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EQUIPMENT FOCUS
ISS
UE
172 JANUARY 2015
COVE
R ST
ORY
12 All of us in Asia understand colonialism because at vari-
ous points in time in the history of the Continent, some
of the countries in Asia were occupied by foreign powers.
Let’s take our industry – the golf industry. The colonials
first introduced the game in exotic possessions of theirs
like India and the Malay states which is now Singapore
and Malaysia. The game’s heritage in Asia is therefore an
ancient one. Unfortunately, while the colonials have long
returned to their homelands, heritage and tradition of
the colonials have lingered on.
38 Tom Tom Golfer: Navigation Power On Your Wrist!Is there no limit to what technology can do for golf? Well, based on what just flew in over the transom, it looks like there is most certainly no limit!
40 KZG OS-II Driver: It’s A Miracle – The Golfing Gods Have Heard Our Pleas!What’s the most difficult club to hit in most golfers’ bag? It’s got to be the driver because it’s a frustrating piece of equip-
ment to handle, especially for the majority of club players. It’s also the bane of some of the world’s top golfers, including Tiger Woods.
Just consider the number of times you have hooked, sliced, topped, missed or duffed the
ball so poorly.
42 Nike Golf Digs Deep Into The Core DNANike Golf Southeast Asia threw quite a fling for the media and its distributors recently in Bangkok, the Swoosh brand’s
business hub for the region. In typical Nike fashion, it was all about style and panache
as it proudly rolled out its family of golf clubs, apparel and accessories for 2015.
48 Callaway Chrome Soft Ball: Eureka! Chip’s Got A Doozy Where do you see the biggest and bloodiest battle being fought in the golf industry? We’ll give you three guesses. Will there be a lot of carnage in the battle for driver supremacy? Do you reckon that it will be a deadly duel to the last man in the irons category? Or do you believe that it will be bombs galore in the putter trench-es? If you picked any one of the above you are totally off the mark! Believe it or, the battle that is brewing is a fierce tussle for share of market in the golf ball category. It is said that the dimpled ball accounts for a whopping US$1.2 billion in sales and it’s also said to be growing.
SPECIAL FEATURES
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
58
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ASIAN GOLF TOURISM58 Laguna Phuket Golf Club: Grand Old Lady Gets A New LookLaguna Phuket Golf Club has won a string of awards for its resort facilities, it’s club house and it’s golf course. In response to the high acclaim it has received, its owners decided to embark on a major renovation of its course and facilities. This has all been done and the golf course is back in full bloom again, better than ever!
18 How Would Nostradamus Look at 2015?Michel de Nostredame (aka Nostradamus) was a 16th-century French “seer.” We don’t have many seers these days. Nostrada-mus studied astrology and various “occult” sciences and used those to predict the future. He’s best known for The Prophecies, a collection of French quatrains published in 1555.
24 Asia’s Golf Role Models – Setting New Standards
Ask any businessman operating anywhere in the world what is his most important resource to ensure a suc-
cessful operation and the most probable answer would be human capital. Why human capital you may
ask? Well, in this day and age, quality workers is the one single factor that makes the difference between
a successful business and an also ran.
28 Father & Son Tournament Ignites!Vietnam has taken ownership of the Asia Pacific Father and Son Golf Tournament by staging a spec-tacular inaugural event in Ho Chi Minh City. The two-day tournament played on December 6 and 7, was hosted by golf’s leading philanthropist Mr. Le Van Kiem and the award-winning Long Thanh Golf Resort in Vietnam.
62 Black Hat Tips: Start the New Year by Getting Behind!64 Pro Tour Golf College: The 4 Golf Success Factors That Will Fast-Track High School and College Golfers to the Pro Tour
50 TaylorMade AeroBurner Family: TaylorMade Burner Technology Takes Full Flight!Who was the guy who declared that there will be a slow-down in the release of new products from TaylorMade? That’s now proven to be a whole load of nonsense because news from Carlsbad shows clear proof that the company’s “theatre of innova-tion” is prolific as ever!
57 TaylorMade R15 Family: TaylorMade Reprised!It’s a blast from the past! How exciting to see the birth of new products that have emerged from the crucible that has been the depository of years of cutting-edge technol-ogy. Drawing from the depth of knowledge at its disposal and creating new products that are para-digm shifters just goes to show the innovative powers and versatility of TaylorMade as a very unique manufacturer of some of the best golf equip-ment in the world bar none!
REGULARS6 Asian Golf Editorial Team 8 Shared Thoughts From Publisher 68 Next Issue
MIKE SEBASTIANChief Executive Officer/Managing Editor
[ mike@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
ANGELA RAYMONDPresident [ angela@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
RAQUEL M. ARCEGAArt Director & Ezine Development[ raquel@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
WAYNE LWEEVideo Editor/Streaming services[ wayne@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
MYRA PARASAccounts Executive
[ myra@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
LAWRENCE YOUNGEditor (New Equipment)
[ lawrence@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
ALICE HOMarketing Executive
[ alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
SAIFUL SUFIANArt Director
[ sufian@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
Photographers GETTY IMAGES
Contributing Professionals IMG ACADEMY, TONY MEECHAI, CHRIS SMEAL, DAVID MILNE & LAWRIE
MONTAGUE (PRO TOUR GOLF COLLEGE), NICK RANDALL, STEVEN GIULIANO
Correspondents ROBIN BARWICK (EUROPE), RISHI NARAIN (INDIA)
Contributing Editors TERRY ANTON, ALAN CAMPBELL, KATHERINE ROBERTS, AAERISHNA SHAHSTHY
Printer SPECTRUM ZONE INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD
[ Blk 1022 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-3528 Tai Seng Industrial Estate Singapore 534415 ]
Address ASIA PACIFIC GOLF GROUP (2014) PTE LTD
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Tel: +65 6323 2800 Fax: +65 6323 2838 Company Registration No: 201405689G
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THIS MAGAZINE HAS BEEN PRINTED ON PAPER WHICH IS DERIVED FROM 100 PER CENT SUSTAINABLE PLANTATION FIBRE AND MANUFACTURED IN A FACILITY THAT HAS BEEN CERTIFIED TO ISO-14001 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM STANDARDS.
http://back9network.com
06 07 ASIAN GOLF
Resort+66 (0) 3253 8888, booking@banyanthailand.com
Facebook.com/BanyanTheResortHuaHinTwitter: @banyan_thailand
Golf+66 (0) 3261 6200, reservations@banyanthailand.com
Facebook.com/BanyanGolfClubHuaHinTwitter: @banyan_thailand
www.banyanthailand.com
Banyan Golf Club is an 18-hole championship golf coursewith an International all day dining restaurant, a wine cellar and traditional pub overlooking the Burmese Mountains.
It’ simply a tourist attraction offering the best sunset views in Hua Hin.
BEST COURSE IN THAILAND (2nd Runner Up)TOP 3 IN ASIA: GENERAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Stacey Walton
WINNER: BEST DIRECTOR OF GOLF OPERATIONS: Stuart Daly
WINNER: BEST GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Minachai Srichanya
WINNER: BEST CADDIE OF THE YEAR: Kannika Namthong
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE!
SHARED THOUGHTS From The Publisher
8 9 ASIAN GOLF
We’d like to kick off the New Year with some of our thoughts
as it relates to the game’s greatest icon - Tiger Woods. Have
you noticed how the industry has clung on to Tiger in the
hope that he will recover fully and ascend to his one-time
greatness as the world’s most powerful athlete and to
regain his lofty throne in golf? We have two words for this – Dream On!
All good things have to eventually come to a bone-crunching halt – in some
cases sooner than later. In the case of Tiger, let us not detract from the
fact that history will judge him as one of the greatest athletes of the
modern era of sports. What he has achieved is almost a super human
feat but the sad truth of the matter is that this fellow is human, and
as such, is susceptible to the challenges and ravages of time and the
toll that this natural phenomenon wreaks on the human physiology.
The Tiger era of excellence was marked by standards that were
never before seen or heard of in professional golf. Generally
speaking, Tiger changed the face of the professional game by
transforming it to look sharp. He introduced physi-
Happy New Year! While we send you greetings for a won-
derful new year, we sometimes wonder if golf is going to
be in for a good year especially after most of the industry
has scrapped through 2014 somewhat battle-scarred.
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
cal fitness. He demonstrated the power of strength. He
showed all of us the importance of focus, practice and hard
work. He changed the way golf is played forever!
Tiger started a revolution and today, the majority of
the young guns who dominate the sport are all physical
specimens who embody strength, power, discipline, focus
and that insatiable desire to win and win and to keep on
winning! Tiger made all of this happen and in the process,
he also upped the ante in the area of rewards. The kind of
money that professional golfers stash away on a weekly
basis in their bank accounts today makes a total mockery
of what the past greats of the game were paid. Most of the
guys who ply their game on the PGA Tour have stashes
of moola locked up in safe deposit boxes. And the irony
of this is that most of us don’t even know the majority of
these guys. Who cares anyway! Tiger was the one man who
made this all possible!
At the height of his game, Tiger had the power to draw
thousands to the battle arenas where he pulverized his
competition. Millions more around the world roared and
pumped their fists like Tiger every time he slam dunked a
putt. This was the draw and appeal of Tiger.
But that’s all a thing of the past now. He made a
comeback at his own invitational a few weeks ago and
ended up at the bottom of the 18-man field. There were
glimpses of the old Tiger but it was faint. He tried but that
old magic was not there and we feel that he will never be
able to get back to his former greatness. There will be the
occasional blip of excellence here and there but it will not
be sustainable.
Remember that this great athlete has
had innumerable injuries and has gone
under the knife more times than we care to remem-
ber. While he may look physically “repaired”, our
take is that his body will not be able to endure
the level of play that he has to subject himself to
if he is to reign supreme again.
Just watch his new swing – it is scary and it is
bound to send him for surgery if he does not watch it.
Tiger has given all of us his best. He has entertained
us. He has astonished us, And he has held us spell-
bound. Let’s cherish all of this as memories that can never
be taken away. Let us remember Tiger as the talent that we
were all privileged to witness in action. There will never be
another Tiger ever again. The mould that was used to cast
him has been destroyed!
Tiger, keep on playing but don’t risk
it. Enjoy the game for what
it’s worth but refrain from
doing battle at the level
that only you know. Let others create
the spectacle, if they can, but get on
with what destiny has in store for you.
Go design golf courses so that
those of us who admire you (and there
are legions of us out there), will be able to
experience the joy of playing on a Tiger Woods
designed golf course!
Thanks for the memories.
