246 Asian Golf Editorial Team 8 Shared Thoughts From Publisher 64 Next Issue
ISS
UE
189JUNE 2016
SPECIAL FEATURE
20
12Madame Nguyen Thi Nga is small in physical stature but everything else about her is larger than life. When she walks into a room, her presence, enthusiasm and fiery passion an-nounces to the world that she is an extraordinary lady who not only dares to dream big but matches her dreams with action. Given the BRG Group’s current investment in golf development and its projected development plans, two things are for certain – golf is on an upward trend in Viet-nam and the BRG Group is going to be at the forefront of the projected growth of the game.
20 The Boys And Girls Get It On!Back in April, Asian Golf turned the spotlight onto a fascinating scheme jointly hatched by the all-powerful PGA Tour and the LPGA women’s tour. Our report high-lighted the fact that the two tours wanted to promote back to back tournaments. And guess where the first joint, back to back event will be staged? You guessed right! It is going to be staged in Asia and the host country will be Malaysia.
24 Asia - A Global Golf Powerhouse!The LPGA Tour, the leading professional tour for women is now in a new era. An era that many in the know are calling the “Asian Era”. Never before have Asian women been so dominant on the LPGA. I the past 12 months alone, 22 LPGA tournaments have been won by Asian professional women golfers. This trend has not gone by unnoticed by one of the game’s legends, Annika Sorenstam. She met up with Asian Golf recently in China and to discuss the growth of the game in China and in Asia.
30 From A Princess To A QueenSoutheast Asia finally has its own global golf champion. While we have had world beaters like Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat from Thailand, it was not until Ariya Jutanugarn brought glory to the region in the women’s game. The young professional claimed her first LPGA title when she won the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic on Mother’s Day.
34 Asia's Power HittersAsia Pacific Golf Group (parent company of Asian Golf ) is proud to unveil its list of
GAME-IMPROVEMENT56 Black Hat Golf Tips: The Wish To Hit It Longer!Every golfer wants to hit the ball as far as he can be-cause distance (especially if accurate) gives a golfer a better scoring chance at the short end of the game. It’s as simple as that!
60 ProTour Golf College: How to Pressure Proof Your Golf Practice (Part 3)In this month’s article, Lawrie Montague and David Milne of the Pro Tour Golf College want to take your golf practice one step further by introducing a simple goal setting process to help you develop your pathway to better and more consistent performances on the golf course.
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60
3430
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right. That putter is the all new Spider Limited and Spider Limited Red putters from TaylorMade.
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
the “Most Powerful People In Golf” for 2016. It is a list that is both representative and reflective of the men and women who are known to be making major contributions towards the development and growth of golf throughout Asia.
42 Golf’s Grand-Daddy Pulls Off Crowd-Sourcing Coup!“Driver versus Driver” is a new Golf Channel reality show sponsored by Wilson Golf and briefly, it is an open call “for golfers, inventors, engineers, or anyone who has an idea or concept they believe could be the next big driver concept.”
46 APGS 2016: The Parallel Worlds Of GolfFinally, APGS 2016 will look at what is perhaps the biggest challenge faced by clubs in Asia – attracting and keeping “Millennials” to golf clubs. As an industry, most everyone is at a loss as to how to rope in these youngsters to help grow dwindling membership registers. It’s a massive challenge – massive enough to recruit a “Millennial Master” to help make golf clubs appealing to younger demographics.
MIKE SEBASTIANChief Executive Officer/Managing Editor
ANGELA RAYMONDPresident [ [email protected] ]
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WAYNE LWEESocial Media/Video Editor
MYRA PARASAccounts Executive
LAWRENCE YOUNGEditor (New Equipment)
Contributing Professionals TONY MEECHAI, DAVID MILNE & LAWRIE MONTAGUE (PRO TOUR GOLF
COLLEGE), JEFFREY BOSE, JIM PRUSA (INTERNATIONAL ROVING EDITOR)
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8 9 ASIAN GOLF
Asian players have that one special quality that
will help propel them to the summit – it is the X-Factor
and that is their commit-ment to HARD WORK!”
8 9 ASIAN GOLF
SHARED THOUGHTS From The Publisher
For those of us who have been
keen followers of the progress
of Asian golfers on the profes-
sional tours, years of frustra-
tion is finally beginning to pay
off handsomely.
The first man from Asia to show that he
had the right stuff to perform on the world
stage was the pioneering South Korean, K.J.
Choi. He has since gone on to win a total of
eight victories on the PGA Tour and is regu-
larly in contention on that tour. Then, came
along another South Korean who took down
the then invincible Tiger Woods at the 2009
PGA Championship to claim the historic title
of the first Asian to win a Major.
While Choi and Yang demonstrated that
there was a pathway to break through to
the hallowed fairways of the PGA Tour, more
youngsters from South Korea fixed their
focus on making the cut on the world stage.
The nation’s women also began to stir as
Pak Se-Ri became the pioneer who led the
charge onto the LPGA Tour. She has since
won two LPGA major titles and has been
installed in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Pak opened the flood gates and since her
breakthrough, South Korean women have
become the dominant force on the LPGA Tour.
Since May last year, Asian women golfers have
walked off with a total of 22 wins and this trend
is expected to grow at an exponential rate.
The thrust to carve out a place and space
on the world’s leading professional tours has
been led by the South Koreans, Japanese,
Taiwanese, Chinese and the Thais.
Thailand has been a force with veteran
Asian super-star Thongchai Jaidee leading
the charge. He has won four times on the
European Tour and made a total of 13 cuts in
the majors. Following in his footsteps is the
Thai youngster Kiradech Aphibarnrat who
possesses the big game and competitive tem-
perament to score huge wins going forward.
The latest rights-to-brag has been
delivered by a sweetheart of a player from
Thailand. She is Ariya Jutanugarn who cre-
ated history by recording her first LPGA win
at the Yokohama Tire Classic in May 2016.
Considering that she is only 20 years of age,
expect more triumphs to come from her and
from fellow players from Thailand.
There is no denying that Asian profes-
sional players have broken through the
barrier. They have the skills, the stamina, the
strength and most importantly, the mental
endurance to win on the world stage. It must
also be noted that unlike the pioneers from
Asia, professional players who hail from Asia
now have a network and support group to
turn to and rely upon. The Koreans, both
men and women now have a community of
players on the professional tour to give sup-
port and strength. The same holds true for
the Japanese, the Chinese and the Thais. No
longer are these professionals out on their
own and this does make a big difference
especially from a pshycological perspective.
It’s taken a while for Asians to make
their presence felt on the world tours but it
has been worth the wait. From now on, just
watch as more Asians make the break-
through to the ranks of the best professional
golfers in the world. Aside from skills and the
penchant to want to make the grade, Asian
players have that one special quality that
will help propel them to the summit – it is
the X-Factor and that is their commitment to
HARD WORK!
Asians have arrived – more power to our
stars!
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12 13 ASIAN GOLF
COVER STORY Business Trends
MADAME NGUYEN THI NGA
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
Against a gloomy global backdrop in the golf club industry, what is happening in Vietnam, bucks the trend and comes as a breath of uplifting fresh air. With Japan
need of a good pick-me-up adrenaline shot in the arm. And that much needed boost has come courtesy of a lady with great panache and vision. A lady whose
calling card shouts out loud: “Golf Is My Life – I Love Golf!”
14 15 ASIAN GOLF
COVER STORY Business Trends
The launch of this new golf course is the realization of a vision to of-
fer golfers a unique and world class fa-cility and I am proud to declare that the original vision has been realized and in many ways, it has exceeded all of our expectations.” – Madame Nga
Madame Nguyen Thi Nga is small in physical stature
but everything else about her is larger than life.
When she walks into a room, her presence, enthusi-
asm and fiery passion announces to the world that
she is an extraordinary lady who not only dares to
dream big but matches her dreams with action.
