Editor: Jacqui Barry barrydxb@eim.ae
OCTOBER
2016
ISSUE 62
Editorial
2
T
he season is really getting underway now.. the courses are looking fantastic, the weather is getting better and everything is building up to the start of the season. Although the official start of the season is 1st September, realistically, it’s more like the start of October before competitions start filling up as it’s still so hot and humid until that time. So, welcome to the unofficial start of the season and now it all kicks off!
Last month was incredible on the Tour front..honorary member of Emirates Golf Club, Rory McIlroy, won the FedEx Then we had the Ryder Cup... congratulations to winners USA who won 17-11 in great style after a very exciting few days. It was certainly a good few weeks for golf!!
Emirates Golf Club Senior Management
Christopher May
Chief Executive Officer cmay@dubaigolf.com
Sadly, the great legend of golf, Arnold Palmer passed away shortly after McIlroy’s Fedex win…see article in this issue. We have so much to look forward to at our Club in the coming months with the European Tour event, the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters in early December and, at the end of January and early February with have the Men’s European Tour event, the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Both events promise to be exciting and they will feature many of the game’s top players. If you would like to volunteer in any way for these events please contact ‘golf in DUBAi’ at volunteersoddc@golfindubai.org
Craig Haldane
Director - Golf Course Maintenance chaldane@dubaigolf.com
Chef Nicholas Cuomo Executive Chef ncuomo@dubaigolf.com
Last month we had the ‘Mike Gerbich Cup’ (23rd September) to honour our dear friend, member and Past Captain of the Club, Mike Gerbich, who passed away on 13th July this year. Mike’s son Kashe, came from Doha for the event and started the tournament with a ‘Gerb’ drive-in’. Thanks to past Captain Surender Kandhari who had been Mike’s employer during his time in Dubai and who was instrumental in setting up this event and providing the prizes. Last month we said good-bye to Annette and Lloyd Stewart who have been members at Emirates Golf Club for over twenty years. They are relocating to UK and no doubt, we will see them on their travels through Dubai in the future. Good luck to you both. Thanks to to the Golf Course Maintenance crew who have worked incredibly hard over the summer to keep both our courses and the Par 3 course in great condition and it’s a pleasure to play the courses like this. Please assist our GCM team by repairing pitch marks on the greens (yours and others nearby). filling in divots with the sand provided and ensuring that bunkers are raked properly, leaving them in the condition you would expect to find them when playing your own shots. Enjoy the great weather, the wonderful condition of the courses and everything that Emirates Golf Club has to offer..not just golf, but the gym, spa, tennis, squash, Padel tennis, swimming pool, restaurants, Spike Bar and terrace. Make the most of it and … enjoy!
Barney Coleman
Director of Golf bcoleman@dubaigolf.com
Ganesh Mangathil
Dubai Golf Publishing Manager gmangathil@dubaigolf.com
Andy Meech
Head of Sport and Leisure ameech@dubaigolf.com
Adele Cowgill
Head of Sales and Marketing acowgill@dubaigolf.com
Jacqui Steen Simon
Food & Beverage Manager ssimon@dubaigolf.com
Stephen Deane
Head Academy Professional sdeane@dubaigolf.com
Saeed Ahamed
Financial Controller mahamed@dubaigolf.com
Haridas Palliyalil
Resident Engineer hpalliyalil@dubaigolf.com
EGC Key Telephone Numbers Main Switchboard Members Golf Reservations Membership Recreation Accounts SensAsia Urban Spa
04 04 04 04 04 04
417 417 417 417 417 417
9999 9800 9801 9850 9875 9820
Follow Emirates Golf Club on Facebook for the latest news, views and special offers. We already have over 27,076 likes. Follow us on Twitter @emiratesgc and Instagram @emiratesgc
Dear Friends,
September has been a busy month with three well attended tournaments. The Legacy sponsored Pro-Am was a full house, the Engineers Cup -
A number of people have asked me my agenda for the Captaincy and I have said that I would like to try to get the various ‘groups’ at the Club to get together more often; I would like to give a big push on golf etiquette and, in addition I would like to do a lot more for our Club colleagues who ensure we are all well looked after at all times.
As and when there is the opportunity I will revert to the membership base for support. I now must go and practice for the Captain’s drivein scheduled for the 7th October and I look forward to seeing you all there. Vipen Sethi Club Captain 2016-2017
MENS COMPETITION RESULTS In association with
OMA Emirates Monthly Medal
OMA Emirates Medal Friday 2nd September 2016 Wookhwan Kim scored a superb nineunder par net 63 to win the OMA Emirates Monthly Medal series which features a unique end-of-season Porsche shoot-out. In this September Medal, staged in association with Porsche Centre Dubai, and Ascot and Chapels, Wookhwan’s score saw him top Division B by a clear seven shots from Alan Salem with Sekhar Reddy another shot away in third place.
Winner Wookhwan Kim with EGC Vice-Captain Ivan Fornazaric
Porsche Nearest the Pin winner
Joseph Smith claimed victory in Division A, scoring a one-under-par net 71 to edge out David Waite and Tom Luig who also both signed for a net 71 but Smith scored the better back nine to finish top of the division followed by Waite in second and Luig in third place. Division C was won by Mohit Khatwani with a net score of 81. Emirates Elite Academy member, Bradley Mogire, produced a solid round of golf to win the best gross prize, recording a twoover par 74 in some difficult conditions. The Monthly Junior Medal was played on the Faldo course and the winner, with a net score of level par 72, was Sahana Paravantavida. Each of the Monthly Medal events features a Porsche Centre Dubai nearest-the-pin competition, and Jignesh Sangani became the fifth winner on the Par 3 seventh hole. He will be one of eight qualifiers and eight other invited golfers forming two teams, led by celebrities, who will contest the season-ending Porsche Centre Dubai Par 3 style shootout on the 18th hole of the Majlis course.
A DIVISION (handicaps 0-10) Winner: Joseph Smith Runner-up: David Waite Third: Tom Luig Best Gross: Bradley Mogire B DIVISION (handicaps11-20) Winner: Wookhwan Kim Runner-up: Alan Salem Third: Sekhar Reddy C DIVISION (handicaps21-28) Winner: Mohit Khatwani Nearest the Pin # 7: Jignesh Sangani JUNIOR DIVISION Best Net: Sahana Paravantavida
71 net 71 net 71 net 74 gross 63 net 70 net 71 net 81 net 72 net
3 Captain’s Message
As the 2016/17 golfing season gets underway, I am happy to note that most of us have been away and have come back from our travels refreshed. The weather in Dubai is also changing and I am looking forward to a great season ahead.
renamed the Mike Gerbich Cup was also well attended and the Tracey Trophy - a new addition to the annual schedule. All in all a great September.
Competition Results
4 The Mike Gerbich Cup Friday 23rd September 2016
2016
C
ongratulations to the inaugural winner of the Mike Gerbich Cup, Akash Kumar, who scored an excellent 39 points from the black tees of the Majlis course. Kumar claimed the Cup after beating Manoj Kapur on a card count-back. Kapur also scored 39 points but finished as runner-up. A further two points adrift in third place was Ian Blair with 37 points. Honourable mentions include Division A winner Jignesh Sangari (37 points), Division B winner Cody Isles (35 points), Division A runner-up Qamar Rasheed (36 points) and Division B runner-up, Wookhwan Kim (35 points).
