Tuesday, December 23, 2014

25 PER CENT INCREASE FOR 2015 SEASON

 PGA EUROPRO TOUR PRIZE FUNDS 

INCREASE TO £50,000 PER EVENT


NEWS RELEASE
The HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour is delighted to announce the prize fund for every regular event will increase by 25% to £50,000 ahead of the 2015 season on Europe’s leading developmental golf tour.
With 15 events plus a season-ending Tour Championship for the top 60 players, the total prize money available across the 2015 season will now stand at over £800,000.
The winner’s prize will remain at £10,000 and every player who finishes inside the top ten (excluding ties) will earn at least £1,000.
Based on 50 players making the cut, the minimum prize fund for every tournament is £46,735. This will increase in line with the number of ties who also make the 36-hole cut, and any surplus from £50,000 will be added to the prize fund for Tour Championship, which will begin at £60,000.
The HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour is Europe’s leading development tour, and the European Tour’s satellite in the UK and Ireland.  
The Tour offers direct access to the Challenge Tour through the final Order of Merit, with the top five golfers at the end of the season to be awarded a category on the 2016 Challenge Tour.
Qualifying School for the tour is open to all professional golfers and amateurs with a handicap of two or better and allows players the opportunity to earn a category for the 2015 season.
More information about how to join the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour can be found at www.europrotour.com. 

New HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour Prize Fund
  1
£10,000
  11
£900
  21
£490
  31
£395
  41
£345
  2
£6,000
  12
£800
  22
£480
  32
£390
  42
£340
  3
£3,000
  13
£750
  23
£470
  33
£385
  43
£335
  4
£2,000
  14
£700
  24
£460
  34
£380
  44
£330
  5
£1,750
  15
£650
  25
£450
  35
£375
  45
£325
  6
£1,500
  16
£600
  26
£440
  36
£370
  46
£320
  7
£1,300
  17
£550
  27
£430
  37
£365
  47
£315
  8
£1,200
  18
£525
  28
£420
  38
£360
  48
£310
  9
£1,100
  19
£510
  29
£410
  39
£355
  49
£305
  10
£1,000
  20
£500
  30
£400
  40
£350
  50
£300
 

Labels:

FROM EIGHT FEET, THE BEST TOUR PROS ONE-PUTT HALF THE TIME




Research Reveals the Secrets of the World's Greatest Putters









FROM GOLF.COM
We all know that the goal on the green is to get the ball in the hole in the fewest putts. We also know that one-putts are good and three-putts are bad -- but which is more important? That is, should you try to drain that first putt, or is it smarter to lag putts nice and close so you can avoid dreaded three-jacks? The answer could save you strokes.
Let's first take a look at the Tour pros. From eight feet, the world's best players one-putt half the time and average 1.5 strokes to hole out.
 A one-putt gains a Tour pro only a half stroke against the field, while a three-putt loses him 1.5 strokes. Ouch! The three-putt loses three times what the one-putt gains. 
That means avoiding three-putts should be your first order of business, right? Wrong. What's missing in this example is the frequency of three-putts: The less it happens, the less it matters.
For the pros, getting the ball in the hole in one putt is far more important than avoiding a three-putt.