It is quite unusual to run up against a lady entrepreneur in
Vietnam, let alone a lady with the spunk and
derring-do to have an active hands-on in-
volvement with a multi-billion dollar business
empire that straddles a spectrum of business
interests ranging from banking, to real estate,
infrastructure, hotels, auto industry, tourism
and golf. She is the personification of energy
and a bubbling cauldron of ideas and the two
words that aptly captures her dynamism and
best describes her drive and sharp business
focus has got to be “Iron Lady”. She leads a
sprawling corporate empire that employs
more than 13,000 and it is said to be growing
at a steady pace. A true indication of unprec-
edented growth and expansion!
While every business sector that Madame Nga is involved in
is experiencing exponential growth, the one sector that is closest
to her heart is golf. As of today, she ranks as the most powerful
woman in golf in the Asia Pacific region if not the world. She is not
a typical golf course owner. She is very involved and to her, owner-
ship means the setting of very high standards – and her standards
follow global benchmarks.
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
Her desire to be the best can be seen in her golf projects. She currently
operates four golf courses located in Hanoi, Haiphong and Danang. The jewel
in the line-up is the award-winning Kings’ Island Golf Resort – a 36-hole golf
course built on an island.
Last month, Madame Nga announced that she was adding a further
18-holes to transform Kings’ Island into Vietnam’s first 54-hole golf course.
And that’s not all! She has engaged the Nicklaus Design Company owned by
the world’s greatest golfer, Jack Nicklaus to design and build the new 18-hole
course.
The tie up with Nicklaus Design is both unique and significant. After
two years of discussions, Madame Nga’s BRG Group has entered into an
exclusive “strategic alliance” with Jack’s company to design and build golf
courses throughout the country in the coming years. This is the first time
that Nicklaus Design has entered into an “exclusive” business arrangement
anywhere in the world. A well informed source, close to both the BRG Group
and Nicklaus Design disclosed that “what you are now seeing is only the tip
of the ice-berg”. If one is to speculate, this can only mean one thing – that
the partnership is on the threshold of building numerous world class golf
courses throughout Vietnam.
“We are excited with this arrangement and we are looking forward to
working very closely with Madame Nga to develop golf in Vietnam,” said
Jack Nicklaus II, the eldest son of the golf legend. The collaboration with
16 17 ASIAN GOLF
COVER STORY Business Trends
Working with Nicklaus De-sign we will seek out suitable
locations throughout Vietnam to de-velop into spectacular golf courses, hotels and resorts and golf acad-emies to help develop and grow the game of golf in Vietnam.” – Madame Ngathe Nicklaus Design Group started with a US$100 million dollar investment
in the Legend Hill Golf Resort, located just 30 minutes away from the capi-
tal city of Hanoi. It is in its final stages of completion and is being built on a
historic site known as Soc Son District made famous throughout Vietnam
by Saint Giong, renown as one of the “four Vietnamese religious immortals”.
At the official launch ceremony last year, Madame Nga said, “The
launch of this new golf course is the realization of a vision to offer golfers a
unique and world class facility and I am proud to declare that the origi-
nal vision has been realized and in many ways, it has exceeded all of our
expectations.”
The Legend Hills Golf Resort will go down the annals of golf history
as Asia’s first “twin-green” golf course that offers golfers an opportunity to
play 36-holes on an 18-hole configuration
The “strategic alliance” between the BRG Group and Nicklaus Design
goes beyond the development of golf courses. It will see the development
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
of business initiatives that will cover a wide range of
other golf-related business opportunities that will be
focused on developing Vietnam into a truly world-
class venue for quality golf and to also help develop
the country into a major force in international golf.
“Working with Nicklaus Design we will seek out
suitable locations throughout Vietnam to develop into
spectacular golf courses, hotels and resorts and golf
academies to help develop and grow the game of golf
in Vietnam,” revealed Madame Nga.
One of the key focus areas of this strategic part-
nership will be the development of junior golfers. The
ambitious programme is called the BRG VietGolf U16.
Commenting on VietGolf U16, Mark Reeves, director
of golf development and property business said, “BRG
plans to take Vietnamese children aged 8-15 (U16)
from all walks of life and introduce them to golf – this
programme is a bottom up, top down undertaking
open to all in the region”.
The BRG VietGolf U16 programme has three major
goals which are:
To produce a Vietnam amateur champion by
2018;
To produce Vietnamese children good enough to
represent Vietnam in the 19th Asian Games; and
To produce a Vietnamese player good enough to
compete on a major tour (Asian, European, US)
by 2025.
“We want to attract young people in Vietnam to the
game of golf, especially those who would not normally
have a chance of playing the game and by so doing, it
is our hope that we will be able to discover and develop
exciting young talent under the VietGolf U16 pro-
gramme,” explained Madame Nga.
Considering that Vietnam is a sprawling nation with
a large population, BRG VietGolf U16 is not daunted by
the task at hand. According to Reeves, “We will start with
‘into school’ visits and ‘schools to golf course’ visits from
September 2015 with support from local authorities and
gradually grow the programme through free weekend
morning on-range tuition which will lead to proficiency
and course testing.”
“Eventually children will be able to play free of green
fees at BRG’s Doson Seaside Ruby Tree Club at off peak
times and on school holidays and it is hoped that as BRG
acquires more golf courses in different regions of Viet-
nam, we will extend the programme,” he added.
Central to the BRG VietGolf U16 programme is the
BRG Golf Centre which is branded under the Nicklaus
Academy of Golf and the first such facility is now opera-
tional at the Victory Hotel on the bank of Westlake
JACK NICKLAUS II
18 19 ASIAN GOLF
COVER STORY Business Trends
which is located in the heart of Hanoi city.
The centre has 36 luxury bays (including
6 unique bunker bays); a Jack Nicklaus
Academy of Golf; a well-stocked BRG Golf
Warehouse retail area; a state of the art
climate controlled golf simulator, a realistic
putting green and tasty food and beverage
at the Vi roof bar.
This world class BRG Golf Centre is
set on a 3-hectare water range site, and
according to Reeves, “This centre, with its
unique setting, ultra-modern design, latest
technology, branded Nicklaus coaching
programmes and attention to detail, we
are confident that it will go a long way to
promoting the growth of golf in Vietnam.”
Nothing is spared to make this facility a
truly world class training centre as Reeves
observed, “All BRG golf facilities are devel-
oped, prepared and managed by a team
of top industry expatriate professionals
with strong backgrounds and successful
performance records and all of our training
programmes will be administered by certi-
fied PGA professionals”.
Looking ahead, Madame Nga has
plans for more BRG Golf Centres
to be opened because she feels strongly
about the integral role that a golf academy
plays to help grow the game. “We will have
another three centres strategically located
around Vietnam and we also propose to
have quality practice ranges at all of our
courses,” she pointed out.
BRG Group has a mission as a pioneer
in golf development and operations that is
focused on promoting the healthy growth
of golf in Vietnam. “The investments that
the BRG Group is making is not just about
facilities but we also want to upgrade the
professional skills of management teams
who in turn will help improve the experi-
ence and service standards for golfers,”
Madame Nga explained.
Vietnam is probably now regarded as
the most dynamic emerging golf market in
the world. Given the BRG Group’s current
investment in golf development and its
projected development plans, two things
are for certain – golf is on an upward trend
in Vietnam and the BRG Group is going to
be at the forefront of the projected growth
of the game.
We want to attract young people in Vietnam to the game of golf, espe-
cially those who would not normally have a chance of playing the game and by so do-ing, it is our hope that we will be able to discover and develop exciting young talent under the VietGolf U16 programme.”
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20 21 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Global Tour
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
Both these power-brokers got into a huddle and came out to
announce to the world that the two tours had signed off on a
“strategic alliance agreement” that could lead to joint events.
A “strategic alliance” like this augurs well for golf and the
future of the game, especially at the professional level. These two
organisations, more than any of the other professional bodies in
golf, possess the style, vision, drive and the deep pockets to do what they think
is right for golf.
