ISSUE 188 DIGITAL
May 2020
It’s back to golf this Month!
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TO T I F T GE © 2019
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The Clock is set for return to golf!
Who could have imagined both those things a couple of months ago? No golf or rain from St Patricks Day to May. How has it been for you? I believe that people fall into 3 categories. Those who accept the new normal and get on with it, those who struggle to accept it and those who resist being told they cannot carry on as normal. Luckily, I have been able to accept the need to stay at home and to stay safe, but I do sympathise with those who struggle. Tee to Green have been very active on Facebook and I would urge you all to follow us as we provide an opportunity for great debates about the way forward. Last month we announced our 7-point plan to “Get back to golf. Safely” and we had over 65,000 read the post with a further 30,000 who read it through April’s digital copy. That is an incredible number of Irish Golfers who
look to us for guidance at this difficult time. So we have a return date….or as I write this a return date for golf courses in Rep of Ireland. 18th May can’t come soon enough and let’s hope the Government north of the border follow suit and open up at the same time. I hope you enjoy our second digital edition. We intend going back to our printed version as soon as our clubhouses reopen. Until then we will send our monthly edition via our database and through those Golf Clubs who have agreed to distribute it via internal email or through their own internal communicate system. We try and keep the edition filled with relevant golf news about the crisis and with as much non covid-19 golf stories as possible. This month we have a great interview with Barrie Trainor who is based in Beijing, China. It is always good to get an insight into how one of our own is successful in a foreign land. Another good article this month is with Ocean Tee who have developed the most incredible organically farmed polo shirt. Having spent the last 20 years specialising
in golf apparel, a career that has taken me all round the world and to many factories in the Far East who manufacture for many famous golf apparel brands, I was very interested in this story. I encourage everyone to read this story about Ocean Tee before you go and buy your next seasonal golf shirt. Also, see below for a chance to win one of these innovative shirts. We continue to follow the latest news on plans to get back to golf and at the very beginning of May as I write this month’s editorial we have quality plans from both the R&A and a large group of influential golf companies including the British Golf Industry Association, Foremost Buying Group and TGI Buying Group. Both well worth the read and may help with the rules required when we are allowed back on the course on 18th May.
ISSUE 188
May 2020 EDITORIAL TEAM Editorial Directors: Neale Jenkins - njenkins@teetogreen.eu Grahame Jenkins - gjenkins@teetogreen.eu Advertising Manager: Claire Muller - claire.muller@teetogreen.eu
Simple Golf by Simon .....................p4 In the Groove...................................p6 Get back into Golf............................p8 To Padraig’s rescue!........................p9
Anyway, that’s enough from me this month. Enjoy this 188th edition of Tee to Green and by this time next month we all have a few golfing stories to tell.
New Kid on the block ......................p11
Stay safe and stay healthy
The Majors 2020.............................p17
Days in the Life ................................p12 Interview with..................................p14 Through the Ages ..........................p15 Have Your Say! ...............................p20 Shock Closure.................................p21
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OCEAN TEE is a great new golf brand that is shaking things up by creating sustainable alternatives to traditional golf products. Their Mako polo is made from a truly pioneering fabric unique to OCEAN TEE, which will literally decompose at the end of its useful life! As well as being environmentally friendly, the Mako feels great and performs just as well as its synthetic competitors. Despite only launching on May 1st, the Mako is already award winning as are OCEAN TEE’s first products – its popular bamboo tees. Thanks to their flexibility and strength these bamboo tees are taking the golf world by storm being used at Tour events as well as by a growing number of environmentally aware amateur golfers. We are delighted to offer one lucky Tee to Green reader the chance to win an OCEAN TEE prize package that includes an Aqua and a Navy Mako polo shirt and your choice of bamboo tees. You have two chances to enter – once via email info@teetogreen.eu and once on social media – simply like our post and follow @oceanteegolf And, even if you don’t bag the main prize you’ll still be a winner as Ocean Tee are offering everyone who enters 25% discount off their next purchase!
Note: All photos are copyright of our image partner © Golffile
It is the 1st May as I write we have been 6 weeks in lockdown with no golf. Coincidently, it has been the same time since it last rained bar a few showers over the last couple of days.
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Resident Tulfarris Pro
Monthly Lesson
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Firstly, I hope everyone is safe, healthy and keeping to the social distancing regulations. I’m sure it’s a tough time for us all, but we must try to embrace it as much as possible. I hope you are spending time and exercising with your family, having those Zoom evenings with friends, reading that golf book you always meant to etc. Calming the mind down and thinking a bit slower maybe. I’ve found it a great time to ‘hit the reset button’ and re-evaluate some things. Oh and have you paid your club subs? We need to come out the other side of this united.
Are we bored yet of chipping into a bucket, through a ladder or putting into a cup? If so then now is a good time to work on the 15th club - your mind and your course strategy. A way to improve your golf by simply using your mind to plot your way around the golf course in fewer shots. After all it probably the least well used ‘club’ in the bag. You always hear your playing partners say ‘be confident”, “keep your head down’”, “don’t worry about the water”, “stay out of the bunker off the tee” etc. I’m sure they all mean well but are not in fact helping. Here are a few simple pointers to help you become a better golfer when we get back at it. Use these tips to help you improve your score. We don’t have to get better at swinging the golf club or hitting the golf ball to improve at playing the game of golf!
I hope you have all been out in the garden practising your short game, or in the living room ironing out those putting faults. Like myself you must all be excited to hear the possibility that golf will be one of the first sports to start up again. From all the pictures on social media I can see that our courses are in great shape, in fact, with the amount of short game practise we’ve had and the quality of the fairways and greens, there really should be no excuse - right! A huge thanks must go to our course superintendents and greens staff for all their work in these uncertain times. “Tee to Green” sent their 7 point plan, ‘get back to golf…. safely’ to the GUI. They were told that a plan is in place and the GUI would publish it when the green light is given to play again. Obviously our clubs need to plan for these changes and we are asking for the GUI to help our clubs be as organised as possible by passing this plan onto them. Once we are allowed to walk the fairways again please, please, please adhere to the guidelines set out and we can slowly but surely get back to competitive golf safely! #StaySafe. Get in touch on my social media channels for some golfing gossip, fun and information. Twitter- @sthorntongolf Facebook- @simonthorntonglf Instagram- simonthornton9
This month it’s the Seve Ballesteros quiz. The great man died on 7th May 2011. Q1. Where was Seve from? Answers on page 21
Tying in with the monthly lesson regarding the mental side of the game, I was at the Scottish Open, Royal Aberdeen Golf Club 2014. I was going through a tough time with a few parts of my game which affected me mentally on the golf course. I had missed 4/5 cuts in a row costing me some £15k or so. I wasn’t thinking clearly about the job in hand, playing golf! Worst of all I began to think about missing the cut on a Friday afternoon before I had hit my first tee shot on a Thursday morning. I used reverse psychology and started to panic about the first tee shot from Monday evening through to Thursday morning. Worrying constantly about it I lost some sleep that week I can tell you. It turns out the first shot wasn’t that bad, and neither was the round of golf. Although I missed the cut by a shot it didn’t affect me going forward. Moral of the story - most of the time the outcome on the course isn’t as bad as we think it will be. Stay in the present on the course. It’s a game after all and should stay a game!
