Archive for October, 2009
The Race to Dubai enters its final stages this week as the European Tour heads east to Singapore for the Barclays Singapore Open. A mix of rich history, modern development and a melting pot of different nationalities make Singapore one of the most unique and diverse places on the planet and it’s a real highlight of the European Tour season.
The event itself is missing some of the European Tour’s big names with the likes of Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher all competing at the Volvo World Matchplay Championship near Malaga, Spain. That said, with the Race to Dubai nearing its crescendo, a number of big names have made the trip to Singapore with the likes of Titleist Ambassador Adam Scott and Pro V1 loyalists Geoff Ogilvy, Ian Poulter and Padraig Harrington all teeing it up at Sentosa Golf Club for the event. The event is co-sanctioned between the European and Asian Tours which ensures that players from all four corners of the globe are competing for the title. It’s a truly cosmopolitan field in a truly cosmopolitan venue!!
Titleist Ambassadors in the field this week include:
European Tour
Adam Scott
Robert Karlsson
Gregory Bourdy
Pablo Larrazabal
Mikko Iloen
Brett Rumford
Soren Hansen
Shane Lowry
Michael Hoey
Tano Goya
Asian Tour
Chinnarat Phadungsil
Rick Kulacz
Darren Beck
Gagangeet Bhullar
Noh Seung-Yul
Mo Joong Kyung
Adam Blyth
Mitchell Brown
Marcus Booth
Andrew Dodt
Prom Meesawat
Click here to view the slideshow
The layout at Sentosa Golf Club is extremely highly rated among the players. Perfectly manicured fairways and greens are always welcomed but the course also provides one of the most spectacular settings of the year with a number of holes providing great views of the Singapore skyline and the Indonesian Ocean. At 7300 yards, par 71 the course is certainly a long one but with the heat and humidity in Singapore at present the length of shouldn’t present too many issues to the players. Their focus will undoubtedly be positioning their ball in the right area of the fairway to allow them to attack the pins. The greens at Sentosa Golf Club are large and undulating and the pins can be tucked away in some tough positions. In addition, the putting surfaces have been constructed with a high-tech, sub-air system that allows moisture to be literally sucked out of the greens. This gives the green staff the ability to firm up the putting surfaces as they see fit which will put even greater emphasis on placing the ball in the right area of the fairway in order to create an appropriate angle to attack the flag.
With the event taking place in Asia the team flew out to work with the players but there was obviously no Titleist Tour Support Vehicle (TTSV) on site. Our driver, Ian Martin, is our very own “Iron Man” but Singapore is too long a drive even for him. Without the TTSV on site it wasn’t possible to build new product for the players so requests for new equipment were understandably limited. That said the team did receive a request from Titleist Ambassador Soren Hansen. Soren arrived in Singapore only to discover that his 909D2 driver had been damaged in transit. In typical Soren fashion, he remained totally unflustered by this issue and calmly put his back up driver in play, but he did ask for a replacement ‘gamer’ to be built. An order has gone into our European Tour Workshop in St Ives, England for the new driver and we’ll have it with Soren for his next event.
Soren Hansen
Model: Titleist 909D2
Loft: 9.5°
Shaft: Aldila RIP 70 X-Flex
Length: 45”
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet .580 Ribbed (Std)
Swingweight: D3
Another Titleist Ambassador to place an equipment order this week was Brisbane native Adam Blyth. Adam is a member of the Asian Tour and, currently placed 11th on their order of merit, will be looking for a strong finish to the season to move into the top 10. Adam touched base with the Titleist team to place an order for the new AP2 irons. Feedback on this iron from the Tour has been unanimously positive with most players commenting on the improved feel of the iron. Adam was keen to get himself a piece of the action and a set of new AP2 irons will be with him very soon.
