Golf Monthly's week that was

With deadline day looming Golf Monthly has been hard at work preparing to deliver you a comprehensive gear guide for the new season. The May issue is not one to be missed. Inevitably new gear has been arriving in the office. Keeping one’s concentration is never easy when such attractive-looking equipment finds its way to the ninth floor, but we’ll be ready to deliver you the best guide to help you make the right purchases this season.

This also served as a good opportunity to provide you with a selection of drivers under £250 in our weekly equipment guide. Despite a vast array of products on the market upwards of this figure, there are some quality clubs in and around this price to try if you’ve already blown your budget on a golf holiday.

On the PGA Tour Korean Yong-eun Yan won the Honda Classic seeing off a trio of Americans to take the first prize of over $1 million. Closer to home, and Nick Dougherty was gearing up to launch the 2009 HSBC Wee Wonders Championships. We’ll continue to provide you with all the latest Tour, industry, amateur and golf news as the new season takes shape.

The week ended with the first two rounds of the WGC - CA Championship in Doral, Florida. Tiger Woods was back, but made a slow start on the Thursday. Hopefully you've had time to read the betting guide and take some sound advice. The biggest talking point so far is Henrik Stenson’s decision to strip down to his Bjorn Borg briefs to escape from a hazard. His dedication cannot be questioned. It seems this bizarre act of determination did not escape the Golf Monthly Forum members. Would you go this far in your Monthly Medal?

For the GM team the week began with an Office Order of Merit event at Kings Hill, West Malling, on Sunday, where rain and hail could not stop assistant editor Alex Narey winning with 39 points. Elsewhere, some of the GM staff travelled to Thorpeness for a challenge match with The Golf Club Secretary Magazine. A great time was had by all, especially those who had the pleasure of squeezing nine holes in at beautiful Aldeburgh.

But, despite the good golf and good company the week did not end without controversy. We won’t bore you with the details, but after certain members of the team were accused of slow play at Remedy Oak, others were accused of double standards at Thorpeness. It seems some of the team need to hug it out and move on…

Happy golfing and have a great weekend.

Where next?

Competitions: Beat the GM experts Equipment news: Cobra S9-1 driver and fairway woods Industry news: Ross Fisher signs with Horizon Sports Management Gallery: Continental Europe's top golf courses