Welcome to the first ever edition of St Andrews Golf Magazine, the first and only monthly digital golf publication from the Home of Golf, St Andrews. St Andrews Golf Magazine will take you inside the Home of Golf, to places other publications cannot get and behind the scenes in the town that eats, sleeps and breathes the greatest game ever played.

We will draw on all the aspects of the golf industry in St Andrews including its many PGA professionals, the governing bodies, tour companies and clubs and clubhouses. The magazine will also be a global golf magazine featuring the results fromi all the major tours, reports and features on the biggest events and interviews with the stars of the sport.

There will be instruction from leading teaching professionals, reviews of the latest equipment on the market and advice on health and fitness for golf. St Andrews is renowned the world over for its caddies and the exclusive caddie corner will bring you tales from the course each month. The magazine will be interactive and you can send us your letters each month on issues in the world of golf you feel passionately about, or comment on any of our many articles or features. We will also have monthly competitions with many exciting prizes up for grabs.

The idea for St Andrews Golf Magazine was conceived by Matt in January of 2013 after he had started blogging in September 2012, he approached Colin with the idea and together they have developed the idea over the summer. They have attended the RICOH Women’s British Open, Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship for St Andrews Golf Magazine and will be at several events in 2014 across the European Tour and Ladies European Tour.

Matt has wide­ranging experience within the golf industry having graduated with a Foundation Degree in Golf Management from the International Institute for Golf Education at Myerscough College, and has worked in retail at the Gleneagles Hotel and as a caddie at Royal County Down Golf Club and St Andrews Links. Colin is a native of St Andrews and is a successful business owner in the town and is the chairman of The Melvion Club, an exclusive members­only club providing its members private concierge services.

This month we have an exclusive interview with the Alfred Dunhill Links Champion David Howell, a special feature on St Andrews Day, and we preview the conclusion of the Race to Dubai. We hope you enjoy the exciting first ever edition of St Andrews Golf Magazine.

Matt Hooper Colin Donaldson

Co­editorsSt Andrews Golf Magazine

On the tee November 2013St AndrewsPage 6

Race to DubaiPage 9

Tour wrap­upPage 15

David Howell Page 23Instruction from Gary Forrester Page 31

Top 10 Golfing Holidays Page 37

International Institute for Golf Education Page 42

Beatriz Recari Page 48

Tweets of the month Page 49

My Favourite Hole at the Home of Golf: Ewen Murray Page 52

St Andrewsby Colin Donaldson

St. Andrews is a small town (some consider it to be a city due to it having a cathedral) situated on the east coast of the Kingdom of Fife. An ancient town with deep religious roots. St. Andrews’ history comes from its Castle and Cathedral. Both located on the eastern tip of St. Andrews, overlooking the North Sea.

St Andrews’ great Cathedral (constructed in 1160) was for seven centuries the largest building in Scotland. Its majesty helped to establish St Andrews as the centre of the country’s religious life, which in turn helped St Andrews to become hugely influential in Scottish political circles. Saint Andrew's connection with Scotland relates to the legend that some of his remains were kept at the site that is now the town of St Andrews. A chapel was built to house the remains and became a place of pilgrimage. The Cathedral and Castle are well worth a visit to view the ancient relics and artifacts and it is in the Cathedral grounds itself that you would find the gravestone of Tom Morris. A walk up the St. Rule tower will result in one of the best vistas of St. Andrews. Alternatively, explore the underground tunnels of the Castle ruins.

St. Andrews is more commonly known now for its golf and University.

St. Andrews University was founded in 1413 and celebrated its 600th anniversary this year. It is the oldest University in Scotland and has had some notable undergraduates learning their trades here. Most recently there was the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Will and Kate. They met at

St. Andrews University back in 2001 and were frequently spotted around the town.

Perhaps what St. Andrews is best known for is it golf and more specifically, The Old Course. St. Andrews itself boasts 7 courses. Comprising six 18 hole courses and one 9 hole course. The courses at St. Andrews are all public courses. The courses themselves belong to the residents of the town of St. Andrews. A charitable organisation named The Links Trust work for the people of St. Andrews and looks after and maintains the running of the golf courses.

Residents and non­residents can purchase a season ticket from The Links Trust and this enables them access to play on the seven courses.

The Old Course first recorded what is known as golf today, in 1454. Over 500 years later, the Old Course has become as much of a Mecca to golfers today as the religion was a couple of centuries earlier. The Old Course has remained virtually untouched over the centuries. There have been a few additions of tee boxes over the years and more change has occurred in the past year than there has been over the past 100 years. A simple course with subtle intricacies, skills are defined over years on this course and enjoyed by many who will play it just the once. A joy to behold and a course that remains in the hearts of many of those who have played her.

Aside from the Old Course, St. Andrews also has the New Course (1895), the Jubilee Course (1897), the Eden Course (1914), the Strathtyrum Course (1993), the Balgove Course (1993) and the Castle Course (2008).

The New Course was designed by the great Tom Morris in 1895 and the Jubilee Course was designed due to the popularity of the game in the late 19th century. It was named the Jubilee Course in celebration of Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, which occurred in the same year.

In future editions we will be detailing each of the St. Andrews courses in depth.

The region around St. Andrews also lays claim to some fantastic golf courses. The Dukes Golf Course, Kingsbarns, The Torrance Course, The Kittocks Course and other gems such as Crail, Leven, Lundin Links, Elie, Scotscraig and Ladybank. Carnoustie and Gleneagles are just a little further afield, within a one hour drive.

The town itself has 14,000 residents and the University itself has 7,000 students. St. Andrews has 3 main streets in the centre and from there the town has grown and developed. The 3 main streets, North Street, Market Street and South Street run parallel to each other and they all congregate at the Cathedral on the east coast. A fourth parallel street known as The Scores boasts views of the North Sea and this is where many hotels and university property can be found. These streets are where you will find everything in town. The shops, the restaurants, the boutiques, the pubs and the hotels are just adjacent to them. The Town centre is only a 5­minute walk from the golf courses and the town centre can be walked around in 10 minutes, although we believe once you see what the town has to offer, a day or two is more likely.

St. Andrews also has 3 beaches. The East Sands, the Castle Sands and the West Sands. The West Sands, situated next to the golf courses, was the scene for the movie Chariots of Fire and more recently was the scene of the re­enactment of those scenes with the Olympic Torch for the games in London, 2012.

Through the centuries and in more recent times, new streets were built, the railway line arrived (and disappeared) and St. Andrews became known as a holiday destination, known for its golf, fresh air and friendly atmosphere. Despite the town itself growing in population and size, the original historic street layout has been retained to this day. This core to the centre of town looks much the same now as it would have, four to five hundred years ago. You can feel this history as you stroll through the streets, taking in the modern shops, café’s and restaurants.

November is the month in which St. Andrews celebrates the patron saint of Scotland. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and is celebrated on the 30th of November.

So raise your glass on Saturday the 30th of November and celebrate our national day as we will be doing so ourselves.

Come and visit St. Andrews.

ALL EYES ON

DUBAIby Matt Hooper

"The Race to Dubai will bring a new dimension to the

European Tour, we are excited about the start of The Race

to Dubai and the superb quality of the field for the HSBC

Champions in Shanghai."