Adam Blyth
Model: New Titleist AP2
Composition: 3-PW
Shafts: True Temper Rifle 6.5
Length: +1” (#6 iron @ 38.50”)
Lie: 2° Flat (#6 iron @ 60.5°)
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet .580 Round (+1/64”)
Swingweight: D8
Final word today goes to Titleist Ambassador Seve Benson. The perception of life on Tour is often one of glitz and glamour but Seve’s week really highlights the amount of hard work and dedication required to play on the European Tour. Seve currently lies 117th on the Race to Dubai, just two spots outside the magic 115 which guarantees playing privileges for 2010. He wasn’t exempt for this week’s event in Singapore but took the opportunity to try and play his way into the tournament through a qualifying round. Seve left London’s Heathrow Airport on the Saturday night and, following a 14 hour flight, arrived in Singapore at around 7pm Sunday (local time). He was then up early on Monday morning for his tee time at the qualifying event where over 70 players were teeing it up for just five places in the Singapore Open. Unfortunately Seve didn’t manage to claim one of the five spots and flew straight back to London late on Monday night. That’s one tough commute!!! This serves to illustrate the lengths that certain players must go to in pursuit of their card on the European Tour. It is likely that Seve has just one further event to try and improve his position on the Race to Dubai and secure his card for next season. Seve’s a great guy and given the effort that he is putting into keeping his card we are all really pulling for him to make it inside the top 115 and be out on Tour with us next year.
Be sure to check back with the Blog next week for further updates as the biggest names in golf come together for the final WGC event of the year at the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, China. A $7 million purse is up for grabs as tournament winners from the European, USPGA, Asian, Australasian, Japanese and Sunshine Tours come together and, with a field of proven tournament winners, it promises to be a week of intense competition.
October 30th, 2009
Valencia, Spain is the destination for the European Tour’s final regulation event on European soil in 2009 as the Club de Campo del Mediterráneo plays host to the Castelló Masters.
The final event on European soil means the final outing of the season for the Titleist Tour Support Vehicle (TTSV). The TTSV and driver Ian Martin have covered many thousands of miles across the 2009 season taking in events across 12 countries beginning in Spain at the Open de Andalucia back in March and ending this week back in Spain at the Castelló Masters.
With the season reaching its climax there is certainly plenty riding on the final few events and players are therefore reluctant to make any significant changes to their equipment as they look to improve their place on the Race to Dubai. A select few are still in with a realistic chance of claiming top spot but for many the motivation is to consolidate their place inside the top 60 places and qualify for their shot at the $7.5 million Dubai World Championship. For others the motivation is simply survival as they battle hard for a position inside the top 115 places that will guarantee their European Tour playing privileges for 2010. This really is a tense time of the year!!!
Click here to view the slideshow
One player that falls into the latter category is Titleist Ambassador Callum Macaulay. The young Scot has had a mixed bag of results in his rookie season on the European Tour with second place at the Madeira Islands Open the undoubted highlight. Currently in 127th place on the Race to Dubai standings Callum will be looking to post some strong finishes in the closing weeks of the season to retain his card. Callum was one of the few players to request new equipment this week in Valencia and popped into the TTSV to discuss a new putter. Callum wanted something with a different look to his current Newport. His choice was a centre-shaft Scotty Cameron Studio Select Kombi. The Kombi has captured the attention of a number of players this season and Callum liked the stability offered by the advanced mallet design. At the time of writing Callum is just outside the projected cut in Valencia but fingers crossed that the scoring elsewhere goes his way.
Callum Macaulay
Model: Scotty Cameron Studio Select Kombi – Centre-Shaft
Length: 34”
Lie: 71°
Grip: Scotty Cameron Cord (Black)
Another player ‘on the bubble’ in terms of retaining their card for 2010 is Titleist Ambassador Seve Benson. Seve is currently just inside the top 115 at 114th on the Race to Dubai. Following a disappointing opening round 73 (+2) Seve has work to do to make the cut but from the evidence of this week’s slideshow the young Englishman seems pretty relaxed about retaining his card. The team took the opportunity to supply Seve with a set of back up Spin Milled Vokey wedges this week to ensure that his short game is sharp for the end of season run-in. These will be the last set of existing Spin Milled wedges for Seve before he switches to the new CC (Condition of Competition) wedges required for European Tour play in 2010. We wish Seve the best of luck as he looks to post a low number during the second round in Valencia.
