One of the 34 irons here can make you better. How much better?
Good enough to drop one next to a tucked pin. Page 19
4 Still Going Strong
A time to celebrate the history of the game in the region.
BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
the
starter
6 Jack’s Classic
The Golden Bear has created a great in India.
BY HARRY GRIMSHAW voices
8 Journeys
Jayden Schaper
WITH STUART MCLEAN
40 Schott On Top
The 24-year-old German captured his maiden DP World Tour title in Bahrain.
41 Reed Doubles Up In Qatar
Captain America secured his second DP World Tour title of the year at Doha Golf Club.
42 Elvis Lights Up Riyadh
LIV newbie Elvis Smylie snatched his first LIV Golf title in Saudi Arabia.
43 Hull At Home In Riyadh
The Golf Saudi Ambassador won the opening PIF Global Series event of 2026.
44 200 Not Out
We look back at the best bits from the past 199 editions of Golf Digest Middle East
58 You Gotta Talk to Jim
Meet the performance coach changing the lives of tour pros.
INTERVIEW BY MAX ADLER
how to play
12 Hit Down on It
Your focus should be well forward of the ball.
BY BOBBY CLAMPETT
14 The Three Drives You Really Need
Good news—you don’t have to change your swing to execute them.
BY TODD ANDERSON
16 Time For A Jailbreak
Trust me, you’ll need the punch shot at some point.
BY KATIE DAHL
hot list Part 2
28 Game-Improvement Irons
36 Super-GameImprovement Irons BY
MIKE STACHURA
66 Club News
A handful of the local amateur tournament winners within the Middle East.
200 Not Out
We are throwing it back to 2008
BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
THIS MONTH marks the 200th edition of Golf Digest Middle East. It is a milestone that takes us back to 2008, when we first launched the magazine and set out to bring world class golf coverage to the region.
There is no better way to celebrate the number one golf magazine in the Middle East than by reflecting on the local stories, major events and exclusive features with the game’s leading professionals that have shaped our journey. You can revisit some of those highlights on page 44!
It has been another busy stretch for golf in the region. Freddy Schott claimed his maiden DP World Tour title in Bahrain, while Patrick Reed continued his strong run of form with his second win of the season in Qatar.
LIV Golf opened its campaign under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club with Elvis Smylie taking centre stage, before the Ladies European Tour arrived a week later for the PIF Global Series, where Charley Hull triumphed at the PIF Saudi Ladies International.
This month we also sat down with South Africa’s Jayden Schaper to discuss his journey to two DP World Tour titles at just 24 years of age.
Our Hot List coverage continues with a focus on the latest irons to hit the market. There are 34 models worth your attention! Instruction remains at the heart of what we do. Bobby Clampett explains why and how to hit down on your irons, Todd Anderson breaks down the three essential tee shots every player should master, and Katie Dahl demonstrates a punch shot that can get you out of trouble when you need it most.
We hope you enjoy the issue, and here is to the next 200 editions of Golf Digest Middle East.
editor-in-chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer
managing partner & group editor
Ian Fairservice
chief commercial officer
Anthony Milne
group content director
Thomas Woodgate
editor Harry Grimshaw
art director Clarkwin N. Cruz
editorial assistant Londresa Flores
sales manager Abdel Djeebet
general manager - production
S. Sunil Kumar
production manager Binu Purandaran
assistant production manager
Venita Pinto
THE GOLF DIGEST PUBLICATIONS
editor-in-chief Jerry Tarde
senior director, business development & partnerships
Greg Chatzinoff
international editor Ju Kuang Tan
GOLF DIGEST USA
editor-in-chief Jerry Tarde
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managing editors Stephen Hennessey, Ryan Herrington, Jonathan Wall
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Situated in the foothills of the picturesque Aravallis Hills
The signature Championship course at Classic Golf & Country Club, Gurugram, India is situated at the foothills of the Aravalli hills and is one of the finest in India.
Designed by 18-time Major winner Jack Nicklaus, the facility actually houses 27 holes, all designed by the Golden Bear himself.
This month, the US $300,000 PGTI Open will see the HotelPlanner Tour return to Classic Golf & Country Club for the third year in a row.
Jayden Schaper: ‘Shane Lowry’s backup putter is in my bag; he doesn’t know.’
WITH STUART MCLEAN
IAM COMPETITIVE BY NATURE, and growing up playing the junior tournament circuit in South Africa my nickname among other boys and my mates was “Clutch.” They firmly believed I could pull off a crucial shot whenever required. My two momentous DP World Tour wins in December certainly came from “clutch” shots in two tense back-to-back playoffs – the first my hybrid out of the fairway bunker at Royal Johannesburg to set up an eagle putt, and then the pitch I holed at the Mauritius Open for another eagle. That bunker strike was a career best shot, and Mauritius was just insane.
As a teenager I was impatient to get on to the course or the range, and that hasn’t changed. I love golf because the game is within your control; there’s no one to blame if you fail. My dad (Ryan) had a club in my hand when I was two, and at six I was competing in my first SA Kids event. Dad was a footballer in his youth, but back problems ended that, so he took up golf to engage with clients in his insurance business. We’re a close, grounded, church-going family, and I still live with my parents in our family home in Benoni. I travel so much during the year that it’s the best arrangement for me.
● ●
●
My parents have been a huge support throughout my career, encouraging me and funding much of my travels as a junior. So special that mum (Yolanda) and dad were at Royal when I won for the first time as a professional at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. And again, the following week at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. We’ve had many family holidays in Mauritius, and I was so relaxed being there.
● ● ●
I was used to winning regularly as a junior, but it took me nearly six years to win as a professional. Yet at no stage did I feel anxious about it. I always believed it would happen, and told myself to be patient. I’m a golfer who enjoys consistency, and I’d take a Top-
10 finish every week rather than being a streaky player who wins and misses cuts. I’m determined to go the distance. At Royal Johannesburg I was two-over through seven holes of my opening round, which was a shock, but I kept calm and played the back nine in 29 for a 67. That was satisfying.
● ● ●
My run of good form started at the French Open last September when I found a new putter in the TaylorMade van and immediately took a liking to it. It belonged to Shane Lowry, but it was his spare putter, a backup, so I was allowed to take it. I’ve used that ever since; TaylorMade built him a replacement. It’s a mallet Spider Tour Z with beautiful balance. I’ve never met Shane – he doesn’t play much on the DP World Tour – and he therefore doesn’t know that I appropriated his putter. My putting stats since then have been amazing.
● ● ●
I tried a few coaches before settling down with Grant Veenstra at 13. He’s at my home club of Ebotse Links in Benoni, which has an unusual range in that we hit floating balls into a large lake. Grant travels extensively as he has several players to look after on various
tours. My swing is technically sound, and Grant assists me before events with advice regarding my game plan, alignment, and setups. My swing is in a good place.
● ● ●
Golf became such a big part of my life as a teenager that I left school (St Dunstan’s College) in Grade 9. I was not a good student, and because I was taking weeks off to play in tournaments, the teachers weren’t happy with my absences. That became an issue, as it was awkward having them upset with me. I completed my studies at a Tutor Centre (home schooling) which was initially on the Ebotse estate. I was joined there by Ryan Van Velzen and Casey Jarvis, who also now have DP World Tour cards, and Jordan Burnand. Coming from the same part of Gauteng, we’re all friends.
● ● ●
JAYDEN SCHAPER
DP WORLD TOUR
AGE: 24
2 WINS: ALFRED DUNHILL CHAMPIONSHIP & AFRASIA BANK MAURITIUS OPEN
LIVES: BENONI
I was 11 when I won the GolfRSA Under-13 title, in Mbombela. Dad suggested my goal should be to win all the under-age championships, and I’m the first to have achieved that. Next was Under-15s, then Under-19s. I had one last shot to win the Under-17s and pulled that off at Rustenburg. My biggest win as a junior was the 2019 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. An invitational event, and I went to three of them. The Stadium is one of my favourite courses. I was an International team member for the first Junior Presidents Cup in 2017, under the captaincy of Trevor Immelman, who I idolised as a young boy. I loved watching him swing when we went to watch the Nedbank Challenge.
I finally made my Nedbank debut in December. I hadn’t played much competitive golf at Sun City previously, so to finish tied second was one of my best weeks in golf, and the biggest cheque of my career (R9-million). It was such a cool event, and I loved the atmosphere. The Gary Player Country Club that week, with its small greens, was the toughest course I’ve played, mainly because of the elements. The heat, and constantly changing wind direction, were difficult factors to manage. I was thrilled to have a bogey-free final round yet couldn’t find any momentum over the last six holes to make up that one shot on (champion) Kristoffer Reitan.
●
My caddie Keagan Snalam had three weeks of TV exposure during my hot run. We’re good friends, and he has been my permanent caddie the last two years. He’s two years older, also from Benoni, and travelling overseas it’s helpful to have a mate along, especially weeks when I’m not playing. I got to know Keagan during Covid when everyone was into online PlayStation games. In 2021 he caddied for me at Sishen, as dad wouldn’t allow me to drive there on my own. It was August, bitterly cold temperatures. Conditions among the toughest I’ve played in. Nearly won too, but I bogeyed the last to tie second. Keagan caddied for me on the Challenge Tour, but we split up. Then, at the 2024 Tour Championship
“My focus will be on gaining a PGA Tour card at the end of this year. I’m eager to play in my first major, possibly the US PGA in May.”
at Serengeti, I was looking for a caddie and we hooked up again. Had a good week, and we’ve been together since.
● ● ●
Our family loves fast cars and motorsport. I recently bought my dream car, a high-performance limited edition BMW CS. My late grandfather was into motor racing, and my dad races go-karts. During Covid I also gave that a try, buying my own kart. But I was a bit reckless and there were a few crashes. I was told it wasn’t a good idea to continue doing that, because of the possibility of injuring myself, so I’m now a spectator.
● ● ●
I’ve progressed up the Race to Dubai rankings since my 2023 rookie season. From 104 that year to 65 the next, and 26 last year. My focus will be on gaining a PGA Tour card at the end of this year. I’m eager to play in my first major, possibly the US PGA in May. I’d receive an invite if I won the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, but to do that I’d have to play five local events in the next two months, which would conflict with my schedule. I need to rather break into the Top 50 on the World Ranking.
Holing out for eagle on the 18th at La Réserve Golf Links to win the Mauritius Open.
• O icial EGF Handicap (GHIN), recognised worldwide
• Discounted green fees at all UAE golf clubs
• Play in events/competitions and receive awards
• Third party and property damage golfer’s insurance
FIRE COURSE, JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES, DUBAI
EDITED BY RON KASPRISKE
Hit Down on It
“The average tour player’s swing bottoms out four inches in front of the ball’s position. That means the clubhead is still moving downward through impact. If you want to hit crisp irons from the fairway, your focus should be well forward of the ball. Think of how martial-arts experts split a board with a punch or kick. They don’t focus on the front side of the board; they concentrate their energy on the far side. They punch through the board, not at it. Your swing should be the same.”
–BOBBY CLAMPETT, INSTRUCTOR AND AUTHOR OF THE IMPACT ZONE
The Three Drives You Really Need
Good news—you don’t have to change your swing to execute them
BY TODD ANDERSON
NOT EVERY TEE SHOT
calls for max distance. On some holes, it’s best just to keep the ball in play. On others, where you’re not particularly oozing with confidence, you might want to use your normal drive. The point is, the more shots you have in your
arsenal, the better equipped you’ll be to handle any situation off the tee.
There are three types of tee shots I teach my players —a high bomb, a stock draw and a fairway fi nder. The good news is, you can put all three into play during your next round. All you need to do is alter spin rate and
trajectory by making tweaks in ball position and tee height. No other changes are necessary.
