The 2018 LDET season tees off in France, April 7th-8th. (Photo: courtesy LDET)
We’re mere weeks away from witnessing the raw power of European bombers with the start of the 2018 Long Drivers European Tour. There’s no shortage of storylines to follow this season, including the tour’s debut in Russia, the first-ever Nations Cup competition, 8-of-9 new host venues, and, of course, a bully list of long ball hitters.
Defending champ Matt Nicolle, who won four events and four top-three finishes in the eight events he competed in last year, will have his hands full with the 2018 field. 2nd-ranked LDET player Vincent Palm of Germany stands ready to take the crown, as is his fellow countryman and fan favorite Timo Petrasch, currently ranked no.5 on the tour. And the two-time tour champion known for his Ric Flair “whoo!” and intoxicating energy, Maurice Allen from the US, will make his return to the tour as well.
The 2018 season tees off with the France Championship at the Hotel Golf Château de Chailly, April 7th – 8th. Three weeks later the players head to Steenhoven Golf Club in Belgium for the Belgium Championship April 20th-21st. And Swedish bomber Sebastian Forslöf will have the home course advantage at the Sweden Championship at Täby Golf Klub May 4th-5th.
PeterHof Golf Club near St. Petersberg, Russia, hosts the tour for the first time ever on June 2nd-3rd. PeterHof Golf Manager Inar Kuramshin and his team are looking forward to the event, which will include a pro am alongside “the most exciting show in golf.”
Here’s a preview of the venue:
Hungry will be the only familiar stop on the tour’s 2018 circuit, hosting its third long drive event July 13th-14th at Zala Springs Golf Resort. The July stretch ends with the Germany Championship at Müncherner Golf Club in Munich, hometown of “The German Bomber” Timo Petrasch.
“Having a LDET tournament in my city is great,” Petrasch says in a tour release. “I want to bring a lot of people and create an amazing atmosphere.”
The tour returns to Italy once again August 26th-27th at Terre Dei Consoli near Rome before the debut of one of this season’s marquee events — the Nations Cup. International teams will compete for glory at the Château de Taulane in La Martre, France, September 21st-22nd, in a first-of-its-kind event.
The season culminates with the Masters Cup in November, at a location yet to be determined as of this writing.
Stay tuned to CGB in the weeks leading up to the France Championship for exclusive player interviews, 2018 LDET power rankings, and more throughout the rest of the 2018 LDET season.
“We have players from around the world competing — from Europe and the US, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, South Africa, and more,” LDET CEO Xavier Eusebio says. “This year the level will be higher and tougher for all the competitors, so winning won’t be easy for anyone!”
There are a number of different ways to describe the country club lifestyle — from sophisticated, premiere and indulgent to, depending on who you ask, stuffy and outdated. But no matter what side of the argument you’re on, there’s no denying country club courses are home to some of the best conditions you’ll find. That may be enough to get an average golfer to shell out a little more cash for a round now and again, but it’s the extra embellishments — and sometimes over-the-top resort luxuries — that send membership prices skyrocketing.
The Country Club at Woodmoor (18945 Pebble Beach Way, Monument, ccwoodmoor.com), a semi-private course located in Black Forest, just off I-25 north of Colorado Springs is an appealing, quaint and peaceful retreat — and everything you could want in a country club, amenities wise. The property, which changed ownership in 2015, features an 18 hole championship golf course by Press Maxwell, an impressive mountain-style clubhouse with 3 dining areas and bar service, 2 pools, a 2-level fitness area, and indoor tennis facilities and more tucked into the surrounding hillsides blanketed in ponderosa pine trees and estate homes. And we can’t forget about postcard views of the Front Range and Pikes Peak in the distance.
Woodmoor isn’t a course calling for long drives off the tee, covering 6,715 yards (from the tips) at 7,300′ elevation. The holes slice through the thick forest of Lodgepole pines narrowing your view and target lines, and preventing even the longest hitters from cutting corners. The greens on the front all have the back-to-front slant that many early designers used to show members a little love, and enticing everyday hackers tom come back. The greens on the back nine follow a more modern design with larger undulations and multiple tiers. The Woodmoor grounds crew has plenty of pin placement options to make it challenging throughout the round.
