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Asian Golf – September 2014

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Page 1: Asian Golf – September 2014
Page 2: Asian Golf – September 2014

UNI V ER SI T Y PL AC E , WA | C H A M B ER SB AYGO L F.COM /A SI AGO L F 8 7 7. 2 9 5 . 4 6 5 7

The U.S. Open is coming to the Pacifi c Northwest for the fi rst time in history. Play the course that’s bringing it here.

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Olympic Mountains. It’s a public access course designed to be enjoyed by players of every ability, and it’s waiting just for you.

EXPERIENCE IT FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE ROPES Play Chambers Bay, site of the 2010 U.S. Amateur and the 2015 U.S. Open

Page 3: Asian Golf – September 2014

GOLF TO GREATER HEIGHTSSwing by the idyllic fairways with panoramic views of the

Yangzonghai Lake or South China Sea. Plan your next golf vacation at

Keppel Land Hospitality’s award-winning courses in Spring City Golf

& Lake Resort and Ria Bintan Golf Club.

Spring City Golf & Lake Resort presents a 2-night accommodation

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Enjoy complimentary room upgrade and souvenir with

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Call (65) 6546 7555 and quote AGM 2014 to enjoy these special

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For more information on the golf courses,

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(65) 6546 7555 www.keppellandhospitality.com [email protected]

Spring City Golf & Lake ResortKunming, China

Ria Bintan Golf Club, Bintan, Indonesia

Page 4: Asian Golf – September 2014

58 APGS 2014: Asia’s Gallery Of FameThe Asia Pacific Golf Group pioneered two prestigious award programmes in 2008 and since then, these awards have grown both in importance and stature. The awards are the Asia Pacific Life-Time Achievement Award for Golf and the Asia Pacific Golf Hall Of Fame for Golf.

ISS

UE

168 SEPTEMBER 2014

SPECIAL FEATURES18 Oh How Quickly We Forget!It was not too long ago when the world placed a certain Tiger Woods on the highest pedestal of fame and gave him the adulation that no other living sports personality had ever experienced. He was almost revered like a god and he could do no wrong.

20 The Asian Golf Industry Finally Gets Mapped!The Asian Golf Industry Finally Gets Mapped. In a historic undertaking, the Asia Pacific Golf Group, in collaboration with Golf Business Advisory Ser-vices has launched an ambitious research programme to provide market intelligence to the industry. An update on the three milestone surveys.

22 There’s Hope For High Handicappers!One of the biggest challenges faced by high handicap players lies in the process of shaving the first ten to fifteen critical strokes from their scorecards.

26 Malaysian Teenager Rocks In America!Given the nature and demanding rigours of golf, not many will make the cut. But for those who have what it takes to make the grade, the industry must make an effort to create a pathway for these juniors to realize their full potential.

COVER STORY

12

33 34

28

APGS 2014 – A Brand New D.N.A. For Asian Golf! The countdown for the 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Summit has started and it is stacking up to be one of the best in the series to date. It is a knowledge event that has been programmed to address the most pressing challenges facing the golf industry in Asia and the best qualified speakers have been assembled to provide innovative and cutting edge solutions.

44 The Fantastic Trio From TaylormadeDoes you short game suck? Are you able to sink your putts and show some red on your score card? If you are having problems, check out three new put-ters from TaylorMade.

46 PING’s G30 Is A Winner And Oozes Sex Appeal!With very little fanfare, which is not unusual for PING, the company intro-duced its latest bomber – the G30 “Turbulator”. The G30 series provide golfers measurable distance gains without sacrificing key performance attributes such as control and forgiveness.

48 Rogue Counterfeiters Busted In China!Two smart guys have got together to develop a dragnet which is designed to bust the problem of counterfeiting once and for all. The Singapore coun-terfeit busters are Steven Tan and Leonard Wee, young guys who possess the intelligence and tech savvy-ness to use technology to corner and wipe out the bad guys!

EQUIPMENT FOCUS33 Nike Adds “Modern Muscle” To Its Irons!The “Swoosh” folks are at it again! Cashing in on the current frenzy over their wonder boy’s (Rory McIlroy) success, Nike Golf has launched what they call the new range of “Vapor” irons. In a carefully orchestrated launch which had the crestfallen Tiger Woods, McIlroy and The Tonight Show’s host Jimmy Fallon in attendance, Cindy Davis, president of Nike Golf proudly paraded the company’s new irons.

34 Mama Big Bertha Has Spawned Another Offspring!Speak about Callaway’s Big Bertha being fertile – the grand old lady is still going strong since she was first launched in 1991. If you recall, after a suc-cessful reign, Callaway retired the brand and cast it away into cold storage.

38 Srixon – A Growing Global Force In Golf!Did you know that Srixon has been making golf balls for more than 80 years! Did you also know that Srixon is the fourth largest golf company in the world?

58 APGS 2014: The Asia Pacific Golf Gin 2008 and since then, thesstature. The awards are the Aand the Asia Pacific Golf Hall

okes from their

f, not many will make o make the grade, the

way for these juniors to

as

44 The Fantastic Trio From TayDoes you short game suck? Ared on your score card? If youters from TaylorMade.

46 PING’s G30 Is A Winner AWith very little fanfare, whichduced its latest bomber – the

easurable distance gains ws control and forgiven

terfeiters Bust

the current frenzy over has launched what

hestrated launcht Show’s

f

Page 5: Asian Golf – September 2014

REGULARS6 Asian Golf Editorial Team 8 Shared Thoughts From Publisher 72 Next Issue

68

1820

ASIAN GOLF TOURISM52 Dazzling New Balinese Beauty Beckons!For those who have not been to Bali, the name conjures up dreamscapes of exotic fantasy punctuated by lush vegetation and stunning ocean surrounds. This cannot be further from the truth because much of Bali is pristine and naturally beautiful even with the throngs of tourists who visit it shores annually.

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

64

64 Black Hat Tips: FocusThis is a skill set that many successful golfers and even business people have that allow them to get things done efficiently and effectively!

68 Pro Tour Golf College: Could Modern Golf Instruction Be Driving Golfers Away From the Game Instead of Towards it?Over the past three years we have spent count-less hours writing golf instruction articles, and we’ve posted well over 150 on our blog at www.protourgolfcollege.com showing you the various ways you can improve the way you learn and practice to improve your golf.

GOLF ENTREPRENEUR28 Fenix – An Inspiring David And Goliath TaleThe rag trade is a tough and competitive business anywhere in the world. To succeed, one needs designs that appeal to the consumer, quality in finish, attractive price points, enough demand to justify production scale and the guts to fight tooth and nail to survive.quality in finish, attractive price points, enough demand to justify production scale and the gguts to fight tooth and nail to survive.

48

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Page 8: Asian Golf – September 2014

MIKE SEBASTIANChief Executive Officer/Managing Editor

[ [email protected] ]

ANGELA RAYMONDPresident [ [email protected] ]

RAQUEL M. ARCEGAArt Director & Ezine Development[ [email protected] ]

WAYNE LWEEVideo Editor/Streaming services[ [email protected] ]

MYRA PARASAccounts Executive

[ [email protected] ]

LAWRENCE YOUNGEditor (New Equipment)

[ [email protected] ]

ALICE HOMarketing Executive

[ [email protected] ]

SAIFUL SUFIANArt Director

[ [email protected] ]

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

Suite 06-06 Hong Aik Building, 22 Kallang Avenue, Singapore 339413

Tel: +65 6323 2800 Fax: +65 6323 2838 Company Registration No: 201405689G

To Subscribeor register for a free preview at

MEDIA PARTNERS

INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES

Contact: Mike SebastianEmail: [email protected]

or Mobile No: +65 9152 8162

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

Page 9: Asian Golf – September 2014
Page 10: Asian Golf – September 2014

SHARED THOUGHTS From The Publisher

The Headquarters of Adams Golf

finally shut down for good on

August 12, 2014, some fourteen

years after it opened in 1991. It

was founded by Barney Adams, the inven-

tor of “Tight Lies”, the most popular fairway

wood of all time.

The shutdown comes less than two

years after TaylorMade adidas Golf bought

out Adams Golf.

One wonders if Adams Golf is down for

the count or if the brand is going to be put

away in cold storage – only to be thawed

from a state of animated suspension and

brought back to life again when the dark

clouds of doom clear over the challenged

golf equipment industry?

global workforce will be reduced and some

industry watchers believe this could mean

that virtually the entire workforce at Adams

Golf will be given the pink slip.

All this comes in the wake of trade

reports stating that the company’s sales

are off more than 30% through six months

of 2014. A major problem concerns large

inventories at the retail level and to this

Adidas group chief executive officer (Tay-

lormade’s parent company) Herbert Hainer

said, “At TaylorMade-adidas Golf, given

the inventory that is still in the market,

we will carefully look at new launch and

introduction timings.” He went on to add,

“In addition, we will begin a restructuring

programme at TaylorMade-adidas Golf to

align the organization’s overhead to match

lower expectations for the golf industry’s

development. In total, I expect this will

impact second half operating profit by 50

million to 60 million euros.”

This is not good news at all for the

golf equipment industry. TaylorMade is

not alone – market watchers believe that

things are not necessarily coming up roses

at Callaway Golf, the second biggest golf

equipment company in the world.

While all of us in the golf equipment

industry have been aware of the industry

hitting hard times, the current blood-let-

ting all started when the giant Dicks Sport-

ing Goods store, the largest retailer in the

United States of TaylorMade and Callaway

products, fired all the PGA professionals

that it employed in the golf sections of its

more than 560 stores.

“We are selling drivers in our stores

this spring for US$99 that were approxi-

mately US$299 20 months ago,” Dick’s CEO

Ed Stack said after announcing earnings

on May 20. Stack said at the time that the

company’s overall golf business missed its

first-quarter sales plan by US$34 million

and that he expected a downward trend for

the rest of the year.

Are we just beginning to see the tip

of the ice-berg?. Is there more bad news

to come? Is the next big story going to

be worse than this one? One concerned

market watcher was reported to have said,

“Things are only going to get worse. This is

the first shoe to drop.”

Ominous words indeed and we hope

that for the sake of golf, from this crucible

of pain will emerge a much leaner and

focused golf equipment industry driven

to pick up and grow the game with a new

zest.

By now, most in the golf industry are

aware of the challenges faced by Taylor-

Made. The one-time power-house of the

golf equipment world, and still the top dog

in the business, is said to be going through

a “re-structuring” phase in the post Mark

King era. In a statement relating to the

Adams Golf shut-down, TaylorMade said,

“We are also realigning our workforce at

TaylorMade to better meet the needs of

our business and ultimately, our consum-

ers. This includes investing in new areas

to strengthen our brands and strategically

approach our future to reinforce our leader-

ship in the industry.”

As part of this restructuring, TaylorMade

estimates that 15% of the golf division’s

8 9 ASIAN GOLF

Page 11: Asian Golf – September 2014

An Industry Milestone Undertaken By Golf Business Advisory Services and the Asia Pacific Chapter of The CMAA.

ASIA PACIFIC GOLF GROUP PRESENTS

A CMAA-Asia Pacific Chapter Initiative with Golf Business Advisory Services (GBAS)

IT’S CATACLYSMIC!A GAME CHANGER!

Presented By The Asia Pacific Golf GroupAsia Pacific Golf Summit | Asian Golf | Asian Club Business | Asian Golf TV

THE FIRST EVER GOLF INDUSTRY SURVEY COVERING SOUTHEAST ASIA

EXCELLENTIf you are engaged

in the golf industry

and would like to

participate in this

break-through market

research project, visit

www.golfbas.com

ASIA PACIFIC CHAPTER

An Industry Milestone Undertaken By Golf Business Advisory Services and the Asia Pacific Chapter of The CMAA.

ASIA PACIFIC GOLF GROUP PRESENTS

A CMAA-Asia Pacific Chapter Initiative with Golf Business Advisory Services (GBAS)

IT’S CATACLYSMIC!A GAME CHANGER!

Presented By The Asia Pacific Golf GroupAsia Pacific Golf Summit | Asian Golf | Asian Club Business | Asian Golf TV

THE FIRST EVER GOLF INDUSTRY SURVEY COVERING SOUTHEAST ASIA

EXCELLENTIf you are engaged

in the golf industry

and would like to

participate in this

break-through market

research project, visit

www.golfbas.com

ASIA PACIFIC CHAPTER

Page 12: Asian Golf – September 2014

SPORTYEXTERIOR.

Lightweight hosel: Adjustability with no loss of performance.