At PING, we want every shot to be your best. So we bring you the new G30® ironto lower scores – control and consistency. From its undercut cavity design to progressive lengths and lofts, the G30 iron delivers distance with control,
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Fueled by patented Turbulator Technology and a new face material, the G30® adjustable driver is PING’s longest, most forgiving driver ever. In wind tunnel testing, crown turbulators are proven to reduce aerodynamic drag and increase clubhead speed. The T9S titanium face is thinner for higher ball speeds, and it’s lighter to keep the CG low and back for optimal launch and spin. The low/back CG – a proven PING innovation – also increases MOI for unmatched consistency. With 5 loft settings and high-balance-point shaft technology, the G30 is the fastest way to longer, more accurate drives. Visit a PING Fitting Specialist or ping.com. You’ll be better for it.
©2014 PING P.O. BOX 82000 PHOENIX, AZ 85071 AGM814
New T9S face material
5 loftadjustments
12 13 ASIAN GOLF
COVER STORY A Wake-up Call!
All of us in Asia understand colonialism because at various points in time in the history of the Continent, some of the countries in Asia were occupied by foreign powers. Some like the Kingdom of Thailand managed to get by without acceding control to foreign powers.
exploitation, maintenance, acquisition, and expansion of a colony in one territory by a political power from another territory. It is a set of unequal relationships between the colonial power and the colony and often between the colonists
countries followed mercantilist policies designed to strengthen the home economy at the expense of rivals, so the colonies were usually allowed to trade only with the mother country.
In the 21st Century colonialism is a thing of a
bygone era or at least that is what most of us in
Asia have been led to believe. Instead of political
control, Asia has knowingly or unknowingly
fallen prey to powers from the West.
Just look around and see the boundless and
wanton consumption of virtually everything that
is decadent in the West. Fast foods are a perfect example
– it is being devoured as though we in Asia have been
starved from good local food. The variety of Asian food in it-
self is almost infinite but we have opted to go for hamburg-
ers, French fries and coffee blends which hail from Seattle!
Whether it is fashion apparel, accessories, entertainment
of all kinds and life-styles – we in Asia are now shamelessly
aping the West and there seems to be no end in sight.
You get the drift – it is sad but it is a trend that we all
seem to have to accept and live with. The question that
needs to be asked is do we necessarily have to? Do we
have a choice? Can we not take charge of our own desti-
nies? We like to think that the answer is in the affirmative
on each and every count!
Let’s take our industry – the golf industry. The colo-
nials first introduced the game in exotic possessions of
theirs like India and the Malay states which is now Singa-
pore and Malaysia. The game’s heritage in Asia is therefore
an ancient one. Unfortunately, while the colonials have
long returned to their homelands, heritage and tradition
of the colonials have lingered on.
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
Why should the game once enjoyed by the sheep herding
shepherds of Scotland be reserved exclusively for the well-heeled and well-monied minorities?
14 15 ASIAN GOLF
COVER STORY A Wake-up Call!
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
Most of Asia clings on to the original exclusive and elit-
ist model of operating a golf club which is still the modus
operandi in many country clubs in the western hemisphere.
We need to ask ourselves – do we need to cling on to these
traditions or should we break free and open up the game
to anyone who wants to enjoy the game of golf. We should
not adhere to the picky practice of looking at social back-
grounds, schools attended, and status before anyone is
allowed access. This is archaic thinking and if anything at all,
it is stifling the growth of golf in Asia.
Let’s take a more enlightened and progressive outlook
and dump the country club model and look at golf clubs as
a place for people to come together and enjoy the wonder-
ful game of golf. Why should the game once enjoyed by the
sheep herding shepherds of Scotland be reserved exclusively
for the well-heeled and well-monied minorities?
If clubs change their business model, not only will it help
with their bottom-line performances but it will also help
expose the game to more people thus helping to grow the
game of golf. It is a no-brainer, but it takes some bold initia-
tives on the part of owners, management committees and
club management to do what’s best in the interest of the
game. Remember, these clubs are in Asia; invariably owned
by Asians and we need to take charge and bring about
change. If they choose to maintain the status quo, then let’s
all sit back and watch the game wither away!
Related to growing the game of golf is the sporadic talk
that we hear about the need to grow the junior game of golf.
We say sporadic because that’s precisely what it is. What-
ever initiatives that are in place to grow the game amongst
juniors is a very shallow effort that rarely reaches out beyond
the realm of the country club set. If you check out the kids
enrolled in junior development programmes throughout
the region, you will notice one thing – they are “fat”
kids mainly drawn from the country club set. While
somewhat commendable, this is not good enough to
grow the junior game. National golf associations, club
owners and operators need to urgently step up to the
plate and reach further afield to pull in more juniors.
Education ministries of Asian countries and schools
should be engaged to help spread golf to the widest
possible junior audience in their respective countries.
After all, there is no other game in the world that
teaches honesty, integrity and inculcates a
set of values that all kids can benefit from.
Let’s not wait for the so-called self-
anointed gate-keepers of golf to
initiative junior develop-
ment programmes for us
in Asia. We are totally
capable of
doing this
ourselves
and all it
16 17 ASIAN GOLF
takes is a firm resolve and conviction to do something for our kids.
Note that most “junior development programmes” that try to come
to Asia have strings attached. One such programme that represents
one of the richest golf organisations in America tries to instruct a
few kids in Asia by conducting periodic clinics in one Asian country.
A guardian of one of the kids enrolled in this programme told us in
disgust: “It’s ridiculous really – they send out coaches who try and
train the kids and all that they do in the short time that they are
here is to confuse the kids and once they leave, that’s the end until
the next round which invariably comes months later. These boot-
camps do more damage to the kids because they are constantly re-
learning the game due to the lack of any continuity in the training
and all that it does is to enrich the coaches whom we are told are
paid a handsome stipend!”
Come on Asia! Do we need to subject our kids to these so-called
“experts” and their training programmes? It is obvious that it’s all
about lip-service and we are the suckers! It’s time that we took the
coaching of our juniors into our own hands. Asia has many quality
coaches who can help – for example, Tony Meechai, a qualified PGA
coach is terrific in handling juniors. Tony is a Thai-American and is
one of the finest coaches around to teach youngsters. Joe Thiel, a
great and accomplished PGA Master coach says this of Tony: “This
that golf operates in, in Asia. There is no quick fix, one-programme fits
all approach that can be put in place to work in Asia. Asia needs cus-
tomization and English is not the way to deliver the training message.
For the upgrading of human capital, Asia needs to conduct education
through local languages and there’s no short cut around this!
Equipment manufacturers and suppliers to the industry have
a responsibility to fulfil. No longer can they sell big ticket items to
Asian clubs and leave the training to their distributors and dealers
who invariably are businesses that don’t possess the right mix of
skills and suitably qualified manpower to provide quality training
to end-users. Quick workshops by manufacturers will not do it. A
concerted effort needs to be made to help golf clubs train their staff
and to make them totally competent to handle their respective jobs
on their own without having to depend on consultants who are at-
tached to manufacturers via an umbilical cord!
Asian club general managers, golf course superintendents and
other key personnel must become totally independent and self-
reliant because only then will we be able to take charge of what
happens in the golf clubs and on the courses of Asia!
Some serious steps have been taken and soon, the golf club in-
dustry will be able to access quality training and education directed
at all levels of workers within the club industry. This is being made
National golf associations, club owners and operators need to urgently step up to the plate
and reach further afield to pull in more juniors.”
guy is a treasure and not only is he a skillful teacher but also a man
who is passionately committed to junior golf development. He is
right here in Asia and he should be one of the people who should
be engaged to drive junior golf development in Asia.” Well, you have
heard it from one of the world’s very best. The man who started the
South Korean golf revolution by introducing Se Ri Pak to the world.
Thiel works with Mizuno of Japan to help grow junior golf through-
out Asia and Mizuno, as a quality name in golf, is ready to take on
the challenge to help with the growth of junior golf.
So, what are we waiting for? The nucleus of a junior pro-
gramme is already there. We have the talent, the commitment and
the corporate support – let’s get it on. Asia – take charge!
Another area where Asia needs to take charge is in the area of
human capital development for the golf industry. While the golf
industry is a multi-billion dollar business in Asia, there is virtually
no institutionalized presence for the development and training
of human capital to help staff the industry with properly trained
and qualified manpower. Whether it is the management of a club
house or the maintenance of a golf course, Asia is faced with a
challenge of having sufficient suitably trained and qualified per-
sonnel to run the business. After all, a sustainable and profitable
business is totally dependent on having the right work force and
the golf industry is no exception.
Workers in the golf industry need on-going education that will
equip them with the proper skillsets and knowledge to perform
at optimum levels. We cannot train and educate the people in our
industry with cookie-cutter programmes from the West – these
programmes don’t fit especially in the non-homogeneous markets
possible by the Club Managers Association of Asia whose mission
is to help train, educate and certify those employed in the golf club
industry. “We have been very successful in putting together best-of-
breed education partners and together, we will be providing world
class training and education to the club industry throughout Asia,”
revealed Lawrence Young, CMAA’s Director Of Education.
What the CMAA is doing is tangible proof of Asia taking charge!
More such Asian-based organisations should come forth to make
their contributions because every small effort counts towards the re-
alization of a movement that will see programmes initiated in Asia by
Asians to help Asian golf clubs cope and handle with the challenges
and opportunities going forward.
What we are advocating is not an initiative that is discriminatory
in any way, shape or form. All we are standing for is to make the club
industry self-reliant so that it can take charge of every sector within
the industry and be in absolute control of its own destiny. External
help will always be welcome but they must be prepared to share and
help in the dissemination of knowledge and expertise that will make
the industry in Asia stand on its own feet.
It’s about time! Asia is a global force and any student of global
megatrends will tell you that the combined wealth, population and
market size of the continent will be the biggest single force on the
planet. Everything points to us taking charge of our own destinies.
So, let us unite and move towards growing the game of golf in Asia
the Asian way!
(In the next installment, we will look into the development of golf courses and the professional game of golf and the role that Asian multi-nationals need to play to accelerate the growth of golf in Asia).
COVER STORY A Wake-up Call!
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
18 19 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Forecast 2015
Michel de Nostredame (aka Nostradamus) was a 16th-century French “seer.” We don’t have many seers these days. Nostradamus studied astrology and various “occult” sciences and used those to predict the future. He’s best known for The Prophecies, a collection of French quatrains published in 1555.
If we had access to this legendary
“seer” today, we wonder how he
would assess the outlook for the
golf industry in 2015? Viewed in the
context of what has transpired in the
last twelve months, he would most probably
mark up the report card for 2015 in red ink.
But forecasts and prophecies aside, 2015
looks like it is going to be a mixed bag for
the golf industry – some good mixed in with
the not so good.
Let’s kick things off with a read on the
golf equipment side of the industry. The
learned James Koppenhaver of the highly
respected Pellucid Corp which keeps watch
over the health of the golf industry in North
America told Asian Golf, “I hate it when logi-
cal thinking takes me to a place like the fact
that there’s another round of pain more than
likely in this train wreck we call oversupply.”
