Now, in this follow up article, we look more closely at the Swiss AP golfing test, what is involved and what kinds of things you need to do to be given the green light to drive off alone on course.

The first thing to note is that the test for the golf AP certificate must adhere to the guidelines of the Swiss Golf Association (ASG). In addition, certificates can only be issued by accredited members of clubs in Switzerland, by an official arbitrator of the ASG or a PGA registered professional.  This is to ensure that all certificates issued are subject to the same criteria and that all candidates for a certificate receive a fair test.

In terms of the actual examination, there are two distinct parts to the examination. Theory and Practical.

Theoretical Exam

In  the theroetical examination the candidate will face a written or oral test of 30 questions which are based upon both the rules and also the ettiquette of golf.  The candidate is able to consult the rules of golf booklet during the course of the exam (it is, after all, not an examination, merely a test to ascertain understanding of key principles).

For a candidate to pass the theoretical section of the exam, they must get at least 22 out of the 30 questions correct.  Meaning that the pass mark is around 73.3 per cent.

Practical Exam

For most amateur golfers, the criteria against which they will be judged for AP certification sounds rather daunting. Initially, your examiner will investigate three crucial aspects of your game:

1. Driving – Your examiner will want you to hit five drives what is termed ‘reasonably straight’. Women must also ensure that four of their drives travel more than 100 meters, while men must hit the ball over 120 meters.
2. Approach Play – Your examiner will then want to test your skills on hitting approach shots. The qualification criteria here seems strict as the player must hit four approach shots within four metres of the hole, although the approaches in question range from five to 20 yards.
3. Putting – Finally, the examiner will test your putting ability by asking you to make five putts of 10 feet or more. You must get at least three of the five putts to within two feet of the hole.

Having completed the skills element of the practical side, you then head out onto an approved testing course for nine holes of Stableford play. You and another one or two players then have less than 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete the nine holes and users must achieve nine Stableford points in order to pass. However, to facilitate this, each player is awarded the full base handicap of 36 for the round.

This may seem a tough task at first, but the handicap system does mean that achieving the nine points is not a particularly arduous task for most golfers. Over nine holes, a 36 handicap equates to the receipt of two shots per hole. (As we are only playing over 9 holes, the 18 hole handicap of 36 is halved to 18). Given the Stableford scoring system of 5 points for an Albatross, 4 for an Eagle, 3 for a Birdie, 2 for a Par, one for a bogey and nothing for any other score, a decent amateur should be able, with the benefit of two shots per hole, record at least a bogey score or better on each hole, while pars and even birdies would increase the total score quickly.

A good example would therefore be a player being tested shoots a seven at a par 5. With the handicap, that would equate to a score of five, meaning they would score par for that hole and score two Stableford points. If the golfer then manages to par the next hole, a par 3, with the handicap that equates to an eagle hole-in-one and they would then score four points. Meaning that they would now have six points in total from just two holes.

Provided the player passes both the skills test and the nine-hole test, in addition to the theory aspect of the course, then they would then be awarded the Swiss AP certification.

Getting a Golf Handicap in Switzerland

Now that you have your AP certification, you can now play on Swiss golf courses, right? Well, no. Not just yet anyway. Most of the 94 golf clubs in Switzerland will only allow players onto their courses who have a valid handicap certificate and so it is important that you get yours sorted quickly. You can do this by joining a local club and presenting three cards of rounds completed at their home club, or from another club affiliated to the ASG. Your handicap will be calculated based on the minimum score at each hole from each round.

The maximum applicable handicap given to new golfers is 36, though with the submission of cards, this handicap can soon be brought down.

And so, once you have your AP certification and a shiny new official handicap, you can now enjoy the magnificent fairways and spectacular views of most of the 94 Swiss golf courses.

And best of all, you’ll be well equipped both in terms of golfing skill, etiquette and understanding to do just that and whatsmore, you’ll have the certificate to prove it!

World Number 1 Rory McIlroy is obviously a keen Tennis fan and follows the on court successes of his current squeeze Danish Tennis star Caroline Wozniacki closely. Indeed, at a recent sponsors event in the US, McIlroy leapt onto the court to play a point for his girlfriend against Maria Sharapova. The Ulsterman is also a keen soccer fan, as many European based golfers are, and is an admitted fan of Manchester United Football Club, recently having been given a signed shirt by United and England star Wayne Rooney.

English golfer Lee Westwood, a native of Worksop, is well known for his support of his local soccer team Nottingham Forest. Few fans will know though that in a recent Twitter interview, Westwood was asked what his favourite Scottish soccer team was and eschewing the tradition of picking either of the Glasgow giants, Celtic or Rangers, he elected to select lower league side Queen of the South, the reason being that Westwood’s brother in law, Scottish golf star Andrew Coltart, is also believed to be a big fan of the Glasgow based minnows.

It is also widely known that Spanish golfing enigma Sergio Garcia is a big fan of Real Madrid, the most successful soccer team in the history of the Champions League. However, what is not quite so well known is that Sergio supports another smaller team in his home country. He is the president of Spanish fourth division team CF Borriol and has not only trained with the team, but also even featured as a substitute in one of the Spanish sides matches in September 2010.  In August 2011, Garcia headed to Massachussetts to train with MLS soccer side New England Revolution ahead of the Deutsche Bank Championship.