Tour Stories
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OFFERS GOLF CLUB APP TO ALLOW COMPETITIVE GOLF
When we are ready to start playing golf we now have the opportunity to do it competitively. Recent discussions have centredonnon-competitive golf due to the obvious problem of handling cards and having up to 150 cards in the competition box needing sorted. Now we have the answer and Tee to Green are putting our full weight behind this. ClubNet is an Irish Company supplying software for golf clubs and they have moved quickly in this crisis to develop an app to allow clubs to startruncompetitions without members having to use a scorecard or the club competition committee having to handle any scorecards. Golf Clubs can’t miss out on this opportunity. The Dundalk based company are offering every club in Ireland the opportunity to download this app and use it free of charge for the next 3 months or longer if required. The situation around when golf can reopen is based around noncompetitive golf we at Tee to Green say this app is a must for all Clubs and it will allow competitive golf to commence as soon as 2 or more golfers are allowed to play together.
https://twitter.com/TeeToGreeneu
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We encourage all golf clubs to contact ClubNet and get this app without delay. The App will include: • Digital Scorecard, with backend reporting(fully connected to Handicap Master) • News Section- (updates on latest safety measures and course opening times etc. • Unlimited push notifications • Club contact • All member accounts • All comps set up for next 3 month ClubNet will set up the App for your club and only charge a small set up fee and after that it’s free for at least the next 3 months. They will create the member accounts to allow member access and they will carry out any video training required for club staff. This could change the way we start playing golf again. For any club interested please contact them at info@golfgraffix.com Do you want to play golf? Do you want to play competitive golf? Now you can. All you need is to encourage your club council members or staff to get this App. Time to prepare.
All In One Golf Management System ClubNet
“Thanks ClubNet. Your professionalism was a major contribution to the mobile app launch. This marks the start of a positive era for the club, with your continued support.” Kevin. ( Kevin Donnellan - Chairman of Committee of Management 2020 – Portumna Golf Club )
www.golfgraffix.com
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Barrie Trainor
In conversation with with Barrie Trainor - A Warrenpoint man in China type flu in the province next to where we were going.We were advised that it was dangerous to travel so we cancelled the trip.
TTG: Talk us through your early golfing career. My amateur career was ok but not great. I got to the semi final of the North of Ireland Championship and won a few scratch cups. At the age of 24 with a handicap of +2.4 I turned professional. I spent the first three years working hard on my short game to make me competitive in the pro ranks. My first club job was at Cairndhu Golf Club in Larne, Northern Ireland but left to become a teaching professional in North Beijing, China. How did you end up in China? A friend of my Fathers was in China for many years and wanted to move home. So, he asked me was I interested in taking over at a driving range. He explained the working hours, possible salary and some positives and negatives. After talking it over with my parents I agreed to a 3 month trial period and I’m still here. When Covid19 hit how did it affect you? I went home for Christmas last year as normal and when I came back to China
on the 16th January to Guangdong province (south China) for warm winter training with some students I was told that it was looking likely that we were going to have to postpone the trip as there was an outbreak of a pneumonia
mask and keep contact to a minimum. It took me a long time to get used to wearing the mask but now it is second nature to wear it outside of the apartment.
Little did I know what I was about to go through. I had to stay in my apartment in Beijing for over 2 months, only leaving once a week to a little supermarket for the basics. We were not allowed to leave our apartment complex for 8 weeks.It has now reopened but our temperatures are taken everywhere we go. Still to this day everyone’s temperatures are taken and we have an app that we had to download which uses GPS on the phone to prove that we have been in Beijing for at least 14 days before we are allowed into anywhere.
Have your parents been out to see you?
Are you back working? Any restrictions?
No. I concentrate only on coaching now so playing tournaments for me hasn’t happened since 2012. I only play 5-10 games of golf a year now so as you can imagine anything under 75 is OK now haha.
Golf has been back open for 4 weeks now, but no clubhouses are open, and the staff work in outside tents to remain as safe as possible. Beijing is good with the only cases coming from Chinese people coming back from other countries and most are found in the hotel quarantine that everyone must return to. The driving ranges are also open again and golf lessons have started but student and coach still must wear a
My mother has a long-term back injury and cannot travel very far anymore so unfortunately my parents have not visited China as much as I would have liked. My Uncle Tony visited in 2017 and it was great to show him the sights like the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square and other amazing places in Beijing. Do you play any tournaments anymore?
What is in Barrie Trainor’s future? I plan on working and living in China for the foreseeable future with my girlfriend Shanshan. Who knows what the long term future will be but it will be in China and Ireland, maybe a part of the year in both.
Follow us: My own personal dream is to help some golfing stars in the next 10 years and then at 48 I would like to try the senior tour to see if I could still compete. Before that I will try and play some small tour events to see if that dream is possible. I really hope it is. Are there any top Chinese players that Rory McIlroy should be looking out for? I have a student here called Tiger Goa and I have been working with him for 2 years now. Last year at age 9 he shot some great scores with the highlights being a 65 and a 66 (-7 and -6) off the junior tees. The golf course was around 5,500 yards long, he is incredible and practices every day after school and I think Rory McIlroy will need to keep an eye on this young man. What is the set up in China like? Golf only started in China in the 1980’s so it’s still quite a new sport here. As you can imagine nothing is done on a small
www.facebook.com/teetogreeneu scale so driving ranges are 2/3 stories high. Golf courses are all resort style and buggy courses. All the golf clubs require a minimum of 1 caddy per group (rule in China) In China golf is still very exclusive with only the wealthy playing it. There are roughly the same number of courses in China as there are in Ireland. 6 million people in Ireland and 1.4billion people in China. What is your favourite golf course and why? My favourite course in Ireland it has always been Lahinch from the first time I teed it up in the South of Ireland I fell in love with the place. The town is small but lots of nice places to eat and have a few pints. In China I haven’t played that many, but my favourite is the Nicklaus course Reignwood Golf Club in Beijing. I love the layout of the course and has lots of water (good for the straight hitters) and deep bunkers with slightly raised greens (good for the short game).
https://twitter.com/TeeToGreeneu Who is your favourite player? My favourite player growing up was Nick Faldo but now it is Rory McIlroy. I first met Rory on a very windy Rosses Point in Sligo when he was playing in his first West of Ireland amateur. I think he was only 12 or 13 years old and he was so good already. He is such a nice guy. I hadn’t seen him fora long time but when he came to Shanghai in November for the HSBC tournament, he still remembered me. He is a credit to his family, golf club (Hollywood) and Ireland. A great role model for any aspiring golfer. Who is the best professional you have ever played with? Having played in 5 Irish opens and 2 BMW tournaments at Wentworth I have played with lots of great professionals but my first day at Wentworth I was so nervous on the range when Damien McGrane asked me was I fixed up for a practice round. He took me under his wing and gave me some of his experiences around Wentworth and it
North of Ireland Local Tour - Fall 2020
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helped a lot. Day 1 I shot -1 and I put that down to the help from Damien. Day 2 I shot +3 and missed only just the cut. I also played with Martin Kaymer when he was on the Hi 5 pro tour in Spain before he made it big. After playing with him I told my dad to keep an eye on him and he has not let me down. My goals for 2020/21 is to become a better, more knowledgeable coach. To get Married in China over the next year or so. To help more of my students achieve their dreams in golf, whatever they may be.
