Once in a Blue Moon...

Hello Golfers, Hope you managed to get some golf time into your long weekend (WA readers, your Queens Birthday long weekend falls on 30th September) the weather was quite kind to us all. Well it seems that for once in a blue moon, the NSW blues got up in the first game to hold the series advantage. Judging by the reactions in the newspapers and media, relief was a common emotion amongst many fans and supporters.

Image: News.com.au

Busy (Golfer) Bees Learn Good Management From Bees, Golfers & Caddies It seems that from recent studies caddies and golfers alike have good attributes for management at many levels. In the case of the caddy, they seem to have a degree in just about every social science going, or so it seems. Having to manage your star employer around the golf course and even off it at times, must take magnificent social skills that Mark Zuckerberg and many of his cronies could only dream of. “Caddies don’t just carry around a pro-golfer’s bag. They spend hours doing course research so they can suggest which club to use on each shot,” writes Eric Barton in Leader Board. Sometimes, the caddie suggests a shot and it goes all wrong. But it’s rare for a golfer to place blame on his caddie or regret delegating such a big decision. That’s largely because the relationship is built on trust and letting go of control of the important tasks. All too often managers hand out the measly assignments to the people who work for them, keeping the best or key tasks as their own. It’s human nature, we want to be responsible for our own professional fates. But the most effective delegators hand down the good assignments and support employees while they figure out how to complete them. Develop and hire people you trust. Trust your caddy, as they are handing you the best assignment(s).

Golf Boom in WA Western Australia will host three consecutive weeks of golf at the highest level during October 13 with the PGA Tour of Australasia today announcing further schedule details. Offering total prize money of over $2.1 million, the three week swing will again ensure the spotlight is firmly on the west, with planning now well underway for each of the WA Goldfields PGA Championship, WA Open and previously announcedPerth International. “Culminating with the Perth International, last year’s West Australian tournaments were an outstanding success, and our players are all looking forward to returning in 2013,” said Brian Thorburn, CEO of the PGA of Australia, which oversees the Tour. The action will kick off with the $110,000 WA Goldfields PGA Championship to be contested from October 3-6. Kalgoorlie Golf Course will host the championship for the second year of a three year agreement, the tournament set to capitalise on the success of 2012. From Kalgoorlie, the PGA Tour of Australasia will head to Perth and Mt. Lawley Golf Club for the prestigious WA Open Championship, also to be contested for $110,000. The tournament will be positioned as a lead in to the Perth International, with Gary Thomas, Chief Executive of Golf WA, saying the scheduling will create additional opportunities for the tournament. “On behalf of Golf WA, we are delighted to be returning to Mt Lawley Golf Club and also thrilled that the Open will be in the week immediately prior to the Perth International, which we are confident will ensure a very strong field of both Amateurs and Professionals,” said Thomas. “With the PGA, Open and Perth International all in consecutive weeks, the entire WA golf industry is looking forward to three weeks of quality golf during October.” The Perth International will be contested at Lake Karrinyup Country Club from October 17-20.

US OPEN PREVIEW Merion Golf Club's 6,996-yard East Course in Ardmore, 11 miles west of Philadelphia, will be the shortest US Open layout - and the first below 7,000 yards - for nearly a decade. But the blend of short and long holes, challenging greens, deep bunkers, penal rough and unique wicker baskets instead of flags have attracted the US Open back for the first time since 1981. "This place is just magical," said Mike Davis, the USGA executive director. "In so many ways, it's historical. It's an architectural treasure. From a golf standpoint, I think you could easily say it's a landmark." But after Australian David Graham won the 1981 US Open at Merion, few thought the championship would be back. Mini Merion was seen as too short for golf's burgeoning power game. It seems that the locals are responding to the situation and offering their own homes for the duration of the championship to players and officials. Other facilities such as the players' lounge and practice range will be a mile down the road at Merion's West Course.