For the high bomb, play the ball opposite your front instep, ahead of your left shoulder, and tee it so that three-quarters of the ball is above the topline of the club ( the far-right golf ball, below ). This will allow you to catch the ball high on the face and on the upswing, maximising launch and distance. One thing to note: Because of the forward ball position, aim more right (for righties) as the club won’t catch the ball until later in the swing arc. As a result, the clubface will be slightly closed relative to the path, causing the ball to draw more than usual.
ONE SWING, THREE SHOTS
Adjust tee height and ball position to vary your drives.
For a stock draw, set up one ballwidth back from where you play the high bomb, opposite your front shoulder. Tee it slightly lower so that only half of the ball is above the crown of the clubhead ( middle ball ). This will still allow you to catch it on the upswing, but the launch and the flight should be a touch lower than the bomb. For the fairway finder, position the ball even further back, behind your front shoulder, and tee it down so it’s about even with the crown ( far left). This creeps the handle forward so that you’ll catch the ball slightly on the downswing with less loft. Be sure to aim more left, because contact will occur further back on the swing arc with a slightly open clubface, likely causing the ball to fade.
—WITH
DAVE ALLEN
TODD ANDERSON is one of Golf Digest’s Legends of Golf Instruction.
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Time for a Jailbreak
Trust me, you’ll need the punch shot at some point BY
KATIE DAHL
YOU GOT YOURSELF IN A BIT OF trouble, and you might be tempted to try a hero shot to recover. Most of the time, that’s a bad idea. Instead, you should “punch” your ball back into the fairway. This shot is especially useful when you’re in the trees and can’t hoist the ball up. Punch shots are low flight, low spin and are simply meant to get you back in play— ideally farther down the fairway, but getting out of trouble is priority No. 1. Here’s how to hit this shot.
—WITH RON KASPRISKE
STEP ONE: Get ready to punch
• Choose an iron with less loft (but no lower than a 6-iron)
• Play the ball slightly back of center in your stance
• Make sure the clubface is square to your target
• Set your sternum ahead of the ball and favour your front foot
STEP THREE: Stay low
• Swing down and through smoothly (to keep the shot from ballooning)
• Lead with your body, rotating it toward the target
• Keep your hands and wrists quiet (think, dead hands)
• Finish low with the shaft pointing at your target
STEP TWO: Shorten the backswing
• Make a slow backswing with quiet wrists
• Continue to favour your front foot
• Don’t swing much further than halfway back
STEP FOUR: Practice with this drill
• Get in a punch-shot setup (ball back, weight forward)
• Then rehearse the “look” of your body, arms and club at impact
• Hit shots trying to recreate the pre-set impact position you just rehearsed
KATIE DAHL, one of Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers in America, is at the West Bay Club in Estero, Florida.
IRONS
• The world of irons is divided into four types of clubs. Today’s Players irons offer enough built-in forgiveness to rival game-improvement models. For low- to middlehandicappers suffering a power outage, Players-Distance irons provide a welcome boost, while Game-Improvement irons make you feel like a better player than you are. Super-GameImprovement irons deliver the most assistance of all, turning mis-hits into decent shots. Whichever sounds right for you, one of the 34 irons here can make you better. How much better? Good enough to drop one next to a tucked pin.
HOT LIST 2026 GOLF DIGEST P.19
CALLAWAY
RRP 7,700
• Callaway used player data and AI to optimise the face of each iron to retain ball speed and manage spin.
• The centre-of-gravity depth in the long irons starts deeper in the head and gets progressively shallower. This is achieved by removing weight from the rear section of the sole, promoting a higher launch in the long irons and a penetrating flight in the short irons.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 31 degrees; PW: 44 degrees
OVERALL RATING
COBRA 3DP
MB
RRP 10,495
• Cobra partnered with nTop, a leader in engineering design software (NASA uses its tools), to develop the internal lattice structure of these irons.
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted a shortened, slightly thicker topline that hides forgiveness, plus chrome framing, blistering distance, buttery-soft feel and easy swings.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• The clubs feature a lattice geometry that redistributes more than 40 grams into high-density tungsten components to optimise the centreof-gravity in each iron while maintaining the rigidity required to deliver consistent sound and feel.
• Top 5 in Sound/Feel, low-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 34 degrees; PW: 46 degrees
LOOK / SOUND / FEEL
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted razor-thin, player-looking blades that launch high and carry far, offering cavityback levels of forgiveness, crisp turf interaction and shot-shaping control.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
COBRA
3DP Tour
RRP 10,495
• These irons are completely 3D-printed, allowing for a level of precision and intricacy not available in clubs that are forged or cast.
• The 3D printing allows for a soft, forged-like feel in an iron with forgiveness traits.
• An interior lattice provides support for durability and produces a pleasing sound.
• The weight savings allows the use of tungsten weighting to achieve more stability.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 31 degrees; PW: 45 degrees
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted a 3D-printed backplate and surprisingly soft blade feel, easy turf interaction, high launch/low spin, workable yet forgiving performance.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
MIZUNO Mizuno Pro M-13
RRP 8,050
• Mizuno uses di erent constructions within the set while maintaining a continuity of look and distance gapping.
• The face is as thin as 1.37 millimeters for a ball-speed boost, almost 35 percent thinner than this iron’s predecessor.
• A copper underlay beneath the surface of all of the irons fosters a syrupy feel.
• The triple-cut sole reduces e ective sole width to minimize dig.
• Top 5 in Look, low-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 32 degrees; PW: 44 degrees
OVERALL RATING
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted classy looks; crisp, forgiving feel with consistent carry; higher launch; nice offset and strong turf interaction.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
SRIXON ZXi7
RRP 6,495
• A proprietary forging process adds strength in the hosel area, allowing for the use of a softer steel for optimal feel.
• Mass behind the hitting area cuts down on face flex for tour-like distance control.
• The venerable Tour V.T. sole design helps turn fat shots into acceptable strikes.
• The 8-iron through gap wedge have deeper grooves spaced more closely together for Velcro-like grab.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 32 degrees; PW: 46 degrees
OVERALL RATING
TAYLORMADE P•770
RRP 6,685
• A hollow-body construction with a forged, high-strengthsteel face insert produces plenty of distance sizzle.
• The face insert wraps around the leading edge into the sole for more potential ball speed from impacts lower on the face.
OVERALL
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted a surprisingly forgiving iron, with a thick topline that inspires confidence, a V-sole delivering sharp turf interaction and soft feel with lively ball speed.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• Tungsten within the head (as much as 41 grams) lowers the centre-of-gravity for more e ective launch.
• Structural ribs in the walls of the clubhead deliver noticeable sound dividends.
• Specs: 7-iron: 33 degrees; PW: 45 degrees
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List panelists observed foam-backed faces that damp harsh, off-center strikes; about half-club more ball speed; strong toeheel forgiveness and crisp center feel.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
TITLEIST T100
RRP 8,750
• A new variablethickness face, lower centre-of-gravity and progressive groove design all work in concert to reduce distance dispersion—a key desire of better players seeking control on approach shots.
• High-density tungsten is used in the heel and toe, between 5 and 10 percent more than in the previous generation, to increase forgiveness on ocenter hits.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 33 degrees; PW: 45 degrees
OVERALL RATING
TITLEIST T150
RRP 8,750
• The head shape has been altered slightly from its predecessor. The blade is one millimeter longer, which gives a modest inertia lift for more forgiveness.
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted muted, thuddy impact; a classic, clean look; higharcing shots that land softly yet allow precise lower trajectories; very consistent distances.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• High-density tungsten in the heel and toe lower the centreof-gravity and aid heel-toe forgiveness. How much? Nearly 45 percent of the head mass is tungsten.
• A refined muscle channel through the 7-iron promotes a higher launch.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 32 degrees; PW: 44 degrees
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted exceptional forgiveness on toe and heel misses, high launch, solid feel/sound, a stable face and traditional looks with modern tech and added distance.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
CALLAWAY
Apex Ai200
RRP 6,300
• The forged, hollowbody clubhead is married to a forged, high-strength 455-stainless-steel face that wraps around the top and sole to create impressive face flex through the 8-iron.
• The “AI Smart Face” technology analysed average-golfer swing data to deliver tight shot dispersion and added yards.
• Tungsten encased in urethane with microscopic air bubbles assists feel.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 30 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
OVERALL RATING
CALLAWAY
Apex Ti Fusion RRP 11,100
• A proprietary brazing process is used to join the stainless-steel body to the titanium face—an industry first.
• The strong yet thin titanium face gives ball speed a boost.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List panelists observed that this club felt extremely soft at impact and launched high with excellent forgiveness and consistent distance.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• The steel body features urethane microspheres inside the clubhead to provide a feel at impact typically found with forged irons.
• A diamond-like coating is more durable than PVD and reduces glare o the clubhead.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 30.5 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted a soft, forgiving iron with clean looks and effortless turf interaction that launched high, stayed straight and retained distance.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
MIZUNO
JPX925 Hot Metal Pro
RRP 5,565
• A multi-material clubhead (new in the JPX line) features a thin chromoly-steel cupface for improved ball speed and tungsten weighting for precise centre-ofgravity placement.
• A smaller, more controllable iron with less o set and a thinner topline than other JPX925 models.
• The sole features a beveled leading edge, high bounce and a trailing-edge grind to make entering and exiting the turf easier.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 28 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted explosive ball speed, high launch and exceptional forgiveness, plus consistent extra carry, stable feel and a clean, players-like look with minimal offset.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
MIZUNO Mizuno Pro M-15
RRP 8,050
• The integrated set design features grain-flow forged 4135+ chromoly-steel clubfaces and necks with a 431-stainlesssteel back part on the 4- through 8-irons.
• All of the irons in the set are hollow. The 4through 7-irons feature a heavy tungsten back weight (more than 50 grams) to promote a higher launch.
• A copper underlay helps deliver the tourlike feel that Mizuno irons are known for.
• Top 5 in Performance, low-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
LOOK / SOUND / FEEL
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted a classic, players-iron look with a thin topline, plus buttery center feel and a hot face producing high launch, added distance and workability.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
TAYLORMADE P•790
RRP 6,510
• The face on the long irons is made of a highstrength, forged-steel alloy that wraps around the sole in an L-shape to create a significant trampoline e ect.
• To get the weighting right, TaylorMade used alternating thick and thin sections in the back wall of each iron, almost like latticework.
• Injecting the heads with a lightweight urethane foam controls unwanted sound and vibration.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 30 degrees; PW: 44 degrees
OVERALL RATING
TITLEIST T250/T250*
RRP 8,750
• A forged L-face wraps around the sole to enhance the rebound at impact.
• The L-face helps boost launch on o -centre and low-face strikes for consistent distance and optimal height.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted effortless, long, high-launching shots with a crisp, classy head; soft face feel; excellent forgiveness and workability.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• An intriguing addition is the T250* or Launch Spec, which features the same technology as T250 but weighs less and has much higher lofts (up to 4.5 degrees weaker) to help players increase trajectory and hold greens.
Hot List testers noted a massively forgiving, cleanlooking model with a soft, ringing feel; high-launching carry; strong turf interaction and workable play.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
CALLAWAY
Apex Ai300
RRP 6,300
• The Apex Ai300 replaces the Apex DCB and targets golfers who are early in their golf journey or looking to step up from the supergame-improvement category.
