Under The Microscope: Rory McIlroy Country: Northern Ireland DoB: 04 May 1989 Height: 5ft 10ins Interests: Manchester United FC, ...
Under The Microscope: Rory McIlroy
Country: Northern Ireland
DoB: 04 May 1989
Height: 5ft 10ins
Interests: Manchester United FC, cars, tennis, movies, music
Course Attachment: Lough Erne.
Happy belated birthday Rory, your teenage years are behind you. What a first 19 years from a kid chipping into a washing machine on TV to 2009 Dubai Desert Classic Championship and worldwide superstardom.
McIlroy was the Tiger of Irish amateur golf. He won the West of Ireland and Irish Close Championships in 2005. The following year he successfully retained both Irish amateur titles and in August 2006 he won the European Amateur Championship.
In 2007 Rory won the silver medal as leading amateur at the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie, carding the only bogey-free round of the final day. Little did he know at the time, but that Open appearance would capture the imagination of the entire golfing world.
McIlroy made an immediate impression in the professional ranks with a podium finish at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. With his tour victory in Dubai earlier this year and his consistent strong performances on both tours, McIlroy now sits at 18 in the world golf ranking stats.
In The Bag
| Driver Driver: Titleist 909D2, 8.5 deg loft, ROMBAX 7VO5 Shaft, X-Flex. |
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| Fairway wood: 3-Wood: Titleist 906 F2, 13 deg loft, Fujikura Fit-on! 11 Pro 95, X-Flex 5-Wood: Titleist 906 F2, 18 deg loft, Fujikura Fit-on! 11 Pro 95, X-Flex. | |
| Irons: 2 iron to 9 iron: Titleist ZM Forged blades, Project X Shafts, 6.5 Rifle. Grips Golf Pride Tour Velvet Full Cord |
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| Wedges | PW: Titleist Vokey, 48 deg loft, Project X Shaft, 6.5 flex Mid Wedge: 52 deg loft, Project X Shaft, 6.5 flex SW: Titleist Vokey, Spin Milled, 56 deg loft, Project X Shaft, 6.5 flex Lob wedge: Titleist Vokey, Spin Milled, 60 deg loft, Project X Shaft, 6.5 flex |
| Putter: | Scotty Cameron Newport Prototype 34" in length |
| Ball: | Titleist Pro V1X |
4 Lads In A ’09 Car: Lough Erne Golf Resort Sneak Preview
There was only one man wearing a blazer on the Bord Failte stand at the PGA show back in January. Ever the curious Mayoman, I marched straight up for introductions a la Enda Kenny. “Andy Campbell, pleased to meet you!”, boomed the man with the brass buttons. I was shaking hands with the director of golf at the new Lough Erne Golf Resort.
Exactly four months later, a chance dental appointment with my daughter in Enniskillen, allowed me to drop in to see Andy again. This time our chat was on his own turf, the AA five star rated hotel and golf course set amid 600 acres of woodland and lake frontage provided by Lower Lough Erne and Castlehume Lough. As we entered the spanking new hotel I spotted Andy chatting to some fairly posh looking types. I guess it must be an art in itself making conversation with the diversity of people that cross his path daily, from the dripping rich prospective members, to lowly plebs like me. But part of the job is speak every mans language and he certainly spoke mine with his “Fancy a bat?” invitation when we had the cuppa drank. The blazer was swapped for raingear and we were headed out as gore-tex clad twins for a sneak preview of the much heralded Faldo course at Lough Erne.
Five minutes later we were stood on the sixth tee on Nick Faldo’s latest creation, belting into the valley below. Our opening salvo’s were less than full blooded but we were comforted by the knowledge that not another living soul had golfed these holes before. Well not many anyway! As we strolled to our second shots I was eager to learn about more about Andy Campbell and hear what credentials are needed to land what some might argue is the best job in Irish golf. Not alone has he held senior management roles in Carden Park and The Dukes Course in St. Andrews, but Campbell comes decorated with the golfing equivalent of the George’s Cross in greenkeeping and the purple heart in course superintending. Although he says that in his role as resort director, he doesn’t get in the way of his head greenkeepers work, I can only imagine the interview for that job must have been like the interview for head pro at Tiger’s home club!
Having parred our opener, we proceeded to the par four seventh, Devenish Drop. It think it must be a misprint because it’s more of a Devilish Drop from the tee. A drive into the prevailing wind that strays left or right of the fairway make par tough. It usually takes me nine holes to recognise a tournament worthy layout, but it took a mere fifteen minutes to figure that Lough Erne is a future European Tour Venue. If they want it, that this. Faldo and his design company have maximised all the natural beauty of the terrain and matched it expertly with the kind of modern golfing layout to test the best. Clever use of elevation changes from tee boxes often make the landing area seem less and likewise the greens frequently don’t fully show themselves on approach until you are practically on them. Having been jabbed by our first hole and stung by our second, I was floored by our third, the “saddleback”, which requires the kind of pinpoint accuracy that only Faldo in his Pringle cardiganed prime could deliver. Unfortunately I only possess it for one round each year and this certainly wasn’t it.
They say that often the most successful people in life get in when everyone else is getting out and it may well be true in this case. Lough Erne fits snugly into an opening in the golfing market as a gateway to the Northwest and the closest resort of its kind to the soon to be refurbished Belfast airport. The closest comparison to a course like it Ireland would be Glasson but it’s really reminds me of Loch Lomond with golf combined with top of the range hotel, spa and even a fully fledged seafood restaurant behind the ninth green.
