OUTSIDE RSA: R33.33 (EXCL TAX) R33.33 (EXCL RSA: OUTSIDE R38 JULY 2017 2017 JULY Y 201 7 /// /// RANDPARK /// MASHIE GOLF HOW TO PLAY / WHAT TO PLAY / WHERE TO PLAY Contents07/17 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 42 BACK TO BIRKDALE! What you need to know about the Open venue. 44 THE NEW SERGIO At 37, there are changes in his life and in golf. By Jaime Diaz 50 BEEF ON GOLF Andrew (Beef) Johnston on why good rhythm isn’t just for dancing. With Guy Yocom 52 THE BEST TEACHER NO ONE KNOWS Pete Cowen on his five major champions, a prank with a lion, and a tragedy that haunts him. With Guy Yocom COVER STORIES 16 HOT LIST: GOLF BALLS 20 Gold and silver winners. By Mike Stachura 24 UNDERCOVER TOUR PRO Cheats are hard to catch, but we know who they are. With Max Adler 26 THINK YOUNG PLAY HARD Anton Haig. 34 WIN 4 DAVID GREEN WATCHES 38 HIT MORE GREENS NOW Four faults that sabotage your iron game – and how to fix them. By Butch Harmon 80 CLOSEOUT Where do you fall on our bad-behaviour matrix? 66 American leg amputee Chad Pfeifer triumphed in the SA Disabled Open in Cape Town. FEATURES 74 AMATEUR SCENE 13 BEST YOUNG TEACHERS 30 TRAVEL Almero Theron wins the SA A simple way to make more putts. Advice on flying like a pro. By Jessica Korda 58 TRICK-SHOT CHAMPION Mid-Amateur at Sun City. By Chris Mayson Michael Scholz wins PGA of SA 31 ASK GOLF DIGEST trophy. 14 BACK TO BASICS PLAY YOUR BEST 32 BRYANSTON EXCELS How to handle these four short- 62 RANDPARK LIFESTYLE Family-focused club wins Collier award. 7 HOW TO GO DEEP game lies. By Josh Zander Randpark is the ultimate lifestyle Tips for that long drive. 35 TECH club in South Africa. By Stuart 60 COMPRESS YOUR IRONS McLean By Jhonattan Vegas Testing three sleep-enhancing gadgets. Learn how to create and story energy 66 DISABLED GOLF 10 BUTCH HARMON like a pro. By Kevin Chappell 36 PASSINGS Leg amputees are the stars at How to get to your left side. Robert De Vicenzo and Vincent Tshabalala. SA Disabled Open. 11 JACK NICKLAUS THE GOLF LIFE 78 GALLERY When to fire at the flag. Club champion at age 12! 69 MUST PLAY COURSES 22 MASHIE GOLF Our new monthly feature has 8 12 DAVID LEADBETTER Country Club Johannesburg opens courses you should get to play. Curing the shanks. its third course. 2 / JULY 2017 / GOLFDIGEST.CO.ZA COVER PHOTO BY J D CUBAN • THIS PAGE: CARL FOURIE 23681TPumaMedia_Gol 2017-03-29T10:06:46+02:00 cents 23681T/E cents ninety9 IGNITE DISC The performance of your golf game starts from the ground up. Playing your way starts with a perfectly fi tted shoe to provide you maximum comfort and stability. PUMA’s DISC technology allows you to make micro-adjustments, providing a custom fi t and superior comfort. With premium leather and waterproof upper, IGNITE DISC shoe will keep your game strong all day long. Your feet will thank you and, ultimately, so will your score. #PLAYYOURWAY 07/17 Behind the Scenes EDITORIAL EDITOR STUART McLEAN 021 417 5195 Why golf is still growing Contributing Editor Barry Havenga Head of Creative: Consumer Division Mark Serra in South Africa Managing Editor Chantel Kleinsmidt 021 417 5156 Art Director Alistair Fester By Stuart McLean, Editor Designer Samantha Presence Photographers Grant Leversha, uch of the enjoyment of golf contributed in buying up tee times. Jamie Thom, Luke Walker is derived from being part of They increased golfing volume at clubs M a community while playing nationwide by brokering unused tee time GOLF DIGEST USA the game. People you can as- inventory, in other words filling those Editor-in-Chief Jerry Tarde Contributing Editor - International Ju Kuang Tan sociate with, befriend and trust. That com- quiet weekday mornings when courses Senior Analyst, Rights Clearance - International munity always used to be the members of largely lay empty. A spin-off has been the Monique Parish the golf club to which you belonged, or Last Minute Golf website. PMG’s mem- Director of Licensing Angie Byun Playing Editors Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, the group or school at the club you mixed bership has grown to 13 000, and these Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson, Nick Price, with every week. Today, it’s not neces- include golfers who already have a club Jordan Spieth, Justin Leonard, David Toms sarily about loyalty to one golf club any membership. They use PMG to access A licensing agreement between Advance more, but rather the option of being with cheaper green fee rates at other courses Publications Inc. and New Media Publishing like-minded golfers playing a variety of they wish to play. different courses. PMG Managing Executive O’Brian ADVERTISING & MARKETING Traditional golfers might believe that Barber is passionate about