• The forged 455 steel face was designed with the help of AI analysis of averagegolfer impact data. The topology behind the face is di erent for each iron: thinner or thicker where needed to create maximum consistency.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
OVERALL RATING
/ SOUND /
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted compact, classy heads with satin finishes; strong ball speed; high, controllable launch; excellent turf interaction and forgiveness.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
CALLAWAY
Apex Ti Fusion 250
RRP 11,100
• Ti Fusion uses multiple materials and manufacturing techniques to deliver game-improvement consistency in playerpreferred shapes.
• The 250 targets a large handicap range with a longer blade length, thicker topline and wider sole.
• The thin titanium face is brazed to a forged steel body. Combined with urethane microspheres, this construction allows the iron to be fast with a solid feel.
• Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 30.5 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
INNOVATION
LOOK / SOUND / FEEL
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted gorgeous, minimalist looks; a soft, responsive feel; strong forgiveness (even on long irons); penetrating yet controllable mid-tohigh trajectory.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Quieter
Softer
CALLAWAY
Quantum Max
RRP 5,130
• A new, 360-degree undercut construction creates more deflection thanks to a deeper cupface that is more toward the trailing edge of the sole.
• A weight bar pushes the centre-of-gravity low and forward without inhibiting flex on the sole flange to maximise speed on low-face shots.
• The company’s use of urethane microspheres (tiny air bubbles encased in glass within urethane) improves feel.
• Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
LOOK / SOUND /
COBRA 3DP X
RRP 10,495
• By leveraging its 3D-printing capabilities, Cobra has created an iron with gameimprovement shape and forgiveness and a forged feel.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted a compact, blade-like head with a thin topline, offering long carry, tight shot dispersion, high launch and easy turf interaction.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• An internal lattice saves mass, allowing 115 grams of tungsten to be positioned low in the perimeter to increase launch and stability.
• The lattice also maintains the rigidity required for consistent sound and feel.
• Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
LOOK / SOUND / FEEL
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List panelists observed a compact, players-looking iron with soft, sporty feel; explosive sweet-spot distance; penetrating high trajectory; strong workability and broad forgiveness.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
Quieter
Softer Lower Least Louder
COBRA King
RRP 4,995
• The speed in this model comes from a utility iron-like design in the 4- through 7-irons. These clubs feature an 80-gram, free-floating steel catapult weight that drives the center of gravity lower to assist launch.
• Cobra analysed thousands of simulated impacts to determine the best face-thickness pattern for maximising speed, launch and spin.
• The high-strength stainless-steel face provides plenty of fire at impact.
• Specs: 7-iron: 27.5 degrees; PW: 42.5 degrees
OVERALL RATING
COBRA
King Tec-X RRP 7,195
• The 4- through 7-irons in this set feature a hollow body with soft foam inside to add feel and help the face bend.
• A 70-gram tungsten weight is used to lower the centre-of-gravity to maximise launch.
• The wide sole helps boost launch and minimise fat shots.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted lively faces, impressive distance and high yet controllable launch; forgiving on many off-center strikes, with soft, confident feel at impact and a thicker topline.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• Consumer feedback led Cobra to design a rounder, slimmer topline to neatly hide the o set for an appealing look at address.
• Also available in King Tec-X One Length.
• Specs: 7-iron: 27 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
LOOK / SOUND / FEEL
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted a clean, players-like profile with a thin topline, plus great turf interaction; long, forgiving centerstrike performance and satisfying impact feel.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
MIZUNO JPX925 Hot Metal RRP 4,770
• In this model, the face on the 4- through 8-irons is very slim (1.2 millimeters) on the low heel and high toe to increase ball speeds.
• The cupface—in which part of the face wraps around the topline and sole—enhances ball speed across the entire hitting area.
• Tungsten weighting is positioned low in the 4- through 7-irons to mitigate ball-speed loss on o -centre strikes and to help golfers launch the ball higher.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 28 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
PERFORMANCE
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted explosive distance; a very energetic face; high, penetrating launch; impressive turf interaction and confidenceinspiring looks at address.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
GETTING THE CLUB TO THE BALL
Research shows that body turn is not
the way to square the face
You’ve probably been told that when it comes to downswing sequencing, the correct order of movement into impact is the body first, then the hands and arms, and then the club. That’s true, but a common misconception is that the hands shouldn’t play much of a role in squaring the clubface, that it should mostly come from body rotation. Not true.
Top teacher Brian Manzella tested some of the world’s best players, and body rotation was only 33 percent responsible for squaring the face. You can guess where the other two-thirds came from. Plus, trying to square up by turning the body can lead to swing-path issues that reduce accuracy. Knowing that the hands and arms are mostly getting the job done, you’ll have more success straightening out slices. The key is rotating the forearms counterclockwise (for righties) way before impact.
Check out the position I’m demonstrating below. The clubface is noticeably shut, and the ball is about to curve right to left—a classic draw release. To get there, you can’t waste a millisecond on the downswing to start rotating those forearms. If you wait until you’re halfway down, you won’t close the face in time.
You’ll know if you need to rotate your forearms sooner: You won’t be able to curve the ball from right to left. If you try doing it earlier and start hitting hooks, wait a beat longer. In other words, it’s easy to check and adjust.
—JASON GUSS, one of Golf Digest’s Best Teachers in Illinois, is director of instruction at Naperville Country Club.
PING G440
RRP 6,265
• The clubface of this iron is shallower and thinner than the G430 for increased ball speed and a more playerpreferred look.
• The size reduction saves 4 grams per iron that is redistributed lower and further back in the head to drop the centre-of-gravity and assist launch.
• The shaft lengths in the 4-, 5-, and 6-irons were extended threequarters of an inch to help golfers hit those clubs higher.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
OVERALL RATING
PXG 0311
XP GEN8 RRP 9,100
• Designed for middleand high-handicappers, the XP is PXG’s longest and most forgiving iron. It features a larger head, wider sole, stronger lofts and maximum o set to provide a comforting visual at address.
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
/ SOUND / FEEL
COMMENT SUMMARY Hot List testers noted explosive distance, forgiving shots, a hot face, high launch and smooth turf interaction; many praised the soft yet snappy feel.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• An internal polymer enhances the sound and feel, and the ultrathin maraging-steel face boosts launch and ball speed.
• Tungsten weights on the rear perimeter of each clubhead assist with stabilising ocentre strikes.
• Specs: 7-iron: 27 degrees; PW: 41 degrees
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List panelists observed a sleek, premium look and explosive center strikes that deliver quick ball speed, long and consistent carry and tight lateral dispersion.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
SRIXON ZXi4
RRP 5,995
• Unlike the company’s ZXi5 and ZXi7 irons, the body of the ZXi4 is not forged. Instead, the cast, multi-piece iron uses a forged, high-strength steel face insert (HT1770) supported by a cast, 17-4 stainless-steel body and a heattreated hosel that allows for bending.
• The back of each face is milled in a variablethickness pattern with indentations that increase ball speed and save mass.
• Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 28.5 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
OVERALL RATING
SRIXON ZXiR
RRP 4,995
• The ZXiR has a larger face and is more forgiving than the ZXi4.
• The head is made from a proprietary steel alloy called i-alloy that is 10 percent softer and less dense than 431 stainless steel. This results in a betterfeeling club than a cast construction.
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
LOOK / SOUND / FEEL
COMMENT SUMMARY Hot List panelists observed a clean, thin-topline head that is effortless to swing and stable and forgiving across the face, with penetrating mid-rise flight and a turfgliding sole.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• A new, simulationdriven design reduced face mass by 4.5 grams while preserving durability and boosting ball speed.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle- and high-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 28.5 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
COMMENT SUMMARY Hot List panelists observed exceptional distance; tight dispersion; highlaunching, straight flight; efficient turf interaction and sleek, confidenceinspiring looks.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
TAYLORMADE
Qi Max
RRP 5,595
• The multi-material capback in this model is lighter than the steel it replaces to reduce weight high in the toe, making the club easier to square at impact.
• The centre-of-gravity is lower in the long irons for easier launch and higher in the short irons for optimal control, launch and spin.
• The “speed pocket” slot (up to the 8-iron) remains a vital part of the company’s power equation.
• Top 5 in Forgiveness, middle- and high-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 28 degrees; PW: 42.5 degrees
OVERALL RATING
TITLEIST T350 RRP 8,750
• Compared to the rest of the T-Series models, the T350 has the largest clubhead, fastest face and deepest centre-ofgravity, making it ideal for players looking for all-out distance.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted explosive distance, soaring launch and a massive sweet spot for a repeatable ball flight and a crisp pop at impact.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• The steel L-face features variablethickness patterns to fuel high-launch performance and faster ball speeds.
• The use of high-density tungsten optimizes the centre-of-gravity and boosts launch.
• Top 5 in Performance, middle-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 43 degrees
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
/ SOUND / FEEL
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List panelists observed a playersstyle iron with a thin, elegant profile and springy face that launches high with soft, crisp feel and surprising forgiveness.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
CALLAWAY
Quantum Max OS
RRP 5,985
• Callaway returns to its roots in this category with an oversize clubhead that has plenty of o set, a thicker topline and weaker lofts to help get the ball airborne.
• The 360-degree undercut cavity creates more spring-like e ect because of a cupface that extends toward the rear of the sole.
• A weight bar allows the centre-of-gravity to remain low and forward without inhibiting flex on the sole flange.
• Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
OVERALL RATING
COBRA
Ba
er N/A
• For this set, the 4- and 5-hybrids are based o the Air-X hybrid, and the 6- and 7-hybrids are hollow hybrid irons reminiscent of the T-Rail. The 8- and 9-irons follow the design of the DS-Adapt Max, and the pitching wedge is a close relative of the cavityback Air-X iron.
OVERALL RATING
COMMENT SUMMARY Hot List panelists observed explosive, high-launching performance with forgiving, consistent distance; tight dispersion; satisfying firm feel and a crisp sound.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• Cobra’s venerable Ba er rails on the sole throughout the set allow the bottom of the club to glide along the turf and prevent unwanted digging.
• Specs: 7-iron: 29 degrees; PW: 44 degrees
COMMENT SUMMARY Hot List testers observed explosive, consistently highlaunching, forgiving clubs with superb turf-skirting rails; the pitching wedge is great for approach shots.
COBRA King Max
RRP 5,195
• Compared to the King model, the Max features a more oversize head, a slightly longer blade, more o set and 2 more degrees of loft per club.
• The 3D-printed lattice medallion saves 5 grams that is repositioned to help shots get up easily.
• A 75-gram weight in the 4- through 7-irons is set low and back to lower the centreof-gravity while still allowing the face, body and sole to flex.
• Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 29.5 degrees; PW: 44.5 degrees
OVERALL RATING
MIZUNO
JPX925 Hot Metal HL
RRP 5,565
• In this model, highstrength chromoly 4140M steel is used for the face. The hitting area is thinned around the perimeter, increasing rebound for maximum ball speed.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted a hefty, compact head with a springy, hot face; high, consistent launch; forgiving turf glide and easy squaring at impact.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
• The wide sole teams with tungsten weighting low in the head of the 4- through 7-irons to help golfers hit the ball higher.
• Balanced weighting of the iron’s frame improves control while maintaining forgiveness.
• Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 31 degrees; PW: 45 degrees
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted consistent, high-launching shots with extra distance, penetrating flight and compact looks that hide strong forgiveness.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
PING G740
RRP 6,965
• Ping engineers are data-driven, so they used research from Arccos showing that high-handicappers need more draw bias. As a result, they made the standard lie angle in this set 1 degree more upright to fight a slice.
• The sole width is 22 percent wider and the blade length 3 percent longer than the G440. That ups the perimeter weighting and lowers the centre-of-gravity for an easy-to-launch, forgiving iron.
• Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 28 degrees; PW: 40 degrees
OVERALL RATING
SRIXON ZXiR HL RRP 4,995
• Srixon studied analytics of real-golfer data to arrive at the HL’s loft and length gappings as well as set makeup, including starting the set at the 5-iron.
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted high-spinning shots and soft yet springy feel with explosive ball speed, easy launch, strong forgiveness and long distance.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf
• A proprietary steel called i-alloy is used for the head. The alloy is 10 percent softer and less dense than 431 stainless steel, leading to a cushiony feel.
• The variable-thickness clubface uses a milling pattern on the back of the face to amplify ball speed and forgiveness.
• Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
• Specs: 7-iron: 32.5 degrees; PW: 45.5 degrees
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted an explosive, high, straight ball flight with impressive distance, a large sweet spot, easy launch and solid turf interaction.
this club and get a custom fit at eGolf
Megastore
Demo
Megastore
TAYLORMADE
Qi Max HL
RRP 5,595
• To minimise slicing, TaylorMade uses a multi-material cap back in this club that is lighter than the steel it replaces and wraps around the high-toe area. Less weight there makes it easier to square the face and hit straighter shots.
• These irons feature extreme heel-toe weighting to provide more stability across the clubface.
• Slots on the sole allow the face to flex, providing plenty of ball speed despite weakerthan-usual lofts.
• Specs: 7-iron: 31 degrees; PW: 44.5 degrees
OVERALL RATING
PERFORMANCE
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted explosive, compact irons that launch the ball extremely high with a lively face feel, strong carry and pleasing looks.
Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore
WHERE TO LOOK FOR POWER
New drivers are built for speed, but be careful not to waste it
There are a lot of different swing styles on the pro tours, particularly backswings, but what you won’t find are big differences in how the pros finish their swings. This club-behind-the-neck look that I’m showing below isn’t the result of simply trying to strike a pose. It comes from momentum because elite players know where to put the speed in their swings.
If you want to get the most out of that new driver—the one that is so lightweight and hot that it just needs a little help from you to deliver serious performance—then consider how you finish. Think about a lever: It moves its fastest when it straightens, right? As you swing down to the ball, you have a lever between your arms and the clubshaft, and that lever has to straighten for you to give the ball a powerful smash.
Ideally, you’ll straighten the lever “through the ball” and let the clubhead and your arms extend toward the target after impact. It should feel like the club is moving its fastest in the through-swing (though it will be slowing down after the collision with the ball). It’s a feel-versusreal thing, but if you focus on straightening that lever and then extending after impact, the momentum will carry you into a full, statuesque finish.
Many pros are so unwound and fully released at the finish that the shaft is actually pointing toward the target. Try to do that, and you’ll have lots of speed at the ball.
—JASON GUSS, one of Golf Digest’s Best Teachers in Illinois, is director of instruction at Naperville Country Club.
SCHOTT ON TOP
THE 24-YEAR-OLD GERMAN CAPTURED HIS
MAIDEN DP WORLD TOUR TITLE IN BAHRAIN
FREDDY SCHOTT won his first DP World Tour title after beating Calum Hill and Patrick Reed in a play-off at the 2026 Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour.
The trio were locked at 17 under par after 72 holes, following a final round 67 from Reed to make up a four-shot over-
night deficit to Hill, who began the day two clear. The Scot had to settle for a 71 after a bogey at the difficult final hole, while Schott carded 69 to join the pair.
The first play-off hole saw Reed make bogey and drop out of contention, before Hill’s tee shot on his 74th hole went out of bounds and then into the water;
the overnight leader sportingly conceded without making Schott putt out for the win.
Sunday saw leaderboard movement aplenty, with Schott eager to chase down his playing partner from the get-go.
The 24-year-old made four birdies across his first seven holes before a dropped shot at eight and a double bogey on the 11th halted his momentum. He managed to regroup and birdie the next two holes and, despite giving up another shot at the 17th, scraped his way into a play-off to keep the dream of securing his first win alive.
A pack lead by New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier and Spain’s Sergio Garcia threatened throughout the day, thanks to respective rounds of 66 and 68, but it wasn’t enough – the pair sharing a tie for fourth at 16 under par. Ugo Coussaud finished in sixth one shot behind them.
Victory in his 91st DP World Tour event lifted Schott into the top ten of this season’s Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World and moved him from 436th on the Official World Golf Ranking to inside the top 200.
The Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship once again provided invaluable experience for the Kingdom’s emerging golfers, with local players gaining crucial exposure competing alongside Major champions and multiple DP World Tour winners.
Ahmed Alzayed, Ali Alkowari and Khalifa Almaraisi all teed it up at Royal Golf Club, taking on the same course and conditions as the likes of former Masters champions Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed, and three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington.
While the cut proved elusive, the experience of competing at the highest level of professional golf will prove invaluable as the Kingdom continues to grow the game and develop its next generation of talent.
Captain America secured his second DP World Tour title of the year at Doha Golf Club
REED DOUBLES UP IN QATAR
PATRICK REED won his second DP World Tour event in three weeks with a two-stroke triumph at the 2026 Qatar Masters.
The American, who won his first Rolex Series title at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic before finishing runner-up in the previous week’s Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, continued his red-hot start to the year with victory at Doha Golf Club.
The five-time DP World Tour winner carded a two under par final round of 70 to finish on 16 under, two ahead of Scotland’s Calum Hill who recorded his second consecutive runner-up finish.
Reed took a two-shot lead into the final round over Jacob Skov Olesen but after the Dane birdied the first hole and Reed bogeyed the second, the pair were tied at the top.
Oliver Lindell quickly joined them and even moved a shot ahead of Reed, starting his round in thrilling fashion with six birdies and two bogeys before he rounded off the front nine with his first par.
The Finn birdied the 11th but followed that up with consecutive three-putt bogeys, with Reed birdieing the tenth and
11th to move two shots ahead once more.
Jayden Schaper produced Sunday’s lowest round, a bogeyfree seven-under-par 65, to set the early clubhouse target at 11 under - which was improved to 13 under when Johannes Veerman holed a long birdie putt at the last to finish off his 68.
Hill chipped in to eagle the tenth and made four consecutive birdies from the 14th to launch a late run into contention, before a par at the last saw him sign for a 14-under total.
Reed birdied the 14th before parring his way in to seal the fifth DP World Tour victory of his career and climb into pole position on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World.
Olesen and Veerman shared third place, with Lindell and Dan Bradbury joined by Angel Ayora and Sebastian Söderberg on 12 under for a share of fifth.
The top ten was completed by Schaper, Gregorio De Leo, David Micheluzzi, Antoine Rozner and Kazuma Kobori in a tie for ninth on 11 under.
Three-time Major winner Pádraig Harrington, in his 500th DP World Tour event, was under par for the fourth day in a row with a 71 to finish five under.
LIV NEWBIE ELVIS
SMYLIE SNATCHED HIS FIRST LIV GOLF TITLE IN SAUDI ARABIA
23-YEAR-OLD LIV Golf rookie, Elvis Smylie, produced four sizzling rounds to win in his LIV Golf debut at Riyadh Golf Club.
The Australian capped off his impressive first week under the lights at ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh, shooting a final-round bogey-free 8-under 64 on Saturday to hold off a hard-charging Jon Rahm by one stroke. He also led the Rippers to the team title, as the Aussies swept both trophies going into their biggest tournament of the season at LIV Golf Adelaide.
With the win, Smylie earns the 23.03580 projected points allotted by the Official World Golf Ranking to the winner of this week’s LIV Golf tournament. The OWGR announced earlier in the week that points would be awarded for LIV Golf tournaments this season to the top 10 and ties. Smylie entered the week ranked 134th and moved up to 77th with his victory.
Smylie needed a hot putter down the stretch to create some separation from the field, then withstand the last-ditch rally by Rahm, the Legion XIII captain and twotime LIV Golf Individual Champion.
Rahm started the day two shots behind co-leaders Smylie and Peter Uihlein and was three strokes behind when Smylie birdied the par-4 12th. But the Spaniard closed fast with birdies on five of his last six holes, including the last four.
He drove the green at the 396-yard par-4 18th but could not convert the eagle putt. Still, his final birdie put the finishing touches on a 9-under bogey-
free 63, the lowest round of the week, and reduced Smylie’s lead to one.
RangeGoats GC’s Uihlein finished solo third after shooting a 67 for 21 under, while Fireballs GC’s David Puig and 4Aces GC’s Thomas Pieters shot 65s to share fourth place with Torque GC’s Abraham Ancer.
The team competition turned into a battle between Ripper and Torque. The Australians started off fast, with Marc Leishman beginning his round with four straight birdies; the team collectively was 11 under through their first six holes.
Torque responded with Ancer, making his first start for his new team after four years with Fireballs GC, and Sebastián Muñoz each shooting 66.
But the 64s by Smylie and Lucas Herbert were supported by Smith’s 65 and Leishman’s 69 to produce a fourthround team score of 26 under, the thirdbest single round team score in league history. Ripper’s tournament total of 69 under is a league record as they won their fifth regular-season team title by three shots.
ELVIS
LIGHTS UP RIYADH
AT HOME IN RIYADH HULL
THE GOLF SAUDI AMBASSADOR
WON THE OPENING PIF GLOBAL SERIES EVENT OF 2026
CHARLEY HULL carded a seven-under 65 in the final round of the $5 million PIF Saudi Ladies International to be crowned the champion of the Ladies European Tour (LET) season opener.
On Valentine’s Day, England’s rose proved her affection for Riyadh Golf Club once again – she has previously won here in 2024 and three further top 10s in the Saudi capital – scrambling through a packed field posting seven birdies and an eagle on the par five 12th courtesy of a 60ft putt.
The 29-year-old, who now has five LET wins to her name, had a nervy wait after holing a birdie putt on her 72nd hole of the week to post the clubhouse lead in the first PIF Global Series event of the year.
Clutching the trophy, the Golf Saudi ambassador said: “I feel great, and I love this golf course, and I like how it’s really matured over the years. It’s getting trickier each year. The grass is getting thicker, and I just really like it. It was a good challenge.
“I’ve worked really hard this off-season, so it’s nice to see results straight away. It’s one of the bigger events on the LET, and it feels like a home event for me because I’m a Golf Saudi ambassador. So it’s really special to win for my sponsors.”
South Africa’s Casandra Alexander made her own back-nine charge for the title, birdieing four out of a five-hole stretch between 11-15; but a bogey on the par three 17th left the 26-year-old, who contested a Sunshine Tour playoff just last week, needing a birdie to force another one but the crucial putt missed its mark, finishing runner-up for the second week in a row alongside Japan’s Akie Iwai.
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda made a consistent start to the season with an opening round of 67 followed by three 68s to tie for fourth with third round co-leader Hye-Jin Choi, from Korea.
England’s prodigious Mimi Rhodes who led the field after the first two rounds but lost ground with a score of level par yesterday, rallied today with a convincing five-under par 67 to finish joint sixth.
The PIF Global Series heads to Las Vegas for its second stop, making a historic West Coast debut. This event signals the first time both the PIF Global Series, and the Aramco Championship will be hosted in the region, bringing elite-level competition to one of the world’s premier sports and entertainment destinations. Scheduled from April 2–5, the tournament will see players competing for a prestigious $4 million prize fund.
OF GOLF DIGEST MIDDLE EAST
BY HARRY GRIMSHAW
2008
November
“On the tee… Golf Digest Middle East”
With Robbie Greenfield at the editorial helm, the Englishman took the reins in launching what would be, the Middle East’s Number One golf magazine
And what a way to start proceedings, Justin Timberlake brought his A-game, including yarns about being on stage with Madonna and playing Augusta National with his Dad, to life in our first edition. Golf still remains a favourite getaway for the singer-songwriter.
