Notes on the Accenture

10 things that struck me about the WGC Matchplay last week:

1) From the moment Tiger escaped from his opening round match against JB Holmes, you got the feeling he was going to win the first WGC event of the year.

2) Why do players (like Stewart Cink) putt like gods in previous rounds and then as soon as they play against Tiger start missing five-footers?

3) I know it's played in the middle of the Arizona desert, but why were there only 35 fans watching the action at The Gallery? Take that field to Wentworth and they'd be hanging out of the pine trees to catch a glimpse of the action.

4) Is it worrying, in Ryder Cup year, that three-quarters of the semi-final line-up of the year's premier matchplay event were American?

5) Why is there a par four on The Gallery course that is only 300 yards long?

6) Is Aaron Baddeley our best hope of someone regularly going head-to-head with Tiger and actually winning now and again?

7) Wasn't it a great change to watch a matchplay event?

8) Did Sergio REALLY take two putters out with him? I hope that was someone's idea of a joke.

9) Don't you just wish Angel Cabrera could play for Europe in the Ryder Cup? El Pato would fit in well.

10) Facing defeat in that opening match against Holmes, Woods closed his round by going 3, 2, 3, 3. That isn't human.

By Chris Bertram

Can we trust Tiger's rivals?

I'M slightly worried about this year. Like every other season in golf, there are plenty of things to look forward to. The Majors and the Ryder Cup stand out of course and already we've had a couple of outstanding tournaments on the European Tour.

But I'm not sure we can trust Tiger's rivals to be just that: challengers to hi throne, men who make him win tournaments rather than the world No 1 simply waiting for them to lose them.

It seems to me this is going to be a transitional year at golf's top table. The so-called Big Five (Tiger plus Phil, Ernie, Vijay and Jim Furyk) never really came to the party at the same time - Troon 2004 was possibly the best roll call (and none of them won!) - and 2008 should see them disband.

Ernie Els is trying manfully to challenge Tiger but he cannot close out a tournament no matter how hard he tries. And that's probably the problem - he's trying too hard. 

I remember suggesting after his four near misses in the Majors in 2004 that he might just be too desperate to win another one.

Injury has played its part but I feel my prediction has come true to a certain extent, much as I wish he'd have a Green Jacket on his shoulders one day.

Things are worse for his countryman Retief Goosen, whose last top 10 came at Augusta 11 months ago. Pinehurst 2005 seems to have done for him.

Vijay Singh got to the top in terrific style in a showdown with Tiger and since then it's been a gradually increasingly slippery slope. Difficult to see that changing this year.

Finally, there's Phil Mickelson. He seems to be ahnging in there better than the rest but if he and Tiger go head to head down the stretch at, say, Birkdale, can you really see him triumphing?

Where does that leave us? Hoping underchievers such as Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia come good, that Padraig Harrington or Geoff Ogilvy have another Major in them or that the youthful likes of Richard Sterne or Martin Kaymer do a Rich Beem (remember him?) and take on Tiger like they're playing with a group of friends for a fiver.

Now you can probably see why I'm worried. Can we trust these men to give Tiger a game?

By Chris Bertram

 

USA USA USA

WHY are we not really, really excited by the start of the World Golf Championships for 2008? This week the matchplay leg of the WGCs takes place and it really should be a tremendously exciting event. 

Yet, after we've done the office draw and we've argued over who's got the best batch of players (this year I got David Toms, Anders Hansen, Jim Furyk, and Jerry Kelly which I'm quietly happy with), it kind of dies a death. Why is that? Probably partly because for most of this event's lifetime it has yet to produce a stellar final or even a star-studded semi-final.

Darrn Clarke v Tiger was pretty good I suppose but they're far too chummy for it to be really interesting.

It needs something thrilling to put it on the map and, let's be honest, it needs Tiger. Put him in the final against Sergio, Phil, Ernie or even Rory Sabbatini and suddenly we're all gathered round the TV.

A re-match against Stephen Ames would be pretty amusing too.

