Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2017 i Golf Magazine

AT ONLY 145 POUNDS, JUSTIN THOMAS LAUNCHES DRIVES MORE THAN 300 YARDS. THIS MONTH, we’re excited to showcase a player who represents golf’s very bright future— not to mention its equally bright present. Justin Thomas, 24, makes his first appearance on GOLF’s cover. His 2017 season got off to a blazing start with back-to-back PGA Tour wins in Hawaii. In that second victory, at the Sony Open, Thomas became the youngest Tour player to fire a 59. And to think he’s only getting better. Thomas is longer than he looks. At only 145 pounds, he’s the strongest “lightweight” in golf, smashing drives nearly 307 yards on average. He proves that you don’t need to be a muscled gym rat to launch long, straight tee shots. You just need his five…

HOW IT WORKS Invisible watermarks on select photos act as gateways to bonus videos. With the Digimarc app, your smartphone or tablet recognizes the watermarks and automatically delivers the content to your device. 1 Download and open the Digimarc Discover app on your smartphone or cameracapable tablet. The app is free and is available at the iTunes store for Apple devices and at the Google Play market for Android devices. 2 Position the phone four to seven inches above any photo bearing the yellow SCAN THIS PHOTO label (example, right), as if you were taking a picture (flash optional). If you have access to a Wi-Fi connection, downloads will be faster. 3 Hold the camera steady. The app will click and buzz when it recognizes the image and then begin…

For much more from Alan, go to GOLF.com/shipnuck SHORT SHOTS PROFILE OF A CHAMPION Royal Birkdale is the most straightforward of the Open venues, rewarding precision rather than artistic expression. This explains a champion’s roll call that includes Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Lee Trevino and Peter Thomson (twice). Expect this year’s winner to be cut from the same cloth. AN OPEN QUESTION The golf event of the summer will be this month’s U.S. Women’s Open at Trump Bedminster, in New Jersey. After he tirelessly courted the USGA, it’s hard to imagine President Trump skipping the event, especially in the shadow of Gotham, the media capital of the world. AFTER THE FLOOD The Greenbrier Classic, also played this month, will be a vivid example of how golf can lift a community.…

Follow Joe Passov on Twitter @JoePassov HOT TRACKS The Summit Las Vegas, Nev. 7,459 yards, par 72 Architect: Tom Fazio (2017) summitclubnv.com CUP O’ JOE HARD-DRIVE DATA In the lead-up to the U.S. Open, I asked Louis Oosthuizen which course he considered the toughest driving test he’d faced. “The Olympic Club, for the 2012 U.S. Open,” the South African told me. “It seemed like every fairway had slopes. You had to shape every single shot to hold the fairway, or it would run into the rough.” HIDEKI’S 2020 VISION This spring, Tom Fazio went to Japan to reopen Kasumigaseki Country Club’s East course, which he remodeled with his son Logan. The course has been chosen as the host site for golfers at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. And don’t be surprised…

ADDRESS SQUARE THE CLUBFACE Without help from video, it’s tough to know if you’re swinging on the correct plane. Here’s an easy way to check. Lay a few feet of rope on the ground at the range. The rope serves as your target line. Tee up a ball just above it, or place it slightly inside the cord as I’ve done here. Next, settle into your address position and make sure the clubface is square to the target line. Position the club so that its topline and the rope form a “T” shape. That’s square. TAKEAWAY FOLLOW THE LINE The first few feet of your backswing are critical. If you fall off-plane here—by “rolling” the club inward with your hands or forearms, or by “lifting” it— you’ll likely make poor…

1 To groove the feel of maintaining your side bend all the way to the finish, place your palms on your thighs... 2 ... then turn toward the target while pushing up. Key: Get your right shoulder lower than your left. A sure way to slice it or pull it? By losing your side bend as you near contact (with the right side of your torso pointing at the ground through impact and beyond). But you can fix the problem in seconds. Stand at address with your hands pressed against your thighs. Next, rotate toward the target, pushing your hips and chest upward and toward the target. As you turn and push, slide your right hand down your right leg while sliding your left up toward your left pants pocket.…