We can learn a lot from the best putters, so I gave Brad Faxon (pictured above) a call. From 1992 to 2002, Faxon was the No. 1 putter on the US PGA Tour (see table).  
"I never cared about three-putting," he told me. "I didn't like to three-putt, but I didn't stand over a 15-footer for birdie worrying about three-putting."
That's a great mindset from one of the greatest putters ever, and the stats bear Faxon out. I compared the best putters on Tour today -- that is, the leaders in Strokes Gained Putting -- with the Tour's average putters. The bottom line? The very best putters have 0.6 more one-putt greens (7.5 versus 6.9 per round) and just 0.15 fewer three-putt greens (0.40 versus 0.55 per round). The elite putters gain about four times as much from more one-putts than they do from fewer three-putts. (Granted, pros rarely three-putt.)
Here's another way to see it: The best Tour putters sink 55 percent of their eight-footers, compared with 50 percent for an average Tour putter. Five percent is a lot. The difference in three-putt rates from eight feet is just 0.2 percent (0.4 percent for the top putters, versus a Tour average 0.6 percent).
The best putters have something in common: They're aggressive. They one-putt more often, they leave fewer putts short, and they leave slightly longer comebackers. "In my great putting rounds," Faxon said, "I noticed that when I missed, I always had to mark the ball, because it would go far enough past the hole that it wasn't a tap-in. I made most of those three-foot comebackers, but it always made for a little more angst than just tapping in."
I do have some three-putt caveats. From 30 feet and beyond, the best on Tour gain more from fewer three-putts than from more one-putts. But how about better (80-shooters) and average (90-shooters) everyday players? The 80-shooters gain more from frequent one-putting than from fewer three-putts from 13 feet and in. (From 14 feet and beyond, it reverses.) Overall, for weekend golfers, about half of the gain comes from more one-putts and about half from fewer three-putts.
Takeaway 1: Get short putts to the hole. The better-putting 80-shooters leave 12 percent of their 10-footers short, compared with 17 percent for 90-shooters. [For pros, it's only 7 percent.]
Takeaway 2: Short putts [say, three to eight feet] matter most. Better short putting leads to more one-putts and fewer three-putts.
Takeaway 3: Distance control matters. As Pat Goss, Luke Donald's short-game coach, has said, "I don't think there's a more important skill in golf than controlling distance in putting."
Takeaway 4: Compare your putting with the benchmark: 80-shooters average about one three-putt per round, 90-shooters average about two, and 100-shooters about three. If you average more three-putts than your benchmark, consider a putting lesson from your club pro ... if he himself is a good putter!

Labels:

SIX TOP-CLASS GOLF CLUBS BASED AROUND MORAY FIRTH SHORES



HIGHLAND GOLF ESCAPES 


PRESS RELEASE


Fortrose and Rosemarkie join Highland Golf Escapes for 2015

Highland Golf Escapes are delighted to announce that Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club have joined the holiday and marketing group of six top-class golf clubs based around the shores of the Moray Firth for the 2015 season.
 
Located on the Chanonry Peninsula in the ‘Black Isle’, Fortrose and  Rosemarkie is a classic Scottish links golf course which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2013; and enjoys breath-taking views over the Moray Firth, close to the city of Inverness and its airport.
  MULTIPLE ACCOLADES
The course has received multiple accolades such as ‘a gem of a course by the sea’; ‘perhaps the best jewel in the highland golfing crown’; and ‘a unique course with special character to be found nowhere else’. Established in 1888, the course was re-designed by the five time Open Champion James Braid in 1932 and the greens are not just fast but also deceptive, with tight fairways and strategically placed bunkers throughout the course – Braid's trademark. Mike MacDonald, Club Secretary at Fortrose and Rosemarkie, said: 
“As a club, we are keen to join and support Highland Golf Escapes; and we see working with others as a beneficial and happy relationship for the clubs and their visitors alike. Our course is open every day of the year and we welcome golfers from all parts of the globe to play.”
 SIX GREAT COURSES
Highland Golf Escapes is a group of six great golf courses – Boat of Garten, Brora, Golspie, Nairn Dunbar, Tain and now Fortrose and Rosemarkie – which have joined together to offer golfing visitors and tourists a memorable Highland Golf Escape, whether for a weekend or over the course of a full week. All are consistently ranked in the top 75 courses to play in Scotland and are visitor and family friendly. 
With rich and varied traditions, all six clubs pride themselves in offering a great value-for-money golfing experience on championship courses sometimes overlooked by all but the best-informed golfing connoisseur.
 MAGNIFICENT ADDITION
Welcoming the addition of Fortrose and  Rosemarkie to Highland Golf Escapes, Dr Rob Macpherson, Manager of Nairn Dunbar Golf Club, said: 
“Fortrose and Rosemarkie is a magnificent addition to Highland Golf Escapes – it provides a scenic and challenging link between our northern gems of Brora, Golspie and Tain and the two southern clubs in our group – Nairn Dunbar and Boat of Garten. 
"Each venue is different; and Fortrose and Rosemarkie, with its enviable location at the heart of the Moray Firth and its opportunities to spot dolphins and birdies alike – while enjoying great catering in the club bar/restaurant, means golfing visitors to the Scottish Highlands can have an experience that is like no other, without having to endure high-end prices or five-hour rounds.”