expanding the Business Manager Diane Lubbe 083 391 1651 club membership is the only way to go, business and embracing even more new Advertising Sales Elna Coetzer 082 971 9715 Advertising Co-ordinator Michelle Koetenberg yet that’s only because the membership golfers to keep the game thriving – “our Sales Designer Marcus Viljoen model is ingrained in the way golf evolved business model ticks so many boxes when DISTRIBUTION & SUBSCRIPTIONS in South Africa under colonialism. We it is truly understood,” he says – and Golf Distribution RNA Ramsay Subscriptions spurned pay-and-play courses, those oper- Digest will be playing its own part in Subscriptions Operations Manager Karin Mulder ated by municipalities or private owners, this through the introduction of a new [email protected], PRINT subscriptions: Ramsay Media and instead bought into generations of monthly course feature beginning on Page 0860 100 999 [email protected] strict dress codes, waiting lists, stipulated 69 of this issue. Each month we will spot- FOREIGN subscriptions: +27 21 530 3112 tee times, committees and intimidating light eight different “Must Play” courses DIGITAL subscriptions: MYSUBS mysubs.co.za 0861 697 827 protocol. In today’s changing culture, from two different regions which partner though, many golfers find that model of with PMG. It will give exposure to the PUBLISHING TEAM Managing Director Aileen Lamb being part of the “golf club set” restrictive, many great golfing venues we have in Group Account Director Kelly Cloete and are finding more flexible ways of this country. By the time we publish our Account Manager Thanaa Moosa enjoying the game. next Top 100 rankings in the March 2018 Production Manager Shirley Quinlan Alternative membership models have issue, we will have promoted 96 courses substantially benefitted the game in the over eight months. new millennium through both welcom- Last month’s column featured the ing new golfers and retaining the interest seven principles of “Ready Golf,” and of others who might have quit. Virtual The R&A have subsequently announced Published by New Media Publishing (Pty) Ltd, clubs have often taken a bad rap for clubs that Ready Golf will be introduced at its New Media House, 19 Bree Street, Cape Town losing members, yet the 2015 SA Golf 2017 amateur championships as part of PO Box 440, Green Point, Cape Town 8051 Survey shows that the emergence of virtual its efforts to improve pace of play. Hope- Telephone: 021 417 1111 E-mail: [email protected] clubs like playmoregolf with Momentum fully golf clubs in SA will give it a try www.newmediapub.co.za (PMG) are “the only things that have too. Ready Golf features in The R&A’s grown the game.” Pace of Play manual as a recommended Chief Financial Officer Mark Oaten Executive Directors Irna van Zyl, John Psillos PMG was formed as an initiative by The solution for tackling slow play. It enables Chief Executive Officer Bridget McCarney Pro Shop in the boom days of the game a golfers to play when ready to do so rather decade or so ago to secure more affordable than strictly adhere to ‘the furthest from Reproduction New Media Publishing rounds at leading courses. Not only did the hole plays first’ requirement. PMG prove a success in that department, but since the recession it has ensured the survival of many golf clubs who would be much worse off financially without the hundreds of millions of rands PMG has [email protected] All rights reserved. Whereas precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of information, neither the editor, publisher nor New Media Publishing can be held liable for any inaccuracies, injury or damages that may arise. The opinions 4 / JULY 2017 / GOLFDIGEST.CO.ZA expressed in the articles may not reflect those of the publisher. “Drive it home!” Rickie Fowler We are proud to support Rickie Fowler and The 146h Open. Dedicated to the #PerfectDrive. www.facebook.com/MercedesBenzGolf MB_AZ_Golf_The_Open_210x275_Golf_Digest_SouthAfrica_ICv2_RZ.indd 1 25.04.17 14:39 SUBSCRIBE PRINT GOLF DIGEST MAGAZINE 30% R319 FOR OFF 12 ISSUES A disount of 30%. Pay once-off R319 or two six-monthly instalments of R159.50. 4 WAYS TO 1 CALL 087 405 2004 3 SMS “GD” to 40573 2 EMAIL [email protected] 4 WEB www.golfdigest.co.za SUBSCRIBE or www.magsathome.co.za DIGITAL GOLF DIGEST DIGITAL R228 FOR 50% 12 ISSUES OFF R19 per issue - 50% off the cover price. TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Discount offer is not valid in conjunction with the Vitality offer in Golf Digest magazine. SMSs charged at R1.00 per SMS across all networks. Discount offer available to print subscribers with a South African postal address. For overseas and neighbouring state rates please call: +27 21 045 1809.