With Nicolas Colsaerts’s selection putting Belgium in the mix for the first time when he was named – as widely expected – alongside England’s Ian Poulter, the European team is truly representative of the golfing continent.

The Olazabal dozen has spread representation across Belgium , England (4), Germany, Ireland (2), Italy, Scotland, Spain and Sweden…two more countries than in the team that won at Celtic Manor two years ago when there was no Belgian and no Scottish players in the team.

Paul Lawrie’s magnificent run of form culminating in a further success at Gleneagles has restored Scotland to the mix while a similar, sparkling return to form by Sergio Garcia has ensured Spain remain on board despite the absence of Miguel Angel Jiminez.

The two wild card selections means that, because of indifferent form throughout the year, Ireland’s three-times major winner, Padraig Harrington, misses out on the Ryder Cup team for the first time since 1997, though neither Poulter nor Colsaerts were either surprise or controversial choices.

“Every one  of you guessed that Ian was going to be there,” said Olazabel in making his announcement to the assembled media. “He has a great Ryder Cup record and he’s playing well. Nicolas is going to be the only rookie in the team but his match-play record is very good – he won the World Match Play Championship in Spain this year.”

Colsaerts expressed his delight at being chosen. “This has been something I’ve wanted since I was a little kid,” said the 29-year-old. “I’m living proof that if you want something badly it’s just a matter of time, if you put in the effort.”

Björn, Clarke and McGinley have between them played in ten Ryder Cups, with no fewer than nine wins to their credit, and together represent an accomplished and knowledgeable ‘Backroom Team’ after working together for The European Team when the Cup was regained at the Celtic Manor Resort, Wales, in 2010.

Olazábal, who played in seven Ryder Cup matches between 1987 and 2006 and was a Vice Captain in 2008 and 2010, said: “I could not be more delighted than to have Thomas, Darren and Paul as Vice Captains especially as we bonded so well supporting Colin Montgomerie in 2010. All three are world class golfers with tremendous experience of playing in The Ryder Cup which is absolutely invaluable.

“For me to have these guys – all such great friends – by my side is fantastic. I know like me they will now be counting down the days to to Medinah with one aim – to return home with the Cup.

“Thomas, Darren and Paul share a special spirit and love for the game and they have the respect and admiration of everyone in golf. Their passion, commitment and desire to win will encourage everyone in the team room and for me it is so important to have guys you know, guys you trust, guys familiar with this contest because The Ryder Cup is unique.

“My own experiences as a Vice Captain in 2008 and 2010 taught me that you need a lot of help that week. You need eyes, extra eyes to follow the players in the practice rounds to gather as much information as you can about how everyone is playing.

“Then it is important to have each match watched because you have to hand in your pairings for the afternoon matches when the players are still out on the course. That means it is essential to have all the information you can get before you put those pairings down on paper – my Vice Captains will make sure that is the case and I will name the fourth one at the August 27 Conference when I announce my two picks.

“This Ryder Cup, like so many in the past, will come down to who shows the most character under pressure. It is certain to be close but I am confident we have the players to bring the Cup back home with us, and to have Thomas, Darren and Paul already on-side in Team Europe is a massive boost.”

Björn became, in 1997, the first Danish player to compete in The Ryder Cup and he was unbeaten in the Seve Ballesteros-captained winning European Team, and he was also on the winning team in 2002. He has played six matches, winning three and halving one. Björn was Vice Captain to Bernhard Langer in 2004 at Oakland Hills and to Colin Montgomerie at the Celtic Manor Resort in 2010 and he has also captained Continental Europe in the Vivendi Seve Trophy. He has 13 European Tour wins and in all 19 worldwide.

Björn said: “I said in 2010 that if you can’t play well enough to be on the team then I am very happy to do this role. I’m delighted to be invited by José María and to be one of his Vice Captains. We know that an experienced backroom team can make a big difference, and together we will be looking to support the Captain in making good decisions and making the team feel comfortable with what they are doing.”

Northern Ireland’s Clarke, winner of The 140th Open Championship last year, also, like Björn, made his Ryder Cup debut in 1997. He played five matches in succession, finishing on the winning side four times, and won ten and halved three of his 20 matches. Clarke was Vice Captain to Colin Montgomerie in 2010. He has 14 European Tour wins and in all 21 worldwide.

Clarke said: “I am really pleased to be part of José María’s team and I know that we can instil that relaxed atmosphere in the team room and help the Captain get the best out of the players. Make no mistake this is a very strong backroom team because we have been there before and done it before. We’ll be seeking to use our experience to re-create that terrific team spirit and bonding that has made the European team room such a special place to be for so many years.”

Ireland’s McGinley famously holed the winning putt on his Ryder Cup debut in 2002 and he has an enviable 100 per cent winning record having also been on the winning team in 2004 and 2006. He won two and halved five of his nine matches. McGinley was Vice Captain in 2010 and he captained Great Britain and Ireland to victory against Continental Europe in both the 2009 and 2011 Vivendi Seve Trophy matches. McGinley has four European Tour wins and in all nine worldwide.

