A message from the editor, Neil Tappin:
As most of us who play the game recreationally know only too well, golf is a frustratingly fickle sport. The line between straight drives and lost balls is excruciatingly fine. With this in mind, spare a thought for those who’ve chosen to play golf for a living, where as little as a bad shot at the wrong moment can be the difference between banking a healthy cheque and leaving with nothing.
This is why the career path of a touring professional rarely, if ever, follows a straight line. Indeed, it’s the personal journey each player goes on that makes top-level golf such a compelling sport to follow. In this issue of the magazine, we have interviews with two players whose contrasting journeys brought them together in The Open at Royal Troon earlier this year.
The first is Billy Horschel. Over the last few years, the Floridian has consistently travelled across the pond in a bid to broaden his golfing horizons and improve as a player. His form dipped drastically during this period, but he dug in, gritted his teeth and refound his star quality to lead this year’s Open with just a handful of holes left to play.
The other is Dan Brown. Having qualified at West Lancs, the Yorkshireman arrived at Royal Troon ranked 272nd in the world. Defying all conventional logic and with his brother on the bag, Brown topped the leaderboard early on and then remained in contention until the final few holes.
If you, like me, have become tired of the constant chitter-chatter surrounding the financial side of men’s professional golf, I suggest you give these two articles a read. They act as a helpful reminder that the highs and lows of professional golf are about much more than money.
See below for more highlights from the issue...
Billy Horschel Exclusive
Billy Horschel has been a regular visitor to these shores of late and British golf fans have really taken to him. He tells David Facey that the feeling is most definitely mutual…
20 Pages Of Instruction
Our Top 50 Coaches have every element of the game covered for you. This month we focus on long-irons, hybrids and fairway woods with Gary Munro as well as looking at how to start the downswing, curing the chipping yips and hearing from Henrik Stenson about his favourite tips.
The World Handicap System
Fergus Bisset shares his thoughts on how the World Handicap System might be tweaked to be fairer and to help more UK golfers enjoy the game. We also put your questions to the England Golf WHS and Course Rating team.
Christmas Gift Guide
Need help with some golf gift ideas this Christmas? This selection of potential presents has been hand-picked by our team of golfers, for golfers.
Dan Brown Exclusive
Dan Brown made a name for himself with his performance at Royal Troon this year. He tells Mark Townsend about his early struggles in the pro ranks, playing with Scottie Scheffler and his first DP World Tour victory.
Tiger's US Open Triumph
This is the story of Tiger Woods’ unbelievable and utterly dominant win in the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach, surely the greatest Major performance in the history of the game?
The Hottest New Gear
We feature all of the best new equipment to hit the market this month, including a first look at the Tour Edge Exotics drivers and much more.
The Best Courses You Can Play
Our team of course experts travel the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland to bring you a mix of well-known clubs and hidden gems to add to your wish list.
