The European Tour crossed borders last week as the Shenzhen International took place in China. For the second week in a row there was a newbie on the winner’s podium as TaylorMade Soomin Lee claimed his maiden European Tour title, propelling himself into the top 10 of the Race to Dubai standings. 22-year-old Lee has had a brilliant start to his golfing career to date with two top three finishes in his first five outings. Moving on to his sixth event, Lee was tied for the lead with five holes left to play in his final round before play was suspended for the day due to electrical storms. In his situation, given his final-straight meltdown earlier on in the season, Lee would have been forgiven for letting his nerves get the better of him yet again, however this was far from the case. Resuming on Monday morning after yet another weather delay, Lee followed a birdie on 16 with a magical eagle on 17 on his way to a two-shot, wire-to-wire victory.

What equipment did he use?

• Driver – TaylorMade M1 430 (9.5)
• 3-wood – TaylorMade M2 (15)
• Irons – Srixon Z 945

The PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open looked destined for a playoff this week as Patrick Reed birdied the 72nd hole, leaving playing partner Charley Hoffman a 9-foot putt for the win on the par-5 18th. This was far from straight-forward for Hoffman seeing as he had been within touching distance of numerous victories in previous months, only to trip up over the final hurdle on each occasion. However this was his time: a solid stroke and a pure connection saw the ball travel towards the hole, not leaving the centre of the cup the whole way. A Tiger Woods-esque fist pump followed as Hoffman held his nerve to win his fourth PGA Tour title, one ahead of American compatriot Patrick Reed.

What equipment did he use?

• Driver – Titleist 915D4 (9.5)
• 3-wood – Titleist 915F (13.5)
• Hybrid – Titleist 915Hd (17.5)
• Irons – Titleist 716 T-MB (3, 5-9)
• Wedges – Vokey SM5 wedges (46, 50, 56 & 58)
• Putter – Scotty Cameron GoLo 5 prototype
• Ball – Titleist Pro V1

To see the options we have available on our golf shop, head to https://www.foremostgolf.com/. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to give us a call on +44 (0) 800 500 3194.

Well, we’re finally here. After almost 12 months of non-stop golf, including 4 Major Championships and 3 FedExCup play-off events, the TOUR Championship starts tomorrow with much still to play for.

Although the TOUR Championship is a prestigious tournament in and of itself, much of the focus will be on who is in pole position to claim the FedExCup and the $10 million that goes with it. Any of the current top 5 – Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Henrik Stenson and Bubba Watson – will win the FedExCup simply by winning the TOUR Championship. Any guys outside that top 5 will need either a little bit of help - Zach Johnson, currently in sixth, would need Day to finish tied second or worse - or a lot of help: Harris English, in 30^th, basically needs everyone to forget how to play golf. There are also countless other permutations where people can win if they finish second, if you’re keen to know what every player has to do then best to look here.

The tournament takes place at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, a tough yet fair course that normally produces a winner that finishes around 10 under par. Newly minted World No.1 Jason Day should enter the tournament as favourite, but have no doubt that every player in the field is capable of springing a surprise. Spieth and McIlroy both showed signs last week of a potential return to form; Henrik Stenson could technically win the $10 million without winning a tournament all year; Rickie Fowler has had his breakout year slightly overshadowed by Day and Spieth but a breakout it’s been nonethelessl; and guys like Zach and Dustin Johnson lurk if other guys slip-up.

It should be a fun four days. Somebody is going to be very, very rich. 

The FedExCup Play-Offs have reached the half way point. After two entertaining tournaments at The Barclays & The Deutsche Bank Championship we’re down to the remaining 70 players heading in to the BMW Championship before the final 30 player shootout at The Tour Championship. Now is as good a time as any to take stock of what we’ve seen so far.