German ace Martin Kaymer is one of a number of famous German stars, which includes former Tennis ace Boris Becker, who pledge their allegiance to Germany’s most powerful and successful soccer team FC Bayern Munich.  The German also ruffled a few feathers at the June 2010 BMW International Open when he donned a German National Team soccer shirt on the final hole. This breach of ettiquette was forgiven considering the event was held in Germany and it was during the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

The National Football League of America (or NFL) also draws huge support from many golfers. Tiger Woods is a fan of the Oakland Raiders ever since his time growing up in California, though Woods loyalty to his Basketball team may be in question, with him stating at different times he is a Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic fan.  Phil Mickelson is a fan of south California’s biggest team the San Diego Chargers, famously calling out to one fan wearing a Chargers top at one tee “Nice sweatshirt man!”.

Hunter Mahan, a long time resident of Dallas, is a professed fan of the city’s famous Cowboys football team.  Jack Nicklaus once even considered a career in football, until a family friend and legendary football coach Woody Hayes advised Jack’s father that “He’s got a real future in the game of golf… I’d keep him as far away from my game as I could.” Nicklaus however is an avid Miami Dolphins fan and has been a season ticket holder since 1966. Indeed, such is Nicklaus level of support for the ‘phins that he refuses to travel on weekends during the football season. His long time rival Arnold Palmer’s allegiance however is to the Pittsburgh Steelers, especially seeing as the golfer was a close friend of Steelers founder Art Rooney. Another famous pro golfing Steelers fan is long-time resident of Pennsylvania, Jim Furyk.

Other golfers who openly support NFL teams include Steve Stricker, who is a big fan of the Chicago Bears, despite being from Green Bay Packer country. Brad Faxon is a season ticket holder at Bill Belicheck’s New England Patriots, while Rory McIlroy admitted in a Twitter question that he loved the NFL and said that if he had to select a team to support, it would be the Rex Ryan’s New York Jets.  The Philadelphia Eagles can count on the support of Sean O’Hare, while Tim Herron is a keen supporter of the Minnesota Vikings.

Other golfers have more esoteric hobbies. Luke Donald is a keen painter while Tiger Woods is known to enjoy spear fishing. Bubba Watson lists philanthropy as one of his hobbies and encourages other wealthy golfers to divert some of their wealth to those less fortunate. Women’s golfing legend Annika Sorenstam enjoys catering professionally in her spare time.

With the amount of time devoted to traveling, touring and preparation, it is more of a surprise that the modern day professional golfer has the time and energy to devote to following other sports, but it certainly seems that golfers interest extend way beyond hitting a small white ball into a hole.

Images by Jan S0L0, pcutler, Brooks Elliott

We may not have liked the process at the time, but every rational human being will recognise that such a move is entirely necessary. Having the roads clogged up with people who have not learnt to drive, with no system in place to prevent them from doing so, would undoubtedly cause chaos, death, injury and mayhem. So we fully accept that passing our driving test is a key requisite in proving our worthiness to drive alone on the roads.

L’Autorisation de Parcours in Switzerland

And in Swizerland (as well as Austria and Germany), they have followed these same principles when it comes to playing golf - qualifying system for amateurs golfers in Switzerland or better known as L’Autorisation de Parcours (AP). If you’re based in Switzerland and are interested in obtaining your AP, then MyGolf offers a Golf Clinic Program that is the first step to get you started with your qualification.

To play golf in Switzerland you need to qualify for either a platzerlaubnis or platzreife or L’Autorisation de Parcours (AP). This document is, to all terms and effects, a golfing license that says you have undertaken and passed a course about all aspects of the golf. The course involves learning about the rules and ettiquette of the golf and then passing a written exam on the subject.

The prospective golfer then receives tuition from a PGA professional about golf, helping them develop their swing and an understanding of how to play on the golf course, so that they don’t learn any annoying golfing traits like not repairing pitch marks or indulging in slow play. In addition, the PGA professional will help them develop their game to an acceptable standard, thus getting their AP license.

Once they have completed this course, which in some cases can take as long as a year, and passed their theory test, they must then head out onto a course with a professional golf instructor in tow. The candidate will then have to demonstrate that they have full understanding of the game of golf, allied to a decent ability to play. They are marked in the Stableford format over the nine holes (of which the best six are judged). If the player scores six Stableford points, they are awarded their platzerlaubnis/L’Autorisation de Parcours.

It is important to note that examiners are not just testing golfers on their ability here. Their overall score is also affected by how they conduct themselves on the golf course. The speed they play, whether they adhere to the rules of the game and follow accepted ettiquette. This is all marked down by the instructor for the individual candidate and goes towards giving them their final grade.

For many people in the rest of the golfing world, especially the US and the UK and Ireland, the very thought of having to prove your knowledge before you go out on a course seems utterly baffling. In the UK, for example, it is taken for granted that anyone can play at a public golf course. Private golf courses may insist on guests having a proven handicap, but the vast majority do not. In the UK, the game is largely open to all who want to and can afford to play it.

You may think that the pre-qualification scheme that Switzerland’s golfers have to put up with, seems a waste of time and money.

But is it?

Why L’Autorisation de Parcours is beneficial?

There is growing evidence that the system is working.

