t h in k yo u ng | p l ay hard

WINTERIZE
YOUR GAME
15 TIPS
TO SET UP

RICKIE:
YOUR BEST
YEAR EVER

GETMORE
GOLFS 36
GREATEST
WINGMEN

BIRDIE
TOP NEW
COURSES

LOOKS
HOW TO
FIND A
TRAINER
& THE
50 BEST
DEC | 17 - JAN | 18
 Contents
how to play. what to play. where to play.
52
Features 92
46 Cover Story:
Get More Birdie Looks
Learn to smash a wood
and sti a wedge, and
the course is yours.
BY RICKIE FOWLER
66 Winterize Your Game
Play Your Best
15 tips to get ready
for your best year ever
13
74 Golfs 36 Greatest
Wingmen
Behind every successful
16
golfer is a caddie with a
steady presence.
BY GUY YOCOM
18
78 65 Holiday Gift Ideas
Inspired choices for the
golfers in your life.
BY BRITTANY ROMANO 20
84 Best New Courses 2017
Coore & Crenshaws
22
stunning Sand Valley
is inspired by Pine Valley
and Sand Hills.
BY RON WHITTEN
24
88 Augusta Nationals
New Golf Guy
Fred Ridley gives the club
and the Masters a players 25
chairman. BY JAIME DIAZ
6 Editors Letter
Two Days with Jordan. BY JERRY TARDE
4 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018
Night Moves
PGA Tour pro Zac Blair
on money games won
and lost, getting ve
Phil Mickelson autographs,
and two words that will
33
make you a better golfer.
WITH GUY YOCOM
Tour Technique
Drive, Chip and Puttlike
Duf. BY JASON DUFNER
Fast Fix to Hit
More Greens
BY BUTCH HARMON
Gimme One Thing
Hitting out of wet or rm
sand. BY JIM M C LEAN
Swing Sequence: Ben An
BY RON KASPRISKE
Instant Lesson
Every good short game
starts here.
BY COREY LUNDBERG
Strategy
Play your best at elevation.
BY JACK NICKLAUS
New Looks
Four new drivers.
BY MIKE STACHURA
17/18
26 The 10 Most Improved
Drivers on the PGA Tour
44 Ask Golf Digest
Do players notice the
And what they did to Get in the hole! fans?
gain an advantage.
100 Closeout
BY E. MICHAEL JOHNSON
A tour-pro
Whats In My Bag ugly-sweater party
Ollie Schniederjans
Golfers Who
The Golf Life Give Back
10 Undercover Tour Pro
52 The Arnie Awards: 2018
Quiet, please! That
Kelly Slater, Clay Walker
includes playing partners.
and Juli Inkster follow
WITH MAX ADLER
the Palmer Method
34 Shark Attack
54 Turfs Up!
Greg Norman, 62, is as
Surf champ Kelly Slater
dangerous as ever.
also excels at golf
WITH MAX ADLER
(and his causes).
36 The Digest WITH CHRISTIAN IOOSS
Five New Years
58 I Just Say It Like It Is
resolutions you can keep.
Clay Walker ghts back
BY ALEX MYERS
after MS diagnosis.
AND SAM WEINMAN
BY E. MICHAEL JOHNSON
38 Winter Wonderlands
60 Dirty Dancing
Eighteen unique winter
Juli Inkster dishes on the
activities at golf courses.
Solheim Cup, pangs from
BY STEPHEN HENNESSEY
Rwanda and why rules-
breakers need to be
39 The 50 Best Golf-Fitness
palmer: golf digest archives
stoppednow.
Professionals in America
WITH GUY YOCOM
BY RON KASPRISKE
42 Environmental Awards 63 Making a Dierence
How our Green Star winner Monterey Peninsula
tamed the oods. Foundation and Arnies
BY RON WHITTEN Army Charitable
Foundation improve lives.
BY JOHN STREGE
Cover photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.
Editors Letter
Two Days with Jordan
BY JERRY TARDE
Chairman and Editor-in-Chief
olf Digest Playing
G Editor Jordan Spieth
invited Max Adler,
who works with Jordan on his
instruction articles, and me
to play in his annual partners
event at Dallas National Golf
Club in October. Normally you
get to play only a handful of
holes with Jordan as he rotates
through the other groups, but
this time he was my partner for
the whole round. Youd think
that would be a great advantage
in the competition, but Jordan
plays his home club as a plus-9
handicap, meaning he has to
give nine shots back to the
course. Par for him is 63. He
made a birdie on the rst hole,
but it only counted as a par.
Hard to get used to that.
What kind of guy is he? Youd
really like him. He trash-talks
and makes fun of your game.
He plays music on the speaker
in his cart. He grabs your putter,
takes a few strokes, then gives
a you-gotta-be-kiddin-me look.
He sits on the roof of his cart
6 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018
watching us hit our tee shots.
He says good shot a lot. Hes
a sports nut. He tells stories and
shares opinions, but then asks
what you think. After the round,
he pours Titos vodka and G2
grape Gatorade into the claret
jug, takes a swig and passes it
around.
Then when it gets quiet, he
stands up in the clubhouse and
thanks everybody for coming.
He goes around the room and
mentions every partner by
name and, one by one, talks
about how each is important to
Team Spieth.
Much as I respect his
parents, Shawn and Chris, and
his Jesuit prep-school training,
I dont think they taught him
that. Hes a natural.
One of the guys I played
with is Jordan Lewites, who
works with his manager, Jay
Danzi, and travels with Spieth.
In another sport, Lewites would
be called his cut man.
When I rst moved to
Dallas, Lewites says, I got
paired randomly with him
in a Wolf game for nine holes
at the course he grew up on,
Brookhaven. Jordan had just
won the U.S. Junior Amateur
for the rst time at 15hed
win it again at 17and he was
invited to play in the Byron
Nelson. I was eager to see what
this hot shot could do.
He was a kid. He didnt
look that impressive. He
didnt drive it very long or
straight. His approach shots
were nothing spectacular.
His swing was only OK. He
made a 20-footer for a birdie
on the ninth hole, so I added
up his score.
Hed shot 30. Six under!
That, I learned, is Jordan. Ive
been impressed by everything
about him ever since. When Jay
presented the opportunity to
work with him, I didnt blink.
What continues to impress
me most is, hes truly a better
person than he is a golfer.
Watching Jordan Spieth
on stage that night with his
sister, Ellie, you could see it.
His partners get-together is
followed by the Jordan Spieth
Shootout, which is a fundraiser
for the Jordan Spieth Family
f a m i ly f o u n d a t i o n :
jordan spieths
sister, ellie,
j o i n s h i m at
a fundraiser.
Foundation, beneting
special-needs kids, junior
golf, military families and
pediatric cancer. Jordan took
the stage to M.C., did a funny
Q&A and pretty much ran
the auction and charity gala.
(See other Golfers Who Give
Back on page 52.)
Day Two was the public
tournament at Las Colinas.
Ill let Max pick it up from
here: It was a cold morning,
and Jordan walked the range
in a black down jacket with
his hands in his pockets,
talking to every single
participant. The eld was
around 120, and it seemed he
made an eort to engage with
each person, and more than a
simple hello.
At the end, the grand nale
of the Shootout was at the par-3
17th hole. The sun was shining
and warm now, short sleeves
and cocktail weather. [The
improvisational singer] Kelley
James and band were fully
amplied as they antagonized
each contestant [$100 a ball for
closest-to-the-pin]. A raucous
scene.
Jordan grabs the mic again
and goads people into playing.
Like the night before, he takes
an assertive role in making
things happen. The crescendo
of the contest is when one of
Ellies friends, Matthew, gets
up to hit. The jeering shifts to
cheering. As charged a moment
as a basketball player standing
over a foul shot to decide the
game. Matthew bears down and
smokes a nice, high, drawing
hybrid. It misses the green left,
but its a pure strike. The loud
illustration: tim l ahan
applause lights up the young
mans face: Matthews best
moment and probably a lot of
other peoples, too.
As Jordans cut man said a
long time ago: That, I learned,
is Jordan.
Photograph by Dom Furore
JERRY TARDE KIMBERLY KELLEHER
chairman & editor-in-chief chief business officer
Max Adler Ken DeLago Jason Adel, Laura Sequenzia, Dave Paschkes, David Stuckey, Andy Sonnenberg
editorial director design director vice presidents, revenue

Michael OMalley Alan P. Pittman Maya Draisin Robert Novick

executive editor managing editor vice president, marketing vice president, business development & finance

Peter Morrice Chris Reynolds L. Paul Robertson Chris Petruccelli

executive editor head of digital executive director, marketing executive director, finance

CONTENT
head writer Jaime Diaz
digital director Molly Baldwin
video director Christian Iooss
br and editor Ashley Mayo
senior editors Ron Kaspriske (Instruction),
Mike Stachura (Equipment), Ron Whitten (Architecture)
senior photogr apher Dom Furore
digital editor Sam Weinman
deput y digital editor Ryan Herrington
senior writers Matthew Rudy, Tim Rosaforte, Guy Yocom
production manager Byrute Johnson
equipment editor E. Michael Johnson
art director Tim Oliver
visuals editor Jennifer Aborn
deput y art director Chloe Galkin
associate editors Stephen Hennessey, Keely Levins, Alex Myers
associate video editor Ben Walton
assistant editors Joel Beall, Brittany Romano
senior producer Liz Bergren
communit y manager Cory Bradburn
manager audience development Meredith Bausback
data analyst Alex Dalsheimer
executive assistant Jeanmarie Ferullo
CONTRIBUTORS
legend Dan Jenkins
editor-at-l arge Nick Seitz
photogr apher-at-l arge Walter Iooss Jr.
ambassador Marty Hackel
contributing editors Dave Anderson, Peter Andrews, John Barton,
Craig Bestrom, Tom Callahan, Bob Carney, Marcia Chambers, David Fay,
Peter Finch, John Feinstein, Lisa Furlong, Matthew M. Ginella, John Huggan,
Dean Knuth, David Owen, Steve Rushin, Dave Shedloski, Roger Schiman,
Cli Schrock, Topsy Siderowf, John Strege, Ju Kuang Tan, Brian Wacker
contributing photogr aphers J.D. Cuban, Stephen Szurlej
pl aying editors Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth
teaching professionals Rob Akins, Todd Anderson, Chuck Cook,
Sean Foley, Hank Haney, Butch Harmon, Hank Johnson, David Leadbetter,
Jack Lumpkin, Jim McLean, Tom Ness, Renee Powell, Dean Reinmuth,
Randy Smith, Rick Smith, Dave Stockton, Josh Zander
professional advisors Amy Alcott, Dr. Bill Mallon, Gary McCord,
Randy Myers, Nick Price, Judy Rankin, Lucius Riccio, Dr. Bob Rotella,
Ben Shear, Ralph Simpson, Frank Thomas, Stan Utley
technical panel Martin Brouillette, Tom Mase, John McPhee,
David Lee, Dick Rugge, George Springer.
I N T E R N AT I O N A L E D I T I O N S
head of golf digest international Angela Byun
editors-in- chief Hernn Sim, Jorge R. Arias (Argentina),
Brad Clifton (Australia), Rodrigo Soto (Chile), Echo Ma (China), Rishi Narain (India),
Irwan Hermawan (Indonesia), Linton Walsh (Ireland), Eun Jeong Sohn (Korea),
Patrick Ho (Malaysia), Rafa Quiroz (Mexico), Robbie Greeneld (Middle East),
Joo Morais Leito (Portugal), Fedor Gogoley (Russia), Stuart McLean (South Africa),
scar Maqueda (Spain), Eric Franzn (Sweden), Jennifer Wei (Taiwan),
Chumphol Na Takuathung (Thailand)
licensees GolfMagazin (Germany), Il Mondo del Golf (Italy),
Golf & Country (Switzerland)
digital licensees Daisuke Miyake, Golf Digest Online (Japan).
A DV E R T I S I N G S A L E S
executive director, golf partnerships Dan Robertson
executive director, international fashion Meredith Homet
executive account director, luxury Diane Mattioli
executive director, br and partnerships Piper Goodspeed
senior account directors Tim Begley, Kathryn Ceglarski,
Meghan Finnell, Jaqueline Nikovic
account director, retail Alyssa Link
account executive Debra Konstadt
executive account director, europe Rula Al Amad
executive account director, northwest Greg Barnes
executive account director, los angeles Jennifer Grace
account director, los angeles Heather McLaughlin
senior account director, midwest Terry Dwyer
account executive, midwest Sarah Ryan
executive account director, detroit Stephanie Clement
northeast representative Mike Dokla, MD Media Group
southeast representative Rick Hall, Butler & Hall Associates
northwest representative Alex Dobson, Acoustics Communications Group
southwest representative Michelle Johnson, Cadence Media Group
european tech/finance/ tr avel representative David Simpson, Simpson Media
business director Sally Lyon
executive assistant to the chief business officer Melissa Jimenez
sales associates Katherine Ambrose, Alessia Bani, Sarah Felix, Meredith Folsom,
Margaret Pascale, Josh Polefka, Ina Reynolds, Andrea Sternheim, Susie Stoklosa,
Caroline Thomas, Lara Winkler, Xavier Winslow
M ARKETING
executive director, br and & business development Catherine Fish
executive director, br and development Mike Assenza
executive director, br and marketing Taylor Daly
executive director, br and l ab Matthew Stevenson
executive director, activation Stina Sternberg
directors, br and marketing Chris Cona, Kate Kirkland
associate director, br and marketing Rob Gearity
managers, br and marketing Emily Feldman, Timothy OKeefe,
Nicole Riccardi, Carley Strauss
executive director, experiences Krista Boyd
director, experiences Amy Adler
executive director, insights & influencers Pamela Kaupinen
managers, insights & influencers Liza Boldrick, Stefanie Lindenbaum
executive creative director Patrick Lavergne
art director Bill Specht
PUBLISHED BY COND NAST
S.I. NEWHOUSE JR.
chairman emeritus
ROBERT A. SAUERBERG JR.
president & chief executive officer
chief financial officer David E. Geithner
chief revenue officer & marketing officer Pamela Drucker Mann
executive vice president/chief digital officer Fred Santarpia
chief human resources officer JoAnn Murray
chief communications officer Cameron R. Blanchard
chief technology officer Edward Cudahy
executive vice president consumer marketing Monica Ray
chief experience officer Josh Stinchcomb
chief revenue officer, industry sales Lisa Valentino
senior vice president financial pl anning & analysis Suzanne Reinhardt
senior vice president-licensing Cathy Homan Glosser
senior vice president research & analy tics Stephanie Fried
senior vice president-digital oper ations Larry Baach
senior vice president-human resources Rebecca Sachs
gener al manager-digital Matthew Starker
head creative director Raul Martinez
cond nast entertainment president Dawn Ostro
executive vice president-gener al manager, digital video Joy Marcus
executive vice president- chief oper ating officer Sahar Elhabashi
executive vice president-motion pictures Jeremy Steckler
executive vice president-alternative t v Joe LaBracio
executive vice president- cond nast studios Al Edgington
senior vice president-marketing & partner management Teal Newland
cond nast international chairman and chief executive Jonathan Newhouse
president Wolfgang Blau
cond nast is a global media company producing premium content for more
tim l ahan

Singapore Press Holdings Newspapers (Singapore)

than 263 million consumers in 30 markets. www.condenast.com
www.condenastinternational.com
ANNA WINTOUR customer service 1-800-PAR-GOLF or www.golfdigest.com
artistic director printed in the u.s.a . Golf Digest is a member of the National Golf Foundation

8 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

On The Tee Mr. X

I tend to play better when theres

no need for small talk.

Undercover Tour Pro

Quiet, please! That includes playing partners
n almost a decade of having my tour card, Ive really feel the pressure to keep the chitchat going

I had only one skirmish with another pro. A notoriously

slow player once accused me of taking my clubs out of
once it starts. Most of us are in the same
boatjust grinding.
In amateur golf I was a lot looser. In college
it wouldve felt weird not to talk to my playing
my bag early and distracting him. I think this was just an excuse partners. But Ive learned that I dont want to
for him to back o the ball. In the scoring trailer, he wouldnt chuckle at some dudes joke, block one into
the trees, and then wonder if I stepped into
let it go and insinuated that Id tried to rattle him on purpose. that shot anything less than fully focused.
The third member of our group, a devout Christian, told this guy Of course, there are some guys who are
that if he ever acted like this again, hed punch him in the face. total chatterboxes no matter whos around.
Whenever I see Billy Horschel on the range, I
go to the opposite end. I like Billy, and I think
The slowpoke and I have since made a word to each other. Not a single word. As hes a really good person, but he enjoys be-
up, though our next round was a bit chilly. in, we acknowledge each other with a nod ing the center of attention. He wears those
When I confronted him about not wanting on the rst tee, and then on the 18th green dumb-ass pants and is usually the rst guy
to get dinged for slow play, I couldnt help theres a handshake with an utterance of to talk to the media. Wherever he goes, its
but appreciate his response. He said, Hey, good playing or thank you. As long as the Billy circus. I dont have that personality.
I can aord to pay the ne. A fair point be- no one gets into any weird rules scenarios Which isnt to say Im antisocial. The other
cause hes perennially a higher nisher on that require discussion, we can just put our week in a competitive round, I had a long talk
the money list. heads down and play. with a fellow pro about his new baby. That
All in all, most players are very respectful When Im paired with a good buddy, was a meaningful conversation. If a player
of one another. But because the stakes are maybe a Jason Bohn or Ernie Els, of course has an interesting and considered view on
so high, it doesnt take much for something well cut up the whole round. Im always a current event, Im all ears. But if youre go-
andrew redington/getty images

small to ignite into a full-blown situation.
For this reason, I prefer rounds where there
isnt much interaction. Ive played in groups
when the other players and I havent spoken
happy when I see Im with a friend, but ing to tell me about the car you just bought or
the truth is, I tend to play better when Im where you went on vacation, save it. Ill gladly
paired with a guy with whom theres clear- listen to your stories over a few beers, but not
ly no need for small talk. Young-han Song while Im working. WITH MAX ADLER
knows I dont speak Korean. Some kid out
of college knows we probably dont listen
to the same music. If I dont make the rst
overture about the weather or who won the
basketball game last night, chances are the
other guy wont, either. He doesnt want to

10 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

Drive, Chip and
PuttLike Duf!
Play
BY JASON DUFNER

irst things rst: If you were dis-

F appointed with your last round,

your last few rounds, heck, your
last golf seasonits time to let
it go. Youve got to put things behind you
when youre not having the successes you
want. Case in point: I shot 65-65 in the rst
two rounds of the Memorial Tournament in
2017 but followed with a 77 on Saturday
a huge letdown. Determined not to let it
happen again on Sunday, I got the bad feel-
ings out of my system by hitting balls and
putting for a bit. Next day, I shot 68 and
won the tournament. See what Im saying?
Quickly write o your bad days and reboot
your game with the fundamentals. Thats
what I want to share with you here. If you
can hit your tee shots better, chip better
and, certainly, putt better, you can turn
things around really fast. Let me give you
a few pointers to work on as you prepare for
next season. Never underestimate the value
of sound fundamentalsand some positive
thinking. WITH RON KASPRISKE

Photographs by Alex Taylor/Vineyard Vines golfdigest.com 13

 Slug by Firstname Lastname

Keeping the left arm connected

will help get rid of that slice.
d r i vi ng fu ndam e nta l s

GET SYNCED

y all-time favorite swing thought when

M hitting driver is, Keep the left arm con-
nected to my chest. Thats what you you
see me doing here (left). It reminds you to swing
with your arms and body rotating together. Stay-
ing synced is important. It also helps you swing
on an in-to-in path in relation to your target line,
which should stop you from slicing. And speak-
ing of slicing, dont forget the simplest funda-
mentals to hit it straighter: grip and alignment.
I recommend a stronger position holding the
club, with the hands rotated a little clockwise.
Also, be sure your body is aligned square or
slightly closed to the target.

chi p p i ng fu nda m e nta l s

GET YOUR BODY MOVING

he most common problem I see with

T golfers who struggle when chipping
is that theyre all arms. You have to
turn your body, too, when you hit these shots.
Here Im just o the green, but look how Ive
rotated my chest so its facing the agstick
(above, right). Short shot, but big rotation.
A good swing thought: Keep the grip close to
your body as you follow through. That will en-
courage you to turn with the club. I also see too
+
much hand action in these shots. Your back-
VINEYARD VINES
swing thought should be, Take the club back
Links pants,
wide with no hinge in your wrists and your arms
$98.50;
Performance
fairly straight. Also, I know this is tough, but you
Polo shirts, $85; have to trust that the loft on your wedge will get
Performance the ball in the air. Dont try to help it o the turf
1/4 Zip (not with your hands. Just keep turning and let the
currently available). club do its job.

|
 Tour Technique Play Your Best

p u t t i ng fu nda m e nta l s

GET IT TO THE HOLE . . . DUH!

hatever youve been told about grip

W pressure, having a steady head, length
of the stroke, how to read the break; all
that stu takes a back seat to one thingspeed.
The path of your putt is dictated by how fast the
ball is rolling, so speed is king when it comes
to improving on the greens. Think about it: If
youre not getting the ball to the hole, whats
the point of focusing on anything else about
putting? Considering how many strokes are
taken on the greens, its an important funda-
mental. Use your practice time mainly on dis-
tance drills, really trying to hit putts with the
right amount of eort. If you have good distance
control, youll still have a reasonable chance of
making the next one even if you dont get the
read quite right, because youre hole high. Want
a swing thought that helps when youre playing?
Think this: Just get it to the hole. You might
be surprised how something as simple as that
makes you put a good roll on the ball.

jason dufner is a ve-time winner on the

PGA Tour, including the 2013 PGA Champi-
onship. His Jason Dufner Foundations goal:
End child hunger in Lee County, Alabama.

december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com 15

Play Your Best Tee to Green by Butch Harmon
the art of laying up (or not)
If a green is just out of reach, what do you do?
Well, if your short game is really sharp, get as
close to the green as you can. For you, the odds of
getting up and down improve the closer you get. But
if youre a high-handicapper, its smarter to leave
yourself a three-quarter or full swing, because those
16 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018
he biggest mistake golfers make from
T the fairway is not taking enough club.
Whether its an ego thing or not know-
ing their distances, so many golfers are doomed
to miss greens before they step up to the ball.
How do you know if youre guilty of this?
The simple answer is, youre hitting the ball
solid, and its coming up short. But more likely,
youre swinging out of control, because you sub-
consciously know you dont have the right stick.
With the longer clubs, trying to add power usu-
ally means a fat shot. You rush the downswing
and never get your weight to your front side, so
you crash into the ground behind the ball. Take
an extra club, and focus on shifting your lower
body toward the target to start the downswing.
For short irons and wedges, you might nd
it easier to catch the ball solid, but youre still
missing the green. With those clubs, weight
shift is less of an issue. Its more about the arms
and shoulders going too hard at the ball, which
throws the club onto an out-to-in path. That typi-
cally results in a pull. Go easier from the top, and
feel the club falling to the inside coming down.
So the next time youre picking a club from
the fairway, ask yourself, Should I take one more?
I bet the answer is obvious.
WITH PETER MORRICE
Butch Harmon is a Golf Digest Teaching
Professional. His charity is Harmons Heroes.
illustration: tim l ahan
30- or 40-yard shots can be dicult. In between is
the average golfer, and the best strategy depends
on the situation. If getting close leaves you with
a tricky pitch over a deep front bunker, lay it back. But
if theres no major trouble around the green, give it
a go. The point is, you have to think one shot ahead.
Photographs by Dom Furore
Play Your Best Gimme One Thing

HOW DO I
FOCUS BETTER
WHILE PUTTING?
This imagery might
get lost on younger
golfers, but a great
way to improve focus
when you putt is to put
yourself somewhere
else. What Ive found
that works is to
imagine youre in a
phone booth. In other
words, completely
isolated, not aware
of anything but you
and the ball. Dont
remember phone
booths? Just picture
yourself in a small,
dark closet where
its just you and your
thoughts. I got this
idea from my high
school basketball days.
I won a state free-
throw shooting contest
after studying pre-shot
routines in the NBA.
One technique that

george rose/getty images spot illustration: tim l ahan

worked for the pros
was to take yourself
out of the arena and
transport mentally
back to the gym where
you practice. Its quiet
there. No fans yelling;
no players jostling.
Before shooting, you
look down at the oor,
still imagining the

How Do I Get Out of Wet Sand? home court. Then you

look up at the rim for
a split second before
shooting. It worked

Firm bunkers require a special technique great. So if youre

struggling on the
greens, try isolating
BY JIM MCLEAN yourself mentally
before you putt.
laying on a course after a big soaker pres- is on your front foot. You want to feel like youre leaning

P ents all kinds of challengesthick rough,

mud balls, slower greens, etc.and one that
bothers many is a bunker with rm, packed
sand. Too often, golfers mistakenly use their standard
greenside technique, only to watch the ball rocket over
the green or plug into the lip. If the surface is more like
cement than sugar, make these adjustments.
When you address the ball with your sand wedge or
lob wedge, do not open the face. The club will interact
with the sand somewhat like hitting o a cartpath. Its
going to bounce o the surface, not dig, so keeping the
face square helps avoid skulling the ball three fairways
over. Your downswing needs to be steeper for the same
reason, so adjust your stance until almost all your weight
toward the target. When you swing, take the club back
steeply while keeping your weight on your front foot.
Then swing down so the club enters the sand no more
than an inch behind the ball. Because of the thickness
of the sand, your follow-through will be short, with the
shaft leaning toward the targetno scooping! My nal
piece of advice is to swing easy. The ball is going to come
out faster than a normal bunker shot.
Think, Steeper, shorter and easy.
Jim McLean, a Golf Digest Teaching Professional,
is based at The Biltmore in Coral Gables, Fla. His
favorite charities are the Everglades Foundation and
the American Lung Association.