Since the change in ownership, the property continues to see upgrades and renovations, including around the green complexes, and on tees and fairways before the 2018 season. CGB made a visit upon invite from membership director and LPGA professional Debbie Zamprelli in the summer.
This course begs you to attempt those low percentage shots, but shooting for par and planning your shots will garner a better round. Play too aggressive in the trees and you’ll be sending search parties in the woods the rest of the day.
If you’re still feeling confident, test your luck at the short par 5 at no.1, playing only 461-yards from the back tees. It’s a good representation of what to expect from J. Press Maxwell design: tight, meandering fairways, elevated green complexes, and a sea of trees. Standing on a narrow, elevated tee box shaded by trees bordering the length of the doglegged fairway. 230-240 yards into the corner sets up a clear second shot to the green for an eagle look to start. But left and right greenside bunkers stand ready to catch any shots off line.
Our favorite holes on the front included the two par 3s, which provided a reprieve from the left and right turns through the trees. No.3 and no.8 offer hopes to make that elusive ace, but of course they aren’t giving it up very easily. For the majority of average golfers both holes play a middle iron into to the mountains. Both are surrounded on three sides with trees so it’s tough to get a good gauge on the wind speed and direction. The 172-yard par 3 no.3 starts at an elevated position and the green has added protection from a pond and greenside bunkers. The right side has a good bailout area but is covered in deep rough. The 186-yard no.8 is a straight on look at a large bunker sprawled across the right front of the green — the only real threat to a birdie.
The back-nine sets up to be more challenging as the course continues to dip and climb through the rolling, tree-covered hillsides. There are fewer doglegs to contend with with the layout adding almost 200 yards of length, and an increased wow-factor with some tricky blind shots, larger greens, and premiere putting surfaces. The 410-yard par 4 no.12 calls for a solid tee shot from another horseshoe-shaped enclave where the tees stand narrowly looking out to the a rising fairway. A pond on the right side is hidden from the tee but creeps into play with shots favoring that side.
If you’re somewhat of a nomad/traveling golfer that prefers to play a new course each time out, you’re probably skeptical of joining a club. But the Woodmoor property, at the very lest, makes you consider taking a tour, enjoying lunch, and maybe meeting some of the members and staff.
But for those who just want to plat, the Country Club at Woodmoor does have tee times open for non members (weekdays after 11am; weekends after 1pm). From the outside looking in, it seems hard to beat access to a peaceful property for a day around the pool with the family, or the bar with your foursome, playing some tennis, or socializing with new friends, but the golf a’int bad either.
Once the scheduled renovations are complete, Woodmoor will boast an even more well-rounded property, from the course to the club amenities. It’s a shot-maker’s course that makes you think about your targets to manage the thick surrounding forest while offering a natural sense of rest and relaxation in the wooded foothills. Regardless of your view of the country club lifestyle, you can’t discount tracks like The Country Club at Woodmoor.
Creativity. It’s everything when starting a brand. That original idea that separates yours from the pack. You see an opportunity in the market. Something is missing and you know you can fill that gap. Instead of waiting for someone else to take the initiative, you start to create. All of a sudden, that idea is a reality. A rather innovative one at that.
This is the story of Daniel Erdman. A guy from the Great White North who is most certainly a creative. And with this mindset, he has taken the boring old golf towel and turned it into an art with his up-and-coming brand, Uther.
And the golf towels are just the start. Uther seems poised to follow the path set forth by renowned brands of our generation. Begin with one product, master it, and expand. Bonobos started with pants. Mizzen + Main was created around an innovative dress shirt. MVMT was founded on the basis of an affordable, stylish watch. Uther brought their unique towels into the marketplace and have some exciting products dropping in 2018.
With great ambitions for his brand, it was a pleasure speaking with Dan about his entrepreneurial journey so far. Here is what he had to say:
Photo courtesy G&E Magazine
G&E:Tell us a little about your background?