We would like to thank Barrie for taking the time to talk to Tee to Green and we wish him all the best for the coming season (especially if he gets married).
www.uskidsgolf.com
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GET BACK INTO GOLF!
Last month Tee to Green came up with a 7-point plan to get back into golf safely. This article was viewed by over 100,000 Irish golfers and was well received. Since then many individuals, committees, and organisations have come up with their plans to get back to golf. The governing body of golf on this side of the Atlantic, the R&A, have come up with a detailed plan on ‘Playing Golf in the UK under COVID-19 Restrictions’. Whilst this refers to UK it is evident that it should apply to the whole of the Island of Ireland.
R&A have 5 main categories they considered 1/ Course Set-up. 2/ Before the Round. 3/ During the Round. 4/ After the Round. 5/ Rules of Golf Related Matters. The full details can be seen in the link below. https://www.randa.org/en/news/2020/04/golf-in-the-uk-under-covid-19-restrictions
Q2. What was Ballesteros’ highest finish in a US Open and in what year? Answers on page 21
A consortium of some of the biggest organisations in golf in UK and Ireland have also come up with the ‘Operational Guidance for the Future Phased Re-Opening of Golf Facilities’. This also have 5 aspects to it 1/ Preparing the Golf Course. 2/ Starting a Phased Return to Play. 3/ Starting PGA Professional Services. 4/ Starting Clubhouse Management and Administration. 5/ Resuming Full Services. The full details of their plan can be read from the below link. https://tgigolf.com/media/4798/opening-plan-for-golf-guidance-documentfinal-v5.pdf The GUI also have their plan to ‘Get Back to Golf’ and they have told Tee to Green that‘Advice and information will be published when golf is given the green light so now that has happened we are sure they will provide their plan soon. The big question will be whose plan will we implement?
Stay safe and follow all the regulations.
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Glasson Ladies come to Padraig’s rescue When Padraig Harrington ran out of golf balls for practice, the Glasson Ladies were only to happy to help. Follow the golf ball all the way to Padraig!
Looking forward to seeing you back on the golf course! Check out the video here
b m a l n e e r g
SHOP THE NEW COLLECTION
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The New Kid on the Block! that every time they wash it, they are releasing microplastics that end up in our food chain; it comes as a real shock. T2G: So, what is so different about your polo? T2G: Daydreaming on the way to work is something most people do, but not everyone turns those dreams into a reality. It only took a matter of months for Ed Sandison, founder of OCEAN TEE, to go from dreamer to retailer. Here we meet the man behind golf’s sustainability brand and find out how he’s using OCEAN TEE to get golfers talking about the environment. OT: I know I am a very lucky man. I’ve manged to create a business that combines the two subjects that I am most passionate about; golf and marine conservation. Around the time that David Attenborough was showing the world the devastating effect that plastic pollution is having on the oceans, I was starting to think about creating a business that would get golfers talking about sustainable alternatives to traditional golf products. The most obvious starting point for me was to come up with an alternative to plastic tees, which is what I did. T2G: What lead you to use Bamboo? OT: Bamboo is a naturally strong and flexible material so from a performance perspective it is a perfect fit for creating durable golf tees. However, it is the sustainable characteristics of this grass species that really got me excited. Bamboo, when grown responsibly, requires no fertilisers or pesticides and it actually absorbs more CO2 and releases more oxygen than the majority of other plant species. It also grows at a staggering rate and can be harvested without damaging the root system, which means that soil quality can be maintained and other biodiversity can continue to thrive. The manufacturing process is also simple, requiring only basic cutting and pressing. So, no chemicals are required. Perfect. T2G: You’re now expanding into fashion. Isn’t this quite a departure from bamboo tees? OT: OCEAN TEE has always been about more than bamboo tees. I want to use the brand to showcase environmentally friendly practices and sustainable materials to get golfers thinking,and excited about the products they use. As consumers we have an expectation that our clothing is safe, chemical free and ethically produced. The reality is quite different. Fashion is one of the biggest polluters of all industries. If I tell people that their polyester or Lycra top is made from plastic and
Q3. How many years in a row did Seve win on the European Tour? Answers on page 21
OT: Everything! Apart from the performance. With the Mako polo I’ve set about trying to prove that it is possible to make a premium quality, eco-friendly performance polo shirt. We are using certified organic cotton mixed with the world’s first biodegradable elastane. This means you get the stretch and lustre you are used to, but that the garment will literally decompose at the end of its useful life. There are no harmful chemicals used at any point in the production process, the factory we work with is in fact the only one in the world to have so far met the textiles procurement standard set by Greenpeace. We’ve endeavoured to consider every detail, right down to our sustainable packaging materials. T2G: Will you continue to donate 25% of your profits to charity now you are expanding the line? OT: Absolutely. We are focused onsupportingcharities that are targeting plastic pollution and marine conservation. In order to fund that research, theyneed cash; every penny is being used productively. In addition to the donations, we also want to provide our charitypartners with a platform within the golf industry, for example at major Tournaments, where they can reach a large golfing audience and build awareness and excitement about key areas of sustainability. T2G: What’s next for OCEAN TEE? OT: Before lockdown we were in some really exciting discussions to support various Tour events with everything from Tee products to beach clean ups and educational projects. As far as our own products are concerned, we are launching a bamboo castle tee which we are very excited about. Each new garment we add will use a completely different sustainable fabric - we have a sweater coming out called the Wobbegong, which is literally made from rubbish – and a women’s polo in development which I am still deciding about. The Mako polo is available to purchase now in two colours, aqua and navy SRP £59.99 from https://oceanteegolf.com/shop/The bamboo tees start at just £3.99 per box and all products can be shipped worldwide. To gain an extra entry in our competition this month, follow @ oceanteegolf on Facebook. All entrants will also get 25% off their first / next OT purchase
With the 2020 Ryder Cup little over a year away, we take a look Follow us: www.facebook.com/teetogreeneu at the potential make-up of Padraig Harrington’s European side.
https://twitter.com/TeeToGreeneu
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Andy Hill - Digital Marketer My name is Andy Hill, I run Dokoo Digital (www.dokoo. com) a digital marketing agency based in Belfast, we specialise in helping clients make more money online using new technologies. I’ve been an avid golfer since the age of 8 years old and have played at Royal Carnalea since them (albeit a brief 15 year hiatus when I moved away from NI). I currently play off 13 and aim for single figures this summer.