CUSTOM-ENGINEERED INTERIOR.On the outside, the new i25TM adjustable driver says performance and control. Inside, the multi-material driver has the horsepower to match. A CG positioned low and back reduces spin and delivers an extremely high MOI for forgiveness while stabilizing launch conditions to give you the distance you demand. To get the perfect

help keep you in the fairway. Of course, there’s a lot more to it, so

Page 13: Asian Golf – September 2014

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

Page 14: Asian Golf – September 2014

12 13 ASIAN GOLF

COVER STORY New D.N.A.

Page 15: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

The 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Sum-

mit (APGS) will once again

take the lead role to prepare

Asia to effectively manage

changing trends in the global

golf industry.

This year’s Summit will examine various

bold initiatives designed to not only meet

the challenges posed to the industry but

to also come up with innovative measures

to help keep golf growing and relevant in

a rapidly changing leisure and recreational

landscape in Asia.

“There is a never-ending stream of

negative reports emanating from the West

about how the game of golf is being ham-

mered with golfers dropping off the

game, rounds played plummeting and

revenues nose-diving at golf courses

– nothing that we hear is good

news,” lamented Mike Sebas-

tian, chief executive officer of

the Asia Pacific Golf Group,

the owner and producer of

APGS 2014.

“In Asia, we refuse to be sucked into this

malaise – we know that the golf industry is

challenged but rather than mope and hang

our heads in despair, we need to roll up our

sleeves, put on our thinking caps and work

on effective solutions before we get hit by

the disease that is causing many in the West

to pronounce the death of golf!” Sebastian

stressed.

APGS 2014 will be staged in the bustling

city state of Singapore which is widely

regarded as a hub for global change – a city

that constantly keeps re-inventing itself to

stay well ahead of the cycle of change. “Sin-

gapore is without doubt the world’s labora-

tory for change and this is where many new

ideas and concepts are born, developed

and implemented – it is an exciting city that

will provide the golf industry in Asia with a

springboard to boldly push Asian golf into

new realms of growth and expansion,” he

explained.

Some of the key areas of business that

will be discussed at APGS 2014 will include

the following vital topics:

Service standards to make golf relevant

to a multi-generational clientele;

Dynamic training and development of

human capital for the golf industry;

Developing the next generation of golf-

ers and club members;

Understanding future trends and get-

ting ready for it;

The golf industry in Asia needs to be

fully aware of future trends that can and

will impact the industry and swing into a

mind-set to cope with change effectively

by confronting challenges with well-trained

manpower fully capable of harnessing both

technology and new work practices to get

the job done.

One area that is going to be highly

instrumental in preparing for change is a

suite of research projects that will provide

the industry with timely market intelligence

which has heretofore not been available in

Asia (read “The Asian Golf Industry Finally

Gets Mapped!” on Page 20). “This is only the

beginning and the Asia Pacific Golf Group,

in conjunction with the CMAA-Asia Pacific

Chapter and Golf Business Advisory Services

has ambitious plans for 2015 to produce a

number of useful market intelligence tools

for the industry to use to navigate itself go-

ing forward,” Sebastian revealed.

APGS 2014 will be a highly focused

business conference and is a MUST ATTEND

event for any serious stake-holder in golf

in Asia.

Page 16: Asian Golf – September 2014

14 15 ASIAN GOLF

The speakers who have been confirmed

include a stellar line-up of some of the

most brilliant thinkers in the golf industry.

Topping this list is one part of the duo

who are rated as Asia’s most powerful men

in golf – Tenniel Chu, the Vice Chairman of

the Mission Hills Group, the biggest golf re-

sort in the world. Chu will deliver a major ad-

dress that will show how as the world’s larg-

est golf operator, Mission Hills has brought

about a blend of great golfing experiences

mingled with the fun and excitement of a

resort cum tinsel town experience. It’s like

having Pebble Beach, Disneyland and Hol-

lywood all wrapped up in one spell-binding

package. This is really a showcase presenta-

tion to the world on how to make golf a

total experience and to reach out to target

groups that go beyond just the golfer.

Always entertaining and always at the

cutting edge of the club management

industry is the effervescent Gregg Pat-

terson, general manager of the Beach Club

in California. Popularly known as the “god

of love”, he will lead Asia in an adventure

to make golf sexy again. A spell-binding

speaker who has enthralled thousands all

over the world, will give his unique take on

how to make the club experience special.

“I recognize the challenge that our

industry faces all over the world. The game

is not growing and more are walking

away from our clubs,” said Patterson. In an

impassioned appeal, he urged, “We have

to make the whole experience of golf and

the golf club environment appealing to

all generations – baby boomers, Gen-Xers,

Gen-Ys and the Millennials and this is quite

a challenge.”

The “professor from Stanford” James G.

Prusa has been investing countless hours

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TENNIEL CHU

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ustry.

uo

n

d

GREGG PATTERSON

I recognize the challenge that our in-dustry faces all over the world. The

game is not growing and more are walking away from our clubs.” – Gregg Patterson

on computer simulations to make sense

of megatrends and how these important

indicators have a bearing on how the golf

industry in Southeast Asia prepares for

the future. Prusa will help the industry

understand how it will be impacted by the

megatrends and where the industry should

focus preparations for what is fast coming

approaching. “The winds of change are

speeding up – owners and general manag-

ers will either find themselves struggling

unprepared or capitalizing on the oppor-

tunities with prepared strategies. In which

group will you find yourself?” is the ques-

tion that Prusa will pose to the industry and

help make sense of what needs to be done.

One of the best business gurus of golf

in the world is undeniably Bill Sander-

son. This man’s vision on what is going to

impact the club management industry in

the future is priceless. He draws analogies

from the corporate world to show how

companies who lost their relevance to their

respective marketplace had to subject

-Xers,

quite

G.

ss guru

ably Bill Sand

JAMES G. PRUSA

nsense

nt

lf

elevan

ce had to subj

BILL SANDERSON

themselves to the inevitable – total demise.

“Being successful in the golf industry will

all come down to management being able

to sense new directions and harness new

energies that can be used to revitalise the

industry and keep it on track for contin-

ued success in the future,” according to

Sanderson. “Bill is an institution with us

because he gets it – he fully understands

the challenges faced by our industry and

he is refreshingly different in addressing

these challenges – he is all about a positive

mind-set that is focused on producing

solutions – he is the guy who will be the

invigorating revival tonic and the mixer of

the power-cocktail to pump up the indus-

try,” said Sebastian.

Another management guru who

COVER STORY New D.N.A.

Page 17: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

Being successful in the golf industry will all come down to

management being able to sense new di-rections and harness new energies that can be used to revitalise the industry and keep it on track for continued success in the future.”

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specialises in golf is James Cronk, principal

of the Cronk Group. A man who is highly

sought after in North America on mat-

ters relating to innovative management

practices, Cronk believes that in today’s

challenged industry, those facilities that are

able to articulate their passion for golf will

be successful in growing the game, grow-

ing their customers and growing their prof-

its. His speech, entitled “WHY GOLF WILL

SAVE THE WORLD – Growing the Game

One Soul at a Time!” will be an entertaining

and educational session where Cronk will

rekindle everyone’s passion for the great

game of golf.

Talking about passion, master golf

coach Joe Thiel is the epitome of passion

itself. He will focus on the importance of

the industry reaching out to kids on a large

scale. “We need to make golf FUN and

EXCITING for kids to opt for golf. We need

to make golf competitive so that kids will

embrace it instead of walking over to other

more team-oriented sports or even the

massively large hand-held video games

arena which is proving to be more compel-

ling than any other recreational activity

available,” said Thiel. According to him,

golf needs to take on a mission that is on a

biblical scale – to evangelise and get kids

excited about the game and to want to

learn and play it.

To get the ball rolling, the

celebrated and renowned

three-time PGA Teacher

Of The Year and Master

Coach of the Mizuno

Golf School of Japan

will speak on why

juniors have to be

courted immediately to

take up the game.

Other featured speakers include:

Mike Kerr, chief executive officer of the Asian Tour

Stephen Bernhard, chairman, Bernhard & Company

Brian Curley, principal, Schmidt Curley Design

Andy Johnston, general manager, Sentosa Golf Club

Matt Kamienski, PGA vice president and executive director,

2015 Presidents Cup

Jeff Blunden, managing director, Golf Business Advisory Services

Robert Yeo, chief executive officer and executive director,

Singapore Training and Development Association

Gary Jones, president/chief executive officer, Destination Media

Page 18: Asian Golf – September 2014

THE GLOBAL LABORATORY FOR CHANGE.

SINGAPOREHelping The Golf Industry TO Help Itself To Deliver The Best!

On-line registration IS OPEN NOW! VISIT WWW.GOLFCONFERENCE.ORG

Singapore, one of the most dynamic and forward thinking countries in the world will be the staging point for the 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Summit. Innovation and cutting edge thinking will lead the thrust of the Summit and it will be powered by a theme that calls for a “New Drive. New Energy. A Revitalised Industry!”

Page 19: Asian Golf – September 2014

Some of the most innovative minds in golf will be descending on Singapore to share their revolutionary thoughts on the future of the game at the 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Summit.

APGS 2014 is the perfect platform for this exciting discourse on how golf should be managed in the rapidly changing growth dynamics of the region.

Singapore, the host nation for APGS 2014, a truly dynamic and forward thinking global hub is the perfect setting for the event’s theme which calls for a “New Drive. New Energy. A Revitalised Industry”.

APGS 2014 is the ideal event for like-minded executives from the golf club industry and golf trade to come together

and network for the common good of golf.

The venue for APGS 2014 is the spectacular Marina Bay Sands Resort, one of the true wonders of the modern world. To share in new knowledge and discover new ways to grow golf in Asia, there’s no better conference anywhere in the region than APGS 2014.

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Knowledge Gets Ready To Flow In Singapore!

Page 20: Asian Golf – September 2014

18 19 ASIAN GOLF

2014 PGA Championship

Page 21: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014ISISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSISISISISISISSSSISISISSSSSSSSSISSSSISSSSSSSSSISSSSISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSUUUEUUEUEUEUEEEUEEE E EEEUUUUEUUUEEEE EEEE UE UEUEEEEEEEEEEEUUEEUEEEEUEUEEEEEEUUEEUUUU 111168168168168168166886868168688811688168811681688816811681681 881688168888868168168688868686881 8116816886866688 SSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEESSSSESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSEEESSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSEEEESSSSSSSSSSSEEEEESSSSSSSSEEESSSSSSSSEEEESSSSEEEEEEEEEESSSSEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSEEEESEEEEEESSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSEEEEEEEEEESSSSSEEEESSSSSSEEEEEEESSSSSEEEEEEESSSSSEEEEEESSSEEEEEESSSSSEEEEESSSSSSSSS PPPPPPPPPPPPPTPTPTPTPTTTTTTTTPPPPPPPPPPPTPTTPTTTTTPPPPPPPPPTPTPTTTTPTTPPPPPPPPTTPPPPPPTTPTPPPPPPPTPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPTPPPPPPTPTPTPTPTPPTTP EEEEEEEEEEMEEMEMEMEMMMMMMMMEEEEEEMEEEEEEEEMMMMMMEEEEMEMMMEEMEEEEEMMMEEEEMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMMMMEEEEEEMEEEEEEEMEEEEMEEEEEEEEEEEMEEEEEEMEEEEEEEEEEMEEEEEEEEMMMMMMMMEEEMMMMBBBBBBBBBBEBEBEBEBBEBEBEEEEEEEEEEEEBBBBBBBBEBEEEEBBBBBEBEEEEBBEEEEBBEBEBEEBBBEBEBBBBBEEEEEBBBBBBEEEEEBBBBBBBBBEEBEEEEBBEBEEBBBBEEEEEBBEBEEBBEEBEEEBEEBEEEBBEBEBBBEEBBBBEBBBBBBBBBBEBBBBBBBBEEBBBBEBBBBBBBEEBBBBEEERRRRRRRRRRRR RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR 22222020202020000220202202220202000222222222 11114141141414114141114414111414141414144141441444444

THE JOURNEY’S JUST BEGUNLifting the Wanamaker Trophy for the second time also makes McIlroy the third youngest player after Tiger Woods

and Jack Nicklaus to win four majors, just one less than the total won by the late Seve Ballesteros and two behind

Nick Faldo. With youth on his side, the journey for the young Irishman has just commenced!

It was not too long ago when the world placed a certain Tiger Woods on the highest pedestal of fame and gave him the adulation that no other living sports personality had ever experienced. He was almost revered like a god and he could do no wrong.