McGinley said: “I am thrilled to be part of Team Europe again and I would like to keep that unbeaten run going. But we all know that Ryder Cups are always very difficult. The Americans always look to start fast especially on home soil, as they did at Valhalla in 2008, and we will need to be ready for that. What is important is that we win The Ryder Cup again not just for us but also for The European Tour.”

The ten automatic qualifiers for The European Ryder Cup Team – five from the European Points List and five from the World Points List – will be confirmed on Sunday August 26. Olazábal will announce his two Captain’s Picks at a special 2012 Ryder Cup Conference at Noon on Monday, August 27, at The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland.

The eight automatic qualifiers for the United States Team became known following the conclusion of the US PGA Championship last Sunday. They are Keegan Bradley, Jason Dufner, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Phil Mickelson, Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson and Tiger Woods. United States Captain Davis Love III will announce his Captain’s Picks at the NASDAQ Marketsite, New York City, on Tuesday, September 4. Love has named Fred Couples, Mike Hulbert, Jeff Sluman and Scott Verplank as his four Vice Captains.

The special debate, titled ‘Sustainability: the triple bottom line’, will focus on the three cornerstones of sustainability – profit, people and the planet – in relation to golf courses, resorts and residential communities.

The panel will be chaired by Rhett Evans, CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, and will include contributions from Olympic golf course architect Gil Hanse, President and Lead Designer of Hanse Golf Course Design, Jonathan Smith, Chief Executive of the Golf Environment Organization, Laurent Boissonnas, CEO of Open Golf Club and Mike Parkin, Global Head of Turf and Landscape Business, Syngenta.

The panel will discuss the many aspects of sustainability in relation to the golf industry and why this is so important to the future of golf communities worldwide.

“Syngenta is delighted to be organizing this panel and highlight that we are investing in the future of golf. The implementation of sustainable practices is essential in the broadest sense across all aspects of golf course management to deliver the foundation for a financially viable industry fit for the 21^st century. Continued dialogue and exchange of views is essential to create the necessary leadership and inspire innovation to reach this goal,” said Mike Parkin, Global Head of Turf and Landscape Syngenta.

Among the topics and questions to be tackled within the debate are:

• How approaching ‘sustainability’ in its true broadest sense, covers all aspects of management of a golf course from conception through to achieving its day to day commercial viability
• What is the best planning process to assess the long term viability of a golf course development?How to develop a sustainable business plan, avoiding the all too often disappointment that the commercial expectations set at the outset of the project are not subsequently fulfilled
• What are the key drivers to ensure a revenue stream of golfers and keep them returning to enjoy that golfing experience?
• How to promote biodiversity as a key element of the development, encouraging wildlife and the natural beauty within the business plan?

“I am very pleased to be involved with the sustainability panel which is a topic of such importance that it has long been championed by GCSAA and its philanthropic arm, the Environmental Institute for Golf. Sustainability is the framework that any forward thinking business needs to embrace to ensure the optimal use of resources and drive revenue for viable operation,” said Rhett Evans, CEO Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

The Golf Business Forum, now in its ninth year, brings together over 250 leading players from the golf, real estate, finance and tourism sectors in more than 40 countries and is firmly established as the most important golf industry event to meet and do business in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

This year’s event will be hosted at the Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa, in Barga, Italy, September 17-19. The historic hilltop destination, set in the stunning Apennine Mountains, will be the perfect environment to network with golf business professionals and share market intelligence undisturbed, while enjoying the fascinating Tuscan setting.

For more information about the Golf Business Forum, and to register, visit: www.golfbusinessforum.com

Many players in the field relied on Golf Pride’s proven hybrid technology used in the New Decade® MultiCompound. High performance rubber provides comfort and responsiveness to the lower hand, while Golf Pride’s exclusive BCT® cord provides moisture management and improved traction in the upper hand.

“Golf Pride’s industry leading technology was once again validated at the highest level,” said Brandon Sowell, global sales and marketing manager for Eaton’s Golf Grip Division.  “The New Decade MultiCompound is trusted by the game’s best players and provides elite performance as showcased by the black and yellow version this past weekend.”

Eaton’s Golf Grip Division is the world’s largest manufacturer of golf grips, with manufacturing, sales and distribution facilities on five continents.  The division’s Golf Pride brand is recognized globally as the number one choice in grips among tour and recreational players, competitive amateur golfers, club manufacturers and club repairmen.  For more information, visit www.golfpride.com or visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GolfPride.

For Further information on this release please contact Adam Roberts, email: adam@gmsgolf.co.uk or Conor Dillon email: conordillon@eaton.com

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As this was the last opportunity for the full consortium to meet the main objectives were to: ensure all the agreed outputs identified before the start of the project were on course to be completed by the end date of September 2012, validate the completed documents and to agree a layout for the final outcomes along with a strategy to ensure sustainability following the project completion date.

