Imagine Golf - Blog RSS http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/ An RSS feed of blogs from Imagine Golf. en-gb info@imaginesportsclub.com info@imaginesportsclub.com <![CDATA[The King - Arnold Palmer]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/legends/the-king-arnold-palmer-434.htm In every sport, you have one quintessential person who transforms the game from pastime to art form, a person who gets the public buzzing by their shear presence and someone who propels the game into the limelight and makes it stick.

And The King, Arnold Palmer, is that man to golf.

Palmer made the game beautiful. He made the game accessible. He made people want to play golf. But his life is more than just golf. His life has touched many people.

Palmer, as well as being a golf...

By Legends

]]> Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:21:27 +0100 <![CDATA[Shock call-ups for European Ryder Cup team]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/jeff-dawson/shock-callups-for-european-ryder-cup-team-427.htm European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has surprised the golfing world by omitting World No. 8 Paul Casey and World No. 23 Justin Rose from his team to face the United States for the competition that starts on October 1 at Celtic Manor in Wales.

These two were favourites for the pick ahead of Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald but Monty has decided that the experience of Harrington and the guile of World No. 11 Donald more worthy than the qualities possessed by Rose and Casey. Edoardo...

By Jeff Dawson

]]> Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:16:28 +0100 <![CDATA[Escaping from a plugged bunker lie]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/tips-and-techniques/escaping-from-a-plugged-bunker-lie-418.htm Plugged bunker lies – one of golf’s most feared shots - can seriously damage your chances of a good score if you don’t know how to play them correctly, and here we take a look at escaping from such a lie without losing momentum on your round.

The normal style shot from a plugged bunker lie would produce a low running escape, but sometimes, the pin is close, you are plugged and you need to get it up, out and stop with little green to work with.

Here, you need to play a risk and reward...

By Tips and Techniques

]]> Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:43:00 +0100 <![CDATA[Woods' odds slashed after excellent first round]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/jeff-dawson/woods-odds-slashed-after-excellent-first-round-417.htm World number one Tiger Woods appears to finally be putting his personal problems to one side as he took command of round one of The Barclays – the first event of the US Tour’s FedEx Cup.

He fired a six-under 65 to lead by a shot in New Jersey alongside Vaughn Taylor. Woods’ odds for victory this weekend have since been slashed to 5/2 as he shows signs of form that may worry the European Ryder Cup team ahead of that contest at Celtic Manor in Wales.

Rory McIlroy, at three-under, is L...

By Jeff Dawson

]]> Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:18:47 +0100 <![CDATA[The PING Tour W wedge]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/equipment-news/the-ping-tour-w-wedge-410.htm The PING Tour W wedge – it’s as good as it gets and still the best on offer. That’s according the team at Today’s Golfer anyway.

Compared to Manchester United footballing legend Ryan Giggs – it’s been around a while but still oozes class – the PING wedge always delivers when it needs to. A fantastic club, and although this isn’t very exciting, still way ahead of the rest.

Coming in at £95 for steel shafted version, the Tour W wedge offers great value for money and will give you plenty...

By Equipment News

]]> Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:32:14 +0100 <![CDATA[He's the man who modernised golf]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/legends/hes-the-man-who-modernised-golf-403.htm

He is remembered as golf’s most flamboyant character, the man who modernised the game by realising the commercial opportunities of product endorsement where many have followed, the man who propelled professionals from the bottom rung of the golfing pecking order to the top, the man who continually embarrassed the golfing establishment….it is of course, the one and only, Walter Hagen.

Hagen was like no other professional there has ever been. He never prepared - mentally, ...

By Legends

]]> Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:06:14 +0100 <![CDATA[Divorce for Woods wins for Atwal and Hanson]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/jeff-dawson/divorce-for-woods-wins-for-atwal-and-hanson-402.htm

Tiger Woods once again stole the headlines this weekend, but, as has been the case recently, it wasn’t for his golf as his private life took another twist with the announcement of his divorce from wife Elin Nordegren.

