Appleby Not Lost On Bermuda

Sun Herald

Sunday April 30, 2006

Peter Stone

STUART Appleby had his eighth US PGA Tour victory in winning the Houston Open last weekend, prompting the question: why is it that someone raised on the slicker bent grass greens of Melbourne's sandbelt courses has the majority of his victories on the coarser Bermuda greens?

The new layout at Redlands in Texas has Bermuda greens. Appleby's three straight victories in the season-opening Mercedes Championship were also on the same putting surface, as was his win in the 2001 Australian Open at The Grand on the Gold Coast. Clearly, he is far more comfortable on the slower, grainier, greens.

His coach Steve Bann, as he would, had the instant answer: "Since 1996, Stuart has been living in Orlando [Florida] and playing and practising on Bermuda. There's also a more technical reason which is that we have now developed a putting stroke which has a lot less impact loft."

In other words, the ball doesn't jump on impact. It is a stroke that player and coach have been working on for greater success on the slicker bent and Poa grass greens which are on the majority of courses used for major championships.

Another "why is it so?" which emerged from Appleby's win last weekend was his constant chat to caddie Joe Damiano.

Again, Bann had the answer: "He likes to describe the shot after he's played it. It keeps his mind on what he needs to do. It's his way of keeping cool and calm."

Bann has spent the past two years attempting to get Appleby to play with greater controlled aggression. Simply, that's not possible. Appleby lost his first wife, Renay, in the most tragic of circumstances in London in 1998. Golf is just a game. It matters not a jot after what he's been through.

KP's legacy

A LARGE slice of the late Kerry Packer's life was the Australian GC. In the mid-70s, he sponsored the Australian Open for four years at the Kensington layout which was redesigned by Jack Nicklaus, with Packer paying all the bills.

On Tuesday, the 54-hole 2006 Australian Amateur Senior Championship starts at the Australian and, in honour of Kerry, the Packer family has donated a perpetual trophy in his name.

Defending the seniors title - in fact going for three in a row - is Kiwi Rodney Barltrop, but 65-year-old Tony Gresham, perhaps the best amateur in Australian golf, is looking for a fourth title.

High Waters mark

CRAIG Parry was just about to jump into the water to go snorkelling with his three kids at South Molle Island during the week when Around the Traps called to ask about his first major entry into golf course design, the Kooindah Waters layout at Wyong.

The course will be opened on Thursday and Mark Waugh and Paul "Fatty" Vautin will be among the celebrities taking part.

So, has Paz played his own course, designed in conjunction with Ross Watson? "Yeah," he replied. "I shot truckloads."

Faith in Badds

SINCE Aaron Baddeley won the Heritage Classic a couple of weeks ago, his manager Paul Galli has been swamped with requests for media interviews with the 25-year-old Australian.

The majority, though, have not been from the regular golfing media, but rather Christian radio in the US.

© 2006 Sun Herald

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