GOLFING IN PARADISE

By JOSE CALLEJA
General Manager,Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course

This week we conclude with the great William Ben Hogan, Final Part 4.

Hogan’s Alley
In 1948 the great Ben Hogan won 10 tournaments which included the U.S. Open at Riviera Country Club, a course known as “Hogan’s Alley” because of his success there. The Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth is also known as “Hogan’s Alley” and probably has a better stake to the phrase since it was his home course upon his retirement. Carnoustie’s sixth hole, a par five, has also recently been renamed as “Hogan’s Alley” because of the difficult lines Hogan took from the tee during his rounds in the 1953 Open Championship which he  won.
Hogan never truly captured the hearts of his galleries until later on in his career in 1950, even though he was one of the best golfers of his time.
Golf writers describe his on course persona to be attributed to his early childhood when he witnessed his father take his own life.
Hogan socked the golfing world when he returned to competitive golf only 11 months after the near fatal accident when he finished runner up in a play-off to Sam Snead at the 1950 Los Angeles Open. Fans totally took to Hogan’s display of determination and courage, regardless of the outcome. A quote from famous sportswriter Grantland Rice best describes Hogan’s loss to Sam Snead,

“His legs simply were not strong enough to carry his heart any longer”.
However, he proved to his critics wrong and more importantly himself, when he defeated Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio in an 18-hole playoff at Merion Golf Club only 5 months after the LA Open to win his second U.S. Open Championship.

Sporting Achievements
He struggled to walk and sometimes having to limp during parts of his round however he managed to win 12 more PGA Tour events (including 6 majors) before his retirement. Hogan achieved what is perhaps the greatest sporting accomplishment in history. In 1951 Hogan entered just five events and won three of them, the Masters, the U.S. Open and the World Championship of Golf. He finished second and fourth in his other two starts in which he competed.
He received a ticker-tape parade in New York City upon his return from winning the 1953 British Open Championship, the only time he played the event. This British Open Championship victory made Hogan the second player, after Gene Sarazen, to win all four of the modern major championships

•    The Masters
•    U.S. Open
•    British Open
•    US PGA Championship.

Hogan remains the only golfer in history to win the Masters, U.S. Open, and British Open in the same calendar year (1953). His amazing 14-under par at the 1953 Masters set a record that stood for twelve years. Hogan  remains one of just eight golfers (Jack Nicklaus, Raymond Floyd, Ben Crenshaw, Tiger Woods, David Duval, Phil Mickelson, and Charl Schwartzel) to have recorded such a low score in the tournament. My favourite statistic on Hogan is his record 30 on the back nine at the Masters in 1967, at age 54. This stat stood until 1992.
He never competed in the Senior circuit because it didn’t exist until his late sixties. One can only image his success if the circuit did exist.

Ben Hogan Golf Company

Poetry in Motion.

Following his most successful season, Hogan started his golf club company in 1953 in Fort Worth. Production began in the summer of 1954, with clubs targeted toward “the better player.”
Always a perfectionist, Hogan is said to have ordered the entire first production run of clubs destroyed because they did not meet his exacting standards. The Ben Hogan line was discontinued by Callaway in 2008.
William Ben Hogan passed away on July 25th 1997.

EQUIPMENT REVIEWAND TOUR UPDATES
By RAJNESH GOUNDON
DIRECTOR OF GOLF
NATADOLA BAY GOLF CLUB

This week we provide a review on the Taylor-Made TP Umbrella.

The following are the features of the Taylor-Made TP Umbrella:
•    Double canopy auto open umbrella
•    Windpro technology-cable vented canopy withstands close to hurricane       force
•    Durable frame with red fiberglass ribs
•    Ergonomically correct black textured contour rubber grip
•    Used on tour

If you are looking for an umbrella with the above features then please contact the Natadola Bay Golf shop on 6733500 and we will order one for you.

PGA TOUR UPDATES  
Next week, we have the second event on the PGA Tour for 2013. The Sony Open is scheduled to be played from the 10th to the 13th of January. The event will be played on the Par 70, 7,068 yards Waialae Country Club, Honolulu, Hawaii. The total prize purse of the event is $5,600,000 with the winner earning $990,000 and 500 FedEx cup points. The defending champion is Mr. Johnson Wagner who won on a total score of 13 under par.

Nike signs Watney, Stanley to deals

Nick Watney and Kyle Stanley are the new additions to the Nike Golf staff for 2013. Both players agreed to head-to-toe multi-year deals with the Swoosh brand that includes clubs, balls, footwear, gloves, apparel, headwear and accessories.

Watney and Stanley, both former Titleist staffers, have been two of the PGA TOUR’s top young players over the last couple of years. Watney, 31, who joined the PGA TOUR in 2005, has since won five times, including two wins in 2011, and a victory last season at The Barclays. He finished fourth in the 2012 FedExCup standings and won more than $3 million.
Stanley, 25, burst onto the scene last season with a dramatic one-shot win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Stanley, who secured his PGA TOUR card in 2011, earned more than $2.3 million in 2012 and finished 31st in the FedExCup standings. He also finished the season eighth in driving distance.

LADIES TOUR  
This week we look at the five players that had top 10 finishes on the LPGA Tour for 2012.

1.    So Yeon Ryu – 67%
2.    Stacy Lewis – 62%
3.    Inbee Park – 50%
4.    Ai Miyazato – 48%
5.    Yani Tseng – 46%

NATADOLA BAY COMPETITION RESULTS:
Last week’s competition results are as follows:
Event:  Saturday Open Competition – V/Par
Date:  29th of December, 2012

Winner:  Mr. Natwar Patel- (-2)

NTP: 13th: Mr. Natwar Patel

NEXT WEEKS COMPETITIONS AT NATADOLA BAY GOLF COURSE

•    Wednesday 9th January – Stableford Competition
•    Friday 11th January  – Bingo-Bango-Bongo Competition
•    Saturday 12th January – V/Par Competition

PLAYER REVIEW

This week’s between shots is Mr. Gregg Douguerty.
What clubs do you use? I use Taylor-Made RBZ clubs.
Where is your home club? Melbourne Golf Club.
Who is your favorite player? My favourite player is Rory Mcllroy.
What course do you love to play? I love to play Bolton Golf Club, UK and Natadola Bay Golf Course, Fiji.
What is your favorite hole? The 12th hole at Natadola Bay.
What shot will you always remember? Tee shot on the par 4, 14th at Natadola Bay.
Who are your dream playing partners? Rory Mcllroy, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
This was what Mr. Douguerty had to say about Natadola Bay Golf Course: “Natadola bay is a fantastic golf course, with spectacular scenary, tricky conditions but fun to play.”