This news from the courtrooms overshadowed an historic win for Indian qualifier Arjun Atwal who became the first golfer from his country to win on the PGA Tour following a one-stroke triumph at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina. Woods’ antics also...

By Jeff Dawson

]]> Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:12:03 +0100 <![CDATA[Jimenez looking to make Ryder Cup move]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/golf-betting/jimenez-looking-to-make-ryder-cup-move-401.htm

This weekend could be a telling one as the final few places in the Ryder Cup teams look to get filled up as soon as possible.

On the European Tour, the likes of Miguel Angel Jimenez, Simon Dyson and Peter Hanson can enhance their chances of automatic selection with a good performance at the Czech Open.

These three sit in 8th,15th and 16th respectively and a good result at the Prosper Golf Resort could see them cement or leap up into...

By Golf Betting

]]> Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:08:35 +0100 <![CDATA[Improve your short game]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/tips-and-techniques/improve-your-short-game-400.htm

When it comes to selecting the right club for a pitch or chip, we often get it wrong and end up putting the ball exactly where we don’t want it.

And this is especially true for golfers who have recently taken up the game. They struggle, quite naturally, to understand the benefit of good club selection and the factors you need to take into consideration.

The one thing to remember is that when you are chipping, your goal is to choose a club that gets you over whate...

By Tips and Techniques

]]> Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:03:02 +0100 <![CDATA[Extra consistency off the fairways when you need it most]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/equipment-news/extra-consistency-off-the-fairways-when-you-need-it-most-399.htm

The new Nike SQ MACHSPEED Fairway Wood looks an appetising club for golfers looking to get better consistency from the fairways when needing it most.

The innovative ‘Square Stability Forgiveness’ sees the weight of the club moved to the corners of the club head, and although it loses some looks, it gives more stability through the ground giving you better results.

It also has optimized aerodynamics down to ground level that delivers more speed off the deck than a...

By Equipment News

]]> Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:00:46 +0100 <![CDATA[la<x>yer UP WITH FJ]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/equipment-news/laxyer-up-with-fj-392.htm FootJoy announces the launch of the FJ ProDry® Performance Base Layer and the new FJ Layering System, developed specifically for golf and centered around the goal to Make Every Day Playable. The layering system uses lightweight, thinner, stretchable, more breathable garments that allow the player to regulate body temperature and better adapt to changing weather conditions while also enjoying a complete range of motion during the golf swing.

The launch of the new FJ ProDry® Perform...

By Equipment News

]]> Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:47:24 +0100 <![CDATA[ti<x>tleist Focus]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/equipment-news/tixtleist-focus-380.htm Titleist was the overwhelming favourite at the 2010 Glenmuir PGA Professionals Championship at The Oxfordshire Golf Club, as PGA Club Professionals followed the example set by the world’s best players on Tour by choosing Titleist. The impressive counts across a number of product categories were led by the legendary Pro V1 and Pro V1x balls, which claimed the #1 position in the golf ball category. The quality of Titleist’s product range was further demonstrated by Titleist products topping the...

By Equipment News

]]> Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:14:25 +0100 <![CDATA[ti<x>tleist Powers To The Lead]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/equipment-news/tixtleist-powers-to-the-lead-379.htm Titleist, the #1 ball in golf, was the choice of the majority of the field at the final major championship of 2010.

The legendary Pro V1 and Pro V1x balls were trusted by 85 players at Whistling Straits, more than four times the nearest competitor with 20.

The feel and playability of Titleist equipment was also recognised,...

By Equipment News

]]> Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:45:10 +0100 <![CDATA[As Things Should be Remembered]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/as-things-should-be-remembered-377.htm The front page of Milwaukee's "Journal Sentinel" on Monday morning carried a lead story of about 750 words on the PGA Championship which had been staged further up the shoreline of Lake Michigan at Whistling Straits.  Under the headline "Johnson can't beat rules", only 15 words of the story referred to the winner, Martin Kaymer.