This was George O'Grady speaking ahead of the launch of the first Race to Dubai in the Autumn of 2008. After 21 years of the tour ending its season at Valderrama in southern Spain the powers that be decided to go in a different direction, reflecting the increasingly global nature of the European Tour International Schedule by focussing on the city of Dubai in the UAE. The climate, the golf course conditions, the 5­star hotels and the ease of access from airports across the world made the emirate a natural successor to Valderrama. Staging the season­finale in Dubai also enabled the tour to extend its schedule without having to worry about the weather, and it wasn't just the tournament it was holding in the desert, Jumeirah Golf Estates was to become the home of the European Tour's International operations and centre of excellence.

The initial plan was unveiled by O'Grady 19 November, 2007 at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai and it was for a remodelled season­long competition based on the money list leading to the Dubai World Championship, which was to be the richest tournament in world golf with a prize fund of $10m and the Race to Dubai bonus pool was to offer a further $10m. The Race to Dubai and the Dubai World Championship was a partnership between the European Tour and Leisurecorp, a division of Dubai World and the developers of Jumeirah Golf Estates, the host venue for the DWC. The PGA Tour had launched its FedEx Cup in November of 2006 and the European Tour

needed to evolve to compete with the American tour's brash and big money series. So, in June of 2007 at the BMW International Open representatives from the Tour and Leisurecorp met to discuss the concept.

The relationship between the Tour and Leisurecorp would extend further than just Jumeirah Golf Estates and the Dubai World Championship. Several tournaments including the South African Open, Irish Open and European Open were given support by the Dubai based company. Leisurecorp were in essence replacing Volvo in this role as the tour looked to replace the Swedish car­maker as major partner to the order of merit.

It was vital for the tour to continue to keep its own stars and attract new ones with this exciting venture;

Robert Karlsson, 2008 Volvo Order of Merit champion

“The Race to Dubai is a tremendously exciting development for everyone involved with The European Tour and European golf as a whole and something which has made the whole world of golf sit up and take notice.”

Justin Rose, 2007 Volvo Order of Merit champion

“To be Number One, to follow in the footsteps of so many great players, is an awesome feeling and it was huge for me to receive the Harry Vardon Trophy. It’s like the Premiership – a season long challenge that tests all your skills and demands consistency.”

"2007 was a great year for me personally and for The European Tour, ending with the announcement of The Race to Dubai and the Dubai World Championship. It is a great concept and looks like The European Tour have found the right formula.”

Sergio Garcia, former world number two

"The Race to Dubai represents a real statement of intent by The European Tour and by Dubai. The Tour has clearly moved up a gear in the ability to attract the world’s best players and Dubai has reinforced its position as a centre of world golf.”

The globalization of the European Tour schedule began in the 1980's with trips to Tunisia and Morocco, and later Dubai but it was really a major new concept in tournament golf launched in 1995 which paved the way for the Race to Dubai to become reality. In the 1970's and 80's many of Europe's leading players would play on the Safari Tour across Africa to extend their seasons in January, February, November and December and the Sun City Million Dollar Challenge had long been attracting the likes of Seve, Langer, Norman, Faldo, Woosnam, Lyle and Olazabal to play in South Africa.

So there was a natural relationship built up between the European and Southern African tours and in 1995 the two tours staged the first ever 72­hole co­sanctioned tournament between two major tours. Each tour received entries to 50% of the field and money counted for both order of merits. The Lexington South African PGA Championship was played at the Wanderers Golf Club near Johannesburg and was aptly won by a the player who would become the icon of

co­sanctioned events throughout the world, Ernie Els. The now 4­time Major champion has gone on to win 12 co­sanctioned tournaments between the European Tour, Sunshine Tour, Asian Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia.

The South Africans have benefited greatly from the co­sanctioning programme and golfers from the country have won 7 major titles since that South African PGA Championship was staged in February 1995. Stars like Els, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen have all triumphed in golf's greatest championships; and others like Tim Clark, Branden Grace, Thomas Aiken and Richard Sterne have made an impact on the worldwide golfing stage. Co­sanctioned tournaments increased rapidly on the schedule in the years to come and as of 2013 13 European Tour events are co­sanctioned between the tour and other tours around the world.

The initial plan for the Race to Dubai unvelied a $10million bonus pool and $10million prize fund for the Dubai World Championship, but in September the European Tour confirmed that the money was to be cut by 25%. The bonus pool and tournament prize fund was to be $7.5million apiece. “The European Tour has offered to reduce the prize money to reflect the current worldwide economic position," European Tour chief executive George O'Grady said. "We will jointly examine prize money levels in future years in the light of this developing global situation.”

The first Race to Dubai, launched at the HSBC Champions in November 2008, featured 54 tournaments across 5 continents in 28 countries and the Harry Vardon Trophy was decided at the Dubai World Championship with Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer and Ross Fisher entering the week with victory in their sights. A superb performance from Westwood including a final round of 64 saw the Englishman win the tournament by 6 strokes and claim a second European Tour Order of Merit title.

In 2010 Martin Kaymer became the second German, after Bernhard Langer, to be European Tour number one with wins at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and his first Major title, the PGA Championship.

2011 was the year of the Don, Luke Donald. Following his victory at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship, BMW PGA Championship, Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and the Madrid Masters, the Englishman walked away with the Race to Dubai title to add to the PGA Tour Money list.

The feat of Donald was thought so impressive that it would take many years until it was emulated, the world had not reckoned though on the extraordinary talent of Rory McIlroy. An 8­shot win in the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island springboarded the Ulsterman into a remarkable run of form and he came to Dubai with the Harry Vardon Trophy in his back pocket. This apparent anti­climax to the European Tour season led the tour to look for a way to make its end of season more compelling and try to ensure the final event of the tour was always meaningful. With the PGA Tour having created a system which ensured the FedEx Cup was won at The Tour Championship, the European Tour announced on the Sunday of the DP World

Tour Championship in Dubai its plan for the future.

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “The introduction of ‘The Final Series’ and the associated changes to the structure are being made to bring even more drama and excitement to the conclusion of our season, and to further enhance The Race to Dubai. “To have our Members finishing The European Tour season at tournaments of genuine quality such as the BMW Masters, the WGC­HSBC Champions, the Turkish Open and the DP World Tour Championship is exciting.

“We felt there had to be an additional level of commitment from the Membership to these important tournaments, hence the new regulation. The response from our leading players to this change has been extremely encouraging, and we take confidence from their support as we look to continue the positive evolution of The European Tour in an extremely challenging economic climate.”

The Final Series is not an exact replica of the FedEx Cup, it doesn’t have a points system beyond the money list aside from an incentive scheme for players to compete more often during the final four events. Any player who competes in the BMW Masters, WGC­HSBC Champions and Turkish Airlines Open will receive a 20% bonus on top of their earnings throughout the season going into the final event in Dubai.

The infographic from the European Tour below gives an overview of the 2013 FInal Series:

It can be argued that the European Tour has made a knee­jerk reaction to the first season in many years where its order of merit has not been decided in the final week of the season. But it can also be said that despite the initial excitement that the Race to Dubai generated more and more of the Tour’s leading players are taking up PGA Tour membership and basing themselves in Florida rather than Dubai or Europe. The Final Series is the next stage of the evolution of the European Tour from a solely continental tour played from April to October, to a global tour encompassing events across 5 continents starting in November and ending the following November with a big bang.

The eligibility criteria for each event is designed to attract the best players in the world, regardless of the tour they are members of and to entice them to take up European Tour membership in order to be eligible for the season­ending DP World Tour Championship. The series was launched at last month’s BMW Masters at Lake Malaren Golf Club near Shanghai, the field assembled was the third strongest regular European Tour event of 2013 with the winner receiving 50 Official World Golf Ranking points. 16 of the world’s top 50 and 35 of the top 100 competed in the second playing of the tournament and Gonzalo Fernandez­Castano came out on top for his second win of 2013, moving the Spaniard to fourth on the Race to Dubai.

