Club Life January 2015

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Editor: Jacqui Barry barrydxb@eim.ae

January

2015

ISSUE 46

R A E Y W E HAPPY N


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Emirates Golf Club Senior Management

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Editorial

ongratulations to ShanShan Feng on her great scoring in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, winning the event by five shots. Congratulations once again to ‘golf in Dubai’ for organising this event and to Emirates Golf Club for hosting it. The players all seem to love this event as they are so well looked after, the course is in superb condition and to add to that, there’s this wonderful weather so it is definitely a recipe for success. Didn’t the amateur, Lee So-Young do well, finishing in joint 28th position in the tournament with scores of 67, 74, 72, 73 and winning the best amateur prize? So-Young hails from South Korea and she was fortunate to have one of our pros Dong Lee, caddying for her, who not only speaks the same language, but he also has great knowledge of the course so that was a perfect partnership. Congratulations to Craig Haldane and his crew at Golf Course Maintenance who did an amazing job getting the Majlis into tip-top shape for the event. It looked absolutely stunning and, having played the Pro-Am, I know it was immaculate. It’s natural for all of us, as golfers, to assume that greenkeeping is easy. Well, when I read Craig’s writeup on watering the greens, I realised that this is a science, and a very precise one at that. His article is very interesting so please take a moment to read it. I was privileged to have been asked to be the starter on the 10th tee box this year for the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters which I loved doing. It was a great experience, made all the easier by the friendliness of the lady pros. I enjoyed it so much I really missed not doing it on the third and fourth days (when there was only a one tee start from the first which was done by Geoff Jackson). Following on from that event the festive celebrations really gathered pace when we played the Ladies’ Christmas Scramble followed by Christmas lunch, the member/staff scramble and then the Mixed Christmas Scramble, most of which were well supported and enjoyed by all. What was disappointing was the turnout by members for the member/staff scramble. This is an event that the staff really look forward to playing and they thoroughly enjoy the interaction with members. Sadly only twenty-two members signed up but there were so many cancellations that only thirteen played which is a sad reflection on our membership, especially when there were so many members playing social rounds that afternoon. It really is a great day and evening and it’s surprising that it’s not well supported by members. The next one is in May so please try to make time for this excellent event.

Christopher May

Chief Executive Officer cmay@dubaigolf.com

Craig Haldane

Andrew Whitelaw

General Manager awhitelaw@dubaigolf.com

Andy Meech

Director - Golf Course Maintenance chaldane@dubaigolf.com

Head of Sport and Leisure ameech@dubaigolf.com

Barney Coleman

Adele Cowgill

Ganesh Mangathil

Keith Wilkes

Head of Sales and Marketing Director of Golf acowgill@dubaigolf.com bcoleman@dubaigolf.com

In House Publishing Manager Retail Manager gmangathil@dubaigolf.com kwilkes@dubaigolf.com

Andrew Matthews PGA, Membership Services Manager

Stephen Deane

Head Academy Professional sdeane@dubaigolf.com

EGC Key Telephone Numbers Main Switchboard

04 417 9999

Members Golf Reservations 04 417 9800

Jacqui Barry

Membership

04 417 9801

Recreation

04 417 9850

Accounts

04 417 9875

SensAsia Urban Spa

04 417 9820

Chef Max Grenard

Culinary Director mgrenard@dubaigolf.com

Martin Drugan

Food and Beverage Manager mdrugan@dubaigolf.com

Saeed Ahamed

Financial Controller mahamed@dubaigolf.com

Haridas Palliyalil

Resident Engineer hpalliyalil@dubaigolf.com

Follow Emirates Golf Club on Facebook for the latest news, views and special offers. We already have over 21,974 likes. Follow us on Twitter @emiratesgc and Instagram @emiratesgc


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Thanks to Omega for their sponsorship of the Ladies Masters and for the wonderful hospitality in their chalet. Thank you to ‘golf in Dubai’ for giving us this great event; so much effort goes into organising something like this so we need more support for it; it’s so good to watch the ladies’ golf because perhaps, for many of us, we can relate to the distances they hit the ball more than we can with the men.

COMPETITION RESULTS Mashreq Medal in association with BMW & Ruth’s Chris Steak House Friday 19th December 2014 A DIVISION (HCP. 0-10) WINNER: Karam Sehmi RUNNER UP: Jignesh Sangani THIRD: Kevin Roy BEST GROSS: Aaron Smith Overall Best Net: Imran Qayyum B DIVISION (HCP. 11-20) WINNER: Imran Qayyum RUNNER UP: Gokul Mani THIRD: Rajesh Verma C DIVISION (HCP. 21-28) WINNER: Tauseef Khan

Net 71 Net 71 Net 72 Gross 74 Net 65 Net 65 Net 72 Net 74 Net 75

Anyway, I loved every minute and who wouldn’t love it, watching these beautiful ladies with their fantastic golf swings and great personalities? After the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters we were full on with the festive season’s activities including the mixed Christmas scramble, the member/staff scramble, carol singing, tree lighting, all of which was so much fun and brought so many people together. We have a busy time ahead with the Desert Swing including our own Omega Dubai Desert Classic, after which we will be back to our normal, busy Club schedule so see you around everyone. Now we are in 2015. Have you made your resolutions? Usually people’s resolutions revolve around losing weight, going to the gym to get fit, stopping smoking etc…I have made my resolution which is not to get too stressed, take it easy, relax. In fact this is always my New Year’s resolution so nothing changes. I think this is the secret to a long and happy life so I think I should

continue with the same. So my beautiful friends, I hope you had the best of all gifts for Christmas and the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. I don’t know why it doesn’t come easy but I know that we could all be happy if we would only learn to LOVE… wishing you all a happy New Year Your Kamal Kamal Kosta Club Captain 2014-2015

in’s Club Capta Message

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hat a wonderful tournament we had last month with the Omega Dubai Ladies’ Masters. Not only were we able to see some fantastic golf, but all the ladies were so friendly and relaxed, despite having to practice hard and concentrate on their goals of doing well in the tournament Well, China’s ShanShang Feng did it again for the second time in three years and won the tournament by quite a margin. She was happy to pose and have photos taken with everyone afterwards but she was then on a mission to go shopping in the malls here…and why not? She had just improved her bank balance by 75,000 Euros!!!


in’s Lady Capta Message

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irst of all, Happy New Year to everyone!

If you enjoyed Christmas lunch, dinner, pudding and mince pies it’s time to exercise! Last month we had the Omega Ladies Masters. Congratulations to ShanShan Feng who shot an amazing score of 19 under. She showed her style and played beautifully for four days despite some difficult pins on the fast greens. We look forward to welcoming all the lady players to the tournament again next year. Our biggest event for the ladies last month was the Christmas

competition and lunch. More than 90 ladies played and over 100 came for lunch. Can you imagine how busy the kitchen was! We had the sweetest Santa team during our lunch and lovely carols sung by a choir ‘Jingles’. They were really wonderful. This month we have the Omega Dubai Desert Classic from 29th January. Some players will go to Abu Dhabi, Doha and then come to Dubai to compete in the whole Desert Swing. I am looking forward to watching their great play again.