18 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018 Photo illustration by Eddie Guy

Play Your Best Swing Sequence
yeong Hun (Ben) An is a name you
B probably should know. Not just for
the fact that in 2009, at 17, he be-
came the youngest U.S. Amateur champion.
And not because he won the 2015 BMW PGA
Championship on the European Tour with a
record score of 21 under par. Remember Big
Ben because, now in his second full season
on the PGA Tour, hes on the verge of becom-
ing one of the games elite players, says his
coach, David Leadbetter.
Denitely one to watch, says Leadbet-
ter, who started working with the Korean-
born golfer in 2005 when Ans family moved
to Florida. He knows its within his power to
play world-class golf.
Ranked 76th in the world through Octo-
ber 2017, An can use his size (6-foot-2, 210
pounds) to overpower many golf courses.
Though his putting needs improvementhe
ranked 172nd on tour in 2017 in the strokes
gained/putting stattheres enough poten-
tial that An is drawing some comparisons to
other brawny golfers in their mid 20s, such
as Brooks Koepka and Hideki Matsuyama.
He really does have a great all-around
game, Leadbetter says. RON KASPRISKE

KEEP IT SIMPLE WIND IT UP GET SHORTY

Ben An
Bens swing As the left As his club
With a swing is simple and
ecient, says his
shoulder moves
down and away from
reaches the top,
this is where you really
like his, put this swing coach, David
Leadbetter. Weve
the target, hes winding
his core against his
see how ecient Bens
swing is, Leadbetter
20-something on worked to build a
repetitive swing where
lower body. Its a big
winding of the core,
says. Hes fully wound
up with his core, but
your watch list he doesnt have to
overthink, Leadbetter
Leadbetter says. Part
of what makes that
look at how short his
arm swing appears.
says. It starts with possible is how stable This is one of the
a solid setup. His hands his feet and knees are things hes worked on
are fractionally behind as he takes the club the past couple years
the ball. That allows back. That torquing to build consistency.
him to shift away with action against a stable Its a move easier
minimum fuss. base stores power. to repeat.

20 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

 2016-2017 pg a tour se a son

STROKES GAINED / TEE TO GREEN APPROACHES 100-125 YARDS

1.809 .075 .974 157 202 265

Dustin Johnson (1st) Tour average Ben An (18th) Ben An (1st) Tour average Martin Laird (190th)

source: shotlink

STOP SPINNING FIRE AWAY REACH FOR IT PRO-FILE

A aw An has You can see hes Maintaining full byeong hun an

worked hard to
correct is how his
body moves in the
downswing, Leadbetter
says. He used to spin
out earlythat left side
really opening. Now,
thanks to the simple
backswing, he can
make a healthy lateral
shift toward the target
as the club starts
down, Leadbetter says.
No more spin out.
really ring his
right side into a braced
left side, Leadbetter
says. Its a powerful
move. He can do this
because hes cleared
his body and still has
great lag between
his hands and the
clubhead, Leadbetter
says. Another thing to
admire: His left arm and
chest are connected.
Hes synced up.
extension in the 26 / 6-2 / 210 pounds
arms and club after Seoul, South Korea
impact is a sign of
a well-hit ball. He has irons
wonderful extension, Titleist 716 MB, T-MB
Leadbetter says. He
swings to a beautifully ball
poised and balanced Titleist Pro V1x
nish. He nishes like
this with all his clubs.
Its his trademark.
A trademark made
possible by the
simplicity of his swing.

Photographs by J.D. Cuban

Play Your Best Instant Lessons
The No. 1 Skill Around the Green
Every good short game starts here
BY COREY LUNDBERG
he best short-game players al-
T ways find a way to figure out
the right play and get the ball
close. You walk away think-
ing they have some magical gift. But
the ability to pull o those little shots is root-
ed in one simple skill: making solid contact.
Thats the first fundamental of the short
game, and whether those players know it or
not, learning to strike the ball consistently
set them on the fast track to success.
Most golfers get caught up in all the de-
tails of the shotthe carry, the roll, trouble
over the greenand they forget that hitting
the ball solid is the rst requirement. For
a basic chip, which works for most greenside
situations, good contact comes mostly from
22 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018
getting into a proper setup. Take a narrow
stance, with the ball in the middle and your
spine verticalnot tilted away from the hole.
Set more weight on your front foot, and then
lean the handle just ahead of your pants zip-
per. Also, open the clubface a touch. These
positions will pre-set a swing where you
catch the ball rst, then brush the grass.
The swing flows naturally from the
setup. Its an arc back and through with
a slight descent into the ball. With the face
open, the club will slide through impact.
Remember, its about ball-rst contact. You also can give them as
Corey Lundberg, a Golf Digest Best Young
Teacher, is at Altus Performance in Dallas.
His charity is the Kidney Cancer Association.
BRUSHING UP
ON THE BASICS
hether youre a
W longtime golfer or
just getting started,
nothing beats having good
fundamentals. To see quick
results, you also need to work
photographs by ben walton illustration by todd detwiler spot illustration: tim l ahan
on the right things in the
right order. Those two goals
provided the thinking behind
Golf Digests Ultimate Guides,
a set of comprehensive video
programs covering the short
game, approach shots and
driving. Each series, taught by
one of Golf Digests Best Young
Teachers in America, breaks
down an area of the game and
discusses the skills neededin
orderto become procient.
They also feature drills and
practice games as well as
cures for common faults. And
because your main goal is to
improve on the course, theres
also advice on playing strategy
and managing your game. Each
Ultimate Guide is available for
individual purchase ($9.99), or
you can get all three ($24.99).
a gift. For more information on
these new programs or to place
an order, go to golfdigest
.com/go/ultimateguides.
 Technically Speaking Play Your Best

A common problem in ball-striking?

Changing your posture.

Go Full Tilt your swing moving in the right

direction from inside the target
GolfTECs SwingTRU motion study
measured 40,000 golfers of all handicaps and
found that elite players tilt their shoulders
line through the ball. The result
roughly 20 percent more than 100-shooters
A low right shoulder is a lot of big slices with the driv-
er, poor contact and deep divots
through impact. Tilt is dened as the angle of
the shoulders in relation to the ground after

is Ball-striking 101 with irons, and a lack of dis-

tance control from club to club.
the club strikes the ball. The data suggests
that many amateurs struggle to remain in the
posture they were in at address.
If youre not tilting enough,
BY PATRICK NUBER try this drill. You dont even percentage of shoulder tilt
need a club. Hold a ball in your
ts easy to go into a trance watching tour dominant hand and get in your

I
golfer

players hit shots. They swing so effort- golf posture. Toss it under- 28-33
lessly that its hard to pick out what theyre handed toward a target while
doing dierently than you. But one benet keeping your right ear pointed
33-38
of our SwingTRU study is that you dont at the ground and your right
have to gure it out. Weve done it for you. Our analysis shoulder lower than your left.
of tens of thousands of swings enabled us to identify the Keep doing this over and over. 38-44
dierences between how the best playersand ones at Transfer that feel to your
every handicap levelplay golf. One thing that stands swing, and youll start seeing
out is shoulder tilt from the point of impact into the an improvement in your ball- 44-49
follow-through. strikingthat includes picking
Shoulder tilt is the angle youd get if you drew up a club or two in distance.
a line across the top of your shoulders and measured it WITH MATTHEW RUDY 49-54

in relation to the ground. Great players have about 50

degrees of tilt as they swing through impact, but high- Patrick Nuber is based at
handicappers generally lose their posture during the GolfTECs headquarters in
swing and make a more level shoulder turn (see chart). Englewood, Colo. His charity
When you dont have enough tilt, its very hard to get is PGA Reach.
ground

pro 6-10 hdcp 11-20 hdcp 21-30 hdcp 31+ hdcp

Play Your Best Strategy by Jack Nicklaus

Your pitch mark shows how far

youre really hitting it.
SET UP AN APPROACH
FROM ABOVE

Driving the ball in the

fairway is essential to
taking advantage of
a hole like this. The
hole is relatively at
from the tee box to
this landing area, but
then the fairway slopes
dramatically down to the
green. Your opportunity
to exploit the gradient
is with the second shot.
Youll need a clean lie
to hit a towering long CALCULATE A GOOD NUMBER
approach. The longer
a fairway-wood or long- If you miss the fairway with the tee shot,
iron shot can hang in try to run your second down to here. Your
the air, the greater the remaining yardage to the agstick will be
distance boost you get about 100 yards, but remember to subtract
from the downslope. 2 percent for every 1,000 feet of elevation.
Here your approach will play like 82 yards
instead of 100. And because going over
MIND THE this green is real troublethe downslope
KEY BUNKER kicks balls into the treesa 75-yard swing
is the smart and safe play.
This large bunker
dictates most of your
strategy. If you can
dial in for the day
carry it with the second
shot, the downslope of
the fairway will pitch
the ball forward onto
the green. If youre
not sure you can carry
this bunker, you really
should lay short.
A 50-yard bunker shot
is the most dicult
play in golf. Put a ball
in this bunker with your
second shot, and youre
going to struggle to
make a 5.

High Hopes
Picking the right club at elevation
laying in the mountains is a special above sea level, so the holes typically play
P experience. Besides the aesthetic
pleasure of seeing for miles in many
18-percent shorter than their listed yardage.
Illustrated here is the 559-yard, par-5 17th.
Elevation is a big factor in how far the ball
scott halleran/getty images

directions, its thrilling how the ball cuts
through the thin air and ies farther than
youre accustomed. But if you dont know
how to account for this newfound power,
youre going to struggle with club selection.
My rule is to subtract 2 percent of the
yardage for every 1,000 feet of altitude. The
Summit Course at The Club at Cordillera,
which I designed in Vail, Colo., is 9,000 feet
Eighteen percent of 559 is roughly 100, so
rst calculate that the hole plays 459 yards.
But because the tee box is 63 feet higher than
the green, the hole plays closer to 450 yards.
That means golfers who normally dont
reach par 5s in two might have a real chance
to get home on this hole. The lesson: At high-
er elevations, never be intimidated by the
yardage on the card. WITH MAX ADLER
carries, but humidity, temperature and how
well youre swinging on a given day also are
important. If your irons are ying ve yards
less than normal, you need to recognize that
ASAP and adjust. My trick was for my rst
few solid approaches, I always paced my
pitch mark to a yardage I knew for certain,
like the agstick or front of the green. That
let me know if I needed to modify my usual
carry distances for the rest of the round.

24 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018 Illustration by Chris ORiley

 Equipment Play Your Best

m i zu no
st 1 8 0

The wave-like pattern

on the sole does two
things: (1) It reduces
stress on the advanced
titanium-alloy face for a
faster-flexing structure.
(2) The sole pattern
allows more mass to
be placed lower in the
head for less ball spin.

price $400
1 3

c ob ra
k i ng f 8

Cobras
designers
used a precise
milling process
(as opposed to
the usual manual
grinding and
polishing)
to create a
thinner face
for improved
ball speeds.
Two movable
weights let you
choose between
standard and
draw settings.

pr i ce $400 2

yonex
Flex Appeal ezone gt

One way to make the

New driver faces face better is to think
about how it works with

bring the heat the crown. Here, the high-

strength titanium-alloy
face gets a boost from a
he rules limit how much driver faces strong, lightweight, carbon-

T can ex. But they arent preventing

them from exing more eectively.
composite crown that flexes
at impact to transfer more
energy to the ball.
On the PGA Tour, the average ball speed
(how fast the ball comes o the clubface) and 4
pric e $500
smash factor (the ratio between ball speed
and swing speed) have increased in the past
five years. That means the average of all xxio x
hits with the latest driversincluding mis-
hitsare likely ying farther than they did Why not make the face as flexible as you can where
players make contact most often? The face for this
the last time you went driver shopping. New
10th-generation driver has been thinned out in off-center
structures and materials, stronger titanium areas, resulting in a larger sweet spot heel to toe.
alloys and thinner faces lead to new distance
potential for all players. Here are four new pric e $650
ways to get faster now. MIKE STACHURA

Photograph by Jerey Westbrook december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com

Slug by Firstname Lastname

13.8 wide x

gutter
10.5 deep plus
1/8 bleed, top/
bottom and left
side

|
 Equipment Play Your Best

The 10 Most
Improved
Drivers on the
PGA Tour
And what they
did to gain
an advantage
BY E. MICHAEL JOHNSON

ore yards. Its what every player

M craves. Thats particularly true

at the elite level of the PGA Tour,
where distance is an important
part of remaining competitive.
Golf Digest analyzed ShotLinks driv-
ing-distance statistics from the 2015-16
and 2016-17 seasons to see which players
boosted their yardage the most. There
were 141 players who qualified for the
distance ranking in both seasons, and 75
players produced gains. Whether its Rory
McIlroy seeking another gear to separate
himself from the eld or Zach Johnson and
K.J. Choi trying to stay relevant, the quest
for more yards is on the minds of tour pros.
Players seek distance, says Keith Sbar-
baro, TaylorMades vice president of tour
operations. Why wouldnt they? The closer
to the green o the tee, statistically speaking,
the better the chance of getting it closer to
the hole on the next shot. Everyone wants
to hit it as far as their ball speed will allow.
There are several ingredients to distance:
equipment technology, clubtting, tness
and technique. Sometimes its a change in
mind-set or the comfort of being familiar
and condent with equipment and swing.
We reached out to players, tour reps and
instructors of the top-10 most improved in
driving distance this past season to nd out
what allowed them to hit it farther. As to
whether there will be more improvement
going forward, Sbarbaro is unequivocal.
No one on tour is maxed out in terms of
launch and spin, he says. Dustin Johnson
is very good, but he has another 10 yards.
I dont know where it ends.

clockwise from top left

Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka,
Billy Horschel and Hideki Matsuyama.

golfdigest.com 27
Play Your Best Equipment
from left Kevin Chappell, Kyle Stanley, Matt Jones, K.J. Choi and Zach Johnson.

p l ay e r average distance ( yards )

% increase & drive r s pecs eq u i pm en t ch a n ge s wi n g & f i t n ess

rory
mcilroy
2015-16 306.8 2016-17 317.2 Switched to TaylorMade M2 driver and Rory has always been blessed with a high
taylormade m2 2017, 8.5 degrees adjusted companys TP5x ball at the Players after swing speed, says swing coach Michael
to 8 degrees, Mitsubishi Kuro Kage 70 XTS starting season with Callaway GBB Epic Sub Bannon. His gym work helps, but it adds
shaft, 45 inches, D-7 swingweight, Golf Zero driver and Titleist Pro V1x ball. Said M2 more in terms of swing consistency, stability
+3.39% Pride New Decade Multicompound grip. driver let him nd center of face more often. and body protection for longevity.

hideki
matsuyama
2015-16 294.52016-17 303.3 Sometimes improvement comes from Matsuyama was surprised he had made
callaway great big bertha, 9 degrees, consistency. Matsuyama, who for years such a substantial leap in distance, noting
Graphite Design DI-8 shaft, 44 3 16 inches, played an older Srixon driver, used a Callaway that he had not changed anything in his
D-5 swingweight, IOMIC X grip. Great Big Bertha all year, which he said led strength work and training in the gym.
+2.99% to more solid contact.

kevin
chappell
2015-16 296.3 2016-17305 Switched from Nike to a TaylorMade driver Chappell worked on more hip turn in
taylormade m1 460 2017, 9.5 degrees, and Titleist Pro V1 to start 2017 and won his back leg by letting it extend more. The
Aldila x-Torsion shaft, 45 inches, the Valero Texas Open. Later changed to lengthened swing loaded the center of
D-3 swingweight, Golf Pride New Decade a lower-lofted driver (9.5 instead of 10.5) and pressure into the trail heel so he could post
+2.94% Multicompound grip. switched to Pro V1x ball. up into the lead leg in the downswing.

kyle
stanley
2015-16 288.12016-17 296.5 Another player who moved from Nike to After Stanleys win, swing coach Jerome
taylormade m1 460 2017, 10.5 degrees TaylorMade. Stanley won the Quicken Loans Andrews said that Kyle doesnt use very
adjusted to 11 degrees, Fujikura Speeder National with a Fujikura Speeder 757 Evolu- much leg action and stays on the balls
661X shaft, 45 inches, D-3 swingweight, tion X shaft in his driver but changed to the of his feet. The rotation of his body reacts
+2.92% Lamkin Tour Black Cord grip. companys Speeder 661X model. to the swinging of his arms and club.

brooks
koepka
2015-16 302.6 2016-17 311.1 Although Koepka used the same Koepka struggled early in the year with his
taylormade m2, 9.5 degrees, Mitsubishi TaylorMade M2 driver nearly all season, path being too neutral. His instructor, Claude

photo illustrations: sean mccabe skiiing illustration: tim l ahan photographs by getty images
Diamana+ White 70TX shaft, 45 inches, he made a golf-ball change, swapping Harmon III, had him exaggerate a move to
D-4 swingweight, Golf Pride Tour Velvet Nikes RZN Tour Platinum for Titleists the left and work on keeping his body speed
+2.81% Cord Midsize grip. 2017 version of its Pro V1x. up through impact.

justin
thomas
2015-16 301.3
2016-17 309.7 Thomas, the PGA Tour Player of the Year, If my alignment is off, it affects my swing,
titleist 917d2, 8.5 degrees, Mitsubishi used Titleists 917D3 driver in 2016 before Thomas said. My swing got longer with the
Diamana BF60 TX shaft, 45 inches, changing to a 917D2 in March. The switch club across the line at the top. So I worked
D-3.5 swingweight, Golf Pride Tour Velvet was made to increase forgiveness and spin, on getting shorter and wider. As a result,
+2.79% 60 Round grip. and to produce more ball speed. my consistency improved off the tee.

matt
jones
2015-16 294.8 2016-17 302.6 A practice session last fall had Jones Jones didnt make any swing or tness
titleist 917d2, 10.5 degrees, Fujikura keeping a Titleist 917D2 with a Fujikura changes, but he said the new driver/shaft
Atmos 7, 45 inches, D-3 swingweight, Atmos 7 shaft as his backup. At Pebble combination gave him the condence to use
Golf Pride Tour Velvet 58 Round grip. Beach in 2017 he used it instead of his his driver more often o the tee, which led
+2.65% 915D2 driver, saying it was much hotter. to his distance increase.

k.j. 2015-16 275.32016-17 282.2 Its dicult to pinpoint any one equipment Choi, 47, worked on not taking the club
choi taylormade m1 2017, 10.5 degrees change helping Choi improve his driving back as far outside well into the summer be-
adjusted to 11 degrees, Matrix Ozik 65 shaft, distance. The reason: Choi is one of the fore seeing the results kick in. Because of his
45 inches, D-3 swingweight, Golf Pride most frequent equipment changers on tour, new swing, hes been working hard to ingrain
+2.51% Tour Velvet 58 Round grip. switching drivers on a regular basis. it. Im building up my body and swing.

zach
johnson
2015-16 280.1 2016-17 286.9 Johnson stopped tinkering with his The two-time major champion said an
pxg 0811, 9.25 degrees, Mitsubishi drivers congurations and settled on increased focus in the gym with Dr. Troy
Diamana Blue Board 73X shaft, tipped extra weighting near the heel to help hit Van Biezen has contributed to more
inch, 45 inches, D-3 swingweight, a draw. The result has been increased distance, as has tightening up his swing
+2.43% Golf Pride Tour Velvet 62 rib grip. ball speed of 3 to 4 miles per hour. by working with Mike Bender.

billy
horschel
2015-16 293.0 2016-17300.1 Horschel visited PXG last December with Horschel beneted from working in the
pxg 0811x, 9 degrees, Fujikura Atmos 6X the goal of more consistency and distance. gym with the Super Speed golf training
Black shaft, tipped 1 inch, 45 inches, D-4 A change to a Fujikura Atmos 6X shaft system. He also worked on improving the
swingweight, Golf Pride New Decade Multi- brought a higher launch with lower spin sequence of his downswing with instructor
+2.42% compound Plus 4 60 grip, one extra wrap. that maximized his performance o the tee. Todd Anderson.

Additional reporting by Ron Kaspriske and Matthew Rudy

 Whats in My Bag Play Your Best

Crib sheet: This card with my carry distances stays in my

bag. Its been a useful reminder. Everyone thinks we should have
it committed to memory, but it can be a handy backup.

DRIVER DRIVING IRON

specs Callaway GBB Epic, specs Callaway Apex UT,

OLLIE 10.5, Mitsubishi Diamana Blue 70 TX 18, Nippon Modus 3 120TX
SCHNIEDERJANS shaft, 45 inches, tipped one inch, shaft, 39.5 inches, D-3
D-4 swingweight
age 24 My 2- and 3-iron go similar
I switched to this driver in early distances but are used
lives Alpharetta, Ga. 2017. I tinkered with the loft, going for dierent shots. I use
as low as 9 degrees, but the 10.5 the 2-iron o the tee, and
story Won 2016 Air lets me hit the shots I want using it comes in hot from 250
Capital Championship my swing. I like to work the ball yards. So I dont use my
on Web.com Tour; myself, not have the club do it. 3-wood too often.
nished second
at 2017 Wyndham Out to sea My dream is to own a
Championship, one IRONS boat and sail around the world. I love
of ve top-10s during being out on the open water. The
my rookie season. specs Callaway Apex peacefulness appeals to me.
(3-iron), Nippon Modus 3
one-track mind 120TX shaft. Callaway Apex PUTTER
My life has been Pro 16 (4-iron through
about turning pro pitching wedge). Nippon specs Toulon Madison,
since I was in sev- Modus 3 120TX shaft. All 35 inches, 3.25 degrees
enth grade. Ive had D-3 swingweight, Golf Pride loft. Lamkin Deep
a logical progression. Tour Velvet 58 grips. Etched grip
I played four years at
Georgia Tech, then These are the best irons This went in the bag
Q school, then the Ive ever had. I used to at the Wyndham. Im
Web.com Tour to get play a combo set with working on my stroke
here. All these steps blade-like short irons, but and started fresh with
made me better. these give me forgiveness the cleanest-looking
with the control I need. putter I could nd.
no hat, no problem Its a comforting look at
I quit playing baseball address. They look like a
at 12 and was excited blade, so they dont look
WEDGES
to stop wearing a hat. as forgiving as they are.
I dont like seeing the
specs Callaway Mack Daddy
bill during my swing.
Forged (53); Callaway Mack
with e. michael johnson
Daddy 2 (58, 62). True Temper
Dynamic Gold S400 shafts
club yards*
Roger Cleveland made these
driver 290
for me. The 62 I use only for
specialty shots or from 40 to
2-iron 250
80 yards. I can stop it without
manipulating the face.
3-iron 240

4-iron 229

5-iron 216
Special piece of mail
I got this letter from Arnold
6-iron 203 Palmer after winning on the
Web.com Tour. It was surreal.
7-iron 188 I was taken aback by it. This
is why he was who he was.
8-iron 175
schniederjans: andrew redington/

Left-handed
9-iron 161 complement
This left-handed
schniederjans via instagram
getty images letter, boat:

pw 148 6-iron is for training.

