Mark Smith

Hello Golfers,

Welcome to another edition of our newsletter. In this week's read, we take a look at how close Vijay Singh came to setting a new PGA Tour record, we highlight one of the best bits of technology we've seen in 2019, and we delve into some of the controversy surrounding an updated rule for 2019.

Enjoy the read!

Tour news

Age is just a number

Keith Mitchell stole the headlines on Sunday evening after claiming a one-shot victory at the Honda Classic, pipping fellow American heavyweights Rickie Fowler and Brooks Koepka to the title.

But before the final day's play, it was former World Number One and veteran PGA Tour golfer Vijay Singh who threatened to rewrite history. Singh shot a sublime five-under-par 65 on Saturday to begin Sunday a solitary shot behind overnight leader Wyndham Clark.

A victory would have seen Vijay dethrone Sam Snead as the oldest winner of a PGA Tour event, however a level-par round comprising of four bogeys and four birdies was only good enough for a T6 finish. That left Mitchell, Fowler and Koepka to duke it out on the back-nine, with 27-year-old Kevin Mitchell calmly sinking a 15-foot pressure putt on the 18th for his first PGA Tour victory.

Quiz Time:

How old was Sam Snead when he became the oldest winner on Tour?
(for a bonus point, can you tell us what year he achieved the feat?)

There are no prizes, simply for fun and a well-deserved pat on the back if you get it right.

Submit your answer here.

Rules news

Will this rule change (again)?

One of the Rules of Golf to get updated for 2019 was that players should now drop a ball from knee height, rather than the shoulder height.

A couple weeks ago, Rickie Fowler was penalised one-shot for forgetting this rule and dropping from shoulder height, whilst other players such as McIlroy, Spieth and DeChambeau have all spoken out against the change in recent weeks.

With such high-profile names voicing their concerns already, will it lead to a U-turn from the R&A and USGA? Only time will tell.

Pushing the boundaries

Driver technology continues to be the hot topic of conversation in the golfing world, as brands search for ways of giving us more forgiveness, greater distance and better accuracy off the tee. So, which drivers are really pushing the boundaries this year?

Introducing G410 Plus from PING

The first thing you'll notice on the G410 Plus driver is its Moveable-Weight technology on the back perimeter of the club (seen above). This allows us to custom fit you into one of three positions - draw, neutral and fade - which will promote a left, neutral or right shot direction to cancel out your destructive miss. What does that mean? Well, quite simply, more fairways hit!

Finding the right club for you can be a serious game-changer and sure-fire way of lowering your scores, and the best way of doing this is by taking advantage of our professional advice during an eye-opening custom fitting.

watch our video >

Bags of fun

As we enter March, you might be tempted for a quick nine holes after work as the days lengthen. That means time is of the essence, so a lightweight carry bag is ideal to take from the boot straight to the first tee. So, guess what? We have done the hard yards for you and come up with the perfect solution...

Motocaddy AquaFLEX stand bag

Constructed to be 100% waterproof, this smart-looking bag will ensure all your gear is kept dry when the inevitable spring/summer showers land. A quick release strap and Smart Fit swivel buckle combine to make the bag incredibly flexible, saving you time to focus on what’s important: your game. It easily carries 14 clubs and with several colour options available, make sure you pop in store next time you’re down the club and take a closer look.

learn more >

Spotlight: Mizuno ST190 drivers

With two driver models to choose from in Mizuno's range, there's one key question that needs to be answered:

Forgiveness or adjustability?

If you're wanting maximum forgiveness we'd start by looking at the ST190, which has a fixed backweight for increased stability. If you have a specific miss (a slice for most club golfers) then we would look at setting up the ST190G to counteract that bad shot.

find out more >

Happy golfing until next week!

Stamford Golf Club
Huddersfield Road
Stalybridge
SK15 3PY

Phone: 01457 832126

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