For further details, contact:
@HGolfEscapes


Or for further information, contact:
Rob Macpherson, Manager, Nairn Dunbar Golf Club
Tel: 01667 452741 e: manager@nairndunbar.com


Labels:

INCREASINGLY STRONG LINE-UP FOR DOHA EVENT

ROSE READY TO BLOOM IN QATAR 
 
MASTERS
 
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
World Number Six Justin Rose will compete in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters for the second time in three years as the 2013 US Open Champion joins Ryder Cup teammates Henrik Stenson and defending champion Sergio Garcia in an increasingly strong line-up in Doha.
Rose, 34, pictured above, recently finished third in The Race to Dubai – behind Rory McIlroy and Stenson, currently World Numbers One and Two respectively – after a strong finish to the season, having already won his seventh European Tour title at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open in July.
TOP-FOUR PLACINGS
In November, Rose finished fourth at the BMW Masters in Shanghai and two weeks later was runner-up at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai for the second time in three years.
The Englishman – who will be making his sixth appearance in Doha – is now determined to continue that form into the 18th Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, which will be held at Doha Golf Club from January 21-24.
“I finished the season playing really well and I want to build on that in Doha. I enjoyed myself at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters a couple of years ago and I’m looking forward to returning. I felt increasingly comfortable on the course and want to really have another go at it this time,” said Rose, who tied for 16th on his last visit when he memorably met Wayne Rooney on a tee-box as Manchester United stars watched the action.
“It looks like it’s already shaping up into a strong field. I know Sergio played well last year to win and he played great when I last competed in 2013, so he will be a favourite. Henrik beat us all in Dubai, so he’ll be another strong contender, especially as I know he plays in Doha every year. It’ll be tough, but I’m confident I’ll be in with a shout this time.”
Rose and Stenson proved an unstoppable pairing in September’s Ryder Cup, as the duo won all three of their matches against the USA to help Europe retain the trophy. Their three wins included a Ryder Cup record of 12 birdies in 16 holes to beat Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson 3 abd 2 in the four-balls.
INCREDIBLE TIME AT GLENEAGLES
Rose said: “Henrik and I had an incredible time at The Ryder Cup. It’s always an amazing event, but it was a real privilege to team up with Henrik and play so well. We really fed off each other. I much prefer playing with him than against him, but I’m looking forward to meeting up with him and Sergio and other guys from the team in Doha.”
Rose has also continued to shine in the USA and won his sixth PGA Tour title in June to continue his run of lifting at least trophy on the Tour each season from 2010.
Hassan Al Nuaimi, President of the Qatar Golf Association, said the addition of Rose to a field that already featured Stenson and Garcia, currently World Number Five, boded well for an all-star field in January.
“Justin Rose is a true Ryder Cup hero and we welcome him back to the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters after his brilliant display for Europe, just like when he competed here two years ago. We were also delighted to see him win the US Open last year just a few months after he competed here in Doha,” Al Nuaimi said.
“Justin is one of the true gentlemen in golf and always popular wherever he goes. He has spent most of the past three years in the top 10 and much of that in the top five, so we’re proud to welcome one of golf’s great players to a star-studded line-up.”
STRONG LINE-UP
Abdullah Saleh Al Raisi, CEO of Commercial Bank, which is title sponsoring the event for the 10th straight year, added: “Commercial Bank is proud to work with the Qatar Golf Association each year to attract a strong line-up of players for the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
“With Justin Rose joining Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia, I strongly believe we’re on track for one of the tournament’s best-ever fields. All of these players are hugely popular when they compete in Doha and we’re delighted to continually deliver one of the strongest line-ups on The European Tour.”
Commercial Bank is marking its 10th year as title sponsor of the event, during which time champions have included Garcia, Stenson (2006), fellow Ryder Cup representatives Thomas Bjørn, Paul Lawrie and Robert Karlsson, former World No. 1 Adam Scott and two-time US Open Champion Retief Goosen.
LONGEST PAR-72 COURSE
Many of the world’s top golfers compete each year at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, which has been held at Doha Golf Club since its inauguration in 1998. The club’s desert-type Championship Course is one of the longest par 72 courses on The European Tour.

