Today's Golfer Issue 287 preview

◗ A M A Z I N G G E A R D E A L S ◗ G R E E N F E E B A R G A I N S Y O U W O N ’ T B E L I E V E ◗ G O L F

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BRITAIN’S BEST-SELLING GOLF MAGAZINE Today’s WWW. TODAYSGOLFER.CO.UK

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MASTER 13 NEW SHOTS!

INSIDE: MONEY-SAVING GUIDE

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N A I L S H O T S F R O M T E E O R F A I R W A Y W I T H

O N E O F T H E S E

WIN!◗ FLORIDA GOLF HOLIDAY

◗ COMPLETE SET OF WILSON CLUBS, PLUS BAG & BALLS

HOT NEW CLUBS REVEALED

STUNNING PRIZES

◗ MIZUNO UNVEIL IRONS◗ SEE MD’s 2012 RANGE

◗ WILSON WOODS & HYBRIDS

FIRST NEWS

COMPETITIONS

CREATIVE SHOTMAKING

DISCOVER FRESH WAYS TO HAMMER YOUR HANDICAP

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FIRST TEE

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SIT AND STARENot only are these the best seats in the house, but they are the best seats in the world of golf!

N E W S & I N S I G H T

HOUSE VIEWING Stunning St Andrews’ home is yours for £1.75m

{TIME FOR A MOVE?}

Y ou could wake up to stunning views of the most famous golf course on the planet every

morning if you purchase 14 The Links.The three-bedroom double-level

apartment has a bay window and balcony just a stone’s throw from the final hole of the Old Course, which has hosted a record 28 Open Championships and now welcomes the tournament every five years.

The last home to be sold on The Links, which runs parallel to the 18th hole, changed hands last year and became the priciest property per square foot in Scotland at more than £1,350 per square foot.

With such a rare and wonderful view of arguably the most historic piece of golfing real estate on the planet, there is expected to be an intense interest in this latest sale from all over the world.

Dotty Kennedy, current owner of 14 The Links, said: “We’ve watched every Open held here since 1958 but even when there is no championship this apartment offers staggering views.”

Dotty’s father, Binks Forster, regularly watched golfers finishing their rounds from the bay window: “Dad knew every nuance of the green. He was known as Binks on the Links and he could see where people were going to go wrong before they even knew it themselves.”

The property is being sold by Strutt & Parker, who are inviting offers of £1.75 million upwards. You can contact their Edinburgh office on 0131 226 2500 for more information.

TODAYSGOLFER.CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 87

Green scene There is always some action when you take a look out of the window.


Driver off the deckDrivers are designed to be used with the ball teed up... but you can hit one from the fairway if you employ the correct technique. This shot

is ideal when you want to keep the ball low into the wind on a long approach, providing there are few obstacles between your ball

and the green. When you're feeling confident with your swing, give it a go using these tips. It's not as hard as you'd think.


{ S H O T 1 }

ADD CONTROLChoking down on the grip and swinging back slightly shorter than you would do for a driver off the tee provides additional control of the clubhead and ball flight. It also helps with the timing of the more advanced contact point.

PRACTICE SWINGDon't step into the ball until you've brushed the turf correctly in your practice swing. This gives you confidence to replicate this in your actual swing and commit to the shot. Your followthrough will be abbreviated like your backswing.

PLAY IT LIKE A 3-WOODPosition the ball much like you would for a 3-wood, two inches inside the left heel. This makes it easier to feel the sole of the club burn a small divot and deliver the clubhead to the ball with a slightly downward blow, catching the ball first.

BACKSWING

STRATEGY

ADDRESS

ALIGNMENT AIDAim at the left half of the green to allow for the left to right curvature that this shot will promote. This is because there's less loft on the clubface, meaning more sidespin will be imparted when the club is not delivered with a square face and path.