Another reason it's yet to take off? It's always in America! How about Dubai hosting one year? Because the Americans won't travel, just as they didn't when it was in Australia. Surely we've all moved on from there (although the American interviewer who spoke to Henrik Stenson - that's Ryder Cup star and serial tournament champion Henrik Stenson - after winning last year really did ask him if he thought Americans would know him after his victory) and the top names would make it to the Middle East. First-class travel, five-star and a huge prize fund. It's not THAT tough an ask, is it?

Tiger v Phil in Dubai, in the final. Now we're really excited.

By Chris Bertram

Who had more competition - Tiger or Jack?

Until very recently, it was accepted golfing wisdom that in the era of Jack Nicklaus (1960s and 70s) there fewer good players than there are now in Tiger Woods' prime (mid 1990s to the present).

This has always coloured the debate as to which is the greatest.

For the first time, this assumption is currently being questioned.

Now, comparing anything across eras, be it the state of the British Newspaper industry or the quality of real ale, is a completely subjective exercise. Let's get that straight immediately.

But it's also enjoyable and entertaining, so let's try anyway.

In Jack's day, there were a handful of true champions, most notably Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson, but we are led to believe the supporting cast was rather thin. In other words, when it came to a Major, there were only a handful of realistic potential winners.

Right now, the next best after Tiger are the likes of Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Jim Furyk - Major champions one and all.

I don't think any have yet earned the right to be talked about in the same class as Jack's peers, but beneath them in any given Major are at least another 50 players who, on their day, are capable of winning one of the big ones.

Yet, despite this supposed depth of talent, Tiger continues to have things pretty much exactly his own way.

When Mickelson has a good year, he wins a Major and perhaps two other events. Els the same. Whereas Tiger wins over half the events he enters.

So does that mean that the competition is not as strong as has been suggested? Quite possibly.

My conclusion is slightly different.

I think that Tiger's domination is on a completely different level to that of Jack's.

Because as good as Jack was, I believe Tiger is better. Much better.

I think he's stronger, fitter, more talented and has a better technique. And, crucially, he is the equal of Nicklaus when it comes to dedication, mental strength and thinking his way not only round golf courses but also entire tournaments and whole seasons.

And he is so good just at the moment that there are only two reasons he does not win every event he enters. One is that his driving is variable, despite his incredible recovery powers. The other is that it only takes one performance-of-a-lifetime display from one other competitor in one given week to deny him. And that happens.

These factors mean that I, personally, think the 15/1 price currently being quoted on him winning the Grand Slam represents very poor value.

But as for passing Jack's tally of 18 Majors, well, that is merely a matter of time.

By Dan Murphy

Editor  

 

 

We can never get enough of Tiger

THE media are often accused of being obsessed with Tiger Woods. For instance, I love Sky Sports’s coverage of golf but have heard others complain that it is too focussed on the world No 1.

I disagree. I think the concentration on Woods is as justified as it is welcome. He is a phenomenon in sporting terms never mind golfing ones, so let’s see as much of him as possible.

Everyone should wake up to this fact. Last Thursday I switched on my television at 8am with real anticipation – it was my first view of Woods in 2008. It was genuinely exciting to watch him hit the most ordinary of shots though of course it helped he was in the middle of a scintillating 65.

Then on Saturday morning we saw Damien McGrane behave round Woods as if he was a star-struck amateur in a Pro-Am rather than an established European Tour professional. So don’t try and tell me Woods is just another player. Even his peers act like autograph hunters round him.

Then there’s his golf. While his power off the tee – such as that whiplash-inducing drive on 17 – and his short game are awe-inspiring, there is more to him than that. A colleague once said to me he felt Woods willed the ball into the hole at times and on days such as Sunday in Dubai it’s difficult to disagree.

Woods brings excitement, class and entertainment to a field that no other comes close to supplying. We hardly get to see him in Europe so when we do I believe it’s something to cherish. He’s raised that fascination factor by playing so infrequently these days, much to the chagrin of PGA Tour journeymen such as Tom Pernice.