I use it at the end of
gw 121 practice. I try to stay
strong and balanced
sw 104 A reliable ball on both sides to
My Callaway Chrome Soft X is prevent injury. Ive
lw 89 always marked with a line and gotten pretty good
an O on the other side. I love hitting lefty and can
*carry distance its predictability. This ball goes now get it out there
my yardage every time. about 170 yards.

Photographs by J.D. Cuban | golfdigest.com 33

edited by peter finch

Shark Attack
Greg Norman, 62, is dangerous as ever
e doesnt play much competitive golf any- i enjoy hiking , horseback rid-

H more, but dont get the idea Greg Norman

is slowing down. The winner of two majors
ing, scuba diving, hunting and
more, but one thing I never got
the hang of was kiteboarding.
and 91 tournaments worldwide recently met with My son, Gregory, tried to teach
me in Cape Hatteras [N.C.].
Golf Digest Editorial Director Max Adler to share I face-planted so many times
his current thinking on naked workouts, playing I had saltwater coming out every
shirtless, music on the course, and more. orice. Not doing that again.

i work out in the dark , often i have some friends who give the closest Ive ever come to
naked. It feels good to me. I me stick about my Instagram death was probably when I was
have a better sense of my bodys posts. My kids think nothing a teen. A friend and I went hunt-
alignment, the relationship of of itthey know thats who I ing in the Australian outback.
my muscles to the machines am. The one of me naked in the There are certain times of year
and weights, and I tend to just mountain spring that went vi- when black snakes will be very
let myself go a bit more. ral? That was my wifes doing. aggressive if you enter their ter-
When your wife says you look ritory. One came after us. We ran
i like a broad range of music hot and wants to snap a photo, and jumped onto the hood of our
genres, but in the gym Ill maybe thats a good thing. car. We shot and shot, missing,
put on some electronic dance as it came at us. We dont know
to kick me up a bit. On the golf ive been to resorts where the who hit it, but we got it at the last
course, maybe some light jazz. guys play in bathing suits, and possible second.
even some of the gals, too. I used
i was possibly the rst tour pro to practice shirtless in my back the fastest Ive driven a car
to hire a trainer. It was 1991, and yard. Obviously, it wont work at on a freeway is 312 kilometers
Pete Draovitch was a prominent all courses, but theres nothing per hour [194 mph]. It was in the
sports therapist in Palm Beach. wrong with giving the option. Middle East, and this guy let me
He wasnt a golferI had to get behind the wheel of his new
teach him what golf muscles for the past four years Ive Lamborghini. I said, How fast
werebut Pete understood how been working on something have you pushed this thing? He
to help a person achieve his or called the Shark Experience, said, Not much. The torque
her ideal balance of strength and and its nally here. Club Car is was incredible, how the car kept
courtesy of greg norman

exibility. Our anatomies are as
unique as ngerprints. The exer-
cises that are right for you arent
necessarily right for me. Im
wary of trainers that look like
Mr. Universe and think thats
how everyone ought to look.
Theres golf-t and ego-t, and
caring about the latter is how
players get injured. Pete kept
me healthy during the heart of
my career. I still alternate among
the programs he designed for
me, and I never get bored.
building 50,000 carts with Blue-
tooth-enabled screens that can
stream music, sports, news
whatever applications the world
can imaginethrough speakers
designed, by the shape of the
cone and its angle of mount-
ing, to keep the sound within
the cart. To grow golf in these
times you need to give people
the choice of staying connected.
pulling and pulling. I glanced
down at 308, and the engine still
hadnt backed o. Time to stop.
The guy had turned white.
still on my bucket list is to go
diving under the Antarctic ice
pack. Ive seen documentaries
about this that look amazing.
Its all about understanding the
weather system. You cut a hole
and go down on a tethered line,
and if that hole freezes over,
youre done.

34 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

When your wife says you look hot and wants
to snap a photo, thats a good thing.

instagreg Norman and his abs go for a ride in the Bahamas.

The Golf Life Digest

IM NOT SAYING
MY GOLF GAME WENT
BAD, BUT IF I
GREW TOMATOES, THEYD

trevino: walter iooss jr. snowbirds and thief: paul windle cocktail: rob lawson/photolibrary/getty images envelope: marc espolet/getty images woods: john ueland potty putter: carolyn ridsdale
advice for

COME UP SLICED. GOLFERS

lee trevino WHO TAKE

TOO MANY TEES
Go easy on that
dish. Why announce
youre a cheapskate
on the rst tee when
you can use the
entire round to
reveal what sort of
person you are?

RANGE BALLS
We get it: Youre
ghting a wicked
slice, and the pros-
pect of losing a new
dozen feels real and
unnecessary. But
youre just cheating

HALF N HALF
Golf is a beer drinkers
sport, but there are times
when you need to make
a toast thats a little more
special. Try a Black Velvet,
combining classic bubbly
with a frothy dark brew.
Fill half a champagne
ute with champagne
of choice. Top with
Guinness Extra Stout.
yourself. Range
balls y shorter
and have less
green-side spin.
THE FUN OUT OF IT
Whether back-
to-back triples
warrant cursing
and club-throwing
isnt the question.
Rather, why did
you expect today
to be all that
dierent from
your usual game?

snowbirds of a feather coleman bentley PATCHWORK DIVOTS

We see you, plow-
ing through turf
Some favorite winter getaways and where many of their customers originate unmindfully at the
range. A square
is OK, but studies
omni orlando resort robert trent la cantera
show a single line
at championsgate jones golf trail resort & spa
optimizes precious
orlando at capitol hill san antonio practice sod.
wi, ny, nj, ontario prattville, ala. il, alberta,
mi, oh, wv, pa ontario TOO LONG
kiawah island Theres a dier-
golf resort omni rancho troon north ence between a
south carolina las palmas resort scottsdale pre-shot routine
pa, md, d.c., mi & spa mn, il, or, wa and a full-on
rancho mirage, calif. dress rehearsal.
alberta, british
columbia, manitoba,
saskatchewan

36 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

 by sam weinman + alex myers

I WONT GET MY HOPES

UP ABOUT TIGER.
HERES TO BEGINNING I WILL GIVE MORE
YOUR YEAR ON SOLID
FOOTING! PUTTS . . . TO MYSELF.
dustin johnson

SEASONS GREENINGS I WILL DONATE ALL

sergio garcia
MY FOUND BALLS
TIS THE SEASON . . .
TO REPLACE YOUR BALL
(EXCEPT PRO V1s)
CAREFULLY! TO THE FIRST TEE AT
special delivery lexi thompson
SEASONS END.
Some holiday-card suggestions MERRY CHRISTMAS . . .
for tour players AND TRY NOT TO LET
THIS IMAGE RUIN YOUR NO MORE THROWING
NEW YEAR. tiger woods MY PUTTER (WOODS AND
hard pass twitter survey IRONS ONLY).
How will you
Five golf gifts we can do without
ILL ALWAYS BE AT THE
aventurier/getty images snow: stephen gorman/getty images baby: h.armstrong roberts/getty images visor: royalfive/getty images

survive winter with

kite: courtesy of golf digest resource center shanks: matt carr/getty images shirts: craig jones/getty images pyongyang: patrick

little or no golf ?

By forgetting that COURSE 30 MINUTES

15 MINUTES BEFORE
Im not good at golf
and coming into
the spring with
unwarranted opti-
mism. @GSleas MY TEE
Take phantom
swings in my living
By playing all the
way through winter
TIME.
the potty putter room. My irons in my shorts. I nd it
are a permanent wakes me up nicely
xture against my in the mornings.
this picture living-room wall. @scottoliverwebb
of tom kite @dubug333
Play anyways. Cold.
Finally have a Rain. Snow. Wind.
peaceful, happy life. Must. Play.
@heathhutchins @kfall06

Playing Happy By drowning in

Gilmore and Tin tears, bourbon,
Cup in a loop. Lots and Golden Tee.
and lots of beer. @drbrock37
overcome the replica @maawarsjnote
shanks mp3 1999 ryder cup Groove my take-

5 NEW YEARS
hypnosis program shirts A guy I know has away, work on my
a simulator in his putting and watch

RESOLUTIONS
home. Im trying my blood pressure
to become one of return to normal.
his closest friends. @Je_Rice_

YOU CAN KEEP!

@TimmyinWV
Ill be putting fre-
My $10 copy of quently throughout
Tiger Woods 08 the house and oc-
will be my golf casionally breaking
x for the winter! a lamp by chipping
@hurlimich09 in the living room.
@DesertmuttJay
a lifetime membership to pyongyang g.c.
The Golf Life Pastimes

Fight nights and golf-cart drag races?

Golf clubs are mixing it up.
oak hill soldier hollow
Winter Wonderlands country club,
rochester, n.y.
golf course,
midway, utah
Bowling, sledding Tubing and cross-

These courses dont shy from The ninth fairway

of the West course
is best for sledding.
country skiing
The land on which
the course was built
the coldthey embrace it And this bowling
alley is one of the
was used for the
cross-country portion
biggest weve seen. of the Nordic Com-
bined and Biathlon
olfs oseasonat least for those of us in cold-weather
G
olympia fields events of the 2002
climesis nasty, brutish and long. The good news is, (ill.) country club
Fight night
Winter Olympics.

more clubs than ever are going out of their way to oer The club assembles town & country
a boxing ring in a club, st. paul,
awesome activities when golf might not be possible. We asked our banquet space to minn.
1,300 course-ranking panelists to give us the coolest examples. host a ght night
with local amateurs.
Tobogganing
The sledding and
Here are 18 of our favorites. STEPHEN HENNESSEY tobogganing run on
omni tucson the ninth hole is
ballyneal colleton denver (colo.) medinah (ill.) national resort open to the public.
golf club, river club, country club country club Golf-cart drag racing
holyoke, colo. bluffton, s.c. Ice hockey Skeet and A raceway adjacent white bear
Pheasant hunting Cross-country golf A rink adjacent to trap shooting to one of its courses yacht club,
It turns into a fully Members sip the clubs parking An ultra-modern will host golf-cart dellwood, minn.
operational hunting whiskey on every lot is used for com- lodge o the fth drag racing in a Ice shing
club in the winter. hole of an alternative, petitive hockey. Chevy tee at No. 3 houses rst-time club event A lakeside club-
Members stay nine-hole routing Chase Club in Mary- the clubs skeet this winter. house/yacht club
on-site for hunting across its Dye land has a rink, too. and trap shooting. is the hub for ice
and shooting. course, range and sleepy hollow shing. You can
practice green. interlachen milwaukee country club, even drive on the
boyne highlands country club, country club, briarcliff ice when its solid.
resort, harbor the country club, edina, minn. river hills, wis. manor, n.y.
springs, mich. brookline, mass. Ice skating Sledding and Sledding windyke country
Snowshoeing, biking Indoor curling, The club oods cross-country skiing The downhill club, memphis
Fat-tire biking on skating and freezes its The club welcomes fairway on the 17th Metal-bucket golf
the course and snow- Curling dates to nine outdoor tennis sledders and skiers hole is a favorite, If its below freezing,
shoe hikes to upscale 1898, in competition courts for skating, with hot chocolate as is Shinnecock members use 36-inch
dining at Stein and unorganized hockey, curling and and crackling res. Golf Clubs severely buckets for pins. Hit-
Eriksen restaurant games on its four- broomball. The tennis sloped 10th. ting the bucket is
are popular. sheet indoor rink. A building serves as a nashua (n.h.) a hole-out.
pond behind the third lodge for the winter. country club
green is used for Indoor curling yellowstone club,
skating and hockey. The 150 active big sky, mont.
curling members enjoy Snowmobiling,
a four-sheet facility trout shing
with big-screen TVs Plus: The club has
for spectators. a private ski resort.

johner images/getty images

38 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

 The Core The Golf Life

t didnt happen quick-

I ly. Heck, it took de-

cades to permeate.
But fitness has be-
come a big part of the conversa-
tion about what it takes to
improve as a golfer. Players look-
ing to swing better, faster, longer
and, they hope, injury-free have
turned to the gym to help
achieve their goals. Thats why
we believe its time to introduce
a new rankingthe 50 Best Golf-
Fitness Professionals in Ameri-
ca. This list, the rst of its kind
by a tness- or golf-media com-
pany, was compiled by Golf Di-
gests expert panel of trainers,
chiropractors, physical thera-
pists and doctors who nominat-
ed their peers based on their
knowledge of the game, their
knowledge of exercise physiolo-
gy and biomechanics, and how
they apply both in working with
clients. Imagine choosing any
professional simply by walking
into the nearest building and
saying, OK, Ill work with you,
says Ben Shear, Golf Digests Fit-
ness Advisor, who rst suggested
the list. You probably wouldnt
do that with a doctor, nancial
planner, or even a golf instructor.
Yet, every day people go to their
nearest gym and sign up for an
individual training session with-
out knowing whether the trainer
is qualied. Thats how you end
up getting hurt.

The 50 Best Golf-Fitness

Professionals in America
(and a guide to nding
the right trainer for you)

Photographs by Giovanni Reda december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com 39

The Golf Life The Core

credentials Trainers should be Having the right credentials

certied by one of the most respected tness should start the conversation,
organizations. Make sure to check. Shear says. But there are still
some things to avoid.
Steer clear of trainers who are
willing to put you through the
paces without rst giving you a
physical evaluation and inter-
viewing you about your goals,
preferences for workout intensi-
ty and your medical history. Also
avoid anyone pushing group
traininglike CrossFitwith-
out knowing your capabilities.
Worse: Throwing you in a group
where youre expected to keep
up with stronger students.
Group classes can be a great
motivational tool, Rose says.
Just make sure youre training
with people of similar abilities,
and that the classes are small
enough that you still get some
one-on-one attention.
Personality plays a big role
in nding the right trainer, says
Lindsay Becker of Buckeye Per-
formance Golf in Dublin, Ohio.
Its OK if they push you out of
your comfort zone a little, Becker
says. But when youre not look-
ing to be pushed, and thats all
they want to do is work you until
exhaustion, its not a good match.
Best to establish right away what
your training preferences are.
Rose agrees. They need to
match your life. First thing the
hiring the right trainer
person should say is, What would
nterested in working with someone who specializes in golf tness? t your lifestyle? If all you can do

I Here are the types of questions to ask and some of the trainers to
avoid. Id want to know what that trainer knows about the golf
is 15 minutes a day, Ill build you
a program for 15 minutes.
Speaking of commitment,
avoid trainers who want to sign
swingthats a good start, says Greg Rose, co-founder of the Titleist Per-
you up for anything long-term
formance Institute in Oceanside, Calif. An extra step would be to speak like an annual contract. Results
with some of the golfers that trainer has worked with to get an idea of how should be evident fairly quickly,
Rose says. If someone says its
he or she uses the gym to improve their games. Fitness credentials also going to take six months, youre
are important, says Ben Shear, who has trained several tour players. A with the wrong trainer.
Finally, its an absolute must
degree in exercise physiology isnt a must, but it helps. More important, that the trainer is willing to com-
how long have they been training? Are they certied by one of the big or- municate with the golf instructor
who best knows your game.
ganizations in tness? Among the most respected are the National It doesnt have to be ongo-
Academy of Sports Medicine, National Strength and Conditioning Asso- ing, but its helpful to know what
youre working on, Shear says.
ciation (look for CSCS certication), C.H.E.K Institute and the Titleist Per- Many swing aws are a result of
formance Institute. TPI is the only group certifying trainers specically physical issues that can be cor-
rected in the gym. The trainer
for golf tness. Another more general accreditation that is acceptable, and pro can help each other
Shear says, is ACE, short for the American Council on Exercise. out. RON KASPRISKE

40 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

 First thing the person should say is,
What would fit your lifestyle?
katherine roberts cory puyear don saladino
Troon North G.C., Scottsdale P.U.R.E. Golf, Northfield, Ill. Drive 495, New York City
yogaforgolfers.com pure-golf.net driveclubs.com
e: $275 / h: $150 e: $325 / h: $130 e: $0 / h: $1,000
spencer tatum janine young ben shear
Advantage Training, Scottsdale Elite Golf and Fitness, Overland Park, Ben Shear Golf, Scotch Plains, N.J.
advantagetraining.fit Kan., elitegolfandfitness.com bensheargolf.com
WEST e: $199 / h: $150 e: $200 / h: $20-$100 e: $395-$695 / h: $200
troy van biezen
janet alexander ChiroSport Specialists of Dallas NORTHEAST SOUTHEAST
Pacific Fitness & Health Inc., chirosportspecialists.com
Encinitas, Calif. e: $250 / h: $90 ryan anderson trevor anderson
pacificfitnesshealth.com Ben Shear Golf, Scotch Plains, N.J. Better Every Day Performance
evaluation: $200 / hourly: $200 bensheargolf.com, e: $150 / h: $90-$99 Institute, Orlando
MIDWEST
brian bradley mike boyle bettereverydayorlando.com
Egoscue Method HQ, Del Mar, Calif. lindsay becker Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning, e: $200 / h: $100
egoscue.com Buckeye Performance Golf, Woburn, Mass., bodybyboyle.com ryan blackburn
e: $0 / h: $150-$190 Dublin, Ohio e: $90 / h: $90 Orlando Golf Performance
milo bryant buckeyeperformancegolf.com robert duvall orlandogolfperformance.com
Milo-Limitless Fitness, Del Mar, Calif. e: $150 / h: $100 Discovery Land Company, e: $0 / h: $60-$80
milostrong.com, e: $950 / h: $250 neal hausch Westhampton Beach, N.Y. john damico
brian chandler Golf Fitness Plus, Akron, Ohio discoverylandco.com Golf Fitness Edge, Naples, Fla.
Elevate Sports Performance golffitnessplus.com e: $500 / h: $250 golffitnessedge.com
Las Vegas, elevatespc.com e: $200 / h: $100 ali gilbert e: $300 / h: $100
e: $500 / h: $150 lenny mello CLAY Health Club & craig davies
sean cochran Pillar Health & Sport Spa, Greenwich, Conn. Depth Institute, Winter Garden, Fla.
Sean Cochran Sports Performance, Performance, Louisville metabolicgolf.com achievedepth.com
San Diego, seancochran.com pillarsport.com e: $350-$600 / h: $350 e: $500-$2,500 / h: $250-$350
e: $175-$350 / h: $175 e: $200 / h: $80-$100 jason meisch joey diovisalvi
david darbyshire jeff pelizzaro Peak Golf Fitness, Rockville, Joey D Golf Sports Training Center,
Kailua Kona, Hawaii Empire Fitness Academy, Md., peakgolffitness.com Jupiter, Fla., joeydgolf.com
movementsolutionsint.com St. Louis, 18strong.com e: $600 / h: $150 e: $750 / h: $275
e: N/A / h: N/A e: $125 / h: $90 david donatucci
andrea doddato Florida Institute of Performance,
Hillcrest C.C., Los Angeles Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
shapeandsport.com floridainstituteofperformance.com
e: $200 / h: $150 e: $150 / h: $200
tyler ferrell jeff fronk
La Riconada C.C., Los Gatos, Calif. F45 Training Olde Raleigh,
golfsmartacademy.com Raleigh, N.C., f45training.com
e: $399 / h: $150 e: $200 / h: $60
lance gill dan hellman
Titleist Performance Institute, Hellman Holistic Health,
Oceanside, Calif., lgperformance.com Fort Lauderdale
e: $1,200 / h: $150-$250 hellmanholistichealth.com
greg rose e: $250 / h: $250
Titleist Performance Institute, dave herman
Oceanside, Calif., mytpi.com Dave Herman Performance,
e: $1,200 / h: N/A Winter Garden, Fla.
ralph simpson davehermanperformance.com
Manual Orthopedic & Sports e: $185 / h: N/A
Therapy, Whitefish, Mont., 4most.us adam kerley
e: $225 / h: $125 Exos Sports Medicine,
dee tidwell Knoxville, Tenn.
Colorado Golf Fitness Club, Denver teamexos.com
coloradogolffitnessclub.com e: $125 / h: $100
e: $125 / h: $125 david maloney
Golf Conditioning &
SOUTHWEST Performance, Tysons Corner, Va.
golfcp.com
jeffrey banaszak e: $400 / h: $100
Back9Fitness Performance Center, randy myers
Arlington, Texas, back9fitness.com Sea Island Golf Performance Center,
e: $250 / h: $100 St. Simons Island, Ga.
damon goddard randymyersgolf.com
AMPD Golf Performance, Dallas for hire e: $575 / h: $360
ampdgolfperformance.com The average cost of an karen palacios-jansen
e: $350 / h: $300 hourly session with one of the Trump National Charlotte G.C.
andrew hannon 50 Best Golf-Fitness Professionals cardiogolf.com
Premier Fitness Systems, Scottsdale e: $125 / h: $125
premierfitnesssystems.com who gave us their rates was $175.
scott shepard
e: $0 / h: $85-$100 Some oer evaluations for free. Driven Sports Performance
clint howard Training, Lake Mary, Fla.
Golf Fitness Systems, Tulsa drivenspt.com
golffitnesssystems.com e: $250 / h: $85
e: $150 / h: $80-$90 kolby tullier
greg mclean Joey D Golf Sports Training Center,
Premier Fitness Systems, Scottsdale Jupiter, Fla., joeydgolf.com
premierfitnesssystems.com e: $750 / h: $275
e: $150 / h: $100 mike voight
pam owens Performance One Golf,
Pam Owens Fitness, Houston Franklin, Tenn.
pamowensfitness.com performance1training.com
e: $300 / h: $110 e: $385 / h: $150

december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com 41

The Golf Life Environmental Awards

A River Runs Through It

How our Green Star
winner tamed the oods
HE PRESERVE AT OAK MEADOWS, a daily-fee in Addison,
T Ill., might be the most important new golf course of 2017. Its
harnessing of a notorious creek demonstrates that a golf
course can serve golfers and the greater community. The creative
way it addresses oods and storm water makes it the winner of Golf
Digests Green Star environmental award for 2017.
The aptly named Preserve, formerly known as Oak Meadows Golf
Club, and before that Elmhurst Country Club, was a busy municipal
courseexcept when Salt Creek, which ran through its center, would
overow. Acres of turf would sit under water for days and die.
The courses owner, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage Coun-
ty, brought in Chicago-based golf architect Greg Martin, who talked
with storm-water experts and hydrologists. They decided the solu-
tion was to allow Salt Creek to breathe as it passed through during
oods. That would require extra room for overow. After three years
of planning and permitting, in July 2015 construction began on the
$17-million project to build 18 new holes on mostly new land.
Crews diverted Salt Creek into a narrow channel and reshaped the
main stream bed into wider and deeper twists and turns to slow water
down, with an irregular bottom to aid in sediment disbursement,
water ltration and habitat enhancement. Adjacent to the creek, they
created 35 acres of wetlands. Beyond that, they established 40 acres
of prairie savannahs to accept water if levels rose that high.
To make room, they had to abandon many golf holes along the
creek and cut down 1,500 mostly low-quality trees. But many of the
trees root balls were upended and placed at purposeful spots along
the mile-and-a-half stretch of rebuilt creek to buttress outside turns,
prevent erosion and provide wildlife habitat. Ocials estimate the
property can accept 20 million more gallons of storm water than it
did before, enough to deal with a 100-year event.
Martin gave a tour last summer, a day after rains had closed many
area courses. The Preserve was dry and playable; Salt Creek was out
of its banks, wide as a delta, lazily owing over newly planted wet-
lands and around a few lowland trees but never threatening a single
hole. By the time it exited the property, it was a manageable creek.
Homeowners downstream were none the wiser. RO N W H I T T E N

previous green star environmental award winners

2009 2011 2014

omni barton creek barona resort pinehurst (n.c.)
resort & spa, Austin & casino resort (no. 2)
kiawah island (s.c.) Lakeside, Calif. pasatiempo g.c.
golf resort Santa Cruz, Calif.
2012
pebble beach bandon dunes golf 2015
resorts resort Bandon, Ore. northport creek g.
sunriver resort cse., Northport, Mich.
2013
Sunriver, Ore.
bear trace 2016
2010 at harrison bay rio olympic g. cse.
maddens Harrison, Tenn. Rio de Janeiro
on gull lake
Brainerd, Minn.