Regardless of how Finchem and Whan couch the agreement with carefully
and cleverly selected words, the PGA and the LPGA have crafted a game plan
that will, and has created a clear pathway for expansion. Where is the expan-
sion going to take place? That’s the million dollar baffler? With a tournament
22 23 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Global Tour
calendar that is so jam-packed on the PGA
Tour, one wonders how “joint events” can
be squeezed onto the schedule. The LPGA
also has a pretty full calendar with well over
30 tournaments staged all over the planet
but there are pockets that need to be filled.
Perhaps this is where the global stage
presents an opportunity for “joint events” to
be created.
And guess where the first joint, back
to back event will be staged? You guessed
right! It is going to be staged in Asia and
the host country will be Malaysia. What
Finchem and Whan have decided on is to
graft the CIMB Classic PGA Tour event with
the Sime Darby LPGA tournament which
will result in the first hybrid super tour
event.
The back to back tournaments will be
staged on October 17 – 23 for the CIMB
Classic and immediately after, the Sime
Darby LPGA tournament will be hosted on
October 24 – 30. The club that will have the
honour of playing host to these tourna-
ments will be the prestigious, award-win-
ning Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
All said and done, the back to back
PGA and LPGA extravaganza is a brilliant
maneuver to grow the global game. And we
are glad that Asia, particularly Malaysia, is
the staging platform.
It is also gratifying to witness that
Finchem and Whan, by their own admis-
sion, have declared that they are merely
“formalizing their longstanding cooperative
relationship” to promote the growth of golf.
Like any business, the end game is about
growth and profitability and what Finchem
and Whan have in mind is all about growing
their combined effort which undoubt-
edly will lead to what Finchem has always
showed an inclination to own – a Global
Tour. Well, he is well on his way towards
achieving that goal and this is only going to
bring good things to the professional game,
the players and the fans. Bottom-line just
means that golf is set to win and that’s what
matters most of all!
It is also gratifying to witness that Finchem and Whan, by their own admission, have declared that they are merely “formaliz-
ing their longstanding cooperative relationship” to promote the growth of golf. Like any business, the end game is about growth and profitability and what Finchem and Whan have in mind is all about growing their combined effort which undoubtedly will lead to what Finchem has always showed an inclination to own – a Global Tour.”
24 25 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Ladies Golf
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
26 27 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Ladies Golf
Why so, one may ask? Well, why not! Given the
headway that Asian women are making in profes-
sional golf, it’s a no-brainer for Asia to take pride
in the triumphs and achievements of its women
golfers! We are now entering a new phase in
women’s professional golf. We are in a new era
where Asian women have ascended to the very pinnacle of the game
and looking at trends, Asian dominance is set to grow.
The Asian surge started back in 1996 when a young 20-year old
called Pak Se-Ri moved to America from Korea and turned professional
in 1998. She went on to win two majors and became the youngest-ever
winner of the U.S. Women’s Open. Pak was a pioneer who changed the
face of golf even more than Tiger Woods. She has inspired a whole new
generation of LPGA players like Na Yeon Choi and Inbee Park to follow
her footsteps at the LPGA.
The Asian dominance of the LPGA has received ready recog-
nition from one of the true greats of the game – Annika Sores-
tam. The Hall of Famer is of the firm belief that the Asian era
at the LPGA is already a reality. In a recent exclusive interview
with Asian Golf, Sorenstam gave her views on a wide-range of
topics relating to the growth of golf in Asia. The following are
excerpts of that discussion:
ASIAN GOLF: Give us your assessment on how the professional game has fared since you put your clubs down?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: The women’s game has cer-
tainly become more global in the past ten years. I feel like the
stars on the professional tours are younger today. Power and
It takes time to build champions, but in the
next ten years you will see more and more success stories from China on both the men’s and women’s tours.”
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
distance are more significant compared to what it was like twenty
years ago when the emphasis was more on precision and finesse.
AG: One thing for certain is that the professional game has become a global sport with the dominance by players from Europe, America and Australia being challenged by players from Asia. Has the rapid rise of Asian players come as a surprise to you?
AS: I witnessed the early rise with Pak Se-Ri leading the way. She
was really a trail-blazer and inspired many young girls in Korea to
pick up the game. I think many of us could see it coming, but I think
it surprised all of us on how quickly it happened and how dominant
that country has become. Today I believe there are more Asian play-
ers in the top 50 in the world than any other region.
AG: As one of the greatest players the game has ever seen, what do you think has led to the rise of Asian players to the level of dominance that they currently enjoy on the LPGA?
AS: Again, having a role model like Pak Se-Ri helped them tremen-
dously. She is a great ambassador for the game and she made golf
cool in Korea. I think other countries followed. Also, adding LPGA tour-
naments in Asia inspired other players to play professionally. The golf
world has become a lot smaller and I think Mike Whan (LPGA Commis-
sioner) and the LPGA have done a tremendous job at embracing that.
AG: Would it be fair to state that the women’s game is now going through a new era – the “Asian era” so to speak?
AS: Yes, it is, but it has for the last 10 years. We have several
Asian players winning majors every year. They are
competing in the race for the Rolex Player of the Year,
Rolex ANNIKA Major Award and other milestones
and achievements.
AG: Since you retired, you have been very active in promoting the game to youngsters through your tournaments. One such tournament is the event that you stage in collaboration with the Mission Hills Group of China which we assume has given you a
state of golf amongst juniors in
that country. Give us your thoughts on how Chinese girls have progressed with the game?
AS: I have been lucky to go to China for almost twenty years as a
player, in business with sponsors, and for course design work. Now
with our ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills, we have between 60-
95 of the top amateur junior girls from Asia competing. We started
as the first all-girls junior tournament in China and have grown
nicely. It’s amazing to see the expansion and the excitement for
the game. Early on it was very primitive and now the Mission Hills
resorts are two of the most popular in China. We are seeing play-
ers having success globally and competing at the highest level. Of
course with the success of Shanshang Feng, it has to be inspiring
and motivating for the next generation.
AG: Do you see women from China becoming as dominant as South Korean players on the women’s tour and how soon do you see this happening?
AS: I do, it’s just a matter of time. It takes time to build champions,
but in the next ten years you will see more and more success stories
from China on both the men’s and women’s tours.
AG: Related to this is the subject of training facilities and coaches. Do you think that China has the facilities to help produce world class players – both at the professional and amateur levels?
AS: Yes, I think that China has the train-
ing facilities necessary to produce world-
class players. I have seen many of them
first hand and they certainly have what it
takes. The influx of western coaching is
28 29 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Ladies Golf
very important as several of the top instructors have years of educa-
tion and experience and have developed academies in China.
AG: Generally speaking, how do you feel about the growth of the women’s game in Asia? Is enough being done to grow the game and do you feel that more can be done?
AS: So much has already been achieved in a short period of time.
I think in the next 10-15 years we will see a more developed tour in
China, so many more players will get the opportunity to play. They
are so good at such a young age and there is no getting around the
fact that the Asians work harder than anyone else in golf, especially in
the teenage years. Most of the children who specialize put in 12-hour
days with school and practice in their sport. It’s really amazing.
AG: Let’s shift gears and talk about the LPGA Tour which is experiencing tremendous popularity and growth on a global scale. As one of the tour’s legends, give us your thoughts on how the LPGA has grown and the role that it has played in helping to grow the game of golf globally?
AS: This is a very positive time for the LPGA. The tide has turned, of
course due thanks to hard work and commitment from everybody
involved. The players are doing a fine job marketing themselves, The
LPGA is doing a great job with tournament sponsors and relation-
ships. The commercials are great showcasing the different nationali-
ties and the ladies’ personalities. I think it’s really fun to see. We are
positioned well in the different markets in the US and the global
growth is proving to be very successful.