Dan: I live in Canada so golfing up here is, of course, a lot more limited than in the US. One of my first jobs was working as a back-shop attendant at a local golf course, Thornhill Club. I then later worked at a predominantly female club, Ladies Golf Club of Toronto and finally a public course called Richmond Hill Golf Club. My experience juggling around those clubs gave me a great insight into what’s working and what’s missing at clubs.
When did you first start playing golf, and why did you pick up the game?
The stereotype is true, a ton of people play hockey in Canada and if it weren’t for hockey, I probably wouldn’t haven’t started playing golf so early on. It was a natural transition for me and my hockey buddies to play golf in the summer ounce the hockey season was over.
What made you want to start Uther?
Working in the back-shop, especially private clubs, I saw rows of bags which all looked the same and knew there had to be something that can make them fun and unique. Golf towels are a necessity for golfers so thought why not make them fun and blend art and function.
So how did you come up with the name Uther?
We’ve gotten a ton of people asking how we pronounce it whether “Oother”, “U-ther” or “other”, the latter is correct but we don’t mind any other way of saying it. We set out to be the “other” brand in the marketplace and create products no other companies are creating. We’re purposeful with all the products we create and each product must have a special feature that really stands apart from other products on the market or we just won’t produce it.
Have you engaged in any other entrepreneurial ventures prior to Uther?
Late November 2015 to the start of Uther around April 2016, I worked on a training aid that didn’t make it to market. We worked on about 4 prototypes and the minimum order quantity was greater than like 10,000 pieces so I reached the point where it was best to pursue the golf towel idea.
What doors have opened as a result of Uther?
Creating relationships with people around the world. For example, it’s offered the chance to collaborate with people in Australia, Sweden and Hungry, there’s not a lot of occupations that allow that.
What is your vision for yourself and your company in the future?
It would be great to have Uther be a top golf brand in the next 5 – 10 years.
What have you learned most from starting Uther?
Probably organization. Especially as your growing, you need to have system puts in place to keep running efficiently.
How does Uther engage with the community?
We’re most active on Instagram but you can catch us on all social media channels. We also have a newsletter to stay in touch with our customers. You can sign up at the bottom of our webpage on our site.
Rapid Fire Q&A Round
Who is your greatest inspiration?
Ben Francis, owner of Gymshark. What they’ve done in such a short period of time is inspirational.
What’s your favorite time of year to play a round? Time of day?
I’m a sucker for vacation golf. In terms of time of day, nothing beats being the first on the course right when the sun is rising.
If you could play 18 with anyone, who would it be?
If anyone throughout history it has to be Arnie.
Will there be any new product releases in the near future at Uther?
We have some new hats releasing the next couple weeks. We also have a new product that we’ve been working on the last year releasing mid-January. Stay tuned!
G&E Magazine is a digital publication dedicated to the world of golf and entrepreneurship, bringing to life the journeys of people who are taking their enthusiasm for golf and are turning it into their career in remarkable fashion. Follow G&E on Instagram (@gandemagazine), Facebook (gandemagazine), and Twitter (@gandemagazine).
2017 LDET Champion Matt Nicolle, England. (Photo: Courtesy Long Drivers European Tour)
Look, Ma, we made it!
Long Drivers European Tour has announced a new media partnership with CGB for the upcoming 2018 season, and to say we’re excited for the opportunity is understatement.
Here’s a quote from yours truly in a press release issued by LDET:
“We’re witnessing a rejuvenated energy in the game right now, and at the forefront of that are these exciting tour athletes and events and their ability to attract and connect with younger golfers,” ColoradoGolfBlog Co-Founder Craig Lemley says. “We’ve worked with athletes before, but to have a renown professional tour like LDET embrace what we’re doing on social media, and invite us to be a trusted media partner means a lot.”