What's in the bag 2012 Name: Fredrik Jacobson Age: 38 Professional Wins: 4 Clubs: Callaway Driver: Callaway Razr Fit Driver Fairway Wood: Big Bertha Diablo Wedge: X Forged Wedge Jacobson turned professional in 1994 and was a member of the European Tour in 1995 and from 1997 to 2004. In 2003 he won his first European Tour title, and went on to claim two more victories that season. His fourth place finish on the Order of Merit that year equalled Anders Forsbrand's Swedish record set in 1992, and was the first Swede to win three official money events in one season on the European Tour. In 2004, he joined the PGA Tour. Jacobson won his first PGA Tour title in 2011 at the Travelers Championship. He beat Ryan Moore, who missed a short four footer at the 72nd hole which would have gotten him into a playoff with Jacobson, but instead settled for a tie with John Rollins one shot behind. During the week, Jacobson went 63 holes bogey-free until the difficult par four 10th on Sunday where he made a bogey five. He hit 100% of the fairways during rounds three and four.

Joyning the Senior Tour? Age no barrier for Joyner PGA Touring Professional, Glenn Joyner visited Kalgoorlie in the early stages of his career to play the then referred to - sand courses. Almost twenty years later, he re-visited Kalgoorlie for the course’s first ever Professional tournament, the WA Goldfields PGA Championship, on a pristine two-year-old Graham Marsh layout. “It’s amazing. I came here about 20 years ago and played the other golf courses with the sand scrapes, and to see this is just incredible. Graham Marsh has done an absolutely outstanding job,” said Joyner post round. “It just makes you wonder how they get that green grass to grow on that red dirt.” At age 48, Joyner is one of the oldest players in the PGA Tour of Australasia field, but yet still one of the best ball strikers you will ever see. Glenn shot a 4-under 68, at the event to set a new course record at the Kalgoorlie Golf Course. “I’ve been coaching at Yarra Yarra for the last four and a half years, and just this year I decided to get back into playing,” said Joyner. “I’ve played the Tour for 20 years and I’ve now given myself three years to get back into it and get ready to have a crack at the senior’s tours when I turn 50.” A win at Kalgoorlie now guarantees the winner some much needed Official World Golf Ranking points.

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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: Knock Em In When you get to the course and you find yourself with little or no time, make sure above all else that you throw 3 or 4 balls onto the putting green and practice those short putts. You know the ones, they spoil the beer after the game and leave you thinking of what could of been, instead of looking towards the next weeks play. Practice three foot putts to avoid three putting out on the course and save your score from those gremlins that nag you afterwards. Happy golfing

David Fearns (PGA) Golf Traders

Record Breaker...

Hello Golfers, Winter is officially here now with a vengeance, although for some it has been lurking around for a little while. All the talk about town at the moment is about the upcoming first origin game on Wednesday night, which is being billed as an absolute blockbuster. I was fortunate enough on Sunday night to witness the entire blues team exiting the restaurant adjacent to ours and judging by their swagger, you would never believe they were gearing up for a gigantic battle on Wednesday night!

Anchors Away! Golf's two ruling bodies will ban the anchoring of putters in competition from 1 January, 2016. The R&A and the US Golf Association first unveiled plans last year which were supported by the European Tour but not the PGA Tour. The ban will apply to any club rested against a part of the body, such as the broom-handle or the belly putters. Four of the last six major winners have used anchor putters, most recently Adam Scott at this year's Masters in April. Rule 14-1b In making a stroke, the player must not anchor the club, either "directly" or by use of an "anchor point." Note 1: The club is anchored "directly" when the player intentionally holds the club or a gripping hand in contact with any part of his body, except that the player may hold the club or a gripping hand against a hand or forearm. Note 2: An "anchor point" exists when the player intentionally holds a forearm in contact with any part of his body to establish a gripping hand as a stable point around which the other hand may swing the club. Rule 14-1b, which was proposed on 28 November, has now been given final approval by the R&A and the USGA following an extensive review by both organisations, and prohibits anchoring the club in making a stroke. A 90-day consultation process was allocated for consideration of comments and suggestions. The USGA dealt with approximately 2,200 individual responses, and around 450 comments from 17 countries were received by the R&A. The PGA Tour, who said in February there was "no overriding reason" to ban putter anchoring, said they would have discussions with their Player Advisory Council and Policy Board members over the next month. "We will now begin our process to ascertain whether the various provisions of Rule 14-1b will be implemented in our competitions and, if so, examine the process for implementation,"  a PGA Tour statement said. "We will announce our position regarding the application of Rule 14-1b to our competitions upon conclusion of our process and we will have no further comment on the matter until that time." "If the decision is made I think everyone should follow it. You can't have everywhere banning it and then one tour doesn't. "There are already too many things going on so I think we should all go with it, I'm sure the guys affected by it will figure a way." Sergio Garcia