Claude Harmon III, Justin Parsons and Mark GregsonWalters were introduced as the Golf Digest Middle East (GDME ) instruction editors.
As the son of Butch
December
Colin Montgomerie unveils Bahrain gem at Royal Golf Club. After a bit of a torrid season on the course, outside the ropes Monty’s year ended on a high with the o cial unveiling of his Montgomerie course, alongside the Ri a View Invitational.
Jumeirah Golf Estates announced as the venue for the richest event in golf, the Dubai World Championship. Designed by Greg Norman, the Earth courses final four holes are “to be considered one of the most challenging and exciting miles of golf,” claims the Shark.
goal is to be recognised as one of the top five golfing destinations in the world,” said Project Director, Abdulla Al Gurg.
The 2009 desert swing began. Two decades prior, the European Tour made a bold and unprecedented move to stage a tour event in Dubai with the Dubai Desert Classic. Fastforward, to the present day and the desert swing captivates the entire golfing world.
March Ryder Cup for Dubai?
Harmon, Claude would bring his knowledge of the modern game of golf to Dubai as he launched the Butch Harmon School of Golf situated at the Els Club, Dubai.
Each month, the trio would share their knowledge, tips and philosophies with GDME
The inaugural Race To Dubai o cially began.
Dubai World company Leisurecorp announced that a new partnership with the European Tour, worth nearly US$200 million, would see the emirate become a focal point in pro golf.
Emirates Golf Club opens its new fitting centre, that o ers the first multibrand facility in the Middle East. “There aren’t many facilities outside of the US with this extent of custom fit equipment available,” said Tom Rourke, the golf operations manager. “We can do a fitting in the morning and cut the chosen clubs to fit so they’re ready for collection in the afternoon – and I think it’s that speed of service that golfers will find appealing.”
2009
January
Tiger Woods is given “total freedom” and an “almost limitless” budget in creating a Dubai golf course, located at Al Ruwaya. In what was scheduled to open the following year, the Tiger Woods Dubai was to be as exclusive as it is unique. “Within five years, our
Leisurecorp threw their hat in the ring for hosting a future Ryder Cup in Dubai. “It makes sense”, insisted Leisurecorp Golf’s CEO David Spencer. “Golf tourism is a fantastic product that we can gain more market share in. (A bid) has certainly crossed my mind. It’s crossed (European Tour Chief Executive) George O’Grady’s mind as well.”
May
Exclusive first images of Jumeirah Golf Estates, designed by Greg Norman, are released. We took a detailed look at the Earth and Fire course as they neared completion.
TIGER WOODS DUBAI
July
The results are in! The regions first ever golf course ranking with the Middle East’s Top 10. The first GDME ranking panel ever assembled judged the courses on seven criteria, each on a scale of 1 to 10.
Coming out on top, was the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club. No surprise really, given its pedigree and historical significance!
November
Muscat Hills announces a new clubhouse and second nine holes. Since opening in May 2009, Oman’s first grass golf course was exceeding expectations and attracting thousands of golfers to Muscat.
The wait was over, two years after the European Tour’s daring new concept was launched in Dubai, the emirate was preparing to stage the most significant golf tournament ever held in the region, the Dubai World Championship
2010
March
Rory McIlroy Exclusive.
Aged only 20-years-old, the Northern Irishman called Dubai home, sat down to discuss the transformation that his life had undergone particularly in the last 12 months, his ambitions to become World Number One and the goal of winning a Major. “If there was one that I would want to win it would be The Masters,” well, well, well…
April
The Faldo course gets floodlights. Emirates Golf Club announced the eagerly anticipated opening date for night golf on its championship Faldo course becoming the first fully floodlit 18 hole course in the UAE.
May
Our first sighting of Rayhan Thomas! George Kasparis, Rayhan’s coach at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club shared with us his thoughts on the 10-year-old. “He can hit the ball 220 yds with his driver, which is very unusual for a kid of that age. The good kids we work with are all very talented, but Rayhan is just that little more advanced because of his length.”
October
Yas Links Golf Club chosen as host venue for The Invitational hosted by Abdullah Al Naboodah. The Pro-Am tournament would included reigning US Open Champion Graeme McDowell, 2009 European No.1 Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey, Ross Fisher and many other top European Tour pros.
November
GDME named Official Magazine for Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. We were proud to be involved in an event that boasted a new global partner in HSBC, the then richest purse on the European Tour’s Desert Swing and the strongest field in its short but prestigious history.
December
Rory McIlroy cooks up a storm in Dubai.
The Jumeirah ambassador was joined by a select group
of the best young juniors in the UAE, three members of the UAE National team and some top UAE golf coaches in an initiative to celebrate the progress of golf development at a grass roots level, all while attempting Beef Wellington at MJ’s Steakhouse in the Al Qasr Hotel!
Abu Dhabi City Golf Club officially opened its twotiered driving range, the first two-tiered driving range in the UAE!
RORY MCILROY
2011
January
A slice of UAE sporting history was to be restored at the old Nad Al Sheba golf course and transform it into the new Meydan golf course. Surrounded by the horse race track, it would feature a floodlit nine hole course designed by the UAE’s most prolific golf course designer, Peter Harradine.
Making his long-awaited debut in the Middle East, Masters champion, Phil Mickelson announced he would be going up against the strongest European Tour line-up ever assembled in Abu Dhabi. “The European Tour is in great health –you only have to look at the Ryder Cup to see the strength and depth of the European Tour players – and we love having them over to play in the States, too.”
March
Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation makes the decision to launch the
MENA Tour - a new initiative designed to bridge the gap between regional competitions and Europe’s three professional golf tours. The MENA Tour was to be open to both local professionals and top amateur players.
May
Colin Montgomerie backs a UAE Ryder Cup. “The UAE, and Dubai especially, has been a fantastic supporter of the European Tour since the inception of the Desert Classic in 1988. We consider the UAE part of our tour, part of Europe. I’m sure George [O’Grady, the chief executive] would agree with me when I say the Ryder Cup could come here,” said Monty,
September
The Omega Dubai Ladies Masters hit a new high with HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein. The wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VicePresident and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai - granted her official patronage to the season ending LET event that was to be held at the Emirates Golf Club later in the year.
October
When golf in DUBAi launched the region’s first ever pro/amateur tour, for Chairman Mohamed Juma Buamaim, it was the first part of an ambitious long term plan to produce more home grown world class golfers to eventually build a tour strong enough to co-sanction European Tour events when the Middle East Swing came to town.
December
New courses in the region made a huge impact in our Middle East Top-10. Our first ranking in 2009 was dominated by the oldest courses in the region.
Now it was all about the newcomers.
2012
January
Matteo Manassero became an Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority ambassador. One of golf’s natural born shotmakers took a tour of Abu Dhabi’s stunning championship courses all while showing us three shots in his bag that took him to two European Tour titles at just 18 years of age.
MENA TOUR
MATTEO MANASSERO
Dewald Lubbe was crowned the inaugural Golf Digest Long Drive Champion at Emirates Golf Club. The South African produced the feat with a towering e ort on his penultimate ball of 344 yards.
DP World to sponsor European Tour Championship in threeyear agreement. The European Tour announced a significant three-year agreement to extend The Race to Dubai through to the end of 2014 with a new name and title sponsor for the season-ending finale. The event would now be known as the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
March
Hydroturf launches exciting new era for Saudi Arabian golf. A team of golf management experts held a groundbreaking seminar in Riyadh after Hydroturf secured a dealership that could revolutionise the golf industry in the Kingdom. It would o er the country access to the same
ALMOUJ GOLF
management expertise employed by golf clubs throughout the UAE and other parts of the Middle East.
April
The UAE’s most underrated golf course. It has some of the truest and quickest putting surfaces in the UAE, but you wouldn’t find a blade of grass anywhere. Al Ghazal Golf Club is the king of sand courses, a former host of the World Sand Golf Championship is also the venue for the longest running Men’s Open in the UAE.
UAE Crowned GCC Golf Champions. The UAE turned an inspired performance to win the GCC Golf Championship for the very first time in their history of the regional event at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club.
Most golf in 24 hours! Andrew Morley and Stephen Jenks of Wellington International School Dubai completed their 162nd hole (that’s nine full rounds!) to set a new Guinness Record for the most golf holes completed, on foot, in a
24-hour period. The event was supported by Sharjah Charity International and was used to raise funds for an eye hospice in Bangladesh.
October
Ahmed Al Musharrekh became the first UAE National to turn pro. The 21-year-old, top ranked Emirati golfer, was the first UAE National ever to join the paid ranks of playing professional. “It has always been my dream to play as a professional and I am glad that I have finally made the decision,” said the Sharjahborn player. “I am really proud of my achievements with the UAE national team, but feel the time has come to move on to newer and bigger challenges.”
November
Greg Norman unveils full 18 holes at Almouj Golf The Wave, Muscat. The club celebrated the o cial opening ceremony of Almouj Golf under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Taimur bin As’ad Al Said.
The event was attended by dignitaries from both the government and private sectors as well as Greg Norman, designer of Almouj Golf.
March
25 years of Emirates Golf Club. In 1998, it began life as the desert miracle, but Emirates Golf Club is more of a city slicker these days.
As Dubai exploded up around it over the last twoand-a-half decades, the club rode the crest of that wave, accumulating an extraordinary history along the way. “We had around 40,000 tourist rounds throughout the UAE in 2010”, said Chris May, Dubai Golf CEO. “Two years later that number rose to 65,000. I think this year will be even better.”
ALMOUJ GOLF
April
Motivate Publishing and Emirates GC release The Desert Miracle. Combining facts and statistics with an engrossing narrative, Rodney J. Bogg chronologically recorded the history and growth of Emirates Golf Club, from its pre-opening days to its vision for the future.
June
Donald Trump announced Trump International, Dubai. The American billionaire spoke exclusively to GDME following DAMAC properties’ announcement that the Trump International, Dubai would be the centrepiece of their new development. “The par 71, 7,205 yard course would be located 10 minutes o Sheikh Zayed Road, opposite Arabian Ranches and behind Motor City”,
said Donald Trump. “It is an emphatic statement that marked the end of Dubai’s golf development downturn.
October
UAE’s Hardest Golf Holes. We looked at the holes you wish you could just skip, the ones that punish you mercilessly for just one bad swing or tiny error in judgement. For the very first time, we presented the Hardest Holes in the UAE.
WARNING: They’re not for the faint-hearted!
Noveber
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club launched its refurbished Golf Academy, which includes a new 18-hole putting course and state-ofthe-art golf simulator. The golf simulator featured high speed camera technology to capture swing path, impact
and ball flight and features 140 golf courses from around the world.
December
Shiv Kapur sealed European Tour return in style at Al Badia. The 32-year-old became the first Indian to win a Challenge Tour Grand Final, racing from 20th to fourth on the final standings and securing his card for the Race to Dubai in 2014.
2014
April
20 years after winning his first green jacket, José María Olazabal reflected on glory at Augusta, that crazy Sunday at Medinah and unveiled his brand new hidden gem in the heart of the Maldives.
June
Bullish Trump targeted a Dubai Ryder Cup. The American businessman claimed Gil Hanse’s Dubai design would be “the best course in the Middle East and one of the greatest in the world.”
Gary Player Exclusive. The original pioneer for golf fitness explained why Tiger could come back stronger, how his legendary workout regime allows him to break 70 at nearly 80 and why this was the year for Phil Mickelson to join him in the Career Grand Slam club.
July
Matt Fitzpatrick joined golf in DUBAi as brand ambassador. Fitzy was the first player since the legendary Bobby Jones, to win top amateur honours at both the Open and U.S. Open championships. The 19-year-old Englishman turned professional a month prior at the Irish Open.
JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZABAL
GARY PLAYER
September
The 385 yard guy. Al Hamra Golf Club’s Dewald Lubbe entered the big league of long driving. Three years prior, the South African won our inaugural long driving championship with an effort of 344 yards. Now, he was able to carry it that far through the air alone!
2015
February
Shooting lower scores with Henrik Stenson. In another exclusive, the Swede showed us how you can smarten up your scorecard without spending hours grinding away on the driving range.
March
The inaugural GDME survey. After months of exhaustive research, we arrived at the most detailed picture ever of a resident Middle East golfer. A thanks must go to all of you who completed the first GDME reader survey!
April
Newly appointed European Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke would lead his team of rest of the world sporting icons against the all-star Americans led by captain Fred Couples when the Icons Cup teed off at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Surfs up with Rafa Cabrera Bello. The Spaniard, who lives in Dubai, spoke to us about why catching waves was the perfect tonic to the pressure cooker of professional tour golf.
May
European Challenge Tour
announced Road to Oman format. The European Tour had the Race to Dubai, and its subsidiary Challenge Tour now had the Road to Oman. This was the news that saw an alignment in format between the main tour and its chief supplier of fresh young talent. The Grand Final was to be moved from Al Badia Golf Club in Dubai to Almouj Golf in Muscat, Oman.
June
Eleven-time European Tour winner and 2010 DP World Tour champion Robert Karlsson was full of praise for the revamped Arabian Ranches Golf Club layout. The Swede had plenty of good things to say about a course that was nearly unrecognisable from its original design.
July
Al Zorah: First Look. Ajman’s maiden golf course was nearing completion.
2016
January
Paige Spiranac turned professional in Dubai. The American came to Dubai to prove she was not just golf’s biggest social media celebrity. During a remarkable pro debut at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, that became a baptism of fire, Spiranac learned that while her game needed work, her spirit was just fine.
For a country with the UAE’s appetite for golf development, nearly six years without a new championship golf course amounted to a notable break. But this golfing drought was about to end as the stunning Troon Golf-managed Al Zorah in Ajman would more than justify the wait.
Industry veteran Rod Bogg joined golf in DUBAi team. With over 40 years of club management under his belt and 23 at the helm of Emirates Golf Club, Bogg was brought in to provide strategic input into the planning, implementation and management of dynamic programmes that leverage the game of golf.
November
Fifty years on from completing the Career Grand Slam, the inspirational Gary Player directed his boundless energy towards philanthropy. Oh, and he could still break 70.
Top 10 Golf Courses in the Middle East 2016. A new entry and a new Number Two were the big stories in our fourth biennial ranking of the best courses in the Middle East on a list of the highest quality.
March
GDME listened to Rory McIlroy at the Bose store in Dubai Mall. In another exclusIve interview, the four-time major champion talked about his views on the modern game and covered topics as wide-ranging as The Masters, Tiger Woods, hosting the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and golf’s return to the Olympics this summer.
Bryson DeChambeau: The Golf Scientist. U.S. Amateur champion DeChambeau, was not just one of the brightest prospects in golf, but he was a man who rejected its age-old conventions to devise a new way of playing it. We caught up with this remarkable American amateur during the 2016 Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
May Golfing revolution in Qatar.
As it neared completion, the Qatar International Golf Club (now Education City Golf Club) was promised to bring a golf revolution to Doha. We sat down with the man at the creative helm of the ambitious project, twotime Masters champion José María Olazábal.
June
InsIde Kabul Golf Club: where a military escort to the first tee comes highly recommended! Variously known as the world’s ‘most dangerous’ and ‘least played’ course. It was a beacon of freedom in a war-torn country, a symbol of defiance against the oppressive regime of the Taliban, and now, an unlikely playground for thrill-seeking golfers who are rich enough to take their own chopper and military escort to the first tee with them.
October
Home grown Rayhan
Thomas. He was a poster boy for the future of golf in both India and the Middle
East and in this interview, Thomas talked about pressure playoffs, his love of yoga and the sacrifices required to become one of the best 16-year-old golfers on the planet.
November
Trump International
Dubai: First Look. With its crumpled fairways, swathes of native grasses, generous open spaces and flowing teeing grounds, the Trump International Dubai Golf Club exhibited many of the same characteristics as an ancient Scottish links.
December
JA Resorts & Hotels sponsored Olivia Cowan. The Dubai-based hospitality group announced its sponsorship of 20-year-old German-born LET golfer Cowan.
Five-time LET winner
Mel Reid spoke about the best way to help youngsters develop a love for sport. She gave her thoughts on the 2016 Solheim and Ryder Cup controversies, and reiterated a desire to see the
Olympic golf tournament change to a mixed match play format.
2017
January
Keith Pelley’s bright blueprint. Just shy of 18 months since succeeding George O’Grady as chief executive of the European
Tour, the 52-year-old Canadian was quietly impressing with his mediainfused business savvy style, “I’ve always said that we are in the entertainment content business with golf as our platform.”
March
Falcon Golf takes flight. Former R&A chief executive Peter Dawson said Dubai’s forward thinking approach could take golf in the emirate to the next level - and to the world.
April
The Long Drive World Series made an immediate impact as a 500-strong crowd cheered Tim Burke to victory at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The 30-year-old American overpowered World Number Six and qualifier Ryan Reisbeck 335 yards to 329.5 in the final and also produced the longest hit of the event at 341 yards.
May
Masters Champion Sergio Garcia teamed up with Indian Number One Anirban Lahiri to headline the content on golfindubai.com, a long overdue one-stop shop for golf tourism in the emirate of Dubai.
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU
RAFA CABRERA BELLO
June
Inside Rory McIlroy’s golf bag. Justin Parsons had watched Rory blossom from a shaggy-haired teen to the summit of world golf. The Director of Instruction at Dubai’s Butch Harmon School of Golf witnessed the Northern Irishman settle on his new bag of swag as he offered a fascinating insight into the selection process.
September
Ismail Sharif enjoyed great success as a pioneer of Emirati golf. Seven national championships, UAE selection and a string of club and corporate titles among his many highlights, the 57-year-old’s love affair with the game nearly ended in an acrimonious divorce before it had even begun.
October 100th edition! Rayhan Thomas was our cover star, as he remade the Justin Timberlake shoot, seen in our first edition back in 2008.
November
A look back. The original, race track-ringed nine holes at Al Ain Equestrian, Golf and Shooting Club, constructed in the shadow of the soaring Jebel Hafeet heights, was completed in early 2000 but strangely didn’t open to the public until 2007. In 2010 a homeward nine and impressive par 3 academy course and practice facilities were added to make it 18 holes and a whole lot more.
December
Welcome to the best little halfway hut in Middle East golf. Here they called a spade a spade. The halfway house at Tower Links, Ras Al Khaimah, is as colourful as the character behind its creation.
Ayla Golf Club, Jordan sits at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe and was a country steeped in history and culture. Now Greg Norman’s new 18-holer added an unforgettable, contemporary tourism lure.
2018
January
Dubai Creek golf & Yacht Club celebrated its 25th anniversary. Author Rodney J. Bogg, the Middle East’s foremost golf historian, charted the rise of the iconic Dubai landmark.
February
Thomas Bjørn had featured in seven Ryder Cups – three victorious times as a player and four as a vice-captain –and now the Dane, has the reins as captain. The Rolex ambassador spoke to Kent Gray eight months out from the “all consuming” 42nd matches at Le Golf National in Paris.
March
30 years of Emirates Golf Club. The club put Dubai firmly on the world’s sporting map as it became the European Tour’s first permanent venue outside mainland Europe when the first Dubai Desert Classic took place in March 1989. What is even more remarkable, however, is the
fact that in 1988, Emirates G.C. was a full 25km from the city, with virtually nothing between the old Defence Roundabout (now the Dubai Mall interchange) and the site.
May
Full circle with James Williams. One of Dubai golf’s most popular figures was back where his UAE odyssey began three decades prior.
14-year-old Josh Hill made no race of EGF's Order of Merit series. So what was next for the Dubai-born teen phenom?
Living Legends grows. The longest running secret in Middle East golf was finally taking shape in the Al Barari residential development.
RAYHAN THOMAS
June
Easy does it in Saudi. Ernie Els added his considerable celebrity to the official opening of Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, Saudi Arabia.
September
Meeting Othman Almulla. As Saudi Arabia’s leading amateur for more than a decade, Othman had his share of golfing highs. Qualifying for the 2007 Omega Dubai Desert Classic as a 20-year-old, an unforgettable experience transformed into the surreal when he got to meet Tiger Woods. That took some beating!
October
With a particularly spectacular outward nine, a strong finish and recurring views of the architectural wonder that is the Burj Khalifa, Dubai’s newest course, Dubai Hills, was poised to become a lure for locals and tourists alike.
December
David Leadbetter, world renowned instructor spoke about the Faldo years, the magic of Seve, illegal drivers for amateurs, why a World Tour is overdue, the curse of a dodgy grip and the opening of his latest academy at JA The Resort Golf Course.
The opening three holes at JA The Resort Golf Course had undergone a dramatic transformation to accommodate a new hotel that was currently under construction. Peter Harradine, principal architect at Harradine Golf, detailed the modern makeover – 20 years after originally creating the iconic Dubai 9-holer.
2019
January
Brooks Koepka’s selfie analysis. Being Brooks was great fun for much of 2018even if you detected a major chip on those ample shoulders of his. So how would he top it going into 2019?
February
World renowned golf photographer David Cannon had captured every edition of the Dubai Desert Classic.
SAUDI LADIES INTERNATIONAL
Here he shared his favourite moments on the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club.
April
Dubai’s revered stop on the Ladies European Tour was back with a new name and venue. The evolution of the Dubai Ladies Classic to the aptly named Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic after a 16-month hiatus was designed to future proof one of the LET’s leading events.
May
NEWGIZA Golf Club. If you like your golf with dramatic views, we checked out the very last Thomson Perrett & Lobb design which had just
opened on the outskirts of Cairo in Egypt.
October
Full circle. Zane Scotland’s evolution from battlescarred tour pro to playercoach made him a rich resource for youngsters making their way throughout the MENA Tour.
December
Top 10 courses in the Middle East. The Class of 2020. A new entry, the demise of a celebrated European Tour venue and plenty of snakes and ladders highlighted our sixth biennial ranking.
February
In a ground-breaking agreement, Royal Greens Golf & Country Club would host the first professional women’s event in Saudi Arabia. A new joint venture hinted at brighter times for the LET as efforts were being made to grow playing opportunities, commerciality and beyond.
NEWGIZA GOLF CLUB
With World No.1 Brooks Koepka set to headline a box office field, quality golf at the second Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers was guaranteed. Less visible but no less important to the growth of the game in the ambitious Kingdom was the work going on outside the ropes at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.
May
Middle East’s Dream 18 Holes. What would a compilation of the Middle East’s favourite holes look like? Stunning, long and very, very tough.
July
Covid fightback. How has golf in the Middle East coped with the coronavirus pandemic? And where does it go from here? We investigated.
September
Emirati lefty Ahmad Skaik proudly created history at the Dubai Trophy, as he now takes the helm. “I get
stellar cast to the Kingdom’s first ever professional women’s golf event, the Aramco Saudi Ladies International couldn’t help but create global headlines.
December
The curious case of Patrick Reed. If ‘Captain America’ was to become the first player from the United States to win the European Tour's Race to Dubai, would it shush his fiercest critics? Yes, sir. Well, sort of.
2021
nervous just thinking about it but it’s [going to be] an honour to be the captain of a great group of players.”
