Finding a comparison to Tiger Woods in the entire world of sport is difficult. The breathtaking heights Woods reached in the early parts of his career, most notably from 2000-2001 when he won all four Major Championships in a row, had never been seen before and may never been seen again. Not even Jack Nicklaus, the only man who should ever be mentioned in the same breath as Woods, managed to achieve such a feat on the way to his 18 Major Championships. You can make reasonable arguments that Lionel Messi, Sachin Tendulkar or Roger Federer have all reached similar peaks in their respective sports but that doesn’t wash with me. Messi, great though he is, has had times during the peak of his career where people were unsure if he was better than Cristiano Ronaldo. The same logic applies to Tendulkar with Lara and Federer with Nadal.

I say this to illustrate how stunning it is for a fan of Tiger Woods, or a fan of golf in general, to see the greatest singular talent the sport has ever seen crumble like a poorly played game of Jenga. It tells a great deal about the current state of Woods’ game that we are unsure if the 80 he shot yesterday, in the first round of a tournament he has dominated previously, is the nadir. Everyone has bad days, every sportsman or woman has had days where they just don’t have ‘it’. Maybe they woke up on the wrong side of the bed or didn’t have a strong enough cup of coffee. This isn’t just one day though.

Ever since Woods won the US Open on one leg in 2008 he’s had trouble with his knee, Achilles and most recently, his back. There have been positives, he won 5 PGA Tour tournaments as recently as 2013, but they’ve been mixed in with the injuries that have crippled his progress. These issues have forced him to reconsider and reconfigure what was once the most beautiful swing in golf. To find the magic formula, the formula that he hopes will take him back to the top of the golfing world, he’s cycled through swing coaches like a rich man does boxer shorts (if you can afford it you only wear them once, right?)

The issues he’s having grappling with a new swing are clearly both physical and mental. Mentally, to me anyway, he looks shot. As a young man he always seemed content with the world, like there was nothing he’d rather do than be out on the course competing. He had this wonderful, light-up-a-room-when-he-walks-in sort of smile. Now, he looks like the stresses and strains that come with being one of the most over analysed human beings on planet Earth are taking their toll. He’s only 39, retirement age for athletes in most sports but young for a golfer, yet he looks about 50. He stands in front of the mic after another tough round and he looks exhausted, his eyes heavy and his shoulders slumped.

Then there’s the physical aspect of his game. Obviously those injuries are going to take a toll, they would on anyone, so if he had to make changes to his swing to prolong his career then so be it. He’s also much, much bulkier now than he was in his peak years. Back then he was fairly wiry and supple - his swing flowed beautifully like a piano concerto, all the individual parts blended together to compose the most graceful tune. Now it seems choppy, he can’t quite get the body to do as he wishes so he fights it throughout the swing. With his barrel chest and tree trunk arms he can’t get them to rotate like they once would.

It isn’t too late, of course. Anyone with the natural ability Tiger Woods had, and I assume still has somewhere, can conceivably achieve anything. I hope this was just another blip on a long road to where he wants to be.

We want the great athletes to end their careers by drifting slowly in to the night, Father Time eroding the skills they once possessed with every passing day. Tiger Woods is currently experiencing the exact opposite. That’s sad.  

 Other day 1 observations

•          Monty! – How about the 51 year old Colin Montgomerie shooting a one-under 69 to sit tied 14^th. He may have played better from tee to green than any other player, the only thing costing him a really low round was a couple of makeable putts he missed. This could be to do with the greens but I’ll discuss that in a moment.
•          Rory – He played average. His main issues came on the green where he seemingly couldn’t make anything all day. At +2 he’s got to put together a solid round tomorrow to ensure he isn’t too far from the leaders over the weekend.
•          Spieth – He shot a quietly impressive round of -2 to leave him in an excellent position. The only lower score during the afternoon was three-under so that underscores how happy he should be.
•          Stenson – The only European surrounded by a wave of Americans at the very top of the leaderboard, he’s got the perfect temperament to deal with the testing conditions so this could be the weekend he breaks his major drought.
•          The Greens – Several players were outspoken in criticising the greens. I must admit on television they looked very odd, I’ve never watched a golf tournament where it’s so difficult to distinguish between the fairway and the green. Obviously that doesn’t guarantee they play poorly but, judging by the opinions of those that have putted on them, they’re not in the best shape. Definitely something to monitor over the weekend. 

Harrison Ryle

harrison.ryle@foremostgolf.com

Rickie Fowler claimed his third victory of the season at the Deutsche Bank Championship on Monday. 