Labels:

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY THIRD-YEAR STUDENT FINISHES 10 UNDER PAR

BRANDON MATTHEWS LEADS ALL THE 

WAY TO WIN DIXIE AMATEUR BY FIVE

FROM GOLFWEEK.COM

Brandon Matthews, a junior (third-year student) at Temple University, handily won the 83rd Dixie Amateur on Monday, finishing 72 holes in South Florida with a 10-under 278 total.
Matthews, pictured, led after each of the first three rounds at Heron Bay Golf Club in Coral Springs, Florida.
He opened with 6-under 66 and turned the event into a game of chase. Rounds of 72-70 followed before the Dixie moved to TPC Eagle Trace for the final round, where Matthews produced a 2-under 70.
Matthews, a stand-out at Temple, also advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2013 U.S. Amateur, where he fell to Oliver Goss.
Georgia Tech red-shirt senior Drew Czuchry was Matthews’ closest pursuer, but finished five shots back at 5-under 283. 
Czuchry entered the final round only two shots behind Matthews, but lost ground with 73.
James Clark, a Georgia Tech freshman, was another shot behind his team-mate, and Anthony Gabriele finished fourth, two shots behind that. Joshua August rounded out the top 5.
Gavin Dear from Scone, Perthshire is a former winner of this prestigious tournament. 

TOP TEN FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
278 Brandon Matthews 66 72 70 70
283 Drew Czuchry 67 73 70 73
284 James Clark 74 71 68 72
286 Anthony Gabriele 70 69 74 73
288 Joshua August 71 73 75 69
289 Daniel Chian 72 73 71 73, Peyton White 72 78 69 70
290 Woody Woodehead 75 73 70 72
291 Max De Craecker 69 72 76 74
292 Daniel Whelan 72 77 70 73

TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

CLICK HERE

Labels:

1967 BOB HOPE DESERT CLASSIC WINNER

TOM NIEPORTE (86), LAST CLUB PRO

 TO WIN ON US PGA TOUR, DIES 

FROM GOLF CHANNEL DIGITAL







Tom Nieporte, the long-time head professional at Winged Foot Golf Club, passed away Sunday in South Florida. He was 86.
Nieporte had three career US PGA Tour victories, and he’s the last club pro to win a Tour event, capturing the Bob Hope Desert Classic in 1967. 
He was a teaching pro for 45 years on Long Island, including 28 at Winged Foot (1978 to 2006), which last hosted the U.S. Open in 2006. 
Nieporte has nine children and 28 grandchildren. His son, John, the current head pro at Trump International in West Palm Beach, qualified for the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion. 

