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MCLAREN’S BIG MOVE From track to tee … Formula One driver Lando Norris (main image), golfing stars Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Michelle Wie West and Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Racing Zak Brown recently came together at the launch of McLaren Golf, blending precision, power and global sporting influence into one frame. McLaren Golf has promised it will “push the boundaries of equipment design and manufacturing to unlock new levels of precision for golfers driven by the same endless pursuit of performance.” Bad times ahead if you’re a fairway… YOUNG TAMES DORAL’S BLUE MONSTER Cameron Young swings over his ball on the 18th tee during the third round of the much-maligned Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral’s Blue Monster Course, in a shot which captures the tension, precision and theatre…

There’s a tendency in all sport, but especially in golf, to think greatness shows up fully formed. That the best players always had it, always knew it and simply went about proving it. However, spend a bit of time around the game, really pay attention to the stories behind the scores, and you realise it’s rarely that neat. Take Grace Kim. Watch her hit a golf ball and it’s hard not to stop what you’re doing. There is a purity to it, a sound and a shape that feels just a touch different. It looks easy. Natural. Almost inevitable. However, her story, as you’ll read in this issue via Callum Hill, is anything but. There were doubts, frustrations, even a stage where she didn’t particularly love the game. Which makes…

The first time I interviewed the late, great Peter Thomson, I asked him: of the hundreds of courses he had designed or redesigned in his postplaying career, which one did he consider the best. He coyly replied: “There’s something special about all of them.” The legendary Dr Alistair MacKenzie might have a similar view, even with the likes of Royal Melbourne’s West Course (which he never saw completed) and Augusta National (where he was never paid for his work) in his portfolio. I suspect, however, if the same question was asked of Graeme Grant, he might, without hesitation, plump for Ocean Dunes as his finest design work in a golf career spanning more than five decades. This is, of course, keeping in mind he founded Ocean Dunes, bought the property,…

New South Wales will host the BMW Australian PGA Championship for the first time in nearly 30 years when the tournament returns to The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney from November 26-29. The venue will host the Championship in 2026 as part of an agreement between the PGA of Australia and the NSW Government through Destination NSW, bringing the event back to the state for the first time since 1998. No stranger to hosting elite, international golf tournaments, The Lakes is already a three-time host of the BMW Australian PGA Championship, as well as eight editions of the Australian Open, which it last jointly hosted in 2023. Gavin Kirkman, CEO of the PGA of Australia and the Challenger PGATour of Australasia, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to…

Walking the entire length of New Zealand was one thing. Doing it while carrying two fully loaded golf bags was another altogether. That is exactly what Dougie Haynes, 31, from Oxford, set out to do when he stepped onto theTe AraroaTrail in late October, 2025. A U.K expat who has called New Zealand home for over five years, Haynes had already built a reputation in the North Island golf scene as a caddie atTara Iti andTe Arai Links, two of the country’s most exclusive and demanding layouts. But this was something different. Over six months, Haynes committed to walking the full 3000km route from Cape Reinga to Bluff, carrying two golf bags on his shoulders every step of the way. Each bag weighed between 10 and 15 kilograms. On paper,…

The Motocaddy ME REMOTE is an incredibly easy-touse remote-control buggy that combines cutting-edge technology with best-in-class value. The buggy includes a rechargeable remote handset with an impressive 100m+ remote range, allowing you to stay fully in control with effortless directional navigation, including reverse. The ME REMOTE is engineered for allterrain performance and includes Downhill Control technology, rugged terrain tyres and nine speed settings, so you can tune it perfectly to your walking pace. There is nothing the ME REMOTE cannot handle. You can easily switch between remote and handle control, while built-in convenience features, such as a remote handset lock, pause and resume, plus emergency stop, ensure superbly smooth operation on the golf course. It also comes with an integrated USB charging port for your electronic devices and is quick-folding…

As a pathetically doting grandfather to a pair of adorable children who are still short of school age, I completely understand that the indulging of others can be emotionally rewarding. Basically, I’m an ice-cream agent; one who has suddenly found it difficult to utter the word, ‘no’ with anything approaching credibility. So it is that, during play time with “Papa Huggy”, these kids are typically spoiled rotten. Which is fine. They take advantage, but everyone involved, especially me, is enjoying relatively harmless fun. Hang on though. In contrast to any and all of the above behaviour, similarly cosseted treatment of an adult can lead to unfortunate consequences far beyond the occasional sugar-crash. Human nature kicks in and assumptions of infallibility too often follow. Take the game of golf and its…

It seems like trust, a loyal work ethos and treating people with respect are just some of the pillars behind the recent amateur success of the pairing of Billy Dowling and his long-time coach, Nancy Harvey. Following her graduation from Arizona State University in 1985, Nancy’s professional ambitions were stalled by a car accident. During a two-year recovery period in Arizona, she helped run the Dobson Ranch golf course in Mesa. It was here that she first discovered her natural ability to coach; a skill that took a backseat during her 20 years’ playing on the LPGA Tour, only to be rediscovered years later. Decades on, that skill was rekindled on the Gold Coast, where she eventually transitioned from world-class competitor to a mentor. Today, as a PGA of Australia…

Sydney golfing superstar Grace Kim is a generational talent, a major winner, and could yet become one of this country’s greatest ever. A big call, perhaps, but once you watch her play in the flesh, all the hallmarks of a world-class player become as obvious as a lighthouse in the fog. A premier ball striker, the sound and flight of the ball off her clubface feel just a touch different to many of her peers. To witness it first hand, it is pure poetry. Admittedly, this writer has only seen Kim play a handful of times in tournament conditions, but few players truly captivate at impact. Grace Kim sits near the top of that list. Peel back the layers and you find a humble, bubbly and fiercely determined Australian with…