He was making reference to the oversupply
of equipment that has hit manufacturers like
TaylorMade and Dicks Sport Goods which
had to fire more than 500 PGA professionals
who staffed its golf outlets last year.
Comparing the current slump in the
golf industry with the housing crash in the
United States some years ago, Koppen-
haver said, “It’s interesting and sad to see
that when the housing market got out of
whack, market forces moved in swiftly and
severely to correct it. While it was really
ugly, it didn’t take that long and the losers
took their lumps and that was it”. However,
he explained that with the golf industry, “we
have a situation that’s prolonging, it doesn’t
feel like it’s hurting as badly but we’re going
to be here a really long time at this pace and
with the macro forces in place that are hold-
ing back that inevitable correction.”
He went on to add, “In the meantime,
folks have to make tough decisions on
whether they’re positioned to survive (the
slight majority) or they’re one of those who
are just delaying the inevitable. What’s
funny is some number of those are banks
and financial institutions, not individuals,
and they’re extending the game as well hop-
ing something good will happen.”
One of the reasons why Koppenhaver
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
It promises to be a hugely exciting 2015 for Mission Hills Group as many of our
major mixed-use entertainment developments open to become family destinations for all generations” – Ken Chu
is respected is because he is honest in his
appraisal of trends “They might eventu-
ally catch a small break (either an industry
flattening or slight uptick or finding a buyer
stupider than them) and escape with less
of a haircut but I doubt it will be enough to
offset the opportunity cost of the capital
they’ve had tied up in the interim trying to
not take a big a bath. But, at least the optics
on the surface and to the general popula-
tion won’t look as bad!”
Some of the equipment manufacturers
that Asian Golf spoke with seem relatively
bullish about 2015. President and chief
executive officer of Callaway Golf, Chip
Brewer kept his forecast short and sweet: “I
am always bullish on Callaway and we have
an incredible product lineup including a
golf ball that we think could be a real game
changer; but, since we are public, I should
probably pass on anything more specific.”
COBRA Golf’s president and chief execu-
tive officer Robert Phillion responded with
optimism: “COBRA Golf is continuing to lead
the industry in personalization and custom-
ization, helping us make our colourful mark
on the industry, through performance-
enhancing products that help golfers of all
levels enjoy the game. The Fly-Z family is
already in strong demand from retailers, has
received positive reactions from our PGA
Tour athletes, and brings strong opportuni-
ty from our Asian markets as we gain share.”
Closer to home, the outlook for 2015
seems to look bright although many in the
industry took a real pounding in 2014. The
20 21 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Forecast 2015
most powerful man in golf in Asia, Dr. Ken
Chu, chairman of the giant Mission Hills
Group in China is the epitome of optimism:
“It promises to be a hugely exciting 2015 for
Mission Hills Group as many of our major
mixed-use entertainment developments
open to become family destinations for all
generations”. He added, “Amplifying Asian
family values, which is in line with our
corporate mission, Mission Hills continues
to inspire and promote the three H’s - a
happy, healthy and harmonious lifestyle
for all. When you visit Mission Hills in 2015,
you will truly indulge in our “Golf and More”
offerings from championship golf courses,
“retail-tainment”, dining, theme parks, hot
springs and spa in an eco-friendly, sustain-
able environment”.
Dr. Chu’s bullish outlook for 2015 is
shared by his sibling, Tenniel Chu, vice-
chairman of the Mission Hills Group who
reckons that the “the future of in China
and Asia has never been brighter”. “Our
country’s golfing population continues to
expand rapidly and we are delighted to
be at the vanguard of this trend with our
industry-leading junior golf programmes
and policies, which includes allowing play-
ers aged 16 and under to use three of our
courses free of charge, all year round.” He
went on to say,”Golf’s return to the Olympics
in 2016 will further enhance its popularity
in China and, as we produce more elite play-
ers to act as inspirations and role models,
we can expect to see the sport go from
strength to strength.”
The kingdom of Thailand continues to be
the top draw for golf in Southeast Asia and
it is also home to one of the region’s most
popular golf clubs, Banyan Golf Club in Hua
Hin. Its general manager Stacey Walton holds
out a very optimistic outlook for 2015: “Thai-
land has come back to a more stable position
since Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has
brought reform to the current economic cli-
mate and addressed the changes required in
the conduct of business affairs. This stability
in the country is good for golf tourism which
is now set to rebound throughout the first
half of next year.”
Walton is also optimistic that long
awaited tax reforms may be on the cards
and this will come as a tremendous positive
development as golf courses in Thailand pay
a premium rate of tax. “From a club manage-
ment perspective we will experience more
technological advancement whether it’s
online reservations, mobile applications and
golf equipment,” Walton added.
Down Under in Australia, the mood
seems to be cautiously optimistic. Michael
Orloff, the founder of Golf Industry Central
reports: “The Australian golf market looks to
be settling down heading into 2015, though
a few new trends are emerging.”
He explained, “The “super club” model
is getting some traction with a few clubs
looking at merging with other local ones
to form one entity and in other areas non
“golf” related clubs are taking over dis-
tressed properties and adding additional
value to their membership and all in all it is
much more positive vibe in general than it
was this past 24 months.”
In the area of golf course development,
the president of the American Society of Golf
Course Architects, Lee Schmidt, principal of
the award-winning Schmidt-Curley Design
said, “My “crystal ball” for golf development in
2015 is still a bit cloudy, but if the recent sur-
vey of our ASGCA members is any indication,
From a club management perspective we will experience more technological
advancement whether it’s online reservations, mobile applications and golf equipment” – Stacey Walton
My “crystal ball” for golf development in 2015 is still a bit cloudy, but if the recent survey of
our ASGCA members is any indication, I believe 2015 will continue to see positive growth. Yes, the days of unrestricted growth in golf development in the big markets like China and the USA may be
over, but a steady growth rate of new and remodeling world-wide may prove to be more sustainable for all.” – Lee Schmidt
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
PGA Tour TV viewership took another plunge during the
2013-14 season, with average weekend numbers declining 18 percent on NBC and 14 percent on CBS and this trend is expected to continue into 2015.”
I believe 2015 will continue to see positive growth. Yes,
the days of unrestricted growth in golf development in
the big markets like China and the USA may be over, but
a steady growth rate of new and remodeling worldwide
may prove to be more sustainable for all.”
2014 has definitely been a challenging year for the
golf industry on a global scale. For many, it has been
tough. Based on what financial institutions are telling
us, it’s reasonable to expect that economic trends will
be more of the same in 2015 with perhaps a modest
improvement. However, it’s unlikely that this will in
any way enhance the odds of golfers having additional
disposable income to increase their respective play fre-
quency rate, join a golf club. Or rush out to buy a new
set of golf equipment.
As one close industry watcher recently observed,
“So as we end one year and prepare for yet another,
hope will be a constant. It remains to be seen what
reality has in store for anyone of us!”
ASIAN GOLF – A PRODUCT OF DISRUPTIVE INNOVATIONPushing The Boundaries Of Change Beyond The Limit! A member of the Asia Pacific Golf Group
Print Digital On-line Apps Video Streaming Conferences Education
It’s quite an achievement to have
landed exclusive interviews with
the men and women who are at
the pinnacle of the golf industry
today.
The movers and shakers of golf
who have spoken to Asian Golf
include Callaway Golf’s CEO Chip
Brewer, PING’s Chairman, John
Solheim Sr.; Bob Philion, President
of Cobra Puma Golf; Cindy
Davis, President of Nike Golf; Bob
Bettinardi President of Bettinardi
Putters and Tim Clarke, President of
Wilson Golf.
Powerful men and women who
have shared with us their thoughts,
views and perspectives of the
state of golf today. These are the
people who are moulding the
future of golf and no one can read
the pulse of the industry better
than these industry captains.
Only Asian Golf has been able to
bring you this treat – yet another
measure of our standing in the
global golf industry.
Look Who Is Talking To Us!
Only The Captains Of The Golf Industry – That’s Who!
www.asiapacificgolfgroup.comNo Wonder Golf’s Industry Captains Talk To Us!
John SolheimBob Bettinardi
Tim Clarke
SPECIAL FEATURE 2014 APGS Wrap-Up
24 25 ASIAN GOLF
Ask any businessman operating anywhere in the world what is his most important resource to ensure a successful operation and the most probable answer would be human capital. Why human capital you may ask? Well, in this day and age, quality workers is the one single factor that makes the difference between a successful business and an also ran.
The golf club industry is no different. The quest
for excellence in delivering the best golfing
experience to a golfer is very reliant on the
people working behind the scenes of a golf
club and how they pull together to deliver a
quality experience.
At the recently concluded 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Summit
held in Singapore, one of the highlights of the Asian Golf
Awards was the introduction of a special award category
that recognized some of the best employees in the club
industry throughout the continent. The category included
the following awards:
Best Club General Manager Of The Year
Best Director Of Golf Operations Of The Year
Best Food And Beverage Manager Of The Year
Best Golf Course Superintendent Of The Year
Best Club Caddie Of The Year
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
“We elected to include this new award category into the
Annual Asian Golf Awards because we felt that the time had
come for the industry to recognise and celebrate the best of
the best so that these individuals can serve as role models
for others to emulate and also serve as a benchmark for
clubs to use to motivate their staff,” explained Mike Sebas-
tian, chief executive officer of the Asia Pacific Golf Group,
the owner of the Asian Golf Awards.
“We in the industry believe that this is a historic initia-
tive because more than ever, we need to grow the level of
service within the golf club industry and what better way is
there than to recognize the dedicated men and women who
strive so hard to help position of our clubs at the leading
edge of the industry,” said Stacey Walton, general manager
of the Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand.
The award for Best Cub General Manager was won by Harald Elisson of
the award winning Black Mountain Golf
Club. “I’ve known Harald Elisson for many
years. He’s an outstanding leader. The organization he
runs is first class and professional. He has really set the
benchmark for Asian golf clubs. When you play Black
Mountain, you get the feeling that you are playing the
best in Asia. The professionals return year after year and
have even made Black Mountain there home because it’s
such a fantastic and complete facility-maintained at the
best all the time”, is how Asia’s top teaching professional
Tony Meechai described Elisson.
HARALD ELISSONBlack Mountain Golf Club
Best Club General Manager
Of The Year
on, general manager
Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand.