My typical day I usually get up around 7am, I’ve two children under four years old so they are usually up around the time running wild. I am married to Nicole and we live in Bangor. After having breakfast and checking emails I drive to the office. It’s a 30 minute drive so I listen to an audiobook. I am currently listening to Bob Iger - A Ride of a Lifetime, a fantastic book about running the Disney Corporation. I tend to spend most of my days out of the office in meetings and running marketing training events for clients, on those days before I leave I check on client social media accounts. At any time we have between 50-100 client accounts and they are split between the team, I’ll quickly scan over the data and see if there are any red flags and report the team. If I am doing a training event I will head to the client’s premise around 10am, usually my social media training events last around three hours so having some time in the office beforehand allows me to keep a check on things. As I write this in lockdown all our training events are online which adds a different dimension on things. Heading back to the office after lunch I will make client calls and meet with staff members. I tend to get away from the office around 5.30 most nights. With most people working from home at the moment my days are currently spent on Zoom calls, I can see this being the new norm in my industry, even when we return to the new normal.
My favourite golf course I had the pleasure of playing Royal Portrush twice last year, once a few weeks before The Open and then a few weeks after, that would be my favourite, especially the 5th hole which I impressively drove :). Ardglass would come a close second, a course I would never tire of playing. My favourite stretch of holes would be 5th - 9th at Carnalea, stunning views with the sea right beside you.
My business is very busy at the moment with people contacting us about how to future proof their business after lockdown. People have known for years that having products they can sell online is a major point and it is even more critical now. We talk them through the best steps and are there to show them what is possible online. There is no “one size fits all” approach for business.
Q4. Seve was captain of the Ryder Cup in 1997. Where was the event played? Answers on page 21
What did you do before our current job? Since University I’ve always worked in marketing roles. I actually started my first business (an advertising agency) in the 2008 recession. It was very successful & I sold my shares in that business before starting Dokoo in 2013, It’s been a fun 7 years working with some great global brands.
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The Inaugural
Rich Beem
Ireland Invitational 19th – 27th of July 2020
Portmarnock Golf Club
The European Golf Club
Royal County Down Golf Club
Royal Portrush Golf Club
The ‘Rich Beem Ireland Invitational’ takes place between the 19th – 27th of July and we are offering you the opportunity to join the former USPGA Champion to play some of the finest courses in Ireland. The perfect event for client hospitality or simply to play with friends, this is a unique opportunity to play alongside, and spend time with, one of the true characters of the game. Choose from one of the following two packages:
PACKAGE A:
PACKAGE B:
Sunday 19th July: Play Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links, overnight at Mount Juliet
Thursday 23rd July: Play Royal Co. Down Golf Club, overnight Slieve Donard Resort & Spa
Monday 20th: Play Mount Juliet – 2020 Irish Open venue, overnight Mount Juliet
Friday 24th: Play Ardglass Golf Club, overnight at The Bushmills Inn
Tuesday 21st: Play The European Club, overnight Iveagh Gardens Hotel, Dublin
Saturday 25th: Play Portstewart Golf Club, overnight The Bushmills Inn
Wednesday 22nd: Play Co. Louth Golf Club (Baltray). Depart.
Sunday 26th: Play Royal Portrush Golf Club, overnight The Bushmills Inn
(Optional Rnd: Thursday 23rd Play Royal Co. Down Golf Club, overnight Slieve Donard Resort & Spa)
Price: €1,699 / £1,499 per person sharing
Price: €2,299 / £1,999 per person sharing
(excl. Royal Co. Down & overnight on July 22nd) Terms and Conditions: Packages include: Twin bedded standard rooms on a bed and breakfast basis, luxury coach transfers daily (excluding airport transfers), one golf clinic hosted by Rich Beem, gift pack, golf prizes. Single rooms available for a supplement, room upgrades available. Nightly dinner events will be organised with the host and can be added to the itinerary at a cost. A supplement of €400/£410pp will be applied to add Royal Co. Down and one night’s accommodation to Package A. Guests taking Package A must be at Portmarnock Golf Links for a 12noon tee time on the 19th and for Package B at Royal Co. Down for 08.30am on the 23rd July. Rich Beem will join the group on the evening of the 19th of July. Prices exclude: airfares, airport transfers, other meals, caddie fees and gratuities.
Contact us at travel@theconsummatepro.com or call +44 7818 000 703 for further information
Limited tee times available.
With the 2020 Ryder Cup little over a year away, we take a look Follow us: www.facebook.com/teetogreeneu at the potential make-up of Padraig Harrington’s European side.
https://twitter.com/TeeToGreeneu
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INTERVIEW WITH.... Stephen Watson - BBC Golf Reporter
HOPE GOLF IS THE FIRST TO RETURN Editor: Stephen, can I ask how you are coping with this crisis and isolation, especially as someone who has recently had organ transplant? Stephen: I am working from home and have all the facilities installed - live camera, radio, a set in the conservatory and a green screen for a virtual set. I do a lot of walking at Shandon golf course at 6.30am or late at night to avoid people. Editor: How do you think the main Tours and governing bodies, R&A and USGA are handling this crisis? Stephen: I think they are handling it in the best way possible. It’s a unique situation, and all they can do is keep planning for a return when possible. I know events behind closed doors aren’t great - but if it keeps the sport ticking over and illustrates a sense of normality returning then I think it’s a good idea. It’s a shame the Open was cancelled but at least Royal St George’s can get the chance to stage next year. Editor: What do you think of the majors being rescheduled and without The Open this year? Do you think they will take place and if so with or without spectators
CLUBS NEED SUPPORT Stephen: Honestly I have no idea but I don’t think so. I think we will get back to a similar worldwide schedule until things settle down, and then possibly in the future there could be changes. I liked Rory McIlroy’s suggestion about different style tournaments, limited field with no cut, and maybe some more match play. I am also excited about seeing the new tournament at Galgorm Castle - now postponed until next year, with top men and women playing side by side in the World Invitational. Editor: There is much talk about how golf can get the ban across Ireland lifted with a number of professors stating that golf should be the first sport to have the lockdown lifted. I know you have read our Tee to Green 7-point plan to get back to golf at the appropriate time. What did you think about that plan? Would you amend it or add to it in any way to make it better? Stephen: I hope golf can be the first to return but I wouldn’t be rushing. I agree with the sentiments of Shane Lowry - golf will be here long after coronavirus so let’s not go back to it too quickly. But if we can have members only, 15 minute tee times, 2 balls, no clubhouse open, no arrival at the club until 10 minutes before tee time, no rakes or flagsticks then it could work. My only fear, like Shane, is that people won’t respect the guidelines - and these will have to be self-policed.
