Leicestershire & May 2011 Rutland Golfer Seniors back at Stapleford Park Can anyone take the Masters trophy from last year’s winner Bill Longmuir? Inside: Course guide How to get there Event schedule Sam? Sandy? Woosie? Also inside: GolfLive2011... New Vokey wedges... Prêt à Golf clothing launch Official custom fitting centre for golf equipment by & see page 7 Cosby Golf Club, Chapel Lane, Cosby, Leicester LE9 1RG. Tel: 0116 286 4759 Adios Seve - we always felt you were one of us ith the recent sad loss of Seve Ballesteros, the world of golf Leicestershire & Wis left mourning one of its favourite sons. Rutland Golfer But what was it about the man that makes golfers across the globe feel his May 2011 passing so keenly when 99 per cent of us only knew him through his appearances CONTENTS on the television set in the corner of the lounge? Handa Seniors at Stapleford Park..........3-5 All the tributes to him from his fellow putting his golf ball in some truly awful professionals tell of how much they places, many of them barely within the New Vokey wedges in county.................7-8 admired him as a gentleman of the confines of the golf course. sport, how his enthusiasm for the game And perhaps that’s why we amateur Turnberry to host Seniors Open................9 inspired those around him. golfers loved him so much - he played New head coach at Woodhall Spa............9 They also tell how that enthusiasm brilliant golf, yes, but he played it from became almost too much when he cap- some of the places that we know so Stapleford Park course guide.............10-11 well - from bunkers, from behind trees tained the European Ryder Cup team, A SAFE HAVEN: Stapleford Park’s thatched golf pavilion houses the locker rooms from where the Senior pros will begin their preparations rushing around on his golf buggy ready and bushes, from just inside the out of Meet the stars at GolfLive 2011..........14-15 to offer advice and mentally hitting bounds stakes wide left and wide right. Prêt à Golf launches range.................14-15 every shot for every player on his team. So, adios Seve - you were never a robot Seve was not about perfection, he was a of the target golf brigade. We’re all just Testing times at The Belfry.......................17 flawed genius. A man who won Majors sorry you couldn’t make one last miracle and dozens of other tournaments all recovery from life’s heavy rough. Your chance to see Club Contacts Directory...........................18 over the world despite his propensity for Tim Beard, Editor The Brabazon Challenge is back.............19 Advertising: Richard Woolerton golf at its best... 07809 535454 Editorial: Tim Beard 07788 870193 orm is temporary but class is per- manent, so they say, but the qual- Design and Production: Maple Leaf Media, Fity of golf from the European Tour’s High Street, Waltham on the Wolds, Bingham Ground Services can offer a wide range of products suitable for golf Senior pros shows them turning in great Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire courses or private use. performances time after time – and we Printed by: Service Press, Ross Walk, can look forward to some great displays Leicester. Products Include: Artificial golf greens which can be tailored to individual require- ments be it for chipping on to or putting on or both. There is no fixed size or of golf when they arrive at Stapleford Leicestershire Golfer - shape so you can be as individual as you like with the design. a truly local golf magazine Park, near Melton Mowbray, at the be- The greens designed for chipping onto have the realistic properties of a natural ginning of June. green and the putting surface can be designed to break certain ways as required. Terms and Conditions. For the second year running the inland Artificial Tee areas which are ideal for winter months or to save the grass. We An advertisement will always be published to go out links-style course designed by Donald can provide carpets which you can stand a tee in directly or is easy to hit the ball monthly. Artwork must be completed and proofed no Steel is hosting the top names on the BILL LONGMUIR - Winner of last year’s later than the deadline date set. All monies must be directly off the grass. These can either be permanent fixtures or portable to suit. event, he finished 20 under par paid by the invoice date or no later than 30 days af- Artificial walkways which can benefit a course by reducing erosion in high wear Tour for the Handa Senior Masters and ter receipt of invoice. Not conforming to these guide- areas and are aesthetically very similar to natural grass. Portable putting greens while the form of some of the players