  The Big 3 could be a Big 4

  All the talk this year has been about the emergence of Jordan Spieth & Jason Day, and rightly so; they’ve both won Major Championships – In Spieth’s case two – whilst also performing well on the PGA Tour - Day followed his success at the PGA Championship by storming to victory in the first FedExCup Play-Off event, The Barclays. The other member of the ‘Big 3’, Rory McIlroy, had much of his season taken away by injury but is still number 1 or 1A in the World when healthy and playing consistently.

  One man who has been lost in the shuffle a little bit is Rickie Fowler. In 2014 Fowler became the third player ever – Jordan Spieth has since made it 4 – to finish in the top 5 of all four Majors in a calendar year, but the first not to win. Heading in to 2015 it looked as if he’d be the player to break through and win his first Major. Although that hasn’t been the case he’s still had the best season of his career, winning golfs ‘fifth Major’, The Players Championship, as well as the Scottish Open before his victory last week at The Deutsche Bank Championship.

  Rightly or wrongly, the way we measure these things is binary: if you’ve won a Major we’ll consider adding you to that illustrious group; if you haven’t, we won’t. You have to think we’ll be talking about a Big 4 sooner rather than later.

  Saying that though, what’s up with Jordan Spieth?

  Probably nothing. Yes, he’s missed two cuts in a row; and yes, of his last four rounds none of them have been lower than 73, but stuff like this happens. I highly doubt he became an average golfer overnight.

  It’s been a long season for the 22 year-old, when you win two Majors and become one of the most prominent figures in your sport there’s going to be demands on your time that weren’t there previously. It’s not so much the volume of golf he’s playing – he’s actually played less tournaments this year than he did last year – it’s more the mental aspect of having to deal with all the extra-curricular stuff.

  For what it’s worth, he doesn’t seem particularly worried either. He’s mainly chalked it up to the mental aspect of his game letting him down as opposed to anything wrong with his swing or putting. That’s a good thing! Despite him being relatively young he’s as mature and self-aware as anyone on tour so you figure it’s something he’ll resolve sooner rather than later.

  Mr. Consistent

  With two solo second place finishes in the first two tournaments, Henrik Stenson has been the most consistent player so far. There was little he could do to catch Jason Day at the Barclays; Day played at a level far and beyond everyone else over the four days. The second place in Boston last weekend is likely to sting a little more.

  It really was a tournament he should have won: a poor tee shot on the par 3 16^th was his undoing, sending his ball in to the water when a safe landing on the green would have left him in a commanding position.

  Every cloud though; he’s in a much stronger position now than he was a couple of weeks ago to win the final $10 million prize. After winning in 2013 he knows what it takes so don’t be surprised to see him do it again this year.

  What’s Left Then?

  The play-offs take a sabbatical this weekend before returning the following week at The BMW Championship in Illinois. It should be a pretty interesting tournament as over half the field is going to be attempting to reach the top 30 FedExCup position that qualifies them for The Tour Championship.

  There are several notable names currently outside the top 30, including Phil Mickleson, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and last year’s FedExCup winner, Billy Horschel.

  It should be a fun finish anyway, and one we hope you’ll enjoy watching at home!

It was finally time.

  After years of consistent performances at Major Championships, the relief of finally winning his first was etched all over the face of Jason Day. He rolled his penultimate putt to within a few inches of the hole and, after bending down to mark his ball, the tears began to flow as the magnitude of the moment began to hit him - an acknowledgement that years of dedication to his craft had finally paid off.

  It always seemed like it would end this way for Day. His mercurial talent is conducive to low scoring so a record-breaking final total of 20 under-par - eclipsing his hero Tiger Woods’ previous record by a single shot - will have surprised very few.

  He couldn’t have asked for a tougher situation at the start of the day. Playing in the same group as 2015’s best player, Jordan Spieth, he knew the American would breathe down his neck all day and with Major winners Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer just behind the danger was everywhere.  