A recently published report by KPMG into European golfing trends throughout 2011 painted a rather gloomy picture for European golf. Participation was, for the first time in many years, down by a total of 46,000 players during 2012. The UK alone lost over 40,000 golfers and other once booming markets like Sweden and Spain also saw a significant reduction in the number of people playing. The trend was the same across most of Europe, with only a few countries bucking this otherwise downward trend. Intriguingly, Austria saw no drop off in numbers, Germany saw an increase of 1.8 per cent while Switzerland saw its number of golfers climb by 4.1%.

Clearly, the qualifying system in these countries is not putting golfers off. If it was then this would clearly be evidenced in the KMPMG findings.

On the contrary,  the Swiss L’Autorisation de Parcours (AP) golf system of having a “Driver License” may well have many benefits that are perhaps being overlooked.

A quick poll of golfers from across the world will highlight some of the problems they face when playing in a weekend round of golf. Frequently, there will be problems reported to do with slow play, or a lack of course etiquette (such as failing to replace divots, repair pitch marks or walking across the line of a playing partners putt). These cause golfers an inordinate amount of frustration with the alarming regularity that they occur, even by golfers who purport to “know the rules” and have been playing for many years.

The test system would help eradicate that by instilling in players in their formative years, the need for good practice, quick play and to play using an accepted standard of etiquette. At the moment, there is no compunction to behave well out on a course for many players in the UK and US other than it being a moral obligation, or a course rule (which are frequently ignored and even less rarely enforced).

Furthermore, learning about the rules of the game can help clarify issues more quickly when a ruling is required, thus cutting down on delays and causing less stress and impatience from those playing behind you. Learning to play quickly also helps alleviate these concerns.

Best of all though, the tuition you receive from a golfing professional during the lessons you take to qualify for your license will help instill in you the good habits and techniques to become a better player. You won’t turn into the next Rory McIlroy or Bubba Watson overnight, but you will gain a basic understanding of the correct key concepts and thus develop as a player with the right habits and correct technique. This is something that many players across the UK and United States will pay a fortune in golfing lessons to develop anyway.

So far from being a disincentive to play golf, the licensing system used in several European countries seems to open up playing golf to the typical person in the saw way passing your driving tests opens up the roads to the newly qualified driver.

Evidence from KPMG suggests that while European golf markets have fallen, the game is still growing in these countries in particular. Perhaps other countries, seeking ways to help foster a thriving next generation of golfers to enjoy the game could do a lot worse than examine the Swiss model and consider using the same sound principles in their own country?

MyGolf offers a Golf Clinic Program for anyone that wants to start with their AP in Switzerland – lessons with a PGA pro and lots of fun.

Lee Westwood’s win in the Indonesian Masters  saw him close the gap on top two Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald, while stretching his lead over Bubba Watson. American golf has enjoyed a return to the top ten with the good early season form of Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Hunter Mahan seeing them establish themselves in the top ten.

Ben Curtis’ victory in the Valero Texas Open saw him move up to 156th in the World Golf Rankings and perhaps more importantly, secure him his PGA Tour Card for the next few years.  One of the biggest climbers up the rankings this year has been South African Branden Grace, who began the season 271st in the world, but after 3 wins on the tour already, the South African is now ranked 66th.

1. Rory McIlroy (N.Ire)     9.46

2. Luke Donald (Eng)        9.31

3. Lee Westwood (Eng)     8.40

4. Bubba Watson (US)      6.40

5. Hunter Mahan (US)      5.76

6. Martin Kaymer (Ger)    5.46

7. Steve Stricker (US)        5.44

8. Tiger Woods (US)          5.42

9. Phil Mickelson (US)      5.25

10. Justin Rose (Eng)        5.13

The FedEx Cup Standings

(as of April 2012 – last weeks position in brackets)

1. Hunter Mahan (US)      1,378   (1)

2. Bubba Watson (US)      1,322   (2)

3. Phil Mickelson (US)      1,136   (3)

4. Carl Pettersson (Swe)     1,111  (4)

5. Johnson Wagner (US)  1,056   (5)

6. Rory McIlroy (N.Ire)    1,045   (6)

7. Kyle Stanley (US)           964     (7)

8. Justin Rose  (Eng)         948     (8)

9. Mark Wilson (US)          932     (9)

10. Brandt Snedeker (US) 888    (10)

No change in the top ten for the FedEx Cup after the Valero Texas Open with all of the top ten maintaining their position. Indeed in the top 20 players, only John Huh (who moved from 22nd to 14th) and Matt Kuchar (who moved from 23rd to 20th) actually broke into the top 20.  The two big climbers in the rankings were Matt Every, who moved from 61st to 24th in the rankings, while winner Ben Curtis moved from 200th to 28th on the back of his victory at the Valero Open.

The Race to Dubai Standings

(Amount shown is total prize money in Euros)

1.  Rory McIlroy  (N.Ire)        1,348,517

2. Louis Oosthuizen (S.Af)    1,293,705

3. Justin Rose  (Eng)              1,257,331

4. Branden Grace (S.Af)         1,053,850

5. Peter Hanson (Swe)              986,471

6. Lee Westwood (Eng)            928,787

7. Paul Lawrie (Sco)                  640,018

8. Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel)        625,458

9. Robert Rock (Eng)                560,741

10. Charl Schwartzel (S.Af)     542,720

Ryder Cup Standings

Ryder Cup selection is determined by the top ifve point scorers on the European list, as well as the top five on the World points list who are not already in the team from the European list. As it stands, the European Team would be: McIlroy, Hanson, Kaymer, Rose, Lawrie, Westwood, Donaldo, McDowell, Garcia, Fernandez Castano plus two captains choices.

