Our sixth Pro spotlight focuses on Professional Matt Dearden. The format is simple: we ask a few questions, they answer and you get to see what makes them tick.

Your tour/base

EPD Tour / Europro

Handicap

Professional

What’s in your bag? (we like details!)

Titleist D3. 9.5 deg. X. Proforce V2.

Titleist 906 F. 15 deg. X. Proforce V2

Titleist AP2 3-PW. Project X Tour Flighted 6.0.

Titleist Vokey Wedges. 52, 58 lofts.

Rossa Corza Ghost.

1. Your ultimate fourball with anyone past & present?

Ian Woosnam

John Daly

Ben Hogan

2. Before the big game, what’s on your iPod to get the adrenalin pumping?

The Gareth Emery Podcast

3. Where would you take them on?

TPC Sawgrass

4. What’s your fairway style – Bling or brogues?

Would have to say brogues.

5. How would you celebrate your win?

With a smile.

6. 1st and last drink on the 19th?

Magners with ice, and Magners with more ice!

7. Your missus has gone out for the evening – what d’you cook?

A nice spicy madras.

8. Your private jet is on the tarmac and ready to fly – where d’you go?

Mauritius.

9. Which club’s first in your bag?

Driver.

10. Who do you hang around with on tour?

Ian Keenan and Sean Macdonagh.

11. (i) How has this season been for you so far?

More up’s than down’s, so far so good.

11. (ii) What are your main goals for the remainder of the season?

Focusing on the next tournament, rounds and shots.

12. Where do you want to be in 3 years?

At the very top.

13. If golf didn’t exist, what would you be doing?

Trading stocks and shares.

Our fifth Pro spotlight focuses on Professional Martin Sell. The format is simple: we ask a few questions, they answer and you get to see what makes them tick.

Your tour/base = Europrotour / Wrag Barn Golf Club, Swindon 

Handicap +3 when turned pro
What’s in your bag?
 (we like details!)
Driver Taylormade R9TP 8.5 with Project X 6A6 shaft 7.0 flex
3 Wood Taylormade Burner tp 13 degree with Aldila Protopype 80-X shaft
5 Wood Ping G10 Aldila Protopype 80-X shaft
2-PW Titleist CB irons Project X 6.5 shafts
Wedges 52 & 58 degree Vokey C-C with project X 6.5

1. Your ultimate fourball with anyone past & present?
Myself, Charlotte Jackson, Megan Fox, Ben Hogan

2. Before the big game, what’s on your iPod to get the adrenalin pumping?
Mostly Indie/Rock bands, Oasis, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Nirvana

3. Where would you take them on?
The Links course at Fancourt, South Africa

4. What’s your fairway style – Bling or brogues?
Brogues

5. How would you celebrate your win?
Champagne and a nice meal somewhere
 6. 1st and last drink on the 19th?
Social golf would be a beer, probably a soft drink at a tournament depending on what sort of day iv’e had

7. Your missus has gone out for the evening – what d’you cook?
Nice spicy King Prawn Thai Green Curry

 8. Your private jet is on the tarmac and ready to fly – where d’you go?
Vegas no question

9. Which club’s first in your bag?
3 wood I absolutely love it

10. Who do you hang around with on tour?
Ross Whitelock mainly, though we have a number of friends playing who we socialise with.

11. (i) How has this season been for you so far?
Fairly good, finished 4th in the first event and lost out in a playoff early july. So there are some encouraging signs.
I’ll keep working hard and look to have a strong finish to the year.

 11. (ii) What are your main goals for the remainder of the season?
Get into the top 6 of the order of merit by Aug 18th so I dont have to do stage 1 of Europeantour Qualifying.
Finish in the top 5 by the end of the season, giving me a Challange Tour category for next season, and a successful trip to the Qualifying School.

12. Where do you want to be in 3 years?
2 years into a career on the European Tour

13. If golf didn’t exist, what would you be doing?
Never given it any thought. I play the guitar so i’d have to say to be playing in a successful band travelling the world.

Our fourth Pro spotlight focuses on English Professional Neil Chaudhuri. The format is simple: we ask a few questions, they answer and you get to see what makes them tick.

Your tour/base - Alps Tour

Our third Pro spotlight focuses on English Professional Ben Jones. The format is simple: we ask a few questions, they answer and you get to see what makes them tick.

Ben is wearing the UKKO White Cotton Polo, available to buy from our online store.

