Golf in London

Lee Westwood lost just one stroke to par on Saturday to hold his position as leader of the US Masters 2010, whilst his playing partner, Ian Poulter dropped shots at 5th, 6th, 10th and 12th. Despite Fred Couples’ comments about Mickelson, Westwood’s solid play makes him the man to beat.

It’s hard to imagine Westwood crumbling under the pressure, even on the back nine of Augusta to become the first English winner of a Major for years. It’s going to be up to Mickelson, Woods, Choi and Couples to hit a round in the 60s, or maybe Kim and Poulter find their putting touch and post an early low clubhouse lead.

At one point on Saturday, Westwood seemed to be running away with the tournament, until he was reigned in by a crowd-pleasing charge by Phil Mickelson who unbelievably missed by only inches at the 15th on making three eagles in row.

Although his play so far and his calm demenour all point to a Westwood win, I can’t help seeing a pumped-up and competitive Mickelson bullying the back nine into giving up enough birdies to take that Green Jacket. And of all possible eventualities this year, and as wonderful as a win by an English golfer would be, the result I would most like to see is Fred Couples, buoyed by the crowd, repeat his first round 66 and win his second Masters title at 50 years old.

The US Masters at Augusta National Golf Club begins in earnest on Thursday 8 April 2010.

All the press coverage so far as concentrated on the return of Tiger Woods to playing golf on tour, and the lens and studio punditry is likely to remain focussed here all four days, whether or not Tiger makes the cut after a five month lay off, leads or fights his way into contention, taking the limelight and pressure from the other movers and shakers.

Contenders for the US Masters 2010

Ernie Els has rediscovered his form this year and, with the exception of the last few years, can be considered something of a specialist at Augusta. Jim Furyk won the Transitions PGA tournament in 2010, and always performs well at Augusta.

English players in the US Masters 2010

Surely 2010 is the year an English golfer will win at least one Major, and several players arrive in form this April at Augusta National.

In the last two years Lee Westwood has threatened and finished in the top three in all the other three Major Championships, but has struggled to do better than 12th at the US Masters.

Paul Casey whose game is said to be suited to Augusta, struggled with injury at the end of 2009 and withdrew from the Houston Open last week due to an injury to his left shoulder, so his fitness for the US Masters is in a little doubt.

Ross Fisher led for a short while on his debut at the US Masters in 2009 and finally finished a respectable 30th place, whilst making the top 20 in all of the other three Majors last year.

Ian Poulter, 34 years old, will be a strong contender for England this year at Augusta. He enters with form having won in February 2010 by beating Paul Casey in the WGC -Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona.

Luke Donald has shown some form this year with three top 10 finishes but hasn’t made much impact in the US Masters since 2005 when he tied for third.

Simon Dyson and Chris Wood make their first appearance at the US Masters in 2010.

Sadly for English hopes of a winner, Justin Rose, who has played here so brilliantly and come closest to winning for England in recent years, has failed to make the cut this year.

The City Golfer’s Selections for US Masters Glory

My record here is not good, but all the same my selections this year are:

• Geoff Ogilvy (played well in the 2009 US Masters, good form in the Majors, and has a win this year in the SBS Championship)
• Vijay Singh (looked to be making a comeback earlier this year, but back troubles could end his ambitions this time)
• Camilo Villegas (has had a great start to 2010, looks strong and focused)
• Mike Weir (struggled last year, but a consistent performer and past champion at Augusta)
• Fred Couples (despite two missed cuts in 2008/9, Couples has an enviable Masters record and the past Champion returns this week after three back to back wins this year)
• Graeme McDowell (tied for 17th in his debut last year, and having a good 2010 so far)

Whatever happens, it’s sure to be a tense and riveting tournament, and with so many golfers in contention the back nine on Suday should offer up plenty of drama.

In March 2010 Urban Golf opened a new venue on Kensington High Street to complement their existing two venues in Soho and Smithfield.

“Urban golf” in this case being the purveyors of simulated golf rather than the game previously played on the streets of Shoreditch.

According to Christian Broughton in article for the Independent (Golf Goes Underground, 27 September 2004), Urban Golf began around 2002 when James Day, a golf professional at Stoke Park, discussed the idea with one his clients and playing parter, Simon Margolis.

At the time of opening its first venue on Great Pulteney Street, Soho in 2004, Urban Golf had five partners: James Day, Simon Margolis, Nicholas Lawson, Henry Squire and Martin Freeman.