Team Europe

European Points List

1. Rory McIlroy (N.Ire)

2. Peter Hanson (Swe)

3. Martin Kaymer (Ger)

4. Justin Rose (Eng)

5. Paul Lawrie (Sco)

6. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa)

7. Sergio Garcia (Spa)

8. Lee Westwood (Eng)

9. Alvaro Quiros (Spa)

10. Michael Hoey (N.Ire)

World Points List

1. Rory McIlroy (N.Ire)

2. Lee Westwood (Eng)

3. Luke Donald (Eng)

4. Justin Rose (Eng)

5. Peter Hanson (Swe)

6. Graeme McDowell (N.Ire)

7. Martin Kaymer (Ger)

8. Sergio Garcia (Spa)

9. Paul Lawrie (Sco)

10. Gonzalo Fernandez Castano (Spa)

Team USA

Team selection is based on the top 8 point scorers from the USA Points system, with four additional picks selected by captain David Love III.

Team USA Points

1.  Bubba Watson

2. Phil Mickelson

3. Hunter Mahan

4. Keegan Bradley

5. Tiger Woods

6. Brandt Snedeker

7. Bill Haas

8. Steve Stricker

Just outside the qualifying top 8 places are:

9. Kyle Stanley

10. Johnson Wagner

11. Mark Wilson

12. Matt Kuchar

13. Jason Dufner

14. Kevin Na

Images by  Rory McIlroy Facebook Page

1. Who’s Your Caddy

by Red Mat Media  (Free, available 19th April 2012 on iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and from 1st May 2012 on Android)

Few golf apps have been as eagerly awaited as this new offering from Red Mat Media. Who’s Your Caddy is offering golfers something a little different to the normal golf-caddy app. Firstly, this golf app is free and indeed, with its revenue share program, the app promises to create partnerships between golf courses and users that will generate both income and ‘Gimmes’ – a series of free gifts from businesses in the locality- for users.  Advertisers gain exposure via the app, the users get great golf advice and tips for free, plus the ‘Gimmes’.

While this is an enticing prospect, the success of the app will depend on the Caddy Tips aspect, which has also taken a novel approach by asking golf professionals at local courses to provide video guidance to each hole. The app also supports GPS yardage.  In short, the unique advertising system means that it is a win-win-win system for everyone.

The Gorilla’s View: The app sounds hugely promising but there is a downside, obviously the app will only work in the stated format if golf courses and local businesses have signed up for it and with any new app, there is a critical tipping point where it needs a sufficient number of courses and videos available to entice enough users.

The promise is there for this app to redefine the golfing app market on Android, iPhone and iPad, but its success will depend on how much coverage the app can generate.  Currently, as of the release of the iPad and iPhone version in April, there is only support for ‘some’ course in the US, though more courses throughout the world are slated to be added ‘ASAP’.

2. Marriott Golf App

by Marriott Golf UK  (Free: available now on iPhone and Android)

Combining a weekend of golf with a luxury stay at a well known hotel has become one of the most popular ways to relax, unwind and enjoy golf in plush surroundings. Marriott Hotels in the UK have been providing these breaks for many years at each of 11 Golf Resorts around the UK.

Now guests at the resort, or those visiting for a round of golf at any of the 11 venues can now download this handy golf app to enable them to get more enjoyment out of their round of golf.

 

The app provides a detailed GPS mapping of each of the 11 golf courses, details of each hole and a selection of tips from a variety of professionals about how to play each hole. Golfers can also record their score through an interactive scorecard and the app is also linked to the Met Office database to provide accurate and up-to-the-minute 5-day weather forecasts.

The Gorilla’s View: While this app may only have limited appeal to guests and players at any one of the Marriott resorts, it is a sensible step taken by Marriott Golf UK.

The popularity of golf and smartphones means that many of their guests will be able to use this free app on course and receive detailed, relevant information. It may only be a small niche market, but with thousands of people enjoying these breaks each year, it is an app that many other golf resort chains would do well to follow the lead of.

3. Tiger Woods: My Swing

by Shotzoom Software (£2.99, $4.99 for Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch)

He’s still one of the most bankable names in World Golf and Tiger Woods: My Swing is an Apple-only app that allows you to video your own golf swing and then compare it, side-by-side, with the swing of the erstwhile Mr Woods.

Tiger also appears in the app giving analysis of the swing and introducing key aspects of how he swings the club, passing on titbits of information to the hungry golf-learner. The Woods golf app is reportedly set up to receive regular updates from the golfing superstar and is aimed at using video capture technology, to allow golfers to observe where the problems are in their swing and hopefully, rectify them.

The  Gorilla’s View: While a big name can guarantee your app all kinds of exposure, timing and quality is ultimately crucial in deciding whether the app has a long-shelf life or not. If Smartphone technology was available 10 years ago, this golf app would be the most downloaded application by a country mile.