Wong is kindly organising a band and we will have many choices of starters, main courses, desserts and beverages. The price is AED 355 (or AED 195 with soft drinks ) for members and AED 385 (or AED225 with soft drinks) for members’ guests. The booking form and table plan will be in the ladies locker room. It should be a great evening. Let’s celebrate our New Year 2015! Mitsuko Emmerson Lady Captain 2014-2015

On 20th January we are planning a ladies’ gourmet night in Le Classique. Mrs Martha

LADIES’ COMPETITION RESULTS Ladies’ Medal Monday 1st December 2014

Sponsored by

SILVER A DIVISION (HCP. 0 – 14) Winner:

Jayshree Gupta

NET 72

Runner Up:

Jennifer Ayres

NET 73

Best Gross:

Cathrine Clark

GROSS 81

SILVER B DIVISION (HCP. 15 –23) Winner:

Thea Hendrickx

NET 71

Runner Up:

Christiane Sprunck

NET 71

BRONZE DIVISION (HCP. 24 –42) Winner:

Margaret Breen

NET 67

LADIES’ CHRISTMAS SCRAMBLE Monday 15th December 2014 TEAM PRIZES WINNERS

Leona Sandesjo, Gunilla Hart Yumi Inman, Beya Zaafrani

45.7

RUNNERS UP

Helen Srivastava, Rekha Bandopahdyay Annette Stewart, Selma Kehoe

46.8

THIRD Glynis Hendry, Carolyn Thompson Maura Duggan, Lynne Whitelaw NEAREST THE PINS HOLE # 2: Gabriele Daghestani HOLE # 8: Beya Zaafrani HOLE # 12: June Mcdonald HOLE # 17: Yoshiko Fujitani CLOSEST TO THE CHRISTMAS TREE HOLE # 5: Maura Duggan CLOSEST TO THE SANTA HOLE # 15: Jocelyn Tracey

48.5


MIXED COMPETITION RESULTS MIXED CHRISTMAS SCRAMBLE

Sponsored by AL DOBOWI

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Saturday 20th December 2014

There was a fantastic turn out for the annual Mixed Christmas Scramble, supported by Al Dobowi, with 120 players taking part in total. Many turned up in festive colours and costumes offering a true Christmas feeling across the fairways of the Faldo course. It was the junior quartet of Bradley Mogire, Zubin Chandra, William Thoren and Vaughn Reed who took the spoils with a fantastic net 56.4. Runners-up with a net 58 were Achal Ghai, Kush Sama, Naresh Handa and Jugwinder Brar. They were closely followed by Gaurav Verma, Ghanshyam Manghnani, Surjit Namli and Nishith Patel in third place with a net 58.7. There were several on-course prizes on offer; nearest the pin on the eighth hole was won by Christiane Sprunck whilst Joan Legnar claimed the other ladies’ prize on hole seventeen. The nearest the pins for the gents were won by Komal Sharma on the second hole, with Morteza Farzaneh claiming the honours on hole twelve. The longest drive prizes were won by Tania Sangani on the sixteenth hole and Rajinder Razdan on the fifth hole. Thank you to all who took part in this event and to each member who purchased tickets and donated prizes towards a fund for our junior colleagues here at the Club. A special thank you to Mr Roger Duthie and Emirates Airline for donating two tickets.

Competition Results

Juniors are Joyful and Triumphant

WINNERS: Bradley Mogire, Zubin Chandra William Thoren, Vaughn Reed 56.4 RUNNERS UP: Achal Ghai, Kush Sama Naresh Handa, Jugwinder Brar 58 THIRD: Gaurav Verma, Ghanshyam Manghnani Surjit Namli, Nishith Patel 58.7 NEAREST THE PINS HOLE # 8 (LADIES): Christiane Sprunck HOLE # 17 (LADIES): Joan Legnar HOLE # 2 (GENTS): Komal Sharma HOLE # 12 (GENTS): Morteza Farzaneh LONGEST DRIVE HOLE # 16 (LADIES): Tania Sangani HOLE # 5 (GENTS): Rajinder Razdan


Competition Results

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CLASH OF THE TITANS by Stephen Deane

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lash of the Titans is a biannual match between Emirates Golf Club and Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. It was the EGC’s turn to host and was played over the Majlis course on Thursday 18th December. The course was in immaculate condition after the recent Omega Dubai ladies Masters and it was a pleasure to play. The event format was a two player team stableford event with the best net stableford score counting per hole. Each

club was represented by 20 players including five professionals from their respective academies . Dubai Creek came out on top with a narrow six point team stableford victory over EGC. This puts Dubai Creek 5 - 3 ahead in the eight matches played to date . EGC will have to play catch up in their next away fixture scheduled for March.

Staff/Member Scramble Tuesday 16th December 2014

Winners: James McNish, Carlos Sabuqueiro, Jeffrey Brothers, Andy Matthews Runners-Up: Mani, Aneesh, Sheeraj, Steen Third: Josie Tracey, Veronica Ellias, Rodel, Joel NEAREST THE PIN STAFF HOLE # 2 Fer Manuel HOLE # 12 Leo Jay MEMBERS HOLE # 2 Amarjeet Radia LONGEST DRIVE STAFF HOLE # 3 Nishanthi HOLE # 16 Jega MEMBERS HOLE # 10 Cathrine Clarke

57.4 59 59.4

Veeran Verma Memorial Day

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n of our members, Veeran Verma, sadly passed away in September after suffering a heart attack on the first tee of the Majlis. A memorial golf day was held in his honour by friends and family.

The Veeran Verma memorial tournament was won with a fantastic team scramble score of 53.9. The winning team consisted of Rohit and Jayshree Gupta and Behram and Beyhaan Lakhdawala.

A.E Ravi, Kush Sama, Mohammed Khan and Inderpal Singh also posted a great score of 59.7 to claim the runners-up position. Jayshree Gupta collected longest drive on hole 16 along with nearest the pin on the 2nd. Not to be outdone, Ashok Sindhu claimed longest drive on hole 3 and Farad Lakdawala claimed nearest the pin on the 12th.


7 Club News

UAE Scratch League by Scratch Team Captain, Ewan Cameron

The Scratch League involves 16 clubs in the UAE divided into four flights of four clubs. The overall winner of each pool goes through to the semi-finals. Each pool match is played home and away. League points are awarded for each individual game won and a bonus point for a match victory.

BIRDS OF THE EMIRATES

The four teams making up the EGC flight are:1 EGC 2 Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club 3 Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club 4 Emirates Golf Federation. This is the first year that the EGF have fielded a team in the league and their team essentially represents the UAE National team.