The group worked through the documents making a few small adjustments to allow for the finished documents to be easily navigated by employers, training providers and the workforce. The objective is to create an accessible and transparent set of documents which will help inform the whole industry to better utilise a professional and well trained workforce to further the develop the Golf industry.

The meeting concluded with some partners having action points to be completed ahead of the final submission to the European Commission who will focus on:

• conformity and consistency of the achievements compared with the expected work plan,
• quality of the series of outcomes developed,
• trans-nationality of the work and efficient involvement of each partner,
• added value and impact of the work carried out at the national, local and European level,
• sustainability of the process for the sector

Many of the partners have reported that the project has been managed extremely well and have complemented the group on the willingness to work together for the benefit of the sport. There has been great interest in the project with countries across Europe and from further afield such as Canada, Australia, South Africa and USA having expressed interest in the final outcome.

www.golf-stand.com

(Langholm, Scotland – August 2, 2012) ProQuip will continue its long association with The Ryder Cup following its appointment as Preferred Supplier to The 2014 European Ryder Cup Team at Gleneagles, Scotland.

The Scottish golf weatherwear specialist has a rich heritage in the prestigious event and will design and supply its 20th Ryder Cup waterproof suit when the biennial match between Europe and the USA returns to the home of golf, Scotland, in two years’ time.

The 2014 Ryder Cup will mark the 31st anniversary of ProQuip’s involvement in the Ryder Cup.

But it hasn’t always been one-sided – ProQuip was first selected to design rain suits for the 1983 USA Team, captained by Jack Nicklaus, at PGA National Golf Club, Florida.

Since then, ProQuip, famous for its innovative, lightweight waterproof-breathable performance fabrics, has been selected as the Preferred Supplier to six American Teams and 12 European Teams, making it the most popular golf weatherwear brand in Ryder Cup history.

This includes the new high-performance rain suit designed for José María Olazábal’s European Team at Medinah Country Club, Chicago, Illinois, September 25-30, 2012.

ProQuip General Manager Russell Brooks said: “ProQuip is synonymous with the Ryder Cup, becoming famous for ultra-lightweight rain suits worn by the world’s best players.

“The company really did revolutionise golf weatherwear, especially with the award-winning Ultralite range in the early 1990s, leading the market with significantly lighter, softer and easier-to-swing-in waterproofs than were commonly available at the time.

“ProQuip led the market again in 2006 when the European Ryder Cup Team wore Silk Touch, the lightest and quietest waterproofs anyone had ever seen in golf. And who will forget what happened in Wales in 2010 when Europe, captained by Colin Montgomerie, won a famous victory in the worst weather the Ryder Cup has ever seen?”

ProQuip has protected the world’s best golfers from the weather in a total of 14 Ryder Cups and on 10 occasions supplied the winning team with its world-class weatherwear.

Russell Brooks added: “ProQuip has remained committed to developing its own, exclusively produced fabrics, and golfers will soon be able to experience for themselves the technology in this year’s Ryder Cup team weatherwear, when the soft, quiet and super-breathable Trophy Suit is launched in September.”

For more information, visit: www.proquipgolf.com or call: 01387 382861

The event, which takes place from 12^th – 15^th November, will see buyers and exhibitors conduct business from more than 50 countries through pre-scheduled appointments and networking opportunities.  With more than 250 buyers registered from 38 countries, a 19% increase on 2011, the ratio of buyers to sellers for IGTM 2012 will enable more pre-scheduled appointments to take place generating record business opportunities.

IGTM, which is now 75% sold out, will welcome a strong representation of exhibitors from Ireland, Tunisia and Brazil together with other destinations across Europe, Asia and Americas. Among the first-time exhibitors are Pebble Beach Resorts, USA, the iconic Californian golf destination and five-time venue of the US Open Championship.

IGTM Exhibition Manager, Peter Grimster, said: “This year’s IGTM looks set to break all records. We are on course for the largest ever attendance, and the ratio of buyers to sellers is set ideally for destinations to optimise business with golf tour operators during the four days.

“More than 250 buyers are already confirmed, including leading international tour operators Golfbreaks.com, Thomas Cook, Golf Plasir and Kuoni Golfreisen.”

Peter Grimster continued: “The unique format of IGTM, with its pre-scheduled appointments, puts a strong focus on doing business, and we continue to look to innovate and enhance business and networking opportunities during the event. I have no doubt that the business opportunities combined with the quality, accessibility and popularity of our host destination, the Algarve, Portugal, will make this the best IGTM yet.”

The Algarve Tourism Board, which previously hosted IGTM in 1999, is also anticipating great interest in the event and the region, which has been an established golf travel destination for more than 30 years.

António Ventura Pina, President of the Algarve Tourism Board, said: “The Algarve is one of the top golf destinations in Europe and one of the best in the world, with many of our 32 golf courses recognised and awarded for their excellence. Approximately half of all Portugal’s golf courses are in the Algarve, with 15% of tourism revenues in the region derived from golf, so it is an important sector of our economy.