We in the industry believe that this is a historic initiative because more than
ever, we need to grow the level of service within the golf club industry and what better way is there than to recognize the dedicated men and women who strive so hard to help
position of our clubs at the leading edge of the industry.” – Stacey Walton
t
SPECIAL FEATURE 2014 APGS Wrap-Up
26 27 ASIAN GOLF26262626262626266 272727272727272722 AAAAAAAASIASISIASIASIASIASIASIASIASIAI N GN GN GN GN GN GN GN GN GN OLFOLFOLFOLFOLFOLFOLFOLFOO F
The man who walked away
with the title of Best Direc-tor of Golf Operations is
Stuart Daly of Banyan Golf
Club in Hua Hin Thailand. This is how a
member described Daly, “This man is the
consummate professional. He is up early
every day of the week and he goes about
marshalling his team to be totally ready to
welcome golfers. Under Stuart, nothing is left to chance. He makes certain that everything is ready
to go and that the course is in the best shape not only for tournaments but for general play at any
time during the course of the year. That’s what makes him so special and so invaluable!”
There is no denying that Daly runs a tight ship at the Banyan Golf Club. His management style
is reflected by the awards that some of his team received at the Asian Golf Awards ceremony.
t
The Best Golf Course Superintendent title
went to Minachai Srichanya, a Thai national.
And this is how Daly describes him: “Minachai
has been part of the team at Banyan Golf Club
since the pre-opening stages and has been involved at all
stages of the golf course development. Minachai is one of
the best planners I know and follows his maintenance pro-
grammes religiously. He is always open to feedback from our
members and players and is constantly on the look-out to
improve the state of the turf on our course and to train and
develop junior members of his team.”
t
STUART DALYBanyan Golf Club
Best Director of Golf Operations
MINACHAI SRICHANYABanyan Golf Club
Best Golf Course Superintendent
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
Another of the award winners also
comes from Daly’s stable. She is
Asia’s Best Club Caddie Of The Year – Kannika Namthong is also
from Thailand. “The team of caddies at Banyan
Golf Club is our biggest ambassadors and
golfers judge their experience based on the ef-
ficiency and friendliness of the caddies. Kannika
is one of the most sought after caddies and is highly skilled. She’s a tremendous asset to our
club and will be a big influence on how we train our caddies in the coming years as she is the
standard by which we want everyone else to conduct themselves.”
KANNIKA NAMTHONGBanyan Golf Club
Asia’s Best Club Caddie Of The Year
RICKY GUO JINWEIMission Hills Group
Best Food & Beverage Manager Of The Year
Food and beverage is a vital area of any golf
club’s operations and Mission Hills Group is no
exception. As the world’s largest golf resort,
keeping thousands of golfers properly fed and
entertained is a massive challenge. However, the 2014 Best Food and Beverage Manager Of the Year award winner
takes it in his stride. This is how Tenniel Chu, vice-chairman of
the Mission Hills Group described the award winner Ricky Guo
Jinwei: “Ricky’s success in being named Best Food & Beverage
Manager Of The Year is richly deserved and is indicative of the
high standards he sets at Mission Hills Haikou, where feedback
from guests is usually excellent. While we are always delighted
when our colleagues are recognised with individual awards, we
do place strong emphasis on the team and I’m sure Ricky would
be the first to pay tribute to his colleagues, both within the F&B
operation and beyond, for their outstanding contribution.”
Asia’s first batch of golf club role models have been recognized. Very high standards
have been set and this can only result in better things to come in the year ahead.
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is highly skilled. She’s a tremendous asset to our
train our caddies in the coming years as she is
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the
28 29 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Father & Son Tournament
Vietnam has taken owner-
ship of the Asia Pacific
Father and Son Golf Tourna-
ment by staging a spec-
tacular inaugural event in
Ho Chi Minh City. The two-day tournament
played on December 6 and 7, was hosted
by golf’s leading philanthropist Mr. Le Van
Kiem and the award-winning Long Thanh
Golf Resort in Vietnam.
While the event draws its pedigree
from the original Father and Son Challenge
Tournament, the local organisers decided
to transform the tournament into a total
family affair.
“The core of the event focused on
father and son teams but in the spirit of
promoting family fellowship, we decided
to open up the tournament to accommo-
date family members and their relatives,”
said Lawrence Young, tournament director.
With this flexibility of pairings, there were
father and daughter teams, husband and
wife teams and a number of different mix
and match combinations drawn from
members of extended families.
“This new format of fathers and sons
and relatives provided for a lot of fun and
camaraderie and the feedback that we
received has encouraged us to continue
with this format in future years,” declared
Nguyen Huu Thanh, general manager of
the Long Thanh Golf Resort.
A total of seventy pairings competed in
the inaugural event. Teams came from the
home country, Myanmar, Laos, Cambo-
dia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and
Malaysia.
In his opening address, the host,
The Father and Son Golf Tournament started in 1995 when the Father and Son Challenge was launched as an annual two person golf tournament for PGA Tour and Champion Tour golfers and (usually) their sons. It was played at Champions Gate Golf Resort in Florida from 1995 to 2008.
The event’s name became somewhat inaccurate as Fuzzy Zoeller teamed up with his daughter Gretchen in 2005 as did Bernhard Langer with his daughter Christina in 2013 and Arnold Palmer partnered one of his grandsons Sam Saunders. The junior team members ranged from middle school age up, and included a few with tour golf careers of their own.
The tournament is played over 36 holes for the Willie Park Trophy, in memory of the father and son British Open champions Willie Park Snr and Willie Park Jnr.
28 29 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Father & Son Tournament
Vietnam has taken owner-
ship of the Asia Pacific
Father and Son Golf Tourna-
ment by staging a spec-
tacular inaugural event in
Ho Chi Minh City. The two-day tournament
played on December 6 and 7, was hosted
by golf’s leading philanthropist Mr. Le Van
Kiem and the award-winning Long Thanh
Golf Resort in Vietnam.
While the event draws its pedigree
from the original Father and Son Challenge
Tournament, the local organisers decided
to transform the tournament into a total
family affair.
“The core of the event focused on
father and son teams but in the spirit of
promoting family fellowship, we decided
to open up the tournament to accommo-
date family members and their relatives,”
said Lawrence Young, tournament director.
With this flexibility of pairings, there were
father and daughter teams, husband and
wife teams and a number of different mix
and match combinations drawn from
members of extended families.
“This new format of fathers and sons
and relatives provided for a lot of fun and
camaraderie and the feedback that we
received has encouraged us to continue
with this format in future years,” declared
Nguyen Huu Thanh, general manager of
the Long Thanh Golf Resort.
A total of seventy pairings competed in
the inaugural event. Teams came from the
home country, Myanmar, Laos, Cambo-
dia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and
Malaysia.
In his opening address, the host,
The Father and Son Golf Tournament started in 1995 when the Father and Son Challenge was launched as an annual two person golf tournament for PGA Tour and Champion Tour golfers and (usually) their sons. It was played at Champions Gate Golf Resort in Florida from 1995 to 2008.
The event’s name became somewhat inaccurate as Fuzzy Zoeller teamed up with his daughter Gretchen in 2005 as did Bernhard Langer with his daughter Christina in 2013 and Arnold Palmer partnered one of his grandsons Sam Saunders. The junior team members ranged from middle school age up, and included a few with tour golf careers of their own.
The tournament is played over 36 holes for the Willie Park Trophy, in memory of the father and son British Open champions Willie Park Snr and Willie Park Jnr.
SPECIAL FEATURE Father & Son Tournament
30 31 ASIAN GOLF
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
I am pleased to
announce that the Asia Pacific Father And Son Tournament will be an annual tournament staged at the Long Thanh Golf Resort.”
Mr. Le said, “This is a historic moment for
the development of golf in Vietnam and
it is very encouraging that the event has
attracted such good support from so many
countries.” He went on to add, “Based on
the response that the inaugural event has
enjoyed, I am pleased to announce that the
Asia Pacific Father And Son Tournament
will be an annual tournament staged at the
Long Thanh Golf Resort.”
Commenting on the tournament, Mike
Sebastian, chief executive officer of the
Asia Pacific Golf Group said, “This is a dream
come true for the visionary Mr. Le who has
always wanted to promote Vietnam as a
major force in golf and in golf tourism.”
The participants in the tournament
were feted to a gala welcome reception
and a gala awards dinner and the winners
went home with valuable prizes while
everyone else went home with gifts. “This
was the best tournament that I have par-
ticipated in – the atmosphere was fun, the
food was great and the organization was
very professional,” is how Cha Boo Ho from
South Korea described the event.
Some of the tournament prizes included
diamond jewellery, Mercedes Benz C-Class
cars and villa plots worth in excess of
US$300,000 each as hole in one offerings.
32 33 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Father & Son Tournament
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
1st Runner Up: He Tea Vinh & Tea Sorachuay (Cambodia) 2nd Runner Up: Kyung Heum Yeon & Rachel Yeon (Korea)
SPECIAL FEATURE Father & Son Tournament
34 35 ASIAN GOLF
This was the best tour-nament that I have par-
ticipated in – the atmo-sphere was fun, the food was great and the organization was very professional.” – Cha Boo Ho | South Korea
3rd Runner Up: Tran Van Tam & Tran Duc Trung (Vietnam) 4th Runner Up: Nguyen Thi Bao Quyuh & Hanako Kawasaki (Vietnam/Japan)
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
INNOVATIONDistinguishes leaders from followers
Innovation explained in 50 secondsJPX850.com
FAST TRACK SLIDING WEIGHT SYSTEM
In 2007 Mizuno introduced a sliding weight system called Fast Track – to altera driver’s draw/fade tendency. Over seven years we learned that Fast Track waseven more useful to alter a drivers spin rate and launch angle – helping playersof different swing speeds hit their maximum distance with the new JPX850 driver
#piercingblue
BORON GRAIN FLOW FORGED
When our 1025E Pure Select mild carbon steel could take our Grain Flow Forged headsno further, our engineers spent 6 years researching how to incorporate Boron into themanufacturing process. The result is a material 30% stronger – allowing greater designfreedom and dramatically increased ball speeds. All you’ll see is a different number on the sole.
#invisible
SHOCK WAVE SOLE PLATE
It’s tough to make a fairway wood face that reacts like a driver – the frame is too small. Afteryears of thinning the face with new materials, we found the greater solution lie in enabling theentire head to flex. The JPX850 fairway woods new Shock Wave sole contracts and expandson impact – allowing the entire clubhead to deliver energy to the ball.
#shocked
Is there no limit to what
technology can do for golf? Well, based on what just
the transom, it looks like there
is most certainly no limit!
38 39 ASIAN GOLF
EQUIPMENT FOCUS TomTom Golfer
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
With the TomTom Golfer on your wrist, you will know every inch of a golf
course. You will be able to hit the perfect approach shot and no golfer can deny how gratifying an experience this can be.”
The product that revealed itself
to us this month looks like a
handsomely crafted wrist watch.
While it flashes the time of day
accurately, this is not one of its
primary functions. Its real value-for-money
functions are built around its outstanding
global positioning system (GPS).
Sound the drum roll guys and roll in the
TomTom Golfer! What? You heard me guys,
it’s time to unravel the TomTom Golfer, a nifty
looking golf GPS that wraps around your wrist.