Stephen: I think the three in America will go ahead, with the Masters the best chance of running with crowds. I sincerely hope they take place, with or without fans. But golf majors are secondary to saving lives, so if they have to be cancelled then so be it.
Editor: How do you think golf courses across Ireland will cope with this pandemic? Do you worry any will close? Do you think the local golf scene will be any different next year and the years that follow?
Editor: We know superstars like Rory and Gmac will be okay financially but how do you think the young up and coming professionals and those struggling to stay on tour will survive, like Cormac Sharvin and Jonathan Caldwell?
Stephen: I am very worried about the financial position of many golf clubs - some already in a precarious financial position. I hope they can weather the storm but will need good support from their members to survive.
Stephen: It’s tough financially for thousands of sportsmen and women who aren’t at the top of the game with millions in the bank. I hope we can get back to action soon and everything is done to make sure golfers like Cormac and Jonathan get a chance to perform and earn on the Tour. Editor: The European Tour is not as strong as the PGA Tour. Do you think the Tour will change much once we get through this period of lockdown?
“We thank Stephen Watson for taking the time to answer our questions and wish him continued health through this pandemic especially after his recent kidney transplant”
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Keep sending us your local and international historical golfing facts to info@teetogreen.eu and we will print as many as possible. This month we have some very interesting ‘old’ dates that have been sent in and we thank everyone who has contributed. On 20/05/1897 Harold Hilton won his 2nd Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. He beat the Scotsman James Braid by just one shot. This Open Championship was only the second ever to be played in England and Hilton, who shot 314, won £30.00 out of the total prize purse of £90.00.1897 was the last time that there was no halfway cut. In May 1907, the first ladies’ quadrangular match (Home Internationals) was played at County Down Golf Club. Ireland managed to win all three matches and therefore won the inaugural trophy. In May 1907, The Ladies British Amateur Open was held at County Down Golf Club with May Hezlet beating her sister Florence by the score of 2/1 to win her third title. In May 1926, Royal Belfast Golf Club decided to move to Craigavad House Estate where 18 holes were laid out by the famous architect HS Colt. One year later in May 1927 the new course was open and ready for play. On 11/05/1928 Walter Hagen won his third Open Championship when he beat Gene Sarazen by two strokes at Royal St Georges. Bobby Jones, the 1927 Champion did not come across the Atlantic to defend his title. For Hagen it was his 10 major Championship and he became the first golfer to reach that milestone. Hagen went on to retain his title in 1929 when he won his 11th and final major. On 17/05/1959 Ben Hogan played golf with King Baudouin of Belgium. On an official visit the King was keen to travel to Texas to play with the famed golfer Ben Hogan. After the match Hogan said, “He’s a good golfer”. Before the game,Hogan asked that nobody keep score, but it believed that both players shot around par. On 24/05/1966 ‘Long’ Jim Barnes died at the age of 80. Barnes was an early pioneer of professional golf in USA. He won four majors and is one of only three Britons to have won three different
major titles. The other two are Tommy Aaron and our own Rory McIlroy. On 27/05/1984 Jack Nicklaus won for the first time in two years when he claimed the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village, Ohio. Afterwards he said, “Winning the Memorial means more to me than the majors, in a way. It’s about the town, the people, and the course we built and the effort I’ve put in on the tournament” On 06/05/1990 Payne Stewart won the Byron Nelson Classic in the State of Texas. Five years earlier Stewart had stood on the last tee with a three-shot advantage but somehow managed to lose the tournament in a playoff. Many pundits thought that Payne was not destined to win the Byron Nelson but a fine last round of 67, in the rain shortened event, saw him close out the tournament by two strokes. In May 2016, the members of Muirfield were asked to vote on a proposal allowing females to become members of their golf club. The vote failed to gain the two thirds majority needed when only 64% of those eligible voted to back the proposal. The R&A immediately removed Muirfield from the Open venue rota. After an outcry from the local community, the members had a second vote and this time over 80% agreed that ladies should be allowed to become members. Within half an hour of this announcement the R&A made their own announcement saying that Muirfield was back on the Open rota.
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Some of the best golfers the world has ever seen were born in this month. Here are a few. Harry Vardon was born 09/05/1870. Vardon, born in Jersey,
won a record six Open Championships. He is the founder of the overlapping grip known in golf as the ‘Vardon Grip’. This grip is still used by most golfers today. He is part of the ‘Great Triumvirate’consisting of himself, JH Taylor and James Braid who popularised golf at the end of the 19thcentury and start of the 20th century. Vardon is so well thought of, that both the European Tour and the US Tour have trophies named after him.
‘Slamming’ Sam Snead was born 27/05/1912. He won a record 82
PGA Tour titles including 7 major Championships. Snead was installed into the Golfing Hall of Fame in 1974. When he won the Greater Greensboro Open a record 8th time,he became the oldest winner of a US Tour event.
Jim Furyk was born 12/05/1970.
His only major Championship was the 2003 US Open but is a prolific winner of money on the US Tour. He was the first golfer to shoot 58 on the Tour and the first golfer to shoot 2 rounds under 60. In January 2017 he was announced as the USA Ryder Cup captain for the matches at Le National in Paris.Furyk was in the world top 10 rankings for 440 weeks between 1999-2016.
Rory McIlroy was born on 04/05/1989. He played his first
professional tournament at the age of 16 when he played in the British Masters. His family say that when, as a child, he was taught the correct grip and would take a club to bed gripping it correctly so that in the morning it felt better. As an amateur he shot a course record 61 at Royal Portrush Golf Club and led the amateur rankings for one week. As a professional he as been world number one for a total of 95 weeks.
Brooks Koepka was born 30/05/1990. Koepka started his
professional career on the European Challenge Tour where he won 4 times to secure him a Tour card. In 2014 he won the European Rookie of the Year title. Last year he became only the 3rd golfer since the war to defend the US Open Championship when he won at Shinnecock Hills. The other two players to achieve this are Ben Hogan in 195051 and Curtis Strange 1988-89.
