Zane Scotland’s evolution from battle-scarred tour pro to player-coach makes him a rich resource for youngsters making their way on the MENA Tour

By Kent Gray
The Golfing Machine owns pride of place in Zane Scotland’s golf library. The thing is, as much as he loves Homer Kelley’s classic textbook, he’s loath to recommend it for fear it might fall into impressionable hands. You’ve been warned.

One of the most comprehensive, and some argue complicated, tomes on the golf swing, The Golfing Machine is meant for professional instructors. It has enlightened those with the requisite base knowledge but with it’s “simple geometry and everyday physics” has also confounded just as many well-meaning but unqualified seekers of the secrets to golf for the past 50 years.

“There’s a book from years and years ago [it was first published in 1969], that if you try and read it, it messes with your life, let alone your golf,” says Scotland when pressed for the foundation of his coaching philosophy.

“It’s so confusing because there is so much stuff going on in it but pretty much, most modern coaching is based off of that or versions thereof.

Scotland was in hot demand in his heyday, including being summoned to a promotional photoshoot during the 2008 Malaysian Open. (Getty Images)

“So for me, from a technical point of view, there’s Mac O‘Grady, what Pete Cowen’s done is fantastic, a guy called Andy Plumber, almost too many to name, to be honest. So it’s The Golfing Machine but on top of that someone who I think does an amazing job is Butch Harmon who almost looks like he wouldn’t even use a camera so much, he just knows the person and can work from there.”

Just as Kelley’s fabled work doesn’t prescribe one particular style of swing, Scotland’s wide-spread coaching influences are a melting pot of the game’s best swing theorists. What’s not clouded is the 37-year-old Englishman’s growing reputation in the field of coaching, a vocation the MENA Tour’s most successful player has fallen into sooner than anticipated.

Scotland always envisaged this route in the game but not until his mid to late 40s. However,  after competing alongside and tinkering with the games of now rookie professional Todd Clements and the Englishman’s big-hitting compatriot Joshua White in 2015, the decision to delve into coaching fulltime was accelerated when the pair sought a more permanent relationship the following season.

Now, as well as his record 10 tour wins, Scotland boasts two titles as a coach although he humbly takes more credit for MG Keyser’s victory at the Dubai Open in March than he does for Daniel Gaunt’s emotional Troon Series-Al Zorah Open triumph the previous month.

The Englishman in action during the 2010 Open Championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews. (Getty Images)

While South African Keyser is part of Scotland’s stable alongside Clements, White, fellow Englishmen Joe Heraty, Taylor Carter and Zak Morgan and Saudi Arabia’s pioneering professional Othman Al Mulla, Gaunt merely sought remedial help after a long layoff through sheer frustration with our maddening game. The Aussie has since gone on his merry way but wanders just off the M25 in Redhill south of London and you’ll find Scotland hard at work at Bletchingley Golf Club honing the games of clients at the ZS Academy, many of the MENA Tour’s biggest names regularly among them.

Scotland offers a holistic approach to game improvement at his “boutique academy”, from traditional swing mechanics to the perhaps more important mental side of making it in the cut-throat professional game.

“There’s the traditional swing coaching, game coaching, technical pieces which I’m good at and then the next part is like, how do you play golf for a living? Not every young golfer is going to be the next Rory McIlroy.”

Scotland knows better than most that very few young golfers will ever be the next Rory McIlroy or Tiger Woods. The MENA Tour’s first life member actually won a competition to ‘find the British Tiger Woods’ in 1997 and went on to become the youngest Englishman to qualify for the Open Championship two years later, eventually missing the cut at Carnoustie the day before his 17th birthday.

But a stellar amateur career – he ascended to be Europe’s No.1 – is no guarantee in the game of life. Scotland turned professional in 2003 but a minor car accident that year proved a major pain in the neck, quite literally, to his progression in the pro game.

Scotland shows his style during the opening round of the 2015 Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates G.C. (Getty Images)

Scotland did tee it up in golf’s oldest major again in 2010, finishing a creditable T-55 on the Old Course at St. Andrews alongside, among others, Steve Stricker and above players the ilk of Jason Day and Ian Poulter. But the injury meant he was never healthy enough for long enough to keep a steady footing on the European Tour.

Rather selfishly, that’s been a boon for the fledging MENA Tour where Scotland has helped lift standards since the regional circuit’s inception in 2011.

Young players with big ambitious could certainly do worse than extract the choicest morsels from Scotland’s topsy-turvy journey through the game, from the highs of major championships to the lows of lugging his own bag on mini-tours playing for little more than beer money. So what wisdom would Scotland impart in such a conversation?

“Being honest with where you are. I think a lot of young guys, we’ve all done it, we hide away from the truth of what is actually happening,” Scotland beings.

“Especially in this day in age when social media is such a big part of life, everyone wants to look a certain way, to look like ‘I’m doing well’ instead of being okay with what you are not good at because then you can improve that.