Now, do golfers really want advice about their swing, from a golfer who is enduring very public struggles with his own? Most amateurs don’t need advice on how to smack a ball into a thicket of trees, swear profusely in frustration or kick an ‘offending club’ into the rough in temper.

In addition, its debatable whether an amateur golfer, certainly of a mid to high handicap, has the deep understanding of the technicalities of the golf swing to be able to ascertain what they are doing wrong, even when compared to Woods. They are even less likely to have the technical golf knowledge to perform the drills and practise to put it right.

As golf apps go, this is an interesting one to see how Tiger’s swing is broken down and how he swings the club. As a diagnostic tool, it has a somewhat limited appeal for mid to high handicappers, though we feel low handicap golfers would benefit more from this app. But if you are like most golfers, why would you pay £3 or $5 to watch Tiger’s swing, when you can get equally good analysis almost every week on the sports or golf channels?

We hope you enjoyed our list of New Golf Apps Releases in 2012 for iPhone, iPad and Android. Let us know what are your favorite golf apps and what kind of app would be useful for you on a golf course.

Images by Who’s Your Caddy, Marriott Golf, iTunes

Driver: Ping G20 (7.5 degree loft) with a Grafalloy Bi-Matrix shaft.

Fairway Wood: Ping G20 (16.5 degree loft) with a Projext X 8A1 shaft

Irons: Ping S59 (3 to PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold shafts

Wedges: Ping Tour-W 52 and 56 degree wedges. Ping Tour-S Rustique 64 degree wedge, all with True Temper Dynamic Gold Shafts.

Putter: Ping Redwood Answer

Ball : Titleist ProV1x

Bubba Watson – Golf Facts

1. Bubba’s famous pink driver has been so much in demand since his Masters success that Ping have announced they are to sell 5,000 copies of the G20 driver in its striking livery for around $420.

The reason Bubba’s driver is pink is to raise awareness of his current drive to raise $1m as part of his “Bubba and Friends Drive to a Million” campaign. A foundation he set up to raise funds for a variety of different charities across the US. As well as the pink driver, Bubba’s sponsors Ping have promised to donate $300 for each of the first 300 drives Watson hits over 300 yards with the driver this season to the foundation.

Additionally, Watson has decided to use how he dresses to raise funds for a wide variety of causes, his all-white attire at the Masters following on from his camo-pants at last years US Open as the first part in what he hopes will be a Bubba clothing inspired “Grand Slam Drive for Charity.”

2. Bubba’s swing is entirely self-taught. He may well not have the refined swing of a Luke Donald or Rory McIlroy, but what Bubba has, is undeniably his own.

His swing may look unconventional, but that is because Watson is entirely self-taught. Ever since his father showed him the basics of holding a club, Watson has never followed golfing convention. He’s never had a golfing lesson or analysed his swing or agonised over its form, aesthetics or efficiency. Perhaps a salutory note for some eminent players who are struggling after tinkering with theirs? Eh, Tiger?

3. What won Bubba the Masters? For all the fuss over Watson’s pink driver and legendary length from the tee, arguably it was the finesse he showed on and around the greens that saw him eventually don the Green Jacket.

The Ping 64 degree wedge in his bag hit arguably one of Augusta’s most memorable shots on the second play off hole to put Watson on the green and in prime position to win but before that it was his immaculate putting, securing a run of four birdies in four holes, that brought him into contention.

Like John Daly before him, don’t fall into thinking that Bubba is a one-trick pony who simply batters a course into submission; his all round game does not get the credit it deserves due to his imposing tee shot length and quirky swing.

4. Bubba’s not the most well-travelled golfer – It’s fair to say that Watson isn’t the most well-travelled or educated of golfers about life outside of America. He cause outrage in France with some ill-judged comments about some of the countries most outstanding monuments, not to mention the behaviour of the spectators who photographed him at the 2011 French Open.

He’s apologised since and made it good, but it will be interesting to see how Watson can adapt to his new found fame, especially the number of invitations he will get from rich tournaments across the globe and how he will adapt his game to playing in foreign climes more frequently.

5. Bubba needs a haircut – I mean come on Bubba! The straggly mullet look went out in the mid-70s and while it is not quite as bad as some of the haircuts on tour at the moment, it isn’t really doing him any favours.  Get some of your Masters winnings in your wallet and head to the barbers and get yourself a new look. Or could it be that, like Samson, Bubba derives his mystical golfing strength and ability, from the shaggy locks hanging limply from the back of his cap?

6. What’s next? Bubba’s now fourth in the world rankings and seemingly a shoe in for the Fed Ex Cup and Ryder Cup teams. He will be a formidable player in both competitions but in terms of this seasons Majors, as the only player who can still do a Grand Slam, Watson’s chances are stymied somewhat at the next two big events.

The US Open course is always tough and less forgiving than the well-manicured rough at Augusta, while the tangly wild rough at Royal Lytham will hardly be suited to Watson’s miracle escape shots. His length from the tee will mean that, if he can maintain his accuracy, he can contend but he will have to ally that to strong performances on the greens to stand any chance at these next two Majors. The USPGA though looks a better bet as conditions may well be better suited to Watson’s game.

