WHERE NEXT?

This year you’ve seen the birth of ‘white’ drivers following from last years’ black’ coloured drivers. Is this revolutionary colour change what we can expect over the next few years? Perhaps 2012 will see striped drivers or even spotted drivers to match your polo shirts.

The current restrictions on performance parameters; COR (‘spring effect’ of the front face), MOI (weight distribution) and club head volume, which can all be reached by using current materials such as titanium limit the benefits that could be obtained by using new materials. And there are new materials out there. Materials which are much stronger, much more elastic and just as light that could increase the performance of ‘drivers’ by a noticeable amount.

Just as golf club drivers moved from persimmon to steel to titanium, there really is no point in using these ‘new materials’ when the current rules restrict any further improvement on the main performance parameters. It's much cheaper to stick with the old materials.

I for one would love to hit the ball out of the driving range. It isn’t going to make me a better golfer or lower my handicap. It would just make me feel better and make me enjoy golf even more. As I don’t have the time to practice and develop a better swing so purchasing the latest club is my quick fix.

I therefore argue that the current rule restrictions should be lifted for us ‘rubbish’ golfers and if you need to apply the technology brakes, they should only be applied to the professionals.

If you wish to have similar rules for both professional and amateurs then perhaps you need to consider restricting the amount of practice or even banning practice for professional golfers.
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MIGUEL 'ANGER' JIMENEZ

Breaking news - Golf Refugees ‘anger rehab’ 2011 collection gets off to a flying start when fans favourite Miguel Angel Jimenez snaps his putter in an angry outburst on the 13th hole at the Royal Golf Club course.

Under the rules of golf, Jimenez was not allowed to replace the putter. This didn’t seem to bother Jimenez, as he sunk a couple of putts on the remaining five holes putting with his wedge.

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BADGE POLO

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HANG IT ALL

Another fabulous coat hanger, this time by artist Ruby Anemic, based on the original by Charles and Ray Eames.

A great idea for recycling all those coloured golf balls.
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GQ COVER ICONS

“Arnold Palmer had this way of striding down the fairway with a specific urgency – he never just walked – with a cigarette dangling, James Dean-style, from his lips."

GQ names the “Coolest Athletes of All Time” – the icons remembered and revered for their grace and style, and for playing the game like it was an expression of themselves.

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GOLF SAVED MY LIFE

Californian Scott Gorham (second from the left), former lead guitarist with the infamous Irish rock band Thin Lizzy, became addicted to golf to help kick his excessive alcohol and drug habit.

Scott said “Golf literally saved my life"

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BEAR NECESSITIES

Jack Nicklaus on the rules of golf:

“Probably the whole book of the rules of golf should be changed. If you try to figure it out, it should be common sense, yet common sense never seems to prevail. A USGA rules official said that it was much more difficult to pass the test to be a rules official than it was to pass the bar exam. There’s no reason for that. The game should be simple. People should be able to understand the rules and the rules should be common sense.”

Golf Refugees totally agree with ‘The Golden Bear.’ It has been an empire building, money grabbing exercise for blazer wearing aficionados with the mentality of ‘why have one rule when you can have hundreds.'

There should now be an exercise to write a concise 'rules of golf’; a couple of pages would suffice. Where all golfers have the opportunity to read, understand and remember. 
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LAURA'S RULES

How does one prepare for a big golf tournament?

Well, if you are the uniquely talented Laura Davies, you don’t bother with practise rounds, because they take too long and are very boring. Just turn up an hour before your tee-off time for a quick warm up, sink a few putts and Bob’s your uncle. All prepped and ready to roll.

This may all sound a little light on robotic practise. But if you plan to play at the top into your 40’s and 50’s body preservation is the name of the game.

On top of that, an individualistic swing, no golf coach and no head shrinks.

Just shear courage and self belief. Laura Davies – a sporting hero.
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BALLS UP

Elliot Saltman has been banned for three months from competing on the European Tour, not for wearing a lime green jumper, but for ‘cheating’ during an event in Russia last year.

Apparently when he was marking his ball, he would place the marker directly behind the ball, but when he replaced the ball, he would put it to the left or right of the marker.

Golf Refugees suggest using a beer matt to mark your balls to stop all this cheating malarkey.
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HELMET ENVY

If you ride a motorbike to the golf course.
How about wearing one of these ‘green’ pot plant helmets?

Great for soaking up all that CO2. Designed by artists Sara Nuytemans and Arya Pandjalu.
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