Even his much publicized

torrid dalliances were

quickly forgiven and for-

gotten. That was a measure

of how much golf’s mega

star of the 21st Century

was loved. But by the time

twilight dawned and the Sun shut its eyes

on August 10, 2014, almost every inhabit-

ant of Planet Golf went hyper over a new

star. The arrival of the man anointed by the

golfing gods to ascend to the throne once

majestically occupied by the seemingly

invincible Tiger Woods.

The dawn of a new era in golf! On this

fateful day, Rory McIlroy delivered on the

prophecy that he would become the man to

dethrone Tiger Woods and herald the start

of a new age for golf.

For all those of us who witnessed

McIlroy make his charge at the 2014 PGA

Championship it was a spectacle to behold.

Locked in a bitter battle with another 25-

year old and a 39-year old who was playing

the game of his life, McIlroy snuffed them

out for good on the finishing holes at the

rain-soaked fairways and greens of the

Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.

While nobody could take away the

moment from McIlroy for his historic vic-

tory, one could not help but feel the pain

of seeing the changing of the guards – to

standby and spectate at how adoring

fans, ecstatic television commentators

and eager press cameramen fly into a

frenzy to celebrate the new and discard

the old.

Just imagine Tiger Woods watch-

ing this moment – he must have most

certainly felt that this was the point from

which he would never return. This is the

sad but real end ignominiously reserved

for all those who have ascended to the

ultimate peak of their given callings.

Will the future of golf now rest squarely

on the young shoulders of McIlroy? Well,

that seems to be the case given the way

golf’s pundits are stepping over each other

singing his praises. We think otherwise!

Give him the time and space to grow and

let history be the judge of what is in store

for Rory McIlroy.

Rory McIlroy celebrates his one-stroke victory on the 18th green with his father Gerry McIlroy.

Page 22: Asian Golf – September 2014

20 21 ASIAN GOLF

SPECIAL FEATURE Market Research

Another measure of Asia’s importance is the value

of its combined economic force. Based on the

year 2013, the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

said the continent’s Gross Domestic Product

registered at a staggering US$19 trillion dollars and growing

at a steady rate.

While the size of Asia in terms of its population and its

GDP is properly chronicled, it may come as a surprise that

very little is known in terms of “universally accepted” market

intelligence on the nascent golf industry In Asia. The golf

industry in Japan has been properly measured for many years

and to a lesser extent, maybe South Korea. But the rest of this

massive continent has been untouched in terms of serious,

industry wide research.

The absence of research and the ready availability of

reliable market intelligence have been generally disregarded

by most industry players. We do qualify that some research

There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that to be a major player in virtually any

a major consideration. This continent is

Page 23: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

Right now the consumer is the king. “As the

survey covers participation traits, golf club

satisfaction, equipment use and golf travel

habits, the outcomes that will emanate from

this research will provide great insight into

the consumer’s current thinking,” said Jeff

Blunden, managing director of Golf Business

Advisory Services (GBAS)

Blunden went on to explain, “How close

the key industry stakeholders, including the

national tourism organisations, the equip-

ment manufacturers, the private club man-

agers and the resort owners, are aligned to

this thinking, or how quickly they choose to

align, will have a large bearing on the future

success they do or do not achieve and those

stakeholders who can better deliver what

the consumer wants will certainly be best

positioned moving forward.”

Golf Business Advisory Services is one of

the leading providers of independent golf

industry advisory services in the Asia Pacific

market. The firm’s knowledge and expertise

is grounded in both market and consumer

research, evidenced by the major industry

research projects and reports that it has

authored in recent years in Australia.

The Asian Golf Consumer Survey will

poll golfers in the following countries – Ja-

pan, Mongolia, South Korea, Taiwan, China,

Hong Kong, Macau, Philippines, Thailand,

Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Malay-

sia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Sri

Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

“It is a very extensive geographic region

and we have assembled a large universe to

be polled over the next few weeks,” revealed

Blunden.

It comes hot on the heels of the recently

launched Southeast Asian Golf Industry

Survey and the Asian Golf Architects Survey,

both launched by the same organisations in-

volved with the Asian Golf Consumer Survey.

The 2014 Southeast Asia Golf Industry/

Facility Survey will be conducted in ten

countries over a two month period. “We will

be reaching out to a good cross-sectional

sampling of golf course owners, operators,

general managers, golfing managers, course

superintendents, the golf trade and national

tourism organisations to obtain a good fix

on the spread of the industry and a number

of important trends vital to understand-

ing the state of the industry,” revealed Jeff

Blunden.

This inaugural industry/facility survey

will form part of an on-going commitment

to research by the CMAAAPC and the club

industry in the region can expect more

specialised research projects to be launched

from now on.

The countries that will be covered will

include the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia,

Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singa-

pore, Brunei and Indonesia. The survey will

be very comprehensive and will serve up

data that has heretofore not been available

to the golf industry.

Blunden’s expertise is grounded in both

market and consumer research, evidenced

by the major industry research projects and

reports that he has authored in recent years

in Australia. Highly skilled in financial analy-

sis and modelling, with a deep understand-

ing of current industry trends, Blunden’s

client base has covered the entire industry

spectrum as he has successfully delivered a

broad range of feasibility, operational and

research projects for clubs, resorts, devel-

opers, administration and tourism bodies,

banks, and legal firms.

Blunden will present some of the key

findings of the 2014 Southeast Asia Golf In-

dustry Survey and the Asian Golf consumer

survey at the 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Summit

to be staged in Singapore from November

14 – 15 which is owned and organised by

the Asia Pacific Golf Group.

The release of the findings of these

research projects will mark a major mile-

stone in the evolution of the golf industry in

the region and it will herald a new era in the

way the business of golf is conducted.

projects have been undertaken by certain

companies but these have been projects

confined to defined groups mostly made up

of their own customers.

To date, there has been no independent

research conducted to determine the state

of the golf industry in Asia, trends impacting

its development and indicators pointing to

its future. However, all this is set to change

because of a bold initiative undertaken

by the Asia Pacific Golf Group in partner-

ship with the CMAA – Asia Pacific Chapter

(CMAAAPC) and Golf Business Advisory

Services (GBAS) of Australia. The research

project incorporates three very distinct

surveys which include:

The Asian Golf Consumer Survey

The Southeast Asian Golf Industry/Fa-cility Survey

The Asian Golf Course Architects Survey

All three survey projects are market-

driven and the primary objective is to be

able to obtain a good fix on each given area

of the industry that is being surveyed. This

research comes at a point in time when seri-

ous stake-holders in the game are looking

for market intelligence to grow golf on the

giant Asian continent.

“The launch of this innovative project

marks the coming of age for the Asian golf

industry and more significantly, it heralds

the dawn of a new era where finally the golf

industry will have credible market intel-

ligence on the size and nature of the golf

industry in Asia,” remarked Mike Sebastian,

chief executive officer of the Asia Pacific Golf

Group and president of CMAAAPC.

“Working with the highly regarded Jeff

Blunden and his team at Golf Business Ad-

visory Services in Australia, we are confident

that the Asian Golf Survey will provide what

the golf industry in Asia has needed for

many years,” he added.

The one thing all of the stakeholders in

Asian golf have in common is the consumer.

As the survey covers participation traits, golf club satisfaction, equipment use and

golf travel habits, the outcomes that will emanate from this research will provide great insight into the consumer’s current thinking.” - Jeff Blunden

Page 24: Asian Golf – September 2014

22 23 ASIAN GOLF

SPECIAL FEATURE Custom Fitting

here are typically three main types of high-

handicap golfers:

the senior who has been losing strength

and flexibility over the years

the recreational player who plays only a

handful of times a year

the player who has simply been playing

the wrong equipment for way too long and can’t improve

even with lessons

As golfers grow older, their swing speeds tend to slow down

and their flexibility decreases. One of the first steps that seniors

can take to improve their game is to have realistic expectations.

Seniors shouldn’t be playing the same equipment they were

using twenty years ago. Most seniors will improve by using club-

heads that are designed for the greatest forgiveness and which

also compensate for a slower swing speed. The senior player will

also notice greater improvement by carrying more hybrids and

fewer irons. For example, our #7 hybrid models actually get 10

yards greater distance than our #7 irons with the exact same loft

specifications! And having the right shaft is paramount.

Most senior golfers need a softer, lighter shaft to compensate

for their slower swing speeds – giving the ball more kick when and

where it counts most – at impact. That means no more heavy steel.

Graphite shafts should be “par for the course” for a senior player.

Graphite dampens vibration and is easier on the golfer’s joints.

Seniors should also consider the benefit of arthritic grips that will

further reduce the vibration of the club upon striking the ball. A

qualified fitter should be able to fit any senior with clubs that will

help improve their consistency on the course.

One of the biggest challenges faced by high handicap players lies in the process of

As we all know, golf is a difficult game to play. It takes years of

consistent practice, which typically includes playing a few rounds

or more a week. We know that most people simply do not have

the time that it takes to practice and work on their game. For

those recreational golfers that only make it to the course a few

times a year, your clubfitter will help you find the clubs that will

actually make the game easier for you. Clubheads should be very

forgiving. Again, having more hybrids and fewer irons in the bag

can help. If the recreational player does not intend to take lessons

to improve, there are actually clubheads that correct bad swing

flaws. For example, if the player has a hook or a slice, there are

clubheads that can alter and literally cure those defects. And why

not use the tools that can help your game? Again, the shaft choice

is important and the recreational player will most likely achieve

greater distance and dispersion control with the shaft selected

by a bonafide fitter. Surprisingly, many recreational players have

taken up the game more seriously after having a few enjoyable

rounds with easy to play and very forgiving clubs.

The last group of high handicappers is typically composed of

golfers that desperately want to play better golf, but they have

ill-fitting clubs and no amount of lessons can help them. Often

they aspire to be like the pros, so they buy the same type of clubs

that the pros are playing – which is obviously the wrong choice

of club for their game. Or worse, they bought the wrong set of

clubs “off the rack” or an inexpensive set that has no relevance to

their game. I can’t tell you how often I talk to golfers who have

bought “the latest and greatest” clubs, only to add them to their

garage full of other equipment not suited to their game. Why, oh

why, don’t they get a perfectly fit set of clubs right from the start?

It sure would save them money in the long run, and they would

have had years of great play to show for it as well.

Tragically, the majority of golfers will instinctively modify their

Page 25: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

The shaft choice is important and the

recreational player will most likely achieve great-er distance and disper-sion control with the shaft selected by a bonafide fitter. Surprisingly, many recreational players have taken up the game more seriously after having a few enjoyable rounds with easy to play and very for-giving clubs.”

ve ee more morere

ter having a er havaviviving ajoyable rounds with joyyable rorounds wiiiith

easy to play and very forasy to playay nd vevery fofor--giving clubs.”giviviiiing clubs.”

Page 26: Asian Golf – September 2014

Dr. King is the founder and President of KZG, the #1 Custom ProLine which manufactures equipment distributed solely through

qualified professional teachers and professional clubfitters. She has pioneered raising the bar for custom clubfitters around the globe

and is a sponsor of the International Professional Association of ClubFitters (IPAC), an association dedicated to raising the bar for the

clubfitting profession and to assist the golfing public on where to go and what to expect in a real fitting.

If you have a question for Dr. King, please e-mail her directly at [email protected] and put on the subject line: Asian Golf. You can also

find out more about KZG and IPAC on their websites: www.kzg.com and www.ipacgolf.com and www.ipacgolf.com

ABOUT JENNIFER KING

SPECIAL FEATURE Custom Fitting

Finding sticks that give the player confidence and a more consis-

tent ball flight is crucial in lowering scores and improving golfers’ overall enjoyment of the game. And best of all, when fit into the right clubs, lessons finally become relevant.”

swings to suit ill-fitting clubs. And every time they go buy a new set of clubs, they

tend to buy something that feels “familiar.” Of course, if their clubs are too short then

when someone hands them something that is the correct length, it may feel a bit

odd. It takes a great deal of trust in the clubfitter when being placed into the correct

clubs, then to slowly re-train the body to swing naturally. The difference it will make

in their game will be almost instantaneous. Finally, the golfer can learn to properly

“swing” the club instead of praying that they will “hit” the ball. Finding sticks that give

the player confidence and a more consistent ball flight is crucial in lowering scores

and improving golfers’ overall enjoyment of the game. And best of all, when fit into

the right clubs, lessons finally become relevant.