“Naturally, the expectation for IGTM is high with the golf tourism market demanding a new business approach for product and sales strategy, resulting in enhanced performance. For this reason, it is of great significance for the Algarve to host IGTM and create the ideal conditions for a successful business event.”

This is the 15^th edition of IGTM and each year the event brings together more than 600 golf tourism suppliers, 350 pre-qualified buyers and 100 international media for four days of pre-scheduled appointments, networking opportunities and industry updates.

For more information about IGTM, please visit: www.igtm.co.uk or visit www.iagto.com

England Golf is the governing body for amateur golf in England.

It has been a period of change for the organisation, as it was formed following the merger of the English Golf Union and the English Women’s Golf Association last year.

A few months after the merger its chief executive, John Petrie, resigned, and he has now been replaced by the former director of Derbyshire Sport, David Joy.

Jones has joined the existing 12 directors of the England Golf board as a co-opted member for at least the next two years.

The appointment suggests that the amateur and professional game will be working closely together over the coming months.

Jones commented: “I am delighted to have been asked to join the board of England Golf. This is a very exciting, as well as challenging, time for our game and I look forward to working with the England Golf team as they develop their future strategy to encourage more people to play golf and to inspire existing golfers to play more.”

David Joy added: “We are delighted that Sandy has agreed to serve on England Golf’s board. This step will further strengthen the excellent partnership which already exists between the PGA and England Golf, as we work together to develop golf in England.”

Nigel Evans, the chair of England Golf, also welcomed the news. “This is an innovative appointment and a very positive step for England Golf. Sandy will bring a different perspective and years of experience to our discussions as we begin to plan our new future,” he said.

Sandy Jones’s involvement with the PGA goes back over 34 years and he has led the association in its work to identify and support the needs of over 7,500 qualified member coaches worldwide in his role as chief executive since 1991.

Original article at www.golfclubmanagement.net: http://eur.pe/1bFp7k7.

 With Golf Europe once again returning to the schedule in its new Augsburg venue, The Confederation of Professional Golf together with The PGA of Germany have constructed a Learning Zone where delegates at the Golf Show will be able to learn from some of the best.

The much-anticipated Learning Zone runs throughout the three days of the show. Crucially it respects the needs of those delegates with a compelling reason to attend one or more of the MY TOP 3 sessions to enhance their expertise in their business development without restricting valuable time on the show floor viewing new collections, arranging meetings and ordering products.

The Learning Zone will feature 30 MY TOP 3 sessions by ten industry experts, covering the fields of Sales, Marketing, Retail, Coaching, Teaching, Golf Tourism, Career Development, and Social Media. All sessions will be 20 minutes in duration, starting on the hour and half hour throughout the show thereby allowing delegates to select one or more sessions to attend.

It is expected that, as in previous years, the attendance at several sessions will qualify for CPD points by various PGAs around Europe.

The bottom line benefit of this workshop-style format that was regarded as a major success at Golf Europe 2010 Munich is that delegates will have merely to find brief periods to attend presentations that are both interesting and relevant to their business…in other words education on the move for busy modern-day PGA professionals.

The full list of speakers and their ‘ MY TOP’ 3 subjects for the Golf Europe Learning Zone is:

Andreas Gross: Marketing Management for Golf professionals
Matias Lopes: A European perspective on new retail opportunities and threats
David Colclough: The development of expertise in coaching
Paul Dyer: The short game and scoring
Jim Long: Golf tourism
Niall Flanagan: Career development
Dr. Dirk Jungels: Social media and golf
Ian Peek: Teaching
Florian Oberhofer: Marketing in the real world
GMVD: Advanced training
NOTE: For the My Top 3 topics of each individual speaker and for an in-depth look at all that GOLF EUROPE, Augsburg has to offer, visit www.golf-europe.com for the trade show guide.

Local enthusiasm for USA’s bid to reclaim the trophy, and end Europe’s recent supremacy, has been ‘elevated’ and there will be increasing ‘pressure on both sides’ , say the Medinah sources in a Sky Sports interview… with memories, maybe, going back to the huge, sporting part played by the crowd in the last matches, at Celtic Manor.

The Americans took back home a lasting impression of how those Welsh-based galleries, with their chants and witticisms (You’ve got Big Mac, we’ve got Little Mac…!), were patriotic but fair, noisy but dead silent when required and always respectful.

And USA Captain, Davis Love III, can be relied upon to ensure that the same spirit of sporting support prevails.

Certainly high profile tournaments are not unusual at the Chicago venue, although it is a Ryder Cup debut there. The challenging No.3 course has staged three major championships, namely three US Opens and two USPGAs and is regarded as ‘quite an arena’ with its tight, tree-lined fairways.

