Who has the Honour?

Who has the Honour? That seems like a simple question: We all know that it’s the lowest score – but when you’re playing with handicaps, is it the lowest gross score, or lowest net score?

We were just asked that question, and thought it was good enough to share the answer with everyone.

The answer can be found in the Rules of Golf – Rule 10, specifically:

In Match Play the honour goes to whomever won the hole. If you’re playing with handicaps, then it’s based on net score. If you’re playing without, then it’s based on gross score.

In Stroke/Medal Play the honor always goes to the lowest gross score, even when you’re playing with handicaps.

The Montgomerie, Dubai, where you can putt for miles

The Montgomerie Dubai golf course is one of the most luxurious golf resorts in the Middle East. Designed by Colin Montgomerie in association with Desmond Muirhead, it is consistently ranked as one of the top golf courses in the Gulf.

Montgomerie is spread over 265 acres which includes 123 acres of turf, 14 man-made lakes, 93 acres of landscaped gardens and 81 extremely large bunkers. The course has a number of distinctive holes, including the 656 yard par-5 18th – with water guarding the green, it challenges even top players to reach the green in three. But the hole that steals the show is the par-3 13th, which claims to have the single largest green in the world, covering a total area of 58,000 sq. feet (equivalent to nine greens).

Hand-shaped bunker on the 17th hole

The Montgomerie, Dubai was voted “Dubai’s leading Golf Resort” in the 2006 World Travel Awards. Colin Montgomerie, Scotland’s most successful golfer has clearly embraced the traditions of a Scottish links course making it a unique experience in this part of the world. If you happen to be in the area, it is definitely a ‘must play’.

They’re even better than you thought

Kip HenleyUnderstanding how good the pros really are is best illustrated by the story of Kip Henley

All Kip Henley ever wanted was to be a tour player. His obsession began at age 5 when his mother, who worked folding boxes at the Arnold Palmer company in Chattanooga, provided her young son with a cut-off set of Arnold Palmer signature clubs.

Kip gave up his amateur status in 1982, trying tour school. No one tried harder and got less out of it than ol’ Kipper,” he said. “I paid a fortune in Q-School fees for probably 12 years.” After running out of funds, he turned to the life of a club pro and became a Class A PGA professional.

He has maintained his Class A standing with the PGA of America for years. Over the past 5 years, he made the transition to caddying for Tour Pro Brian Gay (that’s Kip in the white jumpsuit with Brian at the Masters) . Kipy Henley Caddy In fact, Kip picked up $100,000 a couple of years ago when Gay won the FedEx/St. Jude Classic in Memphis.

Last fall, for reasons he still doesn’t understand, Kip Henley played in and won the Tennessee PGA Section championship, “even though I hadn’t broken par all year.” Talk about the blind squirrel finding a nut. “I shot 10 under for 54 holes,” Henley said. “Like I said, a miracle. I stood on the 16th hole in the final round and made birdie on 16, 17 and 18, with my hands shaking.” Continue reading “They’re even better than you thought”

North Korea has its first ever golf tournament

This April North Korea held it’s first ever amateur golf tournament (for foreigners only). The organizers were swamped with applications from Korea, Japan, and the US. Over 200 golfers applied for 30 spots in the tournament.

The tournament was be held at the Pyongyang Golf Complex (18-hole par 72), the only course in the country open to North Koreans. British businessman Richard Shears was one of the players. He writes about his experience:

When the day came for the golf tournament, fortified by a breakfast of pickled cabbage and sauteed pork, we set out in groups for the first tee. There, we were amazed to find we’d been provided with a number of attractive young Korean women dressed in formal blue and white uniforms who would serve as our caddies.

The fairways were like light rough and extremely narrow. By the end of the day, I had been left way down the field – in spite of the attempts by my caddy, Miss Nim, to suggest in her very limited English what club I should use on each hole.
And as I missed each easy putt, she smiled sweetly and clapped politely.

Continue reading “North Korea has its first ever golf tournament”

Golf Dreams in the Slums of Mumbai

If you are looking for a little inspiration, watch the video below which tells unique story of caddie Anil Mane and his dream to someday become a pro golfer. Narrated by his sponsor, venture capitalist Ashish Kacholia, the video captures the dichotomy between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ in modern India. A putter made from rebar? Amazing.

If you liked the documentary, you’ll enjoy this photo essay of golfers in the mumbai slums by Tomasz Gudzowaty, which served as the inspiration for the video. Our thanks to our friends at 72strokes.com for turning us on to this video.

Great Swings: Ben Hogan

Any swing series wouldn’t be “great” without a tribute to Ben Hogan.

Hogan is credited with the modern swing, and is most recognized as having been the greatest ball striker ever to have played golf . His swing introducing both technical precision and athletic prowess, and is summarized in his book Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf, one of the most widely read golf tutorial ever written.

 

 

What does being the best ball striker ever actually mean? It means that in one of his more famous tournaments he hit 139 out of 141 with good to perfect execution. He had such mastery over his swing that many people began looking for his “secret”. One major theory had to do with his right knee – and how it was used to keep his swing “automatic”. This was something Hogan stressed in his book and lessons – including the video above.