Grey Francolin Scientific Name: Francolinus Pondicerianus Shot: Dubai Date shot: 20.12.2014 Wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_francolin Description: The Grey Francolins are rather drab, stub-tailed, greyish brown game birds with chestnut foreheads and cheeks. They are found at Emirates golf course often feeding in small parties in the open. They usually run from danger but if pressed, can rise with an explosive whirr of their wings with loud far-carrying cries of notes sounding like ka-tee-tar The common habitats of these birds range from thorn scrubs, edges of grass lands to semi-desert areas. This makes Emirates golf course a perfect spot for these bird to thrive in. They are weak flyers and fly short distances, escaping into undergrowth. The Grey Francolins are normally found foraging on bare or low grass covered ground in scrub and open lands. The birds are commonly known as Teetar in India, a name they share with quails and partridges, owing to the sound they make; they feed on seeds and grains, as well as insects, particularly termites and beetles. Photo Courtesy: Akhil Menon, golf in Dubai

Results to date:EGC secured an excellent second leg win against EGF 3-1 We won both of the home and away matches against the Emirates Golf Federation team in December Results: Home match: 2 ½ - 1½ Away match: 3-1 Our next set of matches are against the Dubai Creek (the ‘auld enemy’): Friday 16th January 13.00 at EGC Friday 23rd January 13.00 at DCGYC Good luck to our boys! The Scratch team squad includes: Ed Hesson Ewan Cameron Charlie Stricklin Johnny Aldridge Kenny Babcock Kouroche Achtari Marcus Wallman Paul Byrne Petr Dedek Pontus Frederiksson Rohit Gupta Ross Hopwood Tim Evans Tony Azoulay Team Captain: Vice-Captain:

Ewan Cameron Rohit Gupta

www.dubaigolf.com


OMEGA DUBAI LADIES MASTERS 2014 S by Viren Varma

hanshan Feng hardly needed to work up a sweat as the world number five strolled to a fiveshot victory in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters. Five in front overnight, the extremely gifted golfer closed with a two-under 70 to finish at 19 under for her second win in three appearances in the season-ending Ladies European Tour event.

“I am really delighted to win for the second time in Dubai and follow in the footsteps of Annika (Sorenstam) -the only other two-time winner of the tournament -- and that makes me feel really proud of myself,” said the 25-yearold from Guangzhou after receiving the winner’s trophy from Her Excellency Mariam Al Roomi, UAE Minister of Social Affairs in the presence of Mohamed Juma Buamaim, Vice-Chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi, and representatives of the sponsors. Spain’s Carlota Ciganda birdied the final hole to return a 69 to take solo second on 14-under, one ahead of Caroline Masson of Germany with Anna Nordqvist of Sweden in solo fourth one stroke back. England’s Charley Hull sealed the 2014 ISPS HANDA Order of Merit after tying for fifth place with compatriots Liz Young and Melissa Reid, as well as Danish duo Nicole Broch Larsen and Malene Jorgensen. It was Feng, who called the shots almost at will, though she fell short of her intended target of reaching the 22-under mark which she needed Charley Hull

Top 10 POSITION NAME 1 S FENG 2 C CIGANDA 3 C MASSON 4 A NORDQVIST 5 L YOUNG 5 M JORGENSEN 5 N BROCH LARSEN 5 C HULL 5 M REID 10 K SPILKOVA

SCORE -19 -14 -13 -12 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -9

to break her own record for the lowest under par winning score she posted in 2012. In the race for the Omega Rookie of the Year, Amy Boulden from Wales held off the challenge of Sally Watson and Nicole Broch Larsen to take the prestigious title. Broch Larsen gave a fantastic chase, but could not catch Boulden, who tied for 24th. “It was one of my goals from when I turned pro, to win Rookie of the Year. I thought it was going to be quite tough this year not having a full card. I wasn’t sure how many events I was going to be playing in but starting the year well has helped me a lot. It’s a real honour to win and join the prestigious list of former winners, including Laura Davies, Annika Sorenstam and Charley Hull.”

England’s Georgia Hall produced the shot of the day when she aced the 167-yard par-3 15th hole using a 4-iron in the third round of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters. The 18 year-old from Bournemouth in Dorset won a gleaming Mercedes Benz C 200 for her accurate tee shot and will now have to buy herself some driving lessons as she can’t yet drive. “I wasn’t playing that great before. I did hit some really good shots, though, and I hit 4‑iron, I think it was 167 yards. It was a perfect shot. I couldn’t really see it because the sun was in my eyes but it was a great feeling,” said Hall, who turned professional in July and received an invitation to play in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.

This was Georgia’s second hole in one as she aced the 17th at Machynys n Peninsula Golf Club Amy Boulde in South Wales to win the 2013 Ladies British Open Amateur Championship. It was also the second hole-in-one of the week, after Stacey Keating at the fourth in the first round. Georgia Hall


9 ODLM

Pro-Am Result Morning shotgun: 1. Omega 2 Shanshan Feng of China, Manoj Kapur, Michael Harradine & Rosemary Turlik -23 2. Omega 8 Joanna Klatten of France, Yana Jamieson, Stewart Gale & Vinod Arya -20 3. Golf Fore Autism Rebecca Hudson of England, Aaron O’Hara, John Peterson & Steve Johnson -18

Par 3 Challenge by Viren Varma

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eam spirit and camaraderie was the flavour of the evening as Dame Laura Davies and Maha Haddioui combined well to win the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters Challenge Match at the par-3 course of Emirates Golf Club.

The duo returned a two-under 25 to warm up ahead of the main competition while the all-Swedish team of Anna Nordqvist and Sophie Gustafson and the pairing of Shanshan Feng (China) and Pornanong Phatlum (Thailand) finished joint second, one shot adrift. “I have always liked watching Laura Davies. It was pretty exciting playing with her in a greensomes format,” said an elated Maha. “I think this was the third time I have played with her. She is just an amazing player and I have always looked up to her,” she added.

Afternoon shotgun: 1. Emirates Global Cheyenne Woods of US, Aluminium-1 Walid Al Attar, Maurizio La Noce & Greg Sproule -22 2. Omega 1 Charley Hull of England, Surabhi Prabhakar, Moshe Kohli & Ishwar Jodha 3. Neocasa Minjee Lee of Australia, Interiors 2 Shahriar Khodjasteh


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AMATEUR SILVER MEDAL WINNER

ODLM

by Viren Varma

K

orean, Lee So-Young, became the first golfer to win gold in Olympic play in more than a century, a feat she achieved at the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China, in August, “To win the first Olympic Gold Medal in golf in more than 100 years, even though if it was the Youth Olympic Games, was an amazing feeling,” said the 17-yearold South Korean who shot a final round 65 to beat Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Ssu-chia by three shots. She went on to showcase her burgeoning talent a month later at the Incheon Asian Games where she won the team silver, receiving widespread acclaim for her performance. Prior to ODLM she said, “I am really excited at the

prospect of competing in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, which I understand from my friends has the feel of a major with all those big names from the LPGA and Ladies European Tours. “It will be my first time in Dubai and I can’t wait to get started. I’m delighted to be given this opportunity by golf in DUBAi and Omega and I look forward to playing on the Majlis course and making new friends,” she said. “I am sure the experience gained at the Youth Olympics and Asian Games will come in handy. The idea is to go out and have fun,” said Lee, who also won the 36-hole qualifier at the 2014 Australian Amateur Championships in Adelaide.

My experience as caddy for Lee So-Young by PGA Professional, Dong Lee

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t all began when Chris Turlik asked me to find a caddy for a young talented amateur from South Korea Lee So-Young (17). I didn’t know her at that point so I did a little research on her. Wow, she won the Youth Olympic Games Golf Medal in Nanjing in August 2014 winning the first Olympic medal in golf in more than 100 years. Omega hosted in Nanjing and that was why Omega sent an invitation to her for the Ladies Masters in Dubai. It was her first time in Dubai and

it was only her second time to play in a professional event since last year. I ended up caddying for So-Young throughout the tournament. When I met her for the first time on the practice range she came across as an ordinary normal teenager who felt shy and humble but when I watched her hitting balls on the range she was very impressive. Her first day was amazing as she shot -5 and we just enjoyed every moment on the

Majlis. I was hoping she would continue like that over the next three days but she finished -2 for the tournament but I could tell she learned a lot from this event. She won the Silver medal for the best amateur for the tournament and before she headed back to South Korea that night we went to Dubai Mall to watch the water fountains and to see Burj Khalifa. It was the best experience for me to watch this talented player that close and it will be one of the best tournaments I will ever be at! I’m hoping she can become one of the best players in the world and play the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters as a professional in the near future.