“It’s about seizing your weakness or your downfalls as more fun areas that you can actually improve rather than hiding from them.”

Formulating that plan for improvement is one thing, building on it another.

“When someone is at the point of turning pro, just hitting lots of golf balls, ball beating, like, it’s lazy. It’s probably the 100 per cent easiest part of pro golf. What is difficult is trying to be smart… not many people do it.

Patron Darren Clarke and tour co-founder Mohamed Juma Buamaim surprised Scotland with a MENA Tour life membership at this media conference in 2017. (Getty Images)

“Someone that hits 500 balls a day, a 1000 balls a day, I’m not impressed. I’ve been there, done that and I’ve got the injuries to prove it. And you don’t get any better.”

Scotland’s perpetual quest for improvement as a coach means he is in no hurry to hang up his sticks. While he doesn’t have the time to beat balls to even a carefully prescribed practice formula like he once did, he’s trying to work smarter in a bid to add to his 10 wins, a legacy that included four titles in a breakout 2013 campaign where he ran away with the circuit’s overall order of merit title. Indeed, Scotland feels compelled to stay as sharp as possible inside the ropes.

“I’ve not had that much time to compete during the summer but you know, as any golfer can relate, I think to myself, if I can hit a golf ball, I could have a good week. That never leaves you,” Scotland said eyeing the MENA Tour’s five-event autumn swing which resumed late last month.

“I’m around good golfers and, you know what, I still try and play and practice just to remember how hard it is when you are teaching somebody. I think this is one thing a lot of coaches don’t do enough, they don’t play enough and practice themselves. You haven’t got to be amazing at it, you’ve just got to do it to be able to empathise with somebody. If you don’t, I believe you can lose touch with reality. It’s so important, a duty to the person you coach I believe.”

Scotland at a recent Mercedes Classic corporate day in England.
(Photo courtesy: TribecaMedia.co.uk)

While he hasn’t got rich from golf, the game continues to enrich the life of Scotland who is, coincidently, the nephew of the first woman to be appointed Britain’s Attorney General, Patricia Scotland QC, or just plain “Auntie Pat”.

Indeed, enriching lives is what makes the 20-minute drive from Scotland’s home in Banstead to the range at Bletchingley G.C. – like the regular trips to the Middle East – a breeze each morning.

“We’d like to think everybody could earn the 20 million that Rory’s going to earn this year but being realistic, that’s not going to happen,” Scotland says.

“Some guys won’t make a hundred grand in their career so if you can help them make 150-200 grand, that’s great isn’t it?  If you can at least double their career earnings or their earnings over a year by thinking better…”

Smart thinking. Now there’s an idea. Like getting someone else to decode The Golfing Machine for you. Scotland’s impressionable young chargers don’t know how lucky they are.

Photograph by Joy Chakravarty

The post Zane Scotland: MENA Tour record maker turned player creator appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

This time a year ago Thomas was the 1050^th ranked amateur in the world but an historic victory in his home Dubai Creek Open sparked a memorable run of form that sees the 17-year-old return to defend the MENA Tour title 1000 places better off in 50^th on the warg.com list.

Related content: Clarke would love his golf to do the talking at Dubai Creek Open but promises a good yarn either way

Thomas is understandably bullish about his defence given his intimate knowledge of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and his giddy run of form leading into the $50,000 event, including making his maiden professional tournament cut at February’s Dubai Desert Classic and a charge to the semifinals of the recent U.S. Junior Amateur.

Those results helped the correspondence-schooled Indian, who doesn’t turn 18 until November, seal the No.1 spot in Trevor Immelman’s International team for the inaugural Junior Presidents Cup later this month. It has also centred attention on the teen as he prepares to tee it up with Clarke in the first round of the 54-holer at 11.10am on Monday. Not that Thomas seemed overly phased as he joined the 2016 Ryder Cup captain for a preview press conference on Sunday.

“For sure I know this course like the back of my hand and I guess when you’ve done it once, it’s a little more comfortable situation,” Thomas said of his title defence. “Yeah, I think my chances are very good, I’m playing very well…we’ll see Wednesday.”

Related content: Rayhan Thomas can’t lose at Junior Presidents Cup

The measured confidence wasn’t lost on Clarke who, as patron of the MENA Tour, has watched Thomas’ progress closely. The DCGYC member coincidently finished leading amateur in the Clarke’s only other start on the development circuit at the 2015 RAK Classic.

“I think we all know where his game could be headed. Rayhan’s obviously a very special talent,” said Clarke who will also be partnered with Swede Fredrik From, the winner of tour’s weather-curtailed Pattana Golf Championship in May, in Monday’s opening round.

Rayhan Thomas, tournament director Robbie Williams, Darren Clarke and Dubai Golf’s Christopher May pose ahead of Monday’s Dubai Creek Open.