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Srixon Sports Europe (SSE) is delighted to announce the appointment of Peter McClelland who will be joining the company as the new Sales Representative and Demo Technician in Ireland. Peter will be starting his position in the UK and Ireland Sales Team from May 4th and will be working alongside David Jenkins to cover the Irish Region. Peter has a vast knowledge of the industry having worked in golf for a long time. He started as an Assistant Professional in Ireland before moving to Australia for 2 years to work for Power Golf. He then returned to Ireland as a teaching professional and from 2012 he has worked as a Custom Fit Technician. SSE’s UK & Ireland Sales Manager, Gareth Taylor said of the appointment “I’m thrilled that we have been able to appoint Peter during the current global situation. I hope it sends out a positive message to the industry that we are planning for the future and are working as hard as we can to bounce back as quickly as possible. Peter is a fantastic appointment for us and I’m excited to have him on board and to see what he can bring to the Irish region, working alongside David.” Of his new position, Peter explained “I’m overjoyed to have been offered the opportunity to come and work for Srixon and Cleveland. They’re a company who are going from strength to strength in the golf industry, and I’m really excited to become part of it and can’t wait to get started.”
WILSON STARS JOIN UP FOR NEW TOUR BAG CELEBRATION -Major winners & leading Tour players video arrival of latest classic bagWilson Tour stars around the world, including Major winners Padraig Harrington and Paul Lawrie, joined together over the weekend to post videos on social media platforms marking the arrival of their brand new Wilson Staff Tour Bag. Designed to give the players a standoutlook at the restart of this year’s Tour season, the new bag features the classic Red & White Wilson branding, matched with prominent black lettering on the side panels and the famous Wilson Staff crest. Three-time Major winner Harrington, captain of the 2020 European Ryder Cup team and a prominent social media figure with his popular playing tips, awaits news about the event at Whistling Straits scheduled for September; while former Open Champion Lawrie was a winner at the 2019 Scottish Senior Open during his debut season in the senior ranks.
Other world-class players involved in posting a video this weekend includedAmericans Brandan Steele, Kevin Streelman and Ricky Barnes; England’s Paul Waring and Jack Senior; Scot David Law; Frenchman Ben Hebert; andEuropean Tourrookie Benjamin Poke from Denmark. “It’s great to see so much enthusiasm from our Wilson Tour Advisory Staff players around the introduction of the new Tour bag,” said Doug Wright, Global Commercial Director at Wilson Golf in Chicago. “The distinctive Red & White bag has become synonymous with the Wilson brand over the years and we hope this new edition will herald another period of tournament victories to add to the 62 Majors played with Wilson irons, more than any other brand,” he added. Created for functional convenience, the latest Wilson Staff Tour Bag was inspired by the feedback from its celebrated Tour players and caddies, who can all relate to the historic Red & White bag that carried so many champions to victory over the years. It contains seven storage pockets, including a generous front pocket; waterproof pockets for cell phones and electronics; a large pocket for golf balls; plusvelour-lined pockets for valuables and insulated sleeves for beverages. An exclusive 10” x 9” top with six dividers makes it easy to get the clubs in and out of the bag, that also comes with a 3-point padded strap. Weighing 10.5 lbs / 4.7 kg, the bag incorporates a full-length umbrella sleeve and rain/travel hood.
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QUINTA DO LAGO PLEDGES €500,000 TO ALGARVE HOSPITALS IN FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 Quinta do Lago has joined forces with residents at the five-star Portuguese resort to donate more than €500,000 towards the cost of buying essential hospital equipment to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. The exclusive golf and lifestyle family venue and around 500 residents of different nationalities reacted to the health crisis in the Algarve by pledging vital funds to help pay for urgent medical products and supplies at the region’s three public hospitals in Faro, Portimão and Lagos. Quinta do Lago contributed €50,000 towards the cost of buying badly needed equipment – including CT scanners, ventilators, Covid-19 testing kits, heartrate monitors, echocardiogram machines, blood-testing kits and personal protective equipment – with the rest of the money coming from private donations. The money raised will go to the Algarve Biomedical Centre (ABC), the consortium which is leading many of the Algarve’s initiatives to contain the pandemic, who will then supply the Algarve University Hospital Centre (which manages the hospitals) with the products needed to fight the pandemic. In a further show of gratitude to health professionals, Quinta do Lago is also offering all healthcare and emergency service workers free takeaway coffee and breakfast every morning at its boutique café and juice bar PURE. Sean Moriarty, CEO at Quinta do Lago, said: “We are very much indebted to the great work that these people are doing at our local hospitals. We currently have 500 residents staying at the resort, and everyone at Quinta do Lago is committed to supporting these hospitals over the following weeks to help support them financially in their fight against Covid-19.
“The Covid-19 pandemic is something that is affecting all parts of society as it continues to escalate throughout Portugal, Europe and the rest of the world. “Here at Quinta do Lago, our greatest asset is our community spirit, and we hope that this small donation we have made can help to rid us all of this terrible virus. “In these unprecedented and challenging times, the resort is united against Covid-19, and I’m confident that we will all get through this difficult period so that our vibrant resort and community can return with a renewed zest for life.” Situated a 15-minute drive away from Faro airport, Quinta do Lago boasts a combination of world-class golf and lifestyle facilities including three 18-hole championship golf courses and The Campus, a world-class sports hub designed for professionals and amateurs alike to keep fit. Complementing the sports and leisure amenities is a choice of 13 firstclass bars and restaurants that deliver a range of delicious world cuisines, including the acclaimed Bovino Steakhouse and recently-opened Dano’s Sports Bar & Restaurant, and accommodation at the recently-acquired boutique The Magnolia Hotel.
Q5. When Seve died on 7thMay 2011 which European Tournament was being held that day? Answers on page 21
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2020 As covid19 continues to create havoc with the golf season we look at the major championships for 2020. Where are the Flowers? The first major championship of the year is usually The Masters. Not this year. The Masters will now take place between 12th-15th November. We will not see the flowers of the pink dogwood on the second, or the flowering peach on the third, the magnolias on the driveway up to the clubhouse or the azaleas on the thirteenth. However, the winner of this year’s Masters, may well go down in history. Not just for winning a major but for winning the latest major tournament in history. On Tee to Green’s Facebook we played out a ‘mock’ Masters using World ranking points and the last five years scoring (per round) at Augusta and Spaniard Jon Rahm came out as our winner. He beat Rory McIlroy by one shot. Let us hope the tables are turned and Rory or Shane or GMac can win. The big news would be if our fourth competitor James Sugrue could get across the line in first place, but a more realistic goal would be for him to win the top amateur prize.
Can Koepka create history? The USPGA will be the first major in 2020. It is due to be played between 6th-9th August at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. The PGA rarely comes west, and it has been over forty years since the Wannamaker Trophy was last played on a course on the Pacific Ocean. Can Brooks Koepka win his third in a row? If he does then he will be the first to do so since Walter Hagen won four on the trot between 1924-27.
Not Monty’s Year The US Open this year will be played at the feared Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamarorek, New York. The last time it was held
here Geoff Ogilvy won with a score of +5. Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomery both took double bogey 6’s to lose by one shot and Jim Furyk missed a six-foot putt to force a playoff. Gary Woodland will be defending his title after his three shot win last year at Pebble Beach. Can he defend?