TIGER & TIGRESS AT BURJ AL ARAB 2004 & 2014

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heyenne Woods followed in the footsteps of her famous uncle Tiger when she recreated the iconic images of golf shots flying from the helipad at the top of the Burj Al Arab. Her visit to the world’s only seven-star hotel, took on special significance as it

marked the 10th anniversary of Tiger striking tee shots from the same location. It was an experience she described “crazy and awesome.” “It’s even more unbelievable than I thought it would be. You hear stories and see

pictures online and once you’re here in person, it’s amazing: the views, the city and how high we are,” said the 24-yearold prodigy who was accompanied by Mohamed Juma Buamaim, Vice-Chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi.

Tiger at Burj Al Arab 2004


11 r’s Greenkeepe Cuttings

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ow do we know how much water to put on the greens every day? Is it a guess? Do we simply put down what we think is needed? How do you know if it is too much or not enough? Is the water that is applied of good quality? How does the quality affect the plant?

All the questions above have hopefully sparked some thought and have perhaps given you an appreciation for some of the basic decisions that are needed on a daily basis in terms of managing one aspect of maintaining a surface area of the course, that being application of water on greens. Like our bodies, the plant needs to replenish itself. If you go out for a round of golf, particularly when walking, your body loses water through perspiration and if you are not drinking enough water throughout the day, you will dehydrate and become pretty ill. The plant loses water through the atmosphere. Wind, humidity, rainfall and daily temperatures affect the daily evapotranspiration (ET) and this is what needs to be replaced as a minimum every day. How do we calculate the daily application on greens? The first bit of information we need every day is the daily ET. We have a weather station on site and it measures the hourly temperature, humidity, precipitation and dew point. The ET is calculated by the weather station and we are able to read what the ET for the day has been. For example, at this time of year the ET is typically between 2.5 and 3.5 depending on conditions. What does this figure mean? It is the amount of water that has been lost to the atmosphere in mm. So, the minimum amount of water that needs to be replenished on a given day is what has been lost. The next two pieces of information we need is the Volumetric Water Content % (VWC%) of the soil and the Electrical Conductivity (EC). The VWC% is the amount of moisture that is in the plant at a given time of day. The EC is the level of Salt (Na) in the plant which is translocated to the soil through the irrigation water. Knowing the EC is vital, as it gives us the trigger point as to when we need to flush the greens. Knowing the VWC% is critical as it helps us make our daily decision as to what % of ET is required each day, to maintain the VWC%. So, by measuring the greens in nine locations every morning at the same time, we know what the average VWC% is per green. This is then documented against what our target is. So let’s take an example to show you how this is done. If the VWC% target on the 1st green is 30% moisture and this morning’s reading is 38% and the daily ET needing replaced is 2.5mm we know that that the soil moisture is too high. We then adjust the amount or % of ET

for the first green for that night’s irrigation. So, the target VWC%/Actual VWC% x daily ET = %ET required that night. We do this for all greens surfaces over the entire property every day. Each green will get exactly what it needs per night to keep things consistent. If we simply gave the greens the exact same ET per night, we would either be over-watering or under-watering individual greens, which creates massive inconsistency.

an idea, we would be irrigating at around 250% of what we do at this time of year, in the summer months. This means we are, by default, applying a lot more salt and with extreme heat and higher loss of moisture to the atmosphere, these salts will rise into the root system a lot more than in the winter, hence our flushing programme being that much more aggressive through the summer months.

Daily Desired VWC VWC

Hopefully the information above has given you a small insight into one aspect of what golf course maintenance is all about. Over the coming months we look forward to sharing some more with you as to what is involved in various aspects of the job.

Required % to move closer to target

40.4 40 38.6 40 41.6 40 54.9 40 35.1 40 56.7 40 45 40 50.1 40 40.7 40 59.3 40 58 40 50.6 40 52.9 40 42.9 40 53.6 40 51.5 40 50.7 40 47.4 40 36.9 40

99 104 96 73 114 71 89 80 98 67 69 79 76 93 75 78 79 84 108

The mathematics gives us a great starting point to make informed decisions. After months of doing these readings we quickly appreciate what actual amount needs to be applied per day to maintain our targets. Sometimes, although the sums tell you to put out a % of ET, we know that if we only put out 70% of that figure, it is enough to keep to our targets. This ensures that we are never over-watering our surfaces. Too much water is never a good thing and in fact a lot worse than not enough! The EC readings are crucial in helping us manage salts within the profile, especially throughout the summer months when salts will rise as the ET increases. To give you

Wishing you and your families a very happy New Year! Regards, Craig Haldane Director - Golf Course Maintenance


Happy New Year



Pro’s Tip

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DUBAI GOLF JUNIOR PAR 3 SERIES ORDER OF MERIT

PRO’S TIP OF THE MONTH by

MICHAEL KINLOCH

A common mistake I see at the Academy and on the golf course is poor alignment in the address position for tee shots and putting. For both of these shots we can use the fact we can manoeuver the golf ball prior to taking our shot to help us align to the target and hole correctly. Draw a line around the equator of the golf ball which can then be positioned so it is pointing precisely at the target. This line can now be used to set the club face at right angles to the hole/target and will make aligning the body much easier. This technique is commonly used on tour for putting and has proven to be particularly effective when done correctly. To accurately draw the line on the ball, there is a handy tool that can be purchased from the Pro Shop.

Ladies’ Group Lessons Don’t miss the start of the Ladies’ Group Lessons, commencing on 11th January. The Ladies’ Programme is suited to those learning the game for the first time or to those looking to improve existing skills. Your group will consist of a ten-week course with 60 minutes of instruction per week and a maximum of six students per group, ensuring that you receive ample time from your instructor. A ten-week range pass allows you to practice between sessions. On conclusion of each session, students are invited to relax and reflect over a coffee in the Club’s Spike Bar! For more information contact The Academy on +971 4 417 9845 or email emiratesacademy@dubaigolf.com

BLACK Rank Player 1st Sean Cooper 2nd Abutorab Arghandiwal 3rd Gavin Ingram 4th Mark Baxter 5th Shyam Kakar 6th Amber Waite 6th Ailsa Brannock 8th Ahmed Shaikh 9th Hana Ghandour 10th Jehan Nanavaty

Points 270 190 170 165 120 110 110 80 45 40

PURPLE Rank Player 1st Aarnav nath 2nd Vihaan Sharma 3rd Toby Waite 4th Veer Judge 5th Jay Mullane 6th Phoenix Bankes 7th Krishna Kakar 8th Sam Mullane 8th Finn Williams 8th Aleksander Dippenaar 11th Yoon Sun Lee 12th Oliver Sibbald 13th Jacobo Fisas 14th Mikael Joensuu 15th Nihal Khatwani 16th Erick Wong 16th Jay Chinchankar 18th Hannah Cheryl Alan 18th Nicola Morosov 18th Yousuf Yaqub 18th Ibrahim Yaqub 18th Eamon Sharma 18th Tatyana Mogire 18th Dhruva Deshpande

Points 280 270 155 145 130 90 85 80 80 80 55 50 40 35 30 25 25 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