The hardest part of all is finding a professional teacher and professional fitter

with integrity that will actually get you into perfectly fit and built clubs. When look-

ing for teachers and fitters, find out how important the fitting is in their program. If it

is non-existent, I would recommend you continue looking. There are some very good

fitters and teachers out there, and they are well worth the hunt.

Page 27: Asian Golf – September 2014

R E S E R V A T I O N S : 1 8 0 0 2 3 2 5 5 9 9 B A N Y A N T R E E . C O M

Emerald green paddy fields. Sun-kissed beaches. Meandering streams.

Tee off at the 18-hole Sir Nick Faldo championship golf course.

A g o l f e x p e r i e n c e

l i k e n o

o t h e r .

Page 28: Asian Golf – September 2014

26 27 ASIAN GOLF

SPECIAL FEATURE Aaerishna Shasty

It’s a call for huge commitment and it is

left to be seen if national golf associa-

tions, the professional tours and other

related support groups are prepared to

step up to the plate to make junior dreams

come true!

One teenager who needs special men-

tion is a boy who hails from Malaysia. When

Asian Golf first met him in his hometown in

Johor Baru, capital city of the southern-most

Malaysian state of Johor, he was 11 years old.

That first meeting displayed certain

characteristics that seemed to indicate that

this boy was different – that he was special.

Unlike boys his age who are normally hyper-

active with their thumbs on hand-held

devices like the ubiquitous hand-phone, he

was not. As Asian Golf talked about his goals

and ambitions with his Uncle Peter (who

gave up his job in banking to look after

the boy’s needs in golf ), he looked upon

intently and paid attention to everything

that was said without showing any signs of

being bored. There was a certain sparkle in

his eyes – a burning passion to achieve his

life’s goal which in his own words is to turn

professional someday.

Meet Aaerishna Shasty, a star in the

making. Known to his friends as simply

“Aaeri”, 2014 will go down as a major mile-

stone in his young playing career. A scholar

at the prestigious Raffles Institution, argu-

ably one of the finest schools in Southeast

Asia, Aaeri took a one-month sabbatical

from his studies to go to America to sharpen

his game.

“It was not easy to get my school to

agree but my grades helped to convince

them that I could handle the break from

studies,” Aaerie chuckled. Backed by the

CIMB Bank of Malaysia, Aaeri devoted

himself to a regimen of intensive coaching

under the care of hand-picked PGA coaches

in San Diego.

“The approach towards training juniors

is so different in America which explains

why that country keeps on producing top

quality junior, college and professional

players,” Aaeri observed. According to him,

the quality of the coaches and the posi-

tive approach they take towards training

juniors is so very advanced and the time

and patience spent on helping a junior is

remarkable.

“There are no short cuts and it is some-

thing that the coaches frown upon,” Aaeri

pointed out and added, “the emphasis is on

mastering every technique and constantly

practicing so as to ensure that every routine

is committed to muscle memory.”

Given the nature and demanding rigours of golf, not many will make the cut. But for those who have what it takes to make the grade, the industry must make an effort to create a pathway for these juniors to realize their full potential.

Page 29: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

The approach towards training juniors is so dif-ferent in America which explains why that coun-

try keeps on producing top quality junior, college and professional players.” – Aaeri

Another area that Aaeri found unique

was the focus on the mental aspects of the

game. “My coaches in San Diego place a

lot of emphasis on the mental attitude of a

player because they believe that a game is

often lost in the six-inches of space between

the ears.” The 15-year old has come away ab-

solutely convinced that for him to progress

in the game, mental strength, aside from

the quality of play is imperative for success.

“Look at Rory McIlroy – he is the perfect

example of mental strength – it is so obvi-

ous when he recovers almost instantly from

a set-back and that’s what makes a special

player totally different – a superstar!”

Aaeri is beginning to grow up and

shows promise of becoming a well-rounded

star golfer and top student. His one-month

break in America has delivered the results

that he strived very hard to attain. He took

part in the 2014 TaylorMade World Masters

Junior Championship in Las Vegas in late

July and he aced it.

The Malaysian romped home the winner

of this closely contested three-day tourna-

ment staged in Las Vegas, Nevada and took

top honours in the boy’s 15-16 age group.

“He was up against a stellar field of juniors

drawn from all over the world but Aaeri

displayed his championship qualities when

he broke away to finish the tournament at

the top of the leaderboard,” said Uncle Peter.

His winning score to land the world title was

72, 69, 72.

The TaylorMade World Junior Masters is

a premier golf tournament in the world. Its

mission is to provide junior boys and girls of

all ages with the most competitive field and

the ultimate tournament experience. This

professionally managed event by PGA golf

professionals, PGA apprentices and volun-

teers makes this a must play tournament for

all juniors. It is nationally ranked by NJGS,

Golfweek, Scratch Player World Ranking,

AJGA and R & A world Ranking.

“We have a lot of work still to do and

the journey for Aaeri has just begun” said

Uncle Peter. “The challenge for Aaeri now is

to keep his concentration focused and what

he needs most of all is competition play

because that’s the only way for him to stay

sharp.”

It is hoped that the authorities respon-

sible for golf in Malaysia will throw their sup-

port behind this budding star and provide

him all the breaks and opportunities he

needs to realize his dream which is to one

day play on the PGA Tour of America.

Aaeri, we wish you well – you are a star

in the making!

Page 30: Asian Golf – September 2014

For those who make the grade, the

rewards are plentiful but for those who

don’t, they risk being discarded and

cast into oblivion. It all sounds pretty

stark but that is the reality of the trade.

Given the tough odds to succeed,

one wonders why anyone would

still want to plunge into this business. The challenge

becomes even more acute when the section of the rag

trade that this feature focuses upon is in the golf indus-

try.

It is already dominated by ruthlessly competitive

giants like Nike and Adidas and together with a host of

other peripheral players, collectively form an eco-system

that in one word can be described as SCARY!

Against this daunting backdrop, a young Scotsman

GOLF ENTREPRENEUR FENIX Golf

The rag trade is a tough and competitive business anywhere in the

world. To succeed, one needs designs that appeal to the consumer,

still

bec

tra

tr

gi

oth

tha

28 29 ASIAN GOLF

Page 31: Asian Golf – September 2014

It’s been a tough battle but Fenix

is winning and making very smart moves and impressive gains. This in itself is a creditable

performance and something for a home-grown company to be

proud of – a classic battle of David versus

Goliath!”

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

Page 32: Asian Golf – September 2014

30 31 ASIAN GOLF

GOLF ENTREPRENEUR FENIX Golf

Michael Moir (R) in a relaxed mood with Asian Tour star and Fenix Brand Ambassador Scott Hend (L).

decided to make a name for himself in golf apparel and accessories. Back in 2008,

Michael Moir launched FENIX, a brand that had ambitions then of becoming a

strong niche player in the Southeast Asian region.

Why the golf industry? Moir replied without hesitation, “I just saw too many

goodie bags left behind in lockers at corporate events and this was primarily due

to the poor quality of the apparel and accessories given to golfers.”

So, it was quality that got this young entrepreneur fired up to enter the golf

rag trade to make a name for himself. It was a rocky ride from the start, fraught

with a whole myriad of challenges and problems. “Let me tell you that the prob-

lems and challenges are still there but we have learned how to cope with them

and stay afloat and keep our heads above water,” Moir chuckled.

He and his team are fighters and one thing that they have large

doses of is good old fashioned spunk and grit. The early days

of the business called for non-stop hard work and a constant

struggle to eke out a living based on relatively small orders.

“The hard work still continues and in fact, we have to

work even harder and make more sacrifices to stay

ahead of the curve,” Moir added.

Six years after starting up Fenis, the drive

to grow the business continues. “We have

been cautious in growing the company and

my partner and I now work full time in the

business and we have done well to grow our

business,” is how Moir describes his company

today.

Page 33: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

So, it was quality that got this young entrepreneur fired up to

enter the golf rag trade to make a name for himself. It was a rocky ride from the start, fraught with a whole myriad of challenges and problems. “Let me tell you that the problems and challenges are still there but we have learned how to cope with them and stay afloat and keep our heads above water” – Michael Moir

Page 34: Asian Golf – September 2014

GOLF ENTREPRENEUR FENIX Golf

32 33 ASIAN GOLF

On competition, which incidentally is very fierce in this sector of the golf indus-

try, Moir said, “We don’t get drawn into competition with the big global players

and we focus on our strengths and relationships rather than trying to better

what others are doing – we have a unique service to offer to our customers

and remain confident that we can continue to build on this.”

One area that places a lot of stress on Fenix, especially at the retail

level concerns its ability to compete against the big brands who provide

all stocks on consignment. “We get around this challenge by holding

inventory at our warehouses so that we are able to refresh stocks much

more quickly,” Moir revealed.

Fenix has an impressive product line which includes golf polo shirts,

tee-shirts, shorts, trousers, belts, caps, umbrellas, golf and sport bags and

compression sports underwear and outerwear. All designs are created by

a talented in-house design team with the bulk of the manufacturing done

in Thailand.

Fenix products are available in most countries in Southeast Asia, Taiwan,

Hong Kong, the Middle East, Australia, Canada and parts of Africa.

“We are looking at expanding into other markets in North America and Eu-

rope and we expect to be in more than twenty countries by 2016 and we aim to

build Fenix into one of Asia’s top apparel and accessories brands,” is Moir’s outlook

for the company.

It’s been a tough battle but Fenix is winning and making very smart moves and

impressive gains. This in itself is a creditable performance and something for a home-grown

company to be proud of – a classic battle of David versus Goliath!

Page 35: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Nike Vapor Irons

The “Swoosh” folks are at it again! Cashing in on the current frenzy over their wonder boy’s (Rory McIlroy) success, Nike Golf has launched what they call the new range of “Vapor” irons. In a carefully orchestrated launch which had the crestfallen Tiger Woods, McIlroy and The Tonight Show’s host Jimmy Fallon in attendance, Cindy Davis,

paraded the company’s new irons.

Tonight Show’s host Jimmy ToTon t Jimmy Fallon in attendance, Cindy Davis, Fal Cindy Davavis,

paraded the company’s new irons.para the co ny’s neew irorons.

NIKE ADDS “MODERN MUSCLE” TO ITS IRONS!N

ike Golf is referring to the

Vapor irons as a blend of

detailed craftsmanship of

Nike’s master club builder,

Mike Taylor; the engineering exper-

tise of The Oven (Nike’s R&D facility in

Fort Worth); and the imagination of

Nike designers.

The result; a family of irons

featuring a pinnacle Nike innovation

called Modern Muscle.

Modern Muscle is a modification

of a standard muscle-back design

that moves the iron’s centre of grav-

ity to the centre of the clubface,

crafted to yield more efficient and

pure strikes. The innovation has

already contributed to a major

championship victory when

Rory McIlroy put a prototype

Vapor Pro Combo 2-iron (MM

Proto) in the bag and went

on to win the 2014 Open

Championship.

“Our engineers and designers at The

Oven have been working with Tiger Woods

for quite some time to evolve this innova-

tion and bring it to the golf athlete,” said

Rob Arluna, Nike Golf’s Global Golf Club

Business Director. “We started with the tradi-

tional blade and asked what could be done

to enhance its performance and modernize

the design while maintaining a traditional,

pure look at address. We made the Vapor

Pro blades feel and perform better with a

technology advantage over the traditional

blade. We then extended that innovation

and design to Vapor Pro Combo and Vapor

Speed.”

With a modernized take on the classic

blade profile, the Vapor Pro is Nike Golf’s

most precise iron to date. The Vapor Pro

Combo has the clean lines and workability

of a blade with the power of a distance iron

– resulting in the ultimate blend of preci-

sion and power. The Vapor Speed delivers

pure power for the golf athlete who wants

maximum distance and forgiveness through

the set.

Page 36: Asian Golf – September 2014

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Callaway’s Big Bertha V Series

Speak about Callaway’s Big Bertha being fertile – the grand

in 1991. If you recall, after a successful reign, Callaway retired the brand and cast it away into cold storage.

34 35 ASIAN GOLF

Then, all of a sudden, Big Bertha as a brand was

resurrected earlier this year with the launch of

two new drivers – the Big Bertha and Big Ber-

tha Alpha. Although these drivers are still

relatively new, Callaway has opted to add another

sibling and they’ve called it the Big Bertha V Series.

Interesting! One wonders if we really do need

another driver given the tough times the club

industry is experiencing right now. This is really

a highly subjective area and we thought that

rather than us answer the question, we’d throw

the challenge to Callaway. As a result, here are

some interesting questions that help explain the

birth of yet another Callaway driver - the new Big

Bertha V Series.