Winner Akash Kumar alongside Club Captain Vipen Sethi and Mike Gerbich’s son Kashe
The Club decided to re-name the Engineers Cup to the Mike Gerbich Cup in memory of Mike, a much loved ambassador of Emirates Golf Club. Known affectionately by all his friends as “The Gerb”, Mike was an extremely popular member, a past Captain and was loved by all who had the pleasure of meeting him. Winner Akash Kumar Runner Up Manoj Kapur Third Ian Blair DIVISION A (handicaps 0-12) Winner Jignesh Sangani Runner-up Qamar Rasheed DIVISION B (handicaps 13-24) Winner Cody Isles Runner-up Wookhwan Kim
39 Points 39 Points 37 Points 37 Points 36 Points 35 Points 35 Points
Qualifier for the ‘Luckiest Ball on Earth’ Competition The Grand Final of the ‘Luckiest Ball on Earth’ will take place on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates Dubai, on Sunday 23rd October 2016. Winner:
Akash Kumar
39 Points
’
men s singles matchplay qualifier Friday 9th September 2016 OVERALL (handicaps 0 – 28) Winner Luiz Bertuol Runner-up: Dileep Kumar DIVISION A (handicaps 0 – 10) Winner: Rajinder Razdan DIVISION B (handicaps11 – 24) Winner: Mohammed Darwish
38 points 37 points 36 points 37 points
The regular Monday competitions started back on Monday 5th September with Veronica Elias starting off the new season in the same form as she finished last season. Following on from winning last year’s Ladies’ Singles Matchplay she shot gross 79 (41 points) to win the first competition of the season and three days later had a Hole In One on the Majlis 11th and has finished the month winning Silver A Division medal. A month to remember, Veronica.
Our first Medal was surprisingly well attended considering the high temperatures and humidity. It did not deter some great scoring and congratulations go to Thea Hendrickx who shot a net 69 and as the lowest scorer will play in the Grand Final of the ‘Luckiest Ball on Earth’ competition..... play well Thea! We also welcomed two new members in September, Cathy Lajotte and Ingrid Lind-Eerligh. Some of my beginners have also promised to join us, so I would ask you to please introduce yourself. I’m sure, like me you remember what it was like being the new face on Mondays. October looms and Vipen and I have already been discussing those knee-knocking drives required for the Season Opener!
5
Thankfully October is a very busy month being Breast Cancer Awareness Month so a lot of planning is required for our fun filled Pink Ball Competition. Last year the Ladies’ Section raised over AED 45,000 for Al Jalila Foundation and its partner Brest Friends. These charities will again be the recipients of the funds we raise on Monday 26 th October. If anyone is able to make a donation to the raffle or the day itself please let myself or Najla know. We will be selling raffle tickets throughout the month so please support this worthy cause.
in’s Lady Capta Message
T
he ladies have slowly been returning to Dubai from all corners of the world and making their way back to golf. It is wonderful to see the camaraderie amongst the ladies as they catch up and swap holiday stories.
Maura Duggan Lady Captain 2016-2017
COMPETITION RESULTS
’
Ladies MODIFIED STABLEFORD COMPETITION Monday 5th September 2016
C
ongratulations to Veronica Elias who won the opening stableford competition of the season with a fantastic score of 41 points. A group of over twenty ladies had returned from the summer break to play and enjoy the Majlis course which is currently in fantastic condition.
Overall winner
Veronica Elias
41 points
SILVER DIVISION (handicaps 0 – 18) Winner
Haide Wright
37 points
BRONZE DIVISION (handicaps 19 –42) Winner
Thea Hendrickx
38 points
Winner Veronica Elias and Lady Captain Maura Duggan
With Veronica claiming the overall prize by three, the winner of A Division was Haide Wright with a score of 37 points. B Division was won by Thea Hendrickx who scored 38 points. Other notable scores were by Sandra Chia who scored 37 points, just missing out on a prize on a count-back and Sue Hopwood who scored a consistent 36 points.
’
Ladies Sofitel Medal
Sponsored By
I
t was fantastic to see so many of our ladies back for the September Medal, sponsored by Sofitel, Dubai Jumeirah Beach. Congratulations to Thea Hendrickx, the only lady scoring in the sixties to win Silver B Division, thanks to her net score of 69. As the lowest scorer, Thea will now progress to the Grand Final of the ‘Luckiest Ball on Earth’ competition which will take place on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates Dubai, on Sunday 23rd October 2016 when she will have the opportunity to win a place in the DP World Pro-Am. Well done to all of our divisional winners; Michelle Carlsson who won Bronze Division on her first Monday with the ladies’ section; winner of Silver A Division, Veronica Elias with a net score of 73 and the best gross score was won by Arathi Appaiah with a score of 78.
Winner Thea Hendrickx with Lady Captain Maura Duggan and Marketing and PR Executive of Sofitel, Dubai Jumeirah Beach, Werner Dalziel.
Also, well done to Viv Caley and Maria Petre who finished as runners-up in their divisions and congratulations to Sabine Choudry for winning the raffle prize courtesy of Sofitel, Dubai Jumeirah Beach.
6
’
Ladies BLIND 9 STABLEFORD COMPETITION Monday 19th September 2016
C
Competition Results
ongratulations to our new member Ingrid Lind on winning the Blind 9 Holes competition played over the Majlis course. The ladies played the full course but their points only counted on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 9th holes on the first nine, and holes 13, 15, 17 and 18 on the second nine which were randomly selected by the golf office. In only her second Monday competition with the ladies’ section, Ingrid picked up the winner’s prize with a Blind 9 Hole score of 20 points. Viv Caley and Kiyono Taniuchi both won their handicap divisions, each scoring 19 points over the above selected holes.
Ingrid Lind (left) with Past Captain Helen Srivastava and Golf Services Manager Rhys James.
Also, well done to Viv, Kiyono, Fiona Berry, Thea Hendrickx and Gillian Doig who scored 36 points or more for the full 18 holes. Overall winner: Ingrid Lind SILVER DIVISION (handicaps 0 – 18) Winner: Viv Caley BRONZE DIVISION (handicaps 19 –42) Winner: Kiyono Taniuchi
MIXED COMPETITION RESULTS
20 points 19 points 19 points
Barclays Hickory Challenge Dubai: Winners to head to Scotland for World Hickory Open Championship Finals Saturday 10th September
Winners
Congratulations to Tom and Ingrid Lind, winners of the Barclays Hickory Challenge which was played over the front nine of the Faldo course The format was a betterball stableford where the Linds combined nicely to score 19 points, narrowly winning by one point from runnersup Sameer Joshi and Bupesh Sharma. This is a fantastic start to their new membership at Emirates Golf Club, as the winners will now be invited to play in the 2016 World Hickory Open Championship Final taking place at the Panmure Golf Club at Carnoustie in Scotland later this year. Suresh Shewakramani and Scott Macpherson also won on-course prizes on holes 2 and 8 of the Faldo course. Emirates Golf Club would like to thank the title sponsor Barclays for their continued support and hospitality during this event.
Runners-up
Nearest the Pin winners
patrons' day
7 Competition Results
summer tri series
Els Club Claim the Tri-Club Summer Series Congratulations to the members of the Els Club for winning the 2016 Summer Tri-Club Series. The event was being played for only the second year running but it is already hugely popular between the members of Emirates Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates and the Els Club, Dubai. Twelve players competed from each club with the best nine stableford scores to count. These are then aggregated to find the winning team over the three rounds. In early August, Emirates Golf Club won the opening fixture that was played at the Els Club. However the eventual winners came back strongly to win fixture two that was played at Jumeirah Golf Estates at the end of August. With the final fixture being played recently over the Majlis course, the Emirates team would have been hoping for some home advantage but it was the Els team that performed better on the day to be crowned the 2016 Summer Champions. Emirates Golf Club finished as runners-up with Jumeirah Golf Estates finishing in third place.