“To win here last year as he did, it’s not that easy for amateurs to win any professional tournament, I don’t care where you are in the world, that’s another marker in his career.”

But as Thomas’ ranking has plummeted, Clarke has seen expectations soar and has urged for patience as he serves his amateur apprenticeship.

“I know his coach, Justin Parsons, really, really well and I know he’s really excited with that Rayhan is achieving as well but you know, with what he has achieved and the way he is going, it’s very easy to heap pressure on him, you’re going to do this and you’re going to do that.

“Rayhan is still a young man and has a huge future so if things don’t quite go as well for him for a week or two, he just has to go practice and keep working on what he’s doing.

“You’ve got some of the best facilities in the world here and Rayhan has made the most of them. His progress is what you’d expect from a man of his talent. I’m sure he’ll enjoy the Junior Presidents Cup, looking for bigger and better things and it’s a stepping-stone to the bigger Presidents Cup.”

Thomas, Clarke and From are off at 11.10am. With reigning order of merit leader Jamie Elson playing at the first stage of European Tour school in Scotland and second-placed Luke Joy teeing it up in the KLM Dutch Open, it is a big week for Englishman Andrew Marshall.

Related content: Elson has his eyes on the prize

Off at 11.40am alongside countryman Lee Corfield and Joshua White, Marshall is third on the OOM (just ahead of From) and will be looking to make up ground in the absence of Elson and Joy.

[divider] [/divider]

2017 MENA Tour – Post summer schedule
Sept 11-13: The Dubai Creek Open
Venue: at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. Purse: US$50,000

Sept 18-20: The Golf Citizen Classic
Venue: Els Club Dubai. Purse: US$30,000

Sept 25-27: The Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open
Venue: Yas Links GC. Purse: US$50,000

Oct 5-7: Jordan’s Ayla Golf Championship
Venue: Ayla Golf Resort (Aqaba). Purse: US$50,000

Oct 16-18: The Sahara Kuwait Golf Championship
Venue: Sahara Golf & County Club. Purse: US$50,000

Oct 23-26: The MENA Tour Championship
Venue: Al Zorah GC (Ajman). Purse: $100,000

Completed events
March 6-9: 2017 Qualifying School, El Jadida Golf Club, Morocco
Winner – Jack Doherty (SCO)

March 14-16: Palmeraie Country Club Casablanca Open
Winner – Leo Lilja (SPN)

March 19-21: Royal Golf Mohammedia Open
Winner – Pierre Junior Verlaar (NED/Amateur)

April 24-26: Ras Al Khaimah Classic
Winner – Peter Stojanovski (AUS)

Thailand Swing
May 2-4: Mahasamutr Masters
Winner – Jazz Janewattananond (THAI)

May 8-10: Mountain Creek Open by Golf Citizen
Winner – Lionel Weber (FRA)

May 16-19: Pattana Golf Championship*
Winner – Fredrik From (SWE)

South African Swing
June 7-9: South to East Challenge
Winner – Breyten Meyer (RSA)

June 13-15: Jo’burg City Masters
Winner – Jaco Prinsloo (RSA)

June 20-22: The Roar
Winner – Daniel Hammond (RSA)

*72-hole event reduced to 36 holes due to inclement weather

The post Thomas is a “very special talent” but ease up on the pressure, says Darren Clarke appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Moroccan professional Faycal Serghini expects the biggest bombers in the 136-strong field will have an advantage at Palmeraie Country Club but is confident the $US40,000 Casablanca Open will ultimately be decided on the greens.

Patience is often a virtue with the flat stick but Serghini believes it will be even more so this week as the Palmeraie putting surfaces are still bedding in.

“The course is fairly wide open and will definitely favour the long hitters if they can hit the fairways, but the greens will be tough to read since they are too young and tricky,” said Serghini who has played the course many times since its opening six months ago.

“You can always expect the unexpected as it will be the first professional event on this course, but I do feel players will have fun playing on this course which provides a fair test of shot-making skills.”

Serghini, who runs a golf academy in his native Casablanca, is a three-time MENA Tour runner-up but believes his game ready for the first event of the developmental tour’s season.

“Like the golf course, my game is also in great shape. I am working hard on my putting and if it clicks I can expect good scores,” he said.

The season’s first field includes 19 amateurs and players from 25 countries including defending order of merit champion Craig Hinton and fellow Englishmen Zane Scotland, Luke Joy, Andrew Marshall and Joshua White.

A notable absentee at the 6571-yard Palmeraie Country Club will be Rayhan Thomas with the Dubai amateur taking the week off after missing the cut in this week’s Hero Indian Open on the European Tour.

Thomas, who created history by becoming the first amateur to win a MENA Tour event at his home Dubai Creek Open last September, is scheduled to make his 2017 debut at next week’s Royal Golf Mohammedia Open, also in Casablanca.

The post Putting patience will be key in Casablanca says Moroccan MENA Tour star Serghini appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.