If I could have one golfing wish in the next five years it would be that the ungrateful likes of Pernice and PGA Tour chief Tim Finchem annoy Woods sufficiently that he decamps to Europe. Our tour is on the way up and he could hand-pick tournaments and venues to set himself up for the weeks he really wants to peak in – and there are only four of them every year.

Perhaps the best chance of this dream becoming reality is the fact his wife is Swedish and may enjoy living closer to home again. For now, I’m counting down the days when Woods is next on my screen. The WGC Matchplay Championship by my reckoning. Hopefully he’ll last longer than Round One this year…

Chris Bertram

Why Poulter is a prat

WHENEVER a sports star reacts to an interview he has given which has caused distasteful headlines by claiming he was misquoted, journalists all over the land breathe a collective sigh of disgust.

England cricket captain Michael Vaughan was a recent offender and made a total fool of himself when it was proved he made scathing, yet justifiable, comments about Andrew Flintoff.

It’s a real pity our PR-led society means he felt it was better to annoy journalists and temporarily appear a shameless idiot than it was to stand by his comments about a team-mate.

Ian Poulter picked up that same baton last week and, to no great surprise, made an even bigger prat of himself. Firstly he posed nude on the front cover of a golf magazine, his dignity preserved only by a pink golf bag (shameless product placement in full flow). Can’t honestly imagine Tiger doing that, but each to their own.

Secondly, he claimed he had little time for the games of his peers, Woods excepted, and that when he really hit his straps it would come down to a dogfight between the former club pro and the greatest player the game has ever seen.

Or maybe he didn’t. Poulter claims he was misquoted and taken out of context after kindly inviting the journalist into his home. I could be totally wrong, but given a choice between the characters of Poulter and the man who wrote the article, I’m backing the journalist.

For what it’s worth I rate Poulter’s game quite highly. He’s just the type to pluck a Major out of nowhere as the more talented likes of Sergio Garcia three-putts his way to distraction.

But to come out with such self-centred, disrespectful and arrogant nonsense is delusional at best.

After winning in Dubai Woods was asked about the mammoth gap between his ranking and that of world No 2 Phil Mickelson. “But I thought Poulter was number two,” responded Woods.

Word has it he and Woods are pretty friendly. But I sensed there was a good slice of disdain in Woods’s words and I welcomed every consonant and vowel.

Woods has a nice line in disdain, after all. Just ask Rory Sabbatini or Stephen Ames. At least those two didn’t compound their foot-in-mouth episodes with a pathetic attempt at an excuse.

Chris Bertram

Poulter: Yes or no?

Ian Poulter has never been one to shy away from a bit of publicity. Every Open Championship we are all treated to his wild and wacky wardrobe for a couple of days before everyone loses interest and life carries on as normal.

Perhaps his self-confidence is the main reason he is one of the top 25 players in the world, and therefore how he needs to be to perform at his best, but this week he appeared to have really excelled himself.

In a recent interview with Golf World he is reported to have said: "The trouble is I don't rate anyone else. Don't get me wrong, I respect everyone who is a professional. But the problem is I haven't played to my full potential yet. And when that happens it will just be me and Tiger."

He then supposedly went on to predict that Woods would win the Masters and that he himself would pick up the US Open (to be fair he is probably 50 per cent right).

Needless to say Poulter has since claimed that he was misquoted and it's not often that I would say this but I do feel a bit sorry for the Englishman. He is too outspoken at times, and plenty of us aren't overly keen on anyone with so much bravado, but he is also mischievous and it is unlikely that anybody could be that deluded.

Poulter offered his thoughts after an opening 70 in Dubai: "I have had it on my mind since last night. You put the internet on and it's THE (golf) story. I have to try and explain the situation of how it was actually said, as opposed to how it has been written. Two very different themes.

"That's how it has come out but that's not how it was said and that's a shame...a great shame. You let people in your house for three hours and you do a nice, private interview and this is what happens. Very unfortunate."