Members Pr
ofile
8
SPOTLIGHT ON
GERARD & SELMA KEHOE
Supporting Brazil
G
erry is from Ireland and he has been in the Oil and Gas Industry for all of his working life; first with Schlumberger for 19 years, and since then, for the past 17 years with Tidewater. Almost time to hang it up! His first assignment was in Brazil when he was 23 years old and where he met Selma who was 20. In the past 35+ years and after living in four continents and nine different countries (Brazil, England, Egypt, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, USA and India), including for the past three years here in Dubai, we are enjoying life around work and delighted to be members at Emirates Golf Club.
At Dubai Races Gold Cup Day
Golf has always been the family favourite sport and social pastime, so no matter where we lived, a golf membership was always first on the agenda; hence we joined Emirates Golf Club within one week of arriving in Dubai! In whichever country, city or small town we found ourselves, the local golf club was where we always made new friends and spent a lot of our social lives. We have one daughter, Alexa, who has lived in England for the past 13 years, first at boarding school, then University and she is now working in London. So, as a family, we have three different accents, which may seem
Alexa had a little lamb
strange for one family while at home, but, with such an international mix at Emirates Golf Club, this would be perfectly normal while seated with friends in the Spike Bar, sipping a drink or enjoying the food. We have lots of great golf memories, among them going to the Masters at Augusta in 2009, and, playing the Old Course at St. Andrews on a blue sky day without a breeze (priceless!), but Gerry’s favourite is definitely his hole in one at #15 on the Majlis course. Apart from golf we also enjoy running, exercising, gym, tennis, cycling, and of course any great night out with friends, and, if it runs late and has music and dance involved, even better!
Family Go-Karting in Dubai
Selma with Unknown Golfer Statue in Ireland
Selma with Gary Player
The Family at Dubai Races on Gold Cup Day
Golf at St Andrews
9
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Gibbos since leaving Dubai circa 2002
Where Are They Now?
Past Captain David Gibbons and Jan
Another trip to Dubai was while en route to South Africa where we met up with the Jarmans in Cape Town before returning to UK with them on a cruise ship, making short calls at Walvis Bay, St Helena and Agadir. The former visit brought back happy memories of an earlier visit to Grootfontein and the Caprivi Strip in Namibia - a must-go to country.
S
ince leaving Dubai in 2002, life has moved on from concentrating on seeing Jan recover from the horrific car accident she suffered there and settling into our cottage in the New Forest, to enjoying our new life in this part of UK. Golf though has taken a back seat for a while but we both keep fit playing tennis.
We have also enjoyed holidays nearer home in France and Turkey, but as for many, new knees and hips have been the norm for the last few years. As some of our friends will know, Jan has taken up her painting again, several of which adorn the walls of our cottage…no this is not a sales pitch, but…
Our two visits to Dubai since leaving, have been when en route to New Zealand and Australia where we spent a fabulous five weeks. On the way home we had a very enjoyable two days with past EGC members, Len and Jackie Chapman in their lovely home on the Brisbane River.
Jan and and I send best wishes to all our Dubai friends. Away but not forgotten. David Gibbons
THE RACE TO PORTUGAL IS ON
UAE WORLD CORPORATE GOLF CHALLENGE KICKS OFF AT EGC The all new UAE World Corporate Golf Challenge season kicks off next month on the fabulous Emirates Golf Club Majlis golf course, with a full field expected to compete for one of two places in the UAE Final. With a place in the World Final in Portugal at stake, competition for places in the UAE Final is expected to be fierce throughout the 16 qualifiers across the country between October 2016 and April 2017. The new format involves the first 40 pairs to enter each qualifying tournament at the top 16 golf clubs in UAE, playing a combined stableford format over 18 holes, with the first two teams from each qualifier going through to the regional final.
A host of prizes await the successful teams but the ultimate prize is a place in the UAE Final, sponsored by Ras Al Khaimah Tourist Development Authority, which takes place at Al Hamra Golf Club in April 2017, and, with it, a chance to take part in the 2017 World Final in an all expenses paid trip to the Otaivos Dunes Golf Club in Cascais, Portugal. Last year’s UAE winners Rune Rasmussen and Thomas Wiberg were ecstatic about the experience. “The entire weekend was fantastic” said Rasmussen “To compete against teams from more than 40 other countries was both an honour and a pleasure”. “Every corporate golfer in the country should aim to win this one,” said playing partner Wiberg “Even if it means playing in every qualifier!!” Steve Rutter, CEO of
2016 UAE Winners Rune Rasmussen and Thomas Wiberg at the World Final in Cascais Portugal
promoters OnCourse Golf, expressed his appreciation to the sponsors and the golf clubs when he launched the event this week. “I cannot thank our sponsors RAK TDA, Fine & Country, BMW, Qantas, Palmers, Mediclinic, Kids First Group and Santa Fe Relocations enough for their support, and the same applies to the golf clubs who have all committed so willingly to make this year’s UAE World Corporate Golf Challenge even bigger and better than last year.” The Schedule of qualifiers up to the end of 2016 is as follows: October 15th. October 22nd. November 4th. November 19th. November 25th.
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club Abu Dhabi City Golf Club Abu Dhabi National Golf Club Tower Links Golf Club
Golfers may enter as many times as they wish. Full details of the qualifiers can be found on the website oncoursegolfme.com or email Steve at steve@oncoursegolfme.com
10 Junior Link
s
Back to school and back to the golf course! The Junior Programme students are looking forward to term one of the Dubai Golf Junior Programme! To register your child, please email emiratesacademy@dubaigolf.com
THE DUBAI GOLF ACADEMY AT EMIRATES GOLF CLUB The Academy, in association with Peter Cowen, offers both beginners and established golfers alike the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the golfing greats and improve their games. Cowen is one of the world’s most recognised golf coach who has worked with some of the best players in the world including honorary members and 2016 Ryder Cup Team Europe players Henrik Stenson, Danny Willett and Rafa Cabrera Bello. The Academy is staffed by fully qualified PGA Professionals who are here to assist you. Whether you are looking for a one-hour individual lesson or a group clinic, the Academy instructors are able to cater for your needs. Selections of lesson programmes are available, or alternatively a programme can be personally tailored to suit both your ability and your schedule. For more information or to register please contact The Academy on +971 4 417 9845 or email emiratesacademy@dubaigolf.com
#teamdubaigolf #meettheteam Meet Jabez Olagunju! Jabez who worked at the reservations desk at Emirates Golf Club for three years, before he was recently promoted to Training Executive for Dubai Golf! He loves to try new things, one of which he would like to try is sky diving! When he is not working Jabez enjoys playing football or improving his golf swing on the range!
Hello Valance, Membership Administrator at Emirates Golf Club! Originally from Sri Lanka, Valance has worked at the Club for the last 12 years moving from reception to membership and he is always ready to greet our members and guests with a smile on his face! On his days off, he likes to go to church and watch movies, including his favourite Mission Impossible which also features his favourite actor Tom Cruise!
Hello Mario, Golf Course Maintenance Foreman for the Majlis Couse! Originally from the Philippines, Mario started working at Emirates Golf Club in 1997 so he has seen it all in his 20 years with us! His team is already working on getting the course ready for the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters in December. On his down time, Mario enjoys playing basketball and seeing his son, who works down the road at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club!
Hello Chacko, our Head Driver at Dubai Golf! Originating from India, Chacko joined the company over 25 years ago and is our ‘go-to’ guy at the Dubai Golf Office! During his free time, Chacko catches the live sporting action on TV, such as the recent Euro matches where he was supporting England! His favourite things about Dubai are the parks and the beaches.
