Golf Traders Newsletter, 26/02/13

Hello Golfers, This week we shall be featuring a local young gun, who on his current form should make it all the way to the PGA tour. We will have our usual what's in the bag section featuring Kiwi tour pro player Danny Lee, a review on an excellent golf game app that brings out the PGA Tour star in all of us, and an excellent pro tip for your game. So get ready for another fun filled, fact finding instalment of our newsletter!

Sneak Peak To compliment our pro tip this week, our in-house custom club fitting service can carry out your repairs and fittings very promptly and efficiently, in most cases while you wait. There are several great cafe's to sit down and enjoy a coffee or food whilst you wait. We are always ready for your custom fitting requirements and our quality and service is second to none, so the next time you need some new grips, additional layers of tape or a re-shaft, pop in and see us or call us on 02 9517 3471 for a great price. Golf Traders will always have a warm welcome for you.

Young Gun Shooting for the stars? Ricky Kato finished 2011 as Australia’s number one junior golfer and now the Balgowlah Boys Campus student has been recognised as one of the world’s top four juniors. Kato, 17, flew to Texas to receive the award at the PGA Tour’s Byron Nelson Championship event. He is the first Australian to be one of the four annual recipients in the Byron Nelson International Junior Golf Awards’ five-year history. “It was a pretty big honour,” the 2012 Tasmanian Open winner said. “It’s good to know that I’m up there and I can actually make it.” But it was the chance meeting to have lunch with one of Australia’s top young professional golfers that further reassured Kato of what lies ahead if he keeps up his progress. “I had a chat with Jason Day for about 20 minutes,” the Australian Golf Club member said. “We just talked about how he progressed when he was turning pro and how when I won the Australian All Schools Championships winner (last year) he did it six years ago. “He also asked what my plans were.” Kato, poised to be the next poster boy of Australian golf, hasn’t decided when he intends to turn professional full time but said he feels he will be more than up for the challenge when he does. “There’s no pressure on me because I’ve played in some pro tournaments,” the 2011 Junior World Championships runner-up said. “It’s not like it’s my first time being up there on the big stage ... I’ve experienced it. “If I get another chance I think I can pull it off, I’ve just got to keep doing what I can do.” And whenever Kato does turn professional, he’s confident his best asset is one all golfers would like. “My strength is probably my consistency,” he said. “I’m always up there.”

What's in the bag Name: Danny Lee Age: 23 Career Wins: 2 Clubs: Callaway Driver: X Hot Pro Driver Fairway Woods: Razr Fit Irons: RAZR X Muscleback Irons Danny Lee turned professional after playing in the 2009 Masters. As an amateur in February of 2009, Danny won the Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia, becoming the youngest player ever to win a PGA European Tour sanctioned event. Danny uses an Odyssey putter. In 2011, he earned his first career Nationwide Tour win at the WNB Golf Classic and finished sixth on the Nationwide Tour money list to secure a PGA Tour card for 2012. In 2008, he won the U.S. Amateur Championship at Pinehurst, becoming the youngest player to win the event and earning a spot in that '09 Masters. He was also the first Korean-born player to win the U.S. Amateur. One week before that victory he competed in the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship in North Carolina and finished tied for 20th. Danny was born in Korea and moved to New Zealand with his family at the age of 12.

Tiger Woods PGA Golf See how you stack up with real PGA TOUR pros like Tiger Woods, Anthony Kim, Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis, Paul Casey, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson, and Camilo Villegas. Even create your own male or female golfer with more custom options than ever. Play a quick solo round, go head-to-head via Wifi or Bluetooth multiplayer, or enter PGA TOUR Mode. Take on the TIGER CHALLENGE and casually hone your skills with over 20 mini-games and unlock special prizes! Then, shoot it out with Facebook friends in the innovative “Closest to the Pin” challenges featured on selected holes throughout the game. This game has it all, play the game the way it should be played. Be warned it is very addictive, costs less than a cup of a coffee, and the buzz will keep you going for a long time. Enjoy!

Mistaken Identity When playing in competition round, make sure you mark your ball with a unique identification mark, using a permanent marker. The idea is to be able to instantly recognise your ball in any given situation, avoid a penalty stroke for playing someone else's ball.

HOT PICKS

Callaway FT Tour 9.5° Driver Aldila Voodoo Stiff Flex + Cover - New

Callaway X Tour 3-PW Irons Dynamic Gold S300 Stiff Flex

Callaway Big Bertha Steelhead III 3 Wood System III Firm Graphite Flex

Old clubs? We'll buy them from you... Golf Traders and The Custom Golf Shop have joined forces to offer customers another fantastic service. With the golf season in full swing and Christmas just passed, we all have clubs that are being made redundant every day. Instead of letting them collect dust in the garage, turn them into cash... or at least let them go some way to buying the new clubs you so desperately need. View all of our stock here or come in store and have a shot on our Triple Surround Simulator to try before you buy! The Custom Golf Group 24 Burleigh Street Burwood, NSW 2134 Australia thecustomgolfshop.com.au Find us on Twitter