Paul Waring is someone who has featured regularly on the Blog in recent weeks as he looks to secure his Tour card for 2010. We’re pleased to report that solid finishes in each of his last two events now have him well inside the top 115 in 107th place. However, Paul isn’t resting on his laurels and continues to put in the work to retain his card. This week he checked in with Titleist Tour Representative Phil Dimmock to work on his 909F3 fairway metals. Paul wanted to compare the two fairways that he had at his disposal using the Trackman system before deciding which one to put in play this week. At the time of writing Paul, like Callum and Seve, is around the projected cut line as he enters the back nine holes of round two. We again wish him well.
Paul Waring
Model: 909F3
Loft: 13° or 15°
Shaft: Grafalloy Blue X-Flex
Length: 43” (both)
Grips: Golf Pride Multi-Compound Red/Black (+1/32”)
Swingweight: D3
Although the TTSV is finished with European Tour action for 2009 it does still have one more stop to make on its European road trip before the year is out. That venue is PGA de Catalunya near Barcelona for the European Tour Q-School. A number of players that have missed out on the top 115 places in this seasons Race to Dubai will be looking to play their way back onto the Tour whilst a number of new faces will get their opportunity to become part of the European Tour’s class of 2010. We will have members of the team on location at PGA de Catalunya and the Blog will have inside the ropes information from the event. In the meantime the 2009 season heads back to Asia for the final events of the season culminating in the rarefied atmosphere of the inaugural Dubai World Championship starting on November 19th.
Keep it locked to the Blog for regular updates and please don’t forget that you can send us your questions using the portal below. In the meantime, Adiós from the Castelló Masters!!!
October 23rd, 2009
European Tour competition is back in Portugal this week for the third hosting of the Portugal Masters. The event is being played at the Arnold Palmer-designed Oceânico Victoria Golf Course in the beautiful Algarve region of southern Portugal. The region is a hugely popular holiday destination with golfers from all over Europe as it features a wide variety of top quality courses. Situated on Portugal’s southern coast, the region is also one of the most southerly points in the whole of Europe which ensures sunny skies and warm weather for much of the year. The Portugal Masters is the European Tour’s second visit to the region in 2009 following the Estoril Open de Portugal back in April. Those of you that follow the European Tour will undoubtedly remember Titleist Ambassador Michael Hoey’s playoff victory earlier in the year, and whilst Michael isn’t in the field this week, there are a number of other Titleist Ambassadors in the hunt for the title.
Click here to view the slideshow
One notable name in the field is that of former Open Champion Ben Curtis. Ben needs to play in two more European Tour events in order to qualify for the season ending Dubai World Championship. The Portugal Masters is the first of these two events, with the second likely to come in Singapore in two weeks time. Ben is still a well known and popular personality in Europe following his Open victory in 2003 and it was good to see him in Portugal for this week’s event.
The Titleist Tour Team had another busy week as the transition into new Titleist equipment continues for a number of our brand Ambassadors. The team are now fully equipped with the new line of Titleist irons and demand for these products has been instant. In recent weeks a number of players have switched into one of the new Titleist iron models including the likes of Robert Karlsson (new MB), Tano Goya (new AP2) and Brett Rumford (new AP2) all of whom are photographed in this week’s slideshow with their new clubs. Feedback on the new iron range has been unanimously positive among the players with the looks, feel and performance of the new AP2, CB and MB drawing widespread praise. Put simply, the players won’t switch if the clubs don’t work, so the amount of players making the transition into new product speaks volumes.