42 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

 This might be the most important
new golf course of 2017.

waterworks:
Salt Creek runs alongside the
354-yard 16th hole.
courtesy of the preserve at oak meadows
The Golf Life Ask Golf Digest

As a viewer, it drives me nuts when

Q someone in the gallery yells Get in the

hole! as the putter hits the ball. Do play-
ers notice this? JIM TAY LOR, BATTLE CREEK, MICH.

A
Golf pros have
superhuman
powers of con-
centration. But yeah, they
hear it. Playing in front of
people is part of the learn-
ing curve of being a tour
pro. Generally, fans yell
only in big galleries, and
for the most part, players
with big galleries are stars
who can commit to every
shot despite the hoopla.
Many players love the
Open Championship
because theres less fan
idiocy. British fans tend
to remain dignied
until the end, and then
a streaker appears.
Weve tried using
My 3-wood is the
hardest club for me
to hit o the fairway.
Should I replace
and has a smaller head year-end playo,
and shorter shaft than a as they do at Silvermine
fairway woodlimiting Golf Club in Norwalk,
its distance for all but the Conn. We know another
strongest players. A Golf group that makes players
Digest survey from a few decide if a score will go
years ago revealed that on their ringer card on
amateurs hit a fairway the day they make it.
wood with 17 degrees of This adds an element of
loft (about a 4-wood) lon- strategic decision-making
ger than a 3-wood o the that gets more fun as
deck, thanks to its higher the season progresses.
launch and better con-
tact. If youre still strug- I recently helped a high
gling, try a 5-wood. school coach with try-
outs. A player hit his tee
My group has a season- shot directly into a tree,
long leader board and his ball came to
competition (best rest next to a tee mark-
score on each hole). er. I gave him a free
drop. Was that right?
handicaps and percent- ADAM NIEDBALSKI,
ages of handicaps, EVANSTON, ILL.
but it always favors
the low-handicappers. Almost. The player
stan badz/pga tour/getty images

it with a 2-hybrid? Any advice? should have moved the

BARRY JOY,
JACKSONVILLE
Welcome to the club,
Barry. Hitting 3-wood o
the turf is hard for a lot of
us, but a 2-hybrid likely
isnt the solution. It
doesnt launch very high
FRANK BOLESCA, tee marker, not the ball.
WELLAND, ONTARIO Decision 11-2/1 of the
Rules states that after the
Sometimes called a ring- rst stroke is made, tee
er card, this is one of our markers are movable
favorite events because it obstructions. Also,
keeps players engaged all maybe consider wearing
season. You could try two a helmet when helping
handicap ights, with a with tryouts.
LEARN TO SMASH A WOOD AND STIFF A WEDGE, AND THE COURSE IS YOURS BY RICKIE FOWLER

1
IN ANY GIVEN ROUND, your score largely comes down to how you
play the tweeners. A tweener is any hole where the par on the score-
card doesnt feel like the par for you. Your expectation lies somewhere
between, which means its an opportunity. If youre a long hitter,
a par 5 where you can get on or near the green in two strokes is
a tweener. A ve almost seems like a bogey, so the hole is essentially
a par 4. More typical for amateurs is facing a par 4 thats a beast,
where youre destined to be hitting a fairway wood for the second shot
no matter how well you hit the drive. Pitch on and two-putt, and you
walk away with a bogey even though you didnt make a mistake. Or
make the putt, and that par is a big boost of momentum, almost like
a birdie. On the PGA Tour, we even consider some drivable par 4s as
tweeners, because youre giving a little back to the eld each time you
dont make a 3. What do these holes have in common? No matter who
you are, the skills to score on them are twofold. You have to be able
to smash a wood up around the green and then pitch a wedge close
enough to give yourself a good chance to make the putt. The tech-
nical keys to these two shots couldnt be more dierent, but if you
can link this combination of power and touch, you can really take
advantage of the tweeners. Let me show you how. WITH MAX ADLER

gutter credit tk

46 golfdigest.com | month 2017

 PUNCH
1 GET DEEP I like a 3-wood that
ies with a small draw and
tumbles after it lands. To get

2
this trajectory, the key is a atter
swing that travels more around the
bodyalmost as if youre swinging a
baseball bat. Note the deep position
of my hands (far, left). Theyre behind
my hips and heels. From there, I have
a ton of space to attack the ball from
the inside to get that draw. What you
dont want is for the hands to get too
high at the top, or theyll come down
steeply and take a chunky divot,
which is a no-no with a fairway wood.
The other fault is swinging too quick.
Even though its a distance club,
your primary goal is clean contact,
so have a relaxed pause at the top.
My tempo with a 3-wood feels as
smooth as it does with a short iron.

2 RESET FOR FINESSE Now that

youve bashed a 3-wood up by the
green, its time for a more delicate
shot. To pitch it on, take a stance thats
narrow and slightly open (near, left).
Having the feet close together helps
limit lower-body movement for better
contact. And standing open encour-
ages a slight out-to-in path, which
adds height to the shot so you can hold
the green. If you start to freeze over
the ball, take one more glance at the
gutter credit tk

ag and then pull the trigger. Because

distance control is the priority, an extra
look at the target gives your mind a last
dose of condence.

Photograph by First Lastname golfdigest 47

 3 RELEASE THE CLUB I see

3
three very positive aspects
in this photo (left). It was
taken after impact, yet my back
heel is just beginning to rise o
the turf. That tells me I generated
power by using the ground. I also
like how the inside of my right
wrist is rubbing against the inside
of my left wrist. When people talk
about releasing the club, this is
the move they meanthe club-
head is getting thrown down the
target line with speed. Last, notice
how you can see a slice of sky
between my right shoulder and
my chin. I work on posture, and a
fault I sometimes battle is getting
too hunched over. Not here. Ive
stayed tall, giving my right shoul-
der plenty of room to rotate un-
derneath. This ball was spanked.

approaches from 275 yards+

63 9
(proximity to hole)

6th on pga tour (2017)

THE INSIDE OF MY
RIGHT WRIST IS
RUBBING AGAINST THE
INSIDE OF MY LEFT.

gutter credit tk

Photographs by Walter Iooss Jr. Photograph by First Lastname

 4
EVEN ON A VERY
SHORT PITCH, LET THE
FACE ROTATE OPEN.

4 ROTATE SOFTLY On a pitch

shot, theres almost no body
turn going back. Its really
just the arms softly owing back
into place. The biggest mistake
amateurs make is they get tight in
the forearms and bring the club-
face back shut. Then they stick
the leading edge into the ground
and ub the shot, or hit it hot over
the green. Even on a very short
pitch, let the face rotate open as
you take it back so the toe of the
club points to the sky (right). From
there, its all about swinging down
along your toe line and making a
ball-rst strike. Dont hang back
and ip your wrists. Allow your
hips and shoulders to rotate so
that your chest nishes at the
target. Then go sink the putt.

63.9%
scrambling
gutter credit tk

8th on pga tour (2017)

Photograph by First Lastname month 2017 | golfdigest.com 49

Illustration by Craig & Karl
WERE PROUD OF WHAT GOLF DOES FOR CHARITY, and for the sixth year, Golf Digest is
celebrating Golfers Who Give Back, partnering with the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and
Monterey Peninsula Foundation. Our joint committee has selected world surf cham-

THE
pion Kelly Slater, country-music artist Clay Walker and World Golf Hall of Famer Juli Inkster as
this years Golfers Who Give Back. No individual golfer gave more than Arnold Palmer,
and each of the three honorees will receive The Arnie Award, Golf Digests highest honor,
at the AT&T in February. The Arnie is a trophy-size version of a Palmer bronze sculpture
created by artist Zenos Frudakis. As part of the Golfers Who Give Back program, Golf
Digest will donate a total of $100,000 to MPF and Arnies Army Charitable Foundation.

golfers who give back

KELLY SLATER,
CLAY WALKER
& JULI INKSTER

ARNIE
FOLLOW THE
PALMER METHOD

december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com 53

|

TURFS UP!
SURF CHAMP
KELLY SLATER
ALSO EXCELS
IN GOLF
(& HIS CAUSES)
EDITORS NOTE : Kelly Slater,
the World Surf League cham-
pion a record 11 times, took
up golf at 23 and has played
more than 150 rounds a year.
Christian Iooss, the executive
producer of video at Golf Digest
and a surfer since he was 7,
interviewed Slater, 45, at his
Surf Ranch wave pool in Cali-
fornia after Slaters return from
competing in the Dunhill Links
Championship pro-am in Scot-
land. The photo was taken by
Christians father, Walter Iooss
Jr., a surfer-turned-golfer who
has been photographing Slater
for 27 years.
and Ive spoken to him about it.
ten to 15 years ago, there
were no professional
surfers playing golf. now it
seems like its the activity
of choice on lay days
at contests. what about
golf appeals to surfers?
It was about 10 years ago that
it started. Weve got a group
you can follow on Instagram
[@golfgeek]. We get quite a few
pro golfers who are followers.
Its just a good yin/yang with
surng and golf. Theyre almost
opposite sports. The common
theme is, theyre solitary.
But in golf, nothings moving,
whereas surng, everything is
moving. Its a dierent dynamic
altogether. When the waves are
no good, we always say the golf
course is six to eight feet and
oshore.
IV E BACK THE ARNIE
OG
2017
AW
WH
ARDS
GOLFERS
GOLFERS
ARDS
2018
WH
AW
O
E GIV
E B AC K T H E A R NI
golf is defined by rules;
surfing has very few. do you
like the balance?
Ive often thought if you
switched the two, how dier-
ent the environments would
be. Ive played with a lot of pros
over the years, and they like
the freedom that surfers have.
When they play on their own
with no cameras around,
the shoes come o, theres no
shirtthey want to peel o
that layer of formality. Surfers
are kind of the opposite. Were
like, Oh, we nally get to dress
up a few times a week with
a nice shirt and tuck it in.
We sort of feel like weve joined
society again.
There are quite a few pro
golfers that have gotten into
surng. Geo Ogilvy. Greg
Norman was thinking about
being a pro surfer before he was
a golfer. I saw a documentary
where he talked about that,
He knew some of the old-school
shapers and pro surfers from
the Gold Coast before we had a
world tour. Rafa Cabrera-Bello,
hes gotten into it. We were all
stoked when Adam Scott won
the Masters, because he was the
rst surfer to win it.
Photographs by Walter Iooss Jr.

IV E BACK THE ARNIE
OG
AW
WH
ARDS
GOLFERS
ARDS
AW
E GIV
E B AC K T H E A R NI
IVE GOT MY
HANDS IN A LOT
OF DIFFERENT
PLACES, BUT
ALL ARE CLOSE
TO MY HEART.
is adam the best surfing
pro golfer?
I havent seen them all surf
yet. Nick Watney loves surng,
too. When I see him, he starts
geeking about John John [Flor-
ence, current surf champion].
youve been on a break from
the surf tour while nursing
broken bones in your foot,
but you seem to be finding
time for golf. hows the
game?
I was in a boot for about two
months but played golf a couple
of times. It was nice because it
took the foot out of playluck-
ily it was my back footso I
could just hit some low balls
and sit on the front foot.
whats a good score for you?
My best is four or ve under.
I shot four under at the Pebble
eventve birdies and a bo-
gey at Monterey Peninsula
but mind you, that wasnt from
the pro tees. It was my birth-
day; I gured it was a gift from
the universal golf god. Ive
56 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018
actually been as low as six or
seven under through a round,
GOLFERS
but Ive never nished it out.
I irted with shooting 30 for
nine holes before, just one
WH
O of those days where I was on
and everything was going in.
[Slaters most recent Handicap
Index is 2.8.]
very few professional surf-
ers have been more in tune
with equipment than you.
has that translated to your
golf clubs and your swing?
Ive tinkered with stu here
and there. Ive got my theories
on putting, the way to hit the
ball and set up. I take things
Ive read and watched and
learned from dierent people.
Id say the basis for my golf
swing is two parts. No. 1, when
I rst started, I played with
Tommy Armour [III] and Sandy
[Armours brother] a lot. Sandy
had a swing like Ben Hogan.
And then I read the Hogan
Five Lessons book, and I really
got into that. But I started hook-
ing the ball really bad. I heard
that a lot of people who read
that book start hooking the
ball really bad [laughter]. Then
eight years ago, I really got into
Moe Norman and watching his
old stu. I never met him, but
I felt like I had this connection
to Moe because he spent six
months a year down in Florida,
Titusville and Cocoa, the area
where I grew up.
The rst few months I start-
ed playing golf, Golf Digest did
a 23-page article about him,
so I always had it in the back of
my mind. I felt that Id plateaued
at a 7-handicap, maybe a 6. Then
I got into hitting the ball like
Moe didhands up on a plane
and a 10-nger grip. Instantly
I could feel where the plane was
in my swing and where the club-
face was at the top of my back-
swing. I felt like I could nally
feel control of my swing. There
were simple things, like keep
your back heel on the ground
when you hit through the ball,
that would keep me from sliding
forward or lifting my spine.
So I did my version of that.
sometimes one small
thought can make a big
difference.
For sure. Sometimes you feel
like you play a round or play
for a couple of days with that
thought, and youre like, Oh,
Ive got this game; its over.
Then all of a sudden you fall
o the side of the cli, and
youre like, What happened to
my swing? Surng is a never-
ending challenge, and golf
is a never-ending challenge.
Theres something that trans-
lates there.
do you ever surf and play
golf on the same day?
Golf takes so long. When I
play golf with someone who
walks, I get irritated. If I want to
walk, I go to the beach. I like to
ride to keep it moving. If I were
at a classic golf course, its a dif-
ferent thing. Im not out there
for exercise. I go surf and work
out for exercise. I just want to
hit the ball. I dont want some-
one in front of me. I like to play,
man. I want to bust through
27 holes in 2 hours.
activism with omaze.com?
any betting when you play?
We have side games, nothing
that makes anybody nervous.
Half the time we dont even
pay out. Its more the bragging
rights.
the world surf league
takes you all over to
countries with amazing
golf courses. whats your
favorite?
Ive been fortunate to play in
the Dunhill a few times. Id say
Kingsbarns. St. Andrews, for
the experience and the history
there, but Kingsbarns is just
such a beautiful course, and
theres a perfect right-reef break
o the 15th green. If the tides
high and theres a little swell,
winds always out of the west,
you know youre going to get
a good wave there. Since I rst
went there in 09, I said if there
were waves there, I could live
in St. Andrews. The course that
I play the most through the year
is the Arnold Palmer course at
Turtle Bay [in Oahu, Hawaii].
It feels like my home course.
I usually go out the last two
hours before dark with my
buddies and get 18 in.
bucket-list course?
I really want to get to Barn-
bougle Dunes in Tasmania.
I also want to go to the King
Island course, which is half-
way between Tasmania and
Melbourne. Its an island down
there that I go surf. Oh, and
Cape Kidnappers in New Zea-
land, I really want to go there.
Obviously Augusta and Pine
Valley. Ive been invited to both.
I had a trip to Pine Valley, and
the day I was supposed to y
there, I came down with a two-
day u. It was a bummer.
travel has also given you
a unique perspective on the
health of our planet.
has that guided your philan-
thropy and environmental
Yeah, Omaze is a cool online
fundraising group. Ive done
three or four projects in the
past with them. Weve done
two trips to Fiji, where weve
given the winner a free trip to
Tavarua. We raised quite a bit
of money from that and gave it
to a couple of dierent funds.
Shane Dorian and I donated
to More Than Sport, which
builds skate parks around the
U.S. I gave money to Skate to
School, which gives money for
college tuitions. It helps kids
get through college without
so much debt. That money is
going to the local community
[Lemoore, Calif.] to do things
in the area. Well do one more
giveaway here, and that money
will go to hurricane-disaster
relief in the Caribbean, Puerto
Rico, Florida and Texas. We
had devastating res here in
California, so we might give
some money to that, too. I like
educating people about diet
and helping animals. Ive got
my hands in a lot of dierent
places, but all are close to my
heart. c h r i st i a n i o o ss
I JUST SAY IT LIKE IT IS. CLAY WALKER
FIGHTS BACK AFTER
MS DIAGNOSIS
BY E. MICHAEL JOHNSON so much. I remember they put
a catheter in my arm for steroid
E BACK THE ARNIE
treatments, and every time
IV
OG
I folded my arm playing golf
I could feel that catheter. I was
AW
WH
determined if I was going to
ARDS
GOLFERS
die, I was going to be doing the
GOLFERS
things I loved.
Incredibly, Walker, who lives
ARDS
outside Nashville with his wife,
WH
AW
Jessica, and four children, has
O
E GIV
E B AC K T H E A R NI been relapse- and progression-
free for 19 years thanks to a
drug treatment devised in con-
sultation with his neurologist,
F
Dr. Jerry Wolinsky. That has
allowed Walker to continue do-
or more than a decade, ing all the things he loves. A 7.4
country-music star Clay Index who plays out of Cham-
Walker has dedicated pions Golf Club in Houston,
himself to raising money Walker once got as low as a 1.2,
for and improving the with a career-low score of 68.
lives of those with mul- He plays once or twice a week
tiple sclerosis. Theres and credits Steve Elkington
a reason for that: Walker has with teaching him correct fun-
had the disease, which disrupts damentals and a magic move
the central nervous system, for that allowed him to recently
more than 20 years. rekindle his love for the game.
Golf played a role in his I used to play ve to seven
diagnosis. In February 1996, days a week when I was
Walker was at the top of a a 1-handicap, Walker says,
backswing and felt what he de- but I love the game more now.
scribed as someone shocking More important for those
me down my spinal cord. Two in the MS community, few pos-
months later, he was diagnosed sess as much of a passion for
with relapsing-remitting MS, raising awareness and funds
and the prognosis was grim. than Walker. Championing
I was told in four years Id
be in a wheelchair, and in eight
the cause through his char-
ity, Band Against MS, Walker
years Id be dead, he says.
Thats a helluva wake-up call
has raised millions of dollars
through events such as an an-
for a guy who is 26 years old.
I was concerned MS was going
nual bike ride, Give MS the
Boot concerts and a yearly golf
to ruin my life and take away
the things I love most: the abili-
tournament at Pebble Beach.
The latter was in large part due
ty to play with my kids, to walk,
to sing, to play golf. I love golf
to his friendship with the late
RJ Harper, the longtime Pebble
head pro and senior executive
who instilled the importance of
volunteers and structure in run-
ning an organization.
I cant say enough about
structure, says Walker, who
58 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018
competes annually in the AT&T
Pebble Beach Pro-Am. To have
a great golf game day in and day
out, you need to have incredible
fundamentals. The same is true
in business and charity work.
Having the right chairperson,
the right sta and the right com-
mittees for charity is everything.
These are not successful by
accident. They have a relation-
ship with me that is authentic.
Theres transparency, and there
is a commitment on my side
to do my part. When you have
those componentsthose fun-
damentalsyou can be success-
ful. Without them, you cannot.
Walker knows of success
but also has rst-hand knowl-
edge of the other side, hav-
ing grown up in poverty in
Beaumont and Vidor, Texas.
Most of the clothes he wore
through high school were hand-
me-downs from relatives. He
also believes being part of the
country-music community
gives him a certain perspective
on wanting to assist people
in need. They call country
music blue-eyed soul, he says.
I believe the people in it know
where pain and suering come
from. So when they see some-
one going through a hard time,
their response is, Yeah, Ill help
ya, brother.
That keeps Walker ground-
ed despite considerable suc-
cess. His rst four albums all
went platinum, and he has had
I WANT EVERY
PERSON WITH
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
TO GET INVOLVED
AND BECOME A
PART OF THIS CURE.
six No. 1 singles. One of them,
titled Live Until I Die, was
released before his diagnosis.
Walker, however, prefers to ref-
erence his song The Chain of
Love, which he wants to turn
into a chain of hope for those
with MS. On his website there is
a section titled Meet The He-
roes, a compilation of stories
from those aected with MS.
When I see someone who
has been devastated by this
disease, and I watch them rise
above the ashes, it is nothing
less than heroic, he says. No
one knows when this disease
is going to take a dierent
course. So, there is some fear
that drives me. But for the most
part, its, How can I help the
ones not as lucky as me? I want
to join arms with them and
form a great chain of hope. Its
those heroes that are the stron-
gest links in that chain. If I can
connect those heroes to the rest
of the MS community, I have
every belief that we can nd a
cure for MS.
That belief is not merely
wishful thinking. Walker is
working on an app with Air-
Strip, a company that devel-
ops programs that connect
clinicians and patients across
geographic, technological and
work-ow boundaries. The
app allows patients to interact
digitally, and Walker says some
of the best MS specialists on
the globe are working on it. The
goal, he says, is to have whoever
is willing from the MS commu-
nity to share their data do so.
I want every person with
multiple sclerosis to get in-
volved and become a part of
this cure, says Walker, who
contends that perhaps his
greatest asset is convincing
people hes the person to work
with on this. The reason
I believe I have the integrity
I do within the MS community
is because I just say it like it is,
he says. I dont make promises
I cant keep. Im just one of
them.
|
|
DIRTY

IV E BACK THE ARNIE
OG

AW
WH

ARDS
GOLFERS

GOLFERS
ARDS

WH
AW

O
E GIV
E B AC K T H E A R NI

DANCING

ill be honest: If the Solheim

Cup were the Americans
against an International side,
theyd slaughter us. Of course
theyd beat the Europeans
easily, too. An A team of Asian
players alone would trounce
either team, their B team would
win handily, and their C team
would be very competitive.
So what do we do about that?
Although I think the Solheim
Cup should be left alone, the
Presidents Cup is a dierent
story. Id love to see a 12-player,

JULI INKSTER DISHES ON THE SOLHEIM CUP, mixed-team, round-robin

event. It would be no-brainer,

PANGS FROM RWANDA, AND WHY RULES-BREAKERS must-watch TV. Who wouldnt
watch Jordan Spieth and Lexi