Pro’s Tip of the Month
11
by GOLF Professional
IMPROVE YOUR DRIVING
Academy
Alastair Brown BASEBALL SWING DRILL TO IMPROVE YOUR DRIVING
Statistics show that most when Tour players are using a driver they are hitting up on the ball or have a shallow angle of attack, have an in to out swing path (swing right) and have their arms fully extended through impact. This produces a ball flight of high bomb draws. The average club golfer, on the other hand, tends to have too steep an angle of attack hitting down on the ball, swing path too much out to in (swing left) and their arms get too close to the body. This produces a ball flight of weak slice. To create the feeling of the Tour player stated above I have a very simple drill for you to try. Start off in a baseball swing position with the hands and club positioned in front of your chest. Pics 1 & 2 set up in baseball stance
Make a baseball swing backswing which creates the feeling of weight shift into the right side and full rotation of the shoulders. Pics 3 & 4 backswing
Swing the club down slowly stopping the club just before impact on the ball. Do this step a few times before trying to put it all together for a full swing. Always reset yourself into baseball start position and then swing back like a baseball player and through swing like a golfer. Repeat until comfortable and then try to hit 15-20 balls on the range with the drill. Pics 5, 6 & 7 down swing to the ball
Arnold Pal
mer
12
Arnold Palmer A rnold Palmer, known as “the King” for his transformative legacy in golf, died last month at the age of 87.
Born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, he was taught how to play the game by his father who worked at the local Country Club.
GQ Magazine named him one of the “50 most stylish men of the past 50 years” and Esquire had him in a list of the “75 best-dressed men of all time.”
Golfers are rarely remembered for their fashion sense, usually the exact opposite. But Palmer insisted on a consistent style throughout his career.
Palmer started his professional career in 1954 after winning the United States Golf Association Amateur Championship.
With his dominance in golf and distinctive style, Palmer helped turn the sport from a country club pursuit to one that became accessible to the masses. Palmer became the first person to make $1 million playing golf. “I would like to be remembered for bringing golf to a worldwide audience,” he told CNN in 2012. “Players today have no boundaries.” But he made much more than that from his many off-course endorsements, putting his name to a variety of products and services, from United Airlines to Cadillac cars. In a 1960 cover story written during his heyday, Time magazine swooned over Palmer, whose fans would flock to tournaments in droves: “Win or lose, Palmer, with his daring, slashing attack, is fun to watch. He is a splendidly built athlete (5ft 11in, 177 lbs) with strength in all the right places: massive shoulders and arms, a waist hardly big enough to hold his trousers up, thick wrists, and leather-hard, outsized hands that can crumple a beer can as though it were tissue paper. He had charisma combined with good looks and style.
“We just lost one of the incredible people in the game of golf and in all of sports,” he tweeted. “Arnold transcended the game of golf. He was more than a golfer or even great golfer. He was an icon. He was a legend.” “Remembering the special times I spent with Mr Palmer at Bay Hill. A true pioneer for our sport. Forever remembered,” said Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, hours after winning the Tour Championship in Atlanta. “My heart aches with the passing of the King. What he did for golf cannot be measured. Athlete, pioneer, philanthropist, family man, and much more...RIP Arnie,” tweeted US golfer Zach Johnson.
During a long career he won more than 90 tournaments worldwide, including seven majors. The US Golf Association called him “golf’s greatest ambassador”. As tributes flooded in from across the world of golf, Tiger Woods tweeted: “Thanks Arnold for your friendship, counsel and a lot of laughs. Your philanthropy and humility are part of your legend.”
Jack Nicklaus, said he would “miss him greatly”.
US President Barack Obama also paid tribute to “The King”, tweeting a picture of him visiting the White House. He and his two great rivals in the “Big Three”, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus, helped take the sport around the globe in the 1960s, capitalising on the ever-growing reach of television. Golf grew into made-for-television events and with it came massive sponsorship and prize money. The golfer was loved as an everyman superstar, and even had a drink named after him - the Arnold Palmer cocktail, made from one part iced tea and one part lemonade. He also gave his name to a professional tournament - The Arnold Palmer Invitational, held each March at his private golf resort in Bay Hill, Florida. It was not only Palmer’s knack for golf that won him legions of adoring fans. Long before the age of social media, Palmer was the first golfer to attract his own special following - “Arnie’s Army” - diehard fans who surrounded every green to cheer him on, win or lose. “When I was a boy learning to play golf in my hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, I never could have imagined that one day I’d have an ‘Army’ of fans or that people would call me ‘The King’ of the sport I love,” Palmer previously wrote on his website. Arnold Palmer was the most important golfer to play the game, says the BBC’s golf correspondent Iain Carter. “His force of charisma put the game on the map and it never dimmed”, he added. Fellow golfing great and a close friend of Palmer,
The R&A, which runs The Open and jointly governs golf worldwide, called Palmer a gentleman who would live long in people’s memories. Its chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “It is with great sadness that we have awoken to hear the news of Arnold Palmer’s passing. He was a true gentleman, one of the greatest ever to play the game, and a truly iconic figure in sport. “His contribution to The Open Championship was, and remains, immeasurable. He will be missed and forever remembered by all at The R&A and throughout the world of golf as a charismatic and global champion of our game.” Palmer is survived by his wife Kathleen Kit Gawthrop, his daughters, stepchildren and a large extended family of grandchildren and great-grandchildren “It is not an exaggeration to say there would be no modern day PGA TOUR without Arnold Palmer,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem in a statement. “There would be no PGA TOUR Champions without Arnold Palmer. There would be no Golf Channel without Arnold Palmer. No one has had a greater impact on those who play our great sport or who are touched by it.
13 mer
Arnold Pal
“Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated.” - Arnold Palmer
ENJOY READING THIS ARTICLE FROM D. WHITLEY FROM THE ORLANDO SENTINEL. The King was born 87 years ago. There’s no record what Arnold Palmer weighed at birth, but there is no doubt he became one of America’s true heavyweight sports figures. To paraphrase Rudyard Kipling, Palmer truly walked (and golfed) with Presidents and Kings but didn’t lose the common touch. Here are 74 reasons 1. He made hitching up your pants cool. 2. He brought big-time golf to Orlando, turning the sleepy Florida Citrus Open into the Arnold Palmer Invitational. 3. He signed a zillion autographs - all of them legibly. 4. He beat prostate cancer. 5. He served three years in the U.S. Coast Guard. 6. The Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is ranked among “Best Children’s Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report. 7. JFK sent him film of his golf swing to critique. 8. In 49 years, he made $1,784,497 on the PGA Tour. 9. In 2014, he made $42 million in endorsements and other income, according to Forbes. 10. He rallied from seven shots behind on the final day to win the 1960 U.S. Open. 11. He designed the first golf course built in China. 12. You can order an “Arnold Palmer” and restaurants worldwide will pour you a halficed tea, half-lemonade. . 13. He broke 100 for a round of golf when he was 7. 14. When Palmer turned 37, Dwight D. Eisenhower flew to Latrobe to deliver a surprise birthday greeting. 15. He met his first wife, Winnie, on a Tuesday and asked her to marry him four days later. 16. They were married 45 years until her death in 1999. 17. He played in 50 Masters. 18. He became a pilot to help overcome his fear of flying. 19. He rode into a 2013 Wake Forest football game on the back of a motorcycle.
