LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN /// images andreas Eiselen/hsm images

The big event event coming It helps having those guys up in the next few weeks is around on a week-to-week Ernie and Retief have both won the the second Major of 2016, the basis while on tour. Charl has US Open, at Oakmont Country a house just 250m away from co lumn Club, and I’m looking forward mine in Old Palm, , and US Open so hopefully now’s the to it immensely. last year Branden bought one Last year I finished in a tie just around the corner from us time either myself, Branden or for second alongside Dustin too. Our schedules are pretty Johnson and only one shot similar throughout the year Charl can join that elite company behind Jordan Spieth, and so we do tend to stick together played the final 54 holes and fly the South African flag. in 11 under . So that first- It also helps that our better round 77 probably cost me halves get along, so they keep of the Springboks, the Proteas come round they also join the Major, but this year gives one another company while or Bafana Bafana won’t get in the chilled conversation me another chance. we’re out there doing our you very far when you’re all and we generally set the The South Africans did well ‘golfing’ things. standing around the braai in world straight when we at last year The reality is that while Old Palm – or even Manchester all get together. Ernie and – Branden [Grace] finished some of the other players, United for that matter, as the Retief have both won the Three’s Company on three under and Charl the Americans for instance, US guys tend to get more US Open – in each instance [Schwartzel) on two under, so also follow a lot of sport other involved in talking baseball and twice – so hopefully now’s Compleat Golfer’s playing editor is South all three of us were in the top than golf, we tend to talk about basketball and other sports that the time either myself, Charl Africa’s . Apart from seven. Here’s hoping we can the sports that South Africa is are closer to them than us. or Branden can join that elite do something like that again heavily involved in and which And then, when the likes of company and kick on from providing regular instruction, his monthly – but go a little better this time. we grew up with. The subject Ernie [Els] and Retief [Goosen] what we did last year. column takes you into his world

cut a DRIVE This month you’ll see I’m using an alignment stick, so with the cut I’ll aim towards the left side of the fairway. I want to have my feet and everything else aimed that way. My club is going to release a little bit to the left, which creates the cutting action. The biggest thing here is to not drag the face of the club. If you do it will result in a block fade, which will leave you way out on the right. You still want to release the clubface, but you want to release it down the line to the left. So, by putting down the alignment stick, you definitely don’t want to cut across it. But by letting it go down the left it will cut [to the right] just where you want it to be.

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