True to form he also added that getting to number two in the world was a real possibility. Getting a place in this year's Ryder Cup team should be enough to concern him for the next few months.

By Mark Townsend

Trip down memory Lane

Here at NCG we’d like to offer up our congratulations to Barry Lane for reaching the milestone of 600 European Tour events.

In a career spanning over 25 years the Englishman has become only the fifth man to get there behind Malcolm Mackenzie (603), Eamonn Darcy (610), Roger Chapman (617), and Sam Torrance (702), and no doubt by the time the 2008 season is over he will only have Torrance in his sights.

Personally I hope he supersedes that mark and becomes the longest serving European Tour player in history, it’s an honour he deserves as one of the stalwarts of the tour. Whether anyone will catch him remains to be seen, but it will take plenty of hard graft and dedication, something Barry has shown in bundles.

If you’ve caught any of the golf on Sky this week you’ll no doubt have seen him reminiscing about some of the lighter moments in his career as well as some of the tougher times, all of which is well worth listening to.

It took Barry three years to get from 500 to 600 appearances and the 47-year-old has a similar timeframe to chase down Torrance before having the option of joining the Seniors Tour, a place where he will surely thrive and recapture that winning feeling.

With a little bit of luck Barry has put the worst of his injury troubles behind him after missing a chunk of the 2005 season with a knee injury and has plenty of healthy and competitive years ahead of him. You never know, with a little more luck he could even take the record from Des Smyth as being the oldest winner on tour.

By Will Spence

Wild Goose

Two of the things I've often pondered are a) having laser surgery and b) growing a beard. Both are no longer considerations.

These big decisions have been made in the last 10 minutes having read that Retief Goosen will not defend his Qatar Masters title after complications following recent eye surgery.

If, as you would suspect, that Retief has splashed out and paid for the best that money can get, and is still not right, then it does not bode well for me scratching around looking for the cheapest deal on the market.

The second was more of a curiosity rather than a genuine dilemma and the picture here confirms that nobody looks better with any facial hair, let alone a full-on beard.

The suave South African now resembles a distant relative of Chris Bonington and, to make matters worse, there appears to be a hint of ginger and grey in there. No, I will battle on with an in-built laziness and get the old Gillette out when things start to get a bit itchy up top.

By Mark Townsend

Seve shines on Setanta

Last night, while waiting for the football to begin, I had the usual flick through the sports channels and was lucky enough to stumble across The Open Years 1984 on Setanta. Everyone remembers their first time and this was the case 23 years ago when I sat through my first Major for pretty much four days and it was as thrilling last night as it was back then.

The fashions and course looked magnificent and these were matched by the true star of the show. If anyone wasn't lucky enough to watch Seve Ballesteros, in the flesh or on tv, then they should make the most of these little nuggets. The swing was fearless, quick and athletic, and bore no resemblance to the one he employed in his last few years on the tour. His short game was sublime.

The shot of the championship came at the Road Hole 17th, a hole the Spaniard had bogeyed the previous days, but when it really mattered he nailed a six-iron 200 yards into the heart of the green.

Tom Watson, playing in the group behind, took a tighter line off the tee and then, in one of the more curious club selections of all time smoked a two-iron over the green, landing on the road, and finishing beside the wall.

Moments later maybe the finest celebration ever? Seve's putt never looked like going in until the last mini-second when it just toppled in from the top side. Cue the fist-pumping and look of the happiest man on the planet.

For all us sentimental types there is always a hint of sadness. Wouldn't it be great to see Seve battling away occasionally on the Seniors Tour or at least dazzle us for two days at the Open but this isn't going to happen and it's a shame. But then again with memories like these there is still plenty to smile about.
By Mark Townsend

Finally a quick quiz question - Who holed the last putt in 1984 for a birdie and a 79 before going on to win the Championship in the early 90s? Scroll down for the answer







A: Ian Baker-Finch

Deadly dozen

What if the Ryder Cup returned to its roots and was contested by the United States and Great Britain and Ireland?