Putt out of the toe on downhill putts

Chip-and-run with a 3-iron

One leg out downhill bunker shot{ S H O T 2 }

{ S H O T 4 }

{ S H O T 3 }

KEY CHECKPOINTSAdopt all regular points for your putting: Eyes over the ball, ball forward of centre but address the ball in the toe end of the clubface. This area is away from the sweetspot and the ball will come off the face with less speed and give you a softer roll down the hill.

ALL IN THE SET-UPPosition the ball closer to the higher leg and the weight in the lower leg. This is for balance and to help you contact the sand in the correct place. Allow the back leg to soften to lower your centre of gravity and accelerate the clubhead through the sand.

Club golfers often struggle to commit to lightning-fast downhill putts in fear of finishing four feet past the hole. A

good way to deaden the strike and take speed out of your roll is to strike the ball deliberately out of the toe...

SET UP TO SWEEP ITWith your putting grip, position the shaft vertically. This helps the sole of the club glide over the turf, preventing the leading edge digging into the turf. Stand with your feet close together and 60 per cent of your weight on the left side to create the correct angle of attack.

ADDRESS

This unflattering address position in sand will actually help you achieve a stable base and extract the ball from

tricky sloping lies in sand. Remember to always swing along the gradient of the slope.

With this inventive shot, you don’t need to worry about the strike. Using a 3-iron from just off the green is a good option when the flag is far away. Obviously it requires a bit of practice to work out

the different lengths of swing required to send the ball different distances but once mastered, this shot is a powerful one to have at your disposal from around the fringes.

WHEN TO PLAY ITRemember that this shot is designed to 'pop' the ball over the fringe and the low loft will give you the roll and distance required. A good guide on when to play the shot is when you’re two club-lengths from the edge of the green and have a good lie.

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Great courses are made by sensational views. It’s very often what we remember most about a round. Here are 10 in Britain and Ireland that will take your breath away...

{V I E W S T O T H R I L L }

WORDS K E V I N B R O W N

DreamsFields of

ViewsTO THRILL

FEAST YOUR

EYES ON 10

STUNNERS


The Ailsa at Turnberry is simply awesome – by far the most jaw-dropping venue on the Open rota.

After a fairly modest opening couple of holes, it simply takes your breath away and there are few – if any – more inspiring places to play.

Indeed, it is difficult to know which is the best hole and which is the most iconic site.

Is it the first glimpse of the granite dome that is Ailsa Craig? Is it the drive on the 9th with the lighthouse to your left? Is it the views across the sea on a clear day to the Isle of Arran and Mull of Kintyre? Or is it the walk down 18 with the hotel and its unique red-tiled roof looking down on you?

You have a serious job on your hands to concentrate on your game and not to be too distracted by the sensational surroundings, especially around the turn.High spot: There are so many to pick from but we’ll go for the drive off the fairly new (it was created for the 2009 Open Championship) 10th tee. Perched high on the cliffs, it’s one of the most dramatic risk-reward tee shots in golf – hit it too far left and you’ll end up in the frothy sea, or at best on the sandy beach. But find the right line and it gives you a great angle for your approach.Top tips: “The Ailsa is littered with seriously penal pot bunkers and you’ve got to avoid them at all costs – staying above ground level is definitely the key if you want to produce a good score.

“Mind you, you also have to have a hot putter to deal with the large, undulating greens. A good way of achieving this is to concentrate on putting to an imaginary target on the line you’ve picked out.”Head professional Ricky Hall◗ Try it yourselfGreen fees: Until the end of Sept: £155 hotel guests & £175 for non-residents.Contact info: 01655 333 991.

GORGEOUSThe 10th on the Ailsa is a wonderful risk-reward hole from an awesome tee.

TURNBERRY (AILSA COURSE), AYRSHIRE, SCOTLAND

>>

INSTRUCTIONT O T H E R E S C U E

HELP WITH HYBRIDSMajor-winner YE Yang gives some top tips on set-up, impact and varying your trajectory...