20. He was the last golfer to look debonair with a cigarette dangling from his lips. 21. He has a Congressional Gold Medal. 22. He has a Presidential Medal of Freedom. 23. He is the only sports figure to have both. 24. He has 62 PGA Tour wins. 25. When arch villain Goldfinger was cheating while playing golf against James Bond in the 1964 film, Sean Connery’s caddie said, “If that’s his original ball, I’m Arnold Palmer.” 26. He personally taught hundreds of pro golfers how to properly comport themselves. 27. His father was a lowly club pro, so Arnie wasn’t allowed to swim in the club pool. 28. He hung out with Frank Sinatra. 29. He really did drive that tractor seen in the Pennzoil commercials. 30. He helped start the Golf Channel. 31. He was honorary national chairman of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation for 20 years. 32. He made eye contact with fans. 33. The Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies delivered 13,800 newborns in 2014. 34. Richard Nixon asked his advice on how to end the Vietnam War. 35. He was Associated Press Athlete of the Decade for 1960s. 36. He won seven majors. 37. Kirk Douglas was asked of all his famous acquaintances, who had the most personal magnetism? His answer: Arnie. 38. He worked as a paint salesman after getting out of the Coast Guard. 39. He has 13 streets named after him. 40. He didn’t expect people to call him “Mr. Palmer.” 41. He addressed Congress in 1990 on the 100th anniversary of Eisenhower’s birth. 42. He shot 71 in his first high-school golf match. 43. He had his own winery. 44. He refused any marketing overtures to make an Arnold Palmer wine comprised of half-Chardonnay and half-Cabernet Sauvignon. 45. It took him 13 years to become the first golfer to win $1 million in career earnings. 46. Matt Every, winner of this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, got a first-place check for $1,134,000. 47. In 1976, he set a round-the-world speed record in a Learjet that still stands - 57 hours, 25 minutes, 42 seconds. 48. He had a hole-in-one five years ago. 49. He was confident enough to wear pink before it was fashionable.
50. The Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History is home to the world’s leading collection of golf artifacts. 51. He quit the Champions Tour when he felt he was playing like a golf artifact. 52. He expected men to take off their hats when they go indoors. 53. He helped found a nature preserve named after his first wife. 54. Gerald Ford’s first act after leaving the presidency was playing a round of golf with Palmer. 55. The Latrobe airport is named after him. 56. He bought the golf course that wouldn’t allow him to go swimming as a kid. 57. He came up with his simple yet iconic multicolored umbrella logo. 58. He often cried during the national anthem. 59. After a lifetime of signing autographs for free, he finally charged for his signature during the 1994 Bay Hill tournament when his grandchildren told him business was slow at their lemonade stand. Palmer agreed to sign for anyone who’d buy a $1.50 glass. The kids made a quick $50 before running out of lemonade. 60. The Arnold Palmer Medical Center is the largest facility in the U.S. dedicated to children and women. 61. His around-the-world record flight would have finished sooner, but he stopped to refuel in Sri Lanka and rode an elephant. 62. For years, the trophy at his Orlando tournament was a sword. 63. His would-be father-in-law boycotted the wedding because he doubted Palmer could make enough to support a family. 64. He designed more than 300 golf courses around the world. 65. He came up with the concept of modern Grand Slam in 1960. 66. He flew a Boeing 747 before they were in commercial service. 67. He was an honorary starter at the Masters. 68. Nike’s “LeBronold Palmer” sneakers are named for him and LeBron James. 69. He led the campaign to prevent golf courses from being built in Florida’s state parks. 70. After first seeing Palmer’s jerky swing, Gene Sarazen said Palmer wouldn’t amount to much of a golfer. 71. His review of Bill Clinton’s golf game: “He can hit a long way, he just doesn’t have a ZIP code.” 72. In 2010, Esquire named him one of “The 75 Best Dressed Men of All Time.” 73. He smoked his last cigarette on Dec. 23, 1973. 74. He had his very own Army.
EPER’S GREENKE CUTTINGS
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Greenkeeper s Cuttings Behind the Scenes
Luke Partridge
W
ithin the Golf Course
Maintenance (GCM) team we have many individual colleagues who take on various responsibilities throughout our operation. Without question, the one person with a lot more on his shoulders than most would realise is Luke Partridge, our Senior Assistant Superintendent who oversees the GCM operations across both golf courses.
better quality surfaces on a daily basis. We are a team and, like any team, without good communication and sharing of ideas we cannot and will not progress and move forward. Having someone of Luke’s ability on board is the best investment I can make as a turf manager. We never stop learning and it would be remiss of me not to highlight an individual who puts a huge amount of effort and time into the role which ultimately helps the team achieve its objectives.
If truth be told, the day to day running of our operation is managed by Luke who oversees two course foremen, two landscape foremen, our team of mechanics and all the greenkeeping team. Luke works closely on the ground with all our colleagues and is responsible in ensuring the daily tasks are carried out to the exacting standards that he helps set at Emirates Golf Club.
Dubai Golf has a vision “to be globally recognised as leaders in delivering memorable golf and leisure experiences” - this is at the forefront of our annual maintenance plans. For Luke and for me, it is important that we manage our works around the season allowing us to have as minimal an effect as possible on your daily enjoyment of the course. We do this whilst still managing to move forward with our maintenance practices, that are disruptive at best, to ensure we can maintain a product that helps us meet our company vision statement.
Where Luke is particularly strong is in his ability to fault find and bring forward ideas that help us improve our maintenance practices and produce
Luke has been with Emirates Golf Club since 2011 and has grown into a role which today is vastly different from when he started back then. The responsibilities
he has today likely exceed that of any other assistant, certainly within this region. Managing a large crew, two high end golf courses, two major tournaments, overseeding, transition and annual maintenance closures is no small feat. He does it exceptionally well and with my sincere gratitude. We head into an important stage of our annual lifecycle in maintenance, that of overseeding of our facility. It remains the single most important event of the year, which sets us up for the season ahead. Keep an eye out for updates on this which will include a video in which Luke and I explain the processes involved and why the timing is so important to our season. I am proud of my team who live this job day in and day out. My job becomes a lot easier with someone like Luke at the helm ensuring the ship remains on course in achieving our company vision and in exceeding our customers’ expectations. Thank you from me Luke for the efforts you give on a daily basis and thank you on behalf of the team and our membership at large. Craig Haldane Director - Golf Course Maintenance
15 Legacy Prime s Pro Am Serie
Register for the inaugural Legacy Prime Pro Am Cup Series on the Majlis course, supported by Legacy and Prime Tankers
Each Pro Am event will consist of at least 18 Professionals from Dubai Golf, The UAE PGA Order of Merit as well as Touring Professionals from the European Challenge and MENA tours. The top two teams from each of the first five events will automatically qualify for the Grand Final in May 2017. The Grand Final will include amateur prizes, a professional prize fund and the inaugural Legacy Prime Pro Am Cup going to the Series champions! The Series champions will also receive an invitation to play in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters Pro Am, donated by the 2015-16 Captain Walid Al Attar from Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA). Events 1. Saturday 24th September, 1.30pm shotgun 2. Friday 14th October, 1.00pm shotgun, 3. Friday 18th November, 8.00am shotgun 4. Saturday 4th March, 8.00am shotgun 5. Saturday 29th April, 1.00pm 6. Grand Final - Friday 12th May, 1.00pm shotgun Tournament Entry Fee AED 95 per event To avoid disappointment register for the second event on Friday 14th October. Please visit the Member Zone to sign up.
Club Updat
e
16 Update from the Golf Office
C
ongratulations to Akash Kumar this month for winning the Mike Gerbich Cup from the black tees of our Majlis course. This event used to be called the Engineers Cup but we decided to re-name the event after past Captain Mike Gerbich who sadly passed away in July. It was a great event and fantastic to see Kashe Gerbich who came over from Doha to play with Vipen, Surender Kandhari and Chris May.
The pictures of the committee members will be on the website shortly and will be displayed in the Spike Bar; please be sure to contact them with any feedback. Please also note that you can contact the MCC through the Member Zone and also follow the topics discussed through the minutes posted.