2013 State Of Origin NSW has claimed the 2013 State of Origin in thrilling fashion after some final hole heroics, defeating Queensland 16 matches to 14 at Newcastle Golf Club. Leading 9.5 – 8.5 heading into the singles matches, NSW got off to a really fast start with Amy Chu defeating Caitlin Cotterill 5&4. Rebecca Kay answered back for Queensland with a 4&3 victory over Doey Choi to cut the margin to 1 match once again. Then came the turning point as NSW got out of jail on the final hole on numerous occassions. Chris Fan made a brilliant birdie on the last, nearly pitching in from 40m out to square his match against Josh Wellwood. Josh Armstrong hit the final green in 2, to set up a birdie and win the match 2 up against Bailey Knoll, and Celina Yuan spun her approach shot to within 5 feet, her birdie putt doing a full 360* lap of honour before dropping in to give her a come from behind 1up victory over Karis Davidson. Three final hole birdies got NSW to 14 points and within sight of victory, but Queensland closed the gap once more. Kate Law stormed home to beat Jess Lasky. DeeDee Russell came from 2 down through 10 holes to defeat Lizzie Elmassian 3&2, and Shae Wools-Cobb defeated Grant Booth 1up after Grant’s drive found the bushes on the 18th. Blake Windred steadied the ship for NSW, with a narrow victory over Kodie Koski and that left the score at 15-13 with the 17 years matches still on course. Mia Martin was 3 up with 3 to play on Nicha Jomjaturong, whilst Cameron Davis was 3 up with 5 to play on Ryan Gaske, but it wasn’t over yet. Nicha managed birdies on the 16th and 17th to close the gap to 1 down, but her birdie putt from 8 feet on the last sat on the edge of the hole, and Mia hung on for victory. Cameron secured the outright victory for NSW when he won the 16th hole to go 2 up with 2 to play, but Ryan extended the match with a birdie on the 17th. The last hole was halved, leaving Cameron 1 up, and giving NSW the title 16-14. A big thankyou to all 24 players, rules officials and the GNGF staff and volunteers for making the week a very enjoyable one.

Website Update We recently updated our Golf Traders website to include a direct link to our eBay store. In order to supply and maintain our customer service levels we made this step to improve stock control, pricing and stock availability to our valued customers. We can also still take payment over the phone, by direct deposit or in-store for any of your orders.

What's in the bag 2012 Name: Ben Curtis Age: 27 Professional Wins: 4 Clubs: Titleist Fairway Wood: 910Fd Irons: AP1 712 Wedges: Spin Milled C-C 200 Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Ben Curtis entered the The Open Championship at Royal St George's in 2003 as a 300–1 outsider, defying the odds to win the tournament by one stroke from Thomas Bjørn and Vijay Singh on the final day. The 2003 Open Championship was Curtis' first appearance in a major; he became the first golfer since Francis Ouimet in the 1913 U.S. Open to win his major championship debut. After his victory, Curtis jumped from 396th in the world rankings to 35th, the highest jump for any person. This victory and a solid first season on the PGA Tour led to Curtis' being named the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year for 2003.

BBC Image copyright Record Breaker Andrew Dodt makes European Tour history with two holes-in-one, Dodt has become the first man in European Tour history to record two holes-in-one in the same round. The 27-year-old achieved the feat on the 11th and 16th holes at the Nordea Masters in Stockholm on Friday. It helped Dodt card 65 to make the cut and finish two-under-par, 11 shots behind leader Matteo Manassero. "I can't get my head around it. I'm pretty proud to be the first one to do it." He was given a box of champagne by the tournament sponsors and continued: "The shot at the 11th kick-started things. I didn't putt very well today so I'm glad I was able to hole with a long club."

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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: Tee it High, let it fly With the deep-faced drivers on the market today, make sure to use a longer than standard tee peg. Make sure the ball is positioned off the left instep (for right-handed golfers). If you tee it up too far back in your stance the tendency is to pop the ball up into the air because the angle of attack into the ball is too steep. Finally, make sure you keep your head behind the ball through impact to ensure a slightly upward blow to get the maximum launch angle and improved distance. Start teeing the ball a little higher and a little more forward in your stance and wittiness the results! Happy golfing

David Fearns (PGA) Golf Traders