● South Korean US PGA winner YE Yang is most known for being the man that ended Tiger Woods’ perfect 14 from 14 record when leading or sharing the lead going into the final round of a Major championship. On the 18th hole at Hazeltine in the 2009 US PGA Championship, Yang sealed his stunning victory with a hybrid from 210 yards to six feet to seal a stunning three-stroke win. Now you can rip your hybrid too with Yang’s top tips…◗ FREE rescue club video tips at www.todaysgolfer.co.uk

V I S I T T G W E B S I T E

F O R L OA D S O F V I D E O

T I P S

YA NG’S BAGYang doesn’t carry any long irons in his bag. Instead he has four hybrids, ranging from 17° to 23 ° of loft. This gives him much more forgiveness and helps hit the ball higher.

HIGH HOPE S

SW EE P IT

S E T- UP IS K E YThe most important thing when using a hybrid is the ball position. The ball needs to be placed so that the club approaches the ball shallower than an iron and steeper than a driver.

INSTRUCTION

HELP WITH HYBRIDS

T O U R P R O T U I T I O N Y E Y A N G

STEP ONE BALL POSITION STEP TWO ANGLE 0F ATTACK

STEP THREE HOW I HIT IT LOW STEP FOUR HOW I HIT IT HIGH


TWO BALLS INSIDEA good checkpoint for your ball position to improve your strike is to have it two balls’ width inside your left heel. This will help you achieve the correct angle of attack into the ball.

SWING S H A LLOWUnlike with irons, the rescue club requires a sweeping blow where the clubhead brushes the turf. For this to happen, the shaft should almost feel like it leans back slightly at impact.

H A NDS LE A DTo keep my hybrid low into the wind, I feel that my hands lead into impact. This makes the shaft lean forwards more at impact, de-lofting the clubface and sending the ball out lower.

C LU B HE A D LE A DSFor a high, soft landing hybrid (like the shot I beat Tiger with!) I feel the clubhead leads more in the downswing and my weight stays a little more on my back leg, adding loft.

EQUIPMENT

STRONG AND LONGWe’ve long extolled the virtues of MD Golf, and now they’ve come back with an even more exciting and promising Superstrong ST2 range for the autumn.

MD Golf products always seem to perform well in our monthly tests, and the fact that they are so readily-available for a relative snip of the price of some other ‘bigger’ brands makes the gear popular.

The range consists of a new driver, fairway woods, hybrids and

irons; and the Northern Irish company has resisted the temptation to change much of what was cosmetically sensational in the previous Superstrong offerings.

The ST2 Ti460 driver, which has been engineered with a Proforce 65 shaft, will appeal to the golfing purist who likes a traditional, classic head-shape behind the ball at address.

The club looks stunning, due to the PVD finish, but it’s not just

about the looks. The new club has been designed with a low centre of gravity that promotes a higher, more powerful ball flight and results in reduced spin for enhanced distance off the tee.

There’s also plenty of forgiveness in the 460cc head which has also been aerodynamically-styled to reduce drag for even faster swing speeds, which again helps in the yardage stakes.

The driver, available in either a

9.5°, 10.5° or a 12° loft option, will retail at £109.99. This represents excellent value for money because the product seems very solid.

Northern Ireland is enjoying a sensational golfing time of it recently, and if you haven’t tried any of MD’s gear make sure you consider them if you’re in the line for new sticks.◗ See www.todaysgolfer.co.uk for first hit videos on some of the latest MD offerings.

{ NEW MD GOLF LINE -UP REVEALED}

The new Superstrong ST2 range meets the MD Golf mandate of more for less


PHOTO FINISH A sleek black PVD finish makes the Superstrong ST2’s traditional head a real looker.

R E S I S TA N C E I S FU T I LEThe Superstrong ST2 driver’s head is a forgiving 460cc, but is sculpted to cut through the air, reducing drag and boosting clubhead speed.

H I T O N E , PE A R L O N EThe traditional-shaped head is weighted low down to promote easy launch and low spin, the perfect distance combination for the driver.