The second leg of the Final Series takes place at the Sheshan International Golf Club, the WGC HSBC Champions will see 40 of the world’s top 50 golfers compete for the title of Champion of Champions’ and many have Dubai in their sights. 2012 Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy needs a high finish in China to make it back to Dubai “It's a big week obviously ­ it's sort of make or break,” said The Ryder Cup star. “If I don't play good enough here, then there's a good chance I won't play in Dubai.”

The third leg is a new tournament, the Turkish Airlines Open, in Antalya, Turkey. Tiger Woods headlines the field, but due to not being a European Tour member and not having played the minimum required number of events on the Tour he is not eligible for Dubai. That is something the eligibility criteria is clearly aimed at changing.

(a) Players ranked within the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings as of Monday 14thOctober 2013.(b) *5 tournament invitations(c) The balance of the field will be selected in order from the 2013 Race to Dubai followingthe conclusion of the WGC­ HSBC Champions, (3rd November 2013). (Blank entries will bemade for those Players qualifying in this category). *Note: ­ A maximum of two amateurs may be included within the field. For every amateurincluded, “tournament invitations” in (b) above will be reduced by the corresponding number.

NB. (i) For any Player to have Official earnings at this tournament count on the 2013 Race to Dubai, such Player must feature within positions 1­110 in the 2013 Race to Dubai as of the 21st October. (ii) Tournament invitations in (b) above will not be eligible to have Official earnings at this tournament count on the 2013 Race to Dubai. (Exception: Any tournament invitation

extended after close of entries to a Player who would have been otherwise Exempt). (iii) This tournament is excluded from the top 5/10 Regulation

The Turkish Airlines Open will also see 17 of the world’s top 50 compete in the penultimate tournament of the 2013 European Tour season, the prize fund is $7million. Despite the fact Tiger cannot qualify for Dubai, the more star players who play in each of the preceding three events the more cache the Final Series gains. I venture to say that the likes of Woods and his American counterparts won’t be non­members for long, especially with the massive appearance fees that they can receive at the BMW Masters and Turkish Airlines Open.

While the riches on offer are lucrative they aren’t excessive like the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup, only the top 10 on the rankings receive money from the bonus pool and the pool is some $3.75million, 10 times less than the $35million on offer in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

How much the Race to Dubai has provided an added dimension to the European Tour is up for debate, it can be argued that it has made the tour richer and extended the season into the dark winter months. In essence though it hasn’t changed the fact that the European Tour is the world’s most global and diverse stage, as it was under Ken Schofield in the days of Volvo and Valderrama.

The biggest change for the European Tour may come with this Final Series, captivating golf fans across the world for four weeks at a time when they would otherwise be turning to other sports or activities. It is a chance to bring together many of the best golfers in the world and all of the Tour’s stars for a month at the end of the season, producing a meaningful climax to a true season­long competition which spreads across the globe.

I look forward to a tremendous finish to what has been a diverse, exciting and interesting 2013 season on the European Tour.

On TourWinners and results from October on theworld’s tours

2013 Presidents Cup, Muirfield Village, Ohio USA 3­6 OctoberUNITED STATES 18.5 ­ 15.5 InternationalsFred Couples’ United States kept their vice­like grip on the Presidents Cup with a 3 point victory over Nick Price’s International team. Despite a valiant fight back in the singles (won 7.5 ­ 4.5) the Internationals have lost 5 consecutive matches against their American opponents.

Frys.com Open, CordeValle Golf Club, San Martin, California USA 10­13 OctoberJimmy Walker 70 69 62 66 267 ­17VIjay Singh 69 67 65 68 269 ­15Kevin Na 75 67 64 64 270 ­14

Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas Nevada USA 17­20OctoberWebb Simpson 64 63 67 66 260 ­24Ryo Ishikawa 67 66 68 65 266 ­18Jason Bohn 67 64 69 66 266 ­18

CIMB Classic, The Mines Resort, Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA 24­27 OctoberRyan Moore 63 72 69 70 274 ­14Moore won on the first extra holeGary Woodland 68 70 67 68 274 ­14Kiradech Aphibarnrat 67 69 69 70 275 ­13

Seve Trophy by Golf+, St Nom La Bretesche Near Paris, FRANCE 3­6 OctoberCONTINENTAL EUROPE 15­13 Great Britain and IrelandContinental Europe won for the first time since 2000

Portugal Masters, Oceanico Victoria Vilamoura, PORTUGAL 10­13 OctoberDavid Lynn 65 65 73 63 266 ­18Justin Walters 69 63 69 66 267 ­17Stephen Gallacher 70 67 65 66 268 ­16

ISPS Handa Perth International, Lake Karrinyup Golf Club Perth, Western AustraliaAUSTRALIA 17­20 OctoberCo­sanctioned with the PGA Tour of AustralasiaJIn Jeong 68 72 69 69 278 ­10Jeong won on first extra hole with a 4 to a Fisher’s 5Ross Fisher 72 67 71 68 278 ­10Brody Ninyette 72 69 67 72 280 ­8

BMW Masters, Lake Malaren Golf Club, Shanghai, CHINA 24­27 OctoberGonzalo Fdez­Castano 71 71 67 68 277 ­11Francesco Molinari 72 71 71 64 278 ­10Thongchai Jaidee 70 70 72 66 278 ­10

Reignwood LPGA Classic, Beijing CHINA 3­6 OctoberShanshan Feng 70 64 64 68 266 ­26Stacy Lewis 68 66 65 68 267 ­25Inbee Park 69 68 66 68 271 ­21

SIME Darby LPGA Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA 10­13 OctoberLexi Thompson 67 63 66 69 265 ­19Shanshan Feng 67 65 70 67 269 ­15Suzann Pettersen 67 68 67 70 272 ­12

LPGA KEB­HanaBank Championship, Incheon KOREA 17­20 OctoberAmy Yang 67 71 69 207 ­9Yang won on the first extra hole with a 4 to Seo’s 5Hee Kyung Seo 71 68 68 207 ­9Suzann Pettersen 69 69 70 208 ­8

Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship, Yang Mei, Taoyuan TAIWAN 24­27 OctoberSuzann Pettersen 68 69 73 69 279 ­9Azahara Munoz 73 72 69 70 284 ­4Caroline Hedwall 71 73 72 70 286 ­2

Sanya Ladies Open, Sanya, CHINA 25­27 OctoberLee­Anne Pace 67 66 70 203 ­13Pace won on first extra holeYu Yang Zhang 69 69 65 203 ­13Ye Na Chung 64 68 72 204 ­12

Coca Cola Tokai Classic 3­6 October Winner: Shingo Katayama 281 ­5Toshin Golf Tournament 10­13 October Winner: Yoshinori Fujimoto 264 ­24Japan Open 17­20 October Winner: Masanori Kobayashi274 ­10Bridgestone Open 24­27 October Winner: Daisuke Maruyama 203 ­10

Nanshan China Masters 10­13 October Winner: Charl Schwartzel 279 ­9Kolon Korea Open 17­20 October Winner: Kang Sung­hoon 280 ­4

Mercuries Taiwan Masters 3­6 October Winner: Scott Hend 285 ­3CJ Invitiational 10­13 October Winner: Kang Sung­hoon 276 ­12Ventian Macau Open 17­20 October Winner: Scott Hend 268 ­16