Firstly, there¹d be no room for the likes of Garcia, Stenson and Fasth. Secondly, Nick Faldo would have to make it up with Monty.

Just for fun, here¹s my British and Irish dozen to take on the States at Valhalla.

Justin Rose
Padraig Harrington
Luke Donald
Ian Poulter
Lee Westwood
Paul Casey
Colin Montgomerie
Nick Dougherty
Darren Clarke
Bradley Dredge
Graeme McDowell
Rory McIlroy

Now I don't think this particular dozen would disgrace themselves in the States if Continental Europe decided not to show up in September. What do you think?

By James Varley

Cut policy set to be spliced

Last week 18 players appeared to make the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii, were then paid for making the cut but didn't play another shot in the tournament. The reason for this is the newly-introduced, and seemingly ludicrous, MDF status next to the player's name.

MDF (somehow) stands for "Made Cut, Did Not Finish" and has been brought into use this year to have as near to 70 players competing at the weekend. If more than 78 'make the cut' then that number is trimmed so, in Hawaii, 18 of the field, including Angel Cabrera (pictured), were paid a share of last place earnings and played no further part in the tournament.

Needless to say the ruling has not been met with universal acclaim and the last two American Ryder Cup captains have already made their feelings known.

Paul Azinger said: “I think the Tour should change the rule immediately. This has an impact on the Ryder Cup and an impact on the FedEx Cup. They’re going to pay you not to play. I think that’s awful.”

K Club skipper Tom Lehman was equally dismissive, adding: "Overall, I think it’s simply unfortunate is the best way I can say it. I understand why they chose to do it, but I’ve never been a promoter of doing something because it’s easier. Let’s not err on the side of convenience. We should be maximizing a player’s ability to make a living and move up in the game.

“I think this looks bad, and we should find a way to change it. There are ways of getting things done with a vote of the players. There’s a way to make it happen. Things can be changed.”

The ruling was brought in last November but do not expect to see it enjoy too long a run. On the Saturday in Hawaii an unidentified player left a petition, using the back of a paper place mat, with the question: Are you in favour of the current cut policy?

Not one player added their name to the column marked 'yes'. Expect to see a very quick reversal by the PGA Tour.

By Mark Townsend

Poulter to be great in 08

Year after year, the glorious game of golf tends to throw up a surprise package from absolutely nowhere.

In 2006 Australia's Geoff Ogilvy capitalised on final-hole failings from Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie to win the US Open and in 2007 Zach Johnson and Angel Cabrera picked unlikely Majors.

It would, therefore, be a surprise if 2008 did not come up with a shock somewhere along the line.

One man who I believe will come to the fore this year is England's Ian Poulter. Since the man from Milton Keynes won the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award in 1999, he's performed consistently on both sides of the Atlantic, positioned himself in the top 30 of the world and made one Ryder Cup appearance.

And although he's probably better known for his outlandish dress and appearances on TV shows such as Soccer AM at present, I fully expect that to change this year, mainly due to an event that takes place at Valhalla in late September.

So far in his career, Arsenal fan Poulter has tended to make the cut at Majors without featuring at the business-end of events and to date has bagged just one top-10 finish – at the USPGA in  2006. That said, he did play in all four rounds of every Major in 2007 and managed a top-13 finish at the Masters. 

Augusta National, home of the Masters, may be a track that suits Poulter's game. He's long enough off the tee when required and is capable of getting up and down under pressure.

Also, in each of his three appearances there Poulter has made the cut, with a worst finish of 33rd.

Making Nick Faldo's final 12 for Kentucky will be Poulter's primary aim and I believe that particular bounty will spur him on in 2008 – possibly to  Major success.

The 32-year-old loved every minute of his debut at Oakland Hills in 2004, under the captaincy of Bernhard Langer, and would love to be a part of a second American success story.

By James Varley

Chopra opens Ryder door

A couple of months ago in the NCG offices, for a bit of fun, we all predicted what Nick Faldo's European team would look like come September's Ryder Cup.

