Jubilee Pairs

Congratulations to Malcolm and Evelyn Brodie who won the Jubilee Pairs Competition last weekend with an amazing score of 42 points. The battle for second was won by Lesley Crick and Sarah Hussey who scored an impressive 40 points, beating Michael Wright and Poenie Van de Merwe on countback.

A Look Ahead To the Open

The Course:

The 2014 British Open is being played at Royal Liverpool GC (Hoylake) a fantastic venue which has hosted The Open Championship an astonishing 11 times prior to this years event, the most recent of which was in 2006. The Course itself was built in 1869, on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club, Hoylake is the oldest of all the English seaside courses with the exception of Westward Ho! in Devon, which was established just a few years earlier. Robert Chambers and George Morris were commissioned to lay out the original Hoylake course, which was extended to 18 holes in 1871. This was also the year in which the Club was granted its Royal designation thanks to the patronage of His Royal Highness The Duke of Connaught.

For the first seven years of its life the land still performed its original function, doubling as a golf course and a horse racing track - indeed, echoes of this heritage can be found today in the names of the first and eighteenth holes, Course and Stand, while the original saddling bell still hangs in the club house. Once the horses had been dispatched to pastures new Hoylake began to take its place in the history of golf in general and of the amateur game in particular.

The Hoylake links can be, by turns, beautiful, uplifting, awe inspiring and, on occasion, soul-destroying. They were created to be a demanding test of golf and remain so, and they lie at the very heart of the history and development of golf in Great Britain.

The Players:

With the previous Hoylake Champion, Tiger Woods, in questionable fitness due to a back operation in April there are no stand out favourites to take home the Claret Jug. But here are a few players we feel could be in contention:

Martin Kaymer. After such an impressive display of golf in the US Open at Pinehurst, where he won by 8 shots, Martin Kaymer has to be considered when thinking about potential winners for this year's Open. And with odds of 18/1 he could be worth a pound or two.

Rickie Fowler. He also put in a good performance at the US Open and was one of only three players to finish under par for the tournament. He has also showed in previous Open Championships that he knows how to play in the wind. With odds of 50/1 he is definitely worth an each way bet.

Rory McIlroy. Rory is always a potential contender wherever he plays just because of his sheer talent. However he is yet to master the blustery conditions of The Open. He is still the bookies second favourite though at 11/1.

Henrik Stenson. Runner up in last year's open and current world number 2. We think he will definitely play a part in this year's Open Championship. And with good odds of 22/1 he is definitely worth a punt.

Tiger Woods. The bookies favourite at 10/1 and the last winner at Hoylake in 2006. However the fact he has not played for months and is still in rehabilitation for a back operation suggest if he does play his game will not be sharp enough to contend. But this is Tiger so don't count anything out just yet. 



Build your technique around your body type

When Tiger Woods turned pro in 1996, his shoulder turn was measured at 120 degrees, his hip turn under 30. The huge torque he generated contributed to his immense power; but it also spawned a generation of copycats, all trying to turn their shoulders against their hips and create as much 'X-Factor' as possible.

Of course it didn't work, for a simple reason; torque creation demands flexibility, and not all of us are blessed with it. Every successful golfer, including Tiger, builds their technique around their physiology. Tall, stiffer players (think Davis Love) create power through swing arc width; shorter, heavier players (think JB Holmes) through a punchy weight shift.

If you're looking for a swing role model, find one that matches your build. Better yet, book some time with us. We can ensure your methods are appropriate to your physique.

If they are not, you're facing not just frustration, but potential injury. Click here to enquire about a lesson to review your swing.