WA PGA Championship 3­6 October Jack Wilson 278 ­10*WA Open 10­13 October Josh Geary 273 ­15*Wilson won on first extra hole

BMG Classic 18­20 October Winner: Ulrich Van den Berg 201 ­15

Puerto Rico Classic 11­13 October Winner: Ryan Sullivan 205 ­1160th Brazilian Open 17­20 October Winner: Ryan Blaum 265 ­11

Foshan Open 17­20 October Winner: Nacho Elvira 274 ­14Oman Golf Classic 24­27 October Winner: Roope Kakko 274 ­14

Official World Golf RankingsAverage points

1 Tiger Woods USA 12.55622 Adam Scott Australia 8.9374 Masters champion3 Phil Mickelson USA 8.0575 Open champion4 Henrik Stenson Sweden 8.01815 Justin Rose England 7.3190 US Open champion6 Rory McIlroy Northern Ireland 6.81187 Steve Stricker USA 6.47208 Matt Kuchar USA 6.40189 Brandt Snedeker USA 6.149110 Jason Dufner USA 5.7080 PGA champion

59 Stephen Gallacher Scotland 2.1769

ROLEX Women’s World RankingsAverage points

1 Inbee Park Korea 11.97 KNC, LPGA andUS Women’s Openchampion

2 Suzann Pettersen Norway 11.38 Evian champion3 Stacy Lewis USA 9.83 RICOH Women’s

British Openchampion

4 So Yeon Ryu Korea 7.075 Lydia Ko New Zealand 7.066 Na Yeon Choi Korea 6.877 Shanshan Feng China 6.378 Karrie Webb Australia 5.909 I.K. Kim Korea 5.2810 Catriona Matthew Scotland 5.23

2013 Race to Dubai following the BMW Masters

1 Henrik Stenson2 Graeme McDowell3 Justin Rose4 Gonzalo Fernandez­Castano5 Richard Sterne6 Thongchai Jaidee7 Matteo Manassero8 Thomas Bjorn9 Peter Uihlein10 Brett Rumford

2013­14 FedEx Cup standings following CIMB Classic

1 Jimmy Walker2 Ryan Moore3 Webb Simpson4 Vijay Singh5 Gary Woodland6 Ryo Ishikawa7 Jason Bohn8 Charles Howell III9 Jeff Overton10 Hideki Matsuyama

European Ryder Cup Points 2014After BMW Masters

EUROPEAN TOUR POINTS WORLD POINTS

1 GONZALO FERNANDEZ­CASTANO HENRIK STENSON2 DAVID HOWELL David Howell3 THOMAS BJORN DAVID LYNN4 FRANCESCO MOLINARI JOOST LUITEN5 Gregory Bourdy JULIEN QUESNE6 Joost Luiten SERGIO GARCIA7 Ross Fisher Thomas Bjorn8 Julien Quesne Ross Fisher9 Craig Lee Daan Huizing10 David Lynn Gregory Bourdy

Data courtesy of www.europeantour.com, www.pgatour.com, www.sunshinetour.com.www.asiantour.com, www.oneasia.asia, www.jgto.org, www.lpga.com,www.ladieseuropeantour.com, www.pga.org.au, www.owgr.com, www.rolexrankings.com

THE COOL DUDE ISBACKby Matt Hooper

The date is Sunday 13 November 2005 and the place is Sheshan International Golf Club, the final round of the inaugural HSBC Champions Tournament in Shanghai, China. England’s David Howell is holding a 1 stroke lead at the start of the day and is playing with the world’s greatest golfer Tiger Woods.

The two duel down the final nine holes before Howell comes out on top emphatically, winning by three strokes from Woods and six from the rest, claiming the biggest win of his career at that point.

Following 6 winless years the man from Swindon in Wiltshire lifts his second trophy of the year following his Ryder Cup debut at Oakland Hills in 2004. He ends 2005 as world number 11. With a massive win in the bag Howell as already gone a long way to securing a second appearance for Europe in the Ryder Cup, and in May of 2006 he cemented his place in the team with the win he calls the biggest of his career ­ the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. “HSBC was a huge win for me but it was the first year of that now massive event, the BMW PGA is the flagship event of the European Tour and the British PGA”. His five­shot win was emphatic and it took him into the top ten of the world rankings. His putting was renowned as being among the best in the world and with two Ryder Cup appearances in crushing wins over America Howell was at the peak of his powers.

Successive injuries and personal problems from the end of 2006 onwards saw him lose form dramatically, slipping outside of the world’s top 300, and despite a few near misses and improved form he endured a long winless streak, a 7­year streak ended this September at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

St Andrews Golf Magazine caught up with Howell at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles this August to discuss his season so far and ambitions for the rest of his career.

MH: You have had a few chances recently to win and to get back to where you used to be, what do you think it is holding you back?

DH: I have had a couple of poor Sundays obviously, a couple of freak holes really, I can’t really explain it away more than that, just some unusual happenings but it’s not that easy coming back from the depths of despair from 2 or 3 years ago. It has been a bit of a process, it is not like going out on tour with no experience, there’s some scarring in there. I am slowly doing it and week on week I am playing some really consistent golf, getting myself in the mix and this week was once again pleasing to come back after 5 weeks off and put in a really good solid performance. That was really pleasing again. So hopefully if I keep putting myself in the mix it will go right.

MH: So you feel like you’re getting closer?

DH: Yeah, I am playing as well as ever. I really am. I am pretty pleased with the way I hit the ball this week. It is hard to quantify what the differences are and I don’t feel any different a player than when I was 9th in the world. Actually I feel like I am probably more in control of the ball now. It’s a fickle game, but confidence comes from winning, getting the job done is what you need to do and I got to 9th in the world because I kept doing that. Obviously the plan is to win again and get back

certainly into the world’s top 50.

MH: Do you think it is a realistic goal for next year to qualify for the European Ryder Cup team?

DH: It is very difficult to do without playing in the Majors and the World Golf Championship events, I wouldn’t say impossible but it is really difficult so I would need to get off to a fast start and win a tournament and get myself in those world championship events. If I can hit the ball the way I did this week then perhaps that victory might just come. It will be a tough ask but if I get close at least then I am moving in the right direction. I think I have got in me to play another 1 or 2 Ryder Cups

MH: Do you think the year is going more or less how you would have hoped?

DH: I feel my ranking is about as low as it could be, I haven’t maximised my good weeks with the poor finishes when I have been in the mix so that is what has kept me down in the Order of Merit a little bit. But I have hit the shots and you end up where you deserve to be. I feel like there is some upward movement and hopefully, I haven’t played in the DP World Tour Championship, for the last five years so if I can manage to do that then it would be a step in the right direction.

MH: If you were to retire now would you be satisfied with your achievements?

DH: It’s a really hard question to answer because if you had asked me that 20 years ago, you win five tournaments and play 2 Ryder Cups then I would have snapped your hand off, as an amateur. But having had all the experiences that I have and become the player that I have at times then no I am not satisfied. Golf’s a long career, but five wins isn’t enough for someone who has been out here 17 years. I would like some more silverware, I think it is within me to win some more.

MH: Thank you very much.

DH: My pleasure.

Without question when you listen to David speak you get the feeling that he know how good he was and how good he can be, and I knew if he got into contention at the Dunhill he would finish the job off. He is determined to get back to where he was 6 or 7 years ago and he knew he was getting closer to claiming that elusive first win in 7 years.

David Howell ended his 7­year winless streak by claiming his first win in a play­off of his career and first title on Scottish soil, the 2013 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship came to a thrilling climax as the former Ryder Cup star and American prodigy Peter Uihlein contended for the title over two extra holes on the Old Course.