  From the get go it was clear that the pressure wasn’t going to have an impact on him, he birdied the par-5 second hole before birdieng three straight from five through to seven and never let anyone get within two strokes of his lead. Even when things didn’t go perfectly he still found his way out of it – after chunking his wedge shot on the par-four ninth hole to leave him well short of the green it looked like those around him might be able to gain a shot or two; instead, Spieth himself couldn’t get up and down for par and Branden Grace, who at that point was at 16 under and well within striking distance, was busy double-bogeying the tenth hole to end his challenge prematurely.

  The win vaults Day up to number three in the World rankings and leaves golf in the enviable position of having its top three be young, marketable guys to build the foundation of the game on. With Spieth, McIlroy and Day winning five of the last six Majors it’s clear that the game is finally in a healthy enough position to move on from the Tiger Woods era, something it’s been wrestling with since Woods’ game began to atrophy.

  The US PGA is often considered the black sheep of the four Majors; one that lacks the history, prestige and significance of the other three. That won’t matter in the slightest for Day, who rid himself of a rather large monkey on his back and now looks like a threat to win multiple Majors in the coming years.  

  Better late than never! 

What was in Jason's bag?

The marquee group at The PGA Championship this week contains Rory McIlroy & Jordan Spieth, the number 1 & 2 ranked golfers in the world respectively. They'll do battle out on the course with both men looking to one-up the other; however, this isn't the only place that battle will take place. Off the course, Nike (Rory's sponsor) & Under Armour (Spieth's sponsor) will be trying to get the upper hand in the marketing battle that largely centers around both player's clothing. 

Rory McIlroy

You can shop for Rory's gear HERE

You can shop for Jordan's gear HERE

  "I don't know. I hit it, thought I hit it pretty decent" 

  It was a familiar feeling for Dustin Johnson, golf's nearly man for his entire career. Moments earlier he was on the 18th green going through the routine every golfer goes through when analysing a putt: a bend of the knees to get level with the green, a brisk walk to see it from all angles. 

  He knew what to do, or at least he thought he did. He stood over it, drew the putter back and executed the swing. 

  Missed. 

  A gut punch, yes, but still an opportunity remained. Simply sink this putt and he's in an 18 hole play-off for the U.S. Open. It's maybe 4 feet - not a great deal of movement - hit it firm and straight and he's there. He rehearsed the putt once, twice, three times before extending his right arm so that the putter face now met the back of the ball. He brought his left hand across, resting it just atop his right before finally shuffling his feet to get comfortable.

  Again he drew the putter back. Again he executed the swing.

  Again he missed.

  His reaction was fairly muted. A small scowl met his face and his shoulders slumped slightly, but he was never one to show a great deal of emotion anyway. The nature of the defeat suggested it might leave a lasting impression; that Dustin Johnson would never be able to convince himself he could get over the hump. 

  Then St.Andrews came along, a course that would suit his game to a T. His ability to hit the ball in to the stratosphere made many of The Old Course's most formidable holes a formality; the 4th and 17th greens a mere stones throw away. 

  He held the lead after 36 holes playing a brand of golf that made him look invincible, mixing the brutish hitting off the tee with a deft touch around the greens. Then, as has so often been the case, his game fell apart when he needed it most. When seemingly every player around him was making birdie after birdie during the third round he couldn’t find one until the 15^th hole. Par followed par followed par followed par.

  His day would end on the sourest of notes - three straight bogeys on the final three holes left him completely out of contention going in to the final day. The collapse would continue in to the fourth round, at one point he bogeyed 6 out of 7 holes from the 16^th in the third round to the 4^th in the fourth round. Once more from a position of strength he had faded in to the background.

  It’s difficult to lay your finger on exactly what the issue is. When it’s so obvious that the physical tools are there to win Majors the only deduction you can make is it’s an issue he’s having mentally. Looking from the outside it seems that, when the stakes are the highest, he is unable to grind through hole after hole to stop his round getting away from him. When you think of some of the more mentally tough golfers on the tour, it’s often not the rounds of 62 they shot when everything was flowing perfectly, it’s those rounds of 68 or 70 that took every ounce of concentration they had. For whatever reason, Johnson isn’t able to do this yet. The jury is out on whether he can do it in the future.