So, let’s get a move on – what’s the story behind the new big stick?

Well, according to Callaway, the Big Bertha V Series is

a super lightweight driver that’s going to help maximize

distance for players who want (or need) more speed. The

Page 37: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

And from a “big picture” level, we now have a lineup of drivers that bring different qualities to

the table, but all of them are built to maximize distance. No matter what type of player you are, one of them is probably the perfect driver for you.”

Page 38: Asian Golf – September 2014

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Callaway’s Big Bertha V Series

36 37 ASIAN GOLF

aerodynamic design, lightweight materials, hyper speed face,

refined components, lower drag - all this technology is in Big

Bertha V Series to enhance your speed. Put simply, Calla-

way’s talking faster swing speed and ball speed so that you

hit the ball a long, long way!

Faster swing speed and ball speed – that’s got to mean only one thing – greater distance. Is this really the case?

“You bet, you can even think of it as Speed Optimized Technol-

ogy,” is Callaway’s instant response. This is validated by the fact

that the Big Bertha V Series weighs as low as 290 grams which

means more clubhead speed. That’s not all – Callaway claims

that the aerodynamic shaping lowers drag through the entire

swing to give you…wait for it, more clubhead speed. A

hyper speed face produces higher ball speeds all across

the face and the lighter forged composite material

in the crown leads to higher swing speed and ball

speed. That’s where the distance comes from!

How about the forgiveness factor – is this another built-in quality of the Big Bertha V Series?

Hey, you better believe it - this driver is very

forgiving too! You can hit it all over the face and

it’s still going to be long and accurate off the tee.

And of course this driver offers OptiFit Technology

with a combination of 8 different loft (-1, S, +1, +2) and

lie angles (draw or neutral) to choose from. Callaway’s not

kidding you when they claim that you will get speed (lots of it),

forgiveness and adjustability from the V Series.

So far so good. Now, here’s a real poser. Since the launch of the Big Bertha and Big Bertha Alpha, sales have been strong at Callaway. Why the need for another driver and why now?

The answer is dead simple. It’s all about more distance for golf-

ers! According to Callaway, “No two players are the same, so

while an extreme low spin driver like Big Bertha Alpha might

maximize distance for one golfer, another golfer might need

more speed to hit their longest drives.” Sounds very logical.

Here’s where it gets more interesting. Callaway states that on

an individual level, the Big Bertha V Series is likely THE choice

for players with low swing speeds who want to create more

speed to hit the ball farther. “And from a “big picture” level, we

now have a lineup of drivers that bring different qualities to

the table, but all of them are built to maximize distance. No

matter what type of player you are, one of them is probably

the perfect driver for you,” Callaway explains. Makes good

sense alright – it breaks away from the old one driver fits all

rationalization!

So much for the new Big Bertha V Series. Oh, before we

forget, in case you’re wondering what the “V” stands for, we are

told that it is supposed to represent “velocity”.

What else has the Big Mama delivered? How about a cool set of fairway woods bearing the same “V” insignia?

You hit the nail on the head on this one! “Absolutely” is Cal-

laway’s answer. “The V Series Fairway Woods are our friendliest

Bertha Fairway Woods - they have Speed Optimized Technol-

ogy through an advanced, lightweight aerodynamic clubhead

design to deliver maximum clubhead speed, ball speed and

distance,” according to the company.

It’s also important that you understand that the Hyper

Speed Face increases ball speeds across the face, and pay at-

tention to this - a Modern Warbird Sole reportedly makes them

more versatile from everywhere. Callaway points out that its

high launch design increases launch and that this makes the

club its most forgiving, most friendly Bertha Fairway Wood.

Guess what – Callaway is calling the fairway woods its new “Heaven-wood” which is a throw-back to

Callaway’s take is that the new “Heaven-wood” is a great addi-

tion to any player’s bag. The unique configuration (20.5° loft,

43” shaft) can provide more consistent distance and tighter

dispersion than you might get from a standard 4-wood and

7-wood setup. “It’s a club that will give you confidence and

plenty of options,” declares Callaway.

The Big Bertha “V” series will be arriving at a golf store close

to you in October. So, if you are looking for that elusive extra

distance and if you want to give your confidence a boost, just

be patient and wait for a few more weeks for the new beauties

from Big Bertha!

Page 39: Asian Golf – September 2014

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Page 40: Asian Golf – September 2014

38 39 ASIAN GOLF

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Focus On Japanese Golf

Did you know that Srixon has been making golf balls for more than 80 years! Did you also know that Srixon is the fourth largest golf company in the world?

Page 41: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

Now that you’ve been brought

up to speed on Srixon we

thought we’d poke around the

company to find out a little

more about what makes Srixon tick.

Srixon is the sports arm of the giant

Sumitomo Rubber Industries of Japan,

the owner of Dunlop Tyres and one of the

world’s major conglomerates. It is an estab-

lished force in the golf equipment industry

and a technology leader.

For those of you who possess good

memory power, Srixon was the pioneer of

“balata golf balls” and were the acknowl-

edged leaders in this category of golf balls.

We were told that Srixon is the owner

of the only “super computer” in use in

the golf industry for exact tolerance and

performance testing. Apparently, it’s similar

to the super computers used by Mercedes

Benz and BMW for performance testing of

their motor vehicles.

Very impressive indeed! Another piece

of trivia relates to the fact that Srixon has

emerged as the world’s leading developer

of golf ball technology - with over 700

patents taken out worldwide.

The company is a firm believer in

research and development and has been

driven to seek out new designs and tech-

nologies as evidenced by the number of

patents it holds. The big push for an edge

in technology started in the mid 1990’s

when Srixon opened its Golf Science Cen-

tre for state of the art testing and research.

For a better sense and understanding of

Srixon’s standing in the Southeast Asian mar-

ketplace, Asian Golf established contact with

the company’s regional headquarters located

in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. The

man we spoke to was Tomihiro Ieda, manag-

ing director of Srixon Sports Asia.

Srixon attaches a great deal of impor-

tance to the Southeast Asian golf market

which according to Ieda has “the potential

to be the biggest growth market world-

wide”. Expanding on this bullish outlook,

he said, “Indonesia and Myanmar would be

considered the fastest growing markets in

the region at the present moment but we

cannot deny the fact that all the countries

in the region are also growing very much

faster than we have expected.”

Ieda is quick to point out that the

Srixon produces an extensive range of golf balls designed to cater to the varying playing needs

of golfers. The company is a firm believer that golfers should play the ball best suited to their individual needs and as such, considers golf ball fitting of prime importance.”

Page 42: Asian Golf – September 2014

40 41 ASIAN GOLF

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Focus On Japanese Golf

commitment and dedication

of Srixon’s distributors in the

region are the factors that are

driving the brand’s growth in

Southeast Asia. “Srixon golf

balls have been accepted

tremendously well in the

region and this is largely due

to the fact that there is market

recognition of the quality and

performance of our golf balls which

are manufactured in a state of the art

manufacturing plant which utilises the

best production technology combined

with very stringent quality control,” Ieda

pointed out.

Srixon produces an extensive

range of golf balls designed to cater to

the varying playing needs of golfers. The

company is a firm believer that golfers

should play the ball best suited to their

individual needs and as such, considers

golf ball fitting of prime importance.

Ieda, who is a staunch believer in

ball-fitting explained, “If a golfer would

get fitted for clubs, there is no reason

why a golfer should not be fitted with

a golf ball that is suitable for him - each

golf ball model is manufactured to

different specifications to suit different

levels of golfers based on their respec-

tive skills and as such we cannot expect

every player to have the same distance

off the tee and same spin rate around

Page 43: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

We treat Never Compromise as a niche product because its

appeal is to very discerning golfers who place a great of importance in putter performance.” -Tomihiro Ieda

the green.” It sure makes sense and this is

why Srixon is a major proponent of golf

ball-fitting.

Besides being a leader in golf balls,

Srixon is also a force in golf clubs. There

is a full range of Srixon golf clubs that are

used by top professionals like Graeme

McDowell and the former LPGA World

number one Inbee Park. Other brands in

its stable include XXIO and Cleveland.

XXIO is a top prestige Japanese brand

which is rated amongst the best golf

clubs produced in that country. “Golfers

in Southeast Asia are now beginning to

understand the very high product quality

and performance standards that are built

into the XXIO range of clubs and we be-

lieve that market demand will grow for this

brand in the region,” Ieda said.

Commenting on Cleveland Golf and

its rich heritage in wedges, Ieda said,

“Much improvement has been made to

the wedges with new face designs, new

grooves and we have also used laser mill-

ing in the production of these wedges.” He

added, “We have been able to bring about

the combination of Japanese technology

and Cleveland’s proven know-how and ex-

pertise in wedge design to take Cleveland’s

wedges to a whole new level of quality and

performance.”

There is still another famous brand

under Srixon’s umbrella and that is the

Never Compromise range of putters,

“We treat Never Compromise as a niche

product because its appeal is to very

discerning golfers who place a great deal

of importance in putter performance,”

Ieda concluded.

The Srixon story is a fascinating one

that is built around quality, innovation

and high-end technology. Together with

its stable of products, it is only headed

in one direction and that is to stamp

its leadership role on the global golf

market.

Tomihiro Ieda

Page 44: Asian Golf – September 2014
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44 45 ASIAN GOLF

EQUIPMENT FOCUS TaylorMade: Putters

ne area of the game that affects a lot of golf-

ers is their putting, the serious money-end of

golf. More often than not the most expletives

that are uttered during a round of golf occur

on the greens especially when putts go awry.

Like every part of the game of golf, one’s

skill level determines the quality of game

that is played and how this impacts the end result. Putting

is perhaps the one aspect of golf that lets down most

golfers – professionals and amateurs alike. While skill

plays an important part in the putting phase, the

same can be said of the equipment used. The

right putter can make the difference between

a good score and a score that one will want

to forget about instantly.

So, what’s a good putter? Where do

you start? In this special report, Asian

Golf checks out a family of putters from

It is said that golf is a funny game. Sometimes you shine like a professional

and then there are other times when your game sucks. Even the

professionals are not spared by the ups and downs of the game. Look

at the top golfers who ply their game on the professional

tours – there are times when they can do no

wrong with their drives and then,

their form drops and their game resembles

that of a weekend hacker.

Page 47: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

“EEacch off thheseee ppuuuttteerrs pprrommootee aan eexxxtrreemmmeelly sstablee ppuuttingg sstrrokkee, too hheelpp ggollferrs deelivveer aa cconnssiissteennt rrolll timmee aftterr tiimme.”” –– TTommmo BByystteedt

TaylorMade. One year ago, the company released the most

stable putters it had ever created – the counterbalanced Daddy

Long Legs and the counterbalanced Spider Blade. Shortly after

this launch, it expanded its counterbalance putter offerings to

include the Spider Mallet and the ultra-stable Ghost Spider Si.

And now, TaylorMade has launched a new series of coun-

terbalanced models of the Daddy Long Legs, Spider Blade and

Spider Mallet, each with Tour-inspired aesthetics. Crafted from the

insights of TaylorMade Tour Professionals, the new designs feature

an enhanced colour scheme, including a luxurious black finish and

white tungsten heel/toe weights, which frame the ball at address.

A matte-black shaft and high-polish sole round out the premium

aesthetics. Absolutely cool!

“The new tour-inspired cosmetic is visually stunning, while

also delivering the ultimate in stability and performance,” said

Tomo Bystedt, TaylorMade’s director of iron, wedge and putter cre-

ation. “Each of these putters promote an extremely stable putting

stroke, to help golfers deliver a consistent roll time after time.”

Daddy Long Legs is the most stable putter in the trio,

with an MOI of more than 8,500. The high-MOI

design resists twisting at impact to protect ball

speed on off-centre hits, promoting a reliable

roll regardless of where the ball is struck on

the face.

At more than 5,200 MOI, the Spider

Blade offers the stability of a mallet putter

in a blade shape to promote outstanding

twist-resistance and distance control on

off-centre hits. “TaylorMade research

indicates that the Spider Blade is 50%

more stable than traditional blade-style

putters,” explained Bystedt.

All three models feature a heavy steel

frame, and tungsten heel and toe weights, all designed to raise the

MOI to deliver increased head stability.