AG: The prize money on the LPGA Tour has also been on the rise – how do you feel about the prize money on the LPGA Tour matching what the men are paid on the PGA Tour? After all, the women of the LPGA play a very entertaining and competitive game deserving of higher rewards – your thoughts?
AS: The prize money has not grown as rapidly as the men. I
understand demand, requests and how the TV deals work, which
ultimately drives the tournament purses through sponsorships. We
ladies have to continue do our best, work hard and showcase the
very best and keep our fingers crossed so that the market will start
compensating the ladies more.
AG: Finally, the Rio Olympics. You have a tournament that
is staged in Latin America – do think that the Rio Games will serve as an impetus to the growth of golf globally or is it asking too much from just one event?
AS: This is just the beginning and we have to make sure we take
advantage of the opportunity it has to offer. Golf in that part of the
world is not so popular as of yet, so to get it on a world stage will
generate more exposure and hopefully more interest everywhere.
I think and hope that in countries like Brazil there will be a bigger
curiosity and opportunity to make a difference in the game. Last but
not least, governments will start funding golf at the grass roots level
if it is part of the Olympic movement. We are really excited about
the ANNIKA Invitational Latin America, which will be held in Argen-
tina for the first three years for the top-60 girls aged 12-16. We hope
to make a difference and help grow interest in the game.
The situation has certainly changed a lot since Sorenstam
stopped playing professionally. Today, the world is gradually begin-
ning to recognise the Asian influence on the LPGA Tour. The world
is beginning to learn how to pronounce strange sounding Asian
names. It is the Asian era in women’s golf and it can only get better
in the years ahead!
I think that China has the training facilities neces-
sary to produce world-class players. I have seen many of them first hand and they certain-ly have what it takes. The influx of western coaching is very impor-tant as several of the top instruc-tors have years of education and experience and have developed academies in China.”
Thai Country Club www.thaicountryclub.com Tel: +66 (38) 570-234 [email protected]
The Peninsula Bangkok www.peninsula.com Tel: +66 (2) 861-2888 [email protected]
OWNED AND MANAGED BY THE PENINSULA HOTELS
30 31 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Golf Personalities
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
It has been a relatively short journey but a journey that has been marked with
-
-
Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn has
done what no other professional
woman golfer from Southeast
Asia has ever been able to
achieve. She has broken through
the LPGA barrier to win her first
coveted title on the world’s toughest and most
competitive women’s professional tour.
The always smiling 20-year old from
Thailand held a charging field at bay while she
worked her way to become a Rolex First Time
Winner at the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic. Not
only did she pull off the win in grand style, she
also stamped her superiority over a world-class
field on Mother’s Day.
After her epic win, the affable Thai golfer
told reporters, “So tough, I feel the three holes
I can’t control anything ….. my legs were
shaking, my hands were shaking.”
Jutanugarn broke onto the internation-
al golf scene at age 11 when she qualified
for the 2007 Honda LPGA Thailand, making
her the youngest player ever to qualify for an
LPGA event. As of early May 2013, she had
played in three LPGA tournaments and four
Ladies European Tour events and had five
top-4 finishes. In 2012, she was winner
of the American Junior Golf Associa-
tion (AFGA) girl Player of the Year
for the second consecutive year. She
turned professional at the end of 2012.
Jutanugarn has an aggressive and fear-
less playing style.
Well done Ariya. You have made Asia proud!
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The ball features a 392 dimple pattern, an 80 compression, that
comes from the unification of our .9 inch hollow metal core and
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We have been optimizing our innovative hollow core technology
for several years to be able to offer a product that truly does what
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34 35 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Asia’s Power Hitters
“Let’s Make America Great Again!” Just in case you’re wondering why the reference to the battle-cry of the Republican presumptive nominee Donald
Trump, let’s explain. It can easily be converted to “Let’s Grow Golf In Asia!” – the tone is the same. It is bold and it’s the sort of exhortation and commitment that
put’s a man’s money where his mouth is. It is also a great way to measure leader-ship and a call to step up to the plate to do something great for golf in Asia.
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
SPECIAL FEATURE Asia’s Power Hitters
For the last three years, we have been producing an an-
nual listing of the most powerful people in the Asian
golf industry. This has been quite a challenging task
given the fact that many of the truly powerful people
in business in Asia have a tendency to maintain a low
profile. The golf industry is no different especially
when it comes to identifying corporations or individuals behind
major investments and developments in the industry. For the 2016
“power list” a more penetrative drill-down was commissioned with
the following criteria in focus:
Scale of involvement with golf; Measurable investments in golf projects; Commitment to grow the game of golf;
This criterion has helped sharpen the selection process and the
Asia Pacific Golf Group (parent company of Asian Golf ) is proud
to unveil its list of the “Most Powerful People In Golf” for 2016. It
is a list that is both representative and reflective of the men and
women who are known to be making major contributions towards
the development and growth of golf throughout Asia.
“For any industry to grow, there is a need for recognition and
acknowledgment – there is a need for heroes to help set standards
and with this list, we are glad to have played a role in helping to
build global recognition for the movers and shakers of the Asian
golf industry,” said Mike Sebastian, chief executive officer of the Asia
Pacific Golf Group.
A special commemorative publication on the “power list” will be
published in July and the following is an abbreviated version.
For any industry to grow, there is a need for recogni-tion and acknowledgment – there is a need for he-
roes to help set standards and with this list, we are glad to have played a role in helping to build global recognition for the movers and shakers of the Asian golf industry.”
Dr. Ken Chu Chairman, Mission Hills GroupTenniel Chu Vice Chairman, Mission Hills GroupCHINA
Both the Chu brothers have
gone on to build what is
effectively the world’s largest golf
resort made up of a total of 22 golf
courses in China. The billionaire
entrepreneurs have expanded by
developing related facilities that
embrace a vast complex called
Centreville, costing US$1.6 billion. It’s
a very trendy international lifestyle
urban complex that covers a vast area
of 240,000-square-metres. The total
investment to date in all of the facili-
ties at Mission Hills is an eye-popping
US$10 billion that has attracted over
6 million visitors and 1 million rounds
of golf in 2015.
36 37 ASIAN GOLF
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
Santi Bhirombhakdi is the President of Singha Corporation Co., Ltd, the company be-
hind the world famous Singha Beer. He is one of the most influential personalities in
the business of golf in Thailand and is engaged in golf course ownership, player development
and the sponsorship of golf tournaments in Thailand, the ASEAN region and throughout East
Asia. Bhirombhakdi was the chief founder of the Thai PGA and has served as its President.
Santi BhirombhakdiPresident, SINGHA CorporationTHAILAND
Enrique ‘Ricky’ K. Razon Jr.Chairman and CEO of the Manila-listed company International Container Terminal Services, Inc. – PHILIPPINES
Ranked as one of the top power players and billionaires in the Philippines,
Enrique K. Razon, Jr., is an avid golfer who holds key interests in the country’s
top golf courses. He is actively engaged in the sports and entertainment business and
serves as the chairman of Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., which is the company behind
The Philippine Golf Tour, the country’s premier golf tournament circuit.
Jose Juan Z. ‘Gigio’ Jugo Chairman, Verde Golf Development CorporationPHILIPPINES
Jose Juan Z. Jugo, is the Group Head, Ayala Land Premier, a subsidiary of the multi-
billion dollar Ayala Corporation. He is the chairman of Verde Golf Development
Corporation and president of the award-winning Anvaya Cove Golf and Sports Club. He is
largely responsible for having steered his executive team’s direction into golf with serious
Ayala investments in various golf course real estate developments and he has charted a
business strategy to build new golf courses that is secured to an emerging new Southeast
Asia middleclass that is expected the spur the growth of golf in the Philippines.
-
t
Nguyen Thi NgaChairman, BRG GroupVIETNAM
Madame Nguyen Thi Nga is the only woman on the 2016 “power list”. She owns a num-
ber of golf courses including the award-winning Kings’ Island Golf Club in Hanoi. The
powerful lady who has extensive business interests in Vietnam has entered into an exclusive
business partnership with the Jack Nicklaus Company to develop and operate golf courses
and driving ranges to help grow the game of golf in the country.
