 2008.

I had a fitting session and ended up with almost the same spec as my previous Mizuno Irons. The biggest difference was in the forgiveness of a not quite perfect shot. The lofts on the MP57s are possibly a little bit softer than the 30s. The ball does indeed fly a little higher, but it is flying a lot straighter. Thats just what I was looking for. The toe is a little higher than older model and this gives a bit of added confidence as does the slightly thicker top line. The sole, although wider than the MP30s is not a broad sole, it looks clean and sharp. All in all a very nice looking club. The cavity back is indeed a little more pronounced than other models, but it is not obvious whane looked at from the address position, unlike some of the chunkier cavity back clubs around

The Set chosen at the time of fitting was for 5-PW with Reg DG300 Shafts. I already had a MP Fli-Hi 3 & 4 Iron so was able to pick ans choose just what clubs I wanted to make up my set.

Having played with them for a season now, I can confirm that they are indeed more forgiving than Mizunos other offerings. Having played on Links Courses and parkland Courses, I have had no problems with the way they perform. Excellent clubs for someone needing that bit more confidence when using a 'better players club'

They are the usual Mizuno quality and finish and are an excellent club. The most impressive part of the excercise was the ability to pick and choose just how I wanted my set to be made up. ie MP Fli-Hi's and Standard Irons. I was able to take this option at no additional cost. Excellent customer service that will probably produce return business for Mizuno in the future.

Taylormade Core Classic Putters

For some time I had been of the opinion that my Benross Pure Red Putter was the perfect one for me. I had tried many, more expensive options but none came close. That was until Santa delivered this shiny new flat stick, and shiny is the first thing that springs to mind when looking at it. The head has a beautiful chrome finish to it that oozes quality. The face, on the other hand, is the usual Taylormade burnt red, though it also features some of the sharpest grooves I have seen on any club. The model that I am using is the Fontana, a fairly classically shaped mallet which has always been my preference in head shape.

Yesterday was its first proper outing and, after an initial adjustment period, results were spectacular. The adjustment period was necessary simply because the grooves start the ball rolling so much quicker than with my old putter. My standard strikes were sending the ball well past the hole and needed to be reeled in a bit to ensure accuracy. Once the changes had been made the putts just kept on going in. The simple allignment aid of 2 lines on the head were ample to ensure that the ball followed my chosen line whilst the grooves ensured that the ball rolled true even on slightly frozen greens. The insert was beautifully soft and eliminated any clicking sound that I find so distracting whilst the weight of the head helped to pull me hands through and ensure a clean stroke.

The other big selling point is the more than reasonable price. £80 for a club of this quality seems a bit of a steal and it comes in nearly £50 cheaper than alot of the competition. In this time of economic downturn, this lower price should help a few off the shelves.

Are there any downsides to the latest addition to the bag? In truth, not really. The only issue I have is that few places appear to stock anything other than a 35 inch shaft. This, however, is true of many brands and not just Taylormade. Ideally I would prefer something marginally shorter but if the relationship remains good then I am more than happy to have the adjustments made.

Overall, and even after one round, I can see that this is going to be a welcome addition to my bag. It remains accurate over both short and long putts and instills in me the sort of confidence that encourages you to go for the hole and not lag it up. For those looking for a new putter this year, this is well worth a try and excells in both looks and performance.

SAN JOSE COUNTRY CLUB === SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, USA

I recently had the chance to play at the San Jose country club in California and, I have to say, I am thoroughly impressed. The course is very, very different from hole to hole, and there is always something new to experience on each one.

The Layout:
Compared to the Willows Run Course, this was a more acceptable layout for me. There is only one water hazard in the entire course, but they even it out with a good number of bunkers and thick roughs. There are pine trees along every hole, but the course doubles and triples back on itself, so mishits aren't a problem because you can just play off the neighboring fairway. The fairways are long and dry which make for nice playing. The greens are usually a slight incline from the fairway surrounded by sand traps. The fairways on a few of the holes are a nasty dog leg that get you along the course, but both are significant drops, so using a driver and playing a fade will see you to the edge of the green in one!

The Environment:
This course is very, very dry. The greens are speedy and the fairways are just as bouncy and fast as you would expect. The only irritating part about the course is the numerous pine cones that litter the fairways and green. Make sure you get a tee time in the morning because the sun is deadly on the back nine. Another down is that the longest hole is right next to the driving range, and I spent a good 10 minutes combing the fairway until I found my ball among the mishits over the driving range fence.

