Tag Archives: Golf Equipment

R&A lift ban on mobile phones for the Open Championship this year

Posted on April 24, 2012 by | Comments Off on R&A lift ban on mobile phones for the Open Championship this year

Spectators at this years Open Championship will be able to use mobile phones after the R&A lifts its six-year ban on the devices.

There are going to be designated area’s to allow phone calls in, although photography will be definitely be banned during the four days of the championship.

“Allowing their use at the championship will enrich the Open experience.” said Peter Dawson.

I think this will be welcomed by many golf fans as today’s way of living has changed a hell of a lot in the past 3 years regarding technology on your phone. It will enable fans to check the scores on their phone apps and just make the whole experience a better one. Only if the fans respect it though.

Mobile phones were banned for the 2007 Open at Carnoustie after complaints from players about the number in use at the previous Championship at Hoylake.

The Open last visited Lytham in 2001, seeing David Duval lift the Claret Jug.

The course has changed since then,  14/18 have undergone redevelopment, with nearly 200 yards added making the 7,086-yard course a par 70 for the Championship in July.

 

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13 year old Guan Tian-lang misses cut at China Open

Posted on April 20, 2012 by | Comments Off on 13 year old Guan Tian-lang misses cut at China Open

Guan Tian-lang has sadly missed the chance to become the youngest golfer in history to make the cut in a European Tour event at the China Open.

The amateur, who on Thursday became the Tour’s youngest player at 13 years, 173 days, missed the cut by 10 shots leaving him on 12 over par for the two rounds.

The halfway lead is shared by Gary Boyd and Jean-Baptiste Gonnet on 11 under after they both shot 67 today.

Boyd, birdied five of his last eight holes, and said: “I had to stay patient and was one over playing my ninth hole but managed to get on in two and two putt for birdie and really get my round going.

Branden Grace who eagled the par 4 seventh is on his own in third place, while Nicolas Colsaerts is solely in fourth.

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Donald looking forward to Wentworth Return

Posted on April 19, 2012 by | Comments Off on Donald looking forward to Wentworth Return

The BMW PGA Championship is at Wentworth next month and Luke Donald ranks it as the biggest tournament outside the Major Championships and cannot wait to defend his title.

Donald beat Lee Westwood in a play-off last year to claim the No.1 spot. It was a great spectacle as either player could have taken the crown. Donald held the position for 40 weeks as he enjoyed the most successful season of his career.

This season the World Number One title has swung between Donald and McIlroy, but Donald knows that if he can play like he did at Wentworth last year he will return to the top of the golfing world. But something tells me that McIlroy will want it back pretty quickly.

 

 

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Pettersson won’t leave home to chase Ryder Cup

Posted on April 18, 2012 by | Comments Off on Pettersson won’t leave home to chase Ryder Cup

Carl Pettersson who was runner-up at the Sony Open and Houston Open before he won at Hilton Head last week. Three high finishes would be more than enough to put him at No. 10 in the Ryder Cup standings, except for one small little teenie weenie problem.

He is not eligible for Ryder Cup points.

”You have to be a member of the European Tour, which I’m not,”Pettersson said Tuesday.

Pettersson has lived in the states since he was a teenager, and last year became a U.S. citizen. He resides in North Carolina with his wife and two children, who are about to turn 5 and 8. He feels it is a priority for him to be at home instead of traveling the world to meet the minimum 13 European Tour tournaments to be a Tour member.

”It’s too hard to play two tours at once,” Pettersson said. ”It’s hard to compete on one, let alone two. I’ve seen others try to do two. It’s very difficult. Luke Donald did it last year. I know it’s a Ryder Cup year. But if I’m playing well, maybe they’ll take me.”

Luke Donald became the first player to win the money list on both sides of the Atlantic last year. For most members of both tours, they have the advantage of eight tournaments that count toward both – four majors and four World Golf Championships. Until he won last week, Pettersson wasn’t eligible for any of them.

For now Pettersson can get himself ready for the majors. The Masters was the only major he played in 2011. His win at Hilton Head made him eligible for the PGA Championship and the Masters next year. He is ranked No. 35 in the world and must stay in the top 60 for the U.S. Open and top 50 for the British Open.

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This years U.S. Open in San Francisco

Posted on April 17, 2012 by | Comments Off on This years U.S. Open in San Francisco

This years U.S. Open Golf Championship will be held at the historic Olympic Club, in San Francisco. The  dates for the Championship are June 14-17, 2012.

The U.S. Open has been hosted at this venue four times before. They were in 1955, 1966, 1987 and 1998. This event presents golfers around the world with the chance to watch the world’s best professionals compete on this classic and prestigious stage, and to play some of America’s finest public golf courses including Pasatiempo Golf Club, CordeValle, Pebble Beach, and Spyglass Hill.

It really is a truly beautiful setting in this part of the world, and all the top players love playing down the west coast of America with most of it’s courses having spectacular ocean views.

All the players will be looking to hone there game in time for June the 14th and will all be looking to lift that huge trophy. McIlroy will be defending this time around. I don’t know what to expect from him after his lackluster Masters performance a couple of weeks back. I get the feeling it will be much of the same?

I’m sure all the talk will be on him and Tiger again, let’s just hope they don’t let us down this time and give us something to get excited about!

I will be  covering this tournament in more detail nearer the time.

