Could This be This Years Must-Have Golfing Present?

Golf's must-have product, Foresight Sports' GC2 ball-flight monitor, was part of the success of a golf challenge on Channel 5's The Gadget Show on the 28th November, being hailed as "one of the most accurate golf simulators in the world".

Pointing out how the simulator could display immediate progress, presenter Woodward explained: "The real ball is instantly transformed into the virtual ball with pinpoint accuracy."

Many top coaches and teaching professionals have hailed the GC2's quality and flexibility, including PGA master professional Luther Blacklock, the head pro at Woburn GC, inventor of the world-famous Explanar training aid, and a Golf International teaching panellist.

He said: "As soon as I saw the unit's immediacy and ease of use I was sold. I bought one on the spot and it's already paid for itself in terms of benefits for my pupils. It's more accurate than other products on the market; it's truly portable - so tuition is not affected by adverse weather conditions; it takes a fraction of the time other products take to set up and it's around a fifth of the cost of some of its rivals.

"It's made a massive difference to the pupil analysis I can offer as a golf coach as the information is more accurate and easily demonstrable."

The unit weighs just 1.7kg and takes just 40 seconds to set up, which make this portable device an essential for a club pro, who can use the unit for coaching and club-fitting. The GC2 directly measures ball flight and spin at club impact and launch, and calculates carry and total distance in a second. The fact that the GC2 is around 80 per cent cheaper than existing competitors with comparable data is another big benefit.

The system has also been adopted by many of the world's leading club manufacturers including PING, Cobra, TaylorMade, Srixon and Titleist. Connected to a PC, real-time ball flight and statistics are available immediately and the data can be recorded to a spreadsheet and emailed to a customer in an instant. There is even the ability to instantly deliver data, via Bluetooth, to an Android-based mobile or hand-held device.

The flexibility and test proven accuracy of the GC2 also allows it to be upgraded to provide a simulator experience, whether with a simple net and PC or as a full-size, bespoke studio experience. 

Thomson Perrett Have an Olympic Win

The Rio 2016 Olympic Games organisers have chosen Thomas Perrett Golf Course Architects to become the designer of the Rio de Janeiro golf course, which will host the Olympic golf event.

In October 2011, the Rio 2016 Olympic Committee launched a worldwide competition to find the architectural design of the golf course to host the 2016 Olympic Golf Event.

Requirements for the winner - applicants has to show prior course design experience, and have an office established in Rio. The golf course should serve youth sports and education and events after the games.

The applicants were whittled down to eight, with the winner Thomson Perrett being paid $300,000 for the design.

Thomson Perrett's team for the Olympic course is led by Managing Director Ross Perrett and his partner Peter Thomson a five time British Open winner, whose names are linked with created world class golf courses.

The course will be built in the Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood, which will host most of the Olympic venues.

At the R&A Open Championship Press Conference Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of the R&A and also President of the International Golf Federation (IGF), was able to update the media about the state of the arrangements for golf to return to The Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

"The format of the event remains as per the Olympic bid for golf, which was 60 men in one competition, 60 women in another, 72 hole stroke play event. And whilst we do have perhaps an opportunity to revisit that, there really isn't an opportunity to do so until after the London games."

When the world's top players were asked about the format for Olympic Golf they thought the format used for major championships should be the same format used in the Olympic Games, there is still a possibility of a team competition being added to the event.

Golfer sues for £750,000 after losing eye

44 year old Anthony Phee, from Manchester, is seeking £750,000 in damages, against Niddry Castle golf club and golfer James Gordon who took a tee shot that caused Mr Phee to lose his eye. The level of damages in the case has been agreed but liability still remains an issue.

Mr Gordon, who has a handicap of 18, told the court that he hit his shot from the eighteenth tee but it swerved towards a group of four people on the path which included Mr Phee.

Mr Gordon said after hitting the shot he immediately shouted the traditional golfers warning "fore" as the ball headed towards the group. He said: 'I shouted fore at the top of my voice.' His playing partner also called out. He added 'On the shout of fore three people went down.' But the fourth member of the group did not shield himself and instead was 'looking towards the sky.'

Mr Phee, said that he had only played a few games of golf in the past but he knew that hearing the shout of "fore" there was a stray ball and that he should take evasive action. He added that he ducked and put  his hand up to protect his face, after hearing the warning but was still struck by the offending ball and felt his eye explode.

Both Mr Gordon and the golf club, claim that is Mr Phee had ducked as he stated then its highly unlikely that he would have been hit.

Mr Phee states: "It is common knowledge among golfers that it is the responsibility of the striker of the ball to satisfy himself that his shot cannot harm anyone.'

The court case continues.

Golfplan Insurance Goes Wild

Golfplan took part in the charity auction of Bristol Zoo's Wow! Gorillas sculptures and has successfully acquired 'Noah'.

Noah was one of 61 life-sized gorillas statues auctioned at the Victoria Rooms in Clifton after being part of a public art trail in Bristol throughout the summer.

Each Wow! Gorilla sculpture was painted by a local artist as part of Bristol Zoo's 175th birthday celebrations.

The sculptures were auctioned off to help raise funds for two charities - Bristol Zoo's conservation projects for critically endangered gorillas, as well as Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal for the cardiology unit at Bristol Children's Hospital.

More than 500 people attended the charity auction to place their bids and altogether helped raise over £427,000.

The 101 small gorillas which have also appeared  around Bristol this summer will be returned to the schools and nurseries which sponsored and decorated them.