Roll on 2021 The other major, the oldest major, our major, The Open has been cancelled. Royal St Georges, Sandwich, Kent was scheduled to hold the Open this July but came to the decision not to have a Championship in 2020 due to the Covid19 crisis. It has been agreed that 2021 the Championship will return to Royal St Georges. Winners at this course include some of the ‘greats’, JH Taylor, Walter Hagen, Bobby Locke, Greg Norman, Sandy Lyle and of course how can we forget the 2011 Open when our own Darren Clarke triumphed. We wait with anticipation for the return of The Open in 2021. The question remains. Will the Ryder Cup and the three majors go ahead and if they do will they be played behind closed doors? All the major television networks and fans will be praying for a SAFE resumption to the golf season.
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2019
Under Armour continue to sponsor this section where the person who writes the letter that gets published will win a pair of the award winning Under Armour HOVR Drive shoes. This is your UNIQUE chance to get something off your chest. Have a rant or just pass comment on anything relating to golf…so get writing and send to info@teetogreen.eu This month’s winning letter is brilliant and they will receive a NEW pair of Under Armour shoes.
Who is in charge of our great sport? I have been an active member of my club for many years and I want to ask a simple question. Who is in charge of deciding when golf restarts and what rules will be needed? Is it the two Governments, the GUI or the clubs themselves? I ask because surely the Governments need a gentle push and the GUI do not appear to be telling us anything these days. Can I thank Tee to Green who seem to be the only one asking the hard questions? I hope you get the answers we all deserve so we can start to prepare for slowly opening up golf during May or June. On a different note, I have been paying my GUI affiliation fee for many years and always quietly begrudged it believing that too much money is being spent on too few gifted players and on socialising with those wearing GUI green jackets drinking G&Ts as if they are more important than the rest of us. Perhaps one good think to come out of this crisis is a realisation that our governing body needs an overhaul and needs to stop spending OUR money without being held to account for how they do so. Thank you for letting me vent my frustrations. Name and club withheld by request Editors’ comment: Many thanks for taking the time to send in your views and a pair of Under Armour shoes will be sent to you as soon as this crisis is over. While we understand your frustration we continue to support the GUI and believe they will share a plan with us all in the days ahead. As for an overhaul of the GUI you will aware that an amalgamation of the GUI, ILGU and CGI takes place later this year. Stay safe and stay at home.
AMERICAN GOLF LAUNCH NHS JUST GIVING CAMPAIGN TO WIN UNIQUE CLEVELAND GOLF WEDGES Warrington, United Kingdom: Nationwide golf retailer American Golf is raising money for NHS Charities Together with a unique prize winning opportunity for anyone donating £5 to its Just Giving campaign at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/american-golf American Golf has teamed up with Golf Alchemy and Cleveland Golf to give away an exclusive set of three NHS branded wedges to one lucky donator. The prize is truly unique, as the team at Golf Alchemy has branded each club with the NHS logo, and carefully added a message of thanks to all NHS workers from 3 year old Henry Brown, whose mother Emma Marshall is a healthcare provider for the NHS in Watford. Conrad Edkins, Marketing Director at American Golf commented, “We wanted to contribute to the wave of support that the country is giving to our incredible NHS staff and volunteers. Their tireless work in caring for Covid-19 patients is an inspiration to us all and I hope that through this collaboration we can show how much we care and support them in their amazing work. Our initial target was £1000, but having reached that within 12 hours, we’re now aiming for £10,000. So if you play golf, or know someone who does, please donate and help support your NHS staff and volunteers.” This national campaign, endorsed by NHS England, acknowledges and supports all NHS staff and volunteers who are looking after those affected by coronavirus. All funds generated will be granted to member NHS charities supporting the health and emotional wellbeing of those at the front line of the NHS. Tom Brown, Brand Marketing Manager at Srixon Sports Europe, is delighted that Cleveland Golf could play a part in this fantastic campaign. He said, “We’ve worked with Golf Alchemy and American Golf for years, and we’re delighted that we can come together to supply some Cleveland Golf wedges to help contribute some vital funds for our heroes fighting this terrible virus head-on.” To enter the prize draw visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ american-golf and make a donation of a minimum of £5. One random donator will be selected at midday on Friday 15th May 2020 and they will receive their unique prize from American Golf, Golf Alchemy and Cleveland Golf, along with the satisfaction of having been part of this incredible campaign.
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Shock closure of Offaly Golf course Castle Barna Golf Club in Co Offaly is to revert to agriculture use after the owners and membership were unable to reach agreement on proposals to lease the course. Castle Barna was opened in 1992 after being developed by Kieran and Evelyn Mangan. They developed the course on land beside the Grand Canal on the Edenderry side of Daingean. The Golf club was always a popular club and attracted membership from around the region and further afield as well as society golf and visitors who came from all over Ireland to enjoy the splendid facility, fantastic course and great value for money offers. While the course was privately owned the club was created by the members to take charge of all competitions and inter club play and will come as a huge disappointment to those members waiting to get back to playing after this Covid-19 crisis.
Land owners retirement.
The problem started before the crisis when the Mangans told members earlier this year that they were retiring and offered the members the chance to lease the course. It was thought discussions were going well and members would indeed take on the lease and run the course to maintain the existence of the club and after taking advice from other clubs in the same position it became apparent that the running costs together with the
cost of the lease would have been substantial and a burden the members could not afford to take on. Kieran Mangan confirmed the land would be returning to agriculture usage but blamed the covid-19 crisis as a major reason for the breakdown in negotiations. Club Captain, Andrew O’Neill said “unfortunately the committees were unable to come to a deal with the owners on the leasing of the land. An executive committee set up worked very hard over a seven week period until the closure and unfortunately it was not to be”
Shock to members Another problem of course is the inability for the club members to meet during this pandemic and therefore it must come as a shock and disappointment to hear the club is now officially closed permanently. The course was an attractive parkland par 72 with lakes, and mature trees and it is not known how long it will be before the land can be reused for agriculture purposes due to any fertiliser used on the course affecting the soil. It’s a sad day when any golf course closes in Ireland and we hope all members find somewhere close by to continue playing.
ANSWERS: 1 .In the village of Pedrena, Cantabria, Spain. 2 3rd in 1987 behind winner Scott Simpson and Tom Watson. 3. 17 consecutive years from 1976 to 1992. 4. Valderama, Spain. 5. The Open de Espana. Well done to those who got them all!