Reports on the condition of the course are excellent, so good that it’s said that the matches could be played on it now, though the rest of the infrastructure has yet to be installed. As the Medinah ground staff add, the greens will be in the region of 12.5 to 13.5 on the stimpmetre and the course will be set up to provide ‘a very stiff challenge.’

So, it seems, the scene is already set as the fervor that survives for the full two-year term between matches, slowly turns into fever. The final countdown to the announcement of the European team on 27th August has ensured that the inevitable changes will take place as Colin Montogomerie’s (Monty’s) boys become Jose-Maria Olazábal’s (‘Olly’s’) boys.

The qualification criteria began at the Omega European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre, Switzerland, in September 2011, and ends at the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, Scotland, later this month.

Then, five players from the European Points List will be joined by the leading five players from the World Points List as automatic qualifiers to the European Team and Captain Olly will then add two Captain’s Picks to complete the 12-man team.

Glenmuir Clothing’s Official Ryder Cup Link Goes On…& on…

Leading Scottish golf wear brand GLENMUIR has been re-appointed as an Official Licensee of Ryder Cup apparel.

Retailing official Ryder Cup logoed clothing is an exceptional revenue opportunity for golf pro shops, not just at the host venues but around the continent in the years leading up to the prestigious matches.

The Preferred Supplier of shirts and knitwear to the European Ryder Cup team, Glenmuir is supplying official branded merchandise for this year’s Ryder Cup at Medinah, USA and Gleneagles, Scotland, 2014.

Exclusive Official Merchandise for the Ryder Cup in Paris is already being supplied to Le Golf National this month, some six years ahead of the event taking place. Clothing features the Ryder Cup 2018 logo on the chest with distinctive Le Golf National script on the sleeve and is retailed from a specially-designed ‘boutique’ display area.

The years leading up to Ryder Cup matches are an opportunity not to be missed for retailers because golfers have an incredible affinity with the event – especially when it is hosted in Europe.

Said Glenmuir Marketing director, Brian Mair: “There is a huge demand for Ryder Cup logoed shirts and sweaters, both before and after the events, so it’s important for pro shops to understand this and give themselves an opportunity to capitalise on what is one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

“Being able to offer retailers the quality of products with which Glenmuir is already synonymous, but enhanced even further with the prestigious Ryder Cup branding, is something that can only strengthen our bond with our customers.

Announcing the renewal of the licence agreement, Glenmuir managing director, Colin Mee, said: “We are delighted to continue our status as an Official Licensee of Ryder Cup apparel merchandise. Glenmuir has successfully promoted Ryder Cup logoed product to the huge and enthusiastic European Team fan base who have supported the team, both at the home and at away matches for a record consecutive 25 years.

“The coming cycle of home matches in Scotland and France is expected to generate even higher levels of support for what is arguably the most exciting golf contest in the world and unique in its pan European representation.”

The ESi is the world’s top mental/emotional assessment instrument to measure the key competencies that separate average and elite players. Many top golf coaches are using the ESi to help their players reach the next level of performance. See www.newedgeperformance.org/partners/CPG/ for information about the ESi and coach comments. The ESi Coach Manual will help Golf Coaches to interpret a player’s ESi results – and better help their players.

Please contact info@newedgeperformance.org if you would like to review the Emotional Intelligence Sports Inventory (ESi) Coach Manual.

IPE is available to all member countries who do not operate Confederation of Professional Golf recognised professional education, and already six students from five countries have successfully passed the course, four of which have gone on to start the process of enrollment in a fully recognised PGA qualification programme.

A pilot programme was put into operation during the autumn of 2011 and the wisdom of IPE, shaped under the general umbrella of the Confederation of Professional Golf’s Education Committee’s recognition guidelines, was confirmed as ideal to fill the need for which it was created.

Students from Estonia, Hungary, Israel, Greece and Malta attended two residential sessions, (both in Holland), took part in six virtual meetings, completed nine assignments, constructed a portfolio of evidence, undertook practical assessment and was interviewed. Two qualified tutors delivered the training and practical assessments were conducted by Confederation of Professional Golf qualified assessors.

As Tony Bennett, Confederation of Professional Golf’s Director of Education explained: “The concept for IPE was born at our Heads of Training  Summit in Lisbon in 2008 where it became clear that we should support the development of a first steps professional education programme. As a result we formulated a three-months IPE programme that gives all PGAs access to an introductory  level of coach training while touching on issues around developing both the sport and the industry.”

The ability to provide indigenous, appropriately trained golf professionals can really help to develop the sport especially now that Golf has reached Olympic status. An appropriately trained workforce of golf professionals also sends a positive message to the national federation who often need help in their efforts to develop the sport, attract newcomers and discover talented players. The Ryder Cup European Development Trust has been very supportive throughout the development of the programme and this support is continuing in to the first full year of implementation.

So with the introduction of IPE, the education of golf professionals in emerging markets has climbed the the first rung on what has been described as ‘the education  ladder that never ends…’

Westphal has been granted ‘Fellow’ status in recognition of his pioneering approach to transforming Berlin’s Markischer Golfclub Potsdam which was an ailing business concern until a radical new approach transformed its fortunes.