October
Welsh star Amy Boulden hailed Saudi Arabia’s ability to double-down on its historic Ladies European Tour stop. “This type of commitment to women’s golf is really amazing at this time.”
November
Golf Saudi Ladies First. With a US $1 million purse luring a
February
Justin Rose, life begins at 40. Rosey was to make his first appearance at Emirates Golf Club since 2009 happily subscribing to the theory that life begins at 40. “I still believe my best golf is ahead of me.”
June
The Golf Staycation Perfected. GDME’s inaugural Play&Stay came to Radisson Dubai DAMAC Hills and
Trump International Dubai. An 18-hole tournament on Friday washed down with a sumptuous post-round brunch before a blissful overnight stay at Dubai’s swishest new hotel.
July
Emirates Amateur Golf League teed off at Jumeirah Golf Estates. It was looking to become the games answer to IPL cricket.
August
Golf Saudi’s innovative new Aramco Team Series was born. A game changer for the Ladies European Tour, proved an instant hit in London.
October
Emirates Golf Club went right back to the beginning to secure the future of the most recognisable greens in the Middle East. All 18 greens and the practice surface beneath the club’s iconic Majlis clubhouse had been fully renovated to USGA specification.
Yas Acres: First Look. The latest addition to Abu Dhabi’s cluster of world class golf was unveiled and we were officially giddy with anticipation.
November
Emily Kristine Pedersen reflected on her “Saudi Sweep” in 2020 and Golf Saudi’s influential impact on the women’s game ahead of the LET double-header at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.
December
A US $200 million, 10-year investment in 10 premier events was a game-changer for the Asian Tour and it’s Australian chief, Cho Minn Thant. “You could say that
BROOKS KOEPKA
18 months ago, that was probably the worst time ever to be the Commissioner of Asian Tour and looking forward is probably the best time because of what we’ve done with LIV Golf and Golf Saudi.”
DP World takeover. The European Tour locked in a 10-year deal with the Dubaibased DP World understood to be worth US $400 million. With close political, economic and cultural
connections between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, some speculated that the respective sponsors would be caught in the maelstrom.
H.E. Yasir O.Al-Rumayyan chairman of Aramco and Golf Saudi, was encouraged by how the Aramco Team Series empowered a new generation of golfers in the Kingdom.
“The Aramco Team Series is an extension of our e orts to empower women and promote gender equality.”
2022
January
First Arabic EditionGDME launched in Arabic. In January of 2022 the world’s first Arabic golf magazine was announced as the game gained in popularity throughout the Middle East and beyond.
Living Golf. From teeing it up at Augusta National to sharing tee times with the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Rory Mcilroy and Annika Sorenstam, Irishman Shane O’Donoghue was living an extraordinary golf life.
May
The DP World Tour announced a long-term partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation until at least 2031, continuing the tour’s commitment to developing golf in the UAE from the grassroots up.
August
Flying the flag. Saudi Arabia’s Faisal Salhab and Saud
Alsharif ready themselves for next step in their careers as they both turned professional.
November
Chiara Noja reaches for the stars. Dubai-based 16-yearold reflected on a stellar 12 months as a professional ahead of the Aramco Team Series finale in Jeddah.
December
Valentino Dixon’s inspirational art. After 27 years in prison, wrongfully convicted Valentino realised a dream in Dubai. I said to myself: ‘I might as well draw the most beautiful place on the planet,’ which is Dubai, in my opinion.”
Fleetwood called Dubai home. “I am a resident and my family lives here now. My kids are in school here too,” Tommy added. “So Dubai is where normal life is for us at this time. So that’s been great, and we’ve settled in really well.
“We moved over around three months ago, it’s been great for me, [wife] Clare and the boys. The boys are loving school here which is great, so we’re feeling settled and loving life so far.”
H.E. YASIR O.AL-RUMAYYAN
2023
January
World’s best golfers — male and female — were to compete for equal prize money at the Saudi International tournaments.
April
Speaking with Noah Alireza. When Golf Saudi announced the appointment of Noah as its new CEO in February, succeeding Majed Al Sorour in the role, it also signalled the next step in the Kingdom’s vision for the sport. We caught up with Alireza to get the lowdown on the man, the hard work and next steps for Golf Saudi.
May
Putting things right. GDME spoke with Bob Bettinardi and Dean Cheesley of eGolf Megastore — the region’s leading golf equipment supplier and fitter, the pair spoke about the Bettinardi journey and plans for the future.
June
Mark Chapleski to retire from Troon. The UAEbased Troon Executive Vice President would retire at the end of July following 24 years with the golf club management team. Abdullah Al Naboodah was appointed NonExecutive Director of The European Tour Group — which looks after the DP World Tour, Challenge Tour, Legends Tour, G4D Tour and the Ryder Cup in Europe. Al Naboodah, was also Chairman of Al Naboodah Investments and an Executive Board member of Saeed and Mohammed Al Naboodah Group, a major Emirati family-owned
conglomerate with more than 60 years of history in the Middle East region.
December
A quick 9 with Colm McLoughlin. Born in Ireland, but made in Dubai. The Godfather of Dubai Duty Free, McLoughlin, celebrated an illustrious 40 years in the emirate of Dubai. “Dubai Duty Free is a success story that mirrors the trajectory of the emirate itself.”
2024
February
Another Brooks Koepka Exclusive. The five-time major winner spoke about life with LIV Golf, his careerthreatening injury, becoming a father, and the early days as a pro on the Challenge Tour. Discovery Land announced in Dubai South. Mike Meldman CEO of Discovery Land, explained more about the private, members-only residential luxury golf communities
he had created in soughtafter locations around the world. Next up for him was “Discovery Dunes.”
April
Return of Rahm. Now a member of LIV Golf, we broke down the stunning career of the World Number Three as he headed to Augusta National as the defending champion at the Masters.
May
GMac loving LIV. The Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell had got himself sitting pretty into the pack thanks to a revived career at LIV Golf.
June
Five Iron Golf to open in Dubai. Five Iron Golf, a globally recognised leader in golf and entertainment, announced the most expansive venue to date in Dubai. Spearheaded by entrepreneurs Matthew Csillag and David Zabinsky, alongside General Manager Andrew Bostock, this endeavour marked a significant milestone in delivering unparalleled golf, leisure, and culinary experiences.
SHURA LINKS
ABDULLAH AL NABOODAH
Saudi set for Shura Links. The 18-hole championship course, managed by Golf Saudi, would be accessible to all 11 hotels on Shura Island, as well as guests staying at other resorts at the Red Sea.
September
Rayhan Thomas hit the paid ranks. Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Viktor Hovland all sung his praises. Now the Dubai-based prodigy had returned to familiar shores since turning professional, in this his first exclusive interview.
November
The executive treatment. Abu Dhabi National’s “Garden Course” was getting a complete revamp by its original designer, Peter Harradine.
2025
March
“On the tee, now representing the UAE,
Adrian Otaegui.” From his early days as a young pro to representing the UAE, Adrian shared insights into his life both on and o the course. With an inimitable perspective on the game and his experiences in the Middle East, this conversation, o ered a rare look at what it took to balance elite golf with life in one of the world’s most dynamic cities.
April
A new era for Arab golf. The Arab Golf Federation was now filling a void with the launch of the newlook Arab Golf Series and its o cial ranking system. This initiative was designed to unify amateur competition and create a crystal-clear pathway for rising local talent all the way to the very top, with the ultimate ambition of delivering a future Arab champion on golf’s global stage.
August
Awali Golf Club, gulf golf’s sand pioneer. Founded in 1937, Awali is the oldest desert golf course in the Gulf and entirely sand-based. Located in Bahrain’s oil hub,
it features unique “browns” made of compacted, treated sand instead of greens. The club still hosts the Bahrain Open, the region’s first Open tournament.
September
Lebanon’s Lone Fairway. There was a time when Lebanon had four golf courses. Now, only one remains. The rest were lost to conflict. Even that surviving
course, the Golf Club of Lebanon, was once reduced to rubble during the 1982 invasion. Karim Salaam had a first-hand experience of it all and knew the story better than most.
December
How Iona Stephen found her voice. In this exclusive Q&A with GDME, the Scot delved into how her relationship with golf had managed to stand the test of time, so far.
January
Ahmad Skaik turned pro. The Emirates Golf Federation announced that UAE National Team standout Ahmad Skaik o cially turned professional. Marking the next chapter in one of the most successful amateur careers in Emirati golf.
AHMAD SKAIK
YOU GOTTA JIM TALKTO
changing the lives of tour pros
Meet the performance coach
Interview by Max Adler
Photographs by Chris Buck
All the brightest book publishers and eager marketers of the world couldn’t dream what happened January 12, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. In an NFL wildcard playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, TV cameras captured Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown on the sidelines in uniform reading (reading!). What book was more important than watching his opponents or listening to his coaches before the next set of downs? Inner Excellence: Train your mind for extraordinary performance and the best possible life was an obscure, self-published paperback by Jim Murphy, a former minor league baseball player turned mental coach who spent lean years researching a fundamental question: How do athlete who have devoted their entire lives to a single pursuit perform their very best under the ridiculous pressure of the ninth inning of the World Series, a fifth set at Wimbledon, the final run in the Olympics, etc.
The answer is no less than the sum of the book that would sell more than 200,000 copies those next three weeks, rocketing to the top of The New York Times bestseller list and transforming the life of the author who bounced his mortgage payment that month. Turns out, Murphy had also quietly developed a cult following in pro golf, particularly among caddies who thought their bosses got in their own way. Chandler Blanchet, winner of the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Championship, was gifted a copy of Murphy’s book by veteran pro Joe Durant. “Maybe the biggest difference for me was realising that everything that happens is here to teach me, and it’s all for my good,” Blanchet says. The ideas go well beyond golf for Blanchet, who organised Murphy to conduct a retreat for him and his wife two weeks before the birth of their first child.
I recently played golf with Murphy, a natural athlete who has warning-track power with long irons and rolls the ball nicely with a sidesaddle putting stroke. If he played 10 times in a season, he’d cut his handicap in half. This was our conversation after the round, edited for concision.
Before we go deep, let’s start with something easy any golfer can do to improve his or her mind-set. A simple thing is to speak with precision about the past and present tense. For example, don’t say, “I struggle with my driver.” Instead say, “I have in the past struggled with my driver.” Your subconscious is a powerful thing. It’s critical to leave the future, the next shot, open for positive possibilities because that is the truth. We are not defined by our past.
Athletes tend to not talk too loudly about seeing mental coaches. What is it you do for golfers?
Most guys come to me when they’re not playing well. Often their agent or someone from their team thinks I might be able to help them get instant results, better scores, the happiness that comes with those scores. But I’m not about better transactions. I want to enhance someone’s whole life by helping him or her see bigger possibilities, to help them develop a deeper sense of wellbeing and gratitude. If I can help you get more inner peace and inner strength, that’s going to help you in every area of your life, tournament golf included.
You sign NDAs with most of your clients. How may we quantify your presence in pro golf ?
I’ve had full-time clients on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and the LPGA Tour. Most years, I have three to four full-time clients who I talk to weekly and visit inperson on tour every four to five weeks. I follow their rounds closely, watch their interactions with their caddie, and afterward listen to them talk about their focus and what might’ve impacted it, help them get ready for the next day. There are a lot of other pros I just help when I can, junior and collegiate golfers, too.