NEED TO BE STOPPEDNOW. WITH GUY YOCOM Thompson playing an intense

its the 1998 solheim cup, and
Im playing with Dottie Pepper
in the opening alternate-shot
match against Laura Davies
and Trish Johnson. In team
events, Dottie played with a
passion that came across as
Dottie against the world. The
golf course and her opponents
were fair game, and on this day
Im not so sure she even liked
me. On the rst hole, Dottie hits
rst and nds the fairway. Laura
then cranks one as only Laura
can, a blast that goes 60 yards
past Dottie. This really annoys
Dottie. She marches o the tee
with all kinds of deance. When
we get to our ball, I cant help
but needle her. I said, Sorry
to ask, but did you even take
o the headcover for this puny
thing? Oh, did she get mad.
She barks, What do you mean?
Its right down the middle! Just
hit it on the green! I cracked
up laughing. We won the hole
and the match, which is a good
thing. If wed lost, Dottie might
still be mad at me.
from casual water, which didnt
what it came down to was,
Dottie hated losing. A lot of
good players are like that,
though they dont always show
it. I won seven majors and 31
tournaments on the LPGA Tour,
and I dont think there was one
where the thrill wasnt gone
by the middle of the day on
Monday. Losing, though, is dif-
ferent. The tough losses stayed
with me, sometimes forever.
18-hole playo the next day,
the best example of that is the
1992 U.S. Womens Open at Oak-
mont. With two holes to play,
I led Patty Sheehan by two. She
birdied the 17th hole, which cut
my lead to one. On 18, I drove
it right down the middle, and
Patty drove into the rough. We
had just come out of a rain de-
lay, and not only was the rough
tall, it was wet. But then Patty
called over a rules ocial. I
was a good distance away and
watched the ocial give Patty
a drop that put her in the fair-
way. Shed been granted relief
in December. By the time Janu-
strike me as possible because
she was on a sideslope and any
water would have owed away.
I dont mind saying that rules
ocials in that period were
weak. They were too permis-
sive. Years later, that ocial
told me that if she had it to do
over, she wouldnt have grant-
ed relief. Patty hit a great shot
onto the green and made birdie
to my par, and we tied. In the
up and asked for everyones
she beat me by two. I still think
about it. It still burns me up.
alternate shot against Jason
Day and Lydia Ko?
weve got to get the mixed-
team events back. I played in a
lot of the old JCPenney Classics
with Tom Purtzer and won one
with him, in 1986. Tom has this
incredibly rhythmic swing that
rubs o on you. The trouble was,
the JCPenney was always played
ary and the new season rolled
around, the good rhythm I got
from watching him had worn
o. I was like, Where are you
when I need you?
cristie kerr and Angela
Stanford are dierent people.
They never got along particu-
larly well. At the last Solheim
Cup, an interesting thing hap-
pened. On the bus, Cristie got
attention. Shed chosen one of
her inspirational quotes she
wanted everyone to hear. I
cant remember itmy crappy
memorybut it was a little bit
out there. But then Angela got
up and explained her interpre-
tation of what the quote meant.

december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com 61


IV E BACK THE ARNIE
OG
AW
WH
ARDS
GOLFERS
ARDS
AW
E GIV
E B AC K T H E A R NI
Cristie listened intently, and
next thing you know, she and
Angela are hanging out, talking,
still dierent people but totally
bonding, and better o for it.
Team golfteam sports in
generalstrips o the armor.
It brings out an empathy that
just isnt there when youre
playing individually.
more than ever, theres a
Venus-Mars dierence between
how men and women play
golf. Women are more cautious
because hitting into a fairway
bunker with a high lip is a big-
ger problem than for Dustin
Johnson. Were more careful,
swing in a more controlled
way. A couple of months ago,
I played with Tony Finau in the
Berenberg Gary Player Invita-
tional in New York. Some of his
drives ew so far they almost
went out of sight, but they
werent very straight. I think
he hit two fairways. I teased
Tony: Youre in the junk again,
buddy. With this big smile he
said, If I have a swing, I have
a shot. And it was true. Tall
rough, trees he had to bend the
ball around, it didnt matter.
He just tore the ball onto the
green from everywhere. If I
drove it into the places Tony
did that day, Id shoot a million.
Its not easy being from Venus.
there are exceptions to every
rule. Lexi Thompson and Su-
zann Pettersen are more Mars-
like. Ive seen Lexi take divots a
foot long, and she swings with
a violence that tells you she
doesnt mind breaking things.
She has a kick-ass hit mental-
ity that is rare for a woman.
Suzann has that, too. Theyre
dierent from, say, Ariya Juta-
nugarn, who hits the ball just as
far, but without the violence.
62 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018
the arnie award
GOLFERS
l ast years winners
In 2016-17, Golf Digest
WH
O awarded the inaugural winners
of The Arnie Award as part
of our Golfers Who Give Back
series. Last years winners:
niall horan
The singer has helped raise
funds for Cancer Research
UK Kids & Teens and the Kate
and Justin Rose Foundation,
designed to ght childhood
hunger in the United States.
peyton manning
The former NFL quarterbacks the clean water in our bottles,
charitable work has included
the Peyton Manning Childrens
Hospital at St. Vincent in
Indianapolis and the Peyback
Foundation for disadvantaged
youth.
phil mic kelson
Mickelson and his wife,
Amy, through the Phil & Amy
Foundation, have supported
Birdies for the Brave, which
funds several military-support
organizations, including the
Special Operations Warrior
Foundation and Homes For
Our Troops. The Mickelsons
also partnered to develop the
Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers
Academy, a curriculum that
gives grade-school teachers
tools to motivate students
in math and science.
jake owen
The Jake Owen Foundation has
beneted several organizations,
including St. Jude Childrens
Research Hospital, Hibiscus
Childrens Center, Boys & Girls
Clubs of America, Habitat for
Humanity, and Autism Speaks.
in 2007, Betsy King put together
a mission trip to Rwanda un-
der the charity she founded
called Golf Fore Africa. The
goal was to raise awareness
of the poverty and health is-
sues the Rwandan people face
every day, and to help where
we could. Ten of us made the
trip, including my daughters,
Hayley and Cori, who at the
time were 17 and 13. We were
there for 10 days, and what we
saw changed our perspective on
how fortunate we are to live in
America, and the importance
of trying to give back. We saw
children who didnt just admire
be very discouraging. You felt
they admired the bottles. The
people there walk for miles just
to retrieve clean drinking water.
Little things, like our passing
out candy, meant the world to
them. What made the biggest
impression on meHayley
and Cori, too, I thinkwas the
happiness of the children. How
they seemed to be so content
while having so little. It was up-
lifting and heartbreaking at the
same time. My daughters and
I came back as slightly dierent
people. Whenever I see a half-
full water bottle, I feel a slight
pang. I think about Rwanda.
my advice to young players:
golf is unique among all
sports for what it does for char-
ity on an almost daily basis.
There are the big LPGA Tour
and PGA Tour events, which
over the years have contributed
hundreds of millions of dollars.
But then there are the thou-
sands of smaller golf tourna-
ments at everyday clubs every
week. The sum of it has to be
incredible. I think its human
nature to wonder how you can
help. Just buying a ticket to a
tour event does something, but
you might consider volunteer-
ing at a tour event, or manning
the sign-up table at one of those
small Monday tournaments.
Or buying a couple of extra
rae tickets. Or best, making
a donation at a website such as
goloreafrica.org. Ive always
thought its cool how when you
give something through golf,
the game repays you by making
you feel good inside. The feel-
ing is tax-free, too.
annika sorenstam has been
retired for going on 10 years
now, so for those who didnt
see her, Ill tell you what her
golf was like. She was the only
player who, when she hit, your
eyes immediately darted to a
little window above the ag-
stick. Thats rare for anyone,
man or woman. Her ball ight
was dead straight, which is also
very rare because every player
tends to favor a fade or draw.
Her iron shots had no utter
to them, never seemed to drift
or fall o. When Annika was
on, playing against her could
this pressure to make birdies
because you knew she wasnt
going to miss shots.
the best ball-striker I saw in
my career, though, was Karrie
Webb. At her best, when she hit,
the sound of the club meeting
the ball was unique. It was the
kind of sound that makes seri-
ous golfers turn their heads.
Watching her hit balls, a made-
up word came to mind: ush-
ness. Her ball would really hiss
when it took o and penetrated
the air so well.
Stop stretching so much. Some-
thing tells me this constant
stretching in the gym to elon-
gate muscles and become more
exible is causing injuries rath-
er than preventing them. I dont
think the body is designed for
muscles to be stretched that
far. It gives players a false sense
they can push the envelope,
swing longer and harder. I have
no proof, except that I never
stretched except during my
normal warm-up. In 35 years,
Ive had only one injury, a torn
tendon in my right elbow.

i didnt take up golf until I
was 15. My dad, Jack Simpson,
was a hack golfer but knew
enough to show me a sound
interlocking grip, and I sort
of took it from there. I played
constantly, before and after
school, then went to basket-
ball practice. I was just a jock,
someone who was good at any
game with a ball. In summer,
I would lap Pasatiempo all day
long. I played a lot with Grant
Rogers, who now is the direc-
tor of instruction at Bandon
Dunes. He gave me a lot of
little tips. I was a good athlete
and got good at golf very fast.
I made the boys high school
varsity team, then earned a
scholarship to San Jose State.
Beginning in 1980, I won three
straight U.S. Womens Ama-
teurs. Then in 1984, my rst
full season on the LPGA Tour,
I won two majors. Looking
back, I just expected to win,
and it happened. I dont think
I knew how hard golf could be.
like i say, i worked at it.
Pasatiempo didnt have a very
good practice range, but on
days I didnt play, Id hit balls
literally all day long. Id practice
in the morning, get something
to eat, then, in the afternoon,
the real work began. Id go onto
the range with a transistor ra-
diowhich I still have, by the
waytune to the San Francisco
Giants game and hit balls from
the pre-game show until it went
o the air. I just loved being by
myself, guring out my swing
and grooving it. Always trying
to get better.
when he coached my brothers
as kids, wed go into the can-
yons at Pasatiempo and look
for golf balls. It was an easy
walk from our home near the
14th hole, and thats how we
made spending money. Wed
sort the balls, put them in egg
cartons, set up a lemonade
stand and position ourselves so
golfers would run into us. I still
remember what we charged for
them. A new Titleist, Maxi or
Hogan balata with no cuts, 35
cents. A new Top-Flite or Moli-
torthey were real durable25
WHEN YOU GIVE SOMETHING THROUGH GOLF,
THE GAME REPAYS YOU BY MAKING YOU FEEL
GOOD INSIDE. THE FEELING IS TAX-FREE, TOO.
cents. A good Golden Ram,
Flying Lady, Kro-Flite or nicer
brands, but scued, 15 cents.
thinking more on my dad,
he was this amazing athlete.
Id always taken for granted
how eortlessly hed eld balls
at Little League, how he taught
kids how to hit with these in-
credible demonstrations. Just
last year, my mom brought out
a scrapbook and showed me his
history. It was incredible. Hed
been a star quarterback at Van
Nuys High School, which was
a huge school and producer of
tremendous athletes, includ-
ing Don Drysdale, who got to
the Baseball Hall of Fame. My
dad loved baseball and reached
Triple-A in the Cincinnati Reds
organization. He played short-
stop and had a ton of promise
but was derailed by pneumonia
and then an injury. The moral
of that is, talk to your parents.
Learn their histories. You might
be amazed what you nd out.
there are movies we all wish
we were characters in, right?
Nothing could be better than to
be Jennifer Grey in Dirty Danc-
ing. To be twirled around in a
dance scene by Patrick Swayze,
I mean, come on. I still watch
that movie. I still get up and
dance, with zero embarrass-
ment. Theres a line from the
character Johnny that applies
to how Ive run my whole life:
Nobody puts Baby in a corner.
like most tournaments these
days, the KPMG Womens PGA
Championship provides every-

making a difference and mentoring programs for young women,

monterey peninsul a foundation and
arnies army charitable foundation
improve lives across america
magaly zagal is only 22, yet already is
assembling an impressive rsum that includes
a degree from the University of California,
Berkeley, an internship in Sacramento for her
state assemblyman and another in his home
district, and soon a law degree from UC Davis.
Yet what distinguishes at least to the same
degree as her education is her gratitude, for the
help she received along the way from Girls Inc.
of the Central Coast, a beneciary of Monterey
Peninsula Foundation.
Im a rst-generation college and graduate
student, says Zagal, a native of Salinas,
Calif. My parents werent knowledgeable
girls inc. of the central coast
9-18, all over the Central Coast, says its
executive director, Patricia Fernandez-Torres.
Zagal was interested in attending college but
had no idea how to navigate the cumbersome
process. Girls Inc. helped with every aspect,
including visits to college campuses and
taking her and others to the state capital in
Sacramento. m a g a ly z a g a l :
I was able to meet our assemblyman, Luis i owe my entire career
Alejo, she says. Listening to people in power to girls inc.
and meeting assembly members and women in
these leadership positions, I gained an interest organization that opened up doors for me.
in policy and law. Girls Inc. is only one of the groups MPF
Zagal applied to Berkeley, but her application supports, with its focus on arts and culture,
was rejected. One of my mentors was a community and environment, education, health
Berkeley alum, and she encouraged me and human services, and youth.
to appeal the decision, Zagal says. She The mission of Arnies Army Charitable
actually wrote one of my letters of support. I Foundation is similar, but specically is

about higher education. I couldnt go to them.
They didnt understand. Girls Inc. opened up
opportunities for me. I owe my entire career to
Girls Inc.
Zagal embodies the dierences Monterey
Peninsula Foundation and Arnies Army
Charitable Foundation are making in peoples
lives through nancial support.
Girls Inc., for instance, provides leadership
appealed, and a month later, Berkeley reversed
its decision. Moreover, she received a Gates
Millennium Scholarship that paid for her entire
undergraduate education.
I didnt even know what an assembly
member was at 14, Zagal said. And now Im
at UC Davis School of Law, my third year of law
school. Im taking the [California] bar exam on
July 22. Im grateful to have been part of an
focused on combating cancer in children.
[Arnold Palmer] was committed to so many
philanthropic initiatives throughout his life,
Palmers daughter Amy Saunders says, but
supporting children in their ght against cancer
and other debilitating diseases was always a
priority. I know we are making him proud every
day, especially in expanding the Arnies March
campaign. john strege

december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com 63

THERES A TREND ON THE PRO TOURS
OF PLAYERS NOT TAKING THE RULES OF GOLF
AS SERIOUSLY AS THEY SHOULD.
IM TALKING ABOUT ACTUAL FUDGING.
thing, including the little things like
snacks, water and a variety of drinks on
every tee. In 2015, I was walking down
the second hole with a young player
cant remember who it was; thats how
bad my memory is gettingand she
says. What did you do before there was
bottled water? I told her how in the
early 1980s theyd take a hose and ll
18 insulated water coolers and set
them on the tee next to a stack of Dixie
Cups. Hose water? she said. Eww.
I told her how we used rotary phones to
call and get our tee times. The crummy
range balls, how greens were slow and
covered with ball marks. Then I told
her about persimmon woods and ba-
lata balls. I said, But you know, in a lot
of ways it was better. She looked at me
like I was a thousand years old.
i still feel the lpga tour deserves
more attention than its getting. There
are several reasons, starting with the
media. Why was the Golf Channel not
broadcasting the Solheim Cup all week
the way it was at the Presidents Cup?
Why arent more women on the covers
of Golf Digest? I also have a hunch that
male CEOs are more inclined to want to
tell their buddies they played in a pro-
am with Jordan Spieth than with, say,
Juli Inkster. I think, too, that if more of
them had daughters who were fans of
the LPGA, it would actually result in
more tournaments on our tour getting
sponsorships. Last, PGA Tour players
arent very quick to promote the wom-
ens game. Theyre wrapped up in their
own product, which is understandable,
except that it isnt good for the overall
health of the game. When the media,
CEOs and mens tour players begin tak-
ing a longer view, thats when youll see
the LPGA Tour explode.
on the lpga tour, theres what we call
white line yardage. Say the course
is listed at 6,600 yards. That comes
from an actual white line marked
on the tees. During the tournament,
the tees will be at the white line or a
little ahead, so the distance is shorter
than 6,600 yards. Mens tour, same
thingthe daily yardage is less than the
7,500 yards measured from the tips. My
feeling is, the LPGA should play even
farther forward from the white lines,
especially on the par 5s. Youve probably
noticed that men play very few three-
shot par 5s. Theyre nearly all reachable
in two. They make a ton of eagles, which
is thrilling for their fans. Meanwhile,
the LPGA seems hung up on the idea of
three-shot par 5s. One ocial told me,
If the par 5s are reachable in two, the
group in the fairway has to wait. Im
not sure I get that, because playing three
shots at a normal pace would seem
to take longer than two. Anything the
LPGA ocials can do to make it more
fun to watch, they should go for it.
theres a trend on the pro tours of
players not taking the Rules of Golf
as seriously as they should. Im talking
about obvious fudging on placing and
replacing the ball; taking more than a
club-length when lift, clean and place
is in eect. I saw a so-called practice
swing awhile back that was unmistak-
ably a whi. Theres never an excuse for
not putting the integrity of the game
rst. The rules are complicated, I get
that. But they are sacred. There are
some attitudes out there that need to
change, right now.
one day a few years ago I asked my
caddie for my ball, and he said, Its in
your hand. I asked for my glove, and
he said, Youre wearing it. I noticed
I usually was last to get to the next tee,
when I used to be rst. My focus, which
always was stronger than my ball-
striking, short game and putting, had
started to deteriorate. There was men-
tal scar tissue and bad mojo. Id played
the same courses for years and started
thinking about what could happen if
I missed that slick, downhill three-foot-
er. I couldnt get that stu out of my
head. Thats when I decided to cut back
to about 10 tournaments a year. But Im
not done. Im 57, but if everything went
right, whos to say I couldnt win?
 you

ize
r
ter gam
win
e
R S ME DE
YO U T O T S I
WI AN
NG
OR AS OU
S F R H LD
EW NGE S CO
D N LO I T '
BA T NO BY,
HA BA
TT
BU

OURE NOT INTO SKIING; you cant skate; you built your last snowman 27 years
Y ago, and that whole dusk at 4:25 p.m. thing really gets you down. We get it. Win-
ter sucks. For those of us who dont have a nourishing cold-weather activity to pass
the time between golf seasons, the dark months are brutal. Even worse, as we peek out
the window, wondering if it will ever be playable again, our golf games turn to crap. By the
time spring rolls around, were struggling just to put the ball in play. 4 Though we under-
stand this annual plight, it doesnt have to be this way. Theres no need to let your game
get rusty. These days there are commercial simulators, indoor practice centers, hitting bays
with heaters, even software that turns your atscreen into a virtual-golf experience. What
were trying to say is that you dont have to put your sticks away if you live in Frostbite Falls,
Minnesota. Just practice anywhere its warm. 4On the following pages, tour pros such as
Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Cheyenne Woods, and top instructors including David Lead-
better and Stan Utley (right) are going to teach you how to winterize your game while you wait
for the big thaw. And for you Sunbelt golfers, these tips work outdoors, too. RON KASPRISKE

66 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

Photograph by J.D. Cuban
GET COMFORTABLE
PITCHING OFF TIGHT LIES
BY STAN UTLEY
hether youre making

W swings on articial turf,

like I am here at this
indoor facility (previous page),
or youre practicing on berber in
your den, you can get a feel for
how your wedge needs to slide
along the surface to execute a
pitch from a tight or hardpan lie.
Come in too steep, and youre
going to feel that hard impact all
the way up your arms. Stand tall
and swing so the wedges sole
skims along the ground.

utley is one of Golf Digests

50 Best Teachers in America.

USE THIS TIME

TO MAKE A PUTTING CHANGE
FOR THE BETTER
BY HANK HANEY
he racks are lled with

T all kinds of putters

designed to make
rolling the ball easier, and thats

previous page: j.d. cuban como, haney, hull, leadbetter: j.d. cuban spieth: walter iooss jr.
great for some players. But the
best putterhead technology in
the world isnt going to help
if you cant control the face
through impact. If you think
you have the yips, or generally
struggle to hit putts on the line
youve chosen, dont be afraid
to try dierent ways to hold the HIT SOLID CHIPS WITH YOUR KNEES
club, as well as grips of dierent BY DAVID LEADBETTER
shapes and sizes. Shaking
things up can really change hipping indoors is a time-honored way to get
the way your hands and wrists
respond through impact and
C your golf x on inclement days. But rather than
doing it mindlessly, use this time to improve
can calm down extra movement. your lower-body action. Many amateurs hit these shots
Here Im holding an oversize o their back foot, trying to lift the ball into the air. If
putting grip. If youre still using you hang back with a cushy lie, you might get lucky and
a grip of standard thickness, just still chip it OK. But do it on a door mat, and you might
the dierent feeling of holding ricochet one o the china cabinet. The goal is to get your
this grip can do wonders for a weight on the front foot and hit down on the ball. A good
shaky stroke. It has saved plenty technique to ensure that happens is to move your back
of careers on the professional knee toward the target as you swing down. It can even
tours, believe me, and can make bump the front knee. This will help you hit it solid. Check
putting fun for you again. this move in front of a mirror to conrm what youre doing.

haney is one of Golf Digests leadbetter is one of Golf Digests

50 Best Teachers in America. 50 Best Teachers in America.

68 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

 you

ize
r
ter
win
gam
e
LEARN TO TAKE IT EASY WHEN YOU PUTT
BY JORDAN SPIETH
utting problems often stem from eorttoo

P much eort. I see a lot of amateurs strangle the

grip and then make a jabby stroke. The result is
typically a miss, usually short, often crooked. If you make
a softer, quieter stroke, the result will almost always be
better. Spend this oseason developing smooth tempo
by swinging your phone charger back and forthheavy
end hanging downlike youre making a putting stroke.
Notice how you cant do it if you use too much muscle.
You have to stay smooth. Duplicate this eort with a
putter in your hands to make a better stroke.

spieth is a Golf Digest Playing Editor.