38 39 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Asia’s Power Hitters
J ng Sung WonChief Executive Officer, GolfzonSOUTH KOREA
J ng Sung Won heads up Golf-
zon which is ranked as the
world’s top virtual golf simulation sys-
tem. Started in 2000 in South Korea,
the company is the biggest player in
the international golf simulator mar-
ket, earning worldwide recognition
and having exported golf simulator
systems to over 30 countries. It is also
an active partner with the LPGA Tour.
Pawan Munjal is a major financial sponsor of golf
events in India and has almost single-handedly
made professional competitions possible. A leading indus-
trialist, he has flexed his industrial muscle and has actively
undertaken promoting the game all over the country. As a
renowned industry leader, he has provided powerful leader-
ship that is needed for golf course development to succeed
against other sports such as the all-popular game of cricket.
Pawan MunjalChairman Managing Director & CEO, HeroMotoCorp.INDIA
-
Kim Young Je has worked very hard to ensure that
his company’s golf courses and resorts are routinely
ranked among the best and busiest golf course complexes
in the world with consistent play conditioning and customer
service. He has also taken the lead to develop professional
training and continuing education for golf course manage-
ment and is noted for demanding and setting very high
standards.
Kim Young JePresident & CEO, SKY72 ResortsSOUTH KOREA
Jimmy Masrin has
taken over the
reins of the beleaguered
Asian Tour and much is
expected of this very savvy
Indonesian entrepreneur.
A self-confessed golf ad-
dict, he is the man behind
the successful Indonesian
Masters as well as the Asian
Development Tour. He is
very passionate about golf
and would like to see Indo-
nesia being showcased and
promoted to the world as a
wonderful golf destination.
Jimmy MasrinChairman, Asian TourINDONESIA
Ryusuke Kamata
heads up Accordia
and has under his manage-
ment approximately 10,000
employees. His operation
is said to currently own 161
golf courses; 30 driving
ranges and a further 800
‘affiliated’ driving ranges in-
cluding hotels, restaurants
and branded merchandise.
Ryusuke KamataPresident and CEOAccordia Golf Company, Ltd.JAPAN
-
0
-
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
Trinh Van Quyet is rapidly earning himself a reputa-
tion as “Mr. Golf” in Vietnam. Within the next two
years, this Vietnamese developer is expected to own and
operate a minimum of thirteen golf clubs in the country
together with resorts, hotels and related property devel-
opments. He is the proud owner of two golf courses that
bear the distinguished Jack Nicklaus brand name.
Trinh Van QuyetChairman, Board of Mangement, FLC GroupVIETNAM
Stig Notlov is the visionary who discovered the
“golf potential” of Hua Hin back in 2004. After
one trip, he recognised the region’s golf potential and
set about creating one of the best golf courses in Asia
– the multi-award winning Black Mountain Golf Club.
Since he opened this course in 2007, he has gone on to
develop a resort, private residences and a water theme
park as part of the Black Mountain experience.
Stig NotlovFounder, Black Mountain Golf Club, Hua HinTHAILAND
As Chairman of
the Tokyo based
Japan Professional Golf
Tour (JPGT), Masa-
hiro Kuramoto runs an
organization that is the
third largest professional
men’s tour in the world.
The organization has a
membership comprised
of over 5,000 professional
golfers including its tour
players and teaching pro-
fessionals. In addition to
operating its professional
tour, the organization
supports golf course
and player develop-
ment throughout
Japan and Asia.
Le Van Kiem is
a top industry
leader in Vietnam and
has played a pivotal
role in growing golf in
Vietnam. Already an
owner of two mega golf
complexes in Vietnam
and Laos, he is now
embarking on develop-
ment plans that will
see new golf courses
being constructed in
various parts of the
country over the next
few years. In 2015, Le
was inducted into
the prestigious Asia
Pacific Golf Hall of
Fame, the first from
Vietnam.
Masahiro KuramotoChairman of Japan Professional Golfers AssociationJAPAN
Le Van KiemChairman, KN Investment GroupVIETNAM
T n Ahmad Sarji Bin Abdul Hamid
Chairman, Professional Golf Of Malaysia
MALAYSIA
Tun Dr. Ahmad Sarji bin Abdul
Hamid, is the Chairman of the
Professional Golf of Malaysia ((PGM)
and is responsible to promote the
sport of golf and to contribute to its
enjoyment and growth in Malaysia. He
is also credited with starting the Eur-
Asia Cup, the annual Ryder Cup format
tournament between Europe and Asia.
40 41 ASIAN GOLF
Gautam Thapur is the Chairman and CEO of the Indian conglomerate Avanta Group.
An avid golfer, his group has sponsored the Avanta Masters, a jointly promoted effort
by the European Tour, Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India. Given his business
prominence in India, he plays a very key role in the promotion of golf in that country.
Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley would rank
amongst the most prolific golf course architects
in Asia. Besides having designed courses throughout the
Asian Continent, they are best known for the work done
at Mission Hills China where the company has built all 22
courses in that complex. SCD has now embarked on an
ambitious multi-course development in Vietnam which
involves a total of eleven golf courses.
Brian Curley Lee SchmidtPrincipals, Schmidt Curley DesignUSA
gn
Gautam ThaparPresident of Professional Golf Tour Of IndiaINDIA
2016 Asia’s Power List – Top Players
K.J. CHOI
SPECIAL FEATURE Asia’s Power Hitters
2016 Asia’s Power List – Top BrandTHONGCHAI JAIDEE
HAO TONG LI
MIGUEL TABUENA SHAN SHAN FENG
INBEE PARKHIDEKI MATSUYAMAARIYA JUTANUGARNANIRBAN LAHIRI
42 43 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Wilson Golf
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
Get a load of this folks – a 102 year old company demonstrates that it’s got the ‘cool-fac-
44 45 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Wilson Golf
What Wilson Golf has
achieved with its
“Driver versus Driver”
crowd-sourcing
campaign is a massive
industry-wide coup.
This campaign is truly a brilliant home-run
and we are quite sure that there are many
equipment manufacturers out there who
are kicking themselves for not coming up
with this “eureka moment” idea first.
“Driver versus Driver” is a new Golf
Channel reality show sponsored by Wilson
Golf and briefly, it is an open call “for golfers,
inventors, engineers, or anyone who has
an idea or concept they believe could be
the next big driver concept.” The goal of the
show is to find through “crowd sourcing”
new ideas for the future of driver technol-
ogy and will track the trials and tribulations
of prospective designers.
“Wilson Golf has a long history of in-
novation alongside some of the best golfers
who have ever played the game,” said Tim
Clarke, president of Wilson Golf. “As we
push golf innovation into new territories,
we recognize that new ideas, materials,
design elements and concepts can come
from the most unexpected places, indus-
tries and people. This new television show
is designed to celebrate the entrepreneurial
and inventive spirit that is so important to
our brand and mine the country for driver
ideas that the Wilson Labs team can turn
into reality.”
Entries for the contest closed in August
last year. What can you win? How does a
US$500,000 grand prize and the opportu-
nity to work with Wilson Labs’ engineering
and design team on a 2017 Wilson Staff-
branded driver that will be sold in stores
throughout the world sound? It’s the largest
prize ever offered by a golf company for a
reality show concept!
“A set number of contestant concepts
will go through prototyping and vigorous
testing within Wilson Labs and the indi-
viduals and/or teams will work alongside
the Company’s engineers and designers to
refine the concept until a winner is deter-
mined,” said Clarke.
For a century-old company to tap into
new-age marketing savvy says a lot about
what’s making Wilson Golf tick. For the
brand with the most number of majors won
under its belt, this crowd-sourcing exercise
will open the door for valuable insights,
generate buzz around the brand and en-
hance customer relations.