Pound for pound, my swing is the most powerful on Tour. I’m driving it 307 yards per poke this season, and I weigh all of 145 pounds. If it looks like I’m swinging out of my spikes, well, I am! I love to whale it. But it’s the fundamentals—many of which my dad, Mike, passed down to me—that make me a big hitter. I focus on flexibility, width, rotation, balance and swing plane. Nail these driving basics, and you can swing out of your spikes with full confidence—and watch the yards pile up. My father, Mike, taught me to swing. He never told me to slow down my motion. He liked to say, “There’s zero benefit to hitting it crooked and short.” FLEX YOUR BODY You can’t go big if…

Where The Game Meets The Good Life HISTORIC (AND FUTURE )TROPHY TRACKS Ireland has everything for the serious course connoisseur, with more than 300 links combined in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Some hug the seaside; others wend through wondrous parkland layouts. Whether you like classic tracks or up-and-comers, Erin is calling. Ballybunion Golf Club (Old) Ballybunion,Co.Kerry Hall of Fame golf writer Herbert Warren Wind summed up his first trip around this ancient links this way: “Ballybunion revealed itself to be nothing less than the finest seaside course I have ever seen.” Among the wonders he experienced more than a half century ago were the 473-yard, par-4 11th, whose back tee is wedged between dunes and the beach and hovers 50 to 60 feet above the sea. Another…

FOR MORE INSTRUCTION THAT FITS YOUR GAME,GO TO GOLF.COM Long is good, but long and straight is even better. This simple range drill can help you hit more fairways. First, tee up a ball as you normally would, then place a second tee six inches outside the first, on a 45-degree angle. The idea is to sweep the ball off the first tee and swing over the second one as you accelerate the clubhead through the hitting area. Practice this until you can make the move without difficulty, then remove the second tee. Making practice swings like this teaches you to fully extend your arms past impact, creating maximum acceleration and keeping you from cutting across the ball (and hitting pulls and slices) or swinging too much from the inside…

Our new video series, GOLF Today, has the game covered, only on GOLF.com! Go to the all-new GOLF.com to watch our video series, created in collaboration with the United States Golf Association. In each episode of GOLF Today, viewers will find exclusive coverage of all facets of the game from its leading voices. Highlights from our latest episode, which can be found at GOLF.com/Today: GOLF.com’s Jeff Ritter visits the Braille Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif., to meet the remarkable Adelaide Ortega (left). After losing her sight to a rare disease, Ortega did something unusual: She took up golf. She’s never seen one of her shots soar through the air, but she’s an avid player— and an inspiring story. Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore discuss Sand Valley, their buzzy new design in…

DRIVER 1) TaylorMade M2 (2017), 10.5°, Aldila Tour Green 75 shaft, TX-flex, 303 yards; $400 FAIRWAY WOODS 2) TaylorMade M1 (2017), 15°, Aldila Tour Green 75 shaft, TX-flex, 280 yards, $300; TaylorMade M1 (2016), 19°, Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 shaft, TX-flex, 250 yards; $250 IRONS 3)TaylorMade P750 Tour Proto (4-PW), Project X 6.5 shafts; $1,600 for set of eight 4-iron: 218 yards 5-iron: 205 yards 6-iron: 191 yards 7-iron: 180 yards 8-iron: 169 yards 9-iron: 158 yards PW: 145 yards WEDGES 4)TaylorMade Milled Grind, 52°, 130 yards, 56°, 110 yards, $150 each; TaylorMade Tour Preferred EF, 60°, 95 yards, $160. All with Project X 6.5 shafts PUTTER 5)TaylorMade Spider Tour Red; $300 BALL TaylorMade TP5x; $45 “This year’s driver is just a little more forgiving, and who wouldn’t…