It’s a fabulous neat little package and
if you don’t want to use it for the purpose
it was designed for, then just put it on as
a fashion accessory that will be bound to
become a conversation piece. That’s how
cool it is!
Seriously, the TomTom Golfer (that’s its
real name) is a GPS sports watch designed
to make it easy for golfers to improve their
game. How so, you may ask? Well, it flashes
up unique course graphics which show
accurate distances to hazards and lay-ups
and the best possible approach to the green.
Now how smart is that! It takes the whole
guessing game right out of planning a shot
and this is what most golfers will kill for!
The company behind this ingenuous
product answers to the name TomTom also.
It is a Dutch company and is a global leader
in navigation and mapping products.
With its vast experience and knowl-
edge in GPS technology, the company has
designed the TomTom Golfer to help golfers
plan their game and to make quick informed
decisions on their next shot through the aid
of full-screen graphical visualisations and
wireless access to critical course data. Now,
if you think all this is too technical for you,
just flush this negative thought right out
of your head – the TomTom Golfer can be
operated by a toddler (well, maybe that’s an
exaggeration), but all the same, it’s a cinch
to use!
With the TomTom Golfer on your wrist,
you will know every inch of a golf course.
You will be able to hit the perfect approach
shot and no golfer can deny how gratifying
an experience this can be.
Another special feature of this GPS
sports watch is that it has pre-loaded course
data from 34,000 international golf courses
– that’s like virtually every course in exis-
tence on the planet! How the heck can so
much information be jam-packed into such
a tiny little device? Simply incredible!
Before you charge out of the front door
to purchase your own TomTom Golfer, you
should know that this gem of a device is
intended for golfers aiming to improve
their game and to help them to consistently
record lower scores. It’s all about planning
your next shot and as the golf legend Ben
Hogan once said, “the most important shot
in golf is the next one”. And this is precisely
what the TomTom Golfer does – it helps you
set your course strategy by providing at-
a-glance graphics to help you make quick
and smart decisions on your next shot. Man,
these Dutchmen are smart chaps!
Is it cumbersome to wear on the wrist
during play? Nah! It is super lightweight and
slim in appearance.
In a nutshell, the TomTom Golfer offers:
Greenview – graphics of the green and
hazards.
Hazards – graphics depicting distances
of hazards on the fairway.
Green distances – precise yardages to
front, centre and back of green.
Round tracking – keeps track of score,
distance and time taken per round.
Lay-up – distances to lay-up points.
OK, now that we’ve told you everything
you need to know, you can charge out to get
yourself your personal TomTom Golfer. Put it
on, turn it on and surprise your flight mates!
40 41 ASIAN GOLF
EQUIPMENT FOCUS KZG OS-II Driver
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
There’s no denying the fact that
drivers are hard to hit because
they exacerbate any flaw in
your swing. If you have a slight
slice or hook with a low iron,
hit a driver in the same way and you’ll be
spending the best part of your round hunt-
ing through the long grass for your ball.
So is there help in sight? Is there any
hope for those of us who are driven to mad-
ness with our drivers ever being able to get
the big stick under control?
Well, it looks like the golfing gods
have heard our pleading bleats and have
beamed down the KZG OS-II driver.
In case you are wondering what the
OS-II is, it is a product of superb engineer-
ing from KZG, the manufacturer renowned
as a supplier of equipment only through the
finest professional club-fitters and teachers
in the industry.
The new OS-II is an offset driver that is
specifically designed for high handicap play-
ers and beginners who struggle to launch
and keep the ball in play. Alleluia! Praise the
golfing gods! Now, all golfers with a slow
swing speed will be especially thrilled by the
distance they can achieve with the OS-II.
“It’s time to grow the game,” declared
Jennifer King, President of KZG. “And the
best way to do that is to give players a club
that is ideal for their game. Our new OS-II
driver is just one of our ten driver models
and is definitely our “easiest-to-play” model
due to its forgiveness, offset and variety of
loft options,” she explained.
How is the ease of play achieved? Does
it engage with adjustable heads? Her im-
mediate retort was, “No adjustable head
here!” Dr. King was very emphatic about
differentiating the OS-II with all other “game
improvement” adjustable drivers on the
market. She pointed out: “The last thing we
want is new players changing the specifica-
tions of their clubs every time they mis-hit
one off the tee. Our worldwide network of
qualified fitters will perfectly fit the golfer so
that they’re free to focus on more important
tasks like getting their swing into a groove.”
The offset and closed club face is cosmeti-
cally concealed giving the OS-II a traditional
appearance at address. The face insert is
heat-treated forged titanium creating the
maximum legal rebound. Ideal lower centre
of gravity weighting assures an easy and high
launch. “The OS-II also offers a solid “crack
of the bat” sound preferred by most players;
along with a solid, meaty feel,” added Dr. King.
High handicap players who slice the
ball, and stronger players who swing from
outside-in with a late release will both
discover that the OS-II is a great fix. “Golfers
who tend to close the face through impact
or have a slower swing speed will certainly
appreciate the higher lofts available in this
model... up to 14º /SL and 16º /XSL and most
importantly it conforms with the official
rules,” Dr. King pointed out.
What a sense of relief. Now any golfer can
keep the ball off a driver in play. Thank you
golfing gods – you’ve made the day for many
golfers. Check out the KZG OS-II driver at an
authorized KZG custom fitter in your location.
It’s time to grow the game,” declared Jennifer King, President of KZG. “And the
best way to do that is to give players a club that is ideal for their game. Our new OS-II driver is just one of our ten driver models and is defi-nitely our “easiest-to-play” model due to its forgiveness, offset and variety of loft options.”
42 43 ASIAN GOLF
EQUIPMENT FOCUS Nike Golf Going Forward
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
Nike Golf Southeast Asia threw quite a fling for the media and its distributors recently in Bangkok, the Swoosh brand’s business hub for the region. In typical Nike fashion, it was all about style and panache as it proudly rolled out its family of golf clubs, apparel and accessories for 2015.
One trend was very noticeable at this bash and that was the almost deliberate emphasis on apparel and accessories. The grandest introduction seemed to be reserved for Nike Golf apparel – and why not! After all the brand leads all the other golf brands when it comes to apparel and it makes a lot of good business sense to show-off and brag about golf’s number one apparel brand!
Before it is forgotten, the big show was staged
in Bangkok to introduce the media and
distributors to Nike Golf’s exciting new Vapor
range of drivers, woods and hybrids which
seemed to come across as an after-thought.
This perception could be totally off the mark but that’s
how Asian Golf read the situation.
Anyway, the Vapor range of clubs are all fantastic
products of innovative engineering and this includes
all three drivers, the full set of fairway woods and the
hybrids. What is notable about the Vapor range is that it
was designed and built from the ground up by the “new
engineering team” led by Nate Radcliffe who was hired
away from Cleveland Golf to take over from the legend-
ary Tom Stites who was the chief club designer from the
day Nike Golf was set up in 2001.
Stites who had been re-engaged as a consultant
and “Chief Imagineer” most probably had a hand in the
creation of the Vapor clubs.
While the Vapor clubs mark a milestone in Nike Golf’s
44 45 ASIAN GOLF
evolution, we feel that the company is at a
crossroads of sorts where it is seen gravi-
tating towards the highly successful core
business model which is driven by its global
leadership in sports shoes and apparel
and accessories sectors. It makes sense to
emulate the core business as it already has a
proven formula for success.
It is interesting to note that over the last
six years, sales for Nike Golf have remained
steady while still trailing top brands like
TaylorMade-adidas Golf, Callaway Golf and
Acushnet. Sales were US$725 million in
May of 2008, and US$789 million through
the fiscal year ended May 2014. The 2014
numbers were about equal to 2013’s figure
of US$792 million. Growth has been languid
to say the least.
But we think that this is all set to change
now that Cindy Davis has “retired” from the
post as president of Nike Golf. To “retire” at
age 52 was difficult to comprehend as we
could not see Davis sitting on the veranda
of her home in a rocking chair knitting a
sweater! After a respite, Davis is back in
business serving on the board of direc-
tors of Buffalo Wild Wings – a chain sports
bar and chicken wings restaurant in North
America.
After the Davis era, Nike scoured its
executive wing to seek out a perfect person
imbued with the right Nike DNA to lead
Nike Golf. That executive has since been
found and he is Daric Ashford, the new
president of Nike Golf.
Ashford was until recently general man-
ager of the Jordan Brand for North America
and is a 21-year Nike veteran. Daric is an out
and out consummate Nike insider. “Daric’s
leadership has helped to deliver strong rev-
enue growth and expand the Jordan Brand.
His proven track record, along with his
experience in global categories, makes him
ideally suited to leading the golf business,”
said Jayme Martin, Nike’s vice president and
general manager of global categories.
Based on this, Nike Golf has a man at
the helm who has a deep understanding
of the core values of Nike and we think this
will serve as a strong ballast as he leads the
company’s charge to gobble up market
share in the golf sector. We think that the
new man will prove to be a game-changer
for the company that boasts a stable of to-
day’s greatest golfers – phenoms like Tiger
Woods, Rory McIlroy and Michelle Wei.
We believe that Daric will change mind-
sets and in good time, he will get the golf
industry to think of Nike not as just a com-
pany renowned for running shoes but as a
brand known for quality golf products! This
is bound to happen and in fact, it is already
happening.
For all intents and purposes, Nike Golf is
really the “new kid” on the golf equipment
block. While the company has scored well
with soft goods in the golf sector, they have
some catching up to do with hard goods.
This will change especially with products
that bear the “Vapor” branding.
Central to Nike Golf’s big push in 2015
we think is going to be the company’s
EQUIPMENT FOCUS Nike Golf Going Forward
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
DARIC ASHFORDPRESIDENT OF NIKE GOLF
“Oven West” based at Nike Inc’s corporate
headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. The
“oven” is where Nike Golf sparks it research
and development programmes and it’s
where revolutionary new products are
“baked” so to speak. “Oven West” is comple-
mentary to the original “Oven” located in
Fort Worth, Texas where the company bakes
it golf clubs.
What’s different about this new R&D
facility is that it is entirely devoted to the
development of golf balls. Nike Golf is onto
something with this R&D facility and we see
it as a bold affront to the golf industry. It is
an in-your-face challenge which irreverently
tells the world that Nike Golf is ready to take
on the big boys in the golf ball business.
The golf ball sector does not play out in
a crowded arena like the golf club business.
It is a smaller field that accounts for a size-
able global revenue base and we think that
Nike Golf is going after market share in this
sector. Again, it’s a plausible business ma-
noeuvre that can and will help the company
beef up its otherwise lack-lustre earnings.
