PowerPlay Golf – Professionals Launch New 9 Hole Format

Over nine selected holes on Celtic Manor’s Twenty Ten Course and in front of a large crowd, Swedish golfer Caroline Hedwall won PowerPlay Golf driven by Saab: Ignition in dramatic fashion to claim the honour of becoming the first Tour pro in the world to win a PowerPlay Golf event.

Over nine selected holes on Celtic Manor’s Twenty Ten Course and in front of a large crowd, Swedish golfer Caroline Hedwall won PowerPlay Golf driven by Saab: Ignition in dramatic fashion to claim the honour of becoming the first Tour pro in the world to win a PowerPlay Golf event. Hedwall amassed an incredible 18 points on the final three holes with three successive PowerPlay 6-point birdies, including a brave 15-foot putt on the final hole. Hedwall’s compatriot Helen Alfredsson and world number 12 Ian Poulter – who almost eagled the last after driving the green – both came with a late charge, matching Hedwall’s last-hole PowerPlay birdie, but the young Swede prevailed to take the £100,000 first prize.

U S Open Champions Graeme McDowell and Paula Creamer compete at PowerPlay Golf Ignition

U S Open Champions Graeme McDowell and Paula Creamer compete at PowerPlay Golf Ignition

“That was a lot of fun. I was in the middle of the pack with three to play but knew I still had a chance with PowerPlays in reserve. I was very nervous on the first tee but playing with Ian Poulter and Helen Alfredsson was a great experience” commented Hedwall. The victory caps a memorable few days for Hedwall, who secured her first Ladies European Tour victory on Sunday at the Allianz Slovak Ladies Open. Four of the competitors donated a combined total of £93,000 to their national golf unions, in recognition of the support they received during their amateur careers. Paul Casey donated £20,000 to The English Golf Union, and Hedwall, Victor Dubuisson and Max Kieffer each donated 50% of their winnings to the Swedish, French and German Golf Federations respectively.

Powerplay Executive Director Andy Hiseman said: “Our ‘call to action’ to the industry is simple. Please reserve judgement until you have tried it for yourself, at your own golf club. It costs just £70 (or its equivalent) plus postage to become an Official Venue, and you will receive a PowerPlay Golf Club Pack within days. You can then run trial PPG events for your members and visitors. The registration form takes a few seconds to complete online. If you were then to invite your members and visitors to a 9-hole PPG demonstration event, you will almost certainly find that you will generate a lot of interest and new business on that one single day.”

With planned collaborations with the National Golf Federations and Governing bodies around the world and with over 70% of golfers in a recent survey stating that they would watch and play a shorter format of the game, PowerPlay Golf looks set to become an invigorating force in golf. For more information, visit www.powerplay-golf.com