As a former director of golf at the Markischer club in the late 1990s, he was shocked to discover three years ago that the Berlin club was bankrupt and eager to step into the golf management business, Westphal, saw an opportunity and, after initially renting it, bought the club outright with investors in October 2010. He has gone from employing one to eight PGA professionals, membership has increased to 1,200 and the number of rounds per week has rise from near zero to 1,400.

The 49-year-old, who has been a PGA pro for 32 years and a British member since 2006, has had to take a radical approach to meeting the modern demands of the golf industry creating an appropriate annual subs/green fee pricing system, changing the infrastructure of the club and converted part of the restaurant to make the pro shop bigger. Westphal also implemented a creche where kids can be left in a safe environment while parents play a round of golf.

Other developments have been the implementation of physiotherapy and sports science services and a massage and training room, and plans are also in the pipeline for a centre for physical fitness and another for education; the latter because it has become the education centre of the PGA of Germany’s junior section.

Westphal, who is a member of the Confederation of Professional Golf Education Committee and has also worked in the R&A-funded Golf Development Programme for 14 years, is optimistic about the future but believes other clubs need to adapt in similar fashion.

Wesselingh, who has combined traditional club pro and manager duties at Kedelston Park, Derbyshire (UK) with playing success, culminating in victory at this year’s ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship on the European Senior Tour, has also been given PGA Fellow Professional status.

As a distinguished contestant in Confederation of Professional Golf tournamants over the years he has also won the association’s 72-hole strokeplay championbship.

David Colclough, PGA head of member education said: “The APAL awards recognise the commitment, and above all impact, that many PGA members have in the golf industry, whether as club professionals, coaches, directors of golf and many other roles.”

Aberdovey on the North coast of Cardigan Bay in Gwynedd is one of the top courses in Wales, but their junior golf development continues to go up and up thanks to the work started by the Ryder Cup Legacy Fund as a new junior team prepares for their first matches against other Mid Wales clubs.

Two years after the third biggest sporting event in the world left Welsh shores, the take up of junior golf at Aberdovey goes from strength to strength while visitor green fees and overseas interest continues to help the club on the back of publicity from the 2010 Ryder Cup.

“In a way these initiatives are catching up with the reputation of the course, the Ryder Cup is still having an impact – certainly Aberdovey is still benefitting from it,” explained the club’s junior organiser Dr Val Franklin. “It was all kicked off by the Ryder Cup Legacy Fund which helped with the teaching room and we have kept rolling the initiatives out since then, it has given us the impetus to keep going.

“We are focussed on what we can do next, we have got the Higher Award of Junior Accreditation from Golf Development Wales, have started junior coaching on the football field beside the club because we were running out of space, as well as many other junior initiatives, so then we have looked at what we can do next. All that would not have happened without the original funding and we have also been able to benefit from the interest in golf generated by the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

“Quite simply we would not be where we are without our junior organising team and additional help from lots of enthusiastic people wanting to encourage golf. We had one Level One coach before all this started, now we have another three with at least two more taking the qualifications shortly – we are trying to keep up with the demand.”

Once the club have enough coaches in place they will take golf into local schools on a greater basis, as the initiatives started under club professional Joe Davies go from strength to strength with new club pro Andy Humphreys.

The club are also still benefitting from overseas members and visitors thanks to the publicity generated for Welsh golf by the Ryder Cup, which helps them maintain the quality of the historic course in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

However the junior development is eye-catching as the team prepare for their first inter-club matches over the rest of the summer.

“Aberdovey is a great example of how we can attract new players to the game and it is all thanks to an outstanding team of volunteers,” said Golf Union of Wales chairman John Jermine who was also the chairman of Ryder Cup Wales, who provided the initial legacy grant.

“The tremendous enthusiasm of all of these youngsters at Aberdovey is wonderfull to see and many of them will have a lifetime of pleasure and exercise from our wonderful sport.

“The combination of a top teaching professional, a wonderful team of volunteers and the support of the club’s members and Secretary will ensure that Aberdovey, one of the oldest clubs in Wales, will go from strength to strength and all of us in Wales congratulate the club on leading the way forwards. We wish them every success in the future.”

Aberdovey Golf Club www.aberdoveygolf.co.uk

Golf Development Wales www.golfdevelopmentwales.org

In a fashion show lasting two hours, Chervò, whose high-profile clients include Italy’s national football coach Cesare Prandelli and talented Challenge Tour professional Luke Goddard, presented 210 separate items of luxury apparel, including rainwear, scarves, belts, caps, visors and umbrellas as well as trousers, polos, skirts and knitwear.

The company, owned by brothers Manfred and Peter Erlacher who hosted the occasion, is emphasising three technical stories for next season – the fast-drying qualities of its clothing due to the molecular structure of its proprietary finish polyamide; the titanium dioxide treatment of the fibres which in effect provides a sun-filter; and the fabrics’ special honeycomb construction that provides thermoregulation and natural air-conditioning.