Overall I really enjoyed playing this course and would definitely recommend it to anyone who can find someone to play it with, as you have to be a member to play.

My review is about Bowood G&CC, Wiltshire. Par 72, 6,566 yards

As soon as you drive through the 'pearly' entrance gates at Bowood you know your in for a special experience. And the mature parkland Dave Thomas- designed track certainly lives up to these intial expectations. Its a supurb examination of golf and the course is always in immaculate condition - the greens particulary so. But you need to keep it on the short stuff, especially in mid-summer, at all times as the rough is pretty severe - Im talking virtually waist height here!
Bowood has a great variety of holes with the 17th - a fine two-shotter rated stroke index 1 - probably just the pick of the bunch. If you play to your handicap here you deserve a slap on the back.
Bowoods only real downside is that some of the strategically placed bunkers, a key feature of the layout, can sometimes suffer after heavy rain, however the Wiltshire venue is set to get even better with the opening of an on-site hotel later next year.

A VIEW FROM THE LADIES TEE.

Portmarnock, Royal County Down or Royal Portrush ?

For years, in Ireland, there has been a continual debate as to which is the the best course.

Professional and amateur players from all corners of the earth have heaped praise on all three but the controversy remains and no doubt will continue for years to come.

Royal Portrush, founded in 1888 is located on the Antrim coast a few miles from the Giants Causeway, Royal County Down (1889) lies in the shadow of the Mourne Mountains as they stretch down to Dundrum Bay and Portmarnock (1894) is on the Irish Sea coast, 8 miles north of Dublin.

After much thought and heart searching I have concluded, Royal Portrush wins by a mere 213 yards !

"Calamity Corner" is the apt description of the 14th at Royal Portrush - one of the most notorious in the world and with good reason.

One of Ireland's most famous par threes is also one of the most severe. Miss on the right and you are DEAD, abandoned to the fates of the wild and rough terrain which sweeps down from a cliff face to the Valley course below. A pulled shot could come to rest on the tee or fairway of "Purgatory", the 15th and redemption is unlikely. Too big and behind there are whin bushes from which competitors have been alleged to have disappeared for weeks on end !

Prior to the 1951 Open Championship, Bobby Locke decided he knew the answer to the challenge of "Calamity". During his practice rounds he noticed a slight recess to the right hand side of the green and declared his intention play to it every round. This would guarantee an easy lob to the pin and eliminate danger. He obtained his par every time but failed to win the Open, "Calamity" had cast her spell by having him concentrate on her rather than on the remainder of the course !

To this day the recess is known as "The Bobby Locke Hollow".

In the end it is a photo finish, but the oldest is the winner

WILLOWS RUN GOLF COURSE - Coyote Creek === SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, USA

Running parallel to Eagle's Talon, this course is actually quite different.

The layout:
The design is the same as Eagle's Talon, but the difficulty of this course is much higher. The fairways are not really "fair ways", because each one is quite undulated and extremely narrow. It is very difficult to get the ball in the center because the occasional grove of trees pops up in all the wrong places and makes driving difficult. After you clear the first few holes, the hilly-ness disappears, but the going only gets more difficult. More difficult water hazards pop up and the rough gets more prominent and thick. Eventually you get used to using the shorter clubs and hitting around them, but initially i found myself losing balls in the hazards.

The environment:
The environment is the same as Eagle's Talon, save for the nasty undulations and more prominent hazards. There are also a few more bunkers to watch out for and the greens are less level and difficult to guess due to the squishy and damp feel.

Overall I really didn't enjoy playing this course. I much preferred to play Eagle's Talon, but Coyote Creek still provided the challenge every golfer needs once in a while.

WILLOWS RUN GOLF COURSE - Eagle's Talon === SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, USA

One of the nicest courses I have ever played on. Located in the suburbs of Seattle, it is the perfect difficulty and the environment is very nice. This public course actually consists of two regulation courses and a par 3 course. I played at both the regulation courses, but this review will be about Eagle's Talon.

The layout of this course is exceptional and the environment is very very nice. I have played at many courses, but the wetter Seattle climate made for a nice change in my game.

Layout:
All 18 holes are lined by large evergreen trees and provide a great shade over the course. Most of the holes are par 4 with the occasional 3 or 5. There aren't too many bunkers, but there are TONS of water hazards and swampy areas to lose your ball in. The roughs aren't too deep, but after a heavy Seattle rain they are a pain to play in.