Uihlein opened the day with a two­stroke lead over Ernie Els, Joost Luiten and Howell, but quickly his advantage was not just cut, it was swallowed by a bogey from Uihlein at the first hole and an extraordinary start from France’s Thomas Levet. The 2004 Ryder Cup star birdied the first five holes to reach 21­under­par and pull 2 clear of the American. Levet would shoot 31 on the front nine and back that up with birdies at the tenth and eleventh, reaching 22­under­par, but a bogey at 12 and double at 14 ended his impressive surge up the leaderboard.

Another challenge came in the form of Portugal Masters champion Shane Lowry, starting in a tie for second on 18­under the Irishman birdied 3 holes on the front nine before chipping in for a two on the par four tenth. He followed that stunning moment up with an equally sensational birdie on the par three eleventh hole, but bogeys at 13 and 15 left him just a little short at the end.

The challenge of Els and Luiten never materialized and the likes of Clarke, Fleetwood and Schwartzel just had too much work to do. So it came down to David Howell, a winner of 5 tournaments and Peter Uihlein, a winner of one – in Madeira. Experience versus youth. Howell’s approach to 15 ended up a couple of feet away and he holed for a stunning birdie to tie Uihlein on 23­under. He gave himself a good birdie chance at 16 but narrowly missed and had to settle for par before going on to hole a 10 foot putt for par on the 17th after missing the green short and right in the rough. Howell then drove with a metal wood off the 18th tee and split the fairway, but the ball struggled to cross Granny Clark’s Wynd and rolled back onto the road, meaning he had to play his second shot off the surface. He didn’t hit the ball far enough and ended up in the Valley of Sin and faced a pressure two­putt to lead in the clubhouse.

Image © Recounter

The man once renowned as the best putter on tour managed to make par with ease and this left Uihlein with a chance to win with a birdie. He played a wedge from 109 yards over the flag leaving himself around 10 feet downhill to claim the biggest win of his career. The ball narrowly missed right and he tied Howell on 23­under­par and the championship would be settled in extra holes.

The play­off would be played over 1 and 18 until a winner was determined. Howell drew the honour and ripped a long iron down the fairway and Uihlein followed suit.

Image © Recounter

With 121 yards remaining Uihlein played his wedge to pin high to give himself a chance of winning at the first time of asking; Howell had 105 yards and played to around 20 feet beyond the pin and would have the first attempt for birdie. He agonizingly missed on the left edge and Uihlein would have his chance for victory. The American’s putt lacked pace and missed on the low side, sending the play­off back up the 18th hole.

Howell retained the honour and focusing on making sure Granny Clark’s Wynd was out of play he smashed a driver up the left side, leaving himself 91 yards to the pin. Uihlein used a metal wood and had 105 yards remaining for his approach to the green. The Madeira Island Open champion flew the pin by 20­25 feet, Howell’s approach ended up 6­8 feet behind the pin. The Oklahoma State graduate narrowly missed his birdie attempt and the watching gallery around 1 and 18 focused their eyes on David Howell. Nervelessly he rolled the ball into the hole and turned and celebrated in a fashion not too dissimilar to Seve from 1984.

Image © Recounter

Any win is special but as Howell said himself “It has been 7 years so please don’t worry if my speech takes a long time”, to win for the first time in seven years and to do it at the Home of Golf on such a gloriously sunny evening is the thing of dreams. The win caps a so far consistent season and propels the man from Wiltshire into the top echelon of worldwide golf once more. He moves to 12th in the Race to Dubai, qualifies for the WGC­HSBC Champions and secures his place in the other three final series events including the DP World Tour Championship. It also gets him into next year’s Volvo Golf Champions and winning the tournament carries an exemption to the European Tour until the end of 2015.

It wasn’t as if there weren’t opportunities for the man from Swindon to add to his five career wins; Portugal, Ireland, Abu Dhabi and France spring to mind as occasions he was in contention but was undone by a loose shot or an uncharacteristic breakdown on the greens. But 2013 has been a much more consistent year for David and he felt at Gleneagles a win was around the corner and sure enough it was, or about 50 miles away as it happens.

Garry ForresterPGA Professional

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INSTRUCTION FROMGARRY FORRESTEROriginally from Fife, PGA Professional Garry Forrester has been located at the ‘Home of Golf’, St Andrews since 2006. With a career spanning 20 years Garry has dedicated his time building a wealth of knowledge and expertise working in various locations including Hong Kong and Phlippines. Garry not only prides himself on good communication with his clients, but listens too. “Giving clear explanations that his pupils have a clear understanding of what they are doing is paramount to the golfers’ development”.

Garry can be seen conducting his classes at the St Andrews Links Practice Centre and can be contacted by: Phone: +44 7715 504771 or Email: garry@standrewsgolfschool.com or visit www.standrewsgolfschool.com

With this being the first edition, I am going to start where I firstly look at building successful repeatable golf swings and that is the grip.

The Grip!

I have numerous thoughts when it comes to the position of the hands on the golf club but I’m going to keep this as simple as possible. In my opinion it’s one of THE fundamentals when it comes to developing your golf skills. I am not concerned with the grip being perfect but I do believe in having a good relationship between your hands and the clubface and that the body, arms and club work in harmony with each other. The clubface is the main factor in the direction the ball flies and often, problems with golfers poor shots can often relate back to their grip. In my experience the problem doesn’t often relate to the alignment of the hands on the grip but the positioning of the handle in the hands. This we will come to later!

For now, let’s talk briefly about the alignment of the golfers grip. For those that know, there are many top golfers out there past and present with their hands on the golf club in varying positions. The hands do form a partnership with the alignment of the clubface AND a vital source in what I call the ‘lever system’ ie wrist hinge during the swing.

Later, I am going to show you how to position your hands on in the club in a neutral position, but before I do let’s point out some tour players that have the differing grips. Zach Johnson forexample, his hands on the club are in what’s termed a ‘strong’ position (turned too much to the right). This would produce a closed clubface during the swing but he has a way of working his body and hands during the swing that works in delivering the club squarely repeatedly into the golf ball. Another player that fits the similar criteria is David Duval, a former World No.1, in 1999 shot 59 in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and won the Open Champion 2001 at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Let's look at someone who arguably was the greatest ball striker ever, Ben Hogan. Hogan earlier in his career had problems fighting a hook and through practice and self analysis what he did to combat that problem was to 'weaken' his left hand. Weakening meaning to have the back of his left hand facing the target at setup (a strong position the back of the left hand would be more facing the sky). This in effect stopped the clubface closing, thus helping alleviate the hook that plagued him.

As you can see there are varying alignments of the grip that work and produce champions but as mentioned previously what I feel is important is the positioning of the handle in the hands. Following is a description with photographs showing how to position your hands on the club in aneutral position and the benefits it will produce. The following interpretation is based for the right handed golfer.

Left Hand

Firstly, we are going to get ourselves into a starting position by holding the club out in front of you with your right hand down the shaft of the club, ensuring the aim line (bottom edge) of the clubface is in a vertical position (see photo’s 1 & 2).

(1) (2)

You can use the vertical edge of a building, window as a reference. From there we are now going to take our left (glove) hand position. With your left hand extended in front of you fingers stretched out but together, we are going to place the left side of the handle across the base of the palm of the hand, between the 1st and 2nd knuckles of the index finger down to the fold that

everyone has above the pinky finger (see photo 3). (3)

At this point you will see the palm of the hand has very little contact on the handle. Gently close

the fingers around the handle (see photo 4) (4) and then gently position the thumb and heel pad of your hand on top of the handle (see photo 5)

(5).

