RIC 00 M TCH a ERS EW DRIVERS & HYBRIDS APRIL 2018 / R38 WHATMADEHIMGREAT CANAGAIN PRACTICETHEDJWAY/4 SHOTS TO TAME AUGUSTA–THE CLUB NEXT DOOR HOW TO PLAY / WHAT TO PLAY / WHE E TO PLAY CONTENTS 04/18 MASTERS PREVIEW 32 4 SHOTS THAT TAME AUGUS- TA (AND WORK EVERYWHERE) 9 By Brooks Koepka 38 FINDING PEACE 50 YEARS ON 32 1968 Masters champion Bob Goalby on the De Vicenzo disaster. With Guy Yocom 41 MASTERS CONFIDENTIAL What the experts have to say. 42 OLD SCHOOL The final sentry at Augusta National’s 18th is one big oak. 43 THE CLUB NEXT DOOR The relationship between Augusta National and neighbours Augusta Country Club. By Curt Sampson 46 DAYS&NIGHTS Masters Week, inside and outside the gates. 80 MASTERS SOUVENIRS A tradition unlike any other. 74 70 THE GOLF LIFE 22 SPANNING THE GLOBE Coming soon: A handicap you can use anywhere. 24 THE DIGEST Eight ways to get kicked out 48 of the Masters. 26 JERRY TARDE COVER STORIES 56 HOW TIGER CHOOSES PLAY YOUR BEST New versus old stuff. HIS EQUIPMENT 9 PRACTICE LIKE A WORLD NO 1 14 BUTCH HARMON The 14-time major champion 27 ASK GOLF DIGEST Skills for putting like a pro. What you can learn from Dustin brings a meticulous approach Johnson’s practice habits. 28 THE 15TH CLUB to club testing. 15 JUSTIN THOMAS Book review of Zimbabwe golfers. 20 RICKIE FOWLER By Michael Johnson Make your worst putting My trick to stay mentally sharp 58 DOES TIGER STILL HAVE days better. 29 SWITCHING HOLES the entire round. THE YIPS? AtMountEdgecombeNo1. 16 DAVID LEADBETTER An analysis of his chipping. 48 WHAT MADE TIGER GREAT? THINK YOUNG PLAY HARD Trythismovetoimprove 30 JR IOOSS WALTER By Ron Kaspriske Nicklaus, Player, Trevino, Miller your takeaway. Keenan Davidse. and Faldo on going from good to HOT LIST transcendent. By Jaime Diaz 18 DIAL YOUR WEDGES 74 GALLERY 62 DRIVERS Cover every distance with 55 WIN A R7 000 BULOVA 67 FAIRWAY WOODS these small adjustments. 77 AMATEUR SCENE MARINE STAR WATCH 70 HYBRIDS By Nick Clearwater Record low scores. BY PHOTO COVER 4 / APRIL 2018 / GOLFDIGEST.CO.ZA 04 / 18 BEHIND THE SCENES EDITORIAL Editor Stuart McLean 021 417 5195 Head of Creative Mark Serra Group Account Director: Health & Sport Division Cat Anderson Group Managing Editor: Health & Sport Division WE’LL ALL SOON HAVE LOWER HANDICAPS Chantel Kleinsmidt 021 417 5156 Account Manager Thanaa Moosa By Stuart McLean, Editor Contributing Editor Barry Havenga Designer Marcus Viljoen Photographers Grant Leversha, Jamie Thom, lub golfers will soon determined by the Slope. Slope ensures equality Luke Walker face a drastic change among dif erent golfers when competing, GOLF DIGEST USA to their handicaps. providing additional strokes. Golfers will be able Editor-in-Chief Jerry Tarde I’m not referring to to i nd their Course Handicap on conversion Contributing Editor: International Ju Kuang Tan C Monique Parish the upcomingWorld tables at a golf club, on the Handicaps Network Rights Clearance - Contracts & Rights Handicap System (see Africa App, and HNA terminals. Director of Licensing Angie Byun Page 22) but rather the HNA say that women golfers will experience Playing Editors Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson, Nick Price, introduction locally of the USGA Course the biggest fall in handicaps, 2.5 shots on Jordan Spieth, Justin Leonard, David Toms Rating which will lower everyone’s average, and the average for men will be 1.5. handicaps by between one and three shots. The reason is that the average playing length A licensing agreement between Advance Our handicap index will be in decimal for courses of the men’s tees have not been as Publications Inc. and New Media Publishing points, not rounded up or down. accurate as those for women. And when the It turns out we are much better golfers new course ratings are introduced, they will be ADVERTISING & PRODUCTION than we thought we were in global handicap immediately backdated on the handicap system. Head of Advertising Jeanine Bosho terms. Our talents have been hidden by an So handicaps will change instantaneously. Business Manager Diane Lubbe 083 391 1651 Key Account Manager Elna Coetzer 082 971 9715 outdated rating system which only took A course’s Slope rating tells you how easy Advertising Co-ordinator Michelle Koetenberg length into consideration, and didn’t interpret or dii cult it is to play for the high handicap. Production Manager Shirley Quinlan the diiculty of courses with bunkers, trees, Among Top 100 courses, examples of a low SUBSCRIPTIONS water hazards, tricky greens and wind. Slope (easy) include St Francis Bay at 123, Magsathome Contact Centre: The USGA rating system is complex, and Royal Port