The programme is now working its way
towards show-time and Wilson Golf has an-
nounced the panel of judges for this first-of-
its-kind television series that is currently in
production and debuting on Golf Channel
in the fall 2016.
Leading the four-person panel is former
National Football League® (NFL) linebacker
Brian Urlacher, an avid golfer with a single-
digit handicap and a self-professed golf
equipment “junkie.” Alongside Urlacher will
be Kevin Streelman, a two-time PGA TOUR
winner and Wilson Advisory Staff Member;
Frank Thomas, former USGA Technical
Director with more than 40 years of golf
technology and equipment experience; and
Tim Clarke, President of Wilson Golf.
“Driver versus Driver” will follow the tri-
als and tribulations that aspiring golf equip-
ment designers face as their golf driver
ideas and concepts are evaluated, critiqued,
refined and tested. The series also will take
viewers behind the scenes as Wilson Labs
engineers and designers partner with the
contestants to take their ideas through pro-
totyping and rigorous testing to refine the
concepts until a winner is determined. The
winning driver concept and viable driver
will become part of the Wilson Golf line of
products in 2017.
“When choosing the panel of judges,
we knew we had to have a good mix of
professionals that brought a relevant, yet
different perspective to the process - from
the everyday golfer, to the tour player to an
industry expert,” said Clarke. “I also wanted
to play a role on the panel because it will be
up to our team at Wilson to bring the club
to consumers. We’re excited to work with
these judges to bring an exciting infusion of
innovation to the market.”
“I really love to play this game, and
personally enjoy learning about new equip-
ment. When Wilson offered me a position as
a judge, I jumped at the opportunity,” said
Urlacher. “This is a side of golf I would have
never been able to see, and it’s fascinating
to see how equipment is developed first-
hand. I’m thrilled to be part of the process
of selecting an inventor to realize their
dream of designing a club that will be sold
across the country and the world.”
www.brggolfcenter.vn200 Yen Phu St, Tay Ho District, Hanoi A BRG Golf Company
46 47 ASIAN GOLF
SPECIAL FEATURE Asia Pacific Golf Summit 2016
GABRIEL ALUISY
ANDANDNNNNN REWREWREWEREWEE WOWOWOWWOWOOWOODODODODODODODOD
DAVA IDD WEBWEBBSTEERR
KENKENKENKE CHCHCHUU
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
While there is a proliferation of
suppliers eager to make a sale,
one wonders why there are so
many golf courses in need of
help and why many club opera-
tions are struggling to eke out
meagre profits throughout the region – some emerging
countries like Vietnam excluded? The answer to this grow-
ing challenge is that the real issues are either not being
addressed or are simply being swept under the rug.
The time has come for all of us in the golf industry
in Asia to roll up our sleeves, get focused and get a hold
of the problems by the scruff of the neck. Sounds harsh?
Hell no! It’s time to tell it like it is. We’ve seen enough of
pandering and sucking up to the golf industry!
The 2016 Asia Pacific Golf Summit (APGS 2016) has
assembled a truly high-powered and world-class panel of
speakers who are known to speak without fear or favour.
Leading the power-hitters is the Asia Pacific’s “Most
Powerful Golf Industry Entrepreneur” and the owner of
48 49 ASIAN GOLF
enough. What is needed is the creation of
an enduring service attitude and culture
that is engrained into the DNA of a club.
It has to be service that is special and that
shouts out loud that “membership has its
privileges”. APGS 2016 has secured the
services of a two-time EMMY Award win-
ning actor and communicator and genius
in the delivery of service to infuse a whole
new service culture in Asia. He is the highly
sought after David Webster, master trainer
to some of the world’s largest corporations.
David will not only share his thoughts on
what is quality service but help demon-
strate how it is taught and delivered to a
club’s personnel. A true spell-binder!
Finally, APGS 2016 will look at what
is perhaps the biggest challenge faced
by clubs in Asia – attracting and keeping
“Millennials” to golf clubs. As an industry,
most everyone is at a loss as to how to rope
in these youngsters to help grow dwin-
dling membership registers. It’s a massive
challenge – massive enough to recruit a
“Millennial Master” to help make golf clubs
appealing to younger demographics. He is
award-winning speaker and author Gabriel
Aluisy, an internationally recognized expert
on marketing to millennials. He under-
stands millennials and he knows how to
handle and manage the seismic demo-
graphic shifts and show the industry how to
reach out to new demographics.
Unlike other conferences where the
norm is to listen to the same old stuff from
the same old regular insiders, APGS 2016
has gone out of the industry to bring in the
best of the brightest to serve as a beacon
for the future of the golf industry in Asia.
APGS 2016 is not an event to be missed
by golf course owners, operators and man-
agers. There will never be a knowledge and
business event like it anywhere this year!
Don’t suck up to the golf industry play-
ers – revitalize and re-invent by lifting your
blinkers and looking ahead. That’s what
APGS 2016 is all about – your business and
your well-being in the golf industry!
the world’s largest and most successful golf
resort, Dr. Ken Chu, the billionaire Chair-
man of the Mission Hills Group in China. A
proven visionary and out-of-the-box thinker
Dr. Chu will set the tone at APGS 2016 on
how he has led Mission Hills to become a
global player in golf by attracting more than
6 million tourists and turning over 1 million
rounds of golf in a year. He knows it all and
Dr. Chu is eager to share his brilliant ideas
with the rest of Asia.
Marketing and the provision of
sustained, quality service are two ma-
jor cornerstones of the club industry in
Asia. Very few golf clubs have marketing
programmes, let alone marketing budgets.
This has got to change and APGS 2016
has engaged the club industry’s most
respected guru to speak and provide
the pathways on how club’s in Asia can
develop, create and launch their own mar-
keting programmes. There is no one better
qualified than Andrew Wood, founder
and president of Legendary Marketing
LLC, a world-class group that has helped
thousands of golf clubs in North America
and Europe to turn around the fortune of
flagging clubs. He is the wizard with all the
tricks to make things work!
Service is vital to the well-being of
the club industry. After all, clubs are in
the entertainment industry and keeping
members and guests satisfied and attended
to, is paramount. Just service alone is not
Unlike other conferences where the norm is to listen to the same old stuff
from the same old regular insiders, APGS 2016 has gone out of the industry to bring in the best of the brightest to serve as a beacon for the future of the golf industry in Asia.”
SPECIAL FEATURE Asia Pacific Golf Summit 2016
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1997Winner: Tiger Woods
2005Winner: Shiv Kapur
2006Winner: Thongchai Jaidee
2007Winner: Prayad Marksaeng
2008Winner: Lam Chih Bing
1998Winner: Vijay Singh
50 51 ASIAN GOLF
EQUIPMENT FOCUS TaylorMade Spider Limited Red Putters
It was not too long ago when the reigning world number one bolted
2016 The Players Champion-ship. Jason Day made
absolutely sure that there was no doubt in any-body’s mind as
to who is the best golfer around and part
of his winning kit was a put-ter that stood out as a star in its
own right. That putter is now avail-able to all golfers who want to give themselves the winning edge.
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
That putter is the all new Spider Lim-
ited and Spider Limited Red putters
from TaylorMade. Both models are
said to be inspired by Jason Day
who besides being the best golfer
in the world happens to also be one
of the PGA TOUR’s best statistical putters.
During his storybook rise to #1 late last
fall, Day came to the TaylorMade team with a
request for a putter similar in style to his trusted
Itsy Bitsy prototype, the putter he’s used for
multiple wins on the PGA TOUR which included
his first major victory at the 2015 PGA Champi-
onship.
Day’s ask was for a putter that incorporated
the colour red, one of his favourite and most
sentimental colours. Using the Redback Spider,
a venomous spider indigenous to Day’s native
Australia as inspiration, the TaylorMade team
embarked on a mission to create a palate of
colour options, working intimately with Day
throughout the process to create a colour that
the golfer would prefer.