SEE HOW MANY SHOTS YOU CAN PULL OFF WITH ONE WEDGE BY CHRIS COMO
onventional wis-

C dom in pitching is
that you use dier-
ent clubs to change
FINE-TUNE YOUR
PUTTING SETUP NOW!
trajectories. For example, use BY CHARLEY HULL
a 60-degree lob wedge for the
soft, oating shots and a
W
ith putting, even the
50-degree gap wedge for those most subtle changes
low checkers. Thats ne, but can feel really awkward
Id rather see you get versatile at rst. Thats why its smart
with just one club. Spend this to make them in the oseason.
winter using your sand wedge to Be prepared that your putting
hit a variety of pitch shots. Try might get worse before it gets
to hit it super high; make the better, but you cant ignore the
ball grab and stop; see if you can importance of ne-tuning
get it to run out once it lands. especially your setup. One of
Why only one club? It helps the most important things
improve feel, and thats super I concentrate on in practice
important in the short game. is eye positioning. You should
You get more control over your check to make sure your eyes
angles of attack and experi- are either directly over the ball
ence dierent kinds of contact. or just inside of it, otherwise
When it comes time to play youll probably struggle to hit
again, youll have so much more the putt on the line that you
condence and exibility with see. You can check your eye
that one club, and your scoring positioning by simply setting
should improve because youll up for a putt and dropping
be more comfortable in a vari- another ball from your eyes to
ety of short-game situations. the ground. Wherever it lands
As a bonus, practicing with one is directly below where your
wedge this way will eventually eyes are set. Ive been working
help you be more versatile with on getting my eyes just inside
all the clubs in your bag. Youll the ball I address, rather than
have so many more tools to directly over it. I roll it on line
navigate a round of golf. better this way. Give it a try.

como is one of Golf Digests hull won the LPGA Tours 2016
50 Best Teachers in America. CME Group Tour Championship.

december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com 69

YOU CAN
STILL WORK ON
EVERYTHING
FROM GRIP
TO TEMPO IN
THE WINTER.

|

DONT LET YOUR DRIVER SWING GET STAGNANT BY CHEYENNE WOODS
L
IVING IN the
Phoenix area,
I have the luxury
of playing golf
year-round. I realize many
of you dont have 12-month
access to a course, but there
are some things you can do
in the oseason that can be
helpful to avoid a slow start
next season. One thing that
can deteriorate fairly quickly
is your driving accuracy. To
prevent that from happening
this winter, consider doing
these things that I work on
with my coach, Mike LaBauve.
1 3
If you can nd a range with
heated stalls or have access
to a simulator, experiment with
dierent swing speeds until
you nd the one that lets you
hit it your best. There's this
misconception that you have
to swing a driver all-out. Not
true. I rarely swing as fast as I
can. My tempo is smooth, but
the ball is still getting out there
around 250 yardsand its
landing in the fairway. Thats
the real key. Hit 10 balls at half
speed, 10 balls at a slightly
faster pace, 10 balls even faster,
and nally 10 as fast as you
can. Notice which swing speed
produces the best blend of
distance and accuracy. Once
you identify the right speed
for you, practice at that pace
even when making air swings
in your garageto groove it.
2 Its time tonally
come up with a pre-shot
routine. This helps maintain
consistency in your tee game,
making sure things such as ball
position and body alignment
never vary. Try dierent
choreography and see what
you feel the most comfortable
doing, such as walking in from
behind the ball, waggling,
making rehearsal swings, etc.
You can even gure all this out
in your living room. The point
is, once you have a routine that
you like, always follow it to
reinforce consistency.
Create fairways in your
head. What I mean is
that when youre practicing
on the range, or even messing
with your driver in the back
yard, dont just swing. Picture
a fairway and how you would
play it. Then try to make a
swing that matches your
goal. Dont forget to use your
newfound swing speed.
4
Whether its fear, bad
mechanics or a lack of
physical ability, most amateurs
I see dont turn their bodies in
the backswing as much as they
should. I dont expect you to
turn back as much as Im doing
here, but even a 10-percent
increase is going to pay o
next season. And nows the
time to get used to that move.
To improve your turn, put
your arms across your chest
and stand in front of a mirror.
Pivot your body like youre
making a backswing, and look
you
ize
r
ter
win
gam
e
in the mirror to see where your
lead shoulder is when youve
completed the turn. Now make
another pretend backswing,
and see if you can turn that
shoulder farther. Keep working
on increasing the distance
that shoulder moves back, and
youll improve your mobility
and be prepared to make a
better swing by the Masters.
5
Nows the time to do
a grip check to see if you
need to adjust. If you wait and
try changing your grip during
the spring, youll be ready to
quit the game by the Fourth of
July. Things to check: Are you
holding the club mostly in the
ngers of your left hand (for
righties) instead of letting the
grip rest more in the palm? Are
you holding the club without
any tension? Are your hands
in complementary positions?
Is your grip strong enough,
meaning is your left hand
turned clockwise on the club's
handle enough so you can see
the back of your glove? Most of
the amateurs I see, like eight
out of 10, have their hands in a
weak position on the handle.
If you answered no to any
of those questions, consider
adjusting your grip now, so you
can enjoy the benets when
you're back playing.
woods ranked 20th on the LPGA
Tour in 2017 in driving accuracy,
hitting 78.7 percent of fairways.
Photograph by J.D. Cuban

USE THIS CROSS-HANDED DRILL TO DISCOVER CONSISTENT CONTACT BY CAMERON MCCORMICK
STARTED coach-
I ing Jordan Spieth
when he was 12.
His swing was id-
iosyncratic in many wayshis
shoulders were dramatically
open at address, hed are the
club inside on the takeaway, his
left elbow was bent nearly 40
degrees at the topbut he pro-
duced consistent contact that
allowed him to shape the ball
both ways. As a young teacher,
this really challenged me. If I
imposed too much traditional
swing philosophy on this phe-
nom, surely Id mess him up.
For the rst time, I appreciated
the idea that the only position
in the swing that truly matters
is the bottom.
To get my students to un-
72 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018
derstand impact, I often tell
them to think of the swing as a
large circle traced by the path
of the clubhead. On a perfect
strike with an iron, the bot-
tom of this circle occurs after
the ball is struck. Thatll make
a perfect divot. An eective
drill to achieve this is to grip
the club cross-handed and hit
punch shots. That means for
right-handers, the left hand
is beneath the right as you
see here (large photo, above).
Swinging cross-handed can be
strenuous on the shoulders, so
start with 30-yard punches. If
youre exible, you can work
your way to full swings with
any iron. You can even use
plastic balls in the yard if your
course is closed. Like magic,
N
this drill cures two common
swing problems: a premature
release and getting stuck.
Ill explain how.
Most amateurs go wrong
by reaching the bottom of their
swing too early. This premature
release, also called casting,
leads to chunks and tops. Golf-
ers with this issue need to get
the shaft leaning forward at im-
pactthe hands slightly ahead
of the ballto shift the bottom
of their swing circle forward.
When golfers practice with
the cross-handed grip, the top
hand has a tendency to push
the handle toward the target,
creating this desired impact
position. Remember this feel-
ing when you go back to your
normal grip.
A problem more typical of
better players is getting stuck,
when the hips unwind so fast
on the downswing that the club
gets trapped behind the body
instead of staying in front of it
(photos, above). From here they
will hit a lot of blocks to the
right, or sometimes snap-hooks
if they over-correct with the
hands. Because the wrists are
restricted with a cross-handed
grip, these moves become al-
most impossible. The weight
of the clubhead pulls it in front
of the body on the downswing.
Now the club is in front of the
golfer at the bottom, exactly
where it should be.
mccormick is one of Golf Digests
50 Best Teachers in America.
 you

ize
r
ter
win
gam
e
TRAIN TO STRIKE A POSE
BY JUSTIN THOMAS
hen I watch amateurs rehearse

W before hitting a shot, a lot of times

I see really nice-looking swings.
They look smooth, in no hurry, and they dont
stop until theyve made a nice wraparound
nish. Then they step up to the ball and
swing, and it looks short, quick and o-
balance. What happened? Well, Ill let the DONT HIT THAT BALL,
sport psychologists tackle that one. Rather HIT THE NEXT ONE
than focus on that, I want you to pay more BY MATT WILSON
attention to what youre feeling as you make
those nice practice swings without a ball. his is going to be the
I hope youll be doing that a lot around the
house this winter. See if you can swing at
T year you nally start
hitting your irons the
a pace that allows you to get into a nish distances youre supposed to
position like youre striking a pose. Here Ive hit them. How? Youre going to
got my weight on my left side, posting on use this winter to learn to swing
that leg, and my shoulders and chest are through the ball, not at it. If you
fully rotated. I could stand like this for hours. have plastic or foam balls and
What I did was swing at a pace where the can work outside, address a
club was moving its fastest just past impact. ball with your iron, but place a
The momentum of this acceleration carried second ball down an inch closer
me into this pose. Do that over and over, to your target. When you swing,
and it will eventually take hold when you get put all your attention on hitting
back on the course. the second ball. This will get
you to strike the rst ball solidly,
thomas was the PGA Tour's and keep the swing going. After
Player of the Year for 2017. a while, take the second ball
away, but pretend like its still
there and try to hit it. Even if you
cantor wontswing outdoors,
using the ball in front of the
ball visualization is a great
way to put your attention on the
A SWING DESIGNED TO CURE THOSE target side of the ball. Youll feel
FAT AND THIN SHOTS BY JORGE PARADA
mccormick, thomas: walter iooss jr. parada , wilson: j.d. cuban

like the clubhead is moving low

along the ground after impact
he reason youre not hitting it as solid as you thats how to pick up a full club

T like might be a lack of extension. For right-

handers, the right arm should be straightening
on iron shots.

as the clubhead strikes the ball and continuing to wilson is one of Golf Digests
extend post impact. When it stops extending or folds Best Young Teachers.
before impact, its really dicult to catch the ball in the
center of the clubface. There goes your consistency.
The common result is the club crashing into the turf
behind the ball (fat) or catching it on the upswing with
the leading edge (thin). You can train a better golf swing
this oseason by making half-speed swings with your
right arm only. The weight of the clubhead will support
the feeling and motion of the right elbow pushing
down as you strike the ground. This feeling and look of
extension will continue well past impact.

parada is one of Golf Digests Best Young Teachers.

december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com 73

B E H I N D E V E RY S U C C E S S F U L G O L F E R
I S A C A D D I E W I T H A S T E A DY P R E S E N C E .

THE2
H E R E , T H E 3 6 G R E AT E S T O F A L L T I M E
by guy yocom

OFUS
74 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018
 d av e m u s g r ov e
guided three
p l ay e r s t o f o u r
major titles,
including seve
ballesteros
in the 1979 open
c h a m p i o n s h i p.

|
 andy martinez
Martinez was at the side of
Johnny Miller for 12 of Millers
prime years and was with Tom
Lehman for two full decades. All
together, Martinez has caddied
CONSIDER a Scottish caddie who went by the name Mad Mac. In the employ of Max for eight PGA Tour winners. At
Faulkner during the 1951 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, Mad Mac wore a long rain- 68, hes still going strong.
coat with no shirt. Fastened to a lanyard around his neck was a pair of binoculars, which had
no lenses. He used them to study putting lines for Faulkner, and at a crucial juncture advised billy foster
him: The putt is slightly straight, sir. Fortied by such advice, Faulkner won that Open. For starters, the seen-it-all
What do we see in Mad Mac, who sadly did not squeeze onto our list of the 36 Greatest bagman spent five years with
Caddies of All Time? Deciencies to be sure, but also valuable qualities that range beyond Seve Ballesteros. Foster then
merely strapping a bag to his shoulder. Mad Mac was a geographer, unintentional comedian, added Lee Westwood, Sergio
coach, pack mule and friend. And if his toolbox were a bit deeper and included traits we see Garcia, Darren Clarke and, brief-
in caddies who are on the list, you might nd he also was a mathematician, sport psycholo- ly, Tiger Woods to his rsum.
gist, swing coach, butler, chaueur and police ocer. Caddies might not quite be at center Has worked 13 Ryder Cups.
stage in the hit play that is golf, but they do more than whisper lines from the wings. The
major-championship and victory totals, longevity and range of players served attest to that. eddie lowery
Maybe the players say it better than we can. Tom Watson, with an assist from writer John As a waish 10-year-old, he cad-
Feinstein, set up a foundation in the wake of the passing from ALS of Bruce Edwards, Watsons died for Francis Ouimet during
caddie and longtime friend. Lee Trevino cared nancially for his caddie, Herman Mitchell, Ouimets titanic upset victory
until his passing. Gary Player bought a house for caddie Eddie McCoy after Players 1978 Mas- in the 1913 U.S. Open. Later as
ters win, and Willie Peterson never had trouble soliciting help from Jack Nicklaus, for whom a wealthy car dealer, he was a
he caddied at the Masters for many years. Pulling clubs is one thing, but to pull such dis- benefactor to Ken Venturi, Tony
plays of loyalty from the greatest players of all time might be the ultimate measure of worth. Lema and Harvie Ward.

Open Championship wins with ernest (creamy) carolan
Sandy Lyle, one U.S. Open with A tour caddie for nearly 50 years,
Lee Janzen and an Open Cham- he worked for Arnold Palmer
pionship with Seve Ballesteros. during Arnolds most productive
years. Other employers included
tony navarro Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Ray-
A dozen years with Greg Nor- mond Floyd and Don January.
man, including the Sharks 1993
Open Championship triumph. angelo argea
Others of note: Adam Scott, Ben The concept of caddie-as-quasi-
Crenshaw and Je Sluman. celebrity began with Angelo.
His bushy, silver mane, gold
willie mcrae neck chain and condent man-
Began looping at Pinehurst on ner looked good alongside Jack
willie (cemetery) poteat direction : jim (bones) his 10th birthday in 1943. He Nicklaus.

previous pages: peter dazeley/getty images mackay: pga tour/pga/getty images

President Dwight Eisenhowers
caddie at Augusta National dur-
ing his presidency and beyond.
The story goes that Poteat was
nicknamed Cemetery for sur-
viving having his throat slashed
by a jealous rival.
ve of his six Masters victories.
skip daniels
After the aging caddie toted for
Gene Sarazen in the 1932 Open
Championship, the Squire
wrote: With Daniels in the
Lions Den, the most beautiful
caddie tribute ever written.
was with him for 19 years and all
willie lee (pappy) stokes
Steered four players to ve Mas-
ters wins. Born in 1920 on the
site of the future Augusta Na-
tional, he helped clear trees to
accommodate Alister MacKen-
zies brilliant design.
m a c k ay w a s o n retired after 74 years this past
phil mickelsons bag October, though he still takes
for 25 years. special requests. Caddied for
Bobby Jones, ve U.S. presidents
and worked the 1951 Ryder Cup.
willie peterson
Was at Jack Nicklaus side for james (tip) anderson
Was Arnold Palmers man at
Petersons leap into the air when every Open Championship
Nicklaus holed a 40-footer for The King played. When Arnold
birdie on the par-3 16th in 1975 skipped the 1964 Open, Tip
is a Masters highlight staple. picked up Tony Lemas bag
and shepherded him to victory.
herman mitchell
Lee Trevinos rotund counterpart mike (fluff) cowan
The walrus-mustached, 40-year
six of his majors. His deadpan veterans first name bag was
demeanor made him the perfect Peter Jacobsen, whom he served
foil to the animated Trevino. for 18 years. After working three
years as Tiger Woods rst regu-
dave musgrove lar PGA Tour caddie, Cowan
Highlights of the caddies 50- moved to Jim Furyks bag in
year run included Masters and 1999 and has been there since.
steve williams
A no-nonsense caddie known
for his expertise and ability to
control galleries, he has had suc-
cess with a succession of great
players. His employers include
Peter Thomson, Greg Norman,
Raymond Floyd and, of course,
Tiger Woods, his boss from 1999
to 2011. Several years with Adam
Scott followed, an association
that ended in 2017.
bruce edwards
Edwards and Tom Watson were
inseparable from 1973-89. He
caddied two years for Greg Nor-
man, then rejoined Watson until
passing away in 2004 from ALS.
Edwards courage during his or-
deal inspired a nation of golfers
and sports fans.

76 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018


alfie fyles
Was Tom Watsons caddie for all
ve of Watsons Open Champi-
onship triumphs. On the final
hole at Turnberry in the famous
Duel in the Sun, Watson want-
ed to hit a 6-iron to the green.
Fyles coaxed him into a 7-iron,
and Watson, trusting his mate,
knifed it two feet from the hole.
er-caddie relationship of all time.
fanny sunesson
The first great female caddie,
she spurred Nick Faldo to four
major championships. Smart
and authoritative, she had short
spells with Fred Funk and Sergio
aitchison: phil sheldon/popperfoto/getty images jackson: kohjiro kinno/sports illustrated/getty images
protection : willie
aitchison looped for
s e v e r a l g r e at s ,
including lee trevino.
jim (bones) mackay
His 25 years with Phil Mickelson
made for the most famous play-
Their verbal exchanges ampli-
ed to the public the ner points
of the caddies contribution.
died briey for Dustin Johnson,
pete bender
Highlights of his 45 years on
freddie bennett
Retired as caddiemaster at Au-
gusta National in 2000 after
more than 40 years on the job.
No one knew the course better.
Mentor to hundreds of caddies,
his wisdom was saved for poster-
ity in the memorable Freddie &
Me book by Tripp Bowden.
peter coleman
Had 59 victories with nine play-
ers, many during 22 years with
Bernhard Langer. Coleman also
hauled for Seve Ballesteros and,
later, Lee Westwood.
accidentally added a 0 to Iron
terry mcnamara
It helps to be an employee of
Annika Sorenstam, one of the
greatest players in LPGA history.
But when a player wins 48 tour-
naments in a six-year stretch, as
Sorenstam did from 2000-05,
its fair to say the caddiein this
case, McNamarahad some-
thing to do with it.
Strange, Fred Couples, Craig
joe lacava
LaCava spent more than 20
years on Fred Couples bag, cad-
lee (two shot) lynch
then in 2011 took up the most
prized job of all: working for
ricci roberts
An on-again, o-again 20-year
relationship with Ernie Els
might have been irregular, but
Els brought Roberts back so
many times, his value became
indisputable. All four of the Big
Easys majors came with Roberts
pulling the clubs.
nathaniel (iron man) avery
Arnold Palmers regular caddie
at the Masters from his rst ap-
pearance in 1955 through each
of his four victories. Endearing
moment: Winnie Palmer once
Mans payment check, making it
$14,000 instead of $1,400. Avery
complained when he had trou-
ble cashing it.
linn (the growler) strickler
His throaty, frank comebacks
long a xture on tour, the Viet-
nam vet carried for a number
of top players, including Curtis
Stadler, Payne Stewart, Nick
Price and Greg Norman.
The perpetually grumpy caddie
acquired his nickname because,

Garcia before concluding her ca-
reer with Henrik Stenson.
man and 1991 Open with Ian
alfred (rabbit) dyer
Dyer was Gary Players primary
caddie for 18 years. But Dyer
worked for a fleet of other top
players, including Ben Hogan,
Tony Lema, Dave Stockton and,
occasionally, Arnold Palmer.
bags for more than 150 players.
carl jackson
Ben Crenshaws caddie at the
Masters from 1976 to 2014. He
was sick and unable to caddie
for Crenshaws nal Masters in
2015, but he did show up at the
conclusion, and the hug he gave
Crenshaw made for one of golfs
most endearing moments.
from his earlier boxing career,
jeff (squeeky) medlen
The caddie with the cartoon-
character voice was with Nick
Price for all three of his major
titles. When Price couldnt play
in the 1991 PGA Champion-
ship at Crooked Stick, Medlen
picked up alternate John Dalys
bag and promptly guided him to
an improbable victory.
tour included the 1986 Open Tiger Woods. Not much has hap- as Al Geiberger said, Having
Championship with Greg Nor- pened for LaCava lately, but his him on your bag was like being
body of work earns him a plaque penalized two shots. In truth,
Baker-Finch. Bender also in the pantheon. he was coveted. Lynch toted for
worked for Raymond Floyd and countless players, and, in 1977,
Lanny Wadkins and in total won willie aitchison he was on the bag for Geibergers
with eight players. He caddied Michael Bonallack to famous round of 59.
victory at the 1961 British Ama-
steve hulka teur. Aitchison later worked for dolphus (golf ball) hull
Since 1972, Hulka has carried Sam Snead, Gary Player, Tony Raymond Floyd reportedly red
Lema, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino Hull six times, only to watch
Hes still at it and has a side busi- and Roberto De Vicenzo. Thats his wife, Maria Floyd, hire him
ness of getting players equip- some lineup. When De Vicenzo back each time. Also worked for
ment to the next tour stop. won the 1967 Open Champion- Jerry Pate, Lee Elder and Calvin
ship, he had Aitchison in tow. Peete.
sam (killer) foy
Had 36 wins in 45 years with
three players and was with Hale
Irwin for his 1979 U.S. Open vic-
tory. Foys nickname derived
in which he claimed to have
knocked out Sugar Ray Rob-
inson when a sparring session
turned serious.
affection : carl
jackson was by ben
crenshaws side
for 38 of his 44 masters.

december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com 77

 LPERFECTL
LPRESENT 1

11
5

10

7
L65 L
RAD GIFT IDEAS FOR
THE GRINDER, DRINK BUYER
AND STYLE HOUND
by b r it ta n y r o m a n o

13

12

1 Seamus Bualo Check and

Glacier National Park Driver
Headcovers / $55-$65
Stylish designs that wont be hard
to nd at a crowded bag drop.
2 Rose & Fire Checkered
USA Headcover / $59
This durable cover will protect
your at stick from everything,
except maybe three-putts.
3 Jones Birdie Hat / $30
Go for birdies in this
adjustable hat with a stitched
shuttlecock design.
4 Stitch SL1 Golf Bag / $328
A tough but stylish single-strap
bag at just under four pounds.
5 Maui Jim Koko Head
Sunglasses / $229
Protection and performance
in the classic wayfarer shape.
6 Jones Ranger Shag Bag
and Cooler / $45 A shag bag
that doubles as an insulated
cooler? Now thats smart.
7 SCI-Core Practice Balls
$25 a dozen The real feel
14 practice ball thats safe for
your living room.
8 Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
Bluetooth Speaker / $100
Its portable, waterproof and can
15 withstand a drop of ve feet.
9 Sun Mountain Speed Cart
GT / $210 Folds up easily and can
hold your smartphone, valuables
and drink. Plus, it rolls true.
10 Sound Caddy Bluetooth
Speaker and Powerbank / $129
You can play tunes and charge
your phone from inside the bag.
11 Soma Glass Water Bottle
$30 / Shatter-resistant and
leak-proof, these bottles are great
for the course.
12 Cru Golf Champion Stripe
Pure White with Scarlet Red/
Navy Headcovers / $72-$79
These handmade leather
headcovers have protection that
prevents colors from fading.
13 Rose & Fire Old Glory
Headcover / $55-$65 Made in
the USA with American-made
leather and materials.
14 Swell Traveler / $30-$40
Beverages stay cold for 24 hours,
hot for 12. Triple-wall insulation
prevents condensation.
15 Club Glove Microber Towel
$20 These absorbent towels are
popular with PGA Tour players.
16
16 QOD Electric Golf Caddy
$1,199 The most compact folding
electric pushcart with a battery
thatll last for 36 holes.
17 Louisville T. Stewart Hickory
Irons / $1,050 a set
A playable throwback set
featuring hickory shafts.
17

1217 / 0118 | gd 79
18 Ardbeg An Oa Whisky / $60
Aged in Pedro Ximnez, virgin
oak and ex-bourbon casks for a
smoky-yet-sweet experience.
19 Makers Mark Cask Strength
$50 A higher-proof wheated
bourbon (110 to 115) with a
smooth, rich avor.
20 Marshall Kilburn Bluetooth
Speaker / $299 The iconic
look and quality of a Marshall
speaker, but portable.
18
27
26
21 Grey Goose Vodka / $40
Wrap this bottle alone or in one
of the companys gift sets.
22 Graber Olives Size (No. 16)
$51 for four tins Enjoy the olives
served at Augusta National, no
invitation necessary.
23, 30 Tom Dixon Tank
Bowl / $70 and Glasses / $150
for two with decanter Hand-
painted, mouth-blown and a luxe
addition to any bar.
24 The Original Coin Guitar
Pick / starting at $20
Coins repurposed as guitar picks
make one-of-a-kind ball markers.
19
25 Shinola Brass Sphere
Matchstick Holder / $150
The surface will mark with each
strike, adding character over time.
26 ByAndrewCoslow Brass
on Brass Coasters / $65 for
set of three Because your drink
needs a proper resting place.
27 Tiany & Co. Diamond Point
Double Old Fashioned Glass in
gray crystal glass / $65
Beverages look great inside this
modern geometric-pattern glass
with a smoky gray hue.
28 Patrn Silver One-Liter
Limited Edition Bottle / $60
Small-batch tequila in an Art Deco
designed bottle.
29 RBT Cocktail Shaker / $50
An integrated strainer and
a removable reamer make
drink-making a breeze.
30 See No. 23.
21
31 Areaware Plywood Playing
Cards / $28 Play card games
or build something with them
using the interlocking slots.
32 Mot Imprial Golden
Sparkle / $40 Ring in the new
year with this brut champagne
dressed for the holidays.
20
22
23
25
24

33 Disaronno wears Missoni
$28 The Italian liqueur and
fashion brand team up for this
limited-edition bottle.
34 Umbra Shift Trophy Jigger
$20 Measure each drink in style
using this brass-plated bar jigger.
35 Tiany & Co. Tiany
Blue Marker / $750
A luxurious take on the most
utilitarian of objects.
36 MAKO Coasters / $6 for set
of four These cork coasters are
dipped in fun, vibrant colors.
37 Shinola Brass Collet
Corkscrew / $75 Shinolas simple
yet multifunctional bar tool.
38 Danny P. Scorecard Holder
$89 This beautiful leather
holder comes with training and
coaching scorecards.
next page
39 Czech & Speake Zebrano
Shaving Set / $550
The razor and brushs Zebrano
wood is remarkably durable.
40 Kiehls Age Defender
Cleanser / $28
A cleanser and exfoliator for
post-round replenishing.
41 Art of Shaving Kingsman:
The Golden Circle Bourbon
Shave Collection / $32-$55
These bourbon-amber grooming
products were inspired by the
Kingsman sequel.
42 Mr. Lentz Mens Toiletry
Bag / $88 and up Thick full-grain
leather and brass rivets mean this
bag will last a lifetime.
43 Art of Shaving Engraved
Silvertip Shaving Brush / $250
Gently exfoliate while applying
shaving cream with this brush,
and your face will thank you.
44 Kiehls Ultra Facial Cream
with SPF 30 / $27 Integrate sun
protection into your daily routine
without the greasy texture.
L
45 Smythson Panama
Travel Pouch / $650
The British luxury leather-goods
companys Navy Camo collection
is sure to impress.
46 David Yurman Hex
Cu Bracelet / $375
Add a pop of color to your look
with this everyday accessory.
47 G/Fore x TrendyGolf
Exclusive Chasing Birdies
Cap / $50 Exude condence,
even when your scorecard
doesnt back it up.
32