Your tour/base - Euro Pro Tour

Handicap - was +2 when I turned Pro

What’s in your bag? (we like details!)
Driver - Callaway FT-IQ
Woods – Callaway X series 3 wood
Irons – Callaway X Forged 3-pw
Putter – Odysee 2 ball
Balls – Titleist Pro-V1x 2009 ball

1. Your ultimate fourball with anyone past & present?
Nick Faldo, Bobby Charlton and Ray Winston (Legends).

2. Before the big game, what’s on your iPod to get the adrenalin pumping?
Anything that keeps me calm, mostly Country.

3. Where would you take them on?
Les Bordes,France. Its amazing!!!

4. What’s your fairway style – Bling or brogues?
Brogues

5. How would you celebrate your win?
Few Beers

6. 1st and last drink on the 19th?
1st drink is always a Beer and last drink depends how long i’ve been in there for!

7. Your missus has gone out for the evening – what d’you cook?
Pasta or Papa Johns Pizza

8. Your private jet is on the tarmac and ready to fly – where d’you go?
Vegas

9. Which club’s first in your bag?
Driver

10. How has this season been for you so far?
Pretty poor start but the hard work is starting to show.

11. What are your main goals for the remainder of the season?
To put myself in with a chance of winning a few events and get ready for tour school.

12. Where do you want to be in 3 years?
On tour

13. If golf didn’t exist, what would you be doing?
Playing rugby

UKKO sponsored Pro Neil Chaudhuri recently finished a superb tied 8th in the Castelvolturno International Open at Volturno GC.

The Alps Tour tournament was played between 1st – 3rd October and is another top 10 finish by Neil who’s showing his great potential more & more regularly… testament to this is his climb to No.36 in the Alps Tour order of merit.

Our second Pro spotlight focuses on Welsh Professional Chris Cousins. The format is simple: we ask a few questions, they answer and you get to see what makes them tick.

Chris is wearing White Cotton Polo, available to buy from our online store.

Your tour/base - Aberdare Golf Club
Handicap - Professional (+2 as an amateur)

What’s in your bag? (we like details!)
Driver - Taylormade R9 10* 2*0pen, 1/2″ tipped Matrix Xcon LTD X flex shaft @ 45″
Woods - Taylormade R9 14* 2* Open Matrix Xcon 2007 Proto X flex shaft @ 43″
Irons - Ping S58 3-9 Iron, Titleist Vokey Spin Milled Wedges 48*, 54*, 60*, Callaway Big Bertha 2 Iron. All irons are standard length and 1/2* upright with Project X 6.5 Rifle shafts
Putter - Odyssey Tour #5 34″
Balls - Titleist Pro V1 X

1. Your ultimate fourball with anyone past & present?
Tiger Woods
Ryan Giggs
Mike Phillips

2. Before the big game, what’s on your iPod to get the adrenalin pumping?
Red Carpet – Alright (Funky House)

3. Where would you take them on?
Shoal Creek, Birmingham, Alabama – A real gem of a course. It’s hosted 2 USPGA major championships and is the best course I’ve ever played. I used to play it every Friday morning for qualifying at the University of Alabama – Birmingham.

4. What’s your fairway style – Bling or brogues?
A bit of both depending on the mood and how I am playing!

5. How would you celebrate your win?
I’d take them for a night out in Cardiff.

6. 1st and last drink on the 19th?
The first would be a pint of Stella Artois and then finishing the night off with the vodka-diet coke’s.

7. Your missus has gone out for the evening – what d’you cook?
Well im making a healthy fish curry tonight made with fresh cod fillets, low fat greek yoghurt, curry powder, sweetcorn, and brown rice. The ingredients sound random but they fuse together nicely.

8. Your private jet is on the tarmac and ready to fly – where d’you go?
Thats easy….Orlando, Florida! Its my favorite place in the whole world! There are brilliant golf courses, great weather, nice people, superb hotels, what more do you want!!??

9. Which club’s first in your bag?
My Taylormade R9 Driver. My driving has always been a weak point in my game, but since I got this new weapon it has gone from strength to strength.

10. Who do you hang around with on tour?
I travel with 3 other guys from Wales, Ryan Thomas, Iwan Griffiths, and Cennydd Mills. Myself, Cen, and Ryan have been travelling together for years but Iwan is a new addition to the team. We all have plenty of banter and take the mick out of each other constantly. You have to be pretty thick skinned to handle the abuse that we dish out to each other.