Again you will see the palm of the hand is barely on the grip and that the pinky finger is perpendicular to the handle. It is at this point that I see golfers with the problem of holding the club in the palm of the hand which causes a few problems one of which is poor leverage of the wrists during the swing. Once the left hand is positioned on the club, there is a checkpoint that I recommend doing by hinging the club upwards using your left wrist then allow the weight of the club head to move downwards allowing your wrist to unhinge (see photo’s 6 & 7) (6)

(7). In the unhinged position (see photo 7) you should see the clubface has remained in a vertical/square position. It is also from here that you get an idea of the grip pressure not being too tight so that the wrist hinge works freely but equally not too lose that the handle moves in your hands.

Right Hand

We are now going to take the right hand position but before we do there are varying ways of 'linking' your hands together. 1) interlocking where index finger on left hand and pinky on right hand link together 2) overlap where pinky on right hand sits on top of index finger of left hand or 3) 10 finger baseball where the hands are together on the club without the interconnection. 3 is more suited to small juniors or ladies in the very early stages of taking up the game, 1 and 2 are great either way that it comes down to personal preference and comfort. You will see that my

grip (see photo 8) is the overlap.

The right hand is predominantly in the fingers so we are going to cup the fingers and place them under the handle (see photo 8) (8). From there we position the right thumb pad on top of your left thumb. You will see the hands fit together nicely and are now 'married'. The next photo will

show the grip in its unity (see photo 9) (9). Checkpoints from her are 1) a line between your thumb and index finger on left hand points up to your right ear 2) 2­3 knuckled are visible, 3 if not wearing a glove and 2 if wearing a glove 3) right hand, a 'v' between your thumb and finger that points up to your chin 4) 2 knuckles visible 5) if you have writing at the foot of the grip (logo of the clubs you are using of make of grip) you will

see the writing points between your thumb and index finger on your right hand.

Okay, so we now have a clear picture of a neutral hands position on the golf club. It is amazing how many technical aspects fall into place based on the grip position. I hasten to add that if you change your grip it WILL NOT feel too comfortable. That's good and with practice it will become comfortable.

Grip pressure!

Some questions for you.

How much pressure do we squeeze on the handle?

What should the correct amount be? Have a think about how much you squeeze. Where ever you are right now, pick up a club (if you haven't done so already!!!), take your grip and check your pressure. On a scale of one to ten, ten being the tightest, what would you scale it as? My recommendation is around six but nine times out of ten most golfers will have too tense a grip pressure. It's easy to have a rating of six before you swing the club but it's keeping that six consistently through the swing. It's easy to squeeze harder in your takeaway, the start of the downswing and at impact. I bet you some of the best shots you have hit have come when you haven't felt the impact of the golf ball, you haven't felt tension in your arms during the swing. Having increased tension affects your rhythm and swing tempo and can knock your swing out of sync.

Other than hitting poor shots, grip pressure generally increases when you are faced with a pressure shot ie hitting a drive down a narrow, tight fairway or hitting that iron shot over water. There are many instances but generally it comes when you are not comfortable. My recommendation is to reduce to five out of ten and awareness of tension free arms!

Summary Points

1) Left hand ensure the handle is nearer the fingers and away from the palm of the hand2) The right hand fits snugly on top of your left thumb, handle in the fingers3) When looking down 2­3 knuckles on left hand, 2 knuckles on right4) The pinky finger on your left hand is perpendicular to the handle5) Grip pressure on a scale of 1­10, consistently around 6. Chipping 3­4 and Putting 2­3

Final note

My recommendation: when making a grip change whether its position of the hands or grip pressure is to start with chipping, beginning with short shots then building up your distance. Be conscious of your grip pressure as you build the length of your shots your swing.

Top 10golfingholidaysby Colin Donaldson

When deciding where the Top 10 Golf Holidays are many aspects must be looked at to strike the right balance. Factors such as accessibility to the courses, amenities in the surrounding areas, the weather, range of accommodation, restaurants and bars and most importantly, the quality of the golf courses themselves. With this in mind, here are St. Andrews Golf Magazine’s Top 10 Golf Holidays.

10. COSTA DEL SOL – SPAIN

With the late, great Seve Ballesteros in mind, we thought that Spain deserved a mention in this top 10. Seve captivated Spain into golf and the passion shown shines through in the courses and hospitality that you’ll receive whiles here. Stretching coastlines and mountain ranges provide for some stunning scenery.

La Finca Cortesin (the host of the Volvo World Match play Championship), Marbella Golf and Country Club, Valderrama (host of the 1997 Ryder Cup), Sotogrande Golf Course and San Roque Golf Course are just some of the reasons to visit Spain.

The weather rarely drops below 14º Celcius in the winter and averages 25º­30º celcius in the summer months., perfect for golfing and a sunshine break. High end resorts and fine dining are abundant and all add to the experience of golfing in Spain.

9. MYRTLE BEACH – USA

Golf, golf and more golf. That is what you’ll find in Myrtle Beach. There are over 120 golf courses in the area to choose from and range from $30 to several hundred dollars per round. Many of the great golf course designers have their fingerprints stamped in Myrtle Beach, so why not play one

of each? Beautiful beaches and a laid back atmosphere will keep you feeling relaxed and wanting to come back again and again.

8. MELBOURNE – AUSTRALIA

Described as the spiritual home of golf in Australia. Melbourne, otherwise known as the Sand belt, groups some of Australia’s top golf courses. Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath are perhaps some of the best­known Championship courses. Couple them with The Metropolitan GC and Victoria and you have yourself a fantastic golf itinerary.

Situated just 30 minutes outside of Melbourne, take time out to explore and see one of Australia’s finest cities. Take in the relaxed Australian way of life and perhaps visit one of Melbourne’s sporting grounds to encapsulate the whole experience. Whilst visiting Melbourne, take your time and visit some other parts of Australia, such as Sydney, Perth, the Great Barrier Reef and the capital Canberra.

7. DUBAI / ABU DHABI – UAE

Situated on the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, this oil­rich state offers its visitors some of the finest golf courses and hotels in the World.

With guaranteed sunshine and a star rating that exceeds most 5­star ratings, the best in the World challenge themselves here and the best in the World design golf courses in the area. Famous golf course designers and players such as Kyle Phillips, Gary Player, Greg Norman, Ernie Els, Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie have all left their imprints. It boasts some top Championship courses such as, Yas Links, Emirates (Majlis and Faldo), Jumeirah (Earth and Fire), Abu Dhabi (National), Dubai Creek, Saadiyat Beach and the Els Club. All of these courses are within a short drive of each other and you can base yourself in the one location for the entirety of your visit.

Step away from the golf courses for a moment and you will be intrigued by some of the finest hotels in the World, restaurants, shopping centers and man­made islands with luxury mansions built upon them. An oasis in the desert. A very rich, clean, pristine, luxurious, oasis in the desert indeed.

6. NEW ZEALAND.

Stunning landscape, breathtaking views, mountain ranges and golden beaches and that’s just the golf courses. New Zealand’s natural beauty can be seen and experienced wherever you are in this stunning country.

It boasts almost 400 courses and most courses welcome visitors, where you can hire everything you need for golfing. Cape Kidnappers Golf Course and Kauri Cliffs Golf Course are a must of die­hard golfers’ bucket lists. Alternatively you could ski or snowboard in the morning, play golf at Kaikoura Golf Course at lunch and then go surfing until the sun sets. A unique New Zealand experience.

