THE LEGENDS TOUR 2024 starts on 3rd May and features 20 tournaments across four continents with a prize fund of over €18 million. The over 50’s first tournament, hosted by Ian Woosnam, will be at Apes Hill golf course, on the blissful island of Barbados.
Set on the site of an old sugar plantation, Apes Hill occupies the island’s highest usable terrain, with wonderful views and cool breezes from both the Atlantic and the Caribbean. Bearded fig trees line the fairways and green monkeys swing through the trees. Designer Ron Kirby also oversaw the creation of a par-3 course to be played by families and serious golfers alike, with replica holes from around the word, like the Postage Stamp at Royal Troon or the 17th at TPC Sawgrass.
The course first opened in 2009 but fell into financial difficulty and disrepair before being bought by a Canadian businessman who invested $24 million and brought in Kirby, who designed the celebrated Old Head Links in Ireland.
Luxury villas, a state-of-the-art driving range, fitness centre and health club, hiking and nature trails, floodlit paddle and tennis courts and a world-class spa resulted in Apes Hill Barbados receiving an impressive four wins at the 2023 World Golf Awards in Abu Dhabi. The golf course was also named the best in both Barbados and the Caribbean. Ron Kirby, who died in 2022 shortly after the completion of his masterpiece, would have been proud.
THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP is returning to Nicklaus-designed Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky from May 13-19th. The course has played host to some of golf’s greatest events, including the 2014 PGA Championship and the 2008 Ryder Cup. For a memorable trip the Kentucky Derby (May 4th) on Churchill Downs would be recommended, if only for the opportunity of cheering on the winner with a drop of bourbon.
Both Kentucky and Ireland produce world-beating racehorses, the limestone in the soil is said to provide calcium which strengthens the bones of their world famous thoroughbreds. A visit to the historic building where the Louisville Lip began his boxing career, and then a tour of the bluegrass country followed by the PGA at Valhalla. Perfect. Kentucky is rightly renowned for both racing and golf. Don’t know if it’s the limestone but their whisky’s not bad either.
Rory McIlroy’s victory in near darkness at the 2014 PGA Championship in a rain-delayed final round, was his last win in a major. It’s time he sank a celebratory bourbon again.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER started the year with a reasonable T5 at the Sentry and T17 at the American Express. Things quickly moved up a gear with three top 10’s in a row, the At&T Pebble Beach, WM Phoenix Open, and the Genesis Invitational. After that his form really improved, starting with the Arnold Palmer Invitational then the Players Championship followed by a T2 in the Houston Open.
To compensate for that disappointment he proceeded to win the Masters and the RBC at HiIton Head. In the space of 44 days he earned $16,253,735 in prize money, of which he gave $1,608,761 to his caddie, Ted Scott. So far this season Scott has earned just under $1,800,000. more than Rory McIlroy and Tony Finau, to name just two. And it’s only May.
MUSTN’T FORGET the ladies. Well done to Nelly Korda for winning the Chevron Championship by two shots in Texas to secure her second major title and a fifth straight tournament win, earning her over $2 million so far. Does she need a caddie?
A RECENT medical study says the death rate for golfers is 40% lower than that for non-golfers, and on a par with athletes and gymnasts. That’s as long as players walk the course, burning off some 900 calories during an average round. (Meaning you can still drop in the 19th afterwards and put 700 back on.) For those of you familiar with the old Stanley Holloway song: “My word, I do feel well!”
Until next time: Happy Golfing.
Contact Mick for your regrips and repairs.
Tel 638 859 475.or visit https://mickthegrip.blogspot.com