This obvious imbalance struck me as especially curious for a Milwaukee newspaper, given the large numbers of German descendants who happen to inhabit th...

By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:11:33 +0100 <![CDATA[The greatest amateur of all time]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/jeff-dawson/the-greatest-amateur-of-all-time-376.htm

Having read about and watched many great golfers over the years, there is one player who I wish I’d been lucky enough to see play - especially when he was at the peak of his playing powers.

Although he never turned professional, opting to remain an amateur and play for the love of the game instead of money, American Bobby Jones was one of the greatest golfers to ever walk the planet.

He won 13 major crowns by the time he retired from competitive golf at just 28-ye...

By Jeff Dawson

]]> Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:53:42 +0100 <![CDATA[Brilliant and totally unpredictable]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/jeff-dawson/brilliant-and-totally-unpredictable-368.htm

First of all, an apology to you all. If you followed my tip and took a gamble on Ian Poulter for the USPGA Championship title then I'm sorry! But learn from this and don't follow my predictions in the future!

So, what a final day it proved to be yesterday when Martin Kaymer eventually ran out winner following a play-off with the unpredictable and thoroughly brilliant Bubba Watson.

I admit that Watson isn't someone I had heard much of before this tournament. But...

By Jeff Dawson

]]> Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:50:55 +0100 <![CDATA[USPGA shaping up nicely]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/jeff-dawson/uspga-shaping-up-nicely-364.htm

There’s only one competition going on this weekend that golfing enthusiasts are going to be concerned with and that’s the final major of the year, the USPGA Championships at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

And the overnight leaderboard from the first day suggests this could be a close and fantastic contest that goes down to the wire.

Following the first round, American Bubba Watson and Italian Francesco Molinari shared the clubhouse lead on four under with Ernie ...

By Jeff Dawson

]]> Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:18:22 +0100 <![CDATA[Advanced performance from the ti<x>tleist AP2]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/equipment-news/advanced-performance-from-the-tixtleist-ap2-361.htm

Have you come to the stage where your irons just aren't doing the job you want them to? Are you a mid-handicapper looking to kick on in your game and need some new clubs that may make all the difference to your game?

Then look no further than the Titleist AP2 irons.

These clubs are as good as any currently out there and they will give you great shot control offering a little forgiveness too. And being made by Titleist you know that you are getting...

By Equipment News

]]> Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:37:25 +0100 <![CDATA[Move Your Game on with this Putting Gem...]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/tips-and-techniques/move-your-game-on-with-this-putting-gem--360.htm There's an old saying in golf that "driving's for show, putting's for dough" and this couldn't be more true. It's one facet of the game where you can save your round, or easily lose your round and wish you'd stayed at home. And we've all had those dayswhen no matter how hard we try, our putting is just off and others where everything you hit finds the hole.

When it comes to the greens,all you need to remember is line and length. Aim to land your first putt within two feet of the ho...

By Tips and Techniques

]]> Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:04:35 +0100 <![CDATA[Whistling to an Irish Tune]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/whistling-to-an-irish-tune-352.htm By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:09:03 +0100 <![CDATA[Golden Bear is Still the Benchmark]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/legends/golden-bear-is-still-the-benchmark-350.htm

Golf was shaped by the vision and exploits of a few men but, for most, the greatest of all time is the Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus - the winner of most major championships with 18 victories at golf's most prestigious tournaments.

It wasn't just the amount of victories at these events but the fact he challenged at the top of a competitive sport against the likes of greats Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and later Tom Watson and Seve Ballesteros for 25 years before...