BLUE Rank Player 1st Seth Hopkinson 2nd Pragun Khanna 3rd Alex Abouchacra 4th Jamie Camero 5th Tobias Lundgren 6th Sadie Brannock 7th Maxine Decuypere 8th Shreyas Bawker 9th Aaryash Gangan 10th Rishi Lolla 10th Syraat Arghandiwal 12th Clemence Fayard 12th Jamie Garcia Villalon 14th A Garcia Villalon 15th Alaya May Inan 16th Yules Deprouw 17th Nicola Morsov 18th Ryan Sfeila 18th Aryan Kapoor 18th Javier Munoa 18th Aditya Dave 18th Jacob Woolard 18th Aryan Sahu 24th Ruanne Whitelaw 24th Vaanishka Kapoor 24th Claudia Anglada 24th Vladislav Khvan

Points 235 200 180 165 155 130 120 100 80 75 75 65 65 50 45 40 35 20 20 20 20 20 20 10 10 10 10

YELLOW Rank Player 1st Mirwais Arghandiwal 2nd Daniel Bankes 3rd Sixte Fayard 4th Kale Williams 5th Khushi Nagpal 6th Yahia Beasha 7th Frederick Steinman 8th Diego Anglada 8th Hareth Abbasi

Points 260 200 145 100 90 80 65 55 55

WHITE Rank Player 1st Mousa Shana’ah 2nd Savva Morosov 3rd Alfie Comer 4th Elnathan Drew Tan Lo 5th Hanspreet Singh

Points 300 180 90 80 65


15 s Junior Link

Congratulations to the Juniors of the Dubai Golf Junior Programme at the Emirates Academy who won the JTS Invitational at the Arabian Ranches Golf Club! Well done to the team of Jay Mullane, Sam Mullane, Hugo Garcia-Villalon, Minah Saqib, Owen Clarke and Neil Sangani! Jay, Sam, Owen and Neil all shot gross 1 under pars to secure the victory. Well done team!’

7 year old talent Sean Cooper wins DG Junior Series Event Number Two and Leads Order of Merit for 2014/15

29th November 2014

D

Nath breaks Par in the Dubai Golf Junior Tournament Series 19th December 2014

George Kasparis with Aarnav Nath

ubai Golf recently hosted its second Junior Tournament which is part of the brand new Dubai Golf Junior Series. The event was played on the nine-hole Par 3 course at Emirates Golf Club, where 52 junior golfers competed in the Saturday afternoon sunshine. Alastair Brown, Senior Academy Professional at Emirates Golf Club said, “Event number two had a great turn out of competitors ranging from beginners to our finest junior golfers. The scores reflect the hard work the players put in each week during lessons and practice sessions. The series looks like once again it will be strongly contested all the way through. On behalf of the Emirates Academy team we would like to thank the parents for their time coming to support the events which would not be as successful without their help.” Juniors competed in one of five categories and prizes were awarded for the winners and runners-up in each; winning participants also received Order of Merit points that will determine the overall series winner. The weather and course condition added to some fantastic scoring during the event, which was a great start to the Dubai Golf Junior Series. Topping the Black Division, Dubai Creek’s Sean Cooper, seven years of age, shot level par 27 to land the trophy by two shots from Abutorab Argandiwal on a creditable two over 29. Vihaan Sharma was victorious in the Purple Division winning by two shots and Pragan Khanna shot 35 to win on a countback in the Blue Division from Seth Hopkinson. Other winners were Kale Williams in the Yellow and Mousa Shana’ah in the White Divisions.

RESULTS SUMMARY

D

ubai Creek’s Par 3 course played host to the latest round of the Dubai Golf Junior series. Perfect weather conditions were enjoyed by the competitors but some long rough around the greens meant scoring was made difficult for the field of 60 participants. The outstanding score of the day was returned by Dubai Creek member Aarnav Nath. The talented youngster carded two birdies on his way to a one under par 26. His round was made all the more special as Aarnav also won the nearest the pin prize on the tough 5th hole. The other nearest the pin prize went to Ailsa Brannock for her fantastic shot on the first hole. The next best score on the day was a 28 by Black Division junior player Aboutorab Arghandiwal. Only late bogies on holes seven and eight stopped another under par score from being posted Senior Golf Professional Mike Kinloch said, ‘I was fortunate to see some excellent shots by our junior players and some of the play has been of a very high standard. I was especially pleased with some of the younger players in the field who showed some great enthusiasm and promise.’ The next event takes place on January 17th at Emirates Golf Club. The Dubai Golf Junior Tournament Series is exclusive to participants in the Dubai Golf Junior programmes. To find out more about registering your child for the junior programmes at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club please contact 04 295 4666 or areservations@dubaigolf.com or contact 04 417 9845 or email emiratesacademy@dubaigolf.com to find out about lessons at Emirates Golf Club. RESULTS SUMMARY

DIVISION POSITION PLAYER

SCORE

ACADEMY

DIVISION POSITION PLAYER

BLACK BLACK PURPLE PURPLE BLUE BLUE YELLOW YELLOW WHITE WHITE

27 29 32 34 35 35 36 42 36 55

Dubai Creek Dubai Creek Dubai Creek Emirates Dubai Creek Dubai Creek Emirates Dubai Creek Dubai Creek Emirates

BLACK BLACK PURPLE PURPLE BLUE BLUE YELLOW YELLOW WHITE WHITE

1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd

Sean Cooper AbutorabArgandiwal Vihaan Sharma Finn Williams Pragan Khanna Seth Hopkinson Kale Williams Mirwas Arghandiwal Mousa Shana’ah Alfie Comer

1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd

SCORE ACADEMY

Aboutorab Arghandiwal 28 Gavin Ingram 29 Aarnav Nath 26 Veer Judge 29 Jamie Camero 34 Alex Abouchara 36 Daniel Bankes 40 Kushi Nagpal 48 Mousa Shana’ah 45 Savva Morsov 47

Dubai Creek Emirates Dubai Creek Dubai Creek Dubai Creek Dubai Creek Dubai Creek Dubai Creek Dubai Creek Dubai Creek


Fitness Activity Schedule

16

January 2015

Dear Members,

b tee omLmait Fit C

I hope you all had an enjoyable festive period and I wish you a very happy and healthy New Year. I’m sure many of you made your New Year’s resolutions which, no doubt, centre around being healthy, losing weight, getting fitter etc. Well, we at Fit Lab are on hand to help you achieve your goals; we run a variety of classes to suit your interests and fitness level and we also have personal trainers who can tailor a programme to suit you. Perhaps you are looking for some simple changes in your lifestyle? Here are some tips to help you achieve this. Try these to fit more activity into your day and to get more out of your daily activities. • Choose activities you like. A lot of different things count as exercise so choose something that gets you moving dancing, walking, yoga, cycling, walking the golf course instead of taking a buggy. • Exercise with a friend. Finding a workout partner can help keep you on track and motivate you to get out the door. • When you walk, even if you are using the treadmill, make it brisk, as you will burn more calories doing this than walking at a leisurely pace. You could time your steps for one minute: 120 to 135 steps per minute corresponds to a walking pace of three to four miles per hour which would be a good target.