The environment:
The grass is quite different from the hard feeling dry grass that many of us are used to. The grass is usually quite damp and squishy under your foot. Most of the holes are straight and narrow, but the occasional dogleg and wide fairway sneaks its way in. Every hole is lined with trees or a water hazard, so the fairway is really the only way to play these holes.

Overall this course was a joy to play on and was quite a refreshing and new experience with the wetter environment of the course.

NIKE SV TOUR WEDGE:

Wow! This wedge is absolutely amazing! I bought it in a 60 degree loft and I have to say it is the best wedge I have ever used. On to the review...

The Good:
This thing is extremely grippy. The groves are brilliant and the amount of backspin I can generate is amazing. I have found myself in many situations where I have needed this wedge, and it definitely lives up to my expectations. It does everything from fairway to fringe to rough and every shot is perfect. The amount of control I can get with this club is amazing due to its versatility as a wedge. I can use it in almost any situation and its has failed to disappoint me. Another plus is the black colourway which makes this club look perfect alongside my Hippo Hex2 clubs. Finally, this club is very inexpensive compared to others and in my opinion performs better than any other wedge I have used.

The Bad:
This is the first club that I have no bad things to say! Great job Nike!

Conclusions/Ratings:
5/5 for everything! Nike has really outdone themselves with this club. The amount of versatility that you can achieve with this club, the amount of control, and its overall kick*** feel make this club a necessity for any player. I would buy all of the lofts that this comes in, but the 60 degree does everything I need it to!

NIKE ONE PLATINUM BALL:

WOW!!!! This ball is absolutely amazing. Although the price is high, this ball is definitely worth it. After having used the junky dozen pack balls, these are an amazing change. These things FLY off the club. As amazing as it sounds, I consistently hit these balls 15 yards farther than i do with my other junky balls.

The Good:
The good is obvious with these balls. They are little missiles and go exactly where you aim and hit them. They consistently add yards over the cheaper balls and are very easy to hit. That said, if you're a beginner, these aren't for you. Wait until you are a consistent player and don't lose your balls in the hazards too often.

The Bad:
The only bad thing about these clubs is the price. These things are the most expensive balls I've found and played with and will put a massive dent in your bank account.

Conclusion:
These balls are definitely worth the difference, but, PLEASE don't buy them if you aren't prepared to shell out major dough for them. You will notice a significant difference over the cheaper balls and you'll be hooked on them as soon as you use one. Advanced players only! There's no point in using these balls if you're just going to hit them into hazards!

HIPPO HEX2 HYBRIDS/IRONS:

Along with the Hex2 Driver, these irons and hybrids are amazing. Hippo has really outdone themselves with these clubs. The Hybrids feature very nice graphite shafts while the irons have lightweight steel shafts.

The Good:
The hybrids are absolutely amazing. The set comes with 3, 4, and 5 hybrids. The weight of these clubs is perfect and they are perfectly balanced. They also look like snake skin, and have a very nice flash to them on the course. I tested the clubs on both the fairway and the rough and they perform exceptionally in both. They cut through the rough and get to the ball nicely, allowing for exceptional control.
The irons are also quite nice, but have a quirky feel to them when you first use them. They have a VERY distinct feel when you don't hit the ball perfectly, and you definitely feel it. I finally figured them out, but the ringing feeling in your hands is going to discourage people who like clubs that are perfect out of the box. After getting used to them, though, they are quite nice. They have consistent distance and just feel perfect when hit properly.

The Bad:
Other than the initial getting used to them, I have no complaints. I would have liked more selection of wedges, but there is no 60 degree wedge that Hippo makes in the Hex2 line. The grips, just as in the driver, crack easily and are somewhat uncomfortable after they do. Otherwise, I really have no complaints.

Conclusion/Ratings:
Performance- 4.5
Technology- 4
Value- 5
Design- 4.5
Quality- 4

Overall these irons and hybrids are very nice, but once again, Hippo's lack of quality and durability gets the better of them. I would have liked more selection in the wedges/irons, but overall these clubs are very nice.

HIPPO HEX2 DRIVER

When people usually think of powerhouse drivers we usually think of brands such as Nike, Taylormade, and Callaway. How many of us, though, have heard of hippo? Yes we may have heard of them, but we don't immediately associate them with the more popular brands on the PGA Tour. I got the Hippo Hex2 Driver, the second addition to the Hex line, a few months ago and have had a chance to put it through its paces on the range and on the course.