Follow Mark Broadie on Twitter@MarkBroadie How can you improve your scoring? You now have 13 very good reasons for using your short-game practice time wisely. ARRON OBERHOLSER, PGA Tour winner and Golf Channel commentator, recently asked me a question over Twitter: Per round, how many short-game shots do weekend golfers have within 60 yards of the hole? After I tweeted my answer, a flurry of responses followed. Clearly, players are hungry for information to benchmark and improve their games. The direct answer to Oberholser’s question is 13—that’s the number of off-green opportunities per round that a 90-shooter has within 60 yards. But digging deeper into the data reveals something instructive about your game and your scoring. The number of strokes you’ll gain by sharpening your short game depends on two…

Follow Jessica Marksbury on Twitter@Jess_Marksbury We’re downing protein-and-fruit smoothies this morning. You’re a very fit guy. Is this a big part of your nutrition plan? It is. A smoothie gets my day going and makes me feel good that I’ve had something good for me. You live in Las Vegas, where you also grew up. What’s your drink of choice when you’re out on the town? I like tequila—Patron XO, Casamigos—or red wine. What’s the secret to planning the ultimate Vegas vacation? There’s obviously the casinos, the shows. If you don’t like to gamble, you can go see a great show. If you don’t like to see shows, you can go shopping at some of the best malls in the world. Is it important not to stay too long? It’s…

The Fault:Distance control. You hit putts too short or too far, regardless of length. The problem? An uneven stroke. The Fix: Find a flat 10-footer. Swing the putter back as far as you think is needed, and just as you make contact, cut the power. I call this “braking.” You may feel like you’re stabbing at it, but this trick matches your follow-through to the length of your backstroke. You’ll have a smooth, “even” motion that properly accelerates and reaches peak velocity just prior to impact—the keys to deadly-accurate distance control. Tip: If you leave putts short at first, lengthen your backstroke (while still braking). Using the 10-footer as a foundation, you’ll soon build a repertoire of strokes, and you’ll be rolling ‘em in fromevery distance. SUCCESS STORY THIS SWEETSWINGING JUNIOR…

At 667 yards, the 16th at Firestone C.C.’s South Course, home to the Tour’s WGC–Bridgestone Invitational each August, isn’t a reachable par 5. “The Monster” surrendered but one eagle at the 2016 event and just one birdie for every three bogeys. Tough holes like this (the second-hardest par 5 on Tour last year) demand brains, not brawn. Plotting a smart second shot is your best bet. But be careful. Not all layups are alike. Here’s how to position yourself for an easy approach—and a memorable birdie. PRESENTED BY 1 LAY IT BACK Most weekend players think hitting a second shot as near as possible to the green is the way to make a par or birdie. Not so fast. If you get too close, you may have to pull off…

Ireland has no peer when it comes to pub crawls. The craic (fun and conversation) over a pint of Guinness is embedded in the culture, and wit never disappoints. Over the past 20 years, Ireland has made significant strides in its epicurean game, too. From the gourmet capital of Kinsale to the seductive pleasures of a classic country inn, here are four sublime, golfproximate stops to sample Irish eats and drink. The Lady Helen at Mt. Juliet’s Manor House Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny Named for the former proprietor of this outstanding hotel, the Lady Helen—located 75 miles south of Dublin—has retained a Michelin star and three coveted AA rosettes, thanks to its masterful way with seafood, rabbit and desserts. The hotel’s Jack Nicklaus–designed golf course has hosted three Irish Opens and…