By Legends

]]> Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:59:06 +0100 <![CDATA[Woods has doubts over Ryder Cup spot]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/imagine-golf-club-news-desk/woods-has-doubts-over-ryder-cup-spot-346.htm Tiger Woods continued to struggle for form since his return to the sport earlier this year by shooting his worst professional score ever - a staggering 18-over par! And more surprisingly, this four round championship shocker came on a course where he set a blistering course record a decade ago - 39 shots better off than he was this weekend.

Woods endured this debacle during the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at the Firestone Country Club - Hunter Mahan running out as victor on 12...

By Imagine Golf Club News Desk

]]> Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:06:26 +0100 <![CDATA[Appleby Vs. Fisher]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/appleby-vs-fisher-345.htm Over the 7,127 yards of the Old White Course in West Virginia last Sunday, Stuart Appleby shot a final round of 59 to win The Greeenbrier Classic with a 22-under-par aggregate of 266.  Meanwhile, over the 7,171 yards of the Killeen Course at Killarney, Ross Fisher won the Irish Open with the same aggregate of 266, except that on a par-71 layout, he was 18 under.

Now, you may observe, isn't that a happy coincidence.  Indeed it should be.  Golf aficionados on this side of the pond sh...

By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:39:51 +0100 <![CDATA[Late Taxis and Perfect Putts]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/late-taxis-and-perfect-putts-344.htm In these days of courtesy cars on tap and often on-site accommodation for tournament competitors, the notion of having to scramble to get to the first tee on time, seems rather far-fetched.  But it wasn't all that rare 30 years ago, even in top-level events like the Irish Open, which is being staged this week at Killarney under the 3Mobile banner.

This was certainly the experience of Ken Brown, who is now a highly regarded golf commentator with BBC Television.  And his reflectio...

By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:39:19 +0100 <![CDATA[The "Heathery" 12th ]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/the-heathery-12th--343.htm The 12th hole on the Old Course at St Andrews is a par-four innocently known as "Heathery" and measuring a modest 348 yards.  This makes it comfortably reachable, you'd think, by most of the current tournament professionals with a well-struck drive.  It is only on hearing it described as a deceptively tricky par-four that you can begin to understand the pivotal role it has played in the destination of at least two Open Championships in the modern era.

With the 17th thought to be ...

By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:54:27 +0100 <![CDATA[St.Pierre Hotel And Country Club]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/quick-getaway/st-pierre-hotel-and-country-club-342.htm Long before the Celtic Manor was even in nappies (metaphorically speaking, of course), St.Pierre was playing host to some of golf’s biggest events. With a Solheim Cup, Curtis Cup and eight British Masters to its name, St.Pierre has been there, done that and got the t-shirt just for good measure. Think of it as the Celtic Manor’s wiser and more mature older brother, if you like.

A former parish, St.Pierre is situated in South West Wales’ Monmouthshire county, and with two top qual...

By Quick Getaway

]]> Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:30:03 +0100 <![CDATA[This Much Is True]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/the-wish-list/this-much-is-true-341.htm What is it about 2010 and cool golf shoes? First there was the Ecco Golf Street Shoe, then the J.Lindeberg Bridge, and now this beauty from TRUE Linkswear. Unlike the bigger brands, TRUE don't believe in  technological baloney or bogus claims about making you a better player.

In fact, the people at TRUE think that today's golf shoes are over engineered, hampering your game...

By The Wish List

]]> Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:55:36 +0100 <![CDATA[The Week In Golf 17 - 23 August]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/the-week-in-golf/the-week-in-golf-17-23-august-340.htm August 17, 1980 - Curtis Strange won the Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic with a two stroke victory over the equally excellently-named Gibby Gilbert. Strange is considered to be one of the greatest golfers of the '80s, winning 16 PGA Tour events that decade. During that period he also won back to back U.S Opens in 1988 and 1989. Unfortunately, his career went the way of the shellsuit and Timmy Mallett and his successes were confined to that era. He never won another PGA event...

By The Week In Golf

]]> Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:54:35 +0100 <![CDATA[caddy shack]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/weird-world-of-golf/caddy-shack-338.htm We at Imagine Golf just love this film!