Until then….. Happy golfing

James

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Louis shows great bouncebackability

Posted on April 16, 2012 by | Comments Off on Louis shows great bouncebackability

Second at  the Masters. Third in Houston, but Louis Oosthuizen finally clinched the victory his recent form richly deserved at the Maybank Malaysian Open.

The South African soon got over the fact of losing in a play-off and being pipped to a second Major Championship by Bubba Watson at Augusta National last Sunday and the tiredness of a 30-hour journey and clocking up over 10,000 miles over the last 3 weeks to win by three shots at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.

When you factor in travelling across 12 time zones, and with storm disruptions on Friday and Saturday which left the 2010 Open Champion with 26 holes to play on the final day. This was a remarkable performance as Oosthuizen carded a closing 68 for a 17 under par total, with all four of his rounds sub-70.

Louis has always been a favourite of mine, and he has such a simple, beautiful golf swing. I wouldn’t be surprised if he challenge for another major this year and didn’t even win one. The South African players seem to have a grit and determination and greater mental strength that other players don’t.

The loss at the Masters must have been hard to take but like McIlroy showed last term you have to bounce back straight away otherwise it can effect you for years and it becomes harder to learn how to win again.

Well done Louis!

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Donald is ready to win a major, but will he?

Posted on March 29, 2012 by | Comments Off on Donald is ready to win a major, but will he?

Luke Donald back at world number one will be looking to build on his impressive record at the Masters Tournament when he makes his eighth appearance at Augusta National next week.

A year ago Donald finished four shots behind winner Charl Schwartzel in a share of fourth place to take his total of top ten finishes at the first Major of the season to three in seven appearances, with tied third back in 2005 on his debut being his best finish yet.

Donald ran up a double bogey in the final round on the par three 12th hole, where his tee shot found Rae’s Creek adjacent to the green, the early momentum he had gained may have propelled him to his first Major title.

As it was, Donald was unable to stop the fast-finishing Schwartzel from claiming his first Green Jacket in spectacular fashion, but Donald is determined to make amends this time around after going so close last year.

Donald is ready to win, he has the talent to win and he is knocking on the door week in week out, but will he open the door next week?

The Masters starts next Thursday, the main coverage is on Sky now, but I think the BBC are showing highlights or maybe even a little bit of live coverage.

If you get the bug after watching the Masters and want a golf lessons to learn how the pro’s do it, then click here to send me an email and I will be more than happy to help.

James

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Woods ends win drought at Bay Hill and is now eyeing up the Masters

Posted on March 26, 2012 by | Comments Off on Woods ends win drought at Bay Hill and is now eyeing up the Masters

Tiger Woods can now turn his attentions to trying to win a fifth Masters title after claiming his first PGA Tour title for well over 2 years at Bay Hill.

The 14 time major winner is now warming up for the first major of the year with a five-shot victory over Graeme McDowell at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

“I’m excited about the Masters,” said the 36-year-old, who has won 14 majors.

Woods made an incredible recovery after pulling out of his last event two weeks ago with an Achilles tendon strain that initially seemed likely to threaten his participation at Augusta. Nobody could have foreseen this happening, not even Tiger.

Chasing a seventh Bay Hill title, and 98th professional victory, Woods held a one-shot lead over Northern Ireland’s McDowell going into the final round in Florida and carded a final-day two-under 70 to wrap up the win.

“It’s always fun to play there and I’m looking forward to going to Augusta with the momentum I’ve built here.”

I made a prediction a couple of months back that Woods and McIlroy would be fighting it out at the final day of the masters, let’s hope for great viewing that’s going to be the case.

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Beautiful Golf Course Inspires Daly

Posted on March 21, 2012 by | Comments Off on Beautiful Golf Course Inspires Daly

American John Daly the two-time major winner says the Golf du Palais Royal course for this week’s Trophée Hassan II is “one of the nicest courses that I have ever seen and played”.

The course is situated in the grounds of the Royal Palace of Agadir, and Daly says such an exclusive venue gives the event that bit of added excitement.

“This golf course is just beautiful and it is probably more difficult to get on here than it is to play Augusta National,” said the 45 year old.

Daly has been showing signs of a return to form with a fourth-placed finish in Qatar earlier this year, before an injury slowed him down on his good start to the year.

But the Daly insists he is ready to put himself back in contention this week, and will be trying to get back the form that he found earlier in the season.

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The Masters is around the corner now – Plus a review of my betting tips

Posted on March 14, 2012 by | Comments Off on The Masters is around the corner now – Plus a review of my betting tips

Just a few weeks now until the season really starts to kick in and the fair weather golfers come out of the closet and get the bug back for golf again. Who wouldn’t get the bug back for golf after watching the Masters which starts on April 3rd!

If you’re not up to scratch with the history of the Masters and the past winners then click here to see the complete list of past champions. Alternatively click here to check the Masters website and all the information you need to know about the wonderful tournament.

If you missed them before then here are my bets for the Masters and the rest of the majors.

The Masters –  Tiger Woods                                                                                                                                            Steve Stricker                                                                                                                                          Luke Donald                                                                                                                                            Rory McIlroy

The US Open –  Jason Day                                                                                                                                                 Webb Simpson                                                                                                                                       Steve Stricker                                                                                                                                          Sergio Garcia

The Open –   Sergio Gacria                                                                                                                                          M. Mannasero                                                                                                                                        Rory McIlroy                                                                                                                                          Lee Westwood

The US PGA – Sergio Garcia                                                                                                                                           Luke Donald                                                                                                                                             Bubba Watson                                                                                                                                         Ricky Fowler

 

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