CHIP, CHIP...HOORAY! THANKS SO MUCH for your article on sidesaddle chipping (“The Perfect Chip,” May 2017). I’ve struggled with the chipping yips for a long time now, but this technique is amazing! I tried it yesterday for the first time at my home course and it worked every time—even under pressure. I used the 30-degree-open version, even for some longer pitches from 50 to 70 yards. Fantastic! The best tip I’ve ever had! Thanks again. — DAVID WAGUESPACK,VIA E-MAIL YOUR ARTICLE “The Perfect Chip” was extremely helpful. I’m a 7 index with some chipping issues. When I take my practice swings I always brush the ground, but when I address the ball and swing, I have a tendency to hit it heavy and sometimes just plain fat! After reading the…

The U.S. Women’s Open will be played at Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey, which is owned by President Donald Trump. A women’s group collected more than 100,000 signatures calling on the USGA to move the event to a different course. Have you discussed the controversy with your peers? I haven’t talked much with other players about the course or the president. We’re trying to play on some of the best courses and [in] probably the biggest women’s championship. I don’t know much about politics. So I don’t really have a huge say. Rory McIlroy, Ernie Els and Tiger Woods have played golf with Trump since the election. If the president invited you to tee it up with him, would you? It’d be an honor, I guess, to play…

You can watch video rulings featuring Rules Guy himself! Go to GOLF.com/rules-guy Rules Guy: A ball is putted into the hole. A frog that was in the cup immediately jumps out, taking the ball with it. Is the ball deemed holed? —JIMMY AHMED, LAGOS, NIGERIA Rules Guy is calling bullfrog here. The kind of critter involved doesn’t matter. The ruling remains the same: If the ball comes to rest in the circumference of the hole, it’s considered holed. If Kermit’s caper came before then, under Rule 19-1b (which covers a ball being deflected or picked up by an animate outside agency) the stroke is canceled, and the ball is replaced and replayed. Should this mulligan be missed, well, ribbit and weep. Hey, Rules Man: While playing at a course next…

Follow Dave Pelz on Twitter @pelz_golf MISSING GREENS isn’t all bad. It depends on where you miss them. You can often get back in the hole with your basic pitch or chip. It’s the tough lies to watch out for, the ones that test your finesse and precision. Saving par from difficult spots is what separates great players from good ones—you need an answer for whatever the course throws at you. Consider the challenge I face in the photos above. I’ve hit my third shot on a par 5 long and left, putting me in thick rough on top of a mound. A standard pitch won’t do here— the ball will hit and scoot down the green’s slope and end up a good 30 feet past the pin. I’d be…

Powered by the Top 100 Teachers in America If your plan for greenside bunkers is simply to avoid them, good luck. Like death and taxes, finding sand traps is a certainty. Even Dustin Johnson visited the beach more than 120 times in 2016, and he was GOLF’s Player of the Year. Our advice: Beat your fears and get Zen in the bunker. Forget “blasting” these shots—think about “gliding” them. Pay attention, grasshopper. On the following pages, Top 100 Teacher James Sieckmann shows that knocking it close from bunkers is about doing less, not more. He should know. Sieckmann has taught dozens of Tour pros the finer points of sand play. As he explains, hitting a garden-variety bunker shot simply takes a setup tweak. Give his Tour-tested tips a try and…

1 RELEASE BIG Leaving shots out to the right? Copy Scott’s right-handover- left release to consistently square the clubface. Your goal: Get the shaft to point at your rib cage after impact. 2 SLAM IT Scott’s legs stabilize and “post up” pre-impact. This lets him “slam the door” with his chest. Your upperbody turn propels your swing to the finish, not your legs. 3 MAKE A CONNECTION As Adam rotates, his arms ride the momentum—keeping your arms in front of your body through the ball improves contact. Your key? Pin your upper-left arm to your chest. 4 BUILD A BASE Scott’s left foot stays anchored to the ground. This lets his legs and hips turn in tandem. “Loose” legs or hips that turn without proper support sink shots. 70.8% Scott's…