Alfred 125, Mossel Bay 126, and 36 Old Mill Street, Ndabeni, Cape Town , 7405 takes time to implement – modern courses Southbroom 129. Lengthy Legend is 130, and Tel: 087 405 2004 with a variety of tees can take a day to rate Wild Coast just 133, the same as Kyalami’s Fax: 086 670 4101 – but under the leadership of former golf club tees. The highest Slope in the land is 155, Email: [email protected] Web: www.magsathome.co.za administrator Eric Lefson it has inally been from the back tees of the Gary Player CC and FOREIGN Subscriptions: +27 21 045 1809 achieved.All 441 courses in South Africa have Fancourt Links. Others include Steyn City and DIGITAL Subscriptions: MYSUBS been visited over the past two years and new Jackal Creek (both 153), Pinnacle Point and 0861 697 827 / mysubs.co.za ratings ixed for each of them. Blair Atholl (152), St Francis Links (151), Pearl EXECUTIVE TEAM Now it’s up to the SA Golf Association Valley and Silver Lakes (150). Managing Director Aileen Lamb to decide when they will be introduced Lefson explains the dif erence between Commercial Director Maria Tiganis once the cost of rollout is evaluated.They course rating and Slope. “Typically, a course Content Director Andrew Nunneley don’t have to wait for theWorld Handicap with a high rating is long and has tough greens, Head of Digital Kamiel Ebrahim Chief Financial Oi cer Mark Oaten System to take efect in 2020. But they whereas courses with high Slope tend to have Chief Executive Oi cer Bridget McCarney must introduce the new USGA ratings in lots of carries, which af ect a high handicap Executive Director John Psillos conjunction with Slope – a measure of the much more than a scratch golfer. The East Non-Executive Director Irna van Zyl relative diiculty of a set of tees for a higher Course at Royal J&K has a rating of 76.8 from Reproduction New Media Publishing handicap when compared to a scratch golfer. the back tees, and a Slope of 142. This shows The two elements need to work together. it is tough, but not impossible for the average The new ratings assigned to courses golfer. Conversely, courses like Pinnacle Point convey a diferent picture of their strengths and Eagle Canyon have lower course ratings, and weaknesses compared to current ones. In but a high Slope due to the way they play.” virtually every case, the rating has increased, Slope will af ect handicaps of golfers when Published by New Media Publishing (Pty) Ltd, some drastically.Consider the current rating they visit other courses, to put everyone on a New Media House, 19 Bree Street, Cape Town 8001 of 72 for the men’s white club tees at Kyalami level footing. Play at Pinnacle Point or Sun City PO Box 440, Green Point, Cape Town 8051 Telephone: 021 417 1111 CC in Gauteng.The new rating will be 74.7, and, depending on the tee you use, several extra E-mail: [email protected] the highest rating of any course in South shots will come your way. Web: www.newmediapub.co.za Africa of the club tees.Which means that “These are exciting times for our club golfers, many of Kyalami’s members could face a who will have more realistic handicaps for the handicap cut of nearly three shots. various courses they play,” said Lefson. Some may blanch at that, but the good news is that there will also be a Course Handicap every time they play which could see their handicaps go out again.A current 10 at Kyalami could be cut to 7, but play All rights reserved. Whereas precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of information, neither the editor, of 9 in competitions! Course Handicap is [email protected] publisher nor New Media Publishing can be held liable for any inaccuracies, injury or damages that may arise. The opinions expressed in the articles may not reflect those of the publisher. All prices correct at time of going to press. 6 / APRIL 2018 / GOLFDIGEST.CO.ZA RICKI 00 M TCH a ERS PRINT IEW GOLF DIGEST MAGAZINE DRIVERS &HYBRIDS APRIL 2018 / R 30% R319 FOR OFF 12 ISSUES WHATMADEHIMGREAT CANAGAIN PRACTICETHEDJWAY/4 SHOTS TO TAME AUGUSTA–THE CLUB NEXT DOOR or two six-monthly instalments of R159.50. SUBSCRIBE 1 CALL 087 405 2004 3 SMS “GD” to 40573 2 EMAIL [email protected] 4 WEB www.golfdigest.co.za TO PRINT or www.magsathome.co.za RICKI 00 M TCH DIGITAL T a GOLF DIGESTDIGITAL ERS IEW R228 FOR TTDRIVERS T T TT &HYBRIDS 12 ISSUES APRIL 2018 / R38 R19 per issue - 50% o WHATMADEHIMGREAT CANAGAIN the cover price. PRACTICETHEDJWAY/4SHOTSTOTAME AUGUSTA–THE CLUB NEXT DOOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS: SMSs charged at R1.00 per SMS across all networks. Discount of er available to print subscribers with a South African postal address.