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

STUDIO

STUDIO

STUDIO

STUDIO

STUDIO

STUDIO

STUDIO

07.00 - 08.00 Bootcamp (Nikky)

07.00 - 08.00 Bootcamp (Nikky)

07.30 - 08.30 Artistic Yoga

07.30 - 08.30 Artistic Yoga

07.30 - 08.30 Artistic Yoga

07.30 - 08.30 Artistic Yoga

07.30 - 08.30 Artistic Yoga

08.00 - 09.00 Bootcamp (Nikky)

08.00 - 09.00 Bootcamp (Nikky)

08.40 - 09.10 Metafit (Tracy)

08.45 - 09.45 Insanity (Tracy)

09.15 - 10.15 Zumba Step (Tracy)

09.00 - 10.00 Aqua Bootcamp (Aquazone)

8.45 - 9.30 Primary Ballet (6years +) 08.45 - 09.45 Zumba Toning (Tracy)

08.45 - 9.45 Pilates (Elaine)

08.45 - 09.45 Zumba (Tracy)

09.00 - 10.00 Aqua Bootcamp (Aquazone)

09.45 - 10.45 Zumba Toning (Tracy)

• Use the stairs instead of lifts and escalators whenever possible. • Turn off the TV, computer, and mobile phone. Cutting back on screen time is a great way to curb your sitting time and then use that time in the gym instead. • Try a new sport at EGC like tennis, Padeltennis, swimming or squash or even sign up for a class as there is a good variety of classes at EGC with something to suit everyone .You may find that having the structure of a class helps you to keep on track. Feel free to come and have a chat with me or one of the personal trainers to discuss your needs or book a session or two to help you with your weight/flexibility training then you’ll have the confidence to branch out on your own. Healthy Regards Andy Meech Head of Sport & Leisure

9.30 - 10.45 Grade 2 (8 years+) 10.45 - 11.15 Pre - Primary (5 years+)

10.00 - 10.30 Insanity (Tracy)

11.15 - 11.45 Pre-school Level 1 and 2 (3 and 4 years) 11.45 - 12.45 Grade 1 (7 years+) 12.45 - 14.00 Grade 3 (9 years+) 12.00 - 12.45 Fit For Kids (12-16years) (Michael)

18.30 - 19.00 Metafit (Tracy)

18.00 - 19.00 Artistic Yoga

18.30 - 19.00 Metafit (Tracy)

18.00 - 19.00 Artistic Yoga

14.00 - 15.30 Grade 7 (12years +)

19.05 - 19.55 Insanity 50min (Tracy)

19.00 - 20.00 Artistic Yoga

19.05 - 19.55 Insanity 50min (Tracy)

19.00 - 20.00 Artistic Yoga

14.30 - 15.30 Fit Kids (5-12years) (Nikky)

19.00 - 20.00 Circuit Training Outdoor

19.00 - 20.00 Aqua Bootcamp (Aquazone)

18.00 - 19.00 Artistic Yoga

19.00 - 20.00 Bootcamp (Nikky)

19.00 - 20.00 Artistic Yoga

19.00 - 20.00 Circuit Training Outdoor 20.00 - 21.00 Bootcamp (Nikky)

20.00 - 21.00 20.00 - 21.00 20.00 - 21.00 20.00 - 21.00 Weightloss Yoga Weightloss Yoga Weightloss Yoga Weightloss Yoga

For reservations, please call +971 4 417 9850 or email egcfitlab@dubaigolf.com www.dubaigolf.com

• Try a step-counter (pedometer); there are many different ones on the market now like FitBit, Withing etc, which will help you keep track of how active you are.

07.30 - 08.30 Artistic Yoga

20.00 - 21.00 Weightloss Yoga


17

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For moreabout information about SensAsia Urban Spa, reviews plus images, reviews andplease interviews, For more information SensAsia Urban Spa, plus images, and interviews, contactplease contact Walker at Media Email: sarah@mediamavenuae.com or 609 call +971 Sarah Walker Sarah at Media Maven. Email:Maven. sarah@mediamavenuae.com or call +971 56 3878 56 609 3878 Urban Spa: About SensAsia About Urban SensAsia Spa: Urban Spa is the largest chain in the UAE, celebrating a sparkling 10 years of providing unique SensAsia UrbanSensAsia Spa is the largest independent spaindependent chain in thespa UAE, celebrating a sparkling 10 years of providing unique havensoftospa-ites the masses spa-itesEast. in the Middle East. With uber-chic daylocated spa locations, located premium city spots, pamper havens pamper to the masses in theofMiddle With its uber-chic dayitsspa locations, in premium city in spots, a sensory through blissfully indulgent experiences stemminggrace, from Balinese Japanese elegance SensAsia offers SensAsia a sensoryoffers journey throughjourney blissfully indulgent experiences – stemming from– Balinese Japanesegrace, elegance and Thai tradition. It all began with The Village, Jumeirah, where founder Salina Handa created the ultimate sanctuary for health and Thai tradition. It all began with The Village, Jumeirah, where founder Salina Handa created the ultimate sanctuary for health and wellness-savvy ‘Jumeirah Janes’ back in 2004. The SensAsia family then spread to Emirates Golf Club and and wellness-savvy ‘Jumeirah Janes’ back in 2004. The SensAsia family then spread to Emirates Golf Club and Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jumeirah, and most recently Dubai the Downtown Dubai hub of Souk Al Manzil. and most recently the Downtown hub of Souk Al Manzil.

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Meet the Events Team

SensAsia sensasia_urban_spa #SensAsiais10 sensasia_urban_spa #SensAsiais10

L-R: Sreeraj, Jack, Mani, Sanka, Jenny, Dipankar, Vishnu, Yoly, Steen Simon (Food & Beverage Manager Development & Events Operation), Mary Ann, Lino, Nisa, Jude, Jinu, Chirag and Satish


Looking Ba

ck

18

Looking back.......... By Dick Purchase

Past Captain, Dick Purchase, retired from BASF in December and will now be enjoying life in UK, Paris, Portugal and no doubt, Dubai occasionally.

I

’m sat on a train in Northern France, en-route to spend Christmas with my family in the UK. The weather is overcast and a little chilly; I wonder what it’s like back in Dubai today? Jacqui asked if I would pen a farewell message. It is actually quite a difficult thing to do because, as some of you know, Chris and I have gone our separate ways. My fault I guess, but sometimes these things are unavoidable. Whatever, Emirates Golf Club was such a key part of our lives in Dubai that Jacqui’s invitation was not to be spurned. My year as Captain was, without question, a great privilege. It was an opportunity to broaden the circle of those I knew within the Club, and to play golf with many interesting characters. The management and staff were quite simply, brilliant. They smooth the way for us all without many of us realising the level of hard work that goes on behind the scenes. Captaincy at EGC is in fact a commitment only of one’s time; to be present and hand out the spoils of victory at prize-giving ceremonies (when sadly many players are missing) and to represent the Club at the occasional official function. Not really onerous undertakings since all the organising is handled by the Club’s staff. Perhaps my two greatest individual memories centre upon the 25th Dubai Desert Classic. Firstly, I was invited to attend the official dinner held for all the past winners. With the sad exception of Seve, who is no longer with us but was well represented by his son, Javier, every past winner was in Dubai for this staging of the Classic. My second fond memory comes from the associated Pro-Am event in which I played together with Colin Montgomerie, Austin Carey and Pontus Fredriksson These three combined to win the day, and I was an exceedingly happy passenger who even had Drummond Welsh caddying for me!! Splendid memories indeed.