It was also good news this month for new members Tom and Ingrid Lind who won the Barclays Hickory Series final and they will represent the club in the 2016 World Hickory Open Finals (11th and 12th October) over the Panmure Golf Course, Scotland. Best of luck to you both. We are delighted to welcome on board our new sponsors for the popular members Pro-Ams - thank you to Achal Ghai (Legacy Group) and Jugwinder Brar (Prime Tankers) for their energy and passion towards the event. The first of six fixtures in the Legacy Prime Pro Am Cup Series was a great success with 18 teams taking part. Each Pro-Am event will consist of at least 18 Professionals from Dubai Golf, the UAE PGA Order of Merit, as well as Touring Professionals from the European Challenge and MENA tours. The top two teams from each of the first five events will automatically qualify for the Grand Final in May 2017. The Grand Final will include amateur prizes, a professional prize fund and the inaugural Legacy Prime Pro-Am Cup going to the Series champions who will also receive an invitation to play in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters Pro Am, donated by the 2015-16 Captain Walid Al Attar from Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA). The aim of the series is to encourage as many different members as possible to play so if you missed out on the first event you will be sure to get a slot in fixture two on 14th October.
Other events around the corner are:
• 3rd October – Ladies Season Opener • 7th October – Mixed Season Opener • Thursday 20th October – BMW OPEN – Individual stableford open to male and female golfers with the winning player getting to play in the Rolex Pro-Am at the DP World Tour Championship on Tuesday 15th May. • 22nd October - Al Dobowi Emirates Mixed Amateur Open – 36 Hole foursomes • 28th October – Diwali Scramble • 29th October – Gents’ Seniors Championship
Members Consultative Committee I am delighted to say we had a fantastic response for volunteers to sit on the Members’ Consultative Committee (MCC). Twenty five members expressed their desire to support the committee and it was a difficult process to choose six members to join our Captains and Vice-Captains. The MCC for this season includes:
Vipen Sethi Maura Duggan Ivan Fornazaric Najla Bartette Tom Luig Sanjay Dhandsa Andrew Robinson Sulafa Hamdan Veneet Mohan Mike Butler
Spike Bar Dress Code Please be informed of the slight change to the dress code in our Spike Bar: Gentlemen In the main Spike Bar (carpeted area and raised bar) collarless t-shirts are NOT permitted. In the Spike Bar lobby and Spike Bar Patio round-necked t-shirts are permitted. Sleeveless t-shirts (singlets) are not acceptable anywhere. During peak months when it is more difficult to obtain tee times on the Majlis course I hear feedback from the membership that there must be many visitors playing on the course. I can assure you this is not the case. Please see below the actual figures from the past two seasons. I am proud to say we have maintained our commitment to the membership in terms of member play on the Majlis over the past two years. October to May (2014 to 2016) Majlis Rounds on the weekend (Fridays & Saturdays) Members 84% Members’ Guests 10% Visitors 4% (includes visitors in Open events also) Overseas Visitors 2% Finally please note the Majlis is closed for overseeding from 30th October – 3rd November and the course will be walking only until 15th February 2017. Happy Golfing! Barney Coleman Director of Golf, Emirates Golf Club
Extracted from Golf Greenkeeping Magazine July/August 1987 Edition
John Lelean reports on developments in Dubai Engineers have come up with a novel idea for saving water on the desert golf course destined to become one of the most spectacular in the world. While millions of gallons must be used to keep fairways and greens in prime condition, more than a third of the water will probably be recycled. And it’s all thanks to an unlikely method, devised in the Middle East for keeping a private swimming pool topped up. After the water has drained through the soil into the water table below, it will be pumped back up into two man-made lakes which form the central link in the irrigation system at the Emirates Golf Club. Water is liquid gold in the United Arab Emirates. But it is there, on the outskirts of Dubai, that the first grass championship course in the region is growing out of the desert. A team of experts, led by project engineer Stephen Trutch, have overcome a series of tricky obstacles on the course, which is scheduled to open in November this year. In doing so they have come up with an effective way of reducing irrigation costs. Water pumped into the two lakes from Dubai’s desalination plant is fed to the course through a network of more than 500 Toro sprinklers. It drains into the saline water table just a few feet below the ground. “It is common knowledge that fresh water sits on top of salt water”, said Larry Trenary, the representative in Dubai of Karl Litten, the American who designed the course. “The irrigation we are carrying out will create a freshwater lake on top of the salt water. We will be pumping up water for testing, and we feel that in two to three years time it will be feasible to collect that water on a controlled basis, put it back in the lakes, and save as much as 25 to 40 per cent. “We have 25 well points going down into the sub-surface and we will have to install many more, with a large suction pump, to get the water out”, added Trenary. “But we know it can be done successfully because we have already carried out a similar operation in an area nearby where there is a lens of fresh water on top of the water table”. The water saving scheme was pioneered by Eric Tulloch, Chief Engineer at Dubai Water Department for the past 25 years. He came up with the idea of filling his private pool by pumping water out of the ground in his garden. The Emirates Golf Club has been hailed locally as “Mohammed’s magnificent gift to Dubai” a reference to H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
the UAE’s Minister of Defence who has inspired the project. The course has also been attracting international attention, and former British Ryder Cup star Tommy Horton is one man who believes it has all the makings of a professional tournament venue. Horton, Chairman of the European Tour Committee, said after a visit to Dubai that the course could easily find a place on the European circuit. Kerry Son, from Florida appointed as Course Superintendent flew into Dubai from Florida, inspected the course within hours, and came up with a glowing verdict. “It’s magnificent, both in terms of the design and character”, he said. “It is going to be a very challenging course for any golfer. It may take a whole year to get it into optimum condition, but it will be a very popular course through out the world when it is finished. It is going to be spectacular “. Designer Litten, involved in more than 100 golf course projects around the world over the past 20 years, believes his offering to Dubai could turn out to be the masterpiece of his career. “I’m thinking that more and more every time I see it”, he said, after jetting to the UAE to carry out a progress check, and go over the details with course engineer Stephen Trutch, who has been deeply involved in the project since it was first launched just 12 months ago. Green Green Grass of Dubai On the outskirts of Dubai where camels roam the desert plains, the grass is now visible from the main highway, and motorists slow down to check out the growing splash of green. The Emirates Golf Club is not easy to miss. When it opens in November it will become the first championship course in the Gulf, the latest in a growing line of sporting assets for the go-ahead city in the United Arab Emirates. One man who played his part in the projects is a welder from Oklahoma. His hydraulic invention, a machine that can plant a fairway in a couple of hours, has been one of the most important pieces of equipment used in the construction of the course. The machine, which cost $20,000, was built to specifications laid down in Dubai, and has not been sold commercially. It is towed behind a tractor, and drops grass sprigs in any frequency you want to broadcast the grass. Behind is a large roller with knives which dig into the ground down to about six to eight inches. Then there is a large roller which closes it all up and tucks it in., It can take four or five days to plant an average size fairway by hand. This machine can do the same work in a couple of hours, covering an area of about three acres. A New Shape in the Desert In recent weeks a new shape has begun to emerge from the sandhills - the beginnings of a structure that looks like a space age
EGC In The Early Days
Water Saving Scheme can cut the cost of irrigation in the Desert
17
version of a Bedouin tent. This is the multimillion dollar Club House where Members will dine in a fivestar restaurant and relax in saunas, and jacuzzis. Close at hand will be squash and tennis courts, along with a floodlit crown green bowling arena and practice range. The 6,618 yard par 72 course itself displays a classic links style within a few dog-legs of the sea, its fairways sunk beneath smooth banks and flowing around four man-made lakes. All the attention to detail in early days, before giant earth movers began shitting millions of tons of sand last July, is now paying dividends. The two types of chosen hybrid Bermuda grass, are now growing towards maturity on fairways and greens. On arrival in the UAE, the grass sealed in packets to prevent contamination, was immediately planted at nurseries near the course. “After we established a goody heavy turf we then used a machine (a Ryan verticut turf mower) that pulls pieces of root and stem out of the ground”, said Larry Trenary. “This machine has hundreds of little blades that are curled at the end and spin very quickly, go about half an inch into the ground, and pull up the grass. “We broadcast the grass over the greens by hand and kept it wet for 10 to 12 days. You lose about 50 per cent on the greens, but they are completely covered in about five to six weeks”. Golf or Fishing or Both?