Chervò’s rainwear uses the high-performance Aqua-Block-3L membrane to guarantee breathability as well as waterproofing, while the warm-weather garments benefit from the skin-safe, anti-bacterial technology of Dry Matic and 4-way elastane for optimum freedom of movement.

The visiting group, put together by Chervò’s UK and Ireland distributor Tim Greenwood, included representatives of the Old Head at Kinsale, Wentworth, Loch Lomond, Rudding Park, Forest of Arden, Fairmont St Andrews Bay and Kingsbarns, along with the Totally Golf store in Harlow, Essex, Nevada Bob’s in Eastleigh, Hampshire, and Doug McClelland Golf at Silvermere in Surrey.

Chervò, which started life in 1982 as a skiwear company, also has a significant interest in the superb 36-hole Chervò Golf Hotel Spa & Resort San Vigilio at nearby Pozzolengo where the guests enjoyed a competitive round on the day of their arrival. The three loops of nine holes (the red, yellow and white), plus a 9-hole executive layout, were designed by renowned German golf-course architect Kurt Rossknecht and are particularly well-protected by a series of cunningly-placed bunkers. For tournaments, the championship course can stretch well beyond 7,000 yards off the tips and is expected to attract a top Tour event in the not-too-distant future.

After a successful couple of days, Greenwood said: “We are now getting the message out to the golf trade that customers can get hold of the best golf clothing on the market at a price that discerning golfers will find well worth paying.”

For further information, contact Tim Greenwood on +44 (0) 7815-097928 or at tim@w3golf.co.uk

Chervò www.chervo.com

“Our newest products continue our emphasis on custom-engineering — designing technology that meets the needs of distinct player profiles,” said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. “Through extensive research and analysis, which includes player testing of every skill level both men and women, we’ve advanced performance in several categories. For example, in the Anser driver, we added an adjustable hosel without adversely affecting the weighting properties that are so critical to overall performance. Our new Serene driver features a high-balance-point shaft, which allowed us to lengthen the shaft ½ inch while maintaining the same overall weight so women can swing a longer club to generate more distance. It’s these types of improvements that continually lead to lower scores and more enjoyment for golfers.”

New products include the Anser® line, which features adjustable drivers and fairway woods, a traditionally shaped hybrid and a forged, multi-material iron; Tour wedges with Gorge™ Groove Technology; the Serene™  women’s family of drivers, fairway woods, blended iron/hybrid sets and putters; and the Nome®  500 long putter with an adjustable shaft.

Trajectory Optimization

The Anser adjustable driver enables golfers to fine-tune trajectory through a combination of loft adjustment and shaft selection. The players can add or subtract ½ degree of loft and also choose one of four high-performance shafts to perfectly fit their swing — a process PING calls Trajectory Tuning™. The shafts are the PING TFC 800D, Aldila Phenom, Fujikura Blur Red, and the Mitsubishi Diamana ‘ahina. They vary in weight, stiffness profile, and the trajectory they deliver.

“Shaft fitting is a very important step in optimising trajectory so golfers can benefit from greater distance and accuracy,” Solheim said. “It was important that we have a range of high- performance shafts to match distinct player profiles. When combined with the loft adjustability, golfers will see significant improvement in their performance by adjusting their driver to suit the weather, course conditions or changes in their swings. A PING Certified Clubfitter will help determine the best shaft option based on how a player loads the club, their timing, and swing speed.”

Performance-Engineered Hosel

Solheim said PING also advanced adjustability in its Anser driver and fairway woods by engineering its adjustable-hosel technology to be lightweight and sleek so it wouldn’t compromise performance.

“Most adjustable hosels are large and heavy, which takes weight away from more important areas of the club-head,” he said. “Our adjustable hosel is the same diameter and mass as our traditional fixed hosel. We saved weight through its sleek design and by using a lightweight titanium screw and an aluminum hosel sleeve. Looking down at the club from the address position, there’s a seamless transition from the shaft to the head.”

The Anser driver is available in 8.5º, 9.5º, 10.5º and 12º lofts. The Anser fairway woods are offered in 3-wood (14.5º), 4-wood (16.5º), and 5-wood (18.5º). Each is adjusted using aPINGtorque wrench, which loosens the club-head so golfers can set the loft to the desired position. In addition to changing loft, adjusting the hosel position allows a player to adjust the set-up face angle to his or her preference. Adjusting the hosel to the (+) position adds loft and closes the face, while the (–) position decreases loft and opens the face.

Gorge™ Grooves in the Tour wedge

PING’s new Tour wedge features an innovation called Gorge Groove Technology, designed to maximise spin and control. The grooves are precision-milled at the company’s Phoenix plant, allowing the company’s machinists to hold very tight tolerances and to monitor every groove variable: top-edge radius, width, depth, spacing, and wall angle. “We believe this to be the best-performing groove design in the industry. By taking the unprecedented step of bringing the groove milling process entirely in-house, we’re able to ensure the highest quality and performance.  Players are going to be excited when they see how much control and consistency they have with the Tour wedge,” Solheim said.