What we see coming out of this facility
is already impressive. Take the RZN line of
golf balls – four different designs and if you
want to become a believer, we urge you to
put these balls to the test.
At Asian Golf, we did a range test with
a select group of golfers and the consen-
sus was unanimous – “these are terrific
balls!” Chemical maker DuPont is said to be
providing the resin base, and Nike’s engi-
neers say that despite the fact that the raw
material costs more than rubber, it’s easier
and faster to use, cutting down on labour.
The fact sheet states that the new material
allows the outer layers of the ball to better
grip the core, minimizing air within the ball
to create more energy at impact and this is
supposed to help average golfers, particu-
larly those with an off-centre swing. Now,
can you see a definite sales pattern emerg-
ing? These guys have got their act together
and they are confident that the RZN balls
are simply going to fly off the shelves and
help Nike Golf bite off a piece of the golf
ball revenue pie!
We can now see Nike Golf’s strategy go-
ing forward. Drawing from their strengths
in golf apparel and footwear, the Swoosh
boys have built a well-rounded company
that is now fully mature and grown up in
golf. With the power of the Vapor stable of
clubs and the RZN golf balls (which we are
told are actually tested by being shot out of
a cannon-like device), Nike Golf is set to hit
the ball right out of the park and set new
goals for itself.
It’s about time Nike Golf – go out there
and hit a bunch of home runs in 2015!
We can now see Nike Golf’s strategy going forward. Drawing from their strengths in golf
apparel and footwear, the Swoosh boys have built a well-rounded company that is now fully mature and grown up in golf. With the power of the Vapor stable of clubs and the RZN golf balls (which we are told are actually tested by being shot out of a canon-like device), Nike Golf is set to hit the ball right out of the park and set new goals for itself.”
46 47 ASIAN GOLF
EQUIPMENT FOCUS Nike Golf Going Forward
BEN LEWISGENERAL MANAGER
FOR NIKE GOLF
SOUTHEAST ASIA/PACIFIC
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
EQUIPMENT FOCUS Callaway Chrome Soft Ball
48 49 ASIAN GOLF
Where do you see the biggest and bloodiest battle being fought in the golf industry? We’ll give you three guesses. Will there be a lot of carnage in the battle for driver supremacy? Do you reckon that it will be a deadly duel to the last man in the irons category? Or do you believe that it will be bombs galore in the putter trenches? If you picked any one of the
for share of market in the golf ball category. It is said that the dimpled ball accounts for a whopping US$1.2 billion in sales and it’s also said to be growing.
Now that you have a sense of what
the golf ball market is worth, you
will understand why Chip Brewer,
Callaway’s sharp president and
chief executive officer has decided
to lead his men into battle to blow up the ball
market and to chop away a large chunk of the pie
as the valuable spoils of the war.
Under Brewer’s command, the turn-around
at the once most dominant player in the golf
equipment industry is beginning to show positive
signs of clawing back its dominance. After being
a laggard for a number of years, Brewer, has put
his magic wand to work and the products that are
coming out of the legendary brand that the late Ely
Callaway built is stirring up quite a buzz.
The latest buzz-generator is the “Chrome Soft
Ball”. Launched just before Christmas 2014, it looks
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
Soft Feel - The low 65 compression lets a
golfer compress the ball on iron shots for an
incredibly soft feel, and it’s amazing around
the greens. Now, all golfers can compress
the ball like a Tour player.
� Excellent Control - A high level of
control for aggressive shots into the green
comes from the soft feel and the Tour Ure-
thane Cover. It’s built for consistency that a
golfer can depend on with every shot.
� SOFTFAST™ Core - Reduces spin and re-
tains energy off the driver to maximize ball
speed and distance. And the low compres-
sion lets a golfer compress the ball on iron
shots for incredibly soft feel.
�Mantle Layer - Helps retain the energy
stored in the core, which translates to faster
ball speeds.
� Soft DURASPIN™ Cover – Callaway’s soft-
est, most durable cover grips the clubface for
excellent control into and around the green.
� HEX Aerodynamics - Optimizes lift and
reduces drag to help increase distance.
“The firmer feeling golf balls have
become the benchmark for distance and all-
around tour level performance,” said Dave
Bartels, Callaway’s senior director of golf
ball R&D. “But most golfers would agree that
soft balls feel better. In the past it’s always
come at a penalty to performance.”
Bartels believes Callaway’s Chrome Soft
ball could challenge the existing benchmark.
“Golf ball designers have realized that you
can create low compression balls to reduce
spin with the longer clubs,” he explained.
“With SuperSoft, the soft core compresses
yet still retains its energy and restores its
energy as it regains its shape to generate fast
ball speeds. It doesn’t lose its energy.”
Bartels noted that the standard tour ball
typically has a compression of around 90;
however, Chrome Soft, due to its SuperFast
core, has a compression of around 65.
Now that the performance facts are
known, it cannot be denied that Callaway
has literally redefined the golf ball, and is
serving as the guiding beacon for a whole
new category of golf ball. As of now, the
Chrome Soft is the only ball with the SoftFast
Core with low compression and the Tour
Urethane cover. We believe that there is no
other ball that combines all of these special
characteristics into one doozy of a golf ball!
Any final words Callaway? With Chrome
Soft, no golfer will ever have to choose
between feel and hitting it farther any-
more. We have one word for you Callaway
– EUREKA!
like a “miracle” ball. Callaway is pitching this
new ball as the mother of all game changers.
Some industry watchers are asking if this
revolutionary offering from Callaway could
be the ball that changes the golf ball? Well,
ASIAN GOLF spoke with its North American-
based correspondent and he seems wildly
enthusiastic about what he has seen and
heard about the Chrome Soft ball.
He reports some stunning characteristics:
� The ball is really long off the tee;
� It is incredibly soft at impact;
� It’s spin control around the greens is
remarkable;
Features like these are going to result in
one crazy development – it’s going to cause
a massive demand frenzy amongst golfers
of all skill levels. This is how Callaway spins
the story. Its web site plugs the Chrome Soft
ball as possessing the following magical
features:
� Low Spin Off The Tee For Exceptional Distance – Low spin off the driver for
maximum ball speed and distance. The core
is the key to long, straight distance off the
tee, and Callaway’s optimized HEX Aerody-
namics makes Chrome Soft even longer by
reducing drag and increasing lift.
� Low Compression For An Incredibly
50 51 ASIAN GOLF
EQUIPMENT FOCUS TaylorMade AeroBurner Family
Who was the guy who declared that there will be a slow-down in the release of new products from TaylorMade? That’s now proven to be a whole load of nonsense because news from Carlsbad shows clear proof that the
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
We’ve drastically improved the performance of the sole’s Speed
Pocket and significantly improved the aerodynamics to deliver maximum speed to the golfer.” – Brian Bazzel
Annd TTheee TaaylorrrMaadee Reeprisse CConnntinnuess!The iconic “Burner” franchise returns with the introduction of
TaylorMade’s most aerodynamic driver and fairway and rescue clubs with the largest speed pocket ever!
he company that prides itself as the “makers of the
No. 1 driver and No. 1 fairway wood in golf” has
unveiled the AeroBurner franchise – a matte white
coloured driver, fairway and rescue club trio that
feature an improved Speed Pocket and advanced
aerodynamics to promote effortless distance for all player
types.
“For the golfers who missed the phenomenon
that was RocketBallz, or for those who are ready
to upgrade to more speed and distance in their
metalwoods, AeroBurner is what you are look-
ing for,” said Brian Bazzel, Senior Director of
Product Creation for Metalwoods.
“We’ve drastically improved the per-
formance of the sole’s Speed Pocket and
significantly improved the aerodynam-
ics to deliver maximum speed to the
golfer,” Bazzel continued.
The name “AeroBurner” derives
from the product’s advanced
aerodynamics, a performance
variable that TaylorMade R&D members have long
obsessed over in their quest to engineer fast driver
heads. To accomplish this, AeroBurner metalwoods
feature an “Aero hosel,” (small fin located at the heel
of the club to reduce drag) a raised centre crown and
rounded toe section. All three of these variables work
as a system to improve aerodynamics and lower drag
force.
Next, the AeroBurner family has the largest
Speed Pocket ever, which enhances the sweet spot
and protects ball speed on mishits.
Now, here’s the product drill-down, starting
with the driver. The driver’s biggest advancement
is its new Speed Pocket which is twice as big as the
JetSpeed (first driver to feature the technology).
Unlike JetSpeed, AeroBurner drivers do not have loft
sleeve technology which offers loft and lie adjustabil-
ity. This allowed TaylorMade’s engineers to extend
the length of the Speed Pocket across the entire sole
for maximum performance.
The AeroBurner driver also features Inverted
52 53 ASIAN GOLF
EQUIPMENT FOCUS TaylorMade AeroBurner Family
Cone, a technology used in every Taylor-
Made driver since the R500 Series in 2002.
The Inverted Cone milled into the inner side
of the clubface promotes higher ball speed
on off-centre hits.
Finally, the AeroBurner driver features
an ultra-light 50-gram TM1-215 Mitsubishi
Rayon shaft. The longer, lighter shaft and
light grip adds up to less than 295 grams of
total club weight, promoting faster swing
speed. Balancing the club to a slightly
higher swing weight improves feel of the
club and promotes faster ball speed. For
Global specification, it comes with Matrix
Speed Rul-Z shaft and adds up to less than
300 grams of total club weight.
Rounding out the AeroBurner metalwood
franchise is the fairway wood and rescue
clubs, both featuring the largest Speed
Pocket in combination with an extremely low
and forward centre of gravity (CG).
The Aero Burner fairway is a culmination
of years of technology development in the
fairway wood category. This technology first
came into market in 2008 when TaylorMade
determined that there was still significant
opportunity to achieve more distance in
fairways if both the ball speed could be
increased and the spin could be reduced.
As TaylorMade engineers developed
the Speed Pocket prototypes, they discov-
ered that sole slots could also dramatically
reduce spin, especially if combined with a
low balance point CG projection which can
be accomplished with low forward CG.
“The original RocketBallz represented a
breakthrough in performance which started
a whole new replacement cycle for fairway
woods, said Bazzel. “We have continued to
pour R&D resources into better understand-
ing the potential of flexible sole boundary
conditions which has led us to AeroBurner, a
fairway with our largest Speed Pocket ever.
We are now achieving driver like launch
conditions with a fairway wood.”
The Aero Burner fairway combines the
size of the RocketBallz fairway channel with
the technology of the through slot of the
JetSpeed fairway to produce an ultimate
Speed Pocket. Compared to the original
RocketBallz, the AeroBurner has a face
size that is 2.5mm shallower for bet-
ter playability from the turf. The
AeroBurner also has a 2X larger
sweet spot (COR) compared to
JetSpeed.