Initial thoughts:
This thing looks about as far as you can get from a conventional driver. Even in this new age of funky shaped clubs, the Hex2 is in a league of its own. The top looks like the skin of a viper, while the bottom looks like some sort of space ship straight out of Star Trek. The thing is a beast, which you would expect, at 460cc. The club is very nicely balanced, and the Mitsubishi Rayon graphite shaft is very nice to hold, while keeping the weight down and focused in the club head. At approach it lays a little odd on the grass, but that has nothing to do with performance seeming as it lifts off anyways.

The Good:
I had the chance to compare this to the Taylormade Burner and the Nike Sumo2 5900 and was quite impressed. For a driver that costs a fraction of the Taylormade and the Nike, it performed very well. I hit all three drivers about the same distance, but the thing that really made this club stand out was how forgiving it was. The Nike and the Taylormade sometimes veered off into the rough or didn't have a consistent launch. The Hippo Hex2 was straight down the fairway every time. Obviously there is some user error here since I am used to my Hex2, but the ease of hitting this club is amazing. The sound as the ball comes off is great also. It has that distinctive "ping" that we all love to hear as it hits the sweet spot, and has a little "pop" as it comes off another spot on the face. And while we're talking about non-sweet-spot mishits, I must add that when I mishit with the Hippo, it doesn't spin as much as the Nike or Taylormade, which makes for less fade/slice. Now, some people may not like this lack of spin, but for those of us who like to hit it straight and far without much draw/fade, this is perfect. It's not impossible to hit a draw or fade, but it requires a bit of patience to get to know how to hit one with this club.

The Bad:
I don't have too many complaints about this club, but I have a few minor complaints. First is purely cosmetic. The club head easily scratches and is very difficult to buff out and really makes the club head look like junk. Second, I would have like to have a more comfortable grip. The grip is very rough and cracks quite easily which is a nasty drawback for someone who doesn't like to get scrapes and blisters from the cracked grip. The shaft also cracks easily. I haven't cracked it yet, but I have seen many crack easily just from nicking the ground hard (the user had a terrible temper, and the club was no match).

Other Thoughts:
I absolutely love this club and if Hippo would just fix the minor cosmetic issues with this club, I would say it is one of the best you can buy. The price is also amazing at a third of the price of the Burner.

Conclusion/Rating (out of 5):
Performance- 5
Technology- 4.5
Function- 5
Value- 5 (would give a 10, but this is out of 5)
Design- 4.5
Quality- 4.5
Head turning ability- 5

The Hippo Hex2 is possibly one of the most wicked looking drivers I have ever seen and absolutely crushes the ball. Even pitted against drivers that cost 3x as much as itself, it performs brilliantly. I would recommend this driver to anyone!

London Scottish, Wimbledon Common

Wombles and tennis are more often associated with Wimbledon than is golf, but there are three courses, and four clubs, all within the length of a couple of Tiger-ish drives from the town centre. The oldest of them is that of the London Scottish Golf Club on Wimbledon Common. Originally created in 1864 as a 7 hole course (played as 21 holes - 3 loops) it was redesigned and extended to 18 holes in 1871 by Tom Dunn. Dunn’s younger brother Willie, who succeeded him at the course, later won the first unofficial US Open – and was runner up in the first official one a year later!

The “Scottish� now share the course with another club - Wimbledon Common - and each has a clubhouse on opposite sides of the course. Otherwise, the course layout remains little changed since Dunn’s redesign. It is quite short at only just over 5400 yards (par 68) but for the most part, it is cut tightly through the mature oak woodlands of the Common, putting a premium on accuracy and making it a fair test of ability. Of the two starts, one has to say the original, from the Scottish side, is better.

It opens with a long par 3 – 230 yards over rough grass to a green set in a bay in the woods. With the green sloping away, and trouble immediately behind, a very good shot needs to hold the green. The second, “Big Ravine�, is typical of many holes where the drive is through a gap in the woods. Although only short, and easily drivable, the trees and the “ravine� across which you play, give the hole a less than comfortable air.

