By – Trevor Grant,

Sydney Herald Sun

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However, when 18-year-old Victorian amateur Aaron Baddeley stepped onto the tee to start his challenge for the Holden Australian Open at Royal Sydney yesterday, few people realized that the driver in his hands was more than just another metallic grey monster.

Given that it is claimed it could bring another 15-20 meters to his drives, it’s enough to frighten the life out of golf club administrators whose courses are being rendered more obsolete every year by equipment developments. Before he came to Royal Sydney, Baddeley, following Wood’s lead, put his driver through the revolutionary “Thermal Cycling” process. This process alters the molecular structure of the metal and strengthens it to the point that it is claimed you can get 15-20m extra distance on well-struck shots, while off-center shot will go straighter…

Although there is always a good deal of skepticism about such claims, Baddeley reckoned it was worthwhile especially when he learned that Woods had “treated” his clubs, from driver through to putter. “I can’t say for sure yet that it brings the extra distance, but so far I think it helps straighten up the off-center shots,” Baddeley said yesterday, after a superb five-under 67 put him firmly into Open contention, three strokes behind first-round leader Paul Gow. Whatever merit there is in the claims, Baddeley’s driver yesterday was simply smoking …”