11. How has this season been for you so far?
2009 has been good. I have done a lot of work on my game since I turned pro in 2007 but now it is starting to come to fruition. I am confident that I can compete well at European Tour School this year as it is everyones ticket to starting earning a nice living.

12. What are your main goals for the remainder of the season?
My goals are to stay focused on my tasks and not try to hard. I tend to be a perfectionist with my game so I am trying to stay in the present and make the best score possible rather than hitting perfect shots.

13. Where do you want to be in 3 years?
I want to have a European Tour win to my name.

14. If golf didn’t exist, what would you be doing?
I wish I knew the answer to that question because I have asked myself it on many occasions!

As the Europro tour reaches a thrilling climax we thought it only fair to review the chances of our top tour pros. As our UKKO tour pros hit top form we preview the next few venues to see how our guys will fair in their attempt to claim that prized top spot.

One of our budding tour pros is Ben Jones, who plays his golf out of Cuddington Golf Club in Surrey. Ben turned pro in 2005 following a successful amateur career and has been making waves in recent months on both the Europro and Jamega tours with some standout performances.

Ben looks forward to the upcoming events on the Europro Tour and a brief review about the courses;

Marriott Tudor Park – 4th – 6th August 2009
This is quite a short course so can see the scoring being quite low for it. I’ll have to make sure my short game is firing on all cylinders if I’m to get a good result for this tournament. The course has been a regular on the professional circuit and I’ve always been impressed with the condition of the fairways and greens.

UK golf breaks are available at Tudor Park including dinner, bed & breakfast and two rounds of golf from just £84 per person.

De Vere Venues Wychwood Park – 11th – 13th August 2009
Wychwood Park is a really decent course and I always enjoy testing myself round this course. The course measures over 7,000 yards off the tips so driving the ball well round here is vital to scoring well. Although it’s quite a new course (built in 2002), it is a superb tournament venue that will no doubt go on to hold lots of professional tournaments over the years.

Golf breaks are available at Wychwood Park for just £89 per person including dinner, bed & breakfast and two rounds of golf.

Formby Hall Golf Resort – 19th – 21st August 2009
I was really pleased when I saw this on the tournament schedule, the course has played host to the Challenge Tour previously and I’m sure it will be a great venue for us. I’ve played a fair bit in Southport previously and although I enjoy links parkland layout at Formby Hall should be perfect for my game. I’ll be expecting a good finish here.

Yourgolftravel.com offer golf breaks to Formby Hall for £79 per person from October 2009 to March 2010.

Five Lakes Golf Resort – 26th – 28th August 2009
The complex at Five Lakes is really impressive. I’ve played here lots of times over the years and the course is always in fantastic condition. They can really grow the rough up in places so keeping it straight off the tee is really important if you are to be in contention in the final round, it’s vital to know when to focus on accuracy over length.

Golf holidays are available for just £79 per person including dinner, bed & breakfast and two rounds of golf.

Fairmont St Andrews = 7th – 9th October 2009
Located about 10 minutes from the town of St. Andrews itself, although the courses there are fairly new the golfing turf they enjoy is centuries old. From the onset it has a traditional links feel with some of the best greens I’ve ever played on. The course has some really good holes and I’m really looking forward playing this event and spending few days in St. Andrews.

St Andrews golf breaks at Fairmont St Andrews start from just £129 per person including accommodation and two rounds of golf.

We wish Ben the best of luck in his quest for Europro glory make sure you look out for him wearing the latest UKKO clothing on the EuroPro screened regularly on SkySports.

His T5 placing follows on from an impressive runners-up spot at the inaugural 66 ProTour event at Berkhamsted a couple of weeks ago. Like all of our Pro’s, Ben is in great form and we’re looking forward to seeing him at the top of the pile soon.. most probably at the next EuroPro event at Burhill GC.

You can follow Ben and see his superb 2nd round 67 on Sky Sports as always.

Players Club screening is on at 8pm on Sky Sports 3 – 29th July.

UKKO sponsored Pro Neil Chaudhuri shot the lowest round in a recent Peugeot Loewe Tour event in Bilbao. His awesome 66 set him on the way to a 3rd place finish in one of his first events of his debut Pro season – obviously our UKKO tops are taking effect! Big things are expected of Neil and we’re glad to have him on the books.

More about his round can be found on the official Tour website… although you’ll need to brush up on your Spanish first..! His presentation pic is below and more about Neil soon.