Another reason for the team being particularly busy at the moment is massive demand for Vokey Spin Milled Condition of Competition (C-C) Wedges. The vast majority of players are using wedges with grooves that do not conform to the new R&A rulings coming into force on January 1st 2010 for Tour professionals or amateur players competing in professional Tour events. They are therefore looking to obtain conforming wedges as soon as possible to allow them time to acclimatise to the new grooves during practice. Given the vast quantity and variety of Vokey wedges out on the European Tour it is quite a task to switch all of the players over to conforming wedges, but, with the TTSV fully stocked with Vokey heads, the team is able to accommodate the vast majority of requests. One player who has recently received his new C-C Vokey is Argentine Tano Goya. You can see a picture of his new Vokey 60-T C-C wedge in this week’s slideshow.
Whilst irons and Vokeys have been in high demand there is still barely a week goes by where one of the team isn’t working with a player on their driver or fairways. There seems to be a definite trend for European Tour players to want to tinker with their metals, particularly their driver set-up, in the hope of finding more distance, greater accuracy (or both!!!). This week saw two of the European Tour’s heavy hitters check in with the team as both Ross Fisher and Robert Karlsson took the opportunity to work on their driver and fairway set-ups respectively. Fisher is one of the longest hitters in world golf and has been loyal to the Titleist 905R for a number of years. Recently, Ross has found his ball ballooning a little with his current ‘gamer’ and following discussion with Titleist Tour Representative Mattias Jelver, he took time out during practice to test a new driver. The objective was to flatten out his ball flight to create a more penetrating trajectory and the obvious candidate to achieve this was a low lofted 909D3 driver. Following a successful range session Ross took a new driver out for the practice round and early indications are that he could be as much as 10 yards longer with the new club – that Pro V1 is certainly going to know when it has been hit!!
Ross Fisher
Model: 909D3 8.5°
Shaft: True Temper Project X 7A3 X-Flex
Length: 45”
Grip: Lamkin Crossline Cord Black (+1/64”)
Swingweight: D4.5
Following a recent switch to the new Titleist MB irons Robert Karlsson was back aboard the TTSV this week to discuss a new fairway metal. Robert felt that he was losing a little carry with his current fairway and decided that he wanted to go back to a tried and tested formula. Robert had huge success using the Grafalloy Prolaunch Red shaft in his fairway last year and the team were more than happy to offer him a new 909F3 fitted with this shaft. The results were evident when Robert hit the range with a noticeable increase in hang time resulting in the extra yards through the air that he was looking for. Mission accomplished!!!
Robert Karlsson
Model: 909F3 13°
Shaft: Grafalloy Prolaunch Red Fairway X-Flex
Length: 43”
Grip: Golf Pride Multi-Compound Round (.600) Black/Red
Swingweight: D5
With the Race to Dubai nearing its crescendo and a number of players battling hard to keep their card it is sure to be another intense weekend of European Tour competition in southern Portugal. Last week we touched on Paul Waring’s recent run of bad luck but we’re pleased to report that in spite of a lack of practice in Madrid last week he was able to post a respectable finish and move inside the top 115 on the Race to Dubai standings. With the opportunity to practice in Portugal this week Paul has posted two solid opening rounds to make the cut and will now be looking to push on over the weekend as he bids to secure his card for 2010. Good luck to Paul and his Titleist stablemates out in Portugal. The Blog will return next Friday with all the latest from inside the ropes on the European Tour but for now “adeus” from the Algarve!!!
October 16th, 2009
Following last week’s pilgrimage to the home of golf the European Tour is back in sunnier climes this week at the Madrid Masters held at Centro Nacional de Golf on the city limits of the Spanish capital.
With the 2009 season nearing its conclusion and just seven events remaining before the season ending Dubai World Championship the attention of many players is firmly on securing their playing privileges on the 2010 season. This week’s blog will focus on three of the Titleist Ambassadors that are currently fighting for their place on the Tour.
The first player under the microscope is young Spaniard Carlos Del Moral. Carlos will be looking for home support to spur him onto a strong finish as he looks to secure his card in his rookie season on the European Tour. Del Moral has posted some strong finishes during the season including a stretch of five top twenty finishes in six events starting at the Open de Andalucia back in March. Carlos clearly enjoys playing on his native soil and will be looking to repeat his performance at last year’s event where, after qualifying through his national order of merit, he placed seventh. Another strong finish could have a huge impact on his playing rights for 2010 and take him inside the magic 115 on the Race to Dubai standings.
