Do you want to know how to cure a 4 week hangover?

 

Easy. Just take a small dose of TPC. 

If Carlsberg did golf tournaments, then the events at Augusta were the 4 day bender that you can`t really remember, but have so many brilliant flashbacks of. The problem is the 4 week`s-worth of Tour Life that has followed has been the hangover from hell where only Heinz Soup, Mackies Ice Cream and Gallons of Irn Bru have been able to numb the pain enough to get you through.

It doesn`t matter what side of the pond you were watching, it's fair to say that the last 8 winners from the last month is more of a "Who`s That?" than a "Who's Who."

Branden Grace, Charlie Hoffman, Brian Stuard, James Hahn, Andrew Johnston, Soomin Lee, Haootong Li & Jeunghun Wang are probably the only people who can actually remember what the names of those tournaments were. The way sporting headlines have been going lately, there`s a good chance that if someone reeled off the names Grace, Hoffman, Johnston & Stuard you might have thought it was the Leicester City back four. And as for Lee, Li, Hahn, Wang that just sounds like a 3 year old telling you they almost caught a Bluebottle with their hands.

But fear not. If you`ve slipped into a mild coma from watching the previous month`s Golf Coverage, then you are about to get sparked back into life. And I`m not De-Fibbing either. Whilst your Granny treated a skint knee with some TCP, our viewing gaze is about to be soothed with visual TPC. Like a cure for a sore graze, the top players return to Sawgrass for the Players Championship, affectionately known as the '5th Major' as it regularly featured (before the WGC Events came along) the strongest field out with the Grand Slam events.

With another strong field assembled and water galore surrounding the last 4 holes, then The Players Championship is sure to throw up a much more exciting showcase than the last few run of the mill tournaments have. Ricky Fowler returns to defend the title he won in incredible fashion last year. Ricky played the last 6 holes in regulation in 6 under par to force his way into a playoff, then birdies the 17th in a 3 hole playoff to go to sudden death with Kevin Kisner (Was he not in Dances With Wolves?), Ricky again birdies the 17th to win.

3 birdies in a row on the same day at the same hole is pretty good going in anyones book, but when you consider that the 17th at Sawgrass, the Par 3 with the island green surrounded by water, most guys would be happy just to walk off with par 3 times in a row. If it weren`t for the Road Hole at St Andrews it would probably be the most famous 17th hole in golf. And at only 132 Yards long, it may lay claim to the trickiest short Par 3 in golf, but perhaps the 7th at Pebble Beach or the 8th hole at Royal Troon have the rights to that title?

We`ll certainly get to see plenty of Troon`s signature hole in action come July. 'The Postage Stamp' as it`s affectionately known, for its tiny rectangular green is a real scorecard breaker. At only 123 Yards long, from the tips you`d think that the modern day Professional would give the Postage Stamp a good licking. But with no margin for error either left, right, short or long, anything other than a pin point tee shot will see your round come unstuck. Click here to check out a quick overview of the hole.

The Open Championship returns to Royal Troon for the first time since 2004. 12 years ago seems a long time and you probably can`t remember much about it, but I bet it will all come flooding back when I say the name Todd Hamilton. The unknown American tamed the Ayrshire Links and tormented the top class field with his trusted 'Chip n Run' hybrid club. Despite winning one of that years Majors, Todd didn`t come anywhere near close to making the US Ryder Cup Team that year…..and he was probably quite glad about that, as Europe inflicted the largest winning margin on away soil in the events history.

Arguably Europe had one of its strongest Teams ever, while the Americans probably had one of their worst in modern times. When the likes of Chad Campbell, Fred Funk, Chris Riley & Chris DiMarco were making the Team automatically, and the best Captain Hal Sutton could muster in wildcards was 50 year old Jay Haas then they were always going to be up against it. Then he made that monumental error of pairing their two best players, who just happened dislike one another, together. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson had a about as much chemistry as a pairing as left & right or black or white.

I have to say having a glance at the 2 points lists as they stand for this year, that the Yanks are looking much stronger than Europe. Currently 7 of their Top 8 automatic qualifiers all have Ryder Cup experience with the exception of Brandt Snedeker. Whereas we have 5 Rookies currently in our Top 9. Perhaps the other disappointing element has been that in these last few weeks of slightly weaker fields and tournaments, that none of the European players have taken advantage and rocketed themselves up the points list. Instead it has been an Asian invasion of winners.

Ryder Cup Standings: 

America - 1. Jordan Spieth, 2. Dustin Johnson, 3. Bubba Watson, 4. Brandt Snedeker, 5. Rickie Fowler, 6. Phil Mickelson, 7. Zach Johnson, 8. Patrick Reed

Europe -  1. Danny Willet (R), 2. Rory McIlroy, 3. Matthew Fitzpatrick, (R) 4. Andy Sullivan, (R) 5. Henrik Stenson, 6. Justin Rose, 7. Rafa Cabrera-Bello, (R) 8. Sergio Garcia, 9. Thorbjorn Oleson (R)


 

The qualifying campaign for Portlethen`s own Ryder Cup style Match, The Cappro Cup, got under way on Saturday in the Re-Scheduled April Medal. It was interesting going through the scores after Saturday's Competition to allocate the points. because not many of the best scores of the day have so far signed up to be included in the Qualifying Process.