  It's been a breakout year for the 26 year-old California native, who showed the true extent of his potential with wins at The Players Championship & The Scottish Open earlier in the year. This victory didn't come easy though. 

  He was involved in a ding dong battle with Henrik Stenson for the entire round. The Swede held the lead until his tee shot found the water on 16, a disastrous stroke that ended up costing him a double bogey and in turn the Championship. 

  After a survey earlier in the year labelled him one of the most overrated players in golf, Fowler has bounced back with incredible poise and maturity to prove the doubters wrong. Until he wins a Major he’ll always be just shy of the McIlroy-Spieth-Day trio but he’s certainly a contender for best of the rest. If he carries this form in to next year you have to feel it’s simply a matter of time before he joins that illustrious group of golfs finest young talent. 

  So, what was in Rickie's bag?

  Driver: Cobra Fly Z+ (Matrix Prototype 70X shaft), 10.5 degrees

  3-wood: Cobra Fly Z+ (Aldila Tour Blue 73X shaft), 14 degrees

  5-wood: Cobra Bio Cell+ (Aldila Tour Blue 73X shaft) 18 degrees

  Irons: Cobra Fly-Z Pro MB (4-9; KBS C-Taper 125 S+ shafts),

  Wedges: Cobra Tour Trusty RF Grind (47-08, 51-08, 57-08 and 62-08 degrees; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts)

  Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Prototype

  Ball: Titleist Pro V1X

As the FedExCup play-offs took a break last weekend the onus was on the other tours to provide the headlines. 

On the European Tour Marcus Pieters saw off the challenge of Lee Slattery, winner of the Russian Open the previous week, to claim the KLM Open by one shot. Slattery had a putt on the 18th to force a play-off but could only miss left, handing the 23 year-old Pieters his second European Tour victory. 

Over in Thailand, pre-tournament favourite Kiradech Aphibarnrat won the inaugural Thongchai Jaidee Foundation tournament by a comfortable three strokes, continuing his excellent season. 

Sebastian Gros secured his full European Tour card for 2016 with victory at the Kazakhstan Open on the Challenge Tour. It's the sort of victory that can change a professional golfers life, offering them a springboard to bigger and better things in the future. 

18 year-old Lydia Ko became the second youngest winner of a Major Championship in the entire history of golf by winning the Evian Championship in France (the youngest, Young Tom Morris, was 17 years old when he won his first major, a tournament where only 12 people competed and his Dad, Old Tom Morris, finished in second place. So, yeah.) It took an incredible final-round 63 to win the fifth and final Major of the year for Ko, sending a warning signal to all of ladies golf that a dominant player may be emerging.  

What did all of these players have in common? They're all members of Team Callaway. The wins come with extra significance for Callaway because two of the players, Pieters and Aphibarnrat, won with the new Great Big Bertha Driver in their bags. 

Lydia Ko's Bag

  Jason Day cruised to victory at the BMW Championship to secure his spot at the top of the World rankings for the first time. The Australian was barely troubled over the four days; he came within a whisker of a 59 on Thursday before three more rounds in the 60’s left him 6 shots clear.

  With the win a formality much of the final day drama was focused on those trying to play themselves in to the top 30. Harris English, Daniel Berger, Scott Piercey and Kevin Na will all be at the TOUR Championship thanks to their performances over the four days. It was of particular significance to Engish who had finished 31^st and 32^nd over the last two seasons to just miss out on the lucrative season finale.

  On the equipment side of things the win will be a great boost to TaylorMade as Jason Day was using their new M1 driver.

  So, what was in Jason’s bag?

Jordan Spieth capped off one of the greatest seasons in recent memory with victory at the TOUR Championship. With the win he added the FedExCup to the 2 Majors he won earlier in the year. 

Starting the day a shot clear of Henrik Stenson, the 22 year-old rode his trademark putting to a final round 69 and a 9 under total, four shots clear of the field. 

There was much debate before the event about who should be crowned player of the year: should it be Spieth with his two Majors or the recently red-hot Jason Day? This performance should put all of those questions to bed. 

So, what was in Jordan's bag?

Summer has come and gone, Autumn is in in full swing and just over the horizon is the cold, wind, snow and rain of Winter. As golfers - calling myself a golfer might be generous - the winter can be a difficult time: attempting to play well when the wind is howling and you're being pelted by rain is tough even for the best players. 

Which is why we should all be thankful for the latest golf waterproofs from some of the games finest!

Above is the new Pro-Flex offering from ProQuip. As well as keeping you as dry as a bone, the Pro-Flex range is also made with Flex Technology: a premium stretch fabric that allows you the freedom of movement needed for your swing. 