When the final colour was selected, Day
proposed to the team that they build him two
different models, each showcasing the colour in
a different way that would allow him to test and
select which suited his eye before determining
which would be put into play.
The key characteristics of the “lim-
ited” edition putters are:
The Spider Limited putter features a
black frame with Tour Red bumpers.
The Spider Limited Red incorporates Tour
Red throughout the frame and bumpers.
Day was first introduced to the putters in
February, and after testing both models, the
Spider Limited Red made its PGA TOUR debut at
the RBC Heritage in mid-April and was used to
win THE PLAYERS Championship this year.
Both models feature subtleties recogniz-
able by the best players in the world, including
Day, who prefers a seamless top crown and sans
alignment aid. The two models available will dif-
fer slightly from Day’s personal putter, which will
include the alignment aid on the crown. Made
of a 304 stainless steel frame combined with
a lightweight 6061 aluminum body enables
weight to be positioned at the extremities,
the Spider Limited putters provide im-
proved stability and high MOI. Similar
to the original Itsy Bitsy, both new
models incorporate a milled
Aluminum Pure Roll™ insert with
a gunmetal finish to promote
better forward roll, increased
directional accuracy and im-
proved distance control.
The Philippines’ premier leisure real estate development has taken the international
second-home market by storm.distinctive natural setting, a
views, award-winning golf course, thoughtfully designed
facilities for discerning families and individuals – qualities that earned Anvaya Cove the honour of being the Philippines’
community.
Located in Morong, Bataan about 2.5 hours from Manila, the 50.6 million sq ft Anvaya Cove was developed by Ayala Land Premier, the high-end property arm of Ayala Land, the group that master-planned the
it also developed the country’s key growth centers – Bonifacio Global City, NUVALI and Cebu Park District.
The name “Anvaya” is a Sanskrit word which means “family”, thus, the development of Anvaya Cove
facilities for the whole family, including a spa, sports and pool
private beach. Bringing together family, leisure, and nature, your Anvaya Cove home will be ready to welcome you anytime.”
Note: All unit prices quoted are in SINGAPORE DOLLARS
For more information, please visit www.ayalalandpremier.com
opening, Anvaya Cove’s centrepiece golf course has already garnered notable accolades including the 2014 Best New
recently, the 2015 Best Golf Course in the Philippines given at the Asian Golf Awards,
industry. Designed by American golf course
architect Kevin Ramsey of Golfplan USA, this 18-hole 7,030-yard layout provides as much challenge as well as beauty to golfers of all skill levels. Its dramatic “mountains meet the sea” topography combined with Golfplan’s tour-de-force design creates a unique golf course with character and perfect setting
IN THE LAP OF LUXURY Anvaya Cove has also caught the attention of international investors and end-users; it has emerged as an attractive investment in every
sense of the word. With the excitement of a seaside resort and the tranquility of a mountain retreat, its seaside residential community features the highest standards of construction, design, services and amenities.
“The Philippines’ robust economy – fuelled by strong domestic consumption and bolstered by its investment grade and stable currency – sets the context for property investment,” says Jose Juan Jugo, Managing Director of Ayala Land Premier.
Perched on Anvaya Cove’s prime elevated location, Seascape Ridge boasts a unique combination of tropical features providing its residents with the best that nature has to offer. It captures the best of both worlds – the convenience of a condominium with the luxury of home. It is part of a 495,140 sq. ft master planned community of 16 quadrangles (or quads) featuring four separate units. There are a total of 64 corner units, 24 of which are complete and in ready-to-move-in condition.
It offers 2 and 3 bedroom units measuring 1,797 sq ft and 2,012 sq ft respectively, and priced from S$572,000 to S$692,000.
This year, Anvaya Cove will be turning over an additional 16 units while the remaining 24 units will be completed next year. The quads were designed along tropical inspired architecture structured under a condominium set up and managed by Ayala Property Management Corp. Seascape Ridge offers hassle-free planning and construction and worry-free ownership for all nationalities in search of their seaside leisure getaway.
On the other hand, the Sea Breeze Verandas is a low-rise walk-up condominium located at the highest point in Anvaya Cove. It offers thoughtfully designed, ready-to-move-in 1- to 3-bedroom units in 635 sq ft to 1,485 sq
S$671,500.“We’ve welcomed expats who have
chosen to make Anvaya Cove their primary homes. We anticipate further interest in this sort of investment – from what we see as a global market,” added Jugo.
The name “Anvaya” is a Sanskrit word which means “family”, thus, the development of
with an extensive array of facilities for the whole family, including a spa, sports and pool complex, restaurants and cafés, a nature camp and a pristine, private beach. Bringing together family, leisure, and nature, your Anvaya Cove home will be ready to welcome you anytime.
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56 57 ASIAN GOLF
GAME IMPROVEMENT
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
I want to hit it longer!” - this is probably the num-
ber one request by students at my golf school. When I was mentored
by the legendary golf coaches Ed LeBeau and the late Manuel
de la Torre I was reminded by Mr. Torre that “distance is
like a flower, it blossoms from accuracy and
confidence!”
Show me a golfer who does not want to experience optimum distance with his driver and I would simply tell you that he is not being totally transparent. Every golfer wants to hit the ball as far as he can because distance (especially if accurate) gives a golfer a better scoring chance at the short end of the game. It’s as simple as that!
He would always advise that golfers
should understand how to hit
the ball straight first because this
would then lead to increase in
distance and it will get better with
more practice. All this takes time.
I’ve used this teaching repeatedly and this is
how it works:
There are basically two ways a golfer can hit it
longer. Either increase clubhead speed or change
the club. Most golfers prefer to increase club-
head speed because having to hit a 7-iron when
everyone else is hitting an 8-iron would damage
one’s ego!
Nevertheless, if you want to maximize dis-
tance for each club, try the following approach.
It’s been tested and our students have had great
success. Some students will improve right away,
and some will take a few weeks. Be patient and
I know you will experience satisfaction.
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. His signature Black Hat Golf Camps and Schools offered at various clubs in Thailand, including Lotus Valley Golf Resort, portrays the unique curriculum and teaching philosophy. Recently, he co-founded the International Preparatory Golf Academy at The American School of Bangkok, which combines an academic and golf educa-tion program for junior golfers. Voted 2015 Top 3 Best Professional Golf Coach in Asia Pacific, he continues to strive to grow the game of golf in Asia. For further information, please visit www.tmggroupasia.com or email to [email protected].
ABOUT TONY MEECHAI
www.tmggroupasia.com58 59 ASIAN GOLF
GAME IMPROVEMENT
To increase clubhead speed, the three
factors that affect speed in a golf swing are
strength, flexibility and tension.
Here are the ways a player can improve.
We’ve experienced better improvement
when you begin with checking your tension,
followed by flexibility and then improving
your overall strength. This is the order that
has helped many students at the golf school.
Again, it’s different for everyone, but this
checklist will help you keep to a good
regimen.
First start with understanding your
TENSION in your swing. From the ad-
dress position, raise the clubhead until
the shaft is parallel to the ground. Now
close your eyes and become aware
of the tension in your arms, body
and legs necessary to stand and hold
the club in this manner. Using that
“standing level of tension’ as a bench-
mark, make a swing without feeling any
increase in that level of tension. Often
the first place you will feel tension is in the
grip pressure. If you believe you under-
stand the role of tension in your swing, then
move on to the next item on the checklist.
FLEXIBILITY- Make a backswing as far
back toward a parallel position as you can go
without increasing tension or stress. If the
body does not allow the club to easily go to
parallel, then you will need to increase your
flexibility, which you can achieve over a few
days. Do some stretching exercises com-
bined with swinging a club without a ball on
a daily basis.
Finally, how is your STRENGTH? There
are a number of calisthenics that can help
increase the strength of the muscles used to
swing a club. Additionally, there are many
exercise machines that work well for this pur-
pose. Consult a trainer and make sure the
trainer tailors his advice to the swing instead
of tailoring the swing to his advice.