With many of Hollywood’s blockbuster’s being filmed in New Zealand due to its stunning scenery, take a few trips to experience what New Zealand has to offer. Visit the capital and take in city life or visit the Mauri’s who will give you a traditional welcome. Don’t forget to try and sample the rugby and perhaps one of the World’s most famous sporting teams, The All Blacks.

New Zealand, the perfect destination to combine of golf, sightseeing, mountain ranges, picturesque beaches, city life and relaxation.

5. MISSION HILLS – CHINA

Mission Hills is China’s highest rated golf and leisure resort and most probably the World’s largest golf club. It is the winner of many international awards and the 20­square kilometer golf complex features twelve 18­hole courses. Courses that have been designed by the likes of Pete Dye, Jumbo Ozaki, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh.

Mission Hills is the cradle of Chinese golf and hosts the World Cup of Golf and the Asian Amateur Championship.

However, if you’ve traveled to China to play golf, we recommend that you should also think about seeing the sights of Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, sample some of the many ancient temple’s and of course, The Great Wall of China. Culture and golf all combined into one great trip.

4. BANDON DUNES GOLF RESORT – USA

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is situated in Oregon where the Pacific Ocean collides with the rugged Oregon coastline. Over the years, it has emerged as a top golfing destination, comprising five top quality golf courses. Based on the spirit of the game from Scotland, golfers here are encouraged to embrace the traditions and history of the game of golf. Players walk the courses, breathe in the fresh ocean air and then relax afterwards with hospitality than welcomes you and embraces you.

Golf to your hearts content and fall in love with these beautiful courses.

3. IRELAND

The Emerald Isle. Where to begin? With so many courses both in the North and the South you will get to see all of the natural beauty that this island has to offer. From Royal County Down to Old Head, from the K Club to Royal Portrush and Portstewart. Waterville, Ballybunion, Donbeg, Portmarnock, Lahinch, Ballyliffin, Lough Erne, there are endless gems and Championship courses along the way. 36 holes a day is possible but don’t miss out on the unforgettable entertainment that you’ll receive whilst you’re here. See the famous Guinness warehouse or perhaps the smooth Bushmills distillery. Live music in the evenings and a hearty Irish breakfast awaits you. Golf, sightseeing and entertainment, what could better?

2. PEBBLE BEACH – USA

Sometimes referred to as the St. Andrews of America. There might not be a more stunning coastline in all of World golf. With courses such as Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Spanish Bay, Poppy Hills and the more private courses like MPCC and Cypress Point, this is truly a special place for all golf lovers. Relax afterwards in the quaint town of Carmel and dine out in fine style. Relax and enjoy some Californian wine or take a stroll on the many beaches or visit Big Sur. You will not be left disappointed and will love everything that this area has to offer.

1. ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND.

The Home of Golf. What more needs to be said? This is the Mecca of golf. The birthplace of where this great game was born and nurtured. We couldn’t have had anywhere else in the World be the top golfing destination.

Don’t just play golf, fall in love with the town itself. St. Andrews itself boasts 7 courses and many more within a short driving distance such as Kingsbarns, Carnoustie and Gleneagles. Let’s not stop there though, schedule yourself to play Turnberry, Prestwick, Royal Troon, Muirfield, Castle Stuart, Royal Dornoch, Royal Aberdeen and so many more gems along the way. There are so many Championship golf courses in Scotland, you’ll be wanting to make more than one trip here. Couple the golf and sightseeing along with Scotland’s famous warm and friendly welcome and we think you’ll fall in love. Without a doubt, St. Andrews and Scotland has to be the top golf holiday in the World.

Image: Graylyn Loomis

THE PLACE OFOPPORTUNITYMyerscough leads the way in golf education

by Matt Hooper

St Andrews Golf Magazine is set to become the publication of university golf in the United Kingdom and each edition we will be profiling the leading providers of golf education in the country and covering the college golf season in depth throughout the year as well as providing results from the BUCS leagues. Kicking us off is the college which has been awarded the status of the UK’s Number 1 Land Based and Sports college, Myerscough College.

I recently published a blog recalling my time at Myerscough and you can read it at www.HooperstarGolfer.blogspot.com.

Myerscough College has a long and varied history but has been on its present site since 1969 and named Myerscough since 1993. It has its degree courses validated in a hugely successful partnership with the University of Central Lancashire in the city of Preston. It was founded as an agricultural college but in the last 20 years has branched out into Turf science and sports, including Football, Cricket, Rugby and of course Golf studies. As of 2013 Myerscough runs 5 full­time Higher Education (over the age of 18) courses related to golf and 2 full­time courses for Further Education (16­18). The college has top class facilities for practising the sport indoors and outdoors as well as a 9­hole course, all on its site 8 miles from Preston.

During the week of this year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship I sat down with Rick Daniels, Course Leader in Golf Studies at Myerscough to talk about golf education at the college and how it is helping shape the future individuals within the golf industry worldwide.

MH: How did you start your Golf Management career and how did you get where you are now?

RD: I finished my A Levels at school and I went on to do one of the first Golf Development programmes at Merrist Wood College in Surrey. I did a two year course ­ a HND in Golf Studies as it was called then. At the completion of that I was playing off a +2 Handicap, I was looking at turning professional to play on the European Tour but I was lacking in self­belief and confidence and even though I had the support of my parents financially, who offered to put my family on the line to make me play it I didn’t trust myself. So my mother had seen Myerscough College which was 40 minutes away from my home in Manchester and they offered the HND in Golf Management. So went there did 2 years, learned so much more and felt better equipped to enter the Golf Industry with a management qualification as well as my playing ability. I had the opportunity to do a top­up degree, which I embraced and did that and ended up as the Golf Events Manager at the newly opened Marriott Worsley Park facility.

I looked after corporate golf days and also had the opportunity to look after the all the visiting football teams. I was there for three years and really enjoyed it, but I was had the ambition to teach, as in education, about golf and the opportunity came up at Myerscough College. I have been there now for 13 and a half years, it has flown by and I have been lucky to have worked with many fantastic students who have come through like yourself Matthew.

MH: Thank you. The team over the years has been global in its demographic, what sort of team of lecturers do you have now? Are they all professional golfers?

RD: We have 14 staff members, of the 14 four are full time golf coaches who coach the students as part of their playing side of the course. They are all PGA qualified and as well as those there are another 4 who are PGA qualified. We have a mix of male and female staff, which I think is essential. The uptake of female students in the last 4 or 5 years has been progressing which is good to see. We have a lot of staff members who have a lot of different qualifications across the board, not just PGA which is seen as the leading qualification as far as professional golf but all the teachers now have their teaching qualifications themselves, Golf Foundation awards, coaching awards and any award that is going at the moment, even to Masters level, PHD level now in Golf. We will be one of the first universities to ever offer a PHD in Golf Management.

So the qualifications and experience across the board is vast. To be fair a lot of the staff which work at the College have come through the system of students.

MH: Myerscough and UCLan are without question the leader in Golf Education, how did the golf management at Myerscough really get started?

RD: Myerscough is a partner college of UClan, because it has the facilities to be able to run the Golf Programme. The golf programme at Myerscough began in 1994, the first year the golf management programme was combined with Leisure Management. There was only 4 or 5 students that did it and me being one of them.