As you progress, it becomes apparent that there is a distinct lack of bunkers (none are permitted on the course) but inconveniently sited trees, and “grass bunkers� - unmown patches of fairway - pose sufficient hazard instead. Holes three and four are only the first of several requiring a shot shaped around or over a tree. The seventh, “Paradise�, is a beauty but substantially tougher to play than its name suggests. Only a good, well placed, drive will suffice, else a pair of fine Scots Pine will close the entry to the green.

Several of the par 4s are short and drivable, but if you try, precision of line and length is essential. Trouble usually lurks very close each side, and slopes and banks punish anything not bang on the nail for length.

Conversely, the par threes average just over 200 yards – and only as little as that because Caesar's Camp is a minnow at 135 yards. The longest (5th) is a toughie at 243 yards, through an alley of trees to a blind green and a wicked slope off the back.

The hardest hole on the course doesn't arrive until the 13th and is a vicious test – particularly for those who play it as their second when starting from the Wimbledon side. Its 428 yards need two long shots to reach a green which slopes away and couldn't undulate more if an elephant jumped on it.

Gentler holes take you to the 17th – another longish hole with a sloping green likely to fling your approach off the back into the trees. The finishing hole, through yet more trees back over the “ravine�, and with its right angle dogleg, is one of the few holes in golf where a spectacular hook might just pay rewards.

The course does have a down-side in that it is on open common, and can have a lot of pedestrian traffic. But if you can avoid the morning and afternoon dog-walking peaks, then your modest green fee will have been spent well.

THE YORK GOLF CLUB.

This J H Taylor design from 1904 is a fine classic heathland course where the holes wind their way through avenues of trees in a way that is reminiscent of Wentworth to me. Each hole has a very natural feel, and the springy turf and excellent greens are a joy.

From the outside the clubhouse does not have the look of grandeur you would expect to find at a club of this vintage. And as you climb the stairs inside and look at the interesting photos of the club through the ages the pictures of a fire here show why a rebuild of the clubhouse was necessary. This has though resulted in a spacious bar area with lots of natural light (and a good selection of drinks and food) and a large well stocked pro shop.

Most pleasingly, for such an established and quality club there is no stuffiness. Instead I experienced a very warm welcome room all the staff.

I feel it would be misleading to say that any holes stood out above the others when playing because, being a class layout throughout, The York is more about the whole experience of the full round rather than individual highlights. However I will mention the following for when you visit.

I very much enjoyed the drives at 3, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 16. Playing approaches to and then putting on the challengingly sloped 5 th and 15 th greens was interesting. And all the par 3s are fun- the 7 th over a pond is a beauty, and unusually on both the 2nd and 11th you actually leave the club grounds and play back onto the greens from the tees.

Naturally any good layout will have a strong finishing hole and The York is no exception. If you arrive here with a lead it might be worth playing this hole that approaches 400 yards long as a par five. Go for the middle of the fairway with a long iron, play your second around the gentle dogleg and then chip and two putt to load all the pressure onto your opponent. Because if you do tee off to the middle they will probably be forced into going all out with their driver to get their ball past a bunkered swale that rises in the fairway. If they do the advantage swings back to them, but if they tug the ball left it will lengthen the hole and they will flirt with trees and a ditch. And the exact same punishment awaits a push of the ball to the right!

York Golf Club is always on my itinerary when I visit Yorkshire. For while it may not have the high profile of an illustrious neighbour (there’s no record of a tour pro playing from up a tree here), it is held in equal esteem by those that I have spoken to who have experienced both.

I am a member of the Perigueux Golf Club in SW France. I would like to recommend this course to golf tourists, who might also like to visit the historic city of Perigueux. The course is owned by the city and a couple of years ago was voted the best municipal course in France.
It is easy to find, just on the western outskirts of the town. It is built on land beside the river Isle, and so in winter can be quite wet. having said that, the course has made a huge investment in drainage which has largely solved the proble. It is best played from Spring to Autumn.
The first nine holes involve playing along side the river and also several interconnected lakes. The river comes into play on the third and forth holes where hooks are punished by out of bounds posts. The fourth and fifth holes are long par 5's, the back tee on the 6th being especiallly daunting, as the hole makes a dog-leg left around the lake, Water again comes into the picture on both holes 8 and to a much lesser extent on the par 5 9th.
The last 9 holes are set in a parkland setting, where the trees make it necessary for some stright drives . The most difficult hole on the course, the par 4 12th needs two very good shots to make the green. In the summer this is achievable, but in the winter it has to be ragarded as a par 5. Water again features on the 14th, 15th and the short 16th where the green is placed behind the lake, making it vital to have a fully commited shot to the green.
Recently there has been a change in head Greenkeeper and our new man is making impressive improvements to the greens as well as defining paths away from tees, to localise the wear and tear experienced during winter conditions. Over the year various birds can be seen on the course. In Autumn and Spring the migrating cranes pass overhead in noisy flocks. In the spring migrating birds such as swallows, hoopoes, black and red kites and blackcaps are often seen there at least 2 weeks before anywhere else. Herons, various ducks, buzzards are present throughout the year. The swans often graze on the fairways, literal birdies with topped tee shots are frowned upon.
The clubhouse has a very good shop and bar, where the dynamic young couple who run it provide an excellent choice of reasonably priced meals and bar snacks.