Caddyshack heralds the directorial debut of Harod Ramis, who has also been involved in the making of Groundhog Day and Ghostbusters, among manyothers.

Bill Murray puts in a stupendously gormless performance, Chevy Chase is brilliant and Rodney Dangerfeld steals the show completely.

Coarse, cheap, tacky and infantile it may be; an undoubted classic it certainly is. The 30-minute 'Making Of' documentary, with interviews...

By Weird World Of Golf

]]> Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:03:09 +0100 <![CDATA[Golf Betting - The 2010 Open Championship ]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/golf-betting/golf-betting-the-2010-open-championship--337.htm After a five-year break, The Open returns to St Andrews, the Home of Golf. Steeped in history, St Andrews' Old Course has evolved somewhat over its six centuries of being, but the spirit and atmosphere remain the same. Not that the course needed a stamp of approval, Jack Nicklaus provided one just for good measure, saying: 'I fell in love with it the first day I played it. There's just no other golf course that is...

By Golf Betting

]]> Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:15:20 +0100 <![CDATA[The Week In Golf August 10-16]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/the-week-in-golf/the-week-in-golf-august-1016-336.htm August 10, 1975: Jack Nicklaus secured his fourth PGA Championship title. His 1975 win at Firestone came by virtue of a four-under-par round of 276, enough to defeat Bruce Crampton by two strokes. It was on the same day in 1980 that Nicklaus captured his fifth PGA Championship. His 1980 triumph, a seven-stroke victory over Andy Bean at Oak Hill Country Club, tied Nicklaus with Walter Hagen's record of five USPGA wins.

August 11, 1974: Lee ‘Super Mex’ Trevino finished...

By The Week In Golf

]]> Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:01:01 +0100 <![CDATA[Organising an Open]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/organising-an-open-335.htm With the return of the Open Championship to St Andrews, I'm reminded of how the 1984 staging marked Sir Michael Bonallack's first involvement in the event as secretary of the Royal and Ancient.  But his appointment had a charming and quite humorous preamble at Royal Birkdale the previous year.

On joining the R and A in June 1983, Sir Michael was effectively thrown in at the deep end, with final preparations for the Birkdale Open in full swing by that stage.  As it happened, he stayed...

By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:28:41 +0100 <![CDATA[European Tour Betting - Barclays Scottish Open 2010]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/paddy-power/european-tour-betting-barclays-scottish-open-2010-333.htm With the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews just around the corner, some of golf's biggest names will be at Loch Lomond looking to iron out any last minute creases in their game as well as get their hands on the coveted Scottish Open trophy.

Widely regarded as one of the world's best courses, Loch Lomond was designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morish in 1974. With the loch runnig beside the course, as well as mature trees, st...

By Paddy Power

]]> Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:50:59 +0100 <![CDATA[PGA Tour Betting - John Deere Classic 2010]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/paddy-power/pga-tour-betting-john-deere-classic-2010-332.htm This week sees the PGA Tour roll into America's heartland, Illinois, for the John Deere Classic. Played at the acclaimed TPC Deere Run, this tournament has had a history of producing big-name winners over the years, most notably Steve Stricker, Kenny Perry and Vijay Singh.

With bunkers of various depths and sizes, small ponds as well as daunting elevation changes, TPC Deere Run puts a premium on shot making, maneuverability and a tidy short game. Thanks to a tough stretch of closing holes,...

By Paddy Power

]]> Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:34:47 +0100 <![CDATA[The Week In Golf July 5-12]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/the-week-in-golf/the-week-in-golf-july-512-331.htm July 5, 1975: Art Wall Jr beat Gary McCord by one stroke to win the Greater Milwaukee Open, aged 51 years, 7 months, and 10 days old. The 1959 Masters champion became the second-oldest player ever to win a PGA Tour event and it would be Wall's 14th and final PGA Tour victory.
July 6, 1877: the world said 'bonjour' to the greatest French golfer of all time. Arnaud Massy was the son of a sheep farmer, worked on a sardine boat and caddied at Biarritz golf course for a bit of extra...