Tift 419 Hybrid B, developed in Tifton, Georgia, one of the foremost grass-growing regions of the USA, was chosen for the fairways because it is salt tolerant, and replaces itself quickly. For the greens the Emirates Golf Club picked Tift 328, a thinner-leafed type of Bermuda grass which allows a better run of the ball. “You can cut it to three sixteenths of an inch, and by cross-cutting you can develop a speed of nine to nine-and-a-half on the Stimpmeter“,said Trenary. Fast and true putting surfaces are just part of the general attraction of the course that has already impressed a number of top golfers who recognise the potential in Dubai. Long drivers like Sevvy Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Sandy Lyle would appreciate the sting in the tail of the Emirates Golf Club - a 550 yard par five 18th hole. It requires a finishing shot across one of the lakes to a giant double green shared by the ninth. Any player forced to go paddling after selecting the wrong club might have more success with a fishing rod. The lake is stocked with several thousand Japanese Koi carp, all part of the beautification work which has seen thousands of trees and plants springing up out of the desert making the 700,000 square metre site as verdant as any natural oasis.
Fit Lab
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Dear Members,
I
hope you have had a fantastic start to the new season and that you are already feeling in tip top shape. If not, you know where to come. Fit Lab has many activities going on at the Club for all fitness abilities and ages.
Watch out this coming month for a great Crossfit Challenge. If you are lacking motivation this could be a great way to kick-start your fitness regime. The main point of contact for this is Melbourne, our Sport & Leisure Coordinator, who will put you through your paces. This is a great opportunity to get a free workout and win some superb prizes. Member of the Month Our member of the month goes to Paul Bowyer. Paul is an unbelievable individual and has been at Emirates Golf Club from the the early years of the Club. Paul only had a knee replacement six months ago and was back in the gym after two months. He is now walking at full capacity and has made a remarkable comeback. Paul is a great example of how to keep going and stay motivated and he has been a regular gym user at Emirates Golf Club for 20 plus years. Well done Paul and keep up the fantastic work. A new class to commence very soon is a Golf Circuits class which will be conducted by our new Golf Professional Richard Dunsby. This will be an awesome class for anyone looking to improve their golf game. It could be for strength to help strike it off the tee further, flexibility, mobility, agility, balance and much more – if you are a golf addict wanting to improve your game this is the class for you. Exercise Tip of The Month by Richard Dunsby, Golf Professional Forward Lunge with opposite arm row This exercise is not only good for golf but it gets everything working. It works the glutes, core, quadricep and back and it is excellent for posture. Please see one of the Fit Lab team before doing this exercise on your own. Tennis Update From October we are going to start a Buddy System with the tennis. This has worked really well with the squash section and we now have 60 players in the league. We hope the same can be replicated for the tennis and the goal is to set up a tennis ladder. If anyone is interested please contact me directly and I will get you involved. This is for all abilities and ages so please put your name down. Bespoke Wellness Update I would like to say a big thank to the Bespoke Wellness Team for all their hard work over the past five years; they have been a tremendous addition to the team. They have now left Fit Lab at Dubai Golf but we will update you on further developments. Please remember the Fit Lab Team is here to ensure you get a great experience at our fantastic sport and leisure facilities.If you have any queries or suggestions on how we can improve please let me or any of the Fit Lab Team aware. Healthy Regards Andy Meech Head of Sport & Leisure
TRX
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oin our master trainer Parveez for TRX Suspension Training Classes every Monday and Wednesday at 7pm. TRX Suspension Training develops strength, balance, flexibility and core stability simultaneously using a performance training tool that leverages gravity and the user’s body weight to enable hundreds of exercises for every fitness goal. For more information please contact Fit Lab on 04 417 9850
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CULT BEAUTY BRAND BLISS LANDS AT SENSASIA URBAN SPA
S
Fit Lab
ensAsia Urban Spa is all set to create ‘a higher state of happy’ for Emirates Golf Club clients this season, as globally-lauded brand Bliss becomes the latest addition to its already thriving portfolio of facials and body treatments. As it also celebrates 12 years of pampering in the UAE, SensAsia has launched two Bliss facials and two Bliss body treatments for winter, along with the Bliss product line, which slot perfectly within its already extensive and much-loved menu. The excitement begins with the completely customisable, Bliss Fabulous Facial* [AED 450], which includes an expertlyperformed cleansing, exfoliating and pore-refining ritual, targeting problem areas and leaving skin fresh, bright and squeaky clean. The Bliss Instant Radiance Oxygene Facial* [AED 480] is, put simply, a breath of fresh air for the face! This complexionreviving and detoxifying treatment combines a resurfacing peel, oxygen wrap and the famed Bliss Triple Oxygen Cream, to noticeably smooth and illuminate after just one treatment. Bliss Head to Glow [AED 600] is about top-to-toe revitalisation. Combining a Bliss Instant Radiance Oxygene facial, a warm full-body wrap of herbal essential oils, and a scalp and foot massage, this in an hour-long journey to soft, refreshed and visibly uplifted skin. The perfect partner to your workout regime, Bliss Fat Girl Slim* [AED 450] is a world-renowned and consistently sold out product and programme. The super-toning and circulationstimulating body treatment targets stubborn fat deposits and cellulite, creating smoother, softer and tighter skin. The process starts with an all-important dry brushing before the application of firming grapefruit essential oil, a trouble-spot-targeting and rubberising seaweed mask and a heated wrap to increase blood
flow and flush out toxins. The final touch is the application of the most globally-demanded Bliss products, Love Handler and Fatgirlslim (winner of the Beauty Choice Award for Best New Beauty Product in 2014). These cult status and market-leading creams incorporate the energising and extended energy-release capabilities of caffeine, to diminish dimples where they appear most. *Emirates Golf Club members benefit from a 20% discount on these Bliss treatments at SensAsia treatments Call SensAsia Urban Spa, Emirates Golf Club on 04 417 9820 or visit www.sensasiaspas.com
OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA)
O
steoarthritis is a natural/ biological and/or mechanical process that causes degeneration of a joint and cartilage. Unfortunately the body cannot lay down new joint surface quickly enough to cover the loss, therefore the degeneration aspect of this pathology is inevitable as we age.
you will be unaware of any gait (walking pattern) abnormality. For example, a painful knee might cause rotation of the pelvis, torsion on the lower back and/or hip dysfunction.
However, because there is also a mechanical component to osteoarthritis it is not totally out of our control. General wear and tear takes place over time, be it sports related or general day-to-day living. This can cause a thinning, breaking and micro fracturing of the joint surfaces causing irritation, inflammation and pain. In more chronic cases and often when mechanical dysfunction has not been corrected or improved, bone spurs build.
Physiotherapy and especially Clinical Pilates is a great way to both diagnose and correct a muscular imbalance, as it’s a non-weight bearing exercise that strives to correct mal-alignment and strengthening throughout the body. Correcting these imbalances could prevent further joint damage and degeneration.
Things you can do NOW: Fix mechanical issues Chances are that you are most probably compensating somewhere in your body for the pain in another joint. This will most likely be subconscious and therefore
Another great form of non-weight bearing cardiovascular exercise is swimming or hydrotherapy, as long as it does not aggravate the situation.