PRO TIP: Grip pressure This is something we all get wrong from time to time. When we are under pressure, feeling tired or lacking in confidence, our grip pressure should remain the same from the first shot in the round to the last. The ideal amount of pressure you should impart is a similar feeling to holding the steering wheel of a motor vehicle. Another example would be if you were holding a golf club and I came up to you I should be able to pull the club out of your hands quite easily. If this is not the case you are probably holding on too tight. By holding the club too tight, you are not allowing the bigger muscles in your back and shoulders to work hard, in order to generate power and thus generate distance. David Fearns (PGA) Golf Traders

Golf Traders Newsletter, 20th February 2013

Hello Golfers, Well another week has literally just flown us by. Currently the media are having a field day with all the press about sports stars committing crimes or being involved in organised crime gangs or betting syndicates. Interesting times ahead for sport, the stakes have never been higher so I guess people will do whatever it takes to win. On a more positive note the Victorian Open commences on Thursday 21st February at 13th Beach Barwon Heads, Victoria. If you are able to attend the event I would definitely recommend going along and tickets are only $5 for the day. If you get the opportunity to play 13th beach it is a great course, with undulating greens and tall wispy rough sweeping alongside the fairways in the wind, players at all levels will be tested and rewarded at such a fine venue.

Sneak Peak The back-room staff at Golf Traders HQ have been working overtime in order to get as much equipment listed onto our online stores as humanly possible. Last week I mentioned we would break the 600 item mark, well I was well off the mark there. We will soon have over 700 items listed on our online stores. We are always ready for any deal that comes into the shop and we can give you a quotation price for your equipment on the spot. Adding to this, we offer a very comprehensive club repair service for our customers. Our quality and service is second to none, so the next time you need some new grips or a re-shaft, pop in and see us or call us 02 9517 3471 for a great price. Golf Traders will always have a warm welcome for you.

Office Golf Dreaming of Golf at the office? Dreaming of golf all day, hunched over the screen looking up great places to play, or booking that weekly round online at your local club! Well don't fret, many of us are in the same boat. My old mate used to practice his golf grip whilst driving to work, forming a perfect v with his thumb and index fingers on the wheel! Other friends swivel in their chairs practising their shoulder turns, and others recap about where they went wrong over the previous weekends round. If you find yourself in this state, try and make it work for you. Maybe try and practice your swing at the desk on the chair, this will engage your core muscles. Maybe try and think where you could of saved a few shots last weekend or even devise games in the office and get others involved. Because everyone at the office likes a distraction or two during the day, and who knows you may even win over the boss.

What's in the bag Name: Luke Donald Age: 35 Career PGA Tour wins: 4 European PGA Tour wins: 7 Clubs: Mizuno Driver: Taylor Made RocketBallz DriverFairway Woods: RocketBallz Tour FairwayWedges: Mizuno MP T4 Wedge Putter: Odyssey White Hot XG #7 Putter Irons: Mizuno MP 64 Irons Luke Donald has previously spent over 100 weeks in the world's top 10 and reached the top of the world rankings in May 2011. Luke turned pro back in 2001, he became only the 11th PGA Tour rookie in history to earn over $1 million in his first season. Donald became the first Englishman to win the PGA Player of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year awards in 2011 finishing the season as leading money winner on both the PGA & European Tours tour’s. A feat never previously achieved. Donald has a multi-year sponsorship deal with Mizuno and his ground breaking year lifted Mizuno's profile to new heights on both sides of the Atlantic.

Cheap Handicap! This is modern day dilemma. How do I retain my handicap without spending a fortune on membership that I use twice a year. Well it's no secret many Golf Clubs have introduced lifestyle or similar memberships whereby you can gain a club membership for around $179 in some cases, and this gives you a golf link handicap and rights to play in open comps around your state. In NSW for example The Links Shell Cove has such an offer and many players are taking it up as it can potentially save them thousands of dollars, plus you get the chance to play different courses every time you want to play. Shell Cove Lifestyle membership

HOT PICKS

Odyssey White Hot Tour #7H Putter 35" + Cover

Mizuno MPT Series Forged Black NI 51º Gap Wedge 51/06 S300 Stiff Flex

Mizuno MP-64 3 Iron Dynamic Gold S300

Old clubs? We'll buy them from you... Golf Traders and The Custom Golf Shop have joined forces to offer customers another fantastic service. With the golf season in full swing and Christmas just passed, we all have clubs that are being made redundant every day. Instead of letting them collect dust in the garage, turn them into cash... or at least let them go some way to buying the new clubs you so desperately need. View all of our stock here or come in store and have a shot on our Triple Surround Simulator to try before you buy! The Custom Golf Group 24 Burleigh Street Burwood, NSW 2134 Australia thecustomgolfshop.com.au Find us on Twitter

PRO TIP: Warm Up How many times do we get to the course and walk straight onto the tee and become very disappointed that we haven't smashed a great drive down the fairway, or hit the perfect fade onto the green!](http://www.golftraders.com.au/news.php) Well there is no other way to say it, get yourself warmed up before you start. Spending 5 minutes in a practice net hitting balls and 5 minutes on the putting green will put you in a far better position to hit good shots from the start. So remember for your next game get there 10 minutes early ahead of your friends and see the difference it makes to your round. David Fearns (PGA) Golf Traders