At the risk of condensing a 300page book into a few sentences, what is the operating thesis of Inner Excellence applied to golf? If I were to summari s e, the biggest challenge we all face in performance
is over-analysis, or having way too many thoughts. Being self-conscious and thinking about results limits our ability to play with freedom. The ego is the part of the mind that always feels threatened, is always comparing and is never satisfied, and it leverages our deepest universal human craving—to feel love and acceptance—to make us uncomfortable standing over a threefoot putt. Every golfer, from amateur to professional, in the back of his or her mind fears looking bad and thus being rejected and missing out on the love and praise we get from good results. Once you understand this, it’s about learning what it takes for you to play with freedom and peace. When someone shanks a shot, you learn quickly what their inner peace is really like.
‘The ego leverages our deepest universal human craving— to feel love and acceptance—to make us uncomfortable standing over a threefoot putt.’
A recurrent theme of yours is that to play fearless you must first be selfless, which is a way of being that draws from Christianity and Buddhism alike. From which are you borrowing more heavily? So much of Western culture derives from Eastern culture, but I think Eastern philosophy is much more advanced with non-attachment, humility, impermanence, even yoga. In my research to discover how humans perform their best under the most pressure, I tried to learn as broadly as I could. When I found out that the heart—not the mind—is the key to poise, in golf or in any life-situation, I set about trying to understand how to train the heart. Beyond feeling loved, the heart also yearns to feel a part of something
greater than oneself. In exploring that last part, that’s when I leaned very heavily into the Bible as a source.
Pro golfers are a macho crowd. The idea that love is the most powerful force in the universe might come across as pretty mushy stuff to a lot of your clients, no?
For anyone to be a good coach or counselor, you must first connect with people on their level with their language. Whether I’m talking to a suicidal teen, an Olympic baseball player, someone from a foreign country or a person in their 70s, I’m not going to lead with words that might be off-putting to them. If an athlete is a devout Muslim, I’m not going to beat him over the head with a Bible. But to help anybody, it’s all the same things. I want to go much further than just getting someone to think positive; I want to find out what is a person’s greatest dream and their greatest fear. Simply, what’s in that person’s heart? I’m not going to use the L-word until I’m confident a person is ready to use it, too.
How have some of your more articulate clients on the PGA Tour expressed how they feel when they are playing their best—or their worst?
They say very close to the same things—that when they are performing great they feel a mix of calm and focus and relaxedness, almost a sense of time slowing. But a lot of PGA Tour
‘Most people aren’t willing to face the discomfort of feeling afraid.’
players lack confidence and get selfconscious same as anybody. I had a golfer who was ranked No. 7 in the world who told me he kept experiencing a desire to walk off the course, to quit in the middle of competition, but of course, couldn’t. I impressed on him that he could. I stress using accurate language, and the fact is we always have a choice. I told him to vividly imagine walking off. He would notify an official of his withdrawal, slam his clubs in the trunk of his courtesy car, drive to Chipotle to eat a burrito with his caddie. “Imagine being at Chipotle,” I said. “You can do that if that’s what you want. Or do you want to play the remaining holes, even if you’re well outside the cut line, and maybe learn something that’s going to help you. Ball in a terrible lie with a tree in the way and you don’t want to bother attempting the shot? Remember: Maybe hitting this shot is going to help you win a major someday.”
A caddie of a tour pro you work with told me about a game of yours
called “silent par 3.” What’s that? Yes, I like to play this with clients or encourage them to do it on their own. On a par 3, or maybe all the par 3s, no one talks from when the first person in the group hits a tee shot until the last person pulls their ball out of the cup. You might be amazed at how rich those 10 minutes seem. You’ll work on being present. Some tour pros will say to me, “Are we going to do that thing again where we can’t talk?” as if it’s restrictive. But can they see it as freedom? Rather than make chit-chat, you’re getting permission to let go and just connect with nature and being there. It’s a useful practice to develop awareness of your thoughts. To be great at golf or anything, the feeling you need when you’re alone with your thoughts is the same: to feel spacious, creative, light, free to fail and an excited sense that anything is possible. If you can’t be silent for one hole without thinking it’s stupid, that might be a sign that when the big putt is on the line, you won’t be as good as you could be.
What’s something simple and actionable golfers can do when they get nervous?
The average golfer at rest takes 15 to 18 breaths a minute. The ideal to be relaxed is 5.5. I tell my guys to remem-
TOUR FRIENDS Murphy with Henrik Stenson (left), Stewart Cink and Tom Lehman (far right).
ber “playoff breath.” Having hung around the tour and watched a lot of playoffs up close, it’s astonishing how you can almost predict who is going to win just by watching their shoulders, chest and stomach on the tee box. Whoever has the deepest breathing patterns has the advantage. A good tool to get there is the double-inhale. Breathe in to fill your lungs to about 90-percent capacity, pause, then inhale again with an extra sniff. As you exhale back through your nose, feel your jaw and facial muscles relax. Another reset trick is to put your face in an icy wet towel. You see baseball players do this in dugouts. Golfers can keep a cooler in the cart or even carry a small insulated pack of ice in their bag.
It’s like you need to shock your mind into slowing down.
Right. Basically, people have way too many breaths and thoughts. Most of us need about two-thirds fewer of both. The only way to reduce thoughts is to simplify your life. Decide what the purpose of your life is, how you want to live, who you want to become, and then orient everything—what you watch, read, do, who you hang out with—toward that purpose. Otherwise, there will always be too many thoughts and distractions bouncing around, which creates anxiety. Your subconscious is so much more powerful than your conscious mind. The latter can handle at most five or six thoughts at a time and the former thousands. When you’re putting, your subconscious mind already knows the perfect pace and path. You just need to get out of the way.
Baseball was your world, first as a player and then as a coach. How did you get into golf?
Noble was about to pull it from the shelves. I’d written it to be a manual for pro athletes I’d train, but no one was going to hire a failure. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, literally spiraling with thoughts that I was going to end up dying in the street. Then I get an email from a person named Jude O’Riley. He’s the caddie of Henrik Stenson, he’s read the book and thinks I might be able to really help his boss. So I fly to Sweden to meet Henrik. We go jogging, sort of interviewing each other as we run. Henrik has such an intense, amazing personality—extremely motivated with a big heart. I ask him what he wants in life, and his answer is a version of what I’ve heard again and again. We all want a life with amazing experiences, enriching relationships, to make a difference in the world and to share that with our family. We hit it off and start working together. Then I get a call from Sean Foley, who has read
the book and wants me to meet Hunter Mahan. A few months later, Hunter wins the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. The next season [2013], Henrik wins the FedEx Cup. Then the calls from PGA Tour players just kept coming.
What’s this about you telling Ted Scott, caddie to Scottie Scheffler, to go to Starbucks with his hair uncombed?
Ha, yes, that’s just an exercise in mastering the ego. Going out in public unafraid to look foolish is healthy for us all, myself included. I’ll go to golf courses as a single and tell the people I get paired with that I’m a PGA Tour coach, without specifying that I’m a mental coach and not a swing coach. Of course, they then see my highhandicap action and get quite curious. Another exercise I do with my elite golfers is a game called “alternate tar-
It happened at a moment when I was really struggling. We are social beings, and the five years I’d spent in relative isolation writing Inner Excellence was catching up with me. I’d spent my life savings and was $90,000 in debt. Without a marketing plan, I was worried the book wouldn’t sell, and Barnes and
SUPPORT SYSTEM Scottie Scheffler’s caddie Ted Scott is an avid reader of Murphy.
get.” In a practice round, they must hit a ball out-of-bounds, into the centre of a pond, maybe even top it, but they can’t tell fans or playing partners they’ve done it on purpose. You’d be amazed how strong this will make a golfer on the inside. By hitting these terrible shots, they overcome the embarrassment of what it would feel like. As Teddie says, who has become a good friend and who I quote in my next book, The Best Possible Life, “In order to hit the greatest shot of your life you have to be willing to hit the worst.”
Your relationship with Ted Scott gives you a direct line to the way Scottie Scheffler thinks. Compare our current World No. 1 to one from the past. While Tiger Woods was playing some of his most dominant golf, it was later revealed his personal life was in fact quite turbulent.
First, Teddie has such a good understanding of human nature, I wasn’t surprised to see Scottie take all his talents and rise to the top after teaming with Teddie. This past year at The Open Championship, Scheffler did that famous interview where he basically said winning doesn’t provide much satisfaction for him beyond a couple of minutes, as he feels more defined by being a good father, a good husband, a good person. He’s so steady and centered in the way he plays, never bothered by a bad lie or bad break. What made Tiger great, besides training so hard all his life, was this incredible ability to get angry and then refocus, get angry and then refocus. He could dial in the moment, shutting out his personal life, shutting out the last bogey, everything. What makes both Scheffler and Woods so good is the same trait shared by all successful athletes and people in business—courage. Most people aren’t willing to face the discomfort of feeling afraid.
A n LPGA star was initially reluctant to work with you because she worried she’d grow happy and soft, lay around watching TV and lose her edge. What did you say to convince her otherwise?
This is a common concern. The ma-
jority of pro athletes don’t want contentment because they know working harder than everybody else is a key to being great. I asked her, if we reduce your anxiety and give you more joy in life and make you less afraid of failure, you’re going to then decide to take your massive talent and not even try? You really think that’s what you’re going to do? She answered her question.
True that you were once on the verge of buying a bus and committing full-time to the PGA Tour ? It’s true. I sold my house with all my furniture and possessions, save a few books. I’d always wanted a dog, but my travel schedule had precluded it. I had this dream that I’d get a dog, stay in national parks between events and go hiking with my dog. I had it all lined up to purchase Al Unser Jr.’s former motorcoach. Then I heard God say, “Don’t do it.” Then gas prices like doubled. A few months later my sister died, and it was good that I hadn’t done it.
‘If an athlete is a devout Muslim, I’m not going to beat him over the head with a Bible.’
Everybody’s greatest need is for unconditional love, to be fully known and loved by someone very important to you, because then you can be fully free. When not present, this part of the human heart fills the void by chasing more money, more followers, more achievements and better looks to get that love. People desperately desire human connection, and when they don’t get it, they try to get it with other things, like money, food, alcohol, sex— which is temporary connection. These are all distractions.
Speaking of ultimate connection, PGA Tour caddie Brandon Parsons told me a story about you from Scotland . There were train tracks along a hole, and you told everyone in the group to drop their clubs, put their hands toward the sky, close their eyes, and as the train thundered past, pretend it was God’s energy spilling into them. Imagine how that might feel, right? It relates to this tool I call the “Inner Excellence funnel” where you imagine unlimited abundance pouring into your heart and mind, and it’s all about posture. We want to constantly open ourselves to positivity, and how we stand and walk plays a big role—a lot of studies done by really smart scientists support this. Think how open and strong the posture of Tiger’s fist pump is versus a golfer looking at his shoes after a bogey.
Then the NFL game with A.J. Brown happens and your life changes. In 2025, you attend no pro golf tournaments for the first time in over a decade.
I refer to that day all the time as January 12. This year has been wild. I’ve basically been in a different city every three days doing talks and workshops and conferences. It’s been amazing, but I think I’ll get back to more one-on-one coaching in 2026.
Where do you stand on light to moderate alcohol or drug use with your clients? Does obtaining that sense of well-being artificially, even if not physically detrimental, prevent or delay them getting to the best mental space?
Let’s forget Golf Digest readers and just focus on me. As much as you say one shouldn’t be attached to results, I know I’m going to struggle with that. I like to shoot low scores and to win. What we love most controls us, and if what you love or want most is out of your control, you’ll be attached to results. How do you take a lollipop away from a little kid without making him cry? Give him a larger lollipop. You need a larger lollipop, my friend. If your lollipop is making birdies and winning—outcomes you don’t have full control over—that’s a stressful way to live. Instead, how about pursuing feeling fully alive and make golf a part of that? That’s the whole candy store.
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