I won't embarrass either myself or my colleagues by revealing some of the names that came up but I will admit that Daniel Chopra's was not among them.

But the US-based Swede has now won twice in the space of less than three months, and also featured in a play-off for the Australian Masters. He won the PGA Tour's Ginn sur Mer Classic in late October, and that earned him a place at Kapalua for the Mercedes. By claiming the season-opener, following a play-off with Steve Striker, the 34-year-old has suddenly vaulted into second place on Europe's world points list. The top five on this list at the cut-off point in August will automatically make it onto Faldo's team.

Chopra has already a place at the Masters and his ranking is now high enough to guarantee entry into at least the first two WGC events, which take place in February and March respectively.

This all means he has a great chance to cement his place. The only problem is, Chopra is not a member of the European Tour, which must change if he is to be eligible to make the team. This brings with it the requirement to play in at least 11 events. Chopra, then, will have to alter his schedule, albeit not that significantly should he go on to play in all four Majors and the three WGC events.

Most likely, a couple of events around The Open, such as the Scottish Open, will help him to the required number.

As a hardened member of the PGA Tour, Chopra would surely be an asset to the European team but his form does make life more difficult for the likes of Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Carl Pettersson, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal and Ian Poulter. All of these players are likely to have targeted the world points list as their most likely method of qualifying for the team, because they play much of their golf away from the European Tour.

It all suggests that this will be the most competitive race for to make the European team we have ever seen.

By Dan Murphy 

Do not underestimate the golfer's need to get his fix

All around the country at this time of year, pros, greenkeepers and golfing widows are staggered by the lengths we will go to in pursuit of a round (or even part of one).

"They can't want to go out in this!" goes the cry. But we do.

Fog? We'll just watch extra carefully.

Frost? It's like coping with a burnt links course in the height of summer.

Rain? What do you think waterproofs are for?

Biting chill? It's called a bobble hat.

40mph wind? A mere breeze.

Dark at 3pm? Tee-off earlier.

The sheer anticipation of it all means that crying off is simply not an option. A game in the depths of winter is usually about a fortnightly occurrence, so having spent the time between cooped up in an office or car or warehouse, it's unthinkable to let the opportunity pass.

It turns us all into madmen. We find ourselves glaring at the offending frost, as though that will make it disappear. We pore over weather forecasts for days beforehand, interpreting a positive omen in the prospective strengthening of the wind (it will blow the rain away) or arrival of rain clouds (less likely to be frosty).

And even when the day in question dawns and the temperature is -3 or it is barely light enough to tell that the rain is tipping down, still we find hope. 

Once the sun rises it will get that few degrees warmer. 

It will brighten up by the time we get to the club and scoff a bacon sandwich.

Unfortunately, it rarely does. And how often have you foolishly embarked on a winter round only to realise as early as the 1st green that it's a total waste of time and you should never have bothered.

And yet, in two weeks' time, the whole process repeats and we're all at it again. Will we never learn?

By Dan Murphy

Christmas Gifts

With Christmas fast approaching, not only am I troubled by what I should be buying my nearest and dearest (and the thought of having to battle through the hoards of shoppers at Sheffield's Meadow-hell on Christmas Eve), but I'm also filled with dread at the golf related presents I'll also have to be thankful for come the big day.

Now, I don't want to appear rude or ungrateful, and might I add that I have always been appreciative of everything that has been bought for me in the past, but why is it that because I work for a golf magazine and play golf, every present has to be golf related?

I have been given some fantastic golf gifts in the past, such as the first ever cut down set of clubs my Mum and Dad bought me when I was five years old. I got a 3-wood, 7-iron, putter and a little bag to put them all in and I can remember going straight out to the back garden and making my Dad immediately regret his choice of gift by cutting up his lawn with an innumerate amount of divots.

Then there was the time my girlfriend had the inspiration to buy me an Odyssey two-ball putter when my putting had gone to the dogs and the year I was treated to a round at Lindrick with the pro there.