Tour wedges are available in three sole widths to accommodate different swing styles and playing conditions: the WS (Wide Sole); the TS (Thin Sole), and the SS (Standard Sole). “This is another opportunity to help the golfer find the wedge that fits their game based on their angle of attack and the course conditions they play most often. Each of the options allows the golfer to open up the face and play any type of shot they want in a given situation.”

Adjustable Belly and Long Putter Shafts

Adjustability isn’t limited to the Anser driver and fairway woods. Earlier this year, PING was the first major golf company to introduce a USGA/R&A-conforming adjustable-length belly shaft with the Nome 405.  Since then, it has added an adjustable-length long putter shaft with the Nome 500. “We saw an opportunity to expand on adjustability into the belly and long putter categories because getting the proper length in those type of putters varies greatly. The technology is easy to use and golfers can quickly modify the length of their putter to fit their body type, posture, and putting stroke,” said Solheim.

PING www.ping.com

As millions watched the Championship, the Golf Foundation was given a unique opportunity to showcase its HSBC Golf Roots programme, which encourages children from all backgrounds and circumstances to enjoy golf and learn positive life skills. HSBC Golf Roots is expected to reach one million children per year by 2013.

The Championship’s organisers created the ‘R&A Swingzone’ in the tented village at Royal Lytham & St Annes for the whole of Open week. Here, the Golf Foundation team worked alongside the Professional Golfers’ Association in support of the England Golf Partnership to introduce golf to new participants.

Highlights included the presentation of the Foundation’s Spirit of Golf Award for 2012 to broadcasting legend Peter Alliss. Peter became the sixth golfer to receive the award, following Gary Player (2007), Tony Jacklin (2008), Lee Westwood (2009), Ian Poulter (2010) and the new Open Champion Ernie Els in 2011.

Golf Foundation President Colin Montgomerie presented the special silver and glass ‘claret jug’ trophy to Peter in front of a packed audience of golf fans at Royal Lytham. The crowd cheered when Colin volunteered to compete against local children in a Tri-Golf challenge, while Peter took the microphone and looked after the commentary in his own inimitable style.

Through invited school groups and family visits to the R&A Swingzone, young boys and girls played Tri-Golf and Golf Xtreme games, competitions and a special putting challenge sponsored by Titleist.

A number of schoolchildren were particularly fortunate to meet their sporting heroes. Golfers competing in The Open, including Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello, England’s Sam Walker and Australia’s Marc Leishman and Greg Chalmers (pictured), took on the children in skills games against the clock, then answered their questions and signed all their shirts to make it a day to remember.

Courtesy of Golf Roots sponsor HSBC, HSBC Ambassadors Gavin Hastings and Jonathan Davies from the world of rugby and tennis great Tim Henman joined Ryder Cup hero Colin Montgomerie to create a star-studded fourball for a Tri-Golf match with a difference. The quartet played against boys and girls from two Lancashire golf clubs, Heysham Golf Club and Euxton Park Golf Centre, both acclaimed HSBC Golf Roots Centres. The sporting giants against the young amateurs thrilled the crowd, with honours being shared in the match at one game all (the children won the putting game!).

Many youngsters also took advantage of the free lessons given by PGA professionals throughout the week. The pros were present thanks to the PGA, who sponsored the professionals to teach the young golfers as part of the organisation’s commitment to junior golf.

The week at the R&A Swingzone was completed in the best possible style when HRH The Duke of York paid an informal visit. The Foundation team was able to tell The Duke about all of the charity’s recent developments and discussed how it could build further on this positive momentum.

Brendon Pyle, National Development Manager of the Golf Foundation, said: “This was a fantastic week for the Golf Foundation team. It was a huge opportunity to highlight HSBC Golf Roots and show how this is making a great impact in our schools, communities and golf clubs. Our team is working very hard all year round to help to grow the game in support of the national governing bodies, by demonstrating to children that golf can be great fun and can include everyone.

“This week would be impossible without great help from all our partners, particularly of course The R&A. The R&A is our strongest supporter financially but the creativity that goes into making the R&A Swingzone exciting for youngsters means that boys and girls visiting The Open Championship, who are inspired by watching all the great golfers, can then enjoy a very first hit at a target with our Tri-Golf equipment. This is very important.

“Families can then learn from our team about follow-on opportunities to enjoy their golf and its ‘skills for life’ benefits in the future, and of course all this activity really helps to raise our profile as a charity which seeks to change the lives of children and young people.”

Brendon added: “It was also great to share the R&A Swingzone with all the PGA professionals who were giving lessons to new golfers. They were a highly professional group and their expert encouragement to new players was superb.”

HSBC Golf Roots and the Golf Foundation www.golf-foundation.org