Commenting on the performance of the new putters, Bystedt

said, “To optimize counterbalance technology, golfers should grip

two to three inches below the top end of the grip when assuming a

normal stance, posture and address.” According to him, by doing so,

more weight is “above” the golfer’s hands, which is key for increas-

ing stroke-stability. Because players should grip down, each new

counterbalanced putter is offered in two lengths: 38” and 35”. The

38” is for players who traditionally use a 34”-36” putter, while the 35”

option is for players who traditionally use a 32”-34” putter.

The new Daddy Long Legs, Spider Blade, and Spider Mallet are

offered in a single bend 35” or 38” shaft.

Page 48: Asian Golf – September 2014

46 47 ASIAN GOLF

With very little fanfare, which is not unusual for PING, the company introduced its latest bomber – the G30 “Turbulator”. The G30 series

performance attributes such as control and forgiveness.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Product Test – PING G30 Turbulator

Page 49: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

Everything that PING said its new G30 driver would do turned out to be spot on! Asian Golf’s equip-ment editor, Lawrence Young

took out the Turbulator with a 10.5 degree loft and he returned from the golf course with a grin that stretched right across his normally cheerful disposition.

“Man, this new driver is something else …. It is just incredible. It’s awesome!” Now, Lawrence is a guy who knows a thing or two about golf clubs as he plays off a strong 11 handicap (not bad for a 58 year old). For the past two years, he has been terrorizing seniors on the region’s fairways with his Bubba Watson Limited edition PING G20 “pinkie”. He drives the G20 a country mile but the G30 caused him to desert his previous love and strike up a new romance with the “Turbulator”.

“I missed out on PING’s G25, as I was absolutely convinced that the G20 was the ultimate weapon of choice for me,” said Law-rence. “But like a star-struck little boy, I just could not resist the craving for the G30.”

When PING sent over a bunch of clubs from the G30 series, the first thing that caught Lawrence’s attention was its aesthetics. “I sim-ply fell in love with the blue head cover, the shaft, the battle-ready grey finish on the club head and those turbulator strips that made the club look like it came right out of a race car assembly line,” observed Lawrence.

Before he took the driver out on the fairway, he conducted a test run at the driv-ing range and this is how he recorded his observations:�When taking up position for impact, the driver head rests nicely on the ground be-hind the ball ready for launch. All the golfer needs to do is to align his grip, hands, body and legs and strike – it is one of the easiest drivers that I have hit in a long while!� The sound generated by the G30 is very confidence-inspiring and one can’t help but

feel good after a strike. It’s a very satisfying, and gratifying sound even on off centre hits!� In terms of distance and accuracy – a typi-cal drive took off like a drone on steroids and just kept flying through the air. Most of my drives reached the fence of the outer perimeters of the range and this is how far I was driving my ball. Not many drivers can hit the driving range fence but the G30 does it easily. Just amazing!

Lawrence put the G30 out for other golfers to try at the range and everyone who had a go, without exception experi-enced greater distance than what they were normally accustomed to. Most just could not understand the extra distance they were getting with the G30 but it was proof-positive and validation that the extra swing speed due to the turbulators do work!

In summary, Lawrence said, “Ping has again got its act together and the G30 series is a class act and a hard one to beat!”

Meanwhile PING introduced its “turbu-lator” technology at the conference of the International Sports Engineering Association in England. The presentation was made Erik Henrikson, Ph.D., Head of Fitting Science at PING. Henrikson delivered the findings from a paper co-authored with Paul Wood, Ph.D., PING’s Director of Engineering, and John Hart, Ph.D., Senior CFD Engineer at the university.

Henrikson said one question guided PING’s development of Turbulator Technol-ogy: Can we improve aerodynamics without sacrificing key design factors like trajectory, centre of gravity, moment of inertia, and co-efficient of restitution? Henrikson presented charts, flow dynamic imagery, and videos showing how player testing plus wind-tunnel studies at Arizona State University verified that clubheads with turbulators increase clubhead speed compared to those without.

“The strategy behind turbulators was to improve aerodynamics and speed without compromising performance elsewhere,” Henrikson said following the conference. “We did it, proving that golfers can hit the ball farther with improved accuracy and control, which intrigued many conference attendees. Our peers at this conference are some of the smartest people in sport science; they came to see innovative ideas that produce meaningful results, with data to support our claims. We heard a lot of positive feedback from attendees, some of whom were excited to put Turbulator Technology to use in their own golf games.”

Total scientific validation of PING’s cut-ting edge “turbulator” technology!

I simply fell in love with the blue head cover, the shaft, the

battle-ready grey finish on the club head and those turbulator strips that made the club look like it came right

out of a race car assembly line.” – Lawrence Young

The strategy behind turbulators was to improve aerodynamics and speed without

compromising performance elsewhere,”

Page 50: Asian Golf – September 2014

48 49 ASIAN GOLF

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Authenticlub

Rogue CounterfeitersThe U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group; the industry watch-

in June and July and seized about 62,000 counterfeit pieces of golf merchandise, golf club heads, shafts and grips in addition to golf apparel and other accessories.

Busted In China!

Page 51: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

This problem has been persistent over

the years and there seems to be no

end to counterfeiting. Is this really

the case? Well, we don’t think so!

There is a solution and it’s just waiting to be

discovered in Singapore.

Enter The Golf Vigilantes!Two smart guys have got together to

develop a dragnet which is designed to bust

the problem of counterfeiting once and for

all. The Singapore counterfeit busters are

Steven Tan and Leonard Wee, young guys

who possess the intelligence and tech savvy-

ness to use technology to corner and wipe

out the bad guys!

They call their company “Authenticlub”

and the product platform is known as “Au-

thentiGolf” – get it? Cool! They are all about

authenticating the real thing so that you

can be darn certain that you’ve got the real

McCoy when you put down your cash on the

counter to purchase a golf club anywhere on

the Planet, online or offline.

How fascinating – why has it always got

to be young guys who get all the bright ideas!

Seriously Steven and Leonard are experts at

what they do. “As golfers ourselves, we have of-

ten heard about how people have been duped

into buying fake clubs and this triggered an

action plan which sent us on a seek-and-find

adventure for a solution,” said Leonard.

So, what was the solution? Now, get a

hold of this – just conceal an RFID chip in a

golf club at the point of manufacture! That’s

it? Brilliant idea! Why should ideas like this

only percolate and bubble over through

young heads? It’s not fair!

What the heck – who cares so long as

the golf industry can grab the bad guys

and lock them away for good! “There is an

urgent need for a company to be the au-

thentication bureau of choice for consumers

so that they can have peace of mind when

purchasing new or used clubs and we are

that company,” declared Steven.

According to Leonard, they have con-

ducted extensive R&D to ensure that their

RFID chips do not affect a club’s playability

and that it is robust enough to withstand

high heat and impact.

So how does AuthentiGolf work? Great

question! And here are the answers:

RFID chips, in the form of labels mea-

suring 5x5cm and a thickness of 0.4mm

are inserted into golf clubs during the

manufacturing process.

Using a near field communication (NFC)

enabled phone or a compatible RFID

reader with Authenticlub software in-

stalled, users can scan the tag which then

connects with the company’s cloud server.

The cloud server searches for the

unique tag ID and if it exists in the data-

base, it will display the data which could

include, date of manufacture, brand,

type, weight etc.

If the tag data is not present in the

server, you’ve been dealt a dud!

If a tag is present but no data is held

on the company’s server, it will not be

authenticated by Authenticlub’s server.

And in the unfortunate circumstance

that this happens, you’ve got a bum deal on

your hands! “We use RFID tags with unique

identity and encryption codes and unlike

barcodes, QR Codes or holographic stickers,

our tags are not visible to the naked eye

and cannot be photocopied or re-printed,”

revealed Leonard.

Hey, that’s the work of a genius – the

Authenticlub RFID chip is counterfeit-proof!

Leave it to the young guys to come up with

revolutionary ideas to rock the world! “We

make it extremely difficult and costly for

counterfeiters to try to counterfeit these

tags,” Steven stressed.

So, what’s the golf industry waiting

for? C’mon guys, beat a path to Singapore

(if you haven’t been here yet, you’d love it)

and strike a deal with Leonard and Steven.

After all, as they claim, “we are one of the

first in the world to use secure and reliable

technology which is readily available to

businesses and end-users, using RFID and

cloud technology, now available on your

google smartphone.”

There is an urgent need for a company to

be the authentication bureau of choice for consumers so that they can have peace of mind when purchasing new or used clubs and we are that company.” – Steven Tan

Page 52: Asian Golf – September 2014

JOE THIEL Three-time PGA Teacher of the Year

GROW

Page 53: Asian Golf – September 2014

IRONS WOODS HYBRIDS WEDGES PUTTERS

MIZUNO GOLF SCHOOLGROWING GOLF AND CREATING FUTURE CHAMPIONS!

Japanese golf giant Mizuno is on a mission. A mission to grow the game of golf in Southeast Asia.

PUTTERS

Mizuno Singapore Pte Ltd – 51 Changi Business Park Central 2, #06-01, The Signature Singapore 486066 Tel: +65 6589 9461 Fax +65 6589 9489

THE GAME!

Page 54: Asian Golf – September 2014

52 53 ASIAN GOLF

ASIAN GOLF TOURISM Bali National Golf Club

A Dazzling New Balinese

For those who have not been to Bali, the name conjures up dreamscapes of exotic fantasy punctuated by lush vegetation and stunning ocean surrounds. This cannot be further from the truth because much of Bali is pristine and naturally beautiful even with the throngs of tourists who visit its shores annually.

BEAUTY BECKONS!

Page 55: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

One travel writer recently said,

“Bali is so picturesque and

immaculate it could almost

be a painted backdrop.” Again,

this is no exaggeration - it has

rice paddies tripping down

hillsides like giant steps, vol-

canoes soaring up through the clouds, dense

tropical jungle, long sandy beaches, warm blue

waters, crashing surf and friendly people who

don’t just have a culture but actually live it.

An expatriate resident on this island de-

scribes it this way, “In Bali spirits come out to

play in the moonlight, every night is a festival

and even a funeral is an opportunity to have a

good time!”

This month, the Golf Tourism spotlight falls

on Bali and to be more specific on one of the

island paradise’s spectacular golf resort – the

newly reconstructed Bali National Golf Club.

Prior to its extensive multi-million dollar reno-

vation, the resort already enjoyed an interna-

tional reputation as a world class golf resort.

Asian Golf will be visiting the new course

and club-house in the near future, but felt

that it would be timely to get a first-hand

walk-about the facility from the man who

managed the renovation from ground zero.

Page 56: Asian Golf – September 2014

54 55 ASIAN GOLF

The following is the full interview with Bruce Jellard, long time general

manager of the resort and now, advisor to the owning company:

Asian Golf: How long did the renovation process take? Bruce Jellard: The golf course reconstruction works commenced in

late May, 2012 and were completed and planted, ready for grow-in in

late 2013. The reason we talk of reconstruction rather than renovation,

is that while the golf course routing plan of the now re-named Bali

National Golf Club is similar to that of the old, save for holes 15, 17 and

18 which were redesigned and moved. It has been a complete recon-

struction of the golf course from the drainage upwards. This included

a new drainage and irrigation system, the re-shaping of all fairways

and roughs, new lakes, fairway and green complexes including new

greens on all holes. All landscaping on the golf course and around the

club-house and residential villas have been redesigned.

AG: How do you look back on the reconstruction of the entire course and club-house. Has the investment delivered the desired results? BJ: Yes, to date we are very pleased with the response to Bali National

Golf Club by all golfers. The new layout and quality of the golf course

have both received extremely positive responses. The club-house

enjoys a stately front entrance with an open courtyard welcoming all

golfers and guests. Our new Pro Shop is well stocked and this is where

all golfers register for golf, while inspecting the latest golf merchan-

dise available in Bali. The entry level of the club-house also enjoys

an almost immediate view of the 18th hole, which is visible looking

through the restaurant from the front entry courtyard.

AG: What was the amount of the total investment? BJ: Approximately US$ 12,000,000. The reconstruction was planned

and designed by the award-winning firm of Nelson, Haworth Golf Ar-

chitects while the management of the golf course reconstruction was

undertaken in-house. The club-house was designed by Singapore-

based MAPS Design.

ASIAN GOLF TOURISM Bali National Golf Club

Page 57: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

AG: What has the reaction of members been like? BJ: The reaction of the club’s Founder Members has been very posi-

tive, both as to the member experience and their referrals of golfing

friends to membership for the 2nd Tranche. For this tranche we have

recently launched a prestigious founder membership, not to exceed

25 members; and, the Founder Membership is now closed.