By The Week In Golf

]]> Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:06:44 +0100 <![CDATA[Ave Garia]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/the-wish-list/ave-garia-320.htm What is it with those Scandinavians and talent? Not only have their golfers taken over the fairways, it seems their designers are doing the same just for good measure. Case in point? Ikea, and the Garia golf cart. The work of Danish designer, Andres Lynge, this is the Rolls Royce of golf carts. Actually, it's more a mix of some of the other finest car makes in the world.

Spec wise, the Garia would get even Jeremy Clarkson all hot under that oversized collar of his. Manufactured...

By The Wish List

]]> Mon, 05 Jul 2010 10:39:00 +0100 <![CDATA[The Week In Golf August 2-9]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/the-week-in-golf/the-week-in-golf-august-29-318.htm August 2, 1953: The incredible Babe Zaharias further amazed the world at the All-American Open in Chicago. Babe, who was playing her first competitive round since cancer surgery in April, managed to complete her 72nd hole and finish 15th, despite having to sit on a collapsible seat between shots. Elsewhere, on this day in 1912, Philadelphia's Johnny McDermott, the youngest US Open champion in history, successfully defended his US Open title.

August 3, 1975: Gene 'The...

By The Week In Golf

]]> Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:53:20 +0100 <![CDATA[Full House at Adare Manor]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/full-house-at-adare-manor-330.htm A remarkable relationship which was cemented 11 years ago, will have proved the test of time when Tiger Woods competes next Monday and Tuesday in the J P McManus International Pro-Am at Adare Manor, in Co Limerick.  This will be Woods' third appearance in an event which is held every five years and, given his recent problems, is clearly a reflection of the esteem in which he holds McManus.
              
During one of the official Ryder Cup functions at Brookline in September 1999, Mc...

By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:32:22 +0100 <![CDATA[The Ultimate Golf GPS For Your Phone!]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/equipment-news/the-ultimate-golf-gps-for-your-phone-329.htm  We've alredy told you about how impressive and easy it is to use the GolfLogix GPS-8 rangefinder powered by Garmin
Each unit holds up to 20 courses and you can choose from the 23,000 mapped courses available.

 

It just keeps getting better. Imagine Golf Club members who own a Smartphone also have the added opportunity of downloading a FREE trial of the GolfLogix application. This latest development in GPS software gives you all the opportunity of using the best ...

By Equipment News

]]> Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:18:28 +0100 <![CDATA[Week In Golf June 28-July 4]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/the-week-in-golf/week-in-golf-june-28july-4-327.htm June 28, 1958: Mickey Wright captured the first of what would be four US Women's Open titles, beating Louis Suggs by five strokes at Forest Lake CC in Detroit, Michigan. She won the following year's title at Churchill Valley CC in Pittsburgh, before winning again in 1961 and then 1964. without doubt one of the greatest female players ever to grace the fairways, Wright won 82 events on the LPGA Tour, six shy of Kathy Whitworth.

June 29, 1903: the great Willie Anderson...

By The Week In Golf

]]> Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:00:59 +0100 <![CDATA[St Mellion International Resort]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/quick-getaway/st-mellion-international-resort-326.htm Twenty million pounds will buy you a tidy facelift and over the last two years, there’s barely a blade of grass on the 450 acres of glorious St Mellion land that has been left untouched. Amendments to the Nicklaus signature course completed in 2009 have already received rave reviews and with the recent opening of the Kernow course, St Mellion is closer to the dream of Jeff Chapman, who invested the full whack to create a world class golf resort in the south-west of England.

Amendments to the Nicklaus signature course completed in 2009 have already received rave reviews and with the recent opening of the Kernow course, St Mellion is now suitable for hosting professional tournaments as well as providing a welcome home to hundreds of thousands of travelling golfers.