33
28

31

29

30

36

38

34

37
35
48 Montblanc Summit / $890
The brands rst smartwatch
proves that connectivity doesnt 40
have to look techy.
41
49 Persol 100th Anniversary
Solid Gold Limited Edition 42
Sunglasses / $2,770 These
timeless aviators are versatile and 39
feature 18-karat gold trim.
50 Adidas Adicross Bounce
$120 The oset wrapped saddle 45
has multiple rows of eyelets for
customizable comfort. 43
51 Society6 Towel by Jen
Merli / $13 Original artist-
designed towels with a microber
front and terry-cotton back.
52 Commodity Wool / $26
for 10 milliliters A warm- 44
and-spicy scent that slides easily
into a gym bag.
53 EastWest Bottlers
Moonshine Reserve Cologne
$148 A woodsy fragrance with
hints of spice in a hand-stitched
54
leather carrier.
54 Fulton & Roark Solid
Cologne / $42-$60 Post-round
touch-ups are easier with this
aromatic wax-based fragrance,
sans spilling concerns.
55 Michael Kors Crocodile 53
Card Case / $298 A subtle 47 46
crocodile pattern adds panache 52
to this practical leather wallet.
56 Atelier Ace X Mophie
Powerstation Mini / $40
Juice up any USB device with
this Mophie external battery
styled by Ace Hotel.
57 BKR Spiked Cash Water 49
Bottle / $40 Stay hydrated and
look tough doing it.
58 J.Lindeberg Athletic 51
Tech Sweatpants / $150
A thick double-jersey material
and a pre-bent knee combine for 48
the ultimate in comfort.
59 LG V30 / $750-$800, prices
set by carriers Professional- 50
looking video capabilities on a
wraparound display.
60 Rag & Bone Shawl Neck
Cardigan / $325 Warm up
after a cold day on the course in
this cozy wae sweater with an
extra-wide collar.
61 Beltology Volt Belt / $75
Thoughtfully designed
interwoven rayon gives this
belt greater stretch.
62 Beats Solo3 Wireless
On-Ear Headphones / $300
Superior sound and 40 hours
of battery in turf green.
63 Hardgraft 1st Edition
Travel Bag / $1,158
Wool and Italian leather
complement each other in
this rened holdall.
64 Stance Degree 17 Socks
$16 Extra support and quick-dry
fabric make these ideal for golf.
65 Common Projects Achilles
styling: linda keil

Leather Sneaker / $415

This minimalist luxury sneaker
has gold-debossed detailing.

additional reporting
by ashley mayo

82 gd | 1217 / 0118
 60

58

59

61

62

57

56

55

63

64

65

BECAUSE SOMETIMES
A DOZEN BALLS
JUST WONT CUT IT. L
Photographs by Victor Prado
 b e s t
1 n e w
c o u r
7 s e s
coore + crenshaws
stunning sand valley
is inspired by
pine valley + sand hills
by ron whitten

T
HE VISUAL IMPACT of the stunning Sand Valley
course at Sand Valley Golf Resort is immediate
and gasp-inducing. It begins with the opening tee
shot, o a high sand dune dubbed The Volcano, to
a ribbon of rumpled fairway anked by vast expanses of natural, ex-
posed sand, dotted with low-growing vegetation and copses of pines.
Hard to believe this is central Wisconsin. Not hard to believe this is
Golf Digests Best New Course of 2017. Indeed, selection of this Bill
Coore-Ben Crenshaw elaborate expression of Old School architecture
was expected by many, given its advance publicity. After all, this is yet
another product of Mike Keiser, who 20 years ago began to redene
the nature of resort golf with the introduction of Bandon Dunes on
the Pacic blus of Oregon. It, too, won Golf Digests Best New award,
as have nearly all of Keisers subsequent ventures in resort golf.

84 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

t h e 5 6 3 - ya r d , p a r - 5 1 0 t h h o l e at s a n d v a l l e y f e at u r e s a s p l i t f a i r w ay : l o w l e f t, h i g h r i g h t.
 Golf Digests Best New awards are de-
termined by evaluations posted by male
and female panelists from around the na-
tion and Canada, who play and analyze new
candidate courses on the basis of ve crite-
ria: Shot Values, Design Variety, Resistance
to Scoring, Memorability and Aesthetics.
Its meant to be a clinical, dispassionate
process, but its hard to discuss Sand Val-
ley without evoking serious emotions. Its a
dream realized, an environment reclaimed
and, perhaps most signicantly, a commu-
nity revitalized. The local economy has been
stagnant for a decade, with unemployment
over 9 percent. The resort has created jobs,
and when completely built out, has the po-
tential to become the top employer in the
county, oering work in course operations,
maintenance, hospitality and, with walking-
only courses, caddieing.
Sand Valley was not Keisers dream.
It was that of Craig Haltom, at one time a
golf-course shaper (now a partner with his
old boss, Mike Oliphant, in a firm called
Oliphant-Haltom Golf). Haltom wanted to
design and build his own course, and he
scoured Wisconsin searching for the perfect
site. More than a decade ago, he discovered
an unharvested pine plantation southeast of
tiny Nekoosa and 108 miles north of Madi-
son: 1,500 acres of red pines, planted in rows,
running up and down enormous hills that
reached up to 80 feet high. With pure sand
beneath, deposited eons ago by a glacial
lake, it was ideal for golfnothing supports
the game better than a deep strata of sand of-
fering perfect drainage and rm turf. Haltom
had not nearly enough money to purchase
the land, so he sought an investor, eventually
Keiser among the prospects. Keiser rst saw
the property in 2013.
I really tried to resist this project, but
within 30 minutes of being on-site, I was
hooked, Keiser later said. Its a thrilling
dunescape, a cross between Pine Valley and
Sand Hills.
Hence, perhaps, the name Sand Valley.
But to conclude that does an injustice. De-
spite the insistence of some pundits, Sand
Valley is not an imitation of Pine Valley,
Americas top-ranked golf course, although
the two bear similar traits. Sand Valley has
wider panoramas, larger expanses of vis-
ible sand, fewer pines and bigger targets on
each hole. Nor is it Sand Hills, that central
Nebraska private retreat that truly began the
Coore-Crenshaw epoch in golf architecture.
Their Sand Hills design was as minimal-
ist as humanly possible; their Sand Valley
86 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018
design involves more manipulation of the
land: sculptured fairways, hand-carved
sand scars, invented green sites, all done
with such sophistication as to mislead most
into believing such features were there from
the beginning.
K
INSPIRATION FROM NATURE
EISERS INITIAL ENTHUSIASM was
tempered by the fact that his other
golf destinations are adjacent to a sea,
which adds to their appeal. The Wisconsin
site had nothing close to thatit was rather
monotone in its precisely positioned red
pines. As a member of the board of direc-
tors of the Chicago Field Museum, Keiser
happened to mention the proposed project
to staff members. They knew of the loca-
tion and became excited. It was part of Wis-
consins vast, neglected pine barrens, they
pointed out, worthy of restoration. Indeed,
it was the land that naturalist Aldo Leopold
had written about in his classic book from
1949, A Sand County Almanac.
Keiser read the book, gave copies to his
sons, Michael and Chris, both of whom
would take lead roles for the rst time in a
golf project, Michael supervising construc-
tion at the resort, Chris handling its nances.
They all agreed that Sand Valley could be
special, authentic to the local topography
and ecosystem, Michael says.
The family assembled 150 investors,
mostly friends who had long desired to be
involved in a Keiser project, each supplying
$50,000, and Mike awarded the design to
his preferred architecture team, Coore and
Crenshaw, who at the time were still com-
pleting their fourth course for Keiser, the
magnicent Cabot Clis in Inverness, Nova
Scotia. It would win Golf Digests Best New
Course of 2015.
Meanwhile, Michael met with Madison-
based ecologist Jens Jensen, whose name-
sake and great-great-grandfather was one
of Americas early famous landscape ar-
chitects. Jensen proposed the concept of
not just restoring the pine barrens but the
entire continuum of the site, from barrens
to sand prairie to jack-pine savannas to oak
woodlands. He urged the non-indigenous
red pines be removed to start the process,
which would expose the underlying land-
scape, allowing Coore to produce a routing
that intersects sand formations in every way
imaginable.
There is a certain irony that Keiser, who
rst made his fortune with a company called
Recycled Paper Greetings, would generate
funds for Sand Valleys course construction
by the harvesting of red pines, a junk tree
used as raw pulp for paper. But the trees had
to go, and if income could be made in the
process, so be it. During construction, Keiser
handed out paperback copies of A Sand
County Almanac to all crew members and en-
couraged that it be read. Today, at Michaels
suggestion, paperback copies of the book sit
in each room of Sand Valleys lodging.
opener and these pages: kempersports
For the record, there is no actual Sand
County in Wisconsin. Leopold farmed in
Sauk County, to the south. It and surround-
ing counties, including Adams County,
where Sand Valley is located, were known as
WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF BEING ON-SITE, I WAS HOOKED. SAND VALLEYS MIKE KEISER
sand counties because of the prevalence of
glacially deposited gravel and silica.
Early in the book is a clear indication why
Keiser believed the text was applicable to his
project.
We abuse land because we regard it as a
commodity belonging to us, Leopold wrote.
When we see land as a community to which
we belong, we may begin to use it with love
and respect.
Only late in the book does Leopold briey
reference golf. When appealing for man to
establish a land ethic, to sensibly manage
all resources while altering or consuming
them, he writes of the average American,
Turn him loose for a day on the land, and if
the spot does not happen to be a golf links . . .
he is bored sti.
We dont know if Leopold considered a
golf course to be a proper use of natural re-
jack pines and sand
prairie surround
t h e 2 0 0 - ya r d 1 4 t h
h o l e at s a n d v a l l e y.
sources, but clearly the Keiser family does,
particularly in embracing Leopolds plea to
practice conservation for reasons beyond
economic self-interest. Sand Valley, like ev-
ery Keiser golf resort from Australia to Nova
Scotia, demonstrates enormous respect for
its locale. Each course design makes mini-
mal disturbance to the natural ow of the
land, water is used sparingly, chemical use
is sparse, fescue turfgrasses are ecologically
compatible, and roughs consist primarily
of local vegetation. Take time to admire
those tiny yellow blooms scattered among
Sand Valleys expanses of sand. Thats False
Heather, a glorious name for golf-course
vegetation, an indigenous plant identied
by Jensen early on, pockets of which he
protected from construction traffic. Now
that theres more sunlight beaming onto
the ground, its spreading throughout the
site. Unlike Scotlands heather, its short
and squat and wont likely swallow many
golf balls.
Theres also the hillside of prickly pear
cactus below the ninth tee boxes. Yes, cac-
tus in Wisconsin is naturally occurring,
common in sandy areas all around the Great
Lakes states, having adapted itself to survive
30 degrees below and 120-degree heat. But
this particular hillside is not natural. The
cacti were transplanted there by Jensen,
simply to showcase them to golfers.
Like other Keiser resorts, Sand Valley
is mostly about golf. But more than others,
it emphasizes ecotourism as well, oering
trails for hiking and snowshoeing. Leopold
is cherished here; the lake beneath the rst
set of cottages is called Lake Leopold; the en-
trance road to the property, previously 15th
Street, has been renamed Leopold Way. Hal-
tom is also saluted: The snack bar atop The
Volcano is called Craigs Porch.
O
MORE COURSES ON THE WAY
F COURSE, theres more golf coming
to Sand Valley. Coore and Crenshaws
crew has just completed a 17-hole
par-3 courseyes, 17 holeswith a name
to come, and David McLay Kidd, whose
original Bandon Dunes began the Keiser
cavalcade, has finished grassing another
full-size 18 called Mammoth Dunes, with
even greater expanses of exposed sand,
wider corridors and taller sand ridges than
found on Sand Valley. Its scheduled to open
in summer 2018, too late for next years Best
New selections, and thus a likely favorite for
2019 honors. Meanwhile, assuming permits
are granted this winter, construction could
begin next spring on Coul Links, Keisers
latest venture with Coore and Crenshaw,
on a two-mile stretch of authentic linksland
in Scotland, just up the coast from Royal
Dornoch.
december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com
F
SILO RIDGE SECOND, MOSSY OAK THIRD
INISHING SECOND in our 2017 Best New
competition is Silo Ridge Field Club in
Amenia, N.Y., a stylish private layout
by Tom Fazio and son Logan on the site of
a 1960s club originally called Segalla. The
Fazio design brings to mind another of his,
about a half hour to the southwest, Hudson
National Golf Club, ranked 85th on Golf
Digests list of Americas 100 Greatest Golf
Courses. All Silo Ridge lacks is a view of the
Hudson, but the surrounding mountain
ridges are a good substitute.
In third place is Mossy Oak Golf Club in
West Point, Miss., just north of Old Waverly
Golf Club and developed by the same owner,
George Bryan. Open to the public, Mossy Oak
was designed by Gil Hanse of Rio Olympic
fame. Hanses other new project, the Black
Course at Streamsong Resort in Florida,
opened too late for our Best New deadline
and will be a 2018 candidate.
O
BEST NEW REMODEL WINNERS
UR BEST NEW REMODEL honors were
divided into three segments this year,
to better reect the various aspects of
reconstruction found in the industry. The
winners:
major remodeling : The Dunes Course at
Monterey Peninsula Country Club in Pebble
Beach, a Tom Fazio project done in associa-
tion with one of his former employees, Tim
Jackson, now of the rm of Jackson Kahn
Design.
renovation: The Players Stadium Course at
Floridas TPC Sawgrass. It was revamped by
Steve Wenzlo of PGA Tour Design Services,
in consultation with its original architect,
Pete Dye.
restoration: The Old White TPC Course
at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, which,
curiously enough, previously had its
C.B. Macdonald architecture suciently
restored by architect Lester George that it
won our Best New Public Remodel award
in 2007. However, the course was heav-
ily damaged by devastating floods in
June 2016, and this latest restoration was
rapidly accomplished by golf architect
Keith Foster and contractor McDonald &
Sons in time to host the PGA Tour Green-
brier Classic last July.
For details on all Golf Digests Best New
and Best Remodel rankings, please go to
golfdigest.com/story/best-new-courses.
87
f r e d r i d l e y, p l ay i n g t h e 1 9 7 6 m a s t e r s w i t h j a c k n i c k l a u s , s p o r t s t h e h a i r t h at h a s e a r n e d t h e h a s h ta g # f r e d s h a i r .
 FRED RIDLEY gives
the club and the MASTERS a
PLAYERSchairman
BY JA I M E DI A Z

HOW MUCH WILL AUGUSTA NATIONAL GOLF CLUB AND THE MASTERS TOURNAMENT
change under new chairman Fred Ridley? The rst thought is not much. Given all the
accomplishments during the 11-year term of the enormously driven Billy Paynethe
most proactive chairman since Cli Robertsits hard to imagine he left any signi-
cant unnished business. Payne wouldnt have retired if there were, and he wouldnt
have handpicked Ridley as his successor if the 65-year-old Floridian were someone
who intended to undo his work or even substantially change the path. It was dier-
ent when Payne took over for Hootie Johnson in 2006. At that time, the lack of a rst
woman member hung over the club, as well as a more general sentiment that Augusta
needed to modernize its operation and broaden its perspective. Accordingly, Payne
deliveredadmitting three women members, greatly expanding infrastructure and
amenities, founding amateur tournaments and initiatives with global grow-the-game
import, and radically expanding the clubs reach and inuence through enhanced
digital media. Its already a clich that Payne brought Augusta National into the 21st
century. From afar, the Payne-to-Ridley handoff recalls the oft-repeated line when
Tim Finchem succeeded Deane Beman as PGA Tour commissioner in 1994: Deane
gave Tim the keys to the Rolls-Royce. All he has to do is keep gas in it. But that doesnt
square with Augustas foundational mantra of striving to be the best it can as a club
and as a tournament. New issues and projects, some unanticipated, will arise. The job and
the mission will demand that Ridley be more than a place holder. Billy was guided by

au g u s ta n at i o n a l s

NEW
GOLF
GUY december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com 89
the principle and the mandate that goes
back to Mr. Roberts and Mr. Jones, which is
the idea of constant improvement, Ridley
said on his rst ocial day as chairman on
Oct. 16, from his elegant but homey new of-
ce. Its a driving principle that permeates
our culture. I look at it as an honor to follow
Billy Payne. But if Im true to those same
principles, theres not going to be a shortage
of opportunities for me to leave this position
even stronger than when I took it. Thats
kind of where my focus is.
If thats the case, what might be on
Ridleys to-do list? Hard to know, and the
discreet Ridley isnt saying much. Will
smartphones be allowed for spectators at the
tournament? Are more women members in
the ong? Will the clubs expansion include
housing for competitors?
The most logical target for Ridley might
be the golf course. The work of Alister MacK-
enzie and Jones is the aesthetic heart of the
Masters. And in this area, Payne didnt do all
that much, certainly less than Johnson did.
By virtue of Ridleys competitive background
and the demands of the modern game, its
where hes best positioned to make changes.
A number of Augustas most fervid a-
cionados have the hope that the 1975 U.S.
Amateur champion, who also played in
three Masters and captained two Walker Cup
teams, will bring an elite competitors sensi-
bility to the evolution of the course. For pur-
ists and Masters traditionalists, that would
mean a more open landscape in which
some trees would be cleared, and perhaps
even the second cut would be mitigated or
eliminated entirely. It would make Ridley a
players chairman more than any of his six
predecessors.
WHEN HE DOES
SOMETHING, YOU KNOW
THAT FRED RIDLEYS
PUT HIS MARK ON IT.
JACK NICKLAUS
90 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018
Ridley, in his sonorous, faintly Southern
voice, was predictably vague when it came
to any intended future actions. Though
he will give up running the tournament
as head of the competition committee, he
didnt dismiss the idea that his playing ex-
perience will be a vital part of his vision as
chairman. I think it will be helpful, he
said of a rsum that includes being the last
U.S. Amateur champion not to turn profes-
sional. As we look into the future, and we
continue to try to honor the philosophy of
Jones and MacKenzie when they built the
golf course, I hope that my background will
be a positive.
MOMENTOUS DECISIONS: THE 13TH HOLE
A
sked specically about Augustas
Mona Lisa, the famed 13th, a 510-
yard par 5 still considered by
many the nest hole in the game
but increasingly being reached with a drive
and middle or even short irons, Ridleys an-
swer is intriguing.
No decisions have been made to do any-
thing with the 13th hole, he said, addressing
the new options oered by land recently pur-
chased from the adjacent Augusta Country
Club. It really goes back to the underlying
philosophy of the challenge that the golf
course should present. Bobby Jones had a
great quote about the 13th hole: The deci-
sion to go for the green in two should be a
momentous one. That says it all. So we are
looking at opportunities there. Translation:
Look for the 13th to be lengthened in the in-
terests of more momentous decisions.
Whatever Ridley does, his public style
will be dierent than the oratorical and dip-
lomatically assertive Payne. Says golf archi-
tect Steve Smyers, Ridleys former teammate
at the University of Florida: The spotlight
will come to Fred. He wont go to the spot-
light. Or in the words of Jack Nicklaus, who
has known Ridley since the summer of 1975:
Freds a good guy. I dont think he imposes
himself on people in a strong way. But very
quietly, he goes about doing the right thing.
And when he does something, you know that
Fred Ridleys put his mark on it.
Both are good descriptions of an accom-
plished career shrewdly lived simultaneously
on the big stage but under the radar. Which
doesnt mean that Ridley cant, or wont, in
his way, be as relentless as Payne. Heres Rid-
ley thumbnail prole:
Raised by lifelong public educators in the
small-town communities of Lakeland and
Winter Haven in Florida.
A successful junior golfer regionally, he
won a partial golf scholarship to the Univer-
sity of Florida, where he had trouble consis-
tently breaking into the powerhouse lineup
that won the 1973 NCAA championship be-
hind stars Andy Bean and Gary Koch.
After a year of law school at Stetson Univer-
sity, Ridley pulled o the Cinderella victory
at the U.S. Amateur.
He went on to play in the Masters from
1976-78, and twice captained the U.S. Walker
Cup team, in 1987 and 1989.
After establishing a successful law prac-
tice in Tampa, Ridley was appointed to the
USGAs executive committee in 1994 and
served as the associations president from
2004-05.
A member at Augusta National since 2000,
he served as the chairman of the competi-
tion committee from 2006 until becoming
chairman.
He and his wife of 40 years, Betsy, have
three daughters, Maggie, Libby and Sydney.
Sydney, the youngest at 29, reinforces the
view of Ridley as a wise, stabilizing presence:
With four women at home, my dad
has always been the calm one, she says.
He rarely raises his voice, ever. Hes very
thoughtful, very methodical. He tries to
take the emotion out of situations so that he
can see all sides of the argument, and moves
forward accordingly. Hes incredible at mak-
ing good decisions and, at least in my eyes,
never failing to do the right thing.
Others who have worked closely with
Ridley dont stray too far from his daugh-
ters lovingly biased view. Says former
USGA executive director David Fay: Freds
two years as president produced a very solid
body of work, especially in nuanced areas
like revising the amateur code with more
reasonable guidelines. He has good judg-
ment and a great sense of his abilities, and
previous pages: augusta national/getty images this page (2017 masters): harry how/getty images
he can make the tough call. At the same
time, I dont think his will be an imperial
chairmanship.
EVOLUTION OF A GOLFER (AND A BATBOY)
W
hat seems clear is that Au-
gusta is going to be led by as
pure a golf guy as the club
has seen in such a capacity
since one of Ridleys heroes, Jones.
Ridley got his start in the game at age 10,
tagging along as his father, Claude, pulled a
cart at public courses while usually breaking
90. But Fred showed an obvious talent for the
game. About his only detour from complete
immersion was a stint in his early teens as
a spring-training batboy for the Boston Red
Sox. Ridleys special distinction was being
entrusted by Carl Yastrzemski to wear the
future Hall of Famers new spikes until they
were suciently broken in.
Ridleys other golf hero was Arnold Palm-
er, whom he saw play exhibitions with Gary
Player in 1965 at the private club his father
joined to help Fred develop (now the Coun-
try Club of Winter Haven). The next year,
Palmer came back with Doug Sanders.
Arnold was just magnicent to watch,
Ridley says. And it was a thrill to get to know
him over the years. When I played in the 1976
British Open at Royal Birkdale, our lockers
were close together, and, of course, he was
really nice to me when I was a nobody.
About a decade ago, shortly after be-
coming president of the USGA, Ridley had
the opportunity to inform Palmer that a
wing of the organizations renovated mu-
seum would be called the Arnold Palmer
Center for Golf History, which opened in
2008. When Fred said that, for a long mo-
ment Arnold just sat there, stunned, says
former LPGA Tour commissioner Charlie
Meachem, who was present. Finally, Ar-
nold said, I feel like I won another Open.
I know that was very special for Fred. That
feeling for the game and true appreciation
for the great players is just one reason hell
be a tremendous chairman.
Ridley also has a close relationship with
Nicklaus. After Ridleys first year of law
school, he prepared to play a summer full
of tournaments in 1975 by taking a week of
lessons from Nicklaus lifelong teacher, Jack
Grout, at Muireld Village. What Grout im-
partedthat Ridley should rev up his wil-
lowy swing to hit the ball as hard as he could
while staying in balancewould lead to Rid-
ley driving long and straight over six matches
on the exceedingly narrow fairways of the
Country Club of Virginia at the U.S. Amateur.
Mr. Grout spent three hours every day
with me, Ridley says. He was such a gen-
tleman, one of the most important mentors
Ive ever had, and he truly helped my game.
When I asked what I owed him, he kind of
paused and nally said, Fred, how about 25
bucks? Can you imagine?
Ridley played nine holes with Nicklaus
that week, which slightly eased his nervous-
ness at being paired with the defending
champion in his rst Masters round, in 1976.
Jack was very talkative for about the
rst six holes, before he kind of really got
into the round [shooting 67 to Ridleys 77].
I remember he asked me if I was married. I
said no, but that I had a girlfriend, Betsy, who
was probably somewhere in the gallery with
my parents. And Jack pointed out a blonde
in a pink sweater and said, Is that her? And
it was, which stunned me. Turned out that
before the round, he had come across Betsy
when she inadvertently stepped in front of
his car, and theyd exchanged pleasantries.
He kind of gured she was with a player and
made an educated guess. But at the time, I
thought, Geez, this guy, he knows everything.
Ridley missed the cut at that Masters, as
he would in the next two. It didnt distress
him. I knew when I was a teenager that I
probably wouldnt be a professional, he
says. Part of it also was, my dad had gone to
law school for a semester and made straight
As but didnt think he could make it with-
THE SPOTLIGHT WILL COME TO FRED.
HE WONT GO TO THE SPOTLIGHT. STEVE SMYERS,
RIDLEYS FORMER COLLEGE TEAMMATE
out a job, so he quit. And he always regretted
that. So he kind of pushed me to be a lawyer.
The decision to pursue the law actually
liberated Ridley to win the U.S. Amateur. His
six-match run to the title included upsets
over three heralded players, Curtis Strange
in the round of 16, Bean in the seminal and
Keith Fergus in the nal.
I had barely made it into the champion-
ship, getting the last qualifying spot in the
sectional, and I knew I was going back to law
school that fall, Ridley says. So I went to
the tournament with this incredible peace of
mind. Like This is great; Im just going to have
a good time. I made the match play and never
looked past the opponent I was playing. It
was all in the moment. The only exception
was in the quarternals, when I played Jack
Veghte, a three-time Florida State Amateur
champion. We went to the 18th hole tied,
and at that time seminalists got into the
Masters. I had a three-foot putt to win the
match, and I missed it. Fortunately I won the
19th hole, but I thought I had blown my one
chance to get to Augusta. Something special
was going on for me that week.
Ridley reached the nal of the North &
South in 1976. A year later, at the Walker Cup
at Shinnecock Hills, Ridley defeated Sandy
Lyle twice in singles. Including Strange, that
made two future double-major champions
and Hall of Famers that Ridley took down on
big occasions. Doesnt that fact sometimes
make him wonder, What if?
Ridley answers quickly. I have no regrets,
none, he says. If someone said, Fred, you
would have won $50 million as a profession-
al, my answer is the same. Theres no amount
of money that could replace the life Ive had.
FAMILY, WORK AND GOLF
R
idleys life includes a success-
ful law career at the prominent
national firm Foley & Lardner,
where he is the national chair of
real-estate practice. And of course, theres
a rich family backdrop that allowed him to
come home to the dinner table most nights.
His father passed away in 2008, but once
a month, Ridley drives to Winter Haven to
take his 94-year-old mother, Ann, a former
elementary-school teacher, to lunch.
My dads just such a nice guy, so proper
in his ways, and we love to make fun of him,
Sydney says. And hes really great at taking
it and laughing. Like hes had this amazing
head of hair his whole life, and weve always
joked about it. For the last three or four years,
december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com
whenever Ive put up a picture on Instagram
that hes in, some of them from back in the
day when he was playing tournaments, I al-
ways hashtag #fredshair. Because it always
looks great, even in the morning.
All three of his daughters are avid golfers
and fans of the sport, sharing many rounds
with their father. When he was in the USGA,
he towed us all to so many of the events, and
those are some great memories, Sydney
says. The game of golf has been the most
important thing in our lives, other than each
other.
Ridley can still shoot some low num-
bers in the 20 or so rounds he plays at the
club each year. His best score from what he
calls the old Masters tees is 67, with three
66s from the member tees. From the cur-
rent Masters tees, his best is 74. On the Par-3
Course, his best is a five-under-par 22. On
the big course, he has birdied all the par 4s,
eagled all the par 5s and the par-4 10th, and
has a double eagle on the par-5 15th. He has
one hole-in-one, on the 16th, while playing
with Maggie and Libby during the annual
members Thanksgiving event.
Ridley sees great value in such occasions.
Payne described the CEO-laden member-
ship as a wealth of talent that may be unpar-
alleled in any organization in the world, and
he took pride in his ability to elicit from the
collective the ideas that furthered Augustas
innovation.
Billy has leadership qualities that are
probably the best Ive ever witnessed in my
life, Ridley says. He understands the im-
mense power of relationships. He just has
that ability to make people want to do better
at everything they do. And to me, thats the
denition of great leadership.
It was the dynamic that led Payne to sin-
gularly transform the chairmanship from a
somewhat parochial position to perhaps the
most powerful platform in golf. Its a baton
that Ridleythrough the empowering dy-
namic of collaborationhas no intention of
dropping.
I think in some years past, going way
back, there was almost competition among
the golf organizations in terms of who was
getting credit for what, he says. And Ive
felt that its amazing how much you can
accomplish if you dont care who gets the
credit. The potential just expands exponen-
tially. Billy understood that. And I under-
stand that.
As Payne proved, and Ridley is poised to
nd out, there will be plenty of credit due.
91
NIGHTM
m y s h ot 2 7 p r ovo u ta h
PGA TOUR PRO
ZAC BLAIR
ON MONEY GAMES
WON & LOST,
GETTING FIVE
PHIL MICKELSON
AUTOGRAPHS,
& TWO WORDS
THAT WILL
MAKE YOU
A BETTER GOLFER
with guy yocom