AG: Let’s look at each service area individually starting with golf operations. How have things changed insofar as golf operations are concerned? BJ: The principal use of the basement of the new Clubhouse is our

Golf Cart Barn, which is adjacent to the Starters Office and golf cart/

caddie assembly area. The new facility is having a very positive effect

on our business as we see rounds of play increasing steadily each

month, since we reopened for play on March 1, 2014.

AG: What is the total number of caddies employed by the club? BJ: We have contracted our caddies from a specialist caddie training

company and we have some 120 caddies available at all times and if

additional caddies are required for tournaments we can expand this

number to 140 or 150, allowing for forecaddies if requested.

AG: For your carts, which brand do you use? BJ: We have a fleet of 80 units of Club Car Precedent Golf Carts, all

equipped for 2 players and 2 caddies, together with beverage coolers.

In Bali spirits come out to play in the moonlight,

every night is a festival and even a funeral is an opportunity to have a good time!”

BALI NATIONAL GOLF CLUBKawasan Wisata Lot S-5, Nusa Dua, Bali, 80363, IndonesiaTel: +62 361-771791 Fax: +62 361-771797Email: [email protected]: www.BaliNationalGolfClub.com

Page 58: Asian Golf – September 2014

56 57 ASIAN GOLF

To date, the com-

ments from all players, including the club’s previous following, have all been positive, with much “wow” over the new facilities.” – Bruce Jellard

mmmmmmmpllayers iincl

ASIAN GOLF TOURISM Bali National Golf Club

We also have four 4-seater Club Car Precedent Golf Carts for our villa service.

AG: What sort of turf have you planted on your fairways and your greens? Is this a change from the old course? BJ: For our fairways and roughs, we have planted the Paspalum Salem turf

variety and our greens feature TifEagle grass. All grasses are new and we

have replaced the previous wall to wall Bermuda 329 variety completely.

AG: Next, let’s look at your food and beverage services - give us a sense of what you offer golfers and guests and the sort of experience that is on offer? BJ: We have a new kitchen and new menu offering an enticing range of

snacks, lunch and dinner items, together with the ability to cater for tourna-

ments and events and functions. We have a Golfers Cafe and Terrace over-

looking green # 18 with terrace views all the way back to the 18th hole tee

box. The club also has a VIP Lounge and Meeting Room and two half way

houses on the golf course, in which we can provide F & B services to suit our

guests’ requirements.

AG: In summation, the old course and club-house had a very special attachment to many people. How do you think those who knew the old facility will receive the new facility? BJ: To date, the comments from all players, including the club’s previous fol-

lowing, have all been positive, with much “wow” over the new facilities.

Page 59: Asian Golf – September 2014
Page 60: Asian Golf – September 2014

ASIA PACIFIC GOLF HALL OF FAME

THONGCHAI JAIDEEThere is no doubt that the greatest golfer in Southeast Asia is the

fabulous one-time soldier turned professional golfer, Thongchai

Jaidee. This rugged and naturally talented golfer from Thailand

has been for a long time, the region’s best having won on the

Asian Tour and the European Tour and currently ranked inside the

top 50 best golfers in the world.

For his outstanding achievements in golf and his contribu-

tion to society as a whole, Thongchai is being inducted into the

prestigious Asia Pacific Golf Hall Of Fame. “He is a world class pro-

fessional golfer and a multi-faceted personality who has matured

from his humble origins into the best professional golfer ever to

have come out from Southeast Asia if not all of Asia and we are

very proud to have the honour of bestowing the highest award in

the industry on Thongchai,” declared Mike Sebastian, chief execu-

tive officer of the Asia Pacific Golf Group, the owner and producer

of the Asia Pacific Golf Summit.

Thongchai as he is popularly known in his native country, and

the rest of the world, is now an all-round accomplished profes-

sional who ranks as amongst his country’s greatest sportsmen

and golf ambassador.

His odyssey in golf started as a young boy when he learned

how swing with a homemade club he fashioned out of a bamboo

branch. At 19, he joined the Royal Thai Army as a paratrooper

SPECIAL FEATURE Asia Pacific Golf Summit 2014

58 59 ASIAN GOLF

Page 61: Asian Golf – September 2014

ASIA PACIFIC GOLF HALL OF FAME

MURDAYA WIDYAWIMARTA (PO)The Chairman of the Indonesian Golf Association will be inducted to

the prestigious Asia Pacific Golf Hall Of Fame.

The Indonesian billionaire, who owns golf courses in his country,

has helped initiate various initiatives to grow the game of golf in Indo-

nesia, including the promotion of golf tourism. Under his leadership,

golf has experienced exponential growth in the sprawling republic.

Until recently, he was the President of the Indonesian Golf Course

Owners Association (APLGI).

His flagship company is Central Cipta Murdaya which is a diverse

conglomerate and one of its companies is well-known for being the

Indonesian manufacturer of Nike shoes.

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

where he remained for 11 years during which time he was

permitted to spend time working on his golf game.

At age 30, he left the army and turned pro and this is where

his adventure in professional golf began. “My ambition when I

turned pro was to become a world class golfer in the shortest

possible time,” he revealed to me during an interview, “but the

journey was not easy as I had to do battle with the best in Asia,

Europe and even the U.S.”

“The frequent competition against the best in the game

gave me the confidence and courage to compete at the high-

est level in golf and I know that this adventure to stay at the

top of my game will continue so long as I play golf,” Thongchai

said.

After some fifteen years at the top end of the professional

game, the small but powerfully built Thai super-star has carved

out a track record in professional golf that would be the envy

of many of his compatriots. As a relative late-starter, he has

won major tournaments on both the Asian Tour and the Euro-

pean Tour.

Just on prize money alone, Thongchai has made over

US$10 million dollars and he expects to continue to add to his

bank account. “I still have a lot to give and I believe that the

best in my game has yet to come,” he declared confidently.

Page 62: Asian Golf – September 2014

SPECIAL FEATURE Asia Pacific Golf Summit 2014

ASIA PACIFIC GOLF LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

JOE THIELThe man who will be honoured with the 2014 Asia Pacific Life-Time Achievement for Golf is very special to the golf industry. Joe Thiel is one of only some 200 golf professionals in the U.S. who has earned the prestigious PGA Master Professional designation.

Thiel has earned the PGA Teacher of the Year award three times - in 1993, 1995, and again in 1997. He has also been honoured as one of the Top 100

Teachers in America and named as being amongst the Top 50 golf instruc-tors in America.

Some of Thiel’s greatest successes in teaching are visible in Asia. While teaching in Japan and Korea, Thiel shaped the careers of

some of Asia’s finest golfers and many of his students are inter-nationally known professionals, enjoying successes on tours in

Korea, Japan and in the United States. US Open Champion and World Golf Hall Of Famer Se

Ri Pak, US Amateur Champion and 19-time Tour winner Michiko Hattori, and 38-time professional winner and 6-time JLPGA leading money winner Yuri Fudoh are among the more than 30 LPGA players he has tutored.

Thiel is also the Master Coach of the Mizuno Golf School of Japan.

There is perhaps no one more passionate about golf and the teaching of the game and its life values to

youngsters than Joe. The 37 year veteran has the spunk and get-up of a kid and all that he really cares about is

having an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives using golf as his platform.

Kudos and plaudits for Joe from fellow professionals and students are profuse and impressive. “Joe is one of the

most dedicated and qualified golf professionals I have ever known. He has taught some of golf’s finest players around the

world and is continually searching for new ideas that will help golfers of any level,” said Mike McGetrick,1999 PGA Teacher of

the Year.The recipients of the 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Hall of Fame and the

2014 Asia Pacific Life Time Achievement Award will be honoured at a spe-cial award ceremony that will be conducted during the Awards Gala Banquet

on November 15 at the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore.

60 61 ASIAN GOLF

Page 63: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

ASIA PACIFIC GOLF HALL OF FAME

TUN AHMAD SARJI BIN ABDUL HAMIDOne of Malaysia’s most illustrious public and corporate officials

will be inducted into the prestigious Asia Pacific Golf Hall of

Fame.

This special honour is being bestowed upon Tun Ahmad

Sarji bin Abdul Hamid, Chairman of Permodalan Nasional

Berhad (PNB). PNB is Malaysia’s biggest fund management

company which operates a number of unit trust schemes with

offices in Singapore, London and Tokyo.

Besides his numerous directorships in corporations and

public organisations, Tun Ahmad is also the Chairman of the

Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM). Under his leadership,

PGM’s objectives are to promote the sport of golf and to con-

tribute towards its enjoyment and growth in Malaysia.

As a show of confidence in Tun Ahmad, the Malaysian gov-

ernment appointed the PGM to become the local coordinator

of The EurAsia Cup, the annual Ryder Cup format tournament

between Europe and Asia.

“Malaysia has benefitted greatly from hosting The EurAsia

Cup and it has reinforced Malaysia’s capabilities to host a

sporting mega-event placing our great nation firmly on the

global sporting calendar,” is how Tun Ahmad reacted after the

inaugural Eurasia Cup clash ended in a draw.

Commenting on his induction to the Asia Pacific Golf Hall

Of Fame, Tun Ahmad said, “I am honoured by the decision to

induct me into the Asia Pacific Golf Hall of Fame, and God will-

ing, I will attend the 15th November 2014 occasion.”

Page 64: Asian Golf – September 2014

SPECIAL FEATURE Asia Pacific Golf Summit 2014

62 63 ASIAN GOLF

To Vietnamese labour hero Le Van Kiem, there is nothing more satisfying than providing a helping hand to people in need. “I have seen and been involved in wars in my country and this has taught me a life-long lesson to believe that there is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

This passion to help the less fortunate is a very special quality and Mr. Le stands out as a shin-ing example of a man who has devoted the rest of his life to philanthropy. Turning seventy

years old soon, the Vietnamese entrepreneur is also very passionate about golf. He owns two golf courses in Vietnam and Laos respectively and is also committed to helping the development of junior golf in the ASEAN countries.

For his commitment to golf and charity, the Asia Pacific Golf Group has elected to honour Mr. Le with a

special award – The Asia Pacific Philanthropy And Golf Personality Of The Year Award for 2014.

“Mr. Le fully deserves the award because what he has done so far represent acts that have never been done by anyone involved in the golf industry in Asia,” said Mike Sebastian, chief executive officer of the Asia Pacific Golf Group, the owner of the Asian Golf Awards programme.

To date, Mr. Le has given away more than US$40 million to charity and he has also pledged US$5 million to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to establish The Vietnam Health Fund.

Page 65: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

Earlier this year, American billionaire Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft cemented a deal with Mr. Le to set up a Vietnam Health Fund. Both Mr. Gates and Mr. Le have agreed to jointly commit US$10 million over five years with Mr. Le donating US$1 million annually and The Gates Foundation matching each donation dollar for dollar.

“We are delighted to be working with Bill Gates on this worthy project which will benefit many people in Vietnam who need help with health care,” said Mr. Le.

“What Mr. Gates has initiated in Viet-nam will most certainly result in more Vietnamese people coming forward to help improve healthcare for our peo-ple,” Mr. Le explained. And he went on to add, “You have not lived today until you have done something for some-one who can never repay you.”

Mr. Le will be honoured at the 2014 Gala Awards Banquet that will be held in conjunc-tion with the 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Summit that will be staged at the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore.

Page 66: Asian Golf – September 2014

64 65 ASIAN GOLF

GAME IMPROVEMENT Black Hat Golf Tips

Page 67: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

This is a skill set that many successful golfers and even business people have that allow them to get

effectively!

How it relates to golf?If you can FOCUS more on making putts, your score will be great!

“Less than 29 and your

That is the number of putts you should have for 18 holes and you’ll most likely have a great day!

Page 68: Asian Golf – September 2014

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

66 67 ASIAN GOLF

GAME IMPROVEMENT Black Hat Golf Tips

As you watch the Ryder Cup this month, you’ll see

the main difference in who wins the matches by

the ability to make putts, especially those from 12

feet and less. That is what separates the winning

tour players from all the others.

The confidence displayed by the winning players is

remarkable. Students have asked me how they can build that

confidence and make more putts.

I highly recommend the circle putting drills - in which the

golfer putts balls from different spots around the hole work-

ing around the hole in a circular pattern. Such putting drills

all work in basically the same way: The golfer putts from short

distances, typically no more than a few feet; the golfer tries to

make a lot of putts in a row without missing; and if the golfer

does miss, he or she starts over.