  Of course, it is worth mentioning that had his putt to win the US Open reached its intended target then the ‘nearly man’ tag would be assigned to the next quality player yet to win a Major. These are the fine lines of sport at the top level. Maybe the missed putts say less about Johnson’s ability in the big moments than they do about the difficulty of putting in general. Maybe the US Open said more about Jordan Spieth than it did about Dustin Johnson. Maybe his problems over the final two rounds at The Open are more a testament to the course and the conditions than they are to his lack of bottle. Maybe he’s just unlucky. After all, he only missed out on a play-off at the 2010 PGA Championship after he was penalised two shots for grounding his club in a bunker.

  Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.

  Dustin Johnson is too good to have his career be one, big ‘maybe’.

A well-played greenside bunker shot is one of the most spectacular in golf. Airborne sand, spin choked ball and a smashing open bladed strike. The irony is that playing the shot usually means you have gone wrong somewhere…

We review the key elements to consider to produce consistent and creative bunker shots.

The Strike

Playing from the sand around the green is about confidence, bravery and commitment to the hit. Open your stance and clubface, this ensures immediate height on the strike and better control from the softer lie.

Play the ball off your front foot at all times in order to promote a steeper strike for trajectory control. It might feel unnatural at first but practice will as always make the difference.

The motion of the backswing also differs; outside to in swing path will allow drill and punch through the ball. Follow through and stay longer on the strike. This is essential for full flight control and spin production. The shot is not a pitch and run so the ability to work the ball from the face is simply vital.

Finally remember to hit behind the ball catching the sand first to toss the ball into the air. Hitting the ball first will simply result in a thinned connection that might not even get over the face.

Club Selection

In days gone by, the sand wedge was the only option for players for green side bunker play. The development of wedges with varying degrees of loft has transformed the shot creation possibilities. Top players can now control bunker shots without any fear and club players should be no different.

Consider the steepness of the trap face and the closeness of the pin before committing to a club choice.

Practice Drills

Play batches of shots aimed from different lies and work the motion of catching the sand before the ball to perfect the technique.

Try to avoid playing from the same section of bunker as it will become unnatural and bare.

If you need any extra assistance on this then please visit your local Foremost Golf professional. 

There can be no truer test of bunker skill than long iron play. There are surprisingly few top players that are genuinely gifted in such shots. Legendary Seve Ballesteros was an excellent exploiter of the long bunker shot built on years of beach play as a youngster. In recent years Phil Mickelson has produced some incredible recovery play.

We review the key aspects to consider when becoming a high quality striker from the sand.

Selecting the right club

Playing from a fairway bunker someway back can be incredibly difficult to judge. Depending on the depth of the hazard, the lie and the weather condition; the strike can be highly variable.

If you are facing a larger lip, take more loft on your long iron to eliminate the chance of a failed clearance.

It is important to note that spin patterns from the bunker are different and there is a greater chance of a flyer on a long iron strike. Use the run on the ball as oppose to flying right to pin high.

The technique

Lean back in the stance and increase the clubs loft; this will ensure a better take off and prevent the ball sinking on the strike. It is also sensible to grip slightly tighter to prevent the sand moving your alignment.

Put the ball slightly back in the stance to prevent an early strike with excess sand interfering with what you are trying to do. Plant your feet firmly in the ground, the solidity of the strike comes from your feet.

If you are having issues catching too much sand, grip down the club a little to gain control and raise the strike platform. 

The most important thing to remember is that the swing needs to be shallower as coming in steep will not encourage early flight. Think about snapping into the strike and punching through the follow-through.

Practice drills

Scatter balls around different parts of a bunker and work on takeoff and accelerating through the ball. As with all golf shots, bunker play is about confidence and committing to what you need to do.