Andy then told me of Rory McIlroy’s association with Lough Erne and his big day on July 22nd. Though the course officially opens in fifty days time on the opening day of July, the event everyone is talking about is the “Duel On The Lough”, a modern reincarnation of “Shell’s Wonderful World Of Golf”. This time it’s not Snead versus deVicenzo for $1000 but McIlroy versus Harrington, mano a mano for €200,000 with an expected audience of 4,000 spectators and a host of TV coverage.
Like its touring pro Rory McIlroy, Lough Erne is destined for big things are there are many parallels to be drawn between the two. Though both are young, their golfing pedigree is unquestionable and the tag “great” is almost guaranteed as both mature. For more information on Lough Erne and the “Duel On The Lough” check out the website on www.loughernegolfresort.com.
Bloggy Underfoot: The 3 Irish Open
It’s a hugely exciting week for Irish golf. The Irish Open is coming to Baltray in a new rejuvenated form thanks to the sponsorship from mobile phone company “3”. With an increased prize fund of €3,000,000 this week, many of the top names such as Harrington, McIlroy, Westwood, Clarke and Monty are entered. Chuck in a couple of phenomenal drivers such as a John Daly and Alvaro Quiros and old favourite like Ollie and you have quite a tournament on your hands.
Of course to make a tournament successful, the attendance and participation of the crowd is paramount. If you haven’t been to the Irish Open in a few years, I strongly suggest a visit. For keen golfers and their kids a day with the touring pro’s is like no other. Although Thursday is generally regarded as the quietest day, it is often also the day on which the best golf is played. Everyone starts from par with great optimism and the grappling for birdies begins in earnest. Thursday is also the day you can get up close and personal with your favourite stars. Friday is attractive in that the tension builds as the cut beckons. Saturday or “moving day” sees the reduced field attack again and Sunday is payday, when the winner is crowned.
Whateve
r day you decide to attend, arrive early and allow yourself at least an hour to visit the range and watch the pro’s hit balls. You will be surprised at just how similarly all the players hit it. They always remind me of downhill skiers, there’s only thousands of seconds between them Watching a pro work through the clubs in the bag for half an hour can teach the club golfer more than any lesson. Take note of their excellent rhythm and timing. They don’t seem to lunge at the ball like us amateurs. Their practise is structured and organized, not one ball is wasted. The chipping green and practise bunker is also fascinating; this is one area where precision rather than power are required. The pro’s hit poor shots just like us, but their ability to get up and down from off the green time and time again is the result of countless hours of short game practise. And then there is the putting green, always a hive of activity with gadgets and gizmos aplenty. Anything to get the ball in the hole.
I usually spend the early part of the day following my favourite groups on the course. The pace of tour play is always very brisk and from outside the ropes you are always on the move and time flies. Just be wary of moving around the greens when the players are putting out. It’s the one thing that really irks them. Its nice to spend the afternoon session at a chosen green or two watching several groups pass through. I always find it fascinating at how similar the field play into each hole, the only difference is usually with the putter.
Here’s my Baz Luhrmann inspired guide to enjoying your trip to the Open.
Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you one piece of advice for a windy spring day in Baltray sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now
Enjoy the power and beauty of the pros; oh never mind; you will not understand the power and beauty of the pros until you return to your club.
But trust me, the next day you’ll look at the same guys on TV and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how good they actually are and how fabulous they really look…They are not as fat as widescreen TV’s make them appear.
Watch how players don’t waste your time on worrying about bad shots; sometimes they’re ahead, sometimes they’re behind; but the event is long, and in the end, an Irishman will win. Stretch. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Wear a good pair of runners.
Read the European Tour directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read golf magazines, they will only make you feel useless!
Accept certain inalienable truths, Rory will thrill, “Wild Thing” will meander (off the tee!), and you too will watch it live. After you do you’ll fantasize that when you get home, you will play like Rory and thrill like Daly. Don’t slag Rory too much about his hair, or by the time he’s 40, it will look 85.
Be careful which golf professionals advice you receive, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth. They too had bogeys.
But trust me on the sunscreen… and enjoy the Irish Open!
Dr. and The Medic: Tension Pusher
Problem
You tend to push your drives when you are under a lot of pressure.
Cure
Work on trying to relax to prevent tension in your hands, arms, and shoulders. If you are not behind the ball, it will become too difficult to avoid moving in front of the ball.
Therapy
Try to stay tension free. Do not try too hard to take the club all the way back during the backswing. You should allow your front shoulder to get over your back foot. Remember to stay behind the ball and to allow the clubhead to move through the ball instead of hitting at it.
I Want One Of Those: Golfdotz
How do you mark your Titleist? If you’ve seen the ad and looking for a different way to identify your ball, try golfdotz. Golfdotz are a new generation transfer that simply bond with the skin of the ball when firm pressure from your thumb is applied. The transfer takes about five seconds and the makers guarantee the logo will last longer than the ball! Check them out on www.golfdotz.com
Tailored Shorts
Garcia Smile Caught On Camera
It may seem as unbelievable as photos of the Loch Less Monster or footage of the Yeti but last week an eagle eyed snapper struck gold by capturing Sergio Garcia smiling. The grin which was time at 0.8 nanoseconds occurred whilst Garcia was being presented with a shirt designed for him by a young golf fan. Garcia is also pictured holding the bag he uses to hold all the toys he later chucked out of his pram.
Daly Tribute to Fortycoats
He’s a PR mans dream. John Daly warmed up for his Baltray appearance by paying the ultimate tribute to his boyhood hero Fran Dempsey. The Wild Things paid homage to the Fortycoats actor by wearing a pair of his famous pants on his way to a tied second finish at the Italian Open!
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