lines could result in advertisements being withdrawn which can be easily put together at home and is easily moved. These are popular may vary, there will certainly be plenty Sandy also won his maiden Senior Tour from publication. for home use and for exhibitions. title in March this year - his first victory We reserve the right not to publish certain types of of real class on show from June 3-5. for 20 years - at the ISPS Handa Senior advertisements. We can not be held responsible We can supply the Huxley Rotanet® which can easily be erected in the garden to Two men who have actually pulled on for any inaccuracies in advertisements nor for any hit the ball in to and provides a safe practice environment. World Championship at Mission Hills in the green jackets of Masters winners will consequences arising from this. Guaranteed dates China. So his form looks to have re- of publication cannot be given. We can not held re- Mill House, Main Street, Sutton-on-Trent, be there in the shape of successful Ryder turned just at the right time. sponsible for damage to or loss of copy, or errors in Newark, Notts, NG23 6PF Cup captain Ian Woosnam and Sandy printing. The advertiser is responsibe for conforming Former Ryder Cup-winning player and with the Trade Descriptions Act 1975, Business Ad- Tel: 0844 8794735 Fax: 0560 3438634 Lyle, who also accepted the coveted vertisements Disclosure Order 1977, Sex Discrimi- Claret Jug when he won The Open at captain Sam Torrance – who can forget Bingham Ground Services are authorised distributors of Huxley ® golf products CARL MASON: More than 20 wins on the nations Act 1975 and the consumer credit act 1974. European Senior Tour - a real contender Royal St George’s in 1985. that putt across the 18th green at The 2 Leicestershire & Rutland Golfer Leicestershire & Rutland Golfer 3 The Pro’s Andrew Oldcorn Sam Torrance Boonchu Ruangkit Sandy Lyle Ian Woosnam Belfry – is also back again. He not only last year’s winner Bill Longmuir who tore tournament is decided over 54 rather That support means that the players VIEW won 21 times in his touring professional up the course to finish on 20 under par than 72 holes, but the ability is there for will be competing for their share of a career but has carried on in the Senior after just three rounds. Can he repro- all to see as they tackle Stapleford off £400,000 prize fund, one of the biggest ranks and won the Senior Tour’s Order of duce form like that for a second year the back tees. on the Senior Tour. Richard Alderson Golf Professional Merit in 2009. running. ISPS (International Sports Promotion But the event will also be fundraising Carl Mason launched himself on to the There will be plenty of other big names Society), and its chairman Dr Haruhisa in aid of the Handa Japan Relief ap- Stapleford Park Senior Tour with a bang, topped the Or- to see – Seniors new boy Andrew Old- Handa, has continued its support for this peal which aims to offer help to people der of Merit in 2003, 2004 and 2007 and corn will be looking to establish himself; event in 2011. affected by the The safe option around the course finished runner up to Sam Torrance in Irishman Des Smyth is always great to ISPS is dedi- “ISPS is dedicated to supporting recent earth- is a soft fade, but if players need both 2005 and 2006. He has more than watch; plus European stalwarts Juan cated to sup- golf at every level of the game” quakes in the to be aggressive and create birdies 20 Senior Tour wins. Quiros and Costantino Rocca are always porting golf Far East. they’ll need to draw the ball. Other big names include “The Godfa- great to watch. at every level Dr Haruhisa Handa A host of other Distance control with irons will be ther” of Asian golf, Boonchu Ruangkit, The only acknowledgement to the play- of the game, attractions are vital as many of the greens have big and will once again use the tournament undulations. Juan Quiros last year’s Order of Merit winner, plus ers’ advancing ages is the fact that the being planned off the course and free as a platform to develop golf at the grass admission is being offered for specta- Consequently, good lag putting will roots level for blind and disabled people. tors. be vital in order to build a score. Dr Handa, the Japanese philanthropist Food and refreshments will be available Best birdie chances: who is an International Ambassador for purchase and, at the time of going to Most of the players will hit driver at for the European Senior Tour, said: “I press, there was still time to talk to the the short par 4 first to take the fair- am thrilled that the ISPS Handa Senior organisers about hospitality and spon- way bunkers out of the equation.