S P E C I A L

MDG O L F

EQUIPMENT L A T E S T N E W S

THE TGOPINION

MD Golf is a brand you

can trust

The likes of TaylorMade, Callaway, Titleist, Nike and Cobra, have excellent reputations as makers of top-quality gear. These reputations are well deserved, but the majority of the equipment is priced towards the higher end of the market.

In these more austere times, we realise a big part of our job is to promote equipment manufacturers that not only make high-performing gear, but at affordable prices. MD Golf is a classic example of how a ‘smaller brand’ can produce the goods without forcing you to break the bank.

If you were to go to their website, www.mdgolf.co.uk, and buy all of the stuff we’ve showcased on these pages, you would spend less than £460 – quite an achievement for a driver, fairway wood, hybrid and set of irons. And based on previous MD products, you know they’ll perform.

Of course, it would be wrong for us to say that MD always produce the best clubs in our detailed monthly tests, but they are always there or there abouts. And the amount of golfers we see carrying at least one MD club is staggeringly high for a brand many would not consider a heavyweight.

In fact, in my four years on Today’s Golfer, I haven’t received one complaint about the company.

The new ST2 range looks to be a case of more of the same and the firm can only be congratulated for that.

Quality irons for less than £200At less than £200 for a 5-SW set with UST Tour Force steel shafts, MD have produced a set of sticks that will appeal to those on a budget but who still want a quality golf product that’ll deliver superb performance.

For the game-improver looking for a high, powerful ball flight with oodles of forgiveness, these should be given serious consideration. The thick topline helps to give a confident appearance at address, but it would be misleading to say the irons are overly-muscular. The undercut cavity gives them fantastic playability.

We also like the fact that MD are offering the new irons set in a 5-SW option, rather than a more traditional 3 or 4-PW, with hybrids ever more commonplace – even in the bags of the world’s best players.◗ The new ST2 irons are also available in a graphite shaft option, at the slightly more expensive price-point of £249.

STEEL FOR A STEAL

◗ MD Golf may have its headquarters in Northern Ireland, but the brand has slowly grown since its launch in 1999. In fact, MD Golf clubs are now sold in 49 countries worldwide. The brand featured heavily at the Orlando PGA Show in 2010 and 2011.

◗ If you’re wondering where the company got its name, the initials are the first two letters of the two founders’ Christian names, Michael and David.

◗ MD may not have any presence on the European Tour just yet, but they do work with former Ryder Cup star Norman Drew who has teamed up with the company to produce a range of excellent wedges and putters in the last five years.

◗ Talking of wedges, the NV Drew wedge is actually the company’s best-selling product. As things stand at the time of going to press, MD Golf has sold a whopping 74,000 units. In 2011, there are 34 different wedge options available to golfers, which indicates the depth of the MD empire.

◗ MD Golf is the equipment choice of former British & Irish Lions captain Willie John McBride.

5THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MD GOLF

One of the key reasons many amateurs and a growing number of pros are opting to ditch their long irons for hybrids is that they provide great results from a variety of lies.

MD’s new ST2 hybrids certainly do that, providing a reliable service from the tee, the fairway and also the rough. Weight has been positioned towards the back of the clubhead, which gives the golfer a towering ball flight and the confidence to attack the green, safe in the knowledge the ball will land softly and stop quickly. We noticed good distance too off all areas of the face, so even mis-hits

delivered consistently good results.It’s a similar story with the fairway

woods. They sit beautifully behind the ball, looking a tad more compact to us than some other models. You can expect a lofty ball flight too. In fact, the new ST2 fairway wood was so straightforward to use, we would go so far as to say that more accomplished players could get it going out of the rough too.◗THE FACTS The fairway woods and hybrids retail at £79.99 – the fairways will be available in a 3-wood, 5-wood or 7-wood, with the hybrids on offer in 18°, 21° and 24°.

V E R S A T I L I T Y I S T H E K E Y


A CUT ABOVEAn undercut cavity moves the centre of gravity away from the face, aiding forgiveness.