The AeroBurner 3-wood is
equipped with a TM1-215 Mitsubishi
Rayon (S, SR, R flexes) measuring at 43.25”
(USGA length measurement method). The
overall length has been shortened from
previous fairway offerings to increase its
playability while maintaining the speed
from new head advancements.
Next, let’s check out the
AeroBurner rescue club. It
has a larger Speed Pocket
like the fairway wood.
Like the driver and fairway
wood, it has the same white
crown with black contrasting
face, and crown alignment features
to help with accuracy and consistency
needed for hybrid clubs.
AeroBurner fairways and Rescue clubs
share the following:
Ultra-high strength, Ni-Co 300
Super Alloy Steel
The largest Open Chan-
nel Speed Pocket
Precision-cast
crowns with our
Thick-Thin crown
technology
Shallow face and
low-and-forward CG
location with refined crown curva-
ture and sole camber
The AeroBurner series from TaylorMade
is destined to take ownership of a very
special place in the golf equipment hit
parade for 2015. Watch it soar!
54 55 ASIAN GOLF
EQUIPMENT FOCUS TaylorMade R15 Family
It’s a blast from the past! How exciting to see the birth of new products that have emerged from the crucible that has been the depository of years of cutting-edge technology. Drawing from the depth of knowledge at its disposal and creating new products that are paradigm shifters just goes to show the innovative powers and versatility of TaylorMade as a very unique manufacturer of some of the best golf equipment in the world bar none!
he newly launched R15 is a
perfect example of a product
that traces its origin from
TaylorMade’s vast techno-
logical know-how. It draws its
pedigree from the company’s successful
“R” series – a brand mark synonymous
with more than a decade of heroic, game-
changing metalwood products.
“R15 harnesses our world-class
portfolio of technological advancements
engineered over the last 15 years,” said
Brian Bazzel, director of product creation
at TaylorMade. “It performs incredibly in a
package that looks great, sounds great and
can be easily fitted to any player. Every-
thing we know about the metalwood,
we’ve put into R15; golfers will see that,
feel it and sense it with every swing. It’s a
special driver.”
Put bluntly, the R15 series is the
company’s most technologically sophis-
ticated, high-performance metalwood
franchise ever. The family includes a
driver, fairway and Rescue clubs.
Why did TaylorMade bring back the
“R” franchise? It starts with breakthrough
adjustability and the R15’s lower and more
forward centre of gravity (CG) location.
Empowering the golfer to adjust
weight in a driver head is a landmark inno-
vation that TaylorMade brought to the golf
industry more than 10 years ago with its r7
Quad driver. Through the years, company
engineers have increased the amount of
weight that can be distributed while also
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
56 57 ASIAN GOLF
EQUIPMENT FOCUS TaylorMade R15 Family
R15 series is the company’s
most technologically sophisticated, high-performance metal-wood franchise ever.
simplifying the process to enhance the golfer’s experience.
With its new Front Track system in R15, adjusting a Taylor-
Made driver has never been quicker or easier: Inside the
track system are two sliding split weights that weigh
12.5 grams each (25g total). The R15 club head has
5g more discretionary mass to maneuver and
is 4g lighter than the popular SLDR. Using
TaylorMade’s torque wrench, the golfer
can loosen and slide the weights to the
heel for a draw, to the toe for a fade or
split for maximum stability.
Additionally, R15 incorporates the
company’s most adjustable loft-sleeve,
giving golfers the ability to alter their
face angle, lie angle and loft preference
to affect side-to-side trajectory. A simple
rotation of the loft-sleeve with the torque
wrench allows the golfer to change the loft +/-
two degrees.
Together, the sliding split weights and loft-sleeve en-
able golfers to adjust their R15 driver with extreme precision.
Key to the performance of the R15 is the low and forward centre
of gravity (CG) – a strategic placement of weight first seen in SLDR
which promotes faster ball speed with less spin. R15 has an even
lower and more forward CG thanks to the Front Track system, which
is 12mm closer to the leading edge with 40 more grams of weight
forward. In total, 75% of the mass is in the front of the driver.
Low forward CG in combination with the more forward
track and redesigned sliding weights in the R15 helps
to reduce spin by about 100 to
200rpm and increase launch
by 0.5 to 1.0deg compared to
the SLDR 460.
According to TaylorMade, it research
indicates that a 17-degree launch angle and a
1700 rpm spin rate promote the best combination
of carry and roll-out at every swing speed, culminating in maxi-
mum distance under normal playing conditions. The designs
of both the R15 460 and the R15 430 represent the next step
forward for all golfers to achieve maximum distance through
optimal launch conditions.
The larger, 460cc version of R15 is for the player seeking maxi-
mum forgiveness and confidence on the tee, while the R15 430 has
a shape that strongly resembles some of the most coveted drivers
from the company’s past. The address size is noticeably smaller to
appeal to players who prefer a smaller address view. The R15 430 is
also the lowest spinning driver offering.
The R15’s crown comes in a very appealing satin white finish,
with a contrasting black PVD face and sole. The strong contrast
between the crown and face make it easy to align the face accu-
rately at address. TaylorMade expects the majority of its tour players
to play R15 with a white crown. A gloss black version will be offered
exclusively in R15 460 in Global specs only.
Complementing the drivers are the fairway woods and hybrids
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
in this series. Available in three lofts – 15˚, 19˚ (20.5
˚ GL only), the R15 fairway is the company’s most
adjustable fairway to date. Featuring the same Front
Track system as the driver, the R15 FW utilizes a single
25-gram tungsten weight that can slide easily to promote a
draw or fade using a TaylorMade torque wrench. The
Front Track also performs like a Speed Pocket, increas-
ing the sweet spot and decreasing the spin rate. Like
the driver, the R15 FW comes with a 4° loft sleeve for
maximum loft adjustability.
The R15 fairway and Rescue clubs have been re-
fined by extensive input from TaylorMade’s stable of
staff professionals to be suitable for the best players
in the world. Similar to the original Rescue club from
TaylorMade, the new R15 has a “peanut” head shape,
commonly preferred by tour staff professionals. The
smaller shape (99cc) offers more versatility than a
conventional size hybrid and is preferred by players
who like to shape their shots.
TaylorMade has also incorporated an open channel
Speed Pocket into the R15 Rescue club, which promotes more ball
speed and reduced spin. Built with a Mitsubishi Rayon shaft, the club
also features a 3-degree loft sleeve allowing the golfer to customize
distance gaps between fairways, Rescue clubs, and longest long iron.
TaylorMade engineers worked to ensure this club has a more neutral
biased ball flight which guards against left misses that can sometimes
occur with hybrid clubs designed for higher handicap golfers.
The R15 series are available throughout Asia right now. It will be
offered in both white and black (custom fitting only) and features a
desirable, playable pear-shape in two head sizes – 460cc and 430cc.
Asian specs come available in four lofts – 10°, 11°, 12° and 14°.
58 59 ASIAN GOLF
ASIAN GOLF TOURISM Laguna Phuket Golf Club
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
Laguna Phuket Golf Club has won a string of awards for its resort facilities, it’s club house and it’s golf course. In response to the high acclaim it has received, its owners decided to embark on a major renovation of its course and facilities. This has all been done and the golf course is back in full bloom again, better than ever!
60 61 ASIAN GOLF
We put great emphasis on
contouring the land to add strategic and visual interest. This is another way of making players think about their shots.”
The revamped Laguna Phuket championship golf
course, which has re-opened after a full makeover, has
a “real sense of place and belonging” according to its
designer, Paul Jansen.
“In making changes to the original course [which
first opened in 1993], I wanted to create a story that is full of
adventure. I want golfers to explore the property and discover the
many outstanding features gracing it as I did through the design
and build stages,” Jansen says. “Not only has this been achieved,
but the course is now more strategic and certainly more memo-
rable.”
“The best golf courses have a character all their own and
require golfers to think their way around the site. Laguna Phuket
certainly has all this,” Jansen explains. “At 6719 yards from the back
tees, it isn’t long by modern standards, but is strategic enough to
challenge better players and provide enjoyment for resort golfers.
So it ticks all the boxes. It is definitely not a ‘bombers’ course”
“The number of bunkers has been reduced – to only 37 –but
each one is positioned to influence play. This hasn’t compromised
the course, but has provided the opportunity to embrace existing
features in determining playing strategy – such as water bodies
and outstanding trees.”
“We put great emphasis on contouring the land to add strate-
gic and visual interest. This is another way of making players think
about their shots.”
The project, which has revitalised the layout that hosted the
2009 Thailand Open, showcases unique features which include
wood ties on some steep fairway edges and traditional Thai fishing
boats placed in watercourses. According to Jansen these visual ele-
ments have enhanced memorability and character.
Laguna Phuket Golf Club is part of Asia’s first and leading
integrated resort, located on Phuket’s Bang Tao beach. The 1000-
acre complex includes Banyan Tree villas, Dusit Thani, Angsana and
Outrigger hotels and is within easy access of Phuket International
Airport.
ASIAN GOLF TOURISM Laguna Phuket Golf Club
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
Architect Paul Jansen on the grounds of the revamped golf course.
GAME IMPROVEMENT Black Hat Golf Tips
62 63 ASIAN GOLF
Happy New Year!
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
Born and brought up in the United States, Tony Meechai won his first golf tournament at the age of nine. He began working in the golf
industry when aged 15 and competed in various Mini Tour and PGA Tour qualifiers after turning professional in 1994. Armed with a Bachelor’s
degree in Business Administration from New Mexico State University and a degree in Marketing and Professional Golf Management, he has
made a name for himself in Asia over the past decade, during which time he has served as Director of Instruction at Thailand’s Heartland Golf
Schools and Springfield Royal Country Club as well as presenting tips on numerous region-wide golf television shows. Recently, he founded the
Tony Meechai Golf Academy that combines a curriculum including academics and golf education for aspiring Tour professionals. Programmes
are in conjunction with international institutions throughout the world. For further information, please visit www.tmggolfeducation.com
ABOUT TONY MEECHAI
www.tonymeechaigolf.com
I know many of you have made New Year’s Resolu-
tions and want to get ahead in your lives…in golf
this year…I’d like you to start…by getting behind!
Yes, in order to play more consistent and better
golf, I have always had success with students who
discipline themselves to start their pre-shot routine, by
GETTING BEHIND the ball!
The biggest difference between a tour player and an
average golfer doesn’t involve the actual swing.
If you watch a tour player go through his pre-shot rou-
tine, you’ll almost never see him walk in from the side and
make a practice swing right next to the ball. He faces the
target from behind the ball, to visualize his shot, and most
likely make a few gentle practice swings with his eyes on
the target before stepping in.
When you approach from the side, it distorts your view
of the target and messes up your aim. Some players also
tend to keep their feet in place after a practice swing and
then reach for the ball to hit it. That’s another good reason
to start your routine from behind.
