THE NOISIEST HOLE IN GOLF, the 16th at TPC Scottsdale. The suites and boxes sell out for up to $110,000. The Waste Management Open, formerly the Phoenix Open, is a main fundraising event and Thunderbirds Charities, started in 1932, have raised over $100 million for local causes and distressed people in Arizona.
After Rickie Fowler struggled round the soggy course from bunker to lake before finally taking the trophy the most distressed people looked like the players. American golfers really don’t like being rained on.
IN 1993 A YOUNG GOLFER gave a clinic in front of a devoted crowd at Jackson Park, a municipal course on Chicago’s South Side where he learned the game. 25 years later, Tiger Woods is back at Jackson Park, and looking to leave his mark.
Woods, who won his 80th PGA Tour title at the season-ending Tour Championship, giving him his first victory in over 5 years, is leading the proposed renovation of 18-hole Jackson Park and nine-hole South Shore, two municipal courses at the western edge of Lake Michigan, with views of the Chicago skyline.
Under the plans laid out by TGR Design (Woods’s design firm) the two courses will incorporate a 7,341-yard 18-hole championship course and a shorter family course, and include teaching facilities for youngsters. Just one problem, they may have to put a roof on it. Chicago was under 3 feet of snow last week.
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU WON his first European Tour title with an 8-under 64 victory at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. England’s Matt Wallace finished second with back-to-back birdies. Dechambeau mixed 7 birdies and an eagle to post the lowest 72-hole total in the tournament’s history, finishing at 24 under.
In 2018 Dechambeau took three PGA Tour titles in four months, winning the Northern Trust, Dell Technologies Championship and Shriners Hospitals Open. However, he reckons it will take another five years to reach his full potential. His 66 on the Friday in Dubai worried him: “I just didn’t have the right proprioception over shots.” (Proprioception, as we all know, is your awareness of the position and movement of your body) “It’s a lot of hard work with my caddie trying to take account of all the variables: air pressure, firmness values, mph on the speed, putts and ball speed, and spin rates.” Good grief! You wouldn’t want to be the Mad Scientist’s caddie, even for the $100,000 tip.
THE MYGOLFSPY REVIEW of Callaway’s new Apex irons says they have clean, stylish looks while still offering a bit of help and forgiveness. “The regular Apex 19 iron is easy to hit but has a lovely forged, blade-like feel at impact.”
Callaway say both Apex models are players distance irons with premium craftsmanship. The soft feel comes from a mild carbon steel body while the ‘urethane microsphere technology’ incorporates more than one million tiny air pockets that absorb unwanted vibration. The Callaway 360 Face Cup design promotes high ball speeds across the face, while the tungsten-infused, multi-material construction allows precise location of the CG position in each iron.
Better players (the ones who worry about propriowhatsit) might want to fork out for the Pro model.
WORLD NUMBER ONE Justin Rose (38) held off the challenge of Australia’s Adam Scott to win the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines by two shots, with his new Honma equipment. With three bogeys in his opening five holes he recovered to card a three-under 69 and win on 21 under. Spain’s Jon Rahm, charging up the fairways like an Andalusian bull, fell away to finish in 5th place.
“I haven’t won a January tournament for a long time, so this feels great,” said Justin. All right for him. Some of us would just like to win something, never mind what month it’s in.
WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS has presented the ultimate accolade to Las Colinas Golf: World’s Leading Golf and Villa Resort, 2018. What can they aspire to next? There’s only the Universe to go now.
Until next time, Happy Golfing.
Contact Mick for repairs and regripping. 638 859 475.