WOOD BURNERS

EQUIPMENT


The PGA National Fitting Academy at The Belfry always proves a terrific base for our monthly club tests and this was again the case as we used one of five state-of-the-art

fitting rooms to test the woods. The practice facilities are great and the condition of the three courses – including Ryder Cup venue The Brabazon – is second-to-none.

There are always great stay-and-play deals at The Belfry so if you want to walk the same fairways as the likes of Seve, Jack and Tiger, visit the website or call the number (right).

Whether it is going for a par 5 in two or playing for position off the tee, a good fairway wood is a vital part of your golfing arsenal.

But a fairway wood is not just a driver with a smaller head. Each model is designed with a specific job and different playing characteristics in mind. Our four testers hit 25 woods to see which worked best in different situations.

THE METHODOLOGYOur team hit as many balls as they wanted with each club then rated them (see Ratings, right).

Their distance and dispersion stats were objectively secured via Trackman ball-flight monitor.

THE VENUE

The Belfry Wishaw, Sutton Coldfield, B76 9PR

Tel: 01675 470301Email: [email protected]

Web: www.thebelfry.com

WOOD WORKA versatile fairway wood can be a key club in the bag. We put 25 through their paces to find the best

◗ We asked manufacturers to provide a selection of different specifications for each model of fairway wood submitted.◗ Each tester used the specifications that would most closely meet his requirements to ensure the best possible results. ◗ The clubs featured are from a range of manufacturers across a range of budgets, so there will definitely be one within your range.

The clubs were marked out of five for looks, feel and feedback plus performance from tee and fairway. We rated each club out of five for distance and dispersion stats then averaged all marks for a final rating.

★★★★★ Must buy★★★★★ Excellent★★★★★ Good★★★★★ Average★★★★★ Avoid

THE R ATINGS

David Connor HCP 10Places a lot of emphasis on feel and likes a traditional look. Stuart Priestley Belfry ProA new pro for TG tests. He is very consistent and gives great insight.Michael Gow HCP 7A good long-game player, eager to assess various club characteristics.Alan Doodson HCP 21Looking for more height and more distance from his fairway woods.

THE TE STERS(L -R) THE CLUBS

FAIRWAY WOODS TEST

WOODS25

T E S T E D

PICTURES H OWA R D B OY L A N A N D T O M C R I T C H E L L

EQUIPMENT T H E T E S T F A I R W A Y W O O D S

PGA COLLECTION EZ3 £32.99Web: www.pgacollection.co.ukTel: 01452 611 888

Distance: 3.3 Dispersion: 4.5 Looks: 2.4 Feel: 1.3 Forgiveness: 1.8 Tee: 2.0 Fairway: 2.1 RATING ★★★★★

VERDICT: This club didn’t impress our team with each one saying it felt dead off the face. It therefore scored very poorly on the distance front – however it did prove relatively straight and easy to control. It’s not often our team are overly critical but this is one they would recommend you avoid.

JOHN LETTERS T9+ £99.99Web: www.johnletters.comTel: 0845 196 0050


VERDICT: Both pro Stuart and Michael noted the low profile nature of the head and thought it performed better off the fairway than the tee. Michael also liked how it sat at address while David liked it across the board. Alan, though, preferred it off the tee – even with its shallow face.

DUNLOP TOUR TI£32Web: european-golf-online.comTel: 020 7632 4800


VERDICT: Our pro Stuart reckoned this would be a decent buy for a high handicapper or beginner as the performance was reasonable for the small outlay. Our other three testers weren’t as complimentary, saying it felt very dull off the face and didn’t inspire confidence.

NICKLAUS AIR DRAW £99Web: www.nicklausgolf.euTel: 01565 832 521


VERDICT: This was the top model in terms of distance – all four hit it a long way. David, Michael and Stuart all noted the offset nature of the club and although this didn’t help their dispersion they admitted this made it very easy to get the ball in the air. Alan also loved the high ball flight it gave him.

PALM SPRINGS E2i £29.99Web: www.thesportshq.comTel: 01527 598 388


VERDICT: Our three lower handicappers on test were quite impressed with the performance of the E2i, particularly given the price. Both Stuart and Michael liked the strong ball flight while David was pleasantly surprised by the feel. Alan, however, found it hard work and struggled for distance.