Division 1 (5 & Below) and Division 4(17 & Above) have only got 9 & 13 players in them respectively. And with 10 points given out in each tournament, these divisions have the least amount of competition in them. 

There are still 9 Qualifying events left to play in, with the next being this Saturday, so if you haven`t signed up so far then there is still time to do so. 

This costs ONLY £5 . 

Click here to take a look at the Standings after Event 1.

Leader of Division 2, Steve Cassie, had a very good day. Not only did he win his Division in the April Medal and pick up 10 Points in the Cappro Cup race, but he also was the Leading Qualifier for The Lombard Trophy. This is a National Pro-Am event with every Club in the Country entitled to enter. Now Steve goes to represent Portlethen GC at Crieff GC where I will partner him as a Pro-Am Team as we attempt to reach the Grand Final in Portugal in September.




Steve`s winning score on Saturday was one of the few highlights on an otherwise very difficult day of scoring. The CSS at one point was heading for a 75 reduction only before it finally settled on a CSS 74.

Best score of the day went to resident Chef extraordinaire, Martin Downie, who served up the dish of the day in the form of a 77(8) - 69 which, as it turned out, was the only score in the 60`s. It was good enough to win Division 1, but unfortunately for Martin tips must`ve been poor this week as he didn`t pay his sweep money or Lombard entry fee.

That opened the door for Imran Sheikh to scoop the top pot as he won the battle of the countbacks on 72. 

April Medal - Saturday, 7 May 

Division 1 (10 & BELOW) 

1st - Martin Downie = 77(8) - 69 
1st Sweep - Imran Sheikh = 80(8) - 72 ACB 
2nd - Ken Jarvie = 82(10) - 72 ACB 
3rd - Grant Blackwood = 82(10) - 72 ACB 

 

 

Division 2 winner was the afore mentioned Steve Cassie. His 85(13) - 72 was good enough by a stroke to edge out Mike Cameron 85(12) - 73 who in turn edged out Gary Thomson on the countback.

Division 2 (11-15) 

1st - Steve Cassie = 85(13) - 72, 2nd - Mike Cameron = 85(12) - 73 ACB, 3rd - Gary Thomson = 85(12) - 73

 

In Division 3 you could say there wasn`t much separating them, as Simon Scouller pipped Brian Mutch to top spot on Countback. Keith Pirie was the man in 3rd place. 

Division 3 (16 & ABOVE) 

1st - Simon Scouller = 92(22) - 70 ACB, 2nd - Brian Mutch = 88(18) - 70, 3rd - Keith Pirie = 90(19) - 71

   

Wednesday Medal - 4th May 

The Wednesday Medal saw some more good scores and almost re-enact an episode of Brookside. The role of honour in Divisions 1, 2 & 3 reading Barry, Barry, Grant.

Division 1 (10 & BELOW) 

1st - Barry McDonald = 73(4) - 69, 2nd - Charlie Watson = 77(8) - 69 ACB, 3rd - Stuart McLaughlin 80(10) - 70  

   

Division 2 (11-15) 

1st - Barry Watson = 81(13) - 68, 2nd - Tony Storey = 82(14) - 68, ACB, 3rd - Tom Boyle = 81(11) - 70  

 

Division 3 (16 & ABOVE) 

1st - Grant Turnbull = 88 (17) - 71, 2nd - James Edwards = 96 (25) - 71 ACB, 3rd - Bruce Fraser = 88 (16) - 72 

 

Hole in one's

There were a couple of other golfers with something to smile about last week. Like London Buses we have waited long enough for a 'Hole-In-One' to come along, then 2 arrive within the space of a few days. 

On Wednesday Duncan Bonner had his Ace at the 8th, then following him on Saturday was Aynslie Wallace who holed out at the 12th. 

 

The Ladies got their Club Championship off and running last weekend, and it was the defending Champion Rowena Keith, playing her first round of the year that lead the way as she started the defence of her crown. Her 88(13) - 75 was the lowest Gross and Nett on what proved to be a tough day for scoring for both the men and the women. 


Club Championship Rd1 - Saturday, 7 May 

Silver 
1st - Rowena Keith - 88 (13) - 75, 2nd = Kathleen Johnston - 96 (20) - 76, 2nd = Heather McCabe 91(15) - 76 

Bronze 
1st - Isabella Murray - 101 (23) - 78, 2nd - Denise Robertson - 102 (23) - 79, 3rd - Morag Cammack - 106 (26) - 80


Orbane Cup Rd1 - Tuesday, 10 May

On Tuesday the weather improved tenfold with Portlethen being bathed in the best sunshine we have had all year. The scoring improved tenfold too. None more so than Denise Robertson who blew the field away by 5 strokes with a 89 (23) - 66.