It's available in both blue (as shown above) and grey if you're looking for something more muted. 

The new Galvin Green Albin is similar to its Pro Quip counterpart as it also guarantees a waterproof material without sacrificing playability. Gore-Tex stretch fabric is used to ensure you don't lose any of the flexibility and comfort you need to feel during your swing. Available in four different colours so there's plenty of choice.  

The Sunice Albany Classic has the classic look its name suggests it should. It claims to be 25% lighter and 25% stretchier than any GoreTex jacket available.

If you prefer something lighter then the Under Armour Armourstorm is the jacket for you. Don't let the lighter look fool you though, the Armourstorm technology makes it waterproof and breathable. 

Nike's offering is the Hyperadapt Storm-Fit, a jacket that's designed to repel wind, rain and snow so you can stay dry and comfortable. Also available in grey and blue. 

Picturesque Valderrama is regarded by most as one of the best golf clubs this side of the Atlantic; a true test of golfing ability. The 1997 Ryder Cup venue played host to the Open de España last week and did not disappoint. Lightning fast greens and tricky conditions meant that scoring was always going to be tough, with a one-over-par total enough for Englishman Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston to claim his maiden European Tour title – the first regular Tour event to be won with an over-par score in 20 years. 27-year-old Johnston went into the final round one shot back from overnight leader Mike Lorenzo-Vera, but a stellar one-under-par 70 was good enough to see him lift the trophy by one, despite a final-day charge from locals’ favourite, Sergio Garcia. Titleist brand ambassador Johnston’s final round exploits saw him rank first in both driving accuracy (78.6%) and greens in regulation (70.8%) on the day – truly impressive golf when the pressure was at its greatest.

What equipment did he use?

• Driver – Titleist 915D3 (10.5 loft)
• 3-wood – Titleist 915F (15 loft)
• Irons – Titleist 716 MB irons; 3-9
• Wedges – Vokey SM6 wedges (46, 50, 54 & 58)
• Putter – Scotty Cameron Tour Only Newport 2
• Ball – Titleist Pro V1x

Over in the States, the PGA Tour arrived at Harbour Town Links, South Carolina, for the RBC Heritage. Many of the world’s best golfers take a break following a Major, but there were still a few stand-out names amongst the field. World number one Jason Day pegged it up at the start of the week, as did Bryson DeChambeau who, after finishing top amateur in the 2016 Masters, was playing in his first event as a professional. But come Sunday it was Callaway Staff player Branden Grace who grabbed the spotlight, a five-under-par 66 propelling him above overnight pacesetter, Luke Donald, to claim his second title of 2016.

What equipment did he use?

• Driver – Callaway XR 16 (8.5 loft)
• 3-wood – Callaway Big Bertha Alpha (16 loft)
• Utility Iron – Callaway Apex UT
• Irons – Callaway X Forged (4-PW)
• Wedges – Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind (52, 56 & 60)
• Putter – Odyssey Versa V Line
• Ball – Titleist Pro V1x

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

The European Tour rolled into England last week for its flagship event, The BMW Championship at Wentworth. Although a rather depleted field at the prestigious Surrey course, there was still lots of home-grown talent on show with Masters champion Danny Willett the headline act. After being 12-under-par for his first 27 holes, including a front nine of 29 shots on Friday, Willett endured yet another frustrating weekend as several bogeys left him wondering what might have been. But one man’s loss is another’s gain – enter Chris Wood. The 28-year-old surged into the lead come Sunday afternoon after he matched Willett’s record-breaking six-under-par front nine from Friday, to lead by four. However, his momentum was severely halted after dropping three shots in four holes from the 14th, finding himself just one clear playing the 72nd hole. Wood revealed in his post-round interview that he hadn’t looked at the leaderboards all day, and it wasn’t until his caddy asked him to go SW, SW into the final hole that he realised the situation. A comfortable par gave Wood the biggest win of his career, with a place in the European Ryder Cup team now a very real target for the Englishman.

Here’s what Wood had in his bag…

Driver – Callaway Great Big Bertha (9 degree)
Fairway woods – Mizuno JPX 3-wood (15 degree); Callaway XR 16 5-wood
Irons – Mizuno MP-25 (3 & 4-irons); Mizuno MP-5 (5-PW)
Wedges – Mizuno MP-T5 (52, 56 & 60 degrees)
Putter – Odyssey Versa
Ball – Titleist Pro V1x
Clothing – Mizuno apparel

Finally, Jordan Spieth has ended his ‘four-month drought’ with victory in the Dean & Dulca Invitational on Sunday. The American headed into the final round of the latest PGA Tour event with a one-shot lead, determined not to replicate his Masters collapse where he blew a five-shot lead on the back nine. This time it was completely different. Spieth came in with six birdies on his back nine, comfortably winning his home tournament by three shots. There were certainly fireworks to finish as Jordan holed a 20-foot breaker on 16 for birdie, chipped in for birdie at the 17th and blew his opponents away when he holed a 35-foot birdie putt at the last. Three birdies in the final three holes. What nerves?

