THE 5 STAR KILDARE Hotel and Country Cub is hosting the Irish Open from September 6- 10th. The chateau-style hotel on the river Liffey is said to provide unimaginable luxury and comfort, even by the exacting standards of it’s multi-millionaire guests.
Rory McIlroy delighted his fans in 2016 by winning the Irish Open there, turning a one-stroke deficit into a three-shot victory, with a birdie/par/eagle finish. He donated the winners’ cheque to charity. That’s the style.
If they can tear themselves away from the K Club the players then head to Wentworth on September14-17th where last year Shane Lowry won the BMW PGA Championship with a -17 victory, beating Rory and Jon Rahm into tied second place without dropping a shot the whole week.
Then it’s off to the Alfred Dunhill Links (5th October) with it’s individual tournament and ProAm team championship. Held at Kingsbarns, Carnoustie and St. Andrews Old Course, a good time will be had by all, even if, like last year, everyone ends up soaked and frozen.
THE SOLHEIM CUP comes to Spain for the first time at Finca Cortesin, Casares, Andalucia, from 18-24th September. Contested over three days, it follows the same format as the Ryder Cup, with 28 matches – 8 foursomes and 8 fourballs over the first two days and 12 singles on the final day. In 2021, at Inverness Club in Ohio Catriona Matthew’s team Europe made it back to back wins with a thrilling 15-13 victory over Pat Hurst’s U.S. Team.
Europe have won four of the last six Solheim Cups, including a memorable contest at Gleneagles in 2019, when they won each of the last 3 games, Suzann Pettersen holding her nerve to hole the winning 7-footer on the 18th green of the last match. Let’s hope her nerve holds when she captains her team this time around.
ONLY A HANDFUL of 58’s have been recorded in golf, none on LIV Tour. That was until Bryson deChambeau shot 12 under par at the Old White Course at Greenbrier, capturing his first LIV Golf title in the process. Striving for marginal gains in everything has undoubtedly earned him the nickname ‘The Scientist.’ His desperation for that extra 1% of perfection took him to Scottsdale following The Open, to take advantage of their SST Puring technology.
Scottsdale’s master club fitters went through every club in his bag, revising and dialling in spin rates, ball speeds, and flight characteristics. Research shows structural irregularities in shafts can cause bending and twisting during the swing, leading to inconsistencies between clubs and higher dispersion rates.
The SST Puring system analyses shaft structure and identifies its most stable bending plane before aligning with the clubhead in a new optimal orientation, giving higher consistency. With his adjusted bag firing out the desired numbers, Bryson headed for Greenbrier where he joined the very exclusive 58-club. Was he happy? Fairly, but if, like Bryson, you have a minion spraying your golf balls between practice shots to replicate morning dew then you’re probably not easily satisfied.
YOU PROBABLY have to own at east 150 camels to be considered for membership, but the ERBIL HILLS GOLF CLUB, Kurdistan, Iraq’s first golf course, will feature a world class 7,128 yd. championship course designed by renowned course architects Dye Designs. With more than one million inhabitants, Erbil is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, dating back more than 8000 years.
The gated development will include 300 exclusive residences around the golf course which will apparently offer a new style of green, luxury living. Expanding from nine holes to eighteen in 2024, Erbil Hills aims to host major international competitions. Russell Hannah of IMG Golf said: “Erbil Hills Golf Club is a truly unique development that will offer all residents and guests an active, healthy lifestyle.”
Who’d have thought you’d be heading to Iraq for your health.
Until next time: Happy Golfing.
Contact Mick for regripping and repairs. Tel. 638 859 475
or visit https://mickthegrip.blogspot.com