Mike Adams (Hamilton Farm G.C., Gladstone, N.J.) and Bernie Najar (Caves Valley G.C., Owings Mills, Md.) TheGLIDER TheSPINNER TheLAUNCHER We‘ve spent the last three years measuring the way golfers— touring pros and players just like you—use the ground to create power on the downswing. With the help of Scott Lynn, Ph.D, and Swing Catalyst’s 3-D Motion Plate, we’ve gathered data from thousands of swings that proves what instructors have always sensed: Golfers create speed in varying ways. The core foundation of our research is that every player uses some combination of horizontal, rotational and vertical force to deliver the club into impact (photos, above). Depending on your body type and athletic ability, however, you’re likely to prefer one force over the others, and building a swing around your natural “power…

Intriguing people, the Brits. They speak our language but with a funny, infectious accent. They drive to work, like we do—on the wrong side of the road. They play a lot of golf, just like us, but they go about it a bit differently...in what they eat, drink, wear, do and say. They even advance the ball their own way—low, rolling and deadly accurate. So with the British Open—sorry, Open Championship— coming to Royal Birkdale this month, we’re promoting cross-cultural understanding with a buggy-full of expert advice on how to put the you in UK. So pinky up, people. Maybe you can’t really be British. But for a few days in July, you can be Brit-ish. Brit and WISDOM As we prepared this transatlantic tutorial, we encountered an ocean of…

Brainstorm Golf’s original Happy putters made news because of their unparalleled adjustability in loft, lie, weight and offset. The company’s newest Happy series, called the Eye Align, can be customized for alignment and head weight only, but at a much lower price than its predecessors. Developed with input from Tour players, retailers and PGA professionals, the Eye Align heads (one blade and one mallet) have three interchangeable alignment guides to appeal to a broad spectrum of players. Choose from two black-and-white options—one with arrows (above, left) and the other with lines—or a color option that mixes blue, white and black lines (above, right). “Lots of golfers go out and buy a new putter when their current model stops working,” says Brainstorm Golf CEO Vikash Sanyal. “With the Eye Align, those…

Ireland is the place for pints, but itswhiskey tradition is nearly as famous. The 411: Irish whiskey has an e, Scotch whisky doesn’t. Whiskey is distilled three times before it’s bottled, making for a lighter, cleaner finish. Besides blended and single malt, which can be produced using only malted barley, the Irish have a third category: single pot still, which utilizes a grain mash of malted and unmalted barley. “Irish whiskey benefits from being a hybrid,” says Duggan McDonnell, director of beverage at San Francisco food hall China Live. “It holds some of the strength of a Highlands Malt and the sweeter, peppery notes of Canadian Rye. It’s a great hybrid of styles, suitable for the novice or the connoisseur.” So get your drink on, with any of these Irish…

If you’re within 50 yards of the flag, and you want your wedge shots to stick to the green like Velcro, stop being such a stiff! Let your body naturally turn toward the target on the downswing, just as you would on a normal shot. Your work is only halfway done at impact—a full finish is mandatory. First, don’t worry about a big turn. Simply hinge the club up with your wrists until your arms are roughly parallel with the ground. This provides plenty of energy to get the ball to the green. Next, rotate your body down and through the shot until your chest—followed by your head—faces the target. It’s okay to keep your head down through impact, but don’t lock it in place after contact. That can “freeze”…

FOR JANE GEDDES, the U.S. Women’s Open—the event she won in 1986—is personal. For Jane Geddes, everything is personal. She’s informed, opinionated, smart, intense. That’s why, three decades after her playing prime, she’s still prominent in the game—at least in its corridors and backrooms. You may not even know her name. But Donald Trump, Tim Finchem, Lee Trevino and Karrie Webb are intimately aware of her. So is Karen Crouse, the New York Times golf writer who, seven years ago, wrote the definitive piece about Geddes and herwife, Gigi Fernandez, the former tennis pro, and their six-year odyssey to start a family. The twins are now 8, and Jane and Gigi and Karson and Madison are moving from leafy suburban Connecticut to funky South Tampa. Geddes is starting a new…