Book with Your Golf Travel and pay just £119 for two rounds of golf at St Mellion’s Kernow Course, as well as dinner bed and breakfast. See more details here.

For tee times as low as £17.00 and savings of up to 66% at the St Mellion Kernow course, book your tee time here.

By Quick Getaway

]]> Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:51:15 +0100 <![CDATA[The Week In Golf June 21-27]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/iestyn-george/the-week-in-golf-june-2127-325.htm June 21, 1970: it was a big day for Britain's Tony Jacklin, when he capped a memorable 72-hole performance on a cruel Hazeltine National Golf Club layout to win the US Open. Jacklin became the first Englishman in 50 years to win the US Open, and was the only player in the field to finish under par, with an astounding 7-under-par 281.
June 22, 1984: Dustin Johnson, winner of three PGA Tour event to date (June 2010) was born in Columbia, South Carolina. Johnson finished the 2009 season 15th in the PGA Tour rankings and led the 2010 US Open into the final round, but an 82 left him tied for eighth place.
June 23, 1963: Colin Stuart Montgomerie was born in Glasgow, becoming one of the finest golfers of his generation, winning 31 European Tour events and narrowly missing out on Major titles on several occasions, none more narrowly than the wayward 7-iron to the 72nd hole at the US Open in 2006.
June 24, 1910: The Open Championship celebrated its Golden Jubilee at St. Andrews. The first event was held at Prestwick in 1860, where eight players challenged for the title over three rounds on a 12-hole course, where Willie Park, Snr. walked away victorious with a score of 174. Park won the Claret Jug an impressive four times, a record that was broken by the legendary James Braid at St. Andrews on the day that the tournament celebrated its 50th year.
June 25, 1932: the legendary Gene Sarazen won his second major of the year, shooting a final round 66 at Fresh Meadow CC, New York, to win the US Open. He had already won the British Open at Prince's Golf Club.
June 26, 1911: Mildred Ella Didrikson Zaharias, or plain Babe, was born in the oil town of Port Arthur, Texas. Widely considered the greatest all-round athlete of all time, Babe won Olympic gold medals for track and field in 1932, held All-American status in basketball, played baseball and was an expert diver, roller-skater and bowler. Babe captured a total of 41 LPGA Tour events, four of which came as an amateur, 10 of which were majors. She won all-three majors she played in 1950. Physically strong and socially straightforward about her strength, Babe broke the accepted models of femininity in her time, but sadly died at the age of 45 after cancer had taken its toll.
June 27, 1924: Walter Hagen won his second British Open at Hoylake by one stroke over Englishman, Ernest Whitcombe. Hagen's maiden Open victory came two years earlier at Royal St George's by one stroke, that time at the expense of fellow American, Jim Barnes. On both occasions, Hagen pocketed £75 for his efforts. Hagen's win at Hoylake sparked a ten-year domination by the Americans in the tournament, with Hagen getting his hands on the Claret Jug a further two times in 1929 and 1930.

By Iestyn George

]]> Wed, 23 Jun 2010 02:29:36 +0100 <![CDATA[The Week In Golf July 19-25]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/the-week-in-golf/the-week-in-golf-july-1925-324.htm July 19, 1914: Harry Vardon won The Open Championship at Prestwick, Scotland, three shots clear of JH Taylor. In case you thought players being distracted by cameras was a modern phenomenon, Taylor, was distracted by a snapper on the third hole, dropped a shot, then fell apart at the 4th hole, taking a seven to Vardon’s four. The Jerseyman won with a score of 306 to become the first player to win The Open six times – a record that remains unbroken to this day.