These have all been fantastic gifts that I have been forever grateful for. But for every great present, there has also been a cringe-worthy one, as many of you reading this have also found to your peril.

I have lost count of the amount of 'Golf Tools' I have unwrapped. Seriously, how many pitch mark repairers-cum-spike cleaner-cum-ball marker-cum-brushes do you need in one lifetime.

All have swiftly been banished to the bottom of my bag (or charity bag in some cases) never to reappear again.

Then there are the novelty golf socks, jumpers, ties, hats not to mention the gizmos and gadgets that all non-golfers think are the best thing since sliced bread, but the golfers among us know it will never get out of its box.

However, this blog isn't just about the presents I have received, it's also an open forum to discuss the worst gifts you have unwrapped on Christmas Day and been forced to give that "Ooohh, it's just what I wanted!" reply.

So blog away and allow me to while away the next few days reading your posts before leaving NCG Towers for the holidays.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Will Spence

Bouncing back

As someone who is always on the look-out to find new ways of improving their short game I genuinely believe last week was a watershed moment in my golfing career.

Most golfers are hopeful of turning three shots into two when they get within 50 yards of the green - I am looking to turn four, sometimes five, into three. Frustrating doesn't even come close as a variety of thins, fats, dunches, tops and the occasional J Arthur leave me a quivering wreck and, more often than not, diving for the putter.

Until now. The last few days have seen a dramatic turnaround in my chipping, not out on the course, but off the tight, firm lies of the office carpet. Think Turnberry 1977 and you're nearly there. Despite possessing all manner of dreadful shots around the greens the majority tend to be nervy, proddy thins which usually result in an embarassing traipse across the other side of the green into knee-high bushes.

Thanks to MD Golf there has not been one lethal clang into the radiator at work, more a succession of sweetly-struck (deft even) chips straight into the heart of the Putt 360. Ireland's Norman Drew was the first man ever to play in the Walker, Ryder and World Cups and the Northern Irish equipment manufacturers have used his renowned short-game expertise to create some sublime wedges.

The thinking is that too many wedges have too much bounce and are therefore easier to thin, thus the low bounce Players Series range which will help to put an end to even the gravest of chipping concerns. Of course much of it is down to confidence but the first time I got this particular weapon in my hands I was actually looking forward to making contact with the ball. Something that has not happened since 1992.

By Mark Townsend

They are available in lofts of 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 and will only set you back £49.99. For more information visit www.mdgolf.co.uk or call 02894 460 333.

Taking issue with Ernie

BATTLING against the endless stream of platitudes from robotic sportsmen is the infuriating bane of journalists these days.
Long gone is the era when reporters travelled and socialised with footballers on European away days or when golfers and writers mingled in the clubhouse bar or local restaurant.
The lives of today's sports stars are hardly much worse for this scenario but it is a dagger in the heart of sports journalism which ultimately means it is the readers who are affected most.
So when someone comes along and offers something out of the ordinary it's always warmly welcolmed. I remember, for example, writing a few years ago that it was a real shame Paul Casey's tongue-in-cheek remark about Americans in the Ryder Cup being leapt upon so viciously.
Ernie Els is another who occasionally speaks frankly, notably against the PGA Tour's attempts to bully him into playing more frequently in America.
He did so again recently when he was criticised for not making himself available for the Volvo Masters, especially given he was leading the Order of Merit going into the event.
Els replied by stating this was the time of year he 'gets his wheelbarrow out' and fills it with cash - so if that means playing in Singapore instead of Valderrama due to a clash of events then he won't lose too much sleep over it.
I'm an Els fan and have been for many years. But this comment disappointed me hugely. For a start, the South African is not short of a Rand or two. It's not like heactually needs a wheelbarrow-full of cash.
He has won millions in prize money for over a decade, season after season, and been paid as much if not more through sponsorships and advertising.
Els is therefore pretty much admitting he's making a huge amount of money almost just for the sake of it. For those who pay lots of money to play golf as a hobby, it sticks in the throat.
The European Tour has been good to Els too. It's where he cut his teeth and to be fair, he acknowledges that by continuing to support it every year.
It's surely not too much to ask to attend it's end of year climax, even if he was contracted to the Singapore event.
And if he felt a loyalty to what would be a highly lucrative contract in Asia, at least appear disappointed at missing the Valderrama showdown rather than make a crude comment about cashing in.
Indeed, I can't imagine the organisers in Singapore were all that happy with the comment themselves. It's the equivalent of a prized international footballer arriving at an unfashionable club and smugly waving his pay slip at the cameras to explain his reason for joining.
Perhaps Els himself regrets the remark. I've always considered him a decent bloke so it wouldn't suprise me if he does.
I will still be very pleased to see him win the Major he wants so badly, especially the Masters, next year. But some of my affection for this man's man has been lost.
That said, it made a welcome change from the stultifyingly bland dross we normally get served up. Believe me when I say it feels almost sacriligious to criticise a colourful comment.
By Chris Bertram