Golf Coaching is another course is running now. Every year we sit down with what is called a technical advisory board which includes people from the golf industry whether it is manufacturers, Chubby Chandler, employers (DeVere, Marriott, European Tour) and we say this is what we offer, what do you think? Is there anything that we are missing? And with the way that the industry has gone over the last 8 to 10 years in particular with an emphasis on coaching and performance we started the golf coaching programme in 2008.

It runs alongside a PGA qualification without a PGA stamp, it isn’t a prerequisite that you are a fantastic golfer to become a golf coach.

Performance, looking at the Biomechanics, nutrition, fitness and psychology side of golf, started 3 years ago as a niche market, which no one else does.

And those courses run alongside the management programme which for 20 years had provided a generic view of the golf industry. You get a sample of different areas, but some do now a Masters in Event Management, some go into Player Management and we have students across the world. Mainland Europe now provides many of our students, we have students from Estonia, Slovakia, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Germany and many more.

If you type in Google now we come up first in regards to Golf Education, we have been going the longest alongside Merrist Wood and there is a reason for that.

MH: What numbers do you have from the age of 16 up to degree level studying Golf at the college?

RD: At the moment we have over 220 students, every year 200 students go througn the system. We would love to take more. But due to staff and space we can’t. We like to think we provide quality rather than quantity. Those who do the 16­18 programme who perhaps aren’t academically fantastic can go through the programme.

MH: How has the Prospects Golf Tour developed?

RD: The Prospects Tour has developed now, it has been split into two. We now run a Collegiate Golf Tour for players off 5 or less, it is all scratch based. 72% of the 220 students we take in are off 5 and less, so the standard is very high.

The Collegiate Tour runs alongside the Prospects Tour which is all nett based like the club competitions. It has been running for 13 years this year and the Collegiate Tour has been going for 10.

We normally have 15 events as we have to strike a balance between Academics and Golf, in the first year we had 4. One year we went mad and had 23 and academics and the playing side didn’t fit so we have to strike the balance of playing and learning.

In the first year in 2001 we had an 18­hole final at Herons Reach in Blackpool, in the second year we had a 36­hole final in Llandudno and Conwy in North Wales and in the third year with the event management module which we run one of the student groups wanted to take it abroad and we went to Vilamoura. We have been going there for 10 years now. In the last few years we have got a bit more ambitious. We went to Turkey to celebrated 10 years of the Prospects Tour, we spent 10 days there. This year we went to Orlando, Florida and in the melting pot for this year is the chance to take the students who qualify to Barbados or Abu Dhabi.

MH: What industry links and companies are you involved with on a regular basis?

RD: Our main employers tend to be with the mamagement programme DeVere and Marriott, our students go down that route, do their graduate schemes which gives them an experience of the whole hotel industry and then they focus on their golf at the end of it. The majority of our students go down that route and then they have moved on. A lot of students come and they want to play, a lof of them work for companies like IMG, ISM, Champions, so they are still involved in the industry and when events are being run or promoted by those companies they come to us.

Like the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and say can you provide staff to come and help and so our portfolio of events over the years has been fantastic.

MH: Which events are you currently staffing?

RD: We are here at the Dunhill this week, we will be working at the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, we always do the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, we have opportunity to work at the Portugal Masters. We are luckily supported by Eventful Temps for the events in the UK.

Students do leave the golf industry but they have been given transferrable skills, they do marketing, event management, finance, human resources, and these are all exaamples of modules that you study so that if you left the golf industry you would always use those skills.

MH: For a student to be successful in the course of Golf Management what do you look for in terms of their academic qualifications, experience or character?

RD: There is an interview process, we test their knowledge about what they know about us. The interview is very relaxed, golf handicap isn’t a prerequisite if they are off +4 that doesn’t mean they will be accepted onto the course. The ethos of the golf management programme has been to get people who want to work in the golf industry. I mould the students as much as I can but theu are independent learners and it is up to them to put the meat on the bones of what we deliver and how far they want to go in the industry. It is up to them to do all their research and even contact old students like yourself and say Matt I am doing a project on golf in the media, can you help me in any way with some quotes or access to a tournament.

It is important we get the right students in, every year we take in 25 students for the golf management group, we have 40­60 applicants and we look for them to get the equivalent of two D’s at A Level which is easily achievable. So it’s not like an elite programme which you cannot get on.

The uptake of girls is increasing, we have a 52­year­old on the course now and I have a deaf student with me here this week, so it is equal opportunities for all.

You can go wherever you want in this industry and we can only help so far. To see you doing what you want to do is the epitome of why we do what we do at the College.

Courses offered by Myerscough College ­ The International Insitute for Golf Education

BTEC Level 2 Golf Studies

Level 3 Edexcel Diploma Suite Golf Studies

BA (Hons) Golf Management (Top-up)

BSc (Hons) Golf Coaching and Performance (Top-up)

FdA Golf Coaching

FdA Golf Management

FdSc Golf Performance

BA (Hons) Golf Management (Top-up) On-line

Next month we feature Elmwood College, just 10 milesfrom the Home of Golf

Read Matt’s blog at www.HooperstarGolfer.blogspot.com

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Membership is available for golfers of all abilities and for non-golfers who just

wish to be part of the Club itself.

The St. Andrews Caddies Golf Club is fully affiliated with the Scottish Golf Union

and Fife Golf Association.

The Club has an active fixture list along with many social events.

Membership costs £50 per year.

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BEATRIZ RECARIBeatriz Recari is one of the crop of young, talented, exciting and beautiful golfers taking the women’s game into a new era, she has won twice this season on the LPGA including the KIA Classic and Marathon Classic. The 26­year­old from Pamplona in Spain who is nicknamed “Bea” sat down to chat to Matt Hooper at the RICOH Women’s British Open this August.

What is the best moment of your career to date?“The winning putt at the KIA Classic 2013”

What tracks do you play most often on your I­pod?“Party Rock by LMFAO and anything by Rihanna”

What is your favourite colour?“Blue”

What is your favourite course?“Royal Portrush, it’s awesome”

What is your favourite golf hole?“Calamity hole, 14 at Royal Portrush”

What is your favourite golf club in your bag?“5 hybrid, Putter, tied for first!”

What is your favourite tournament?“Evian”

Where would you most like to visit in the world that you haven’t yet visited?“Bali”

What is your favourite food or drink?“A good Spanish omelette”

BeatrizRecari.com

Tweets of the month@DaveLynndawg: I'm starting a poll,should

@PGATOUR @European_Tour be allowed to monitor and control whatyou tweet,let's here it folks,flood there feeds

@shanelowrygolf: Well just the 13 behind. On the plus

side I broke 80 and have 3 rounds left. #onwardsandupwards

@PaulLawriegolf: Slow play : you only get timed if yourout of position on the course then slow players just play quicker whenbeing timed. #hardtocatchthem

@TheChristinaKim: Well, I broke 80. Almost broke

five clubs and my own spirit. This place has royally kicked my ass and hasme feeling dejected and windburned

@KipHenley: Crapped out so to speak after 13 holes on my

boy BG today. 2 hours and 2 IV bags later and I feel like a million bucks.Malaysia's hot!

@Fehertwit: And my sciatica is back. My right cheek and footare throbbing. If I put one into the other ­ at least that would only be a painin the ass

My favourite hole at the Home of Golf18th, Old Course

Ewen Murray

Catch our interview with Ewen in December’s St Andrews Golf Magazine

NEXT MONTH IN

Ewen MurrayPablo Larrazabal

Instruction from Garry ForresterLife as a Tour Pro

The new Open roadCaddie corner

The year in review

OUT FRIDAY DECEMBER 6SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE AT standrewsgolfmagazine.com