MD SUPERSTRONG ST2 £79.99Web: www.mdgolf.co.ukTel: 028 9446 0333


VERDICT: This split the group; David and Michael said it was one of the easiest clubs to hit as getting it airborne was very simple. However, Stuart and Alan noticed a flatter ball flight and Alan didn’t think it flew off the face. David also enjoyed the excellent feel and forgiveness.

FORGAN IWD2 £49.99Web: www.forgan.co.ukTel: 01527 598 388


VERDICT: The testers felt the IWD2 was a better performer off the tee than the fairway because the head looked a little larger at address and was longer from front to back. Off the fairway, Stuart felt the ball flight was weak. The feel off the face also wasn’t great – however the performance was decent.

ORKA GS5 £VariousWeb: www.orkagolf.co.ukTel: 0845 862 0061


VERDICT: Michael said this was a good all-round club which gave him a straight ball flight while Stuart liked the compact head, although he felt his ball flight was flatter than he’d like. Alan found it a little difficult to align at address but enjoyed it off the fairway. Orka offers great custom-fit options.

SNAKE EYES 685T£109Web: golfsmith-europe.co.ukTel: 01480 308 800


VERDICT: Stuart felt the triangular shape, larger head and deeper face made it good off the tee. Alan agreed, adding he felt it was more difficult than others to get airborne off the deck. David and Michael both got a high ball flight though; Michael said the head size inspired confidence off tee and turf.

YONEX EZONE £199Web: www.yonex.co.ukTel: 0208 742 9777


VERDICT: Stuart and David loved the performance and look because of its more compact head. Both were surprised how forgiving it was and rated it highly. It was one of David’s favourites. Alan was intimidated by the size of the head, saying it looked more like a hybrid. Michael wasn’t a huge fan.


COURSES

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◗ PLAYERS CLUBNeat US-style layout with lots of bunkers and water.Green fees: Mon-Thurs: £40 a round & £72 a day. Fri-Sun: £48/£72. 2-FORE!-1: Mon-Fri (on day rate in high season). Tel: 01454 311818.

◗ TURNBERRY KINTYREPlotted next to the highly acclaimed Ailsa and a stunning links in its own right.Green fees: £100 (hotel residents) & £130 (non-residents). 2-FORE!-1: Mon-Thurs. Tel: 01655 334032. Teeofftimes Guide Price: From £59 (see www241golf.com).

◗ WALMER & KINGSDOWNA breathtaking clifftop track with awesome views. Green fees: Mon-Fri: £33. Sat-Sun (afternoons): £42. 2-FORE!-1: Mon-Fri. Tel: 01304 373256. Teeofftimes Guide Price: From £15.

◗ PORTAL CHAMPIONSHIPA classy Cheshire parkland with a great variety of holes. Try to avoid the water!Green fees: All week: £50. 2-FORE!-1: All week. Tel: 01829 734160. Teeofftimes Guide Price: From £20.

COURSES P L A Y M O R E , P A Y L E S S 2 - F O R E ! - 1 T R E A T S

This golf course just outside the pretty, quaint historic North Yorkshire coastal town of Whitby has been entertaining, thrilling and challenging golfers since the end of the 19th century.

There’s no point touting this track as anywhere near the leading courses in the county but Whitby offers no-nonsense golf on a challenging course for sensible money.

Whitby serves up pure golfing thrills and spills for a green fee that will leave you with a big grin on your face. You can tackle this part-clifftop-part-parkland par-71 layout for a mere £15 on Mondays!

Unfortunately, owing to coastal erosion, some sections of this course have had to be altered, although the breathtakingly brilliant 4th, 5th and 6th holes tightly hug the rugged, receding coastline and provide serious golfing tests (specially when the wind is blowing). There are also stunning coastal views of Kettleness headland and the picturesque neighbouring village of Sandsend.