FROM GOLFWEEK.COM
Nieporte, who was named Golfweek's Father of the Year in 2010, is survived by his wife of 60 years, Joan, and their nine children.
"Tom never had a negative thing to say, even after the worst shot imaginable," Winged Foot president John Schneider told The Journal News. 
 "We were just so proud to have him as our pro. If you played a round of golf with Tom, you checked your own values and walked away saying, 'I need to be more like that.' He was what a golfer should be. He was everyone's pro."
Nieporte, a Cincinnati native, caddied as a youth and worked at the former MacGregor factory in his home town before attending Ohio State University and winning the 1951 NCAA individual title. He won twice on the forerunner to today's US PGA Tour: the 1959 Rubber City Open and the 1960 Azalea Open.
 But the travel and lack of steady paycheck prompted Nieporte to accept a job as club professional at Piping Rock on Long Island. He still competed as time from his full-time job would allow and won the 1967 Bob Hope Desert Classic.
No full-time club pro has won on US PGA Tour since.
Bobby Heins, the head professional at Old Oaks in Purchase, New York State, and a protege of Nieporte's, shared this story about that 1967 victory in the California desert with The Journal News:
"Tom didn't know he was in the tournament until the last minute, so he packed in a hurry. He ended up with two different white shoes. Tom makes a nice putt on the last hole to win, and during the award ceremony, Delores Hope points out that he's wearing two different white shoes, and Tom says, 'I have another pair just like that at home.' That was typical."

 Winged Foot Golf Club is a 36-hole golf course located in Mamaroneck, New York State. The course architect is A. W. Tillinghast, who also designed Baltusrol (Lower), Bethpage Black, Suburban Golf Club, Shackamaxon Country Club, San Francisco Golf Club, Cedar Crest Park, and nearby Quaker Ridge Golf Club, Scarboro Golf and Country Club in Toronto and Wykagyl Country Club. 
Winged Foot Golf Club was founded in 1921, by a consortium consisting mainly of members of The New York Athletic Club. The club gets its name and logo from the NYAC's logo, but the two have never had any direct affiliation. 
Opened 91 years ago in June 1923, application for membership to Winged Foot G.C. is by invitation only.

Labels:

NO CHANGE OF LUCK YET FOR BANCHORY PLAYER

James Byrne, based in Thailand during golf season. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

BYRNE FINISHES 15th IN ADT ORDER OF 

MERIT: ONLY TOP 5 STEP UP
 
Banchory's James Byrne, who played in the winning GB and I team in the 2011 Walker Cup match at Royal Aberdeen,  finished 15th in the Asian Development Tour's Order of Merit for the year. Only the leading five gained automatic promotion to the Asian Tour.
Thailand-based Byrne, who has his 26th birthday on January 2 and is a former Scottish Northern Open champion, played in 14 ADT events in 2014 and earned US $22,043.
Ireland's Niall Turner will step up to the full Asian Tour after  finishing third in the Order of Merit with earnings of $46,218 from 12 ADT Tournaments.
The final top 20 were:


osPlayerPlayedEarnings (US$)
1Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA)1768,975
2CHAN Shih-chang (TPE)768,723
3Niall TURNER (IRL)1246,218
4Sattaya SUPUPRAMAI (THA)1446,192
5Brett MUNSON (USA)2144,332
6Arie IRAWAN (MAS)2037,275
7Peter RICHARDSON (ENG)1935,459
8Grant JACKSON (ENG)2032,888
9Nils FLOREN (SWE)1631,540
10Annop TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA)1929,363
11Pijit PETCHKASEM (THA)1528,673
12Airil Rizman ZAHARI (MAS)1125,750
13Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA)924,561
14Suppakorn UTHAIPAT (THA)1623,374
15James BYRNE (SCO)1422,043
16Rizal AMIN (MAS)1319,496
17Wisut ARTJANAWAT (THA)1718,409
18KOH Deng Shan (SIN)1416,888
19HSIEH Tung-shu (TWN)615,521
20Poosit SUPUPRAMAI (THA)1414,512

Labels:

Copyright © Colin Farquharson

If you can't find what you are looking for.... please check the Archive List or search this site with Google