Trust me, if you follow this routine and
remain patient, you’ll experience tremen-
dous success with your golf game!
60 61 ASIAN GOLF
David Milne (left) and Lawrie Montague (right).
GAME IMPROVEMENT Pro Tour Golf College
You will be more committed to a goal that you value highly, and that you believe is possible to achieve; however, if the value of your chosen goal weakens in value, so will your dedication for achieving it.
PART 3
You are aiming at smaller and
more challenging targets,
instead of hitting to large
target areas, and you are hit-
ting a smaller quantity of golf
balls (in sets of 5 or 10), and measuring your
results.
In this month’s article, we want to take
your golf practice one step further by
introducing a simple goal setting process
to help you develop your pathway to better
and more consistent performances on the
golf course.
If you have been following the last two articles in our series “How to Pressure Proof Your Golf Practice” in Asian Golf, and applying what you have learned, then you are now thinking about and actually practicing quite
You are now designing your golf practice around your weakest—most important golf skills, which are the golf
One of the biggest challenges we face
as golfers is deciding exactly what we want
from our game. This seems to be a continu-
ally challenging condition for virtually all
golfers. As you experience improvement in
your game, you want more improvement,
it becomes a never-ending cycle of finding
ways to keep improving.
Therefore, we think you’ll agree with us
that you can get caught up in just perform-
ing the repetitions at the range without
having a clear idea of why you’re actually
doing it.
This is where goal setting is helpful,
because it can give you the clarity you need
to get to an outcome you want.
We say to our students that you need
lots of “way-power” or directional focus,
before you need lots of “will-power” or
determination.
Having said that, when discussing goal
achievement, maintaining consistency of
effort—or determination to achieve your
goal (the will-power), will be the most chal-
lenging aspect of the goal achieving process
for you.
You see, talking about goals is easy,
sticking with them is harder. Many golf-
ers who start out on a journey of change
eventually lose interest in their goal and
eventually back-slide into their old and reli-
able habits.
So let us show you how to change that
for good.
The Golf Goal Setting FormulaIn our experience goal achievement is
hugely influenced by the following 2 factors;
1. The importance of your goal or outcome;
2. Whether you think you can actually
achieve it;
So goal achievement must be driven
ISSUE 189 JUNE 2016
www.ProTourGolfCollege.com
first and foremost by your perceived value
in the goal, coupled with your ability to
actually achieve it.
This is simple enough to understand, and
the following formula we use at Pro Tour Golf
College seems to express it pretty well;
D = V x A
Dedication to your Goal = Value of
your Goal (importance) x Attainment
of your Goal (knowing how to get it).
You will be more committed to a goal
that you value highly, and that you believe
is possible to achieve; however, if the value
of your chosen goal weakens in value, so
will your dedication for achieving it.
The Key StrategyA well-chosen goal will stretch you out of
your comfort zone, which simply means
that you will be operating from a place of
unfamiliarity and uncertainty. This is impor-
tant because if the goal you choose is not
challenging you, then it is probably not as
important as you first believed it to be.
Our observation of golfers establish-
ing goals for the first time is that they tend
to pick goals that are often too multi-
faceted—like a difficult and complex swing
change that they invariably give up on
because they often also choose an unrea-
sonable time frame for implementing it.
Thus, the goal you choose will be
important enough for you to maintain a
consistency of effort, it will be realistic and
within your sphere of capability (with a
stretch), and the time frame you estimate
for achieving it will be possible.
What is Your Most Important Goal Today?So the question for you right now is of all
the things that you could achieve with your
golf this year, which goal would be the one
you would choose that would give you the
most satisfaction if you achieved it?
Following are the seven most popular
Golf Goal Types we work with our students
on to help them to improve their game on
the golf course.
1. Golf tournament goals
2. Golf technique goals
3. Golf shot-making goals
4. Golf score goals
5. Golf mind goals
6. Golf body goals
7. Golf strategy goals
Right now rank the seven golf goal types
in order of importance from 1 (most impor-
tant) to 7 (least important) so you can start to
formulate your plan for improvement.
Secondly, let’s say you chose your golf
goal type as improving your golf score,
and you’ve decided that you wish to shave
4 strokes off your average score over 48
weeks.
Well, the next step in the process is to
chunk the 4 strokes down into 4 smaller
sub-goals. To aim for a 1 stroke improve-
ment in 12 weeks will seem easier to
achieve than trying to improve 4 strokes
over a 48-week period.
Now which weak skill will you upgrade,
or, what strategy will you use to help you
lower your score by 1 shot in the next 12
weeks? Hint; go back through the seven
Golf Goal Types to find the answer to the
next critical step in the process.
In our next article we will show you
how to do this and help you design a golf
improvement plan to help you shave 4
strokes from your average score by the end
of the year practicing no more than 2 hours
per week.
So look out for our next article in Asian
Golf.
David Milne and Lawrie Montague – Pro Tour Golf College
PRESENTED AND PRODUCED BY OFFICIAL VENUE & HOTEL ALBATROSS SPONSORSHIPSTAGING AND CONCEPT BY
STRATEGIC BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP
his is the new paradigm for golf. It is the beacon that will drive the growth of golf in Asia in the years to come. It is all Asian – conceived,
conceptualized, implemented and working like a dream in Asia.
Golf Summit. It is a theme that is tried and tested and it’s all about helping to make golf clubs in the region successful.
It draws from the success of the world’s largest golf complex in the world – Mission Hills China. Over one million rounds of golf played a year. A sensational
blueprint on how to operate a golf club that will keep members and guests coming back for more.
Come and listen to Dr. Ken Chu, chairman of the Mission Hills Group share his thoughts about how Golf And More keeps twenty-two golf clubs in his complex humming like a precision machine. Never before has anyone been given a look at the inner workings
Golf Summit.
If you are a golf course owner, operator or general manager, this is a once in a life-time opportunity to learn from one of the world’s most powerful men in golf.
ASIA PACIFIC GOLF SUMMIT
Asia Takes The Lead In Golf October 29-30, 2016
Hyatt Regency Hotel | Hua Hin | Thailand
BIRDIE SPONSORSHIP
ASIAN GOLF ISSUE 190
For all the latest news and views from the Asian golf scene, subscribe to Asian Golf – Asia’s most powerful golfing voice! www.asiapacificgolfgroup.com
America, home to the highest number of golf clubs is witnessing a new trend. That
trend is the migration of golf clubs, especially private country clubs that are seek-
ing out third party management companies to take over the operation of these facilities.
One third party company that looks like the company of choice is Troon Golf – arguably
the most prestigious and largest third party management company in the world. Asian
Golf sets out to explore if the time is right for golf clubs in Asia to seriously consider the
third party management route. For a sense of the migration trend, we sat down for an
exclusive interview with Dana Garmany, the founder and chairman of Troon Golf.
Third Party Management – The Elixir For Golf Clubs
2016 Golf Hall Of FamersTwo very important and powerful men in golf will be
honoured during the 2016 Asia Pacific Golf Summit
which is scheduled to be held in the Royal Thai City of Hua
Hin on October 29-30. One of the highpoints of the longest
running golf business conference in the Asia Pacific will be
the induction of Mr. John Solheim, chairman of PING and Dr.
Ken Chu, chairman of the Mission Hills Group, China to the
prestigious Asia Pacific Golf Hall Of Fame. The induction will
be part of the 17th staging of the Asian Golf Awards which
will be staged on October 30.
Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) has
made a very high level foray into
Asia. The company started up two years
ago by Internet mogul Bob Parsons is
perhaps the most revolutionary golf
equipment company in the world. Asian
Golf has been following the growth of
this exciting company from its early
days and we got a chance to sit down
with this “out-of-the-box” thinker in
South Korea during which time, he
shared his thoughts about the state of
golf as he sees it.
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