The par-4, stroke-index-2 6th is absolutely

awesome. From the tee, you have to attempt to find the fairway on the opposite side of a gaping chasm, known as Upgang Ravine. Then you have to hit the green in front of the White House Hotel which was once the clubhouse.

You cross the A174 for a slice of parkland action before returning for the big finale, a par-5, 500-yarder where you once again encounter Upgang Ravine. You can reach the final green in two but only if the wind isn’t blowing.

Afterwards you can put the icing on the cake by tucking into a portion of Whitby scampi and chips and checking out the town’s glorious past. Whitby is steeped in history and was where Captain James Cook mastered the sea skills which led to his epic voyages of discovery.

◗WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOWLocation: Two miles north of Whitby.Green fees: Mon: £15. Tues-Fri: £27 a day. Sat-Sun: £30 a day. 2-FORE!-1: Mon-Fri. Contact: 01947 602719.

TOP CLASS AT LOWEST COST

WORDS P A T R I C K M O O N E Y & K E V I N B R O W N

JACK ADDS SOME MAGIC

This month we hit the Nicklaus Trail in sunny Spain and visit an old, well-established favourite…

{ FOCUS ON MURCIA}

TRAVEL

LOCATION MAPThe golf courses in Spain’s Murcia region are improving all the time and the region is no longer just about La Manga. The Nicklaus Trail offers four top tracks for starters.

S E E E U R O C O U R S E

R E V I E W S A T T H E T G

W E B S I T E

TRAVEL S P O T L I G H T O N S P A I N

For many years golf in Murcia was all about one place – La Manga. But that is no longer the case.

La Manga’s three 18-hole courses are still a big draw but other venues in Murcia are starting to attract attention too. The region’s varied golfing landscape provides superb natural settings for golf courses and many are now getting recognised amongst Europe’s elite.

Murcia is home to courses designed by some of the world’s leading architects. And they don’t come much bigger than 18-times Major winner Jack Nicklaus, who in 2002 linked up with property development company Polaris World to take the American idea of a trail of golf courses created by the same architect – the Golden Bear of course – and transplant it into this corner of Spain.

It’s early days but so far it’s proving a winning formula and it certainly helps that all the Nicklaus courses are within a short drive of each other and most have both on-site hotel and apartment accommodation.

Currently there are four Nicklaus courses

available across Polaris World’s resorts – El Valle, La Torre, Hacienda Riquelme and Las Terrazas (Saurines de La Torre Golf) – and each boasts its own 18-hole Nicklaus layout, along with bars and restaurants. Shuttle buses run you to all the resorts and bring you back later.

Indeed, the excellent five-star InterContinental Hotel at La Torre Golf is surrounded by a little village of shops and an assortment of restaurants and bars beside a large lake.

It’s easy to reach too. Budget airlines now arrive at Murcia and Alicante airports and allow a year-long flow of golfers from the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia into the region.

The Nicklaus Trail provides a uniquely enjoyable golfing experience, offering both beginners and experienced players a taste of the Golden Bear’s impressive handiwork, usually in glorious sunshine and perfect playing conditions – the region boasts 150 miles of coastline, more than 300 days of sunshine per year and an average temperature of 21° Celsius.

1. EL VALLEPar 71, 6,161 yards

El Valle sits in a natural desert valley. It is undulating and the ‘Golden Bear’ has plotted several holes adjacent to rocky outcrops and ridges.

The course requires accuracy into the greens, which are tough and surrounded by large mowed chipping areas. So it will test your short game and imaginative shot-making will be rewarded.

El Valle’s bunkers come in clusters and are small and delicately-shaped. There are also two lakes, two streams and a waterfall! One of the best holes is the 11th, a classy par 4 with the tee perched on top of a rocky outcrop.

El Valle hosted the second stage of the European Tour Q School last year and the Spanish PGA event in 2009.

◗ VITAL STATISTICSGreen fees: All week: €65 (£57). Contact: 0034 968 03 3002 or www.nicklausgolftrail.es

Today's Golfer Issue 287 preview

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