When doing so, go through your pre-shot routine, crouch-

ing behind the ball. Vision the “line” and focus on that line

that you will roll the putt on. This is an important step that

must be practice. Now, standing over the ball and ready to

putt, vision the “line” again.

1. Fundamentals, technique, mechanics - if you want to make

a lot of putts in a row, you have to focus. Such focus helps

hone your skills and sharpen your technique. Because you

have to start over if you miss. Circle putting drills apply

pressure - the type of pressure you’ll feel out on the course

during a round of golf. That’s going to help nerves.

2. And such putting drills build confidence. If you make 100

2-foot putts in a row, then the next time you have to sink

a 2-footer to win a hole or a tournament, you’re going to

make a more confident stroke.

To become the best putter you can be, find the nearest Certified PGA Teaching Profes-

sional and ask them how they teach putting. You will be surprised at all the different ways it is taught. I would suggest you find an instructor who will spend time with you and takes the time to talk to you in common sense and understandable language. I do not mean just one 45 minute in-structional session. You should invest in at least several sessions with your instructor to gain trust and confidence in the way you putt.

Here’s a simple quote that will give you an objective to achieve.

Page 69: Asian Golf – September 2014

1st Runner-up 2010 & 2011

Best Clubhouse in AsiaEight times since 2000

Best Championship Course in Asia2008

Best Course in Thailand2002 – 20101st Runner-up 2011 & 2013

Best Par-3 Signature Hole (#6)2001 – 2003

Website: www.thaicountryclub.com E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (66 38) 570 234 Fax: (66 38) 570 225

Page 70: Asian Golf – September 2014

GAME IMPROVEMENT Pro Tour Golf College

68 69 ASIAN GOLF

Over the past three years we have spent countless hours writing golf instruction articles, and we’ve posted well over 150 on our blog at www.protourgolfcollege.com showing you the various ways you can improve the way you learn and practice to improve your golf. David Milne (left) and Lawrie

Montague (right).

COULD MODERN GOLF INSTRUCTION

BE DRIVING GOLFERS AWAY FROM THE GAME

INSTEAD OF TOWARDS IT?

Page 71: Asian Golf – September 2014

ISSUE 168 SEPTEMBER 2014

Our primary motivation has

always been (and always will

be) to help you learn how to

gain more benefit from the

way you go about practicing

to improve your golf skills, in your quest to

lower your golf scores and your handicap.

Why?...

Because your time is a very precious

resource and we want you to learn effective

methods to fast-track your improvement

process so you gain a deeper enjoyment

and satisfaction from learning, playing and

improving your golf.

It is partly because of this that our focus

has purposely steered right away from the

golf swing instruction arena because we

have noticed that there is so much stuff

already circulating around the internet that

we believe our message would surely get

lost as it travels through the heavy atmo-

sphere of nouns, verbs, adjectives, similes

and metaphors that attempt to describe

how someone should swing the golf club to

improve their shot-making.

We sometimes wonder if all this con-

flicting information revolving around golf

swing instruction is making the learning

and improving of golfers more difficult than

it needs to be.

3 Big Reasons Golfers Are Leaving the GameI’m sure you are well aware of the fact that

golfers are leaving the game in big numbers

for a variety of reasons; and the three main

reasons appear to be:

1. It’s an expensive game to learn and play

2. It takes a relatively long time to play

3. It’s a difficult game to learn and play

competently

Should Learning How to Play Golf Be An Expensive Exercise?There are other factors of course, but these

three are at the top of most lists. Expensive,

difficult and it takes a long time to play

sums it up perfectly. Today people don’t

have the time they once had to spend end-

less hours trying to perfect some aspect of

their golf swing technique.

They want to play the game of golf on a

golf course, not think about how to play it.

And this leads me to my point.

If they choose to stay and play it’s

because they can either play competently

already, or they are willing to invest consider-

able time, effort and money to learn how to.

The bottom line is that there is a

significant investment required for you to

improve your golf skills, and we’re not just

talking about the time element, but the

actual dollar cost.

What we have found from a sample of

our students we asked about this is that

they believed that many golfers are depart-

ing from the game because they simply do

not see a reasonable return on their invest-

ment in golf lessons.

They invest the dollars and expect to play

better on the golf course sooner rather than

later, and for many it just doesn’t happen.

So this quite often leads them to trawl

golf instruction websites and YouTube

channels looking for free golf instruction

tips to satisfy their thirst for improvement.

And who can blame someone for look-

ing for another way of obtaining improve-

ment for less time, money and effort?

They do not see the value of spending

30 to 45 minutes (or longer) standing on a

driving range working on a swing drill and

hitting balls with an instructor once a week,

and then paying them as much or more

than they would pay a plumber or electri-

cian to solve a problem for them.

They simply don’t see the value in a

What we have found from a sample of our students we asked about this is that they believed that many golfers are departing from the game because they simply do not see a reasonable return on their investment in golf lessons.

Page 72: Asian Golf – September 2014

GAME IMPROVEMENT Pro Tour Golf College

70 71 ASIAN GOLF

comparative sense; that golf instruction

for many seems a lot more expensive since

they know that what they pay the plumber

or electrician is likely going to solve their

problem.

At the end of the golf swing problem,

many still have the golf swing problem!

Hi Tech Learning or Hi Tech Confusion? Many golf instructors are now investing

their dollars into the latest golf swing

diagnostic technology, which they house in

buildings that might resemble the type of

place you take your BMW or Aston Martin

to have it serviced by a specialist team of

technicians.

These golf swing diagnostic centres

have grown more popular over the past few

years as technology has evolved, improved

and got cheaper to buy where they are

quite common now.

I wonder if in the not too distant future

you could almost expect to see that the golf

instructor/technician who works with you

will have a lab coat on instead of a golf shirt

and be armed with a Ph.D. from M.I.T?

This golf swing technician would plug

you into various types of technology and

you would hit a few shots--possibly into

a computer generated image of a golf

range or hole, and their computers would

perform some complex computations and

the data that spits out from a printer would

determining whether your body motion,

golf swing technique and ball-flight were

operating as efficiently as they should.

After this they supply you with the

corrective measures required for you to

improve and you are sent on your way.

Back in the days when Ben Hogan was

playing, I bet it would have sounded like

science fiction to him, but of course today

it’s a reality.

Are Golfers Sick, or Just Sick and Tired?Golfers learn perfectly, they are not sick

or broken in some way, and they certainly

don’t need to be fixed.

So the basic question here is whether

amateur golfers who want to play better on

the golf course needs this type of teaching

model?

Do we want golf instruction facilities to

resemble hospitals where you go and get

plugged into machines to diagnose your

perceived problem with the same clinical

approach?

We believe an important part of the

improvement process that would lead to

faster progress and more satisfaction is

(PHOTO BY CHRIS GRAYTHEN/GETTY IMAGES)

being diluted from golf instruction to where

instead of benefiting from a less is more ap-

proach to improvement, it is replaced with a

more is less approach to improvement.

What we are talking about is meaning-

ful communication—the simple act of

communicating, connecting and building

rapport with golfers using language skilfully

and creatively with the express purpose

of helping the golfer to achieve his or her

goals faster by offering them less confusion

rather than more.

Let’s not forget that learning and

improving golf is more of a creative process

than an intellectual one.

Personalize Every LessonAnd because every golfer learns in his or

her own best way it is still the responsibil-

ity of the golf instructor to step into the

shoes of their student and do their best

to understand the world of golf from their

student’s eyes.

The golf instructor’s primary role be-

comes one of reorganizing their students

experience and understanding of golf in

such a way that they learn to play more

competently on the golf course faster.

Golfers don’t care how much you know

or can show you know, until they know how

much you care about them.

And to care about them is to care about

what they want from the game of golf, and

it is always unique and different every time.

Golf Teaching or Golf LearningGolf teaching models appear to be replac-

ing golf learning models and there is a big

problem looming for golf instructors if

golfers are going to be encouraged to stay

in the game and invest their hard earned

dollars to keep improving their skills to play

better on the golf course.

We believe that the real skill that golf

instructors need to continually hone and

develop their communication ability so

they can impart meaningful, impactful and

personalized communication that positively

influences every golfer they work with to

learn faster and more effectively.

We know that much of the technology

that is used today can be extremely helpful

to communicate teaching points, but when

it replaces the critical student to teacher

communication bridge to where there is

little or no rapport in the relationship, im-

provement is going to be more challenging

for the golfer to obtain their goal than ever.

Let’s not allow golf to go from being a

wonderful game to learn, play and enjoy

with friends and family to an ongoing sci-

ence experiment where the goal is to make

golfers fit into a teaching model that has

some scientific certification or endorsement.

Let’s communicate and connect more

meaningfully with every golfer we come

across and help them to play golf better on

the golf course.

After all, golf is still a game to be played

on the golf course and our mission as golf

instructors is to help our students to get

them out there enjoying this great game for

the rest of their days.

Lawrie Montague and David Milne - Pro Tour Golf College

Page 73: Asian Golf – September 2014

Long Thanh Golf Resort is a true paradise for any golfer.

Two world-class golf courses – one that traverses hilly terrain while the other meanders through spectacular lakes.

Both the Hill Course and the Lake Course are fascinating showcases of breath-taking landscapes

populated by a wide array of flora and fauna.

Golfing in Long Thanh Golf Resort is an experience of world-class golf combined with a unique brand of service and the warmth and friendliness of Vietnam.

All this delivered in a tranquil setting located in the southern economic triangle and just 40 minutes from Ho Chi Minh City’s centre.

National Highway 51, Tan Mai 2 Hamlet, Phuoc Tan Village, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam Tel: +84 61 3 512 512 Fax: +84 61 3 512 513

Long Thanh Golf Resort -A Golf Paradise Like No Other!

Come and Discover What Playing Golf in Paradise Really Feels Like

www.longthanhgolfresort.com

GolfersParadise

h d

Page 74: Asian Golf – September 2014

For all the latest news and views from the Asian golf scene, subscribe to Asian Golf – Asia’s most powerful golfing voice! www.asiapacificgolfgroup.com72 ASIAN GOLF

ASIAN GOLF ISSUE 169

Japanese Brand Mizuno Unveils Its Power Weapons!Want the low-down on what Mizuno has lined

up for 2015? Check out the pages of Asian Golf –

we’ll bring you the very latest on what’s new and

exciting from the House of Mizuno.

An Inside Look At The New Mission HillsEveryone knows that Mission Hills in China is the

world’s largest golf complex. However, the group

is now looking at transforming golf and making

it into a sport and recreational activity that is

entertain-based and with an all-encompassing

reach of potential customers in all age groups. This

is revolutionary. Don’t fail to check out the new

D.N.A of the famed Mission Hills Group.

For the latest developments on

the eighth staging of the Asia

Pacific’s most important golf

conference, read the October

issue of Asian Golf. We’ll bring you

totally up to date on this major

international conference on the

future of golf.

The guys from Acushnet, the parent company

of the Titleist brand will be revealing all the

juicy facts about their next big thing this

month. The focus will be on the brand

new generation of the 915D2 and

915D3 drivers. The big deal about

the new 915s will be a slot on

the sole of the driver which

advance reports are calling

the “active recoil technology”.

Find out more in Asian Golf’s

drill down in October.

Page 75: Asian Golf – September 2014

AUSTRALIAMIZUNO CORPORATION AUSTRALIA PTY LTDTel: +613-9239-7100CHINA MIZUNO(CHINA)CORPORATIONTel:+86-21-3222-4688 #317

HONG KONG ICHIKAWA SANGYO CO, LTD Tel:+852-2428-5965INDONESIAPT MITRA ADIPERKASA TBKTel: +62-21-574-5808 ext. 195

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NEW ZEALANDSPORTS NETWORK LIMITEDTEL: +64 9 479 8632PHILIPPINES MASTER SPORTS CORPORATIONT: +632.757.3160

SINGAPORE R.S.H.(SINGAPORE) PTE LTDTel:+65-6746-6555TAIWANMIZUNO TAIWAN CORPORATION Tel:+886-2-2509-5100

THAILAND I.C.C. INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITEDTel: +66-2-293-9000

Page 76: Asian Golf – September 2014

AUSTRALIAMIZUNO CORPORATION AUSTRALIA PTY LTDTel: +613-9239-7100CHINA MIZUNO(CHINA)CORPORATIONTel:+86-21-3222-4688 #317

HONG KONG ICHIKAWA SANGYO CO, LTD. Tel:+852-2428-5965INDONESIAPT MITRA ADIPERKASA TBKTel: +62-21-574-5808 ext. 195

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