Changing the clocks

At this time of year, getting 18 holes in can prove seriously difficult. Not on account of the frost, rain fog and snow – as is commonly assumed to be the case – but because of the lack of daylight. It sometimes seems that there is barely time to get up, have some breakfast, drive to the club and get on the 1st tee before the cut-off point of midday.
That said, at least on a weekend you have a fighting chance of a game, which is more than be said of weekdays between September and March.
But I have a solution. I propose that, on October the 1st, the clocks move forward an hour. Not back, you note, but forward. On November 1st, the same would happen. And again on December 1st. On January 1st they would go back an hour, and again a month later and again a month later.
This would ensure it was never dark before 8pm, meaning we could continue to play, weather permitting, on weekday afternoons and evenings throughout the year.
Yes, I realise this would mean it did not get late before midday in December, but so what? We're all at work anyway.
The way things are, the only hours it's light during the week (say 8am until 4pm) are those when the vast majority of us are stuck at work.
Under my system, we'd all actually be able to spend some time outside while it's light in the winter months.
I'm sure it's a great idea. What do you reckon?
By Dan Murphy
Editor

The Office (short-game championship)

WITH few light hours in these dreary winter days, there is little scope for the NCG team to venture onto the links. Contrary to popular opinion, magazines and websites aren't all that easy to put together you know.
So with few opportunities to get the competitive juices flowing we've resorted to putting at risk thousands of pounds worth of computer equipment by staging chipping and putting contests.
The inventor of the course, a strip of carpet between the editorial and design sections of a large open-plan office, is unknown. What is certain, though, is the addictive quality of this ad hoc short-game facility.
Quite what the inhabitants of the office below think is going on I'm not quite sure. A dull thud followed by what sounds like one of the Dam Busters bouncing balls - I wonder if they've worked it out?
Assuming no harm comes to the Apple Macs and PCs which line the fairway, it will prove a successful operation though and not only because it provides a bit of fun in the otherwise dark winter months.
It is also actually terrific practice. If you can produce a clean strike off that worn carpet you'll be confident of chipping off even the tightest of links lies come March.
What's more, there's no disguising the purity of a strike. A slightly fat effort if clearly audible while anything thin simply careers into the back wall.
There's already evidence to suggest that one staff writer whose short game is on the inconsistent side is likely to be deadly round the greens next season. Indeed, the official NCG Handicap Committee have already met on two occasions to discuss a suitable adjustment.
The worrying thing for this author is that while my chipping is respectable enough, my putting can only be ranked in the bottom three of NCG staff.
When you consider there are six of seven staff who don't actually play the game, it's a worrying stat. I'm not even learning my lessons either. One evening I spent 15 minutes or so hitting the same putt so clumsily that it sped past its target (a clever device from Putt 360) and into the kitchen time after time after time to the bemusement and delight of the Editor.
At least now I know how Tiger felt when he putted into Rae's Creek at Augusta. Sort of.
By Chris Bertram