92 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

MOVES
Photographed by Nathaniel Welch at Safari Golf Club in Powell, Ohio
S tarting my freshman year of high school, my buddy Denny
Job and I started skipping out at noon. Every day, there was an awesome
money game somewhere around Salt Lake City. Word would get out where
the game wasWingpointe, Valley View, Davis Parkand wed be there.
Skins games, individual matches and team action, with lots of good play-
ers and sharp people. Not crazy money, but all youd want. Those games
taught me a lot more than how to
make a four-footer when it mattered. It was an
advanced education in golf, nance, reading
people and handling pressure. When it comes
to acquiring street smarts, golf is underrated.

heres how awesome my upbringing
was. My dad owned a golf facility called
Mulligans, which consisted of a nine-hole
executive course, lighted driving range with
100 bays, a lot of them heated. There was a
miniature golf course, pro shop and snack

there also were some epic putting games that could get pretty dark.
I mean literally. I had a panel of super-bright LED lights installed above
the cab of my truck specifically for night putting games around town. My
bar. Growing up I had complete run of the
place. Free golf, free balls, free equipment,

THERE IS NO
free food. Every new
club that came in, I got
to try. Well after closing
winnings paid for that LED panel, but there were some rough nights. One HAPPIER CREATURE time, the lights would
night we were putting on a green toward one of those miniature three-
inch holes you can drill into a green for practice. I was far enough ahead
THAN AN be kept on for me and
my dad or my friends.
I had to start paying 2-to-1 to keep the other guys playing. The stakes had 8-YEAR-OLD
increased to where there would be real pain if I lostso now the pressure
GIVEN ACCESS there is no happier

TO A GOLF CART.
was on everybody. Going first, I lagged a 50-footer to within a foot. Two of creature than an 8-year-
the other three guys hit terrible first putts, one to 15 feet and the other to old given access to a
seven feet. The third guy hit it close like I did. I stood to suddenly make a golf cart. Even walking,
thousand on that one hole. But the guy with the 15-footer holed his putt, the I would play 100 holes
guy with the seven-footer barely missed and the third guy made his. Trying a day, going from 6 a.m.
to jam my one-footer into that three-inch hole, I missed. Not only that, I till past dark with short
knocked it six feet long and missed coming back. I dropped a bundle. Four breaks to eat. As a little
figures. Big money for a kid. kid I had a lot of friends
because they got to play
im not a big guy. Im 5-6, probably the smallest guy on tour. Im not freaky for free, too. It was like
strong, either. I average only 275 yards with my driver, decent for amateurs who waking up in an amusement park every day.
might be reading this but way below tour average. But I dont think distance is as We werent super wealthy, but in the little
important as you keep hearing. On some courses it matters, sure. But give me a world I existed in, I was a millionaire.
rm, fast track, and I can hang with anybody. The only thing that worries me is
that bombers you used to count on sometimes driving it wildDustin Johnson there actually were two mulligans
and Jason Day, for exampleare getting straighter. That could be a problem. facilities, one north of Salt Lake and one
just south. My dad was sort of a genius in
in amateur golf, being a short hitter had its advantages. Hitting rst to the green running them. Water came into play on
and hitting it close, it would bother people. Hitting a 3-iron up by the holeI still one hole, total, so it was almost impossible
carry a 3-iron, by the waywould exasperate big hitters who thought they had to lose a ball. It was cheap$10 for nine
you. But on the PGA Tour, players are less obsessed about distance than you might holesand easy to get around. You could
think. Even great ball-striking doesnt impress them, because so many guys can play nine holes in a little over an hour. It
stripe it. The best pros seem to realize that getting it in the hole is all that matters, became an amazingly popular place for
and that how pretty you look doing it is irrelevant. Nobody thinks that just because teenagers to go on datesminiature golf is
players like me arent long, that we cant be dangerous. They know better. an awesome date activityand on weekend
nights the line literally went out the door.
golf has been my whole life since i was 3. My dad, Jimmy Blair, played in a Financially, it was about volume. The pro
lot of state Opens where you could ride in carts, and Id caddie for him. Hed shop, he bought and sold new and used
prop me up in the seat next to him, my feet not touching the oor. Hed bring equipment, sort of a forerunner of eBay
me onto the green and have me read putts. I had no clue, obviously. But when and various Internet companies. It was
he made a puttand he made a lot of puttshed say, Awesome read. Id give fast, easy, fun and oered something for
him yardages, pull clubs for him, the whole deal. All of it totally wrong. But he everybody. A template for a type of golf we
made me think I was indispensable. It was always we. need these days but dont see much.

94 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

because the mulligans did well, my dad
acquired an indulgence. Every year he got a
new mustard-yellow Corvette. When he left
town to play somewhere, he didnt always
take the Corvette. At 15, before I got my
drivers license, I began driving the car to
school. I shudder to think what could have
happened. This ended one day when the
principal called my dad. Jim, I want you to
know Zac is doing OK in school. But could
you please see that he not drive your car to
school until he has his license?
sometimes i had to work. When my dad
played in the 2002 PGA Championship
at Hazeltine, we drove there in our motor
home. I wanted an Xbox in the worst way
to keep myself entertained, but he told me
I had to earn it. It was a problem, because
in this day and age there arent a lot of ways
for an 11-year-old to make money. When he
went out to play a practice round, I noticed
fans screaming for autographs from players
hanging around the clubhouse. I had this
amazing inside-the-ropes credential, and
suddenly a light went on. I said to a fan,
Hey, you want Sergios autograph? Give
me $20, and Ill get it for you. I got the
autograph, got paid, and over the next three
hours, I put the law of supply and demand
to work. I charged $30 for a Phil Mickelson
autographhe started to look annoyed after
my fth requestand charged $50 for the
gold standard, Tiger Woods. When my dad
made the turn, he saw me running around
with an extra hat in my hand and asked what
I was doing. He was not happy to hear I was
scalping autographs, and that was the end of
it. But that night, I showed him my take
$250and reminded him that a deal was a
deal. I got the Xbox.
tiger was, and is, the man. Remember
the 2000 PGA at Valhalla, where he made
that putt in the playoff against Bob May,
the famous walk-and-point? I was front row
for that. The gallery was packed, but that
Sunday was my 10th birthday, and I was
about the size of a ferret. I had a technique
for slithering around peoples legs that
was aggressive and foolproof. I was right
there, and the magic of it was so powerful.
I plastered posters and pictures of Tiger all
over my bedroom. I watched a VHS tape
about Tiger every night until it wore out. A
hat I got him to signI hit him up early that
weekis still on display in my trophy case.
I dreamed of one day playing with him.
the dream came true when I was paired
with Tiger at the 2015 Memorial. It was a
bizarre day because Tiger shot 85, the worst
score of his pro career. It was a little tough
to watch, because he had some of the worst
breaks Ive ever seen. On the 17th hole, he hit
this incredible iron shot that was heading ve feet left of the hole but caught
this lone little tree branch and kicked into the water. There were other bounces
that made it seem like the golf gods were against him. But he hit a few shots I
dont think anybody else could hit. On the second hole, he hit a towering shot
from deep rough that ew over a tree and stopped dead on the green. The speed
and precision of that shot, and the sound his good shots made in general, were
unique. Every putt he hit looked like it was going in, but none did. The best part
was how he handled it. He talked to me all day, about Utah, Chambers Bay, all
kinds of stu. My hero worship of Tiger did nothing that day but go up.
my dad was all positive, all the time. Youre going to be on the PGA Tour
someday, hed say. Youre special. You can do this. He had to have shreds of
doubt whether I would actually wind up making it on the highest pro levelhe
played the PGA Tour for a while in the 1980s and knew how tough it wasbut
he never showed those shreds to me. My wife, Alicia, and I are going to have kids
someday. Thats how were going to raise them: total positivity. Making them
believe they can do anything.
it was my mom, Cindy, who might have had the secret. My rst
memory is of her playing catch with me. Endlessly throwing
baseballs and footballs with me. The early developing of hand-
eye coordination and learning a basic throwing motionthe
golf swing denitely has a throw in itthat was huge. She
passed on her athleticism to me. At Riviera, some of us were
ROTATE, FINISH.
throwing a football around while my mom was standing
nearby. The ball bounced over to her, and she picked it up and
PLAY A LOT threw it back. Zing! Perfect spiral. Everybody cheered.
OF GOLF WITH
there was some tough love from my dad, though. At a
THOSE TWO WORDS junior tournament one year, I bashed my putter against
IN MIND, AND my bag. He walked out of the gallery and pulled me o the
course. After a discussion about how champions are supposed
YOULL BE A to behave, he sent me back out to keep score for the kids Id
DECENT PLAYER. been playing against. It was just the right touch of humiliation.
I never bashed my putter like that again.
i havent bashed, but ive definitely tapped. At the Wells Fargo, I missed an
easy ve-footer. I tapped the shaft against the bill of my cap, one of those things
you do after a near-miss. The putter sort of kept going and hit me in the forehead.
When I went to putt on the next hole, I noticed the shaft was bent. I found a rules
ocial, and sure enough, he conrmed it was no longer straight. Instant DQ,
because you cant alter a club like that. That was a little embarrassing, because
I truly wasnt angry. From now on, Im not even tapping.
rotate, finish. Those two words, my dad told them to me a million times. The
swing is that simple. You take the club back on a plane and swing it through
on that same plane, allowing the clubface to square up as it passes through the
ball. The follow-through is a mirror image of the backswing. All the while, you
keep your grip pressure exactly the same. Never tighten or loosen your hands,
especially the thumb and forenger of your right hand. Rotate, nish. Play a lot
of golf with those two words in mind, and youll be a decent player.
its funny how people will grind on the last shots of the day more than the early
ones. Why would you treat the 14th shot of a round as less important than the
72ndor, for that matter, the 80th? Dont they all count the same? Great players
who are really good under pressure, they seem to know this.
in utah, every week theres an amateur tournament, or two or three, that anyone
with a handicap can enter. Gross and net divisions, really good competition, a
chance to play new courses. I won a ton of those things. Id get a $750 merchandise
certicate, the USGA max for amateurs, and buy golf balls. They were stacked hip-
deep in my room. When my friends ran low, they knew where to go to stock up.
every time i mention this amateur tour, people think its the coolest thing.
Utah also has a tour just for juniors. Why dont all state golf associations do
december 2017/january 2018 | golfdigest.com 95
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP,
MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION this? Why keep everything on the club days won our money back and a bit more. I felt no
level? It turns weekend players into die-hard pity for that woman. Given a chance, she would have
Statement required by 39 U.S.C. 3685 showing
the Ownership, Management and Circulation of golfers and turns them into players. I think taken our shoes.
GOLF DIGEST, published monthly (11 issues) its neat that Tony Finau, Scott Pinckney,
for Oct. 1, 2017. Publication No. 0017-176X.
Annual subscription price $27.94. Daniel Summerhays and I all came out of at a web.com tournament a couple of years ago,
1. Location of known office of publication is
the same program in Utah, which before was I made a hole-in-one. The hole was behind a ridge
One World Trade Center, New York, NY, 10007. perceived as sort of a backwater. running through the green, and an old guy sitting
2. Location of the headquarters or general business alone in a chair by the green raised his hand to signal
offices of the publisher is One World Trade Center, New one year , at the two-day Coral Canyon that it had gone in. He was totally nonplussed. When
York, NY, 10007.
Amateur, I came in as a plus-3. Tough course, we got to the green, my dad, who was walking with
3. The names and addresses of the publisher, editor and
managing editor are: Publisher, Kim Kelleher, One World
and it being January, everybody was a little our group, asked the guy, You ever see a hole-in-one
Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. Editor, Jerry Tarde, rusty. I shot six-under gross, even-par net, before? The guy says, Nope. First one Ive ever seen.
One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. Managing
Editor, Alan P. Pittman, One World Trade Center, New and won the net division. I was weirdly My dad says, Well, theyre pretty rare. You should get
York, NY 10007. excited to win the net prize. My dad was a little more excited, because you might never see one
4. The owner is: Advance Magazine Publishers Inc., not. When I told him over the phone what again. The old guy shrugged. As were standing on the
published through its Golf Digest Publications divi- happened he said, So, were playing for low- next tee, the rst guy to hit in the group behind me
sion, One World Trade Center, New York, NY, 10007.
Stockholder: directly or indirectly through intermediate net prizes now, eh? aced the same hole. Back to back holes-in-one. The old
corporations to the ultimate corporate parent, Advance
Publications Inc., 950 Fingerboard Rd., Staten Island, guy in the portable chair just raised his hand again. My
NY, 10305. just after college at byu , while I was dad grumbled, Why did he even come out to watch?
5. Known bondholders, mortgagees and other security still an amateur, I started hearing about
holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total these big-money games in Palm Springs. My if you follow me on twitter [@z_blair], youll
amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities are:
None. buddies and I were passed phone numbers see I talk constantly about the Buck Club. For years,
6. Extent and nature of circulation
of people there who were looking for my dream had been to build a course and club as
Average no. Single action. Flush with cash from some games in outstanding as any in the U.S. The Buck Club will
copies each issue St. George, one of my friends and I headed be that place. Were close on securing an incredible
issue during nearest
preceding to filing down there. We had games lined up for ve piece of land near the mountains east of Salt Lake
12 months date straight days. First match we played was City and are looking for a fairly small group of
a. Total no. copies 1,744,155 1,741,790 against a young guy Id never heard of and his founding members who want in on the ground oor of
b. Paid circulation
partner, an ordinary-looking girl. Or should something special. Itll be a type of club dierent from
(1) Mailed outside- 1,077,392 1,076,752
county paid I say woman, because once the $200 a hole any within 600 miles. Small pro shop. Simple food
subscriptions stated with side bets and junk were established, she menu. A grillroom, but no dining room. Walk or ride,
on PS Form 3541
(2) Mailed in-county paid 0 0 went from innocent girl to black widow. Not your choicecarts will even have USB ports so you
subscriptions stated on only did she smoke her driver a mileshe can charge your phone. Killer practice facility. Were
PS Form 3541
(3) Paid distribution 55,613 52,387 played a lot of back tees with usshe made talking golf the way real golfers love it, a fun, relaxed
outside the mails including every putt. This match quickly became a place where you wont get arrested for wearing your
sales through dealers and
carriers, street vendors, nightmare. After 11 holes, the young guy is hat indoors. Its going to happen, so stay tuned.
counter sales, and other
paid distribution outside
seven under on his ball, the woman is three
USPS under on hers, and were getting smoked. We before the 2014 u.s. open at Pinehurst, I tried
(4) Paid distribution 0 0
by other classes of mail started pressing, and from there it just got to arrange sort of a tribute. I asked my dad that if
through USPS worse. We had bets going with some other I made it to Sunday, would he step inside the ropes
c. Total paid distribution 1,133,005 1,129,139 players, too, and at the end of the round we on No. 18, take my bag and walk the nal hole with
d. Free or nominal rate were like Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber, me on Fathers Day. He declined, softly at rst and
distribution
(1) Free or nominal rate 477,177 479,488 handing out stfuls of $100 bills to strangers. then rmly. He clearly didnt want to be part of the
outside-county copies
included on PS Form 3541
That night, after agreeing that we shouldnt show. I did make it to the weekend, and on the last
(2) Free or nominal rate 0 0 have driven all night and shown up with hole somehow got 70 yards ahead of my caddie.
in-county copies included
on PS Form 3541 no sleep at a course wed never played, my I turned around to see where he was, and there was
(3) Free or nominal rate 0 0 buddy and I got down to business. We got my dad, lugging my small bag. Everything had come
copies mailed at other
classes through the USPS rested, and over the course of the next few full circle.
(4) Free or nominal rate 53,629 58,391
distribution outside the mail
e. Total free or nominal rate 530,806 537,879 GOLF DIGEST is a registered trademark of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. Copyright 2017 Golf Digest Publications. All rights reserved. Printed
distribution in the U.S.A. Volume 69, Number 1. GOLF DIGEST (ISSN 0017-176X) is published monthly (except for a combined issue in December/January) by Golf
f. Total distribution 1,663,811 1,667,018 Digest Publications, which is a division of Cond Nast, which is a division of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. Principal oce: Cond Nast, One World
g. Copies not distributed 80,344 74,772 Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. Cond Nast: S.I. Newhouse Jr., Chairman Emeritus; Robert A. Sauerberg Jr., Chief Executive Ocer and President;
h. Total 1,744,155 1,741,790 David E. Geithner, Chief Financial Ocer; Pamela Drucker Mann, Chief Revenue Ocer. Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y., and at additional mailing
oces. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration 123242885-RT0001. Postmaster: Send
i. Percent paid 68.10% 67.73%
all UAA to CFS (see DMM 507.1.5.2); Non-Postal and Military facilities: Send address corrections to Golf Digest, P.O. Box 37617, Boone, IA 50037-0617.
j. Paid electronic copies 24,277 23,331
For subscriptions, address adjustments or back-issue inquiries: Write to Golf Digest, P.O. Box 37617, Boone, IA 50037-0617; visit golfdigest.com; or
k. Total paid print copies 1,517,283 1,152,470 call 800-PAR-GOLF. Please give both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. Subscribers: If the post oce alerts us that your magazine is
(line 15c) + Paid
electronic copies undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. If during your subscription term or up to one year after the
magazine becomes undeliverable, you are ever dissatised with your subscription, let us know. You will receive a full refund on all unmailed issues. First copy
l. Total print distribution 1,688,088 1,690,349
(line 15f) + Paid of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business and production correspondence to: Golf Digest
electronic copies magazine, One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007 or call 212-286-2860. For reprints, please email reprints@condenast.com or call Wrights Media
m. Percent paid 68.56% 68.18% 877-652-5295. For reuse permissions, please email contentlicensing@condenast.com or 800-897-8666. How to play, what to play, where to play is a
(Both print + registered trademark of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. To subscribe to other Cond Nast magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.condenastdigital.
Electronic copies) com. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that oer products and services that we believe would interest
our readers. If you do not want to receive these oers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 37617, Boone, IA 50037-0617, or call 800-PAR-
7. I certify that all information furnished on this
form is true and complete. (Signed) David Geithner, GOLF. Golf Digest does not accept any unsolicited submissions and is not responsible for the return or loss of, or for any damage or any other injury to:
Vice President & Treasurer. unsolicited manuscripts, unsolicited artwork (including, but not limited to, drawings, photographs and transparencies), or any other unsolicited materials.

96 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

 Closeout

100 golfdigest.com | december 2017/january 2018

Holiday Sweaters: So bad, theyre good
Photographs by Ryan Zimmerman
sweaters purchased on etsy.com fowler: walter iooss jr. kerr: christian petersen/getty images watson: walter iooss jr.
thompson: stuart franklin/getty images johnson: dom furore wie: andrew redington/getty images