Golf Traders Newsletter, 16/02/13

Hello Golfers, Another week of politics, big headline news stories about performance enhancing drugs and cheating on a grand scale, when will it all end. As we previously mentioned in our newsletter golf is still one of the very few sports at an elite or even social level, where the players score and officiate themselves. Golfers more often than not penalise themselves for indiscretions because they know it is the right thing to do and that by cheating, they are only cheating themselves. There have been almost no recorded cases of any pro golfer being banned for taking performance enhancing drugs, there was one infamous case when unheralded American Doug Barron became the first player to be banned by the PGA Tour for taking performance-enhancing drugs. The 40-year-old was given a one-year suspension. He was the first professional to fail a drugs test since the PGA and European Tours began their anti-doping programs in July 2008. Sneak Peak Golf Traders has recently taken delivery of new stock items that have yet to appear on our Golf Traders online store. At present we simply cannot keep up with demand for our quality used equipment, making our task of updating our sites very challenging. Very recently we had over 600 items in our online store, with our current back log yet to be listed expect that 600 number to be eclipsed. We are always trading stock both online and in-store so why not come in and see us at our new home if you happen to live in or near the Sydney area or visit us online. Golf Traders will always have a warm welcome for you. Trump Card Trump submits plan for second golf course Donald Trump, has submitted plans for a second course at his controversial golf resort on Scotland’s northeast coast, despite a battle with Scottish authorities over a proposed offshore wind power complex nearby. Residents and other locals alike have been ignored to comply with the aims of those who have a political investment in the 'success' of the site. The environment has been destroyed and a huge reduction in the bio diversity of the site has taken place along with a significant level of threats and intimidation, not just to those of us who live there but to anyone coming into the area with a view to recording what is actually happening. The local media have taken a very biased and unrepresentative position, going so far as to produce a poll that states 80 per cent of the population support the development. Mr Trump said: “Unprecedented demand to play our championship course has accelerated our plans to build the second course.” Mr Trump has complained that the view from his golf courses will be spoilt by the planned European offshore wind deployment centre, a £230m joint venture between the utility Vattenfall, engineering firm Technip and the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group. Has he played his trump card yet? What's in the bag Name: Bubba Watson Age: 34 Career PGA Tour wins: 4 Clubs: Ping Driver: G25 Driver Fairway Woods: G25 Fairway Wood Wedges: Tour S Wedge Putter: Redwood Anser Putter Bubba Watson who turned pro in 2003 shot to fame with victory in the 2012 Masters Tournament which saw hime rocket up the World Rankings to no.4. It was his 1st Major win and there were emotional scenes on the 10th green after his play off against Louis Oosthuizen. Bubba is one of only a small minority of left-handed golfers on the pro tour. The 34-year-old is regarded as having the longest drive on the PGA Tour and is one of the few tour pros to be able to hit a golf ball over 350 yards in distance. In order to generate those staggering ball speeds of up to 194mph Watson endorses Ping clubs and equipment. If you want an authentic Bubba Watson driver the Florida-born ace uses the PING G20 driver with great effect. Keep your clubs safe With the golf season in full swing, many well known and established golf clubs can become a target for thief's who quite often brazenly stroll into locker rooms and the like to steal your prized belongings right from under your nose. When you have competed your round, please make sure that you store your clubs away promptly in your locker or your car. If you intend to leave them in the car for a period of time make sure to cover them up so prying eyes cannot get a glimpse and discourage any unwanted attention. HOT PICKS Ping G20 10.5º Driver TFC 169D Tour Stiff Flex + Cover Ping Tour Black Dot 56º Sand Wedge Z-Z65 Steel Shaft Wedge Flex - LH Ping Anser 4 Milled Green Dot 34" Heel-Shafted Putter Old clubs? We'll buy them from you... Golf Traders and The Custom Golf Shop have joined forces to offer customers another fantastic service. With the golf season in full swing and Christmas just passed, we all have clubs that are being made redundant every day. Instead of letting them collect dust in the garage, turn them into cash... or at least let them go some way to buying the new clubs you so desperately need. View all of our stock here or come in store and have a shot on our Triple Surround Simulator to try before you buy! The Custom Golf Group 24 Burleigh Street Burwood, NSW 2134 Australia thecustomgolfshop.com.au Find us on Twitter PRO TIP: Know your distances An interesting thought occurred to me during the week. Many amateurs like to state how far they hit the ball with a certain club, usually the driver! If you want to really progress your game I suggest you take an afternoon out at the range and hit about 6-8 balls with each of your irons working your way from the wedge to the 1 iron (if you still carry one). What you are setting out to do is record the average distance for each club in a small notebook, on your smartphone or in your head. Use this information the next time you are out on the course, distance markers are usually quite accurate so trust the distances and even more importantly know exactly what club YOU NEED to hit, and not the club your playing partner used. This information will save you many shots over successive competition rounds both at home and away courses. David Fearns (PGA) Golf Traders