If you are still having difficulty with long irons, modern hybrid options can improve your armory in the long run. Do not get disheartened in the early stages and work at connecting properly and build precious confidence in the swing. Don’t think fairway... think green. 

If you need any extra assistance on this then please visit your local Foremost Golf Professional.

Many in the golfing community affectionately refer to the Old Course at St.Andrews as 'The Old Lady'. This works in a literal sense - it's the oldest golf course in the world - but also in a metaphorical one. You see, 'The Old Lady' garners the sort of respect and reverence usually reserved for 'The Old Lady' of your family. It's fawned over in the same way your grandmother is, every aspect of their life meticulously taken care of.

Chambers Bay is different; it's more Moody Teen than Old Lady. Any time you became too comfortable, any time you felt you understood its many intricacies and quirks, you'd be desperately splashing out of a bunker before you could blink. Sometimes, seemingly for its own amusement, it would take your perfectly struck 8 iron and cast it 40 yards away from the intended target. This would perplex and frustrate many, those used to plying their trade on pristine fairways and perfect greens couldn't grasp this style of golf. 

Only a particular type of golfer could emerge victorious at this unique venue. Jordan Spieth is exactly that kind of golfer. His unique ability to not allow emotions to factor in to his game is rare for someone of his age - he became the first person to win The US Open before the age of 22 since Bobby Jones in 1923. There was no clearer illustration of this than his final three holes. On 16 he curled in a beautiful, arcing putt for birdie that was met with a fist pump and an emphatic ‘come on’. A celebration, yes but not the sort of unbridled joy that some would show on the cusp of their first US Open. Then 17 came and his situation changed again. Considering the magnitude of the moment he may well have played the worst hole of his short but spectacular career; he duffed a 6 iron off the tea and missed a four-foot putt, eventually leading to a double bogey to push him in to a tie for the lead.

To gather your emotions at this point and get yourself in a position to win the tournament is truly remarkable. There are maybe a handful of professional golfers that have the mental fortitude to overcome such a setback and play the final hole how Jordan played it. He drilled his second shot on the par five 18^th over 280 yards, his ball eventually settling 15 feet from the hole. He wouldn’t make the eagle putt but he would tap in for the birdie that would win him the Championship.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention poor Dustin Johnson, the man who handed victory to Spieth with a three putt on 18 that will live long in his memory. Johnson has had more near misses than The Road Runner, finishing in the the top ten at a Major Championship 9 times with a few unfortunate implosions along the way. I hope for his sake that his time comes because having that 18^th hole as one of the lasting memories of your career would be tough to digest.

In the end though, The US Open found itself a worthy winner. A course that required great putting and an even greater mindset got both in the form of Jordan Spieth. 

US Open Day 4 Notes

•          What could have been – Rory McIlroy looked like he was mounting a serious challenge at one point, he was -2 under overall and -6 for the day but he couldn’t muster up enough over the closing holes to really put pressure on anyone. He missed too many makeable putts throughout the whole tournament, if he’d have even been 10% better on the greens he might have walked away with the trophy.
•          Oosthuizen – After a first round 77 you’d have hardly blamed the South African if he’d have packed it in and got ready for a weekend at home. However, he stuck with it as best he could and, after three fantastic rounds including a 67 on Sunday, ended up only one shot back.
•          The course. Oh, the course – I’m not afraid to say that I loved it. It was criticised ad nauseam before, during and in the moments after the event. Garnering the majority of the complaints were the greens (although calling them green might be generous, browns is probably more accurate). They may not have been the greatest surfaces but I can’t really feel sympathy for anyone when the course plays the same for everyone. Those that got on with it and accepted the challenge were the most successful. It was different, it was fun, it made for a fascinating final day. I don’t know what else we can ask for.