The business of Urban Golf is the provision of indoor golf simulators, which clients pay to use by the hour. The current going rate is £40 per hour. Allied services at urban golf are golf coaching, golf club fitting, corporate events/venue hire, and refreshments. Which is more important for making the business successful I’m not sure. If I were to speculate, I’d guess that corporate events rather than individuals and small private groups are its bread and butter.

Urban Golf were not the first pioneers of this business. The company which sold the first six golf simulators to Urban Golf in 2004 first installed its simulators two years earlier at a venue in the Docklands trading as the Wright Swing Golf Ltd run by Ian Wright and Brian Harvey (directors with a background in electrical engineering). Quoted in an article in Golf Range News (www.golfrangenews.org) from December 2002 Ian Wright claimed he tried out a simulator whilst on holiday in California, then travelled to San Diego to find out more about the simulator business.

The company in San Diego was Golf Swing Inc. Its products are now sold and distributed in the UK by the Indoor Golf Company. Golf Swing claims the infrared beams used by its simulators can track a struck golf ball over a space of a couple of feet and record its ball speed, launch angle, direction, and spin. This data is then used to calculate the characteristics of the ball’s entire flight and to display this flight graphically on large screen electronic representations of golf courses from around the world. This same company also supplies simulators to more recent entrants to the market for providing indoor golf in London, which Urban Golf has done so much to develop.

I have played these simulators at Urban Golf in Soho and Urban Golf in Smithfield. From my recollection the venue supplies top quality golf clubs and golf balls and as a golf ball is struck towards the screen, a digital representation of its flight continues on the screen whilst the real ball drops to the floor. Putting, chipping and bunker play not being so accurately captured or enjoyably experienced. On the whole, simulated golf is not for me, but the growing number of indoor golf centres and the worldwide popularity of golf on simulators is a more reliable gauge of its appeal than my opinion.

What’s impressive for me about Urban Golf is the technology of the simulators, its successful marketing, the youth of its founder in 2002, and the company’s growth during a recession. I may not have personally enjoyed the slickness and cost of a visit to one of its basement London venues, but even I have to admit a grudging admiration for the artwork commissioned by Urban Golf for their latest venture in Kensington (see www.mammaldesign.com).

It’s been some time since Urban Golf was played on its streets, courtesy of the imagination and organisation of the late Jeremy Feakes, but plans are afoot for a return of golf to Shoreditch.

Construction began on 1 November 2009 of a golf range known as the City Limits Golf Driving Range and Academy. Access to the range is from Worship Street, close to Liverpool Street Station, just outside the City of London. An area of Shoreditch that recently featured in the news, when firefighters fought the blaze that gutted Sosho and the East Room on nearby Tabernacle Street.

On a recent visit to the site on 18 March 2010, it seemed that the golf range had yet to open for business. If it does open, it will only be for a temporary period as a condition of the planning permission. Several other businesses operate similarly temporary operations on the site, including the Real Fight Club Gymnasium and a several 5-a-side football pitches.

As a company called Accomplish Management Ltd hired to sell advertising opportunities on behalf of the owners of the venture has been offering sponsorship opportunities between 2 October 2009 and 2 October 2010 related to the golf range, it suggests that the opening has been delayed a few months and that there’s already an end in sight.

The range has 16 bays on two tiers, overlooking a range created of what looks to be astroturf with a netted perimeter. Also on site is a kiosk and what might be a shop. The company operating the range has a website at www.citylimitsgolf.com advertising the golf range and lessons provided by a third party, N1 Golf.

Previously owned by Railtrack, the site is currently owned by a developer called Hammerson who in recent years submitted plans for Foster-designed tower blocks on the site in a development known as Bishop’s Place, or ‘the Tombstone’. The development attracted lots of local opposition amid fears of related plans to develop the immediate area and nearby Bishopsgate Goods Yard into a cluster of high rise blocks to rival those around Canary Wharf. Bishop’s Place was granted planning permission in November 2009.

Certainly with the demise of the golf range at King’s Cross and more recently the practice and teaching facilities at Regent’s Park, a golf range so close to the City Centre is sure to find many willing patrons. Watch the website for news of its opening.

City Limits Golf Range and Academy
115 Worship Street
Bishopsgate
London
EC2A 2BA
Telephone: 020 7247 7524

Thanks for visiting the Golf in London website. It’s currently undergoing some renovations, and will be back in full soon. The listings of golf clubs in London will be reinstated shortly, followed by driving ranges, pitch and putt and crazy golf. Please drop by again.