There are those who eat to live, and those who live to eat; despite my girth, I am happy that I fall into the latter category, for food to me is a genuine pleasure. At EGC I have often been able to indulge that pleasure. Le Classique is, in my opinion, unparallelled value for money, and being Scottish means I did not need to be shy in taking advantage when the opportunity arose, but it was not only in Le Classique where I ate well - all the dining facilities are splendid. What about the golf and the golf courses? Well, having won the Chairman’s Cup, I am fortunate to have got my name on the honour’s board, and managed to do so again when, in tow with Drummond, we prevailed in the Men’s Doubles Matchplay. Happy memories indeed. I thoroughly enjoyed my regular Saturday Crowd games, even organising it for a while, and of course I was fortunate enough to play in a number of Talker Cup and Tri-Nations events. Unbeatable camaraderie. As to the courses themselves, I have no problem with the Faldo as it is a good challenge in its own way. Its problem stems from the fact that it lives in the shadow of the Majlis; an outstanding piece of golf architecture, and a course I would happily play, if limited to only one, for the rest of my life. I will be continuing my association with EGC, having taken out Life Membership. Despite the transient nature of Dubai, I hope to be able to visit on occasion and renew old friendships whilst also making new ones. My sincere thanks to the management and staff at EGC for making me feel so welcome over the years; you really do provide an oasis in the desert, and long may that continue. And finally, I cannot possibly reflect on my year as Captain without paying tribute to our editor. Quite where she conjures up the energy and patience to produce Club Life and Chipping In is a mystery to me, but she does it every month. Well done Jacqui and thank you. Happy golfing to you all. I hope that 2015 at EGC sees all your golfing hopes realised. Cheers! Dick

WHAT’S COOKING

FROM THE KITCHEN OF CHEF JEFFREY BROTHERS Dear Members, It gives me great pleasure to start the New Year by sharing with you the first edition of our monthly recipe column in Club Life magazine. Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year at the Club for the kitchen and front of house teams, and one of the most exciting. We have many different offerings around the Club. Seeing how happy all our members and guests are during the festive season reminds us why we like working here so much. The first recipe I would like to share is one that has been passed down for several generations in my family. My great-grandmother and my grandmother made these shortbread cookies and my mother still makes them for Christmas every year. The great thing about these is how easy they are to make, shape, bake and decorate. Shortbread cookie dough can also be made ahead of time, frozen and then portioned and baked when needed. After rolling they can be cut into bars or circles, dusted with sugar and baked, or shaped cutters can be used like Christmas trees that can be decorated with coloured icing. Also, with Robbie Burns night just around the corner, the recipe below would be a great complement to the traditional Scottish celebration dinner. I hope you enjoy making and eating these tasty treats. Jeffrey Brothers

Shortbread Cookies 180 g 55 g 125 g 2 g

All-purpose flour Icing/powdered sugar Butter Salt

Directions: 1. Cream butter and sugar. 2. Add flour and salt, mix well. 3. Roll out and cut into desired shapes, place on parchment paper. Let chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. 4. Bake at 350°F until pale golden.


19

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Monday 5th

Ladies’ Medal

08.30

Majlis

Friday 9th

Asia v Rest of the World

13.00

Faldo

11th – 17th

COURSE OPEN TO MEMBERS ONLY

Monday 12th

Ladies’ competition supported by Special K

08.30 shotgun

Faldo

15th-18th

ABU DHABI CHAMPIONSHIP

18th-31st

MAJLIS COURSE CLOSED FOR PREPARATION AND STAGING OF THE OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

Monday 19th

Ladies’ competition supported by Special K

29th – 1st February

OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

WHEN

WHAT

Monday evenings Monday 11th Wednesday 21st

Club Night in Spike Bar Cookery emonstartion ODDC themed quiz for members only

Majlis

Your Alternative To Owning a Boat, Be a Member at Worry Free Boat Club

cia

l offer

0 off!

00 AED 3,

The inaugural 2013 Big Pink Ball was the highlight of Dubai goes Pink, with over 1,000 attendees feasting on a never been seen before mix of eclectic cabaret and vintage variety performance.

Du

“The best night out I have had in Dubai" Lee Hicks "An unbelievable night of entertainment and all for a great cause" Kerry Burgess.

bai

ers

Spe

OFFICIAL CHARITY:

Faldo

mb

SOCIAL

08.30 shotgun

What’s On

GOLF

e Golf M

HOLLYWOOD THEME that will give you your BEST NIGHT OUT OF THE YEAR, among the stars, outdoors at Emirates Golf Club.

2015 will be bigger, brighter and even more amazing with a

EXCLUSIVE 20% OFF FOR DUBAI GOLF CLUB MEMBERS* Buy your tickets*

Price Per Person

Inner Circle

AED 879

Price Per Table of Ten

AED 8,704

Outer Circle

AED 763

AED 7,552

BOOK YOUR TICKETS AT WWW.BIGPINKBALL.COM Offer Ends 31 January. *apply promo code GOLF when booking online.

Raising money for Al Jalila Foundation

**ALL PACKAGES INCLUDE DINNER AND UNLIMITED DRINKS UNTIL 11PM

Big Pink Ball 2013

If you have ever thought about owning a boat, and were turned off by the costs or hassles of ownership, then Dubai Golf’s Marina partner has just what you need to get out and enjoy the amazing UAE waters. With a membership in Worry Free Boat Club, get unlimited access to a fleet of boats and jet skis. Take a trip around “The World”, go deep sea fishing, wakeboarding, or just a nice cruise down the creek, without a worry. Membership starts at AED 25,000 for the first year. For more information please contact Worry Free Boat Club on +971 50 555 1635, email info@worryfreeboats.com or visit www.worryfreeboats.com.


Club News

20

RULES BY RHYS

Playing the Wrong Ball

Playing the wrong ball (Rule 15-3) in golf is a simple mistake but a costly error. However, the good news is that you can avoid any penalties by following the simple recommendation below. Ultimately, it is the player’s responsibility to play the correct ball. To assist you AND your playing partners, the rules of golf recommend that you put a unique identification mark on your golf ball before commencing play. Despite the above R&A recommendation, this rule is broken time and time again across fairways around the globe and a player who breaches this rule will be penalised as follows.

Match Play • If a player makes a stroke at a wrong ball, he loses the hole. • If the wrong ball belongs to another player, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played. • If the player and opponent exchange balls during the play of a hole, the first to make a stroke at a wrong ball loses the hole; when this cannot be determined, the hole must be played out with the balls exchanged.

Stroke Play • If a competitor makes a stroke or strokes at a wrong ball, he incurs a penalty of two strokes. • The competitor must correct his mistake by playing the correct ball or by proceeding under the Rules. • If he fails to correct his mistake before making a stroke on the next teeing ground or, in the case of the last hole of the round, fails to declare his intention to correct his mistake before leaving the putting green, he is disqualified. • Strokes made by a competitor with a wrong ball do not count in his score. If the wrong ball belongs to another competitor, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was first played. Please note that as an exception to this rule, there is no penalty if a competitor makes a stroke at a wrong ball that is moving in water within a water hazard. Any strokes made at a wrong ball that is moving in water within a water hazard do not count in the player’s score.