This win means that the ‘big three’ (Day, Spieth and McIlroy) have all won on their last outing….let the battle for the US Open commence.

Here’s what Spieth used en-route to victory…

Driver – Titleist 915D2 (9.5 degree)
Fairway woods – Titleist 915F (15 degree)
Irons – Titleist 716 T-MB 3-iron; Titleist AP2 (4-9-iron)
Wedges – Vokey SM6 (46, 52, 56 & 60 degrees)
Putter – Scotty Cameron
Ball – Titleist Pro V1x
Clothing – Under Armour apparel

An electric golf trolley can be a lifesaver for any golfer. Do you really want to carry your clubs around the course? This can make you feel more exhausted than playing the sport itself. An electric golf trolley is undoubtedly the best way to transport your golf clubs.

With electric golf trolleys, all you need to do is place your bag inside, and let the trolley do all of the hard work – it is as simple as that. Nevertheless, there are a few factors you need to consider when looking for the best trolley, as there are many different makes and models to choose from.

One of the most important factors to look into is the battery power of the trolley. Generally, most batteries will cover either one or two rounds of the course. You should definitely find out how long a single charge of the battery will last, how quickly it can be re-charged, and what the lifespan of the battery is.

Of course, price is a pivotal consideration when making any purchase from a golf shop, and a golf trolley is no different. Needless to say, electric trolleys will be more expensive than the manual version, but most would agree that it is an investment worth making, as it allows you to focus on the game. When considering price, you are not advised to simply go for the cheapest trolley you can find, as you could end up spending more in the long run if it is of a poor quality.

There may be a number of different things shown on the display screen of the trolley, which is another consideration. Power level, time, and battery indicators are a must. Other features include pedometers and distance measuring, which aren’t a necessity but may be of an interest to you.

Finally, you may want to buy an electric golf trolley that comes with a matching bag so that it fits perfectly into the trolley and looks stylish.

You've guessed it. There was another first-time winner on the European Tour last week as Nike Golf Haotong Li claimed the Volvo China Open on home soil. The 20-year-old started the final day two shots back but a flawless closing 64, mixing eight birdies with zero dropped shots, meant a fourth consecutive sub-70 round to claim his maiden victory by three. Overnight leaders Aguilar and Bjerregaard carded rounds of three-under and two-under respectively, but it could have been so much better for Aguilar. Whether it was pressure or just one of those shots, Aguilar will wish he could replay his tee shot on the par-3 16th which found the water 30 yards short of the green, effectively costing him the tournament. Regardless, Li birdied 17 and held his nerve down the last to record an emphatic win, possibly the first of many for this young gun.

What equipment did he use?

• Driver - Nike Vapor Pro (9.5)
• Fairway Wood - Nike Vapor Speed (15)
• Irons - Nike Vapor Fly Pro (3&4); Nike Vapor Pro (5-9)
• Wedges - Nike Engage (48, 54 & 60)
• Putter - Nike Method Matter B2-05
• Ball - Nike RZN Tour Platinum

Rain and thunderstorms shortened last week's PGA Tour event to 54 holes, with a Monday finish required to settle matters. In the end there was a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard, with Brian Stuard, Jamie Lovemark and Byeong-Hun An all closing out their three rounds on 15-under-par - An and Stuard birding the final hole to tie Lovemark for the lead. So a playoff was the order of play, with the three golfers heading down the par-5 18th in this sudden death format. An was the first golfer to be eliminated after bogeying the first playoff hole, the other two making pars. On the second playoff hole, a beautiful 160-yard approach to two foot by Stuard saw him birdie the hole and claim his first victory on the PGA Tour - a common theme among this week's winners. That's not the only thing that Stuard has in common with other recent winners, as he is the 5th Callaway Staff winner in as many weeks. Surely this is telling you something?

What equipment did he use?

• Driver - Callaway Great Big Bertha (9.5)
• Fairway Wood - Callaway XR Pro (15)
• Hybrids - Callaway Apex (20 & 23)
• Irons - Callaway Apex Pro (4-PW)
• Wedges - Callaway Mack Daddy 3 (52 & 58)
• Putter - Odyssey Works Marxman Fang Tank
• Ball - Titleist Pro V1x

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