Fix the biological aspect Whilst there is no scientific evidence that Glucosamine Chondroitin supplements work, there is more than sufficient anecdotal evidence. This supplement,
along with a good fish oil supplement ,(vital if you don’t eat fish) can aide the lubrication of the joints and help to decrease the rate at which wear and tear take place. For further questions and appointments please contact: Victoria Roper .B.Sc (Hons) Sports Physical Therapist STOTT Pilates Instructor Trainer Bespoke Wellness
Rules By R
hys
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I
RULES BY RHYS
Steps In Bunkers Explained...
’m sure you have all seen the new steps that are in place on the Majlis course? This month I will clarify the status of these steps and what options you have if you have any kind of interference from them. The steps are man-made and are deemed to be Immovable Obstructions, i.e. they cannot be easily removed to play your next stroke. You’ll be pleased to know that you are entitled to free relief if the steps interfere with the lie of your ball, your stance, or your area of intended swing. You must lift the ball and drop it within one club length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must be inside the bunker and then also dropped within the bunker.
Other Possible Scenarios: Line of Play: There is no relief if the steps are simply on your line of play. This is classed as intervention/ ‘line of play’; this is hard luck and you must attempt to play the bunker shot as normal. Ball Lying on Steps: If the ball comes to rest on an actual step then the ball is deemed to be in the bunker and you may take relief as above with no penalty.
Or...under a penalty of one stroke, drop the ball outside of the bunker keeping the point where the ball lay directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped. There is no limit as to how far behind the bunker the ball can be dropped (same as option two of the unplayable ball rule).
If you have any rules queries that you would like to discuss over the coming weeks then please do not hesitate to ask on your next visit to the Club or simply Email your query to rjames@dubaigolf.com
Golf CalendaR Friday 7th Monday 10th Friday 14th Monday 17th Thursday 20th Friday 21st Saturday 22nd Monday 24th Friday 28th Saturday 29th Monday 31st
21 What’s On
BIRDS OF THE EMIRATES
WHAT’S ON DURING OCTOBER?
Mixed Season Opener 13.30 Majlis Ladies’ Medal 08.30 Majlis Member Pro-Am 13.00 Majlis Ladies’ Seniors Championship 08.30 Majlis & Past Captain’s Trophy BMW Open 13.00 Majlis OMA Emirates Medal 08.00 & 13.00 Majlis Championship in association with Porsche Centre Dubai and Ascot and Chapels (Singles Matchplay Qualifier) Al Dobowi Emirates Mixed 07.30 & 13.00 Faldo Amateur Open & Majlis 36 hole Championship Ladies’ Pink Ball Competition 08.30 Majlis Diwali Scramble 13.00 Majlis Men’s Seniors Championship 13.00 Majlis Ladies’ Competition 08.30 Faldo
Photo Courtesy: Akhil Menon, golf in Dubai
by Akhil Menon IT Manager
Red-Wattled Lapwing
Scientific Name: Vanellus indicus Shot: Faldo, Dubai Emirates Golf Club Date shot: March 2016 Wiki link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwattled_lapwing Description: One of the commoners - very few people would have not seen or at least not heard this bird in their lifetime. If you haven’t heard one, the RedWattled Lapwing, with its distinctive appearance and sound, stands out in a company of birds. The characteristic loud alarm calls which are variously rendered as did-he-do it leads to colloquial names like the did-he-do-it bird. Usually seen in pairs or small groups, these wading birds are never too far from water but are also seen to form large flocks in the non-breeding season. They are among the larger variety amongst the wading birds at around 35-40 cm long. Both sexes of the bird share a similar plumage but the males have a larger wingspan than the females.The diet of the lapwing includes a range of insects, snails and other invertebrates, mostly picked from the ground. They may also feed on some grains, feeding mainly during the day but they may also feed at night; sometimes they make use of their legs to disturb insect prey. At Emirates Golf Club, these birds can be seen as soon as you come through the main entrance near the water feature to the right. They are also seen scattered in similar near-water areas on the Faldo and the Majlis courses, usually in the morning hours. Any intruder getting near the bird is warned by its calls so night golfers may have the best chance to hear the bird a lot as this is when they are at their noisiest.
EGC Honorary member Rory McIlroy
R
ory McIlroy produced a birdie at the fourth playoff hole to win the seasonending Tour Championship last month along with FedExCup honours and the $10 million bonus.
McIlroy rolled in a 15-foot putt at East Lake’s par-four 16th to beat American Ryan Moore, “It was incredible,” former world number one McIlroy said at the victory presentation. “I feel my game is coming together at the right time. Two wins in the last three feels pretty nice.” McIlroy, 27, got himself into the playoff with a superb finish to his final round by holing out from 140 yards to eagle the same hole where he would clinch the win 90 minutes later. He closed his final-round 64 with a tap-in birdie at the par-five 18th and joined the playoff with Kevin Chappell (66) and Ryan Moore (64) McIlroy then had a chance to win it at the first extra hole but missed a six footer. Chappell was eliminated on the first extra hole. McIlroy then sank a seven-footer to stave off defeat at the third extra hole, before clinching it at the next. “It was such a nice one, uphill, just outside the right edge,” McIlroy said of his winning putt. “I knew if I hit a good putt it had a great chance of going in. To see that ball drop, everything has come together for me. To be able to come here and pull it off is really special. I’ve won the money list a few times in Europe but never been able to quite do it here, the FedEx Cup in the U.S. When you put your mind to it, great things happen.”
s t e p p i n S e l 19th Ho
Farewell to the Stewarts
L
loyd and I leave Dubai after 35 wonderful years and with almost 25 years of being members of Emirates Golf Club which was our home away from home, where we spent some lovely and memorable times over the years and made some great friends. Lloyd and I met at the Dubai Country Club soon after we both arrived in Dubai and played squash in the early days. It was the start of a most enjoyable expatriate life and there was no leaving Dubai while we were enjoying the wonderful sunshine and this beautiful country, making many friends over the years, some of whom we still keep in touch with. Our son James and our daughter Alexandra had their early education in Dubai and they were both
junior golfers at Emirates Golf Club. James now lives and works in Sydney, Australia, whilst Alexandra lives and works in the UK and was married on September 2nd this year in East Sussex. Golf has been a big part of our lives and will continue to be so as we return to live in the UK. We will hopefully visit Dubai from time to time on our travels eastwards, so we will look forward to meeting and catching up with Emirates Golf Club friends and colleagues. We look forward to the next chapter in our lives and are curious to see where this journey takes us! A big thank you to the EGC colleagues who have been so supportive and helpful over the years. We shall miss everyone.’
Congratulations to Alexandra, daughter of Annette and Lloyd Stewart, who married Joseph Blackburn in East Sussex on September 2nd 2016
Farewell lunch in Le Classique for Annette Stewart who is leaving Dubai
Congratulations to colleagues Mani and Linju who got married last month.
Our two Captains at the Ladies’ Season Opener
Congratulations to Rekha Bandopadhyay who celebrated a significant birthday last month
Congratulations to Rob & Maureen Platt whose grandson Arran was born on 21 July in Cape Town
Have you entered our monthly #EGCSelfie competition? Take a picture during your next round on the Faldo or Majlis course and post the selfie on Instagram, tagging @emiratesgc with the #egcselfie for the chance to win a four ball on the Faldo!
Congratulations to Davis Love III and his United States of America team! A hugely deserved victory; they will be delighted to have won the Ryder Cup back after eight years and a fitting tribute to Arnold Palmer.
Elise and Joe Hanson had the pleasure of meeting up with Chef Franรงois at his restaurant, Chez Franรงois in Koh Samui, Thailand last month