Winning what’s in the bag

Driver: Titleist 915D2 (9.5 degrees)

3 Wood: Titleist 915F (15 degrees)

Irons: Titleist 712U (3 iron), Titleist 714 AP2 (4-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM5 (46-08 F Grind, 52-08 F Grind, 56-10 S Grind and 60-04 L Grind)

Putter: Scotty Cameron 009 Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1X

Harrison Ryle

harrison.ryle@foremostgolf.com

The US Open begins on Thursday and promises to be one of the most fascinating Major Championships in recent memory. Here are 5 things to watch for over the four days:

1. The course is, ummm, different?

Chambers Bay is an undeniably unique venue. Built in 2007 for the exact purpose of hosting the US Open, the 115th edition will be the first held in the Pacific Northwest (it's just outside Tacoma, Washington) and looks more like a course you'd see in Blackpool than anywhere in the US. 

I say that not to undermine the quality of the golf course - it's quite beautiful, frankly - it's more to illustrate how the course shares many characteristics with a more traditional British links course. There is one tree (a Douglas Fir if you're interested) and zero water hazards across the entire 18 holes, these are replaced by bunkers that stretch for hundreds of yards, some so deep many golfers will break out in a cold sweat at the thought. 

The fairways are almost unthinkably wide, the widest of any US Open, but many holes can only be realistically accessed by as little as a third of the fairway so placement off the tee will be important. The real damage, however, will be done in and around the greens. Every green contains heavy contours, one foot to the right and your ball is 50 yards from where you wanted it, one foot to the left and you've got yourself a tap-in for birdie. Look at several greens and the only hope you have of distinguishing it from the fairway is the white flag protruding from the hole, a feature that has irked many golfers, chief among them Charl Schwartzel and the oft-opinionated Ian Poulter. 

2. Sounds like local knowledge might help, right?

Absolutely, yes! Mike Davis, Executive director of the USGA, said in May 'The idea of coming in and playing two practice rounds and having your caddie just walk it and using your yardage book, that person's done'. Whether or not that's accurate or just hyperbole remains to be seen but it's reasonable to suggest it'll help to have played Chambers Bay several times. 

So, who has that precious local knowledge? Well, Michael Putnam and Ryan Moore might be your guys!

3. How mentally and physically prepared are you?

There's no doubt this is going to be a physically draining round of golf. Depending on the layout the course can play as long as 7,900 yards, admittedly for a US Open this isn't unusual however compared to those other courses this is a virtual mountain range. There aren't many opportunities to walk flat and catch your breath, even a guy who takes fitness as seriously as Tiger Woods could only play 9 holes in his practice rounds as 18 would be too taxing. 

Then there's the mental side. The winner of this event is going to be the guy who can accept the shots that he feels he hit perfectly but end up 40 or 50 yards away from his target. This is going to happen. To everyone. Those who let it bother them and allow the course to get in their heads are going to shoot some very high scores. 

4. Yeah that's all great but, what about Rory and Tiger?

Love it or hate it these are the two most important players in Golf. It's odd that a guy ranked way outside the top 100 still has this level of significance but that's the way it is, and it wont be changing any time soon. 

For Tiger, I have no idea what to expect other than you have to imagine he has no realistic shot of winning. Nothing the man has done over the past 12 months suggests he has the game to navigate a course as tough as this, it's probably more pertinent to think about how badly this could go. If he drives like he's been driving, chips like he was chipping before The Masters and doesn't make a few putts then it could go very, very badly indeed. Let's hope not though ehy, you may disagree but I always find Tiger being in contention on Sunday much more fun. 

As for Rory, it's clear that when he plays at the peak of his powers nobody can touch him (not even you, Mr.Spieth) however he also lacks the consistency to guarantee that'll happen. At the Irish Open, a venue not the same as Chambers Bay but similar in some respects, he was awful so he needs to have figured out a few things since then. 

What ever happens with these two it'll be a fascinating watch!

5. So, who wins?

Absolutely no idea, just enjoy the weekend!

Harrison Ryle

harrison.ryle@foremostgolf.com