Spaniard Carlos Del Moral is one player looking for a strong finish to help secure his Tour card for 2010.
Carlos has chosen this week to put a new set of Titleist irons in play as he looks for the competitive edge that could see him secure his Tour card. Carlos has been testing the new Titleist CB in recent weeks and following successful range sessions has opted to put them in the bag for tournament play. Things seem to have started promisingly for Carlos with back-to-back rounds of 69 (-3) putting him in a tie for 23rd at the time of writing.
Carlos Del Moral
Model: Titleist CB
Composition: 3-PW
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Lite X100
Length: Std (#6 iron @ 37.5″)
Lie: 2° Upright (#6 iron @ 64.5°)
Loft: 2° Strong (#6 iron @ 29°)
Grips: Golf Pride V55 Cord Round (Std)
Swingweight: D3
A look at Carlos Del Moral's new Titleist CB irons.
Englishman Robert Dinwiddie is another player in need of a strong finish to the season if he wants to secure his 2010 playing rights. Following an excellent rookie season in 2008 which saw him finish 72nd on the European Tour Order of Merit Robert suffered an early season injury setback in 2009 and hasn’t quite managed to hit the same heights. Robert is currently 149th in the Race to Dubai standings but a strong finish in Madrid this week would go a long way to putting him inside the magic 115.
Like Carlos, Robert has opted for a change to his equipment this week with two new 909 metals going in the bag for the event in Madrid. Robert has made the switch to a Mitsubishi Diamana Blue shaft in both driver and fairway which features a slightly softer tip versus his previous specification and helps him turn the ball over from right to left with greater ease. The new metals certainly seem to be working well as Robert is off to a fine start, sitting tied with Carlos Del Moral at six under after the opening two rounds.
Robert Dinwiddie
Model: 909D3
Loft: 8.5°
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana Blue 73 X-Flex
Length: 45″
Grip: Lamkin Crossline Cord .580 Round (+1/32″)
Swingweight: D4
Model: 909F3
Loft: 15°
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana Blue 83 X-Flex
Length: 43″
Grip: Lamkin Crossline Cord .580 Round (+1/32″)
Swingweight: D3
The final Titleist Ambassador on our radar this week is another Englishman; Paul Waring. Paul is, as they say, “right on the bubble” currently lying exactly 115th on the Race to Dubai standings and having endured a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a wrist injury picked up at the Scottish Open is looking to post some solid late season finishes and consolidate his position on Tour. Unfortunately, Paul’s streak of bad luck continued this week when his bag went missing. With no Titleist Tour Support Vehicle in attendance in Madrid there was no possibility of getting a replacement set for Paul and his chances of playing the event were in some doubt. Fortunately his club did finally arrive on Wednesday evening and Paul has been able to compete. We’re pleased to report that the lack of practice doesn’t seem to have had to adverse an effect and Paul has made a strong start, again, posting a two-round total of six under.
We wish Carlos, Robert and Paul all the very best for the coming weekend in Madrid and for the remaining events this season. Each of the guys undoubtedly has the talent so we’re hopeful that all three can find their form when it matters and secure their card for 2010.
A short hop to the west awaits the team next week as we head to Vilamoura for the Portugal Masters. It’s always nice to spend some time in the Algarve and fingers crossed for some late season sun!!! The blog will be back as usual same time next week.
October 9th, 2009
The European Tour rolls into the home of golf for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship this week. The Dunhill is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the European Tour season as it is such a different format to the other events played throughout the season The first, and probably most significant, difference is the inclusion of amateur players in the event. Each professional teams up with an amateur partner for all four days of the event and it’s probably fair to say that this can be a bit of a culture shock for the players.
The historic clubhouse at the Old Course, St Andrews.