So remember, review your pre-shot routine by starting
with getting behind the ball and proceeding with your pre-
shot routine. Do it with each shot so it becomes routine!
EXTRA:
GAME IMPROVEMENT Pro Tour Golf College
64 65 ASIAN GOLF
It is quite likely that you are reading this article because you want to become a professional tour golfer, and right now you are in high school or college and you spend a lot of your available time practicing and playing looking for ways to play better sooner so you can achieve your goal.
David Milne (left) and Lawrie Montague (right).
What is the Key Performance Factor that Enabled Jordan Spieth to Become So Good at Such a Young Age?
THE 4 GOLF SUCCESS FACTORS That Will Fast-Track High School
and College Golfers to the Pro Tour
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
You watch a lot of the pro
tournaments on TV or on your
computer, and you see young
male golfers like Jordan
Spieth and female golfers like
Lexi Thompson on the leader board at big
tournaments, and you wonder what it will
take for you to be that golfer.
But are you are confused?
You might be a little confused because
of all the conflicting information on the
internet and TV about what it takes to
become a successful golfer.
And who could blame you, after all one
golf expert will say this, and another will
say that, and the TV commentators will say
something else.
So you probably scratch your head
wondering how you will be able to sort out
what you need to know, so that you don’t
waste your valuable time working on things
that won’t help you.
So where do you start?
What do you need to know to become a
successful professional tour golfer?
We Will Get You on the Right PathWell, in this article we will clear up some of
the confusion for you and set you on the
right path to learn how to travel safely and
get your chance to earn a tour card and
compete successfully on a professional golf
tour.
Firstly we will assume that you are
already a very competent golfer. This means
that you already can and do score in the
low 70’s, and possibly even the high 60’s in
tournaments.
If you are not at this standard yet, this
article will still be extremely helpful for you.
Our goal in this article is to share with
you the first of 4 Golf Success Factors that
we have found to be vitally important for
you to achieve your goal of becoming a suc-
cessful professional golfer.
The reason we can do this is because
we work with ambitious amateur and
professional golfers at Pro Tour Golf College
virtually every day, and we spend a lot more
time working with these golfers than most
golf instructors would spend in a year work-
ing with their best students because our
program affords us the opportunity to work
with our students for 25 to 30 hours each
week over 10 week periods.
When you spend 250 to 300 hours per
semester working with elite amateur and
professional golfers, you tend to notice the
dynamics that help them to make progress,
and conversely you also notice the dynam-
ics that hinder their progress.
The 4 Golf Success FactorsOver the next four articles, we will share the
4 Golf Success Factors which will help you
to continuously improve your goal score.
What we propose is to distil down all the
possible factors to the most important ones
that we have discovered help young golfers
make faster progress.
A few years ago a comprehensive survey
of players and caddies was conducted on
the European Tour by Genworth, a Lifestyle
Protection and Mortgage Insurance Com-
pany who have sponsored ‘Statistics’ on the
European Tour since 2007.
Now what was interesting when we
read this report was the response to the
question “what is vital for success?” and the
answer given by the 41 European Tour pro-
fessionals who responded to the survey.
74 percent of these excellent golfers
rated Self Belief as the most important attri-
bute for success, which was closely followed
by Mental Frame of Mind at 53 percent.
Think about it, of all the factors that
influence success, they recognized that
self-belief was the most important attribute,
followed closely by Mental Frame of Mind,
and we completely agree.
2. What is Self-Belief?But what is self-belief? When I looked up the
definition of self-belief in the Collins English
Dictionary it was defined as; “confidence in
oneself and one’s ability.”
That’s sounds about right doesn’t it?
Self-confidence as it relates to your
golf development describes the amount of
certainty you have in your ability to perform
your golf skills under pressure, and to also
critically evaluate situations and make effec-
tive decisions.
It also describes your self-worth, or the
level of respect you have for yourself and
your abilities.
The reason these European Tour players
rated Self Belief so highly is because they
know that you can have all the ability and
skill in the world, but it means nothing if
you lack the confidence to follow through,
that you don’t believe you can perform
those skills when it matters most.
Over the years we have seen many ex-
GAME IMPROVEMENT Pro Tour Golf College
66 67 ASIAN GOLF
cellent golfers who had all the tools except
enough belief in themselves, which is sad
because we never got to see them live their
dream and become a successful tournament
golfer.
Many elite golfers can produce excellent scores
when playing with their friends in familiar envi-
ronments like playing their home course, but
the same golfer in an important tournament
will often crumble like a deck of cards.
So the number one Golf Success Factor
is The Golf Confidence Factor, your strong
belief in yourself and your ability to play to
the best of your ability when it counts.
This factor truly determines how far you
will go in the game of golf and every great
golfer in history has displayed The Golf
Confidence Factor.
So what in our experience is the number one
biggest destroyer of your golf confidence?
Making major swing changes after the
age of 20 years old.
That’s right, if you want to get to the
tour sooner than later, and you have played
competitive golf for 5 or more years, and you
have achieved a high level of competence
in your ball striking, we have found that
undertaking complex golf swing changes
(where you tamper with the fine motor con-
trols you have developed over your career)
will do more harm than good to your golf
confidence.
You simply have to understand that
as you get older you must be very careful
with any swing change work you wish to
perform with your golf instructor. By the
time you become a tour golfer it is almost
impossible to find the time to perform the
type of swing change work that you have
read Tiger Woods makes.
Tiger had the time, resources, record
and money to fully commit himself to the
task and this puts him in a different situa-
tion to most golfers.
History also shows that the majority of
elite golfers who undertake major swing
changes when they get to the tour rarely
play better, and usually never recover to
reclaim their original standard.
Have a good look at our Golf Swing
Change Model below to understand the
implications of making complex swing
changes at the wrong time in your develop-
ment cycle.
ISSUE 172 JANUARY 2015
4. The Golden Scoring StandardYou see the idea is for you to get your shot-
making ability over a season to tour average
in tournaments long before you go to tour
school.
In-fact you should have your shot-
making capability to tour average at least 2
years out from going to tour school.
The 2 years leading into tour school
should by devoted to playing lots of tourna-
ments, gaining valuable tournament experi-
ence and working on all your scoring skills
within 100 yards of the flag.
Always remember that your success on
tour will always be subject to your ability
to score consistently in the low 70’s over a
season. This is your most important con-
sideration when developing your golf skills
and ability.
You build your golf confidence by
working on your mental strategies, golf
skills, and your golf score to improve your
competitive ability.
Your aim should be to move your game
towards The Golden Scoring Standard of
70, and literally everything you do in the 2
years prior to attending tour school should
be aimed at nothing else.
The closer you get to 70 in tournaments
the more success you will experience.
The following 5 Golf Confidence
Strategies will help you to build authentic
self-belief and confidence in yourself and
your game.
1. Don’t Trash Talk Your GameWhen you finish a round of golf only discuss
the strategies that would have improved
your score for that day.
Do not provide golfers (or anyone else)
with a post-mortem of all the bad shots you
played. Refrain from commenting nega-
tively about your game.
No one wants to hear about your bad
shots and unlucky bounces. Build the habit
of talking only about the good shots you
played, and the strategies that would use to
produce a better score for the day.
2. Walk Tall and Proud like the Champion Your Are Push your chest out, raise your eye line so
you are looking way down the fairway and
not at your feet, avoid slouching, and walk
briskly and without delay.
Walk as if you were 6 inches taller with a
neck brace on.
If you are not playing your best it is even
more important that you do this. Build the
tall and brisk habit into your walk and you
will see your world differently, and you will
play differently as well.
Have a look at Adam Scott and his tour-
nament posture. Notice carefully the way
he walks and plays. Jordan Spieth modelled
himself on Adam Scott when he was still in
high school and you can see the similarities
when you watch him play.
3. Dress Like a Tour Star Iron your clothes, polish your shoes and
wear clothes that make you feel better about
yourself. The image you portray not only
sends out positive messages to others, but it
will make you feel good about yourself.
A good rule of thumb is to “spend twice
as much to buy half as much.” Buy quality
clothing that lasts longer, quality clothing
keeps its colour and wear-ability. Pay a little
more upfront and you will get a lot more for
your investment in the long run.
4. Be Prepared to Play Make-sure that you are prepared to play
properly before every round of golf, and
even when you go to practice. Get to the
golf course at least 90 minutes before you
tee-off mentally and physically prepare
yourself for the day.
Good preparation increases your
confidence because you give yourself the
time needed to stretch, go over your course
notes and hit warm up shots and putt before
you play.
By giving yourself the time to get ready
to play, you will reduce some of the normal
anxiety you experience prior to hitting your
first shot. This reduction in anxiety can make
the early difference to your round to help
you build momentum to give you your best
chance to play your best.
5. Play Golf with an Attitude of Gratitude Lastly be thankful for all that you have
achieved from golf, and be complimentary
of others and their efforts to get better. Be
above the small mindedness and pettiness
of others by not joining in their conversa-
tion. You will gain little from hanging around
golfers who only want to talk negatively
about them-self and others.
You are training to become a world class
golfer, and you should start acting like one
now.
Great golfers have a presence about
them, a rock-solid inner confidence and
belief in their ability, and they know that
they have the strategies and skills to handle
the normal adversity associated with the
game, and also rise to the occasion when
they need to.
Work hard on your self-belief and con-
fidence, and practice the 5 Golf Confidence
Strategies everyday, and you will be well
on your way to becoming the confident
and capable professional golfer you wish to
become.
See you next month for part 2.
Lawrie Montague and David Milne - Pro Tour Golf College
Driving Accuracy Average ....................(60 to 65 Percent)
Greens Hit in Regulation Average .......(66 to 70 Percent)
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ASIAN GOLF ISSUE 173
ASIA’S GOLD STANDARD UNRAVELED!
Are you aware that the Asian
continent now accounts for
nearly close to 5,000 golf
clubs stretching all the way from
Japan in the north, Pakistan to the
west, Irian Jaya to the south and
the Philippines to the east. This is a
huge geography with a population
to match! Each year, the Asian Golf
Awards parades out the best of the
best at the annual awards celebra-
tion. The 2014 awards was held at a
grand event staged in Singapore in
November 2014 at the posh Marina
Bay Sands Resort. There was a mas-
sive turn-out of the winners in each
category and the February issue of
Asian Golf will dedicate this edition
to the top achievers of the latest
awards. It’s an issue not to be missed!
Bettinardi Has More “Rolls Royces” For 2015! Bettinardi Golf has introduced 10 new putters for 2015 in a
range it claims will “raise industry standards in cosmetics and
precision”. Asian Golf offers a full review of the new additions.
The makers of the most winningest ball in
golf have just unveiled their latest in the
highly successful Pro V series. The 2015
model is something to be tried to be be-
lieved. We will have all the details specially
packaged for you in February.
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