BRING BACK BALATA?

Yes they are more expensive to make, but who would like to see the return of wound natural bio rubber golf balls? Please let us know your thoughts

We are gong to conduct some research and see how far we get.

‪#bringbackbalata

Our initial idea is to investigate the feasibility of making either a 2-piece or 3-piece golf ball using either a wound or compressed bio rubber core with a natural rubber cover.

The perception today is that synthetic materials are the future; however these non biodegradable materials are associated with significant environmental pollution. What kind of future is that?

Where is the common sense of using non biodegradable thermoplastic materials on modern golf balls which are capable of lasting up to 1,000 years? And when fragments from these materials will litter our oceans and beaches for hundreds of years.

Golf Refugees believe the future for consumer / sports products must lie with developing high performance natural-biodegradable-materials where environmental pollution is minimised.
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AREAS OF INTEREST

Golf Refugees areas of interest;

1. High performance biodegradable golf balls
2. 360 degree graphic patterned golf balls
3. Detachable 3D printed aerodynamic aids for golf club drivers; spoilers etc
4. Transparency on the chemicals used in sports apparel
5. Transparency on the water and herbicide usage on golf courses
6. Energy generation on golf courses from renewable sources; wind, solar etc
7. Increasing variety, format of tournaments on major tours
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DAS AUTO

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GREG NORMAN ON GOLF'S FUTURE

Is Greg Norman a Golf Refugee?

"Bring the kids in by letting them put speakers in golf carts, putting headsets on or playing in their board shorts or getting on an electric skateboard or something like that to take their clubs around, have fun with the game, speed it up, do what the kids like to do," the straight-shooting Norman says.

"I'm a big proponent of increasing the speed of the game. Building 12-hole golf courses, reducing the time. Why do we have to build these 7000metre long golf courses for maybe one week a year or not even one week when the cost of constructing and maintaining these ridiculous clubhouses gets out of hand. We've really got to get our crap together."

"Quite honestly, you can't rely on the Baby Boomers to carry the game of golf any more, they have done that for a long period of time but you've got to reach down to the millennials," Norman says.
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ITS SOLHEIM CUP WEEK

It's Solheim Cup week.

We thought we'd enter into the spirit of the Solheim Cup and ask the European Teams official apparel sponsor an appropriate question.

Dear Abacus,

This morning we received notification from Greenpeace with regard to their Detox campaign and in particular the use of PFC chemicals in outdoor apparel to obtain stain and water repellent properties.

Could you please inform us if you are still using PFC C8 & C6 chemicals in your apparel and what is your policy for the future regarding the use of PFC's.

Here's hoping for a European victory and a reply from Abacus.
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EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Latest picture from the Evian Championship.
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THREE TIMES FOR MONTY

pic: Putt Magazine

On a sunny Sunday afternoon, popped down to watch the final round of the Senior Masters at Woburn G. C., on their Dukes course. There were some extra activities such as a putting hole and bunker shot competition. It was good to see a few kids enjoying the putting challenge, unfortunately most were dressed in plastic polo’s, though I’m sure their parents thought they looked very smart; like mini pros, just don’t look beyond the label. Plus you could book a free 10 minute lesson from a PGA pro. The word free is like a magnet to a Golf Refugee so I naturally booked a slot. Fortunately my pro was the excellent Denise Hastings. She had me practising a couple of drills to help improve my shoulder / hip turn; one where your feet are placed in a tandem position and you try and then hit the ball. Being an alien I found this relatively easy, I seemed to have more control and balance with my feet in tandem then when in the regular address position. Explain that one golf gurus?

The final holes of the tournament were quite exciting. Drummond three putted the final green, which meant Monty required birdie to force a playoff. Hats off to Monty as he went for the green with a driver and produced a great chip to set up a birdie. On the first play off hole, which is a repeat of the 18 th until someone wins. Both players reached the green in two. Then Monty had a moan, he could hear the minnows having their free lesions in the practise nets at the back of the stand. Monty’s head was shaking, which triggered the blazer squad into action to stop all noise creating activities. At one point I thought they were going to replace the ‘quiet please’ boards with ‘hold your breadth’ boards whilst Monty putts. You don’t expect to have to hold your breath for 4 minutes as a golf spectator.

Personally I'm not convinced pros need absolute silence to play at the highest level. But it works for Monty as he became the first player to win 3 events in succession on both the European and Senior Tours.
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FROM PUMA TO TUNA

(Photo: David Fleetham)

You purchase your sport shirt made from non-biodegradable plastic polyester / nylon. After each wash it leaches approximately 19,000 microplastics which find their way into our oceans. The chemical laden toxic microplastics are mistaken as food by small aquatic life which are then themselves eaten by larger marine predators such as the tuna and swordfish you find on your dinner plate.

Researchers discover that tuna and swordfish are eating microplastics contaminated with harmful chemicals.
“Data continues to mount about the pressing problem that plastics pose for our ocean environment,” said Alison Chase, oceans program senior policy analyst for the Natural Resources Defence Council.

Until a microplastic solution is found, avoid Puma or Tuna?
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