Bunkered – Issue 233 2026

Summary

Aldrich Potgieter — the biggest hitter on the PGA Tour — leads Bunkered Issue 233's "Power Issue" (p41) with a four-key programme for driving the ball like a Tour pro, co-headlined by Jake Knapp's speed-training methods and a PXG equipment integration. The Solheim Cup countdown (p87) sees European captain Anna Nordqvist preparing for the 20th edition of women's golf's biggest match-play event, while sports psychologist Tom Young (p64) offers six keys to mental toughness under pressure. New gear from TaylorMade putters, Scotty Cameron, and McLaren Golf irons (p87) sit alongside Close House travel feature (p101).

The Power Play feature (p41) breaks down the components of elite driving distance through Potgieter's swing analysis, Knapp's training regimen, and a PXG driver fitting section that matches shaft and head characteristics to swing speed. Each of the four keys — ground force, wrist hinge, club path, and strike location — includes a measurable drill that the golfer can test on a launch monitor. The Solheim Cup piece (p87) tracks the European team's preparation through Anna Nordqvist's captaincy, the venue selection process, and the qualifying points race as it stands at print time.

Think Positive / Brain Game (p64) features Tom Young's six-part framework for building mental resilience: pre-shot routine consistency, breathing control, self-talk management, visualisation practice, pressure simulation and post-round reflection. Each component includes a specific exercise that requires no equipment and can be practised at home. The Travel feature (p101) focuses on Close House in Northumberland — an English golf resort that has expanded to 36 holes and added a short-game centre — plus a sidebar on favourite Austrian courses.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story
p.41 · Power Play! – Aldrich Potgieter & Jake Knapp
Two of the PGA Tour's longest hitters share their power programme in association with PXG. The four-key system: ground force production, wrist hinge angle, club path optimisation and strike location consistency. The single drill that Potgieter says added 8mph clubhead speed in one off-season.

▸ Features
p.87 · Solheim Cup Countdown – Holland Days
European captain Anna Nordqvist previews the 20th Solheim Cup, the venue's specific match-play challenges, and the qualifying standings with eight months to go. The practice-round format Nordqvist plans to use that differs from previous European captains.

p.64 · Think Positive – Tom Young's Brain Game
Six keys to on-course mental toughness from a leading sports psychologist. The 4-7-8 breathing technique that Young prescribes between shots to reset heart rate and focus. The one thought that should replace every negative self-statement.

▸ Performance
p.68 · Drive It Like A Tour Pro
Steve Johnston's four-step sequence for hitting the ball further: grip pressure, stance width, shoulder tilt and finish position. The Xander Schauffele swing characteristic that amateurs can safely copy without risking injury.

p.29 · Performance
Ailsa Murphy on the three things every golfer should be working on: consistent contact, distance control inside 100 yards, and green-reading. Each priority comes with a 10-minute practice drill.

▸ Gear
p.87 · New Gear
TaylorMade's new putter line, a Scotty Cameron limited release, McLaren Golf's entry into the iron market, and the latest shoes and balls. The McLaren iron that produced the highest ball speed in its category during testing.

▸ Travel
p.101 · Close House & Austrian Courses
Why Close House in Northumberland has become the English golf resort everyone is talking about — its 36-hole layout, short-game centre, and hotel upgrade. Plus three Austrian courses that offer more challenge than their green fees suggest.

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Editor's Take

The Power Issue concept is well-executed — the four-key framework gives structure to what could have been a scattered collection of distance tips. The Potgieter and Knapp access is genuine; these aren't generic quotes but specific, measurable advice. The Solheim Cup countdown is timely and the Nordqvist angle (first European captain with a young family) adds a human dimension the preview usually lacks. Tom Young's mental game piece is the strongest instruction content Bunkered has run — specific, evidence-based, and immediately usable. However, the issue is thin on feature length; the Power Play cover story runs only 6 pages when the topic deserved 10 or 12. The Close House travel piece reads like a press release — there is no critical evaluation of the resort despite it being promoted as "the English resort everybody's talking about." The advertising load is high, with PXG, TaylorMade and Galvin Green taking significant placement.

Strengths
• Potgieter/Knapp power programme provides measurable drills
• Tom Young's mental-game framework is genuinely practical
• Solheim Cup preview has new access and perspective

Weaknesses
• Power Play feature is too short for its cover billing
• Close House piece lacks critical evaluation

Verdict: Recommended — the mental-game and power-instruction content lifts this above a standard monthly, even if the feature depth doesn't match the cover promise.