Silver 
1st - Heather McCabe - 86 (15) - 71, 2nd = Angela Craig - 92 (17) - 75, 2nd = Sarah Louise Ritchie - 81(6) - 75 

Bronze 
1st - Denise Robertson - 89 (23) - 66, 2nd - Julie Brimble - 102 (29) - 73, 3rd - Elizabeth Groves - 100(26) - 74


It was great to see the names having success in the Ladies Competitions as many of them have invested in either lessons, new fitted equipment or in some cases both. Heather McCabe featured in both Top 3`s on the back of some lessons, Liz Groves got some instant reward after her lesson on Friday. More significantly Denise Robertson has whacked her handicap down courtesy of her newly fitted TaylorMade M2 Irons.

If you are interested in arranging a lesson or fitting here at Portlethen, click here to get in touch, or come and have a chat with the team in the pro shop.


 

Last week I pointed out the Callaway had chalked up 6 Tournament Victories in a row, well, after last weekend they can now make it 7. Thanks to Jeunghun Wang's win in Morocco, Callaway Staff Players have now won a Magnificent 7. 

And to coincide with my 'Complete Equipment Solution' Promotion (athough I like to think of it as more of a 'Complete Performance Solution', because not only do I give you a comprehensive Fitting Session using the very latest in Fitting Technology for FREE , but I will also give you a Lesson on how to improve your Technique for FREE as well. Callaway Golf are one of my feature brands. 

Click here to watch a video about how a fitting from Callaway through our Complete Performance Solution could help you.

I`m mentioning all this as I want to give you a little success story of how going through the Custom Fitting process really is the only way to guarantee better performance from new equipment. Kathleen Johnston came to me looking to upgrade her driver. Her original driver was an older TaylorMade R5. 

We firstly analysed the performance of the original club which showed that Kathleen tended to hit the ball too far and too often out the heel of the club. It also didn`t get enough height, and because of her swing characteristics tended to also slice to the right. 

So we looked at the Callaway XR Driver with a shorter shaft, lots more loft and with the adjustable nature of the Clubhead we switched it to a more "Draw" enhancing position. Sprinkle in a few small swing tips and very quickly Kathleen started hitting her drives noticeably straighter and more consistently. But the biggest thing was we had found her nearly 20 yards more carry distance with a flight that would encourage even better roll. 

So don`t delay…Improve Your Game today. Click here for more information or to book a Fitting or Lesson Appointment.


 

Although I offer an extremely comprehensive Fitting Service, I have arranged several of the Companies I stock to come along and provide their Fitting Day Experience. The benefit with these is they have a wider choice and Head, Loft & shaft combinations. So why not come along and support these events. 

They will all be on Appointment only basis, but can I stress these are NO OBLIGATION TO BUY Appointments. 

Wilson - Thursday, 2 June from 12pm - 4pm 
TaylorMade - Monday, 6 June from 3pm - 7pm 
Callaway - Monday, 20 June from 3pm - 7pm 
PING - Thursday, 30 June from 3pm - 7pm

Click here to get in touch if you would like to book a fitting slot at any of these events.




May Medal - Saturday, 7 May 

On Saturday the kids certainly put the adults to shame as they made better of the tough conditions. 

Pranav Maganti top scored with an impressive Nett 65 to sneak past Ewan Brown who had a 66. 

1st - P Maganti - 87(22) - 65 
2nd - Ewan Brown - 77(11) - 66 
3rd = Aidan Ritchie Fulton - 87(19) - 68 
3rd = William Cameron Lloyd - 82(14) - 68 

The boys and girls were all in action on Sunday as well. This time representing Portlethen in the Junior Pennant League. They had a tough trip to nearby Murcar Links who arguably have the lowest handicaps and best Team in the League. The guys played extremely well, but were always up against it, eventually losing 4 matches to 1. 

Our Team are still very young and will be playing in the Juniors for a good few more years yet. 

Perhaps the next generation will produce the next batch of superstars? There is certainly a good chance given the numbers we are getting involved. 

On Saturday the Junior section had 34 kids golfing on the Course which included 16 playing 18 holes, and the other 18 playing 9 holes. Add to that the near 50 kids that came along to take part in the Development Gang on the Driving Range and Short Game Area, then I know we have the sort of Junior Participation that many other Clubs would be envious of.


 

Callaway Ball Performance Guarantee

Another fantastic product from Callaway that has contributed to the enormous success they are having just now is their new Premium Golf Ball. It`s called the Chrome Soft and is a fabulous combination of aerodynamically long through the air, and incredibly soft around the greens. What`s even better about it is for a Performance Ball it is also very affordable, especially compared to some of its competitors. For example, 1 Dozen Callaway Chrome Soft costs £30 compared to the more commonly used Titleist Pro V1 at £40 Per Dozen.

But right now in store I have terrific promotion giving you the opportunity to perhaps give these balls a try. If you by 2 sleeves for £18, I will give you an extra 2 balls FREE. 

If you're not convinced that they are better than your current ball, you can return your 2 ball packs for a full refund.

Click here to find out more about this offer along with the T's and C's.