Images by Bubba Watson Facebook Page 

There is, it seems, a stereotypical ‘perfect’ golfer who swings the club in an aesthetically pleasing way, who stays well within the conventions of the game and who embodies an idealised form of golfing perfection.

Fortunately for us all, the new Masters Champion Bubba Watson isn’t that golfer.

It wasn’t so long ago that if you asked a typical American to name someone famous from “Bagdad”, then they probably would have had Saddam Hussein atop a list of precisely one. So how has this god-fearing citizen of Bagdad, Florida become not only the newest Major champion, but also the fourth best golfer in the world and the darling of the American media?

The answer is quite simply that Bubba Watson doesn’t just break the mould of what should be a good golfer, he smashes it. Utterly and completely.

Bubba’s swing has been lampooned by many commentators for its lack of aesthetics and adherance to the accepted forms of a ‘proper’ swing, but then it is not difficult to see why Bubba’s swing is so rough and ready, when you understand that he has never had a golfing lesson in his life and is entirely self taught. Nor has he ever felt inclined to ‘review’ his swing using video. The truth is, Bubba is the perfect example of the belief that the the aesthetics of a swing matter less than its effectiveness.

And Bubba’s swing is mightily effective.

Few fans of the game will have seen a golfer drive the ball so far, so powerfully and so consistently as Bubba Watson. One eminent golfing commentator remarked at the weekend after Watson had hit another scorching 330+ yard drive, that if golf course designers took note of how far Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were hitting the ball in the mid-to-late 90′s and made adjustments accordingly, watching Watson may make them tear up their design manual and start all over again.

Yet for all  the bluster over his garish pink Ping driver and his massive distance from the tee, in truth if there was one aspect of Watson’s game that won him the Masters title, it was his play on and around the green. You don’t win any major putting poorly, as Lee Westwood is finding to his cost, and Watson was as immaculate on the greens as he was from the tee. His putting and chipping was simply first rate.

What won Watson the title however was not just his consistency when in position, but his imagination when out of it. Like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, Watson produced a shot of such ingenious complexity and difficulty at a time when it really mattered. With Louis Oosthuizen short of the green with his second shot in the second play off hole, Watson found his ball deep in the rough short of the green and way off to the right. Yet he took a sand wedge and attempted the most audacious fade around the trees, landing the ball on the green, finishing 15-feet from the hole.

That’s not just immense golfing ability, that is bravery on an epic scale and it is perhaps that attitude which has elevated Watson into the popular psyche of the American public.

There’s also a quirkier side to Watson, as his involvement with the mock-boy band the Golf Boys, alongside Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan and Ben Crane, proves. There’s also the fact that Watson spent $110,000 on his dream car. Not a Ferrari, Rolls Royce or American supercharged beast, but instead the original General Lee 1 vehicle from the Dukes of Hazzard TV series, that needed completely repairing after being damaged almost beyond repair following a stunt for the famous TV series. Watson spent 16 months and more of his hard earned cash rebuilding the car back to pristine condition.

His TV star car is perhaps the second ‘drive’ that he is most famous for!

Bubba has also courted controversy, he’s been labelled as moody and emotional by some and he upset his French hosts at the 2011 French Open by being less than complimentary about some of France’s major landmarks and people taking pictures while he played in the competition. Watson did apologise, putting it down to his inexperience abroad but stated in his defence that he was just “a golfer, not a history major”.

His tearful victory at Augusta may well have moved him into the World’s top five and elevated him to a new level in American sports, but it is heartening for so many golfers who perhaps cannot afford top coaching from a young age, who struggle with their own less than perfect swing and who may not adhere to the strict conventions of golf that there is more than one way to win a Major.

Bubba did it his way, and for that he deserves every credit and ounce of respect he is currently receiving.

Images by Bubba Watson Facebook Page 

In short, the 2012 Masters will be remembered for many different things but chief amongst them will be the emotional scenes after the second play off hole, when blubbing Bubba Watson finally realised a lifetime’s ambition.

It was not the best week for some of the games top stars. Rory McIlroy started brightly on the first two days, but had effectively discarded his chances of victory with a dreadful opening nine holes in the third round. The much vaunted showdown with Tiger Woods never materialised either as the American suffered his own woes and it was perhaps telling that the two golfers rated by many to be the likely final pairing on Sunday, both finished well down the field on a humbling 5-over par.

For world number one Luke Donald it was equally frustrating. With a game that seemed well set up for Augusta, the Englishman never got going and his final round 68 came only when he was well out of the reckoning.

Instead, it was left to some other names to forge into contention during the competition with some sublime golf. Phil Mickelson‘s back nine on his third round was arguably some of the finest golf ever witnessed on television as the likeable American treated us to a whole catalogue of magnificent drives, sublime approaches and inch perfect putting to put himself into contention for the final day. Peter Hanson too played out of his skin to lead by a single shot going into the final round.

Other players, like Louis Oosthuizen, Bubba Watson, Matt Kuchar, Lee Westwood, Padraig Harrington and Ian Poulter were sat further back in the pack, hoping for some final day drama to put them into serious contention.

We didn’t have to wait long. On the second hold, South African Louis Oosthuizen played what should know become known as “The Shot Seen Around the World“. His immaculate second shot at the par five second hole was a moment of golfing perfection. It immediately propelled him to the top of the leaderboard as Hanson and Mickelson both stuttered at the start.