Another aspect that makes the Dunhill unique to the European Tour is that it is played over three different courses. And what a trio of courses, namely the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, three of the finest links you will find anywhere on the planet. The final dimension is the good old British weather which is seldom predictable and often diabolical!!! It certainly hasn’t disappointed this week with a cold north-easterly wind making conditions decidedly chilly for the players. There’s also been the usual smattering of rain with Tuesday’s practice day being particularly inclement. The Dunhill presents a very unique set of challenges for the players, with patience and shot-making required in equal measure for anyone looking to challenge for the title.
Following a return to action at last week’s Vivendi Trophy we are pleased to welcome Titleist Ambassador Robert Karlsson back to tournament play following an enforced absence. The reigning European Tour Order of Merit winner has had a tough 2009 due to a persistent eye problem, so it’s terrific to see him back in action at the Dunhill. Robert returns to action armed with a new set of Titleist MB irons. Having always preferred a preferred a bladed iron Robert was keen to try the new MB and despite having only a limited amount of time to practice with the new clubs he was delighted with the feel, trajectory and performance. Robert was so impressed with the MB that they have gone straight into the bag for his first full event back; quite an endorsement from one of the European Tour’s top players. The specifications of Robert’s MB irons are as follows:
Robert Karlsson
Model: Titleist MB
Composition: 3-PW
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold SL X100
Length: +1” (#6 iron @ 38.50”)
Lie: 1° Upright (#6 iron @ 63.5°)
Loft: 1° Strong (#6 iron @ 30°)
Grips: Golf Pride Multi-Compound .600 Round (+1/32”)
Swingweight: D7
Titleist Ambassador Robert Karlsson is back from injury with a new set of Titleist MB irons.
Another player making the switch to the new Titleist MB this week is Frenchman Gregory Bourdy. Gregory is a long time user of the Titleist 670 and loved the classic, clean lines of the new MB. Having spent some time testing them on the range he found the performance to be every bit as good as the looks. Gregory’s new MB irons are in play for the first time at the Dunhill and we’ll look forward to catching up with him in the coming weeks to hear his thoughts on the new irons and to make sure that he is 100% happy with their set-up. Gregory’s specifications are as follows:
Gregory Bourdy
Model: Titleist MB
Composition: 3-PW
Shafts: True Temper Project X 6.5
Length: Std (#6 iron @ 37.50”)
Lie: Std (#6 iron @ 62.5°)
Loft: Std (#6 iron @ 31°)
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet .580 Round (+1/64”)
Swingweight: D3
In addition to players switching into new Titleist irons the team have also been working on a 909 driver for Titleist Ambassador Seve Benson. This week Seve spent time working with Titleist Tour Representative Phil Dimmock on a 909 driver set-up and has taken away a 909D3 for further testing. It remains to be seen whether the new driver will make its way into Seve’s bag but it certainly looked good on the range. Seve currently lies 111th on the Race to Dubai Rankings and will be looking for some solid late season finishes to secure his playing privileges for 2010. We wish Seve all the best in the coming weeks as he looks to secure his Tour card.
Seve Benson
Model: Titleist 909D3
Loft: 8.5°
Shaft: UST Mamiya Proforce V2 75 X-Flex
Length: 45”
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord (+1/64”)
Swingweight: D4
Things will be hotting up on the European Tour over the next few weeks as we move ever closer to the inaugural Dubai World Championship. Players will be looking to play their way into the event and their shot at the record $7.5 million purse. In addition, the season will reach crunch time for a number of European Tour players as the quest to retain their Tour card continues. It’s always an exciting time of the year, but with the added spice of the Race to Dubai and the season ending Dubai World Championship, the climax to the 2009 season promises to be a real spectacle. The Tour Blog will be there every step of the way keeping you right up to date on the progress of our Titleist Ambassadors and giving you the very latest details on their equipment.
For now, enjoy the Dunhill and we’ll be back this time next week for an inside the ropes update from the Madrid Masters.
The Titleist Tour Team pose for a picture on St Andrews' famous Swilken bridge.
October 2nd, 2009