2017 LDET Champion Matt Nicolle (pictured above), who won four LDET events and earned four top-three finishes last year, looks to defend his title against players from all over Europe, the U.S., Dubai, Abu Dhabi, South Africa, and more. But the 2018 LDET season will also bring an exciting array of new storylines, including the tour’s first Nations Cup competition (Sept. 21-22 at the Château De Taulane) featuring international teams in a first-of-its-kind event, select pro-am competitions and special contests, and the tour’s debut in Russia (Russia Championship, June 2-3 at Peterhof Golf Club, St. Petersburg).
On top of all that, you have us to bring you the LDET news, event results, athlete interviews and more — as only we know how — beginning at the season-opening event April 7th and 8th (Hotel Golf Château de Chailly) throughout the 2018 season. (Follow us here and on Instagram @coloradogolfblog.)
With this year’s tour set to be better than ever, LDET Founder and CEO Xavier Eusebio sees promise in partnering with CGB for the sixth season of the tour. “For us to have CGB on board as official partner is really great,” Eusebio says in the release. “Social media is very important nowadays and we believe CGB will do an excellent job promoting the Tour worldwide.”
And we’re up for the challenge. As I note in the release, CGB couldn’t have asked for a better time to get involved with this tour.
You may be asking yourself, why would a European tour want to work with Colorado-golfblog? (We definitely thought the same thing for a moment there.) The answer is pretty simple: What started as ColoradoGolfBlog, between a couple friends in a frigid garage two years ago, has exploded into something we never could have imagined, and brought with it a global reach we never thought we would have.
We set out to change the game in the state we love as CGB — and we’re still going to — but along the way we’ve stumbled upon a chance to be a part of that change on an even bigger scale. And we’re damn sure not going to pass that up.
I have run the gamut of products trying to find the right one for my golf photography. I’ve gone from just holding the camera in my hand, propping it up on something like a rock or wedging it on the cart somewhere to standard and Joby tripods, GoPro Mounts, drones, and, of course, friends just to get a good image or video. It’s always a disappointment in one way or another: the equipment is either too bulky or cumbersome to lug around the course or range, too costly, or not reliable enough for constant use — you had one job!
Then I got the opportunity to try out the SelfieGOLF Set, the most simple and versatile course photography aid I’ve used by far. The company sent CGB The SelfieGOLF Set ($35.99) which includes a selfie clip, bag clip, dust bag, a pack of extra stick holders, two alignment sticks, and some fool-proof instructions.
It doesn’t get any easier than SelfieGOLF: plant a stick in the ground, attach your phone to the clip and the clip to the stick, then record. The single stick method — you can even use a driver shaft — means SelfieGOLF can be deployed faster that a standard tripod, too.
One of the best parts of SelfieGOLF is that I’m always the cameraman, able to capture the angle I want without keeping my hands full on the course. The added bonus is the unit fits in a small travel pouch and setup takes just a seconds. The straight forward design and simple instructions, coupled with a durable design features will earn SelfieGOLF a permanent spot in your bag for sure. You’ll only need a replacement when you lend it to a friend, who in all likelihood won’t give it back cause it’s awesome.
In all, SelfieGOLF is made for golfers looking to improve their swing with visual data and those shutterbugs on the course, and neither will be disappointed. For capturing your swing and dance moves on film out on the course, or making time-lapses and long exposure photography from tee to green, SelfieGOLF is the perfect tool.
ColoradoGolfBlog, in some cases, receives a small commission when you purchase items from these links. CGB has endorsed all advertisers, products and services and advertising does not influence editorial decisions or content.
The tour returns to Italy once again August 26th-27th at Terre Dei Consoli near Rome before the debut of one of this season’s marquee events — the Nations Cup. International teams will compete for glory at the Château de Taulane in La Martre, France, September 21st-22nd, in a first-of-its-kind event.
I have run the gamut of products trying to find the right one for my golf photography. I’ve gone from just holding the camera in my hand, propping it up on something like a rock or wedging it on the cart somewhere to standard and Joby tripods, GoPro Mounts, drones, and, of course, friends just to get a good image or video. It’s always a disappointment in one way or another: the equipment is either too bulky or cumbersome to lug around the course or range, too costly, or not reliable enough for constant use — you had one job!