Worse was to come for the American at the par three 4th just minutes later. His errant tee shot was sliced towards the grandstand, bounced off a railing and deep into a growth of bamboo to the left of the green. After identifying his ball, Mickelson tried to extract it twice and was only able to land it on the gravelly pathway in front of the bunker. His fourth shot saw him try one of his trademark flop shots, but it fell just inside the lip of the bunker. An up-and-down saw him mark a 6 onto his card.

It would be this hole that cost Mickelson the title.

Oosthuizen however remained unflappable, while not registering any birdies, the South African’s unflappable putting saw him make several critical par saves and maintain his lead. By now though, Americans Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar were making moves up the leaderboard and Englishman Lee Westwood was also pushing.

Kuchar briefly tied for the lead after eagling the 15th, but immediately following that an errant tee shot at the 16th saw him positioned well right of the flag on the 16th green and a bogey effectively put paid to his hopes of victory. Especially now that both Oosthuizen and Watson were entering the more benign section of the course following Amen Corner. Watson’s run of four birdies lifted him into a tie with the South African at the end of an enthralling days golf. They were two clear of Westwood, Kuchar, Mickelson and Hanson in joint third.

For Westwood in particular, this was another bittersweet Major moment; tee to green no player in the field could match the Englishman throughout the four rounds, but as Westwood admitted himself, he did not hole a putt all week. A missed Eagle at the 15th on the final day and a litany of 15 foot and under putts missed meant that despite playing the best golf tee-to-green all week by a considerable margin, the Worksop born world number 3 had to be content once again with a place inside the top ten.

The first play off hole saw both Watson and Oosthuizen make comfortable pars, Watson having a putt on the 18th green to take the win but incredulous at the ball not taking what he perceived to be the borrow. The 10th would be the second play off hole and Watson made the first mistake; another huge drive but this time well right of the fairway, his ball bounding down the well trodden pine straw a country mile, but also well right of the green and seemingly leaving him little option but to chip out.

In response, Oosthuizen’s calm demeanour deserted him. He too struck the ball wide right, but fortune was on the South African’s side, his ball clattered into a tree and came to rest in the semi-rough. He was 230+ yards away from the green, but it seemed he held a distinct advantage.

In the end, the two shots that effectively decided the play off came next. Oosthuizen played first but seemed to catch his shot a little too fat. His ball fell surprisingly short of the green. An error without doubt, but perhaps not catastrophic considering Watson’s position.

In response, Watson created his own moment of Masters magic. Barely 130 yards from the green, Watson attempted an audacious left to right draw with his sand iron. It was executed to perfection, landing on the green, spinning left and ending up around 15 feet from the flag.

Oosthuizen’s disappointing chip from off the green sealed his fate. The ball running well past the hole and almost off the back of the green and when the South African just missed his par putt, his fate was effectively sealed. Watson had two putts from 15 feet to win and took them to take the green jacket.

The emotional finale was a fitting end to a rollercoaster week at Augusta.

Images by Bubba Watson Facebook Page

Many decide that to shake off a little of the winter rustiness, a trip to the driving range is an ideal way to get back into the swing. This is certainly a good idea, but how effective it is depends very much on how you elect to spend your time at the golf range.
So if you are trying to rediscover your swing from last golf season, or just want to spend your time on the range more productively, then take a look at the following Gorilla Golf Blog golf hints and tips.

1. Record your golf performance

Whether you have an iPad or iPhone crammed with the latest golf apps, or just a simple notebook and pen, a great piece of advice is to take it with you to the range and note down your golf performance. Record how far you are hitting each of your clubs and don’t be tempted to write the longest shot with each club down.

Take a minimum of ten shots with each club over the course of each visit and work out what is the typical distance you hit. Understanding how far you can accurately hit each club most often is the key to excellent on-course management and time spent at the range working on this can prove invaluable during the season. You can even use some apps to record your swing and help monitor performance that way too.

2. Don’t get driver-fever

We have all been the range and witnessed the golfer take a bag full of golf clubs out of the car, buy 100 balls, then proceed to hit 90 shots with the driver. It may be the longest and perhaps most impressive club in the bag you like to hit, but on any given round, you may only use the driver for a maximum of 18 shots and in reality, it will likely be much less than this.

EVERY club in your bag deserves equal attention, not just the longest. Spread your time and the balls you buy equally between all the clubs in your bag and don’t succumb to driver-fever to simply make yourself feel better. You may improve your driving, but being accurate with 10-14 shots per round at the expense of all other shots, is a false economy.

3. Always warm up well and start with a few pitch shots

If you have barely lifted a finger for several months and hit the range, the last thing you want to do is grab a driver, place a ball down and swing at it in a frenzy without any warm up whatsoever. It is incredibly easy to strain, pull or even tear muscles and ligaments in the shoulder, arms or legs if you have not warmed up properly.

Give your muscles a light stretch before starting, swing a couple of clubs gently without hitting the ball and then when you are ready, start with a few gentle three-quarter pitch shots to start the swing flowing again. Not only will you reduce injury, but the fact these are nice, easy shots to hit will likely result in better results and put you mentally in a better state of mind for the rest of the session too.