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GALVIN GREEN DRIVES ITS GREEN CREDENTIALS
More sustainable, comfortable & stylish garments introduced Leading golf apparel brand Galvin Green has intensifiedits drive to supply the most sustainable products in the sector with the introduction of a new line of long-lasting INSULA™ warm layer garments made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. The latest version of the stylish and comfortable DWIGHT sweater is made 100% from Recycled Polyester derived from as many as 17 litresized plastic bottles. The durable, stretchy half-zip garment delivers outstanding thermal insulation, as well as breathability and easy care across six colour choices (S-3XL). Other INSULA™ garments made from the same recycled material are the men’s DAMIE full-zip and DRAKE half-zip sweaters, plus the women’s DAVINA full-zip jacket and DIANE hoodie. “Sustainability is part of the Galvin Green DNA and the new recycled polyester DWIGHT sweater reflects that fact perfectly,” said CEO Nicholai Stein. “There is no compromise on the comfort or performance levels and it spearheads the new sustainablegarments that we plan to introduce on a larger scale in future. “We always set out to introduce cutting edge technologies to maximise a golfer’s performance, while at the same time, looking to minimise environmental impact. Sustainability is also defined by long-lasting comfort and durability from well- designed garments that will last the test of time,” he added. All seven styles of INSULA™ warm layer garments – 24 sweaters in total, including the DOLPH full-zip hoodie – are made from fabric approved to the globally recognisedbluesign® standard for environmental textile production. The same is true of all of its famous GORETEX 100% waterproof garments, which first encompassed bluesign®-approved fabric in 2013. Over the past five years, the
environmentally friendly fabric has been integrated into the Galvin Green collections to the point where it now features in all six styles of GORE-TEX waterproof jackets and three trousers – making up 23 jacket options and five choices in trousers. Currently, fabric used in more than 60% of the garments in the range are sourced from bluesign®-approved suppliers, including the popular selection of highly-breathable and comfortable VENTIL8™ trousers. “Our goal is to have almost the entire range fully sustainablein the near future and we continue to search across the world for suppliers who can provide sustainable fabric that meets the demanding standards required by ourselves andbluesign®,” said Product Manager Sofia Ask Klason.“The task is being made easier as more fabric suppliers meet higher environmental standards and help us deliver the best garments possible for today’s golfers and future generations,” she added. As part of the brand’s drive towards sustainability, Galvin Greenintroduced a limited Upcycle Edition range of high-performance garments last year made from fabric remaining fromits main production runs. In addition, all of the INSULA™ fabric used in garment manufacture is produced at factories using solar roof panels to generate power for the machinery.
For more information regarding the latest Part One collection, please visit www. galvingreen.com.
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Thousands of golf fans vote PGA Catalunya Resort’s Stadium Course holes ‘Best in Catalonia’ The spectacular golf experience offered by PGA Catalunya Resort’s award-winning Stadium Course has been recognised in a new Catalan Golf Federation poll that ranked three of the course’s holes in the region’s ‘Best 18’. Aggregating social media votes from thousands of golfers, fans and followers, The Stadium Course, a three-time host of the Open de España, was voted to have the best 1st, 9th and 11th holes. It also received more nominations than any other venue in Catalonia. The poll was championed by Tony Enciso, President of the PGA of Catalonia, with support from the Catalan Golf Federation, Federación Catalana de Golf (FCGolf). Thousands of people submitted their selections on social media by voting for the best opening hole on day one, followed by their favourite second hole on day two and so on, building up to the final ‘Best 18 in Catalonia’ when voting concluded. The Stadium Course’s 1st hole, a 435-yard (398m), par 4 dogleg left, boasts a memorable elevated tee with striking views of the Mountseny mountains at the foot of The Pyrenees. The 9th hole – the course’s longest par 4 – is a dog-leg right with an uncompromising elevated green. Completing the winning trio, the picturesque 11th, an inviting par 3 that falls 15 yards (13m) to a well-guarded green, is flanked by sweeping bunkers to the front and sides and water at the back. The Stadium Course at PGA Catalunya Resort, near Girona, has been a long-established Spanish no.1 layout*. It forms part of a critically-acclaimed, 36-hole resort that also offers two accommodation options – the 5* Hotel Camiral, a member of The Leading Hotels of The World, and LAVIDA Hotel, aimed at the active traveller. In addition, the European Tour Destination comprises a discreet, low-density real estate development that carefully integrates into and connects with the natural surroundings, with first-class leisure facilities and a select number of villa plots, stylish modern semidetached villas and luxury apartments.
FINCA CORTESIN VOTED NO.1 GOLF CLUB IN SPAIN Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa’s position at the forefront of Spanish and European golf has been further enhanced after being named as the ‘Best Golf Club in Spain’ at Leadingcourses.com’s 2020 Golfers’ Choice Awards. Fresh from being voted recently as Europe’s number one resort by users of the respected website, the exclusive venue in Andalusia completed a memorable double after being rated as Spain’s top club for the first time in its history. Launched seven years ago, the Golfers’ Choice Awards are the only usergenerated golf-course rankings in the world, with players rating each venue out of 10 for the quality of its golf and non-golf facilities. Finca Cortesin scored an impressive rating of 9.0 to move to the top of the golfclub standings, while the luxury resort also finished first in the ‘Best Facilities’ and ‘Most Hospitable Golf Club’ categories. René Zimmer, general manager at Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa, said: “Spain has so many great golf clubs so to be rated as the country’s number one by the people that count the most, the players, is a tremendous achievement. “We’re always striving at Finca Cortesin to improve and deliver the very best luxury golf experience that we can, and receiving feedback like this makes everything that we do worthwhile.” Ruben van der Zaag, from Leading Courses.com, added: “It's an impressive accomplishment that Finca Cortesin is ranked as the best golf club in Spain, as it is such a competitive market. “To also rank first in Best Facilities and Most Hospitable Golf Club is an outstanding performance and it shows that actual golfers truly value the full experience that Finca Cortesin offers. Leadingcourses would like to congratulate everybody involved in Finca Cortesin being Spain's number one!" The new accolade continues Finca Cortesin’s impressive start to the year, which has also seen the resort receive one of Golf Digest magazine’s coveted ‘2020 Editors’ Choice Award for the Best Resorts in Continental Europe’ and be named as the winner of the ‘Best Staff Operation’ honour at the European Tour Destinations Awards. It was also voted number one in the ‘Top 20 Hotels in Spain & Portugal’ category in the Condé Nast Traveler magazine’s Reader’s Choice Awards 2019. Located across a vast 532-acre estate in the rolling hills of southern Spain between Marbella and Sotogrande, Finca Cortesin has a well-earned reputation as one of Europe’s most exclusive modern golf and lifestyle destination resorts. Host of the Volvo World Match Play Championship in 2009, 2011 and 2012, the resort’s 18-hole championship course was designed by Cabell Robinson and is the first venue in Spain to feature a new, eco-friendly variety of Bermuda grass on all its greens.
For further information about PGA Catalunya Resort, please visit www.pgacatalunya.com
Complementing the par-72 layout are outstanding practice facilities including Finca Cortesin’s recently-upgraded Jack Nicklaus Golf Academy, while the resort’s other luxury amenities include an elegant 67-suite hotel; a 6,000sqm Beach Club; an award-winning spa featuring Spain’s only snow cave; and the choice of four restaurants.
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