Ganton Golf Club

It was a year or so ago when i had the pleasure of playing this fantastic course. It has hosted Ryder, Walker and Curtis Cup matches and it is easy to see why. Before writing this review i briefly reminded myself of the course, just to confirm that there wasn't a weak hole to be found anywhere. In many respects i guess it makes this review easy and different. Leaving aside the individual details of each hole, it was the feeling of the place that struck me most.

The moment you turn down the very inconspicuous lane to this grand old club, you simply can't wait to play and yet this was my big mistake. I did wait! I thought that half an hour on the practice ground with my complimentary basket of balls would ensure the perfect round. When you play here you pay for the day! Unfortunately my second round finished on the 16th as darkness descended.

The course itself was immaculately prepared. It has the sort of turf you want to play on every day. There was no chance of getting a bad lie on the fairway, while the greens were like snooker tables. The bunkers were 'real' bunkers. Some even had steps down into them! Cosmetics aside, I loved the fact that, like a links course, you had to think your way round. No chance of blindly hitting into the yonder, finding it and hitting again, as invariably you will find yourself in a somewhat of a predicament. That's not to say it's like a Carnoustie. Far from it; you just need to handle it with care.

Tradition is a major part of Ganton and this side of it may not be everyone's cup of tea. Jacket's and tie's are required in the clubhouse at certain times, but that is all part of the charm. Don't get me wrong, i'm all for forward thinking and appreciating that generations differ, but this just felt right. The hospitality was first class. The starter positively encouraged us to get out there and enjoy what Ganton had to offer. He wasn't wrong. At £75 (£50 in winter) I would defy anyone to come up with a better place to enjoy a days golf. Go and enjoy!

Austin Lodge. Eynsford. Kent.

Whilst Austin Lodge is only a few miles off the M25 and A20 and thus easily accessible to all in the South East, the course is tucked away nicely in the countryside and suffers from no traffic noise.

The downhill practice area and the climb to the 1st tee immediately introduces you to the slopes you will encounter here. However, whilst you may not experience many cross hill or up and down hill lies they have certainly used the terrain well with numerous changes in elevation to and from green and tees. This is done without any walk being overly tiring, though the occasion route tacks its way down hill because the direct route would be just too steep. From the highest points the views across the course to wooded hills beyond are delightful.

The start at Austin Lodge is tough. Two long opening holes are followed by a tricky par 3 and then an even trickier par 4. Indeed, the last time I played there my partners approach to the 4th landed just a yard short of the putting surface and then trundled all the way back past his feet. Unfortunately he then replicated this two more times before blasting the ball onto the hill beyond the green. Shades of the 9th at Augusta I think.

The 5th then requires a careful, accurate drive and the 6th a very careful and even more accurate drive being the stroke index 1. Number 7 offers a respite being a downhill par 3 but the large elevation change makes clubbing difficult for its 226 yard length.

My GPS device has this run of holes as 10 through 16 rather than 1 through 7 and with the degree of difficulty they could easily belong on the back nine of any course. But whilst it could easily be arranged for them to be the back nine it might have made that loop too hard given the difficulty of holes 17 and 18. And 17 and 18 make a fine closing duo.

Like a number of the drives at Austin Lodge the 17th hole offers you a chance to open your shoulders. Indeed, even your second strike on this par 5 is to a fairway wide enough to invite a rip at the ball. But then you play your approach to a green sitting atop a hill with no room on the left and a steep fall away on the right where the majority of us seem to end up.