4. Get your toes sandy

Bunkers are the nemesis of many a golfer but they needn’t be. It is one of the fallacies of golf that bunker play is especially difficult – it is only difficult if you don’t spend enough time practising it. Almost all ranges will have a facility to practice bunker shots and it is important that you do not forget this.

Take time in each session to head over to this area and hit some bunker shots. Remember, you can adapt each shot, you can play from a nice fluffy sandy lie, or a shot where the ball is impacted deep in the sand. Try delicate shots where the flag is close to the bunker, and harder struck longer shots where the flag is a considerable distance away. Time spent in the bunker practising is a sure fire way to eradicate those annoying fluffed bunker shots from your score.

5. Putt, Putt and Putt some more

Like it or not, the easiest way most golfers of mid to high handicap can shave shots of their round is with the most critical club in the bag in their hand – their putter. In a typical round, putting can take up anywhere from between a third, to almost a half of all shots on a round. Therefore, it is an aspect of your game that should be a number one priority and you should spend a proportionate amount of time at the range working on it. Hitting your clubs for almost an hour and then five minutes on the putting green is not ideal – spend 30 mins with your clubs, 10 in the bunker and 20 on the putting green.

Remember also, you rarely putt from the same position on the same green twice in consecutive rounds. Alter the position of your putt to change the dynamics of each shot. It is no use being able to get the ball into the hole on every third attempt as in real life, you only have one. Work on the mechanics of your putting, getting the ball stone dead from distance and particularly work on sinking those tricky 3-6 footers.

The range is a great facility for improving your game, but only if you work smartly while you are there. Don’t fall into the trap of hitting shots simply to show off your prowess to others or because it feels good. Often it is the aspects of your game that don’t feel good that need the most work and will cost you shots out on the course. They are the areas you need to focus on to become a better, all-round golfer.

Images by Gorilla Golf Blog

Certainly, the weight of pressure has been lifted from Tiger’s shoulders. Carrying that monkey on his back over the last 12 months in particular has seemingly weighed him down at times.

That’s why few people will begrudge him his “f*** yeah!” explosion of delight as his approach to the last at 18 landed safely on the green missing the water, handing Woods the formality of putting out for a relatively easy win.

“It’s been tough and today was unbelievable,” stated Woods after his victory was confirmed.

“It feels good.

“It has been a lot of hard work and I’m so thankful for a lot of people helping me.”

“I am excited by the Masters,” he revealed. “It’s always good to play there, always fun. The things I have been wroking on are all coming together at the right time.”

The victory was Woods’ 72nd PGA Tour title and the seventh time that he has enjoyed victory at Bay Hill and his return to the winners circle has already sent press and pundits into overdrive stating that now Woods is once again the man to beat and that his return to the summit of golf is a mere formality.

But let’s just gain some perspective here, shall we?

Three weeks ago, Rory McIlroy was untouchable. He’d just been anointed the new World Number 1, golfers rushed to proclaim that this was now the era of McIlroy and that every other golfer may as well take up throwing clay on potters wheels instead of trying to beat the Northern Irishman.

Only then last week Luke Donald won, and reclaimed the top spot in the world just seven days after he lost it.

So now, a week later, Woods win somehow means that he is, in the paraphrased words of Justin Rose, likely to dominate golf all over again?

Certainly the response from the bookmakers has been verging on hysterical. Woods is now the favourite to win in Augusta, ahead of McIlroy, Donald, Westwood, Stricker, Kaymer.  Woods has also moved back into the World’s top 10 after his victory. The expectation seems to be that Woods winning a major this year is a formality, all he needs to do is turn up and it will happen.

That to me seems stretching faith in Woods ability to breaking point. Certainly, he has shown better form in recent weeks and months, but lets not forget, he did win the 18-man field Chevron in the winter, but hardly set the world alight following that win. Woods was playing at Bay Hill, a course he has enjoyed great success on in the past and which he knows well, seeing as he lives so close to the course.

If an event was ever likely to see Woods return to the winners circle, it was the Arnold Palmer Invitational.  The course suits him, the conditions suit him. In essence, it is almost home field advantage for Tiger. So, is it so surprising he won? Not really, he is too good not to and Bay Hill provided the perfect opportunity for him to do so and Woods took that.

To translate that however into the notion that Woods is now once again almost unbeatable is stretching credibility. Having watched a lot of golf over the 924 days since Woods last won, I know who I think has a better chance of winning at The Masters in April and in the other Major Championship events this season, and it isn’t Woods.

His putting is still not there, his driving is still dreadfully erratic and while both are improving, he is nowhere near his imperious and consistent best.

The hysteria surrounding Woods also belittles the form of players like Steve Stricker, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy who have provided ample evidence in the last two and half years that they have what it takes to win a Major. In Kaymer and McIlroy’s case, actually proving so.

So, it is great that Tiger has won again, but let’s not go overboard here. It is the first step in his return, he’s a welcome return to the Golf Rankings top ten, he is the most talented player of this and perhaps any generation, but this isn’t the second coming just yet. If this is the dawn of the new Tiger Woods era then lets not forget, that there are a lot of very, very good players out there nowadays who can match Tiger on his day.

And in the eyes of some, there’s an Irishman with at least as much raw talent and potential and who, last time I checked, had won more events, was higher ranked and had won a major far more recently than Woods.

Images by Gorilla Golf Blog, Keith Allison