July 20, 1986By The Week In Golf

]]> Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:08:24 +0100 <![CDATA[Mac For Good]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/mac-for-good-323.htm As a writer on Irish sport who became painfully familiar with the depressing concept of moral victories, I find it hard to comprehend the success of the country's tournament golfers over the last few years.  From a situation where Ireland had Fred Daly as a lone "major" winner since his Open Championship triumph of 1947, the country has now garnered four of the last 12.

This latest, a wonderfully resolute US Open triumph by Graeme McDowell, may have lacked the excitement of Padraig Har...

By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:56:24 +0100 <![CDATA[Dermot's US Open Predictions]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/dermots-us-open-predictions-322.htm Looking at the leaderboard on Sunday morning here at Pebble Beach, a memorable quote from Jack Nicklaus comes to mind.  "The US Open flag eliminates a lot of players," said the Bear.  "Some players just weren't meant to win the US Open.  Quite often, a lot of them know it."

Which leads to an assessment of the leading challengers going into the final round this afternoon. This is my way of scorning the smug, I-told-you-so waffling after the event.  For a change, we will do it in advance ...

By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:56:24 +0100 <![CDATA[All New Pebble Beach]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/all-new-pebble-beach-321.htm Abiding memories of the US Open at Pebble Beach are of David Feherty, needing a par finish to make the halfway cut and sending his tee-shot on the 18th into the Pacific Ocean to miss out by a stroke in 1992, and Tiger Woods capturing the title by the staggering margin of 15 strokes in millennium year.  That, incidentally, was when Woods also found the Pacific off the 18th tee, to the accompaniment of an infamous blast of expletives at the end of his second round.

Over the years, chan...

By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:56:54 +0100 <![CDATA[The Week In Golf June 7-13]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/the-week-in-golf/the-week-in-golf-june-713-308.htm June 7, 1940 : Ed 'Porky' Oliver made a gaff of catasrophic proportions in the US Open at Ohio's Cantebury Golf Club. After teeing off early with five other golfers to beat an oncoming storm, Oliver finished with a 287 total, a score good enough to tie him for the lead with Lawson Little and Gene Sarazen. Oliver, however, had started his round 15 minutes before it was officialy scheduled to start, and tournament officials had no option but to disqualify him. It was always a case of being so...

By The Week In Golf

]]> Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:54:04 +0100 <![CDATA[Ryder Cup Fun and Games]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/ryder-cup-fun-and-games-307.htm Colin Montgomerie has been doing some serious sabre-rattling about his expectations for the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, starting on August 26th.  And no, it's not a Scottish thing.  As Ryder Cup captain, Monty is simply saying that he expects all of those players hoping for wild-card slots on the team for Celtic Manor in October, to be in action for the final qualifying tournament.

The way things stand, there could be eight or nine candidates for only three spots.  G...

By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:28:07 +0100 <![CDATA[Luke Donald : Master of Madrid]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/dermot-gilleece/luke-donald-master-of-madrid-306.htm An overdue victory from Luke Donald in the Madrid Masters, reminded me of the time when I first became aware of him as a serious golfing talent.  The scene was Ljunghusens GC, a less than clearly defined links course on the south coast of Sweden, and the occasion was the European Men's Amateur Team Championship of 2001.
   
Late in the afternoon of the opening day, the auld enemy had deprived Ireland of the outright lead at the end of the first round of qualifying strokeplay.  A stun...

By Dermot Gilleece

]]> Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:30:38 +0100 <![CDATA[The Week In Golf May 31- June 6]]> http://www.imaginegolfclub.com/blog/the-week-in-golf/the-week-in-golf-may-31-june-6-305.htm May 31, 1930: Bobby Jones had already already won nine national championships, three US Opens, four US Amateur titles and two British Opens, but he set the ball in motion for golf's greatest achievement on this day by beating Cyrill Trolley in the fourth round of the British Amateur at St.Andrews. Jones went on to win the British Amateur, the first leg of his Grand Slam, the other three tournament victories coming at the British Open, US Open and US Amateur.   
June 1, 1935:...

By The Week In Golf

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