Number 18 needs a blind drive cutting the corner of the rough that then rewards you with a short shot over the pond and bunkers- in all probability with fellow golfers watching from the second story patio area of the bar. A lovely way to finish your visit- watching others come in that is, not necessarily playing that approach yourself unless you hit a beauty!

BOUQUETS & BRICKBATS.

As 2008 draws to a close it is an appropriate time to pay a couple of compliments and perhaps one raspberry.

Wilson Staff must be a leading contender for club manufacturer of the year simply due to designing and making the five metal which allowed Padraig Harrington to claim "The Shot of the Year" if not the century.

249 yards, quite unbelieveable !

If, in 1991, Ian Baker-Finch, under the same conditions, had been faced with the same challenge, it is almost certain the Australian would not have won the Open Championship by two clear shots.

Although Padraig deservedly received the accolade of making the shot, Wilson Staff also deserve the kudos.

Titleist, as manufacturer of the golf ball is also due a bouquet and must be incontention for the award of "Ball of the Year".

Fortunately, only a few disasters come into the reckoning and leaving aside Europe's calamity in Valhalla, the brickbat goes to the West Course at Wentworth.

Known for some time as "The Burma Road", over recent years it has become more and more like that infamous tract of land and is desperately in need of a complete make-over.

Who and what will gain the pundits and knocks twelve months from now ?

Personal Review - Cleveland HiBore Hybrid Irons
Personal background:- I am in my early/mid 70's, handicap 16 and have been a golf club member for 40 years.I play two or three times a week depending on the weather and time of year.I am retired, lowest handicap 14.
Although I have played regularly, achieved some moderate success, had lessons, read the manuals etc and invested in good equipment from leading manufacturers, I have never really found a set of ironswith which I have been 100% happy.Over the past year or two I have gradually dispensed with all irons over a 6 and replaced them with two utility/hybrid clubs.
When visiting the pro shop at another club, the pro. listened sympathetically to my usual tale of how I had enjoyed my game but still felt I could have played better if I had been more consistent with the irons in particular. Suffice to say he then invited me to come back and try the Cleveland HiBore XLi irons which were proving very popular with other seniors at his club.I have been delighted with them and increasingly my friends are showing their interest.
The benefits:- Well, firstly, the price is about mid-market range and affordable, important in today's climate. Secondly, they are so easy to hit and very forgiving. Third - they are well made and obviously a quality product.Finally, they come with attractive headcovers for each club which is included in the price.
My two hybrid utility metal woods are now being used much less frequently because of the accuracy and performance of Cleveland irons.
I would strongly recommend any senior, mid/high handicap player struggling with their irons or thinking of a change to give Cleveland hybrid irons a try.
I think any honest review should also mention any 'downside' to the product. In this case, although the set includes from a 4 iron down to and including a 45 degree pitching wedge, it does not include a sand iron. In addition, a lower handicap player may find it difficult to shape shots and feel there is a slight loss of distance although neither of these things have really concerned me. I am very happy to feel a consistent strike and see the ball go straight.The distance for each club can soon be established and the ease and consistency of strike helps maintain this.
I hope this review will at least provide some food for thought for some Golf Monthly readers.

Norman Maton

Meon Valley Golf Course (Hants)

Played this track today and the first thing i noticed was how dry it was. Hardly a "mudball Stevie" in sight and I actually ran a five iron into a green at one point. Now i am from the north where rain has been in abundance, but from looking at forecasts i reckon the bottom half of the country has suffered also, so the relatively dry conditions surprised me.

All greens were in play and on the whole ran pretty well for December. A number of tees were up, which made a big difference on a fewof holes, particularly the 2nd, 7th, 14th and 17th. It is, however, winter and was cool and damp, so you take all you can. Actually the tee (a mat) was back on the 11th. I guess these things are to be expected considering the time of year. Anyway, onto the course itself.

The first thing i do after playing somewhere is to look at all 18 holes and ask myself, "what holes did i enjoy and why?". Number 1 - par 5, where if you hit your tee shot into the left half you can go for green, if not, a simple lay up and on in 3. Reason i liked it was the chance you could get on in two with good shots. The second is stroke one and off the back tees i can see why, but today, the tee was up and was far less daunting. Three and four are ok, but the fifth is a proper hole. I piped one to the dog leg and still needed a 6 iron. Six and seven again fall into the ok category, but the eighth, a par 5, requires straight hitting and is a hole where birdie is definitely on, but don't be surprised to walk off with much worse. The next hole of interest is the do