A message from the editor:
As is so often the case when I read through Golf Monthly’s instruction pages, a sparkling and simple piece of advice jumped out at me this month. In the issue, Brooks Koepka talks about his approach to warming up before a round and shares advice with amateur golfers. Asked what the average player should focus on in the 20 minutes before teeing off, his unequivocal answer is short game.
Few of us regular golfers tend to focus much on short game. Pre-round we’re more concerned about hitting a few full shots to loosen off and gain a bit of confidence for the 1st tee.
But it’s short game that can really transform a round and a score. And that was driven home to me in a recent winter competition. My long game on the day was average at best and my inconsistent iron play meant I missed a high percentage of greens. That could have spelled disaster, but I chipped and pitched well and managed to get up and down six times. The result from a fairly poor round of ball-striking was 35 points and a top-ten finish from a field of over 100.
There’s good news this month for those of us who would like to improve around the greens (and that should be just about all of us, I’d think) as the short game is the main thrust of our instruction pages. Zane Scotland, the Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach who was recently appointed a diversity ambassador by The R&A, delivers ‘The Ultimate Short-Game Guide’ over five pages. It has some fabulous tips for finding greater consistency and performance when pitching, chipping, playing from sand and putting – there’s advice that could ease a multitude of short-game woes.
Zane Scotland's Short-Game Masterclass
Your short game is the glue that holds all your rounds together and helps you to make your best scores. On the days when your long game isn’t on, a good short game will help you scramble a decent score. A club golfer could be using their wedge game 14 or 15 times a round, so improving this part of your game will save you a lot of shots. Here, GM Top 50 Coach Zane Scotland gives advice on all aspects of the short-game, to help you shoot lower scores and cut your handicap.
FREE 100 Hidden Gems Supplement
The term ‘hidden gem’ may have become one of golf’s most-used cliches, but we make no apology for using it because it very succinctly sums up exactly the kind of golf course we are very happy to recommend. ‘Hidden’, in that they are not so well-known, and ‘gems’ as they are beautiful and so should be treasured. We pick out 100 of our favourite best-value courses in GB&I, which will hopefully inspire you to add a few to your own personal hit-lists.
Brooks Koepka
The four-time Major champion offers his tips to amateur golfers to simplify the game and concentrate on the areas that matter. He offers advice on the short game and suggests if we focus on this area our scores will benefit hugely.
The Value Issue
With prices rising across the board at the moment, we devote ten pages to the best-value gear around, so that you can play the game you love for less. We look at clubs, balls, shoes, trolleys, apparel and more to help you get on the course on a tight budget.
Harold Varner III
We sit down with the likeable American to discuss the ups and downs of his career so far, his recent win at the Saudi International and how he plans to add a PGA Tour victory in the very near future.
The R&A Testing Facility
We take a tour of the R&A testing facility in Kingsbarns to discover how equipment standards are set and what the future may hold for both amateurs and professionals.
How To Play Cheaper Golf
As part of our focus on getting the most for your money this month, we look at various ways you can save on green fees, allowing you to get out and play more in 2022.
Billy Horschel
We meet last year's BMW PGA Championship winner to discuss his stellar 2021, his love of West Ham United, his thoughts on the breakaway Saudi league and more.
The Hottest New Gear
We feature over 20 pages of new gear and reviews, including a first look at the Honma TW757 range, plus reviews of the Titleist Vokey SM9 wedge, the Ping i525 iron and much more.
The Cost Of Membership
Golf club membership subscriptions can vary hugely by region and even by clubs local to one another. We take a detailed look at the factors behind these discrepancies.
-
The Three Most Confusing Rules In Golf And How To Interpret ThemAt times, golf’s rules can be complex and confusing. Here we look at three of the most confusing rules in golf and give you the info you need to understand them.
-
There's A Growing Divide Between Club Members And Nomadic Golfers When It Comes To Handicapping... And I'm Concerned About ItSome golfers believe competition play should be a pre-requisite to achieving a ‘valid’ handicap, while others feel you should be able to submit a card whenever you want