Christmas

at the Club

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. For the rules enthusiasts within the Club here’s a possible scenario that could cause confusion if a competitor plays a wrong ball and loses it and the wrong ball may have belonged to a fellow competitor. Scenario: In stroke play Rhys and Barney drive into the same area in the rough. Barney finds a ball and hits it into the middle of a deep water hazard. Rhys finds a ball that turns out to be Barney’s ball. No other ball is found in the area, so presumably Barney played Rhys’ ball. Barney incurs a penalty of two strokes under Rule 15-3b and must play his own ball. What is the proper procedure for Rhys? Answer: As it was virtually certain that Barney played Rhys’ ball, Rhys must place another ball at the spot from which Barney played the wrong ball, without penalty – Rule 15-3b.


21

Golf Director’s Report Dear Members,

The Omega Dubai Ladies Masters was once again a successful event with Shanshan Feng winning her second title in three years over our Majlis course. Thank you to all members who supported the event, whether as a spectator a marshal, scorer or caddy. This year has flown by and with 2015 around the corner we look forward to a busy season of events on the members’ calendar so please also support these events and remember to sign up for the matchplay challenge on Friday 9th January, Asia versus Rest of the World. Although the 25th anniversary of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic only seems like yesterday, we will be hosting the 26th edition from 29th January – 1st February. Stephen Gallacher will be looking for a hat-trick of victories over an excellent field including Ryder Cup team-mates McIlroy,

Caddies Please note Ummer (Golf Operations Supervisor) along with Jega (Cart Supervisor) will always try their very best to secure caddies to enhance your enjoyment of the Majlis course. Please can I ask you give them your utmost support; there are occasions when they struggle to accommodate all requests. The caddies consist of EGC colleagues when OFF DUTY, plus experienced caddies from other courses in the area. On busy weekends my team can handle up to 60 requests as well as their other responsibilities. Thank you for your support.

Security Breach In my nine years at Emirates Golf Club it pains me to say that we have unfortunately had our first serious security breach. Last month, from 22nd December onwards, it became clear that valuables were being taken from golf bags on the golf course. Please be extra careful with your property, use the lockers provided and refrain from

taking excessive amounts of cash onto the course. We specifically have an issue by the 14th green of The Faldo course. Thieves are targeting unattended golf carts. Investigations are ongoing and we hope to catch the perpetrators. If you witness anything suspicious please report to the management.

Club News

I hope you had an enjoyable festive period; it was great to see the golf courses so busy and thank you to all who supported the Christmas Scramble Tournament on 20th December. The tournament itself attracted 116 entries and the raffle raised over AED 50,000 for our junior colleagues. For all those who donated prizes and bought raffle tickets it is very much appreciated.

Kaymer, Stenson, Garcia and McDowell. Please note the Majlis course closes from Sunday 18th January.

Two-Tee start As stated in my response to the members’ questionnaire survey, we will be providing more options to our members in terms of start time prior to a 13.00 tournament. In the past a 13.00 shotgun start has been preceded by an 08.00 shotgun. This offers little flexibility to members for a game in the morning and it is also more enjoyable to commence your round from the 1st or 10th tee. On the dates below please look out for a morning two-tee (1st and 10th) start:

15th February 22nd February 24th February 26th February I wish you all a prosperous 2015 and remember above all to enjoy your golf! Best Wishes Barney Coleman

Hold the club, don’t grip it, to create a rhythmical smooth swing Attempt the shots you know you can play, not the impossible Practice makes perfect only if you are practicing the right things. Don’t groove faults Putting amounts to 40% of your score. Devote 40% of your practice time to it Your legs are the foundation to your swing. Ensure you are balanced on every shot Never leave your putts short – never up, never in Erratic with your driver? Use a 3-wood on the shorter, tighter holes, to keep the ball in play. Windy conditions often spoil your rhythm? Swing slower in the wind when it’s breezy, hit it easy.

Yell for help when your swing goes off – book a lesson with one of the pros Endeavour to concentrate on every shot and forget what has just gone Arrive in plenty of time before your round to warm up properly Rules are there to save you strokes, not always to penalise you. Learn them thoroughly www.dubaigolf.com


e l o H h t 19IPPETS SN

L-R professional David Howell, Des Smith and David Carter with EGC member Petr Dedek

Louis Oosthuizen enjoyed a round on the Majlis with Past Captain Dick Purchase and Vice-Captain Johnny Aldridge

Ed Bain making sure he gets his ‘greens’ for the day!

Ex-Liverpool player, Steve Finnan who played the Majlis with his friend and member Jason Brown and Head Professional Stephen Dean

EGC ladies with Charley Hull

Club members, President (of Tartarstan) Rustam Minnikhanov and Ivan Michailovich Egorov enjoyed the first game of 2015 on the Majlis course with Head Professional Stephen Deane. What a difference an ‘e’ makes!

15th December Quiz Night Congratulations to winning team, Ebeaezer Who

1st December Quiz Night Congratulations to winning team, Chesterfield

22nd December Well done to Alex Taylor who was the winner of the Bingo night, taking home a voucher for AED.

A beautiful winter’s morning at EGC

Cheyenne Woods thanking her scorer, Harry Sheedy after completing her round at the ODLM


Spot awards winners from Dubai Golf Publishing L-r: Dubai Golf CEO Chris May, Anoop, Eugene, Ibrahim, Ajith and IHP Manager Ganesan Mangathil 29th December Quiz Night Congratulations to the Norfolk Chance Team who won a AED 400 voucher each in the Quiz night. and runners up BK Whoppers, who also took home vouchers worth AED 300 as well as Tea Leaves who placed third

HOLE IN ONE

Ross Barry Majlis 11th 29th December 2014

Moshe Kohli with Klara Spilkova at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters Thank you to Latheesh Nair from IHP for this great photo

Nitin Kripalani Majlis 4th November 2014

AWARDS

Sue Hopwood Faldo 2nd November 2014

W

hat a great year it has been for Emirates Golf Club! We are proud to have won ‘Efficient Use of Resources’ at this year’s International Association of Golf Tour Operator (IAGTO) Awards, ‘Best Sports & Recreation Facility’ in the Sports Industry Awards, ‘Favourite Sports & Outdoor’ in the What’s On Awards, ‘Golf Marketing Team of the Year’ in the 2014 MEGAs (Middle East Golf Awards) and ‘Fitness Manager of the Year’ for Andy Meech, Head of Sports & Leisure. This has been a great achievement for us and we are looking forward to next year! Congratulations to all of the team at Emirates Golf Club and thanks to all our supporters! Congratulations also to Michael Harradine who was won an award for Best Male Amateur Player of the Year


ie m o n o r t s a ’art de la g ating

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C’est La Vie at Le Classique

Gastronomique French Friday Brunch at Le Classique Join us on Fridays between 12.30pm and 4pm for an afternoon of traditional French fare, live music and entertainment for the whole family in the stunning surrounds of Emirates Golf Club. Our gastronomique brunch offers sharing style starters, an array of delicious á la carte main courses, delightful desserts and a formidable fromage counter. Food and soft beverages AED 150 per member, AED 165 per member’s guest, AED 180 per guest Food and selected grape beverages AED 280 per member, AED 295 per member’s guest, AED 310 per guest Food and selected grape and house beverages AED 330 per member, AED 350 per member’s guest, AED 365 per guest AED 55 for children between 6 and 12 years Children below 5 dine for free For reservations please contact Le Classique at Emirates Golf Club on +971 4 417 9999, email emiratesdining@dubaigolf.com or visit www.dubaigolf.com


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