Editor: Jacqui Barry barrydxb@eim.ae
DECEMBER
2015
ISSUE 54
2
I
Editorial
’m sure many of you were at the DP World Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates recently or otherwise watched it in the comfort of your homes; wherever you watched it, it was certainly a thrilling final day with Rory McIlroy and Andy Sullivan battling it out. Andy Sullivan was certainly impressive and smiling the whole week “Before I turned professional, I worked at Asda,” he said. “This is my dream, what I’ve always wanted to do. If I can’t enjoy it then I’d best go and do something else – go back to stacking shelves in a supermarket.”.He was supported by his group of friends, parents, relatives, thirty of them in total ,who travelled to support him.
Emirates Golf Club Senior Management
Christopher May
Andrew Whitelaw
Chief Executive Officer cmay@dubaigolf.com
General Manager awhitelaw@dubaigolf.com
Craig Haldane
Chef Nicholas Cuomo
What a fantastic finish with Rory McIlroy ending up winning the DP World Tour Championship and The Race to Dubai; it was an excellent set up at Jumeirah Golf Estates, great atmosphere and an exciting finishing to add to it. With Christmas approaching there are many events taking place at Emirates Golf Club so check it all out on our website www.dubaigolf.com and log in to the Member Zone.
Executive Chef ncuomo@dubaigolf.com
Director - Golf Course Maintenance chaldane@dubaigolf.com
The Majlis is in fantastic condition as we head toward the Ladies Masters. Welcome to all players travelling to Dubai for this, the last event of the Ladies European Tour season. Enjoy the Club, the course, the tournament and all that Dubai has to offer. Defending champion Shanshan Feng will be looking to move into the record books when she competes this year. A figurehead for golf in her native China, Feng has put herself within touching distance of securing an unprecedented third title after delivering a masterpiece in 2014 which saw her stroll to an emphatic five shot win to join legendary Annika Sorenstam as the only two-time winners of the event in Dubai. Feng will be joined by Dame Laura Davies, social media sensation Paige Spiranac, Pornanong Phatlum, the 2013 winner, and rising star Charley Hull among other big names in a strong 108 player field. Good luck to all players.
Barney Coleman
Director of Golf bcoleman@dubaigolf.com
Ganesh Mangathil
Of late there seem to be many bunkers left unraked.. Please do your part in raking bunkers, repairing pitch marks and filling in divots. If you have a moment and if there isn’t another group of golfers behind waiting for you to clear the green, fix one or two other ball marks on the greens too.
In House 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 Martin Drugan
Food and Beverage Manager mdrugan@dubaigolf.com
CONDOLENCES Management, staff and members at Emirates Golf Club send their condolences to the family of past member, Maureen Foley who passed away peacefully at home in Frisco, Texas (outside of Dallas, TX) on Friday 27th November 2015, after an illness. Maureen and her husband Tom were members of Emirates Golf Club for a number of years but they returned to USA ten years ago, Maureen played golf regularly with the ladies at EGC, socially and in competitions. She was also a keen tennis player and took part in many of the events at the Club. In addition to her sport, Maureen devoted most of her spare time to volunteering at the Port of Jebel Ali with the USO (an international group which provides services to US military men and women away from home).
Stephen Deane
Head Academy Professional sdeane@dubaigolf.com
Sincere condolences to EGC founder member Pahri Bahri whose wife Kismet passed away recently.
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 23,991 likes. Follow us on Twitter @emiratesgc and Instagram @emiratesgc
Firstly, happy UAE National Day.
Omega Dubai Ladies Masters is upon us and on behalf of our Club members and management, I would like to wish ‘golf in Dubai’ a successful tournament. Christmas and New Year are fast approaching and I would like to
The management has laid on a mouth-watering sequence of events to celebrate Christmas and New Year. Let’s all participate to make it a grand success.
Wishing everyone happy golfing.
The golf course is in immaculate condition and it is up to us, as members, to keep it that way so
COMPETITION RESULTS
as usual I am taking this opportunity to request our membership to set the prime example by repairing pitch marks on the greens, raking bunkers and filling in divots with the sand provided.
3 Captain’s Message
It has been a very busy November and planned activities for December will hopefully lead us to a joyful month of celebrations for all our members.
wish our members, management and all the hardworking Club colleagues a Merry Christmas and healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.
Walid Al Attar Club Captain 2015-2016
A DIVISION (handicaps 0-10) WINNER:
Sushant Malik
73
MASHREQ MEDAL
RUNNER UP:
Nigel Thompson
74
in association with BMW & Ascots & Chapels Friday 13th November 2015
THIRD:
Tej Chhabra
74
BEST GROSS: Tanishq Lalvani
78
OVERALL BEST NET:
I
Ishu Rupani
72
B DIVISION (handicaps 11-20)
shu Rupani took full advantage of his early morning start to claim victory in the November Mashreq Medal. He battled hard on a breezy day to post a level par net 72 to secure a one shot overall victory and the B Division honours. In A Division (handicaps 0-10) the winner, with a one over par net 73 was Sushant Malik. Following a card count-back, Nigel Thompson secured second place with a two over par net 74 and in third place,on the same score, was Tej Chhabra. The best gross score of the day was won by Tanishq Lalvani with a six over par 78. In B Division (handicaps 1120) Ishu Rupani was victorious again thanks to his level par net 72. Ed Hesson secured second place with a one over par net 73. In third place with a three over par net 75 was Dileep Kumar.
WINNER:
Ishu Rupani
72
RUNNER UP:
Ed Hesson
73
THIRD:
Dileep Kumar
75
C DIVISION (handicaps 21-28) WINNER:
Steinar Bratland
77
Steinar Bratland was the winner of C Division (handicaps 21-28) with a net 77. Emirates Golf Club would like to thank sponsors Mashreq Bank for their continued support along with BMW. We would also like to welcome on board our new sponsors for the remainder of the season, Ascots & Chapels who will kindly donate prize vouchers for our Medal winners.
CLUBHOUSE TROPHY
Winner
Mohamed Pirmohamed
27Th November 2015
Runner Up
Andrew Robinson
38 Points 37 Points
Third
Rohit Gupta
36 Points
A Division (Handicaps 0-14) Winner
Bipin Bhatia
35 Points
Runner Up
Imran Qayyum
35 Points
B Division (Handicaps 15-24) Winner
James Baxter
35 Points
Runner Up
Priyam Godiwala
33 Points
4 Competition Results
Pros/Scratch League Team V Dog Fight Group At Egc
I
t was a great day on the Majlis Course last month as the Pros/Scratch league team took on the Club’s Dog Fight group! The match was heavily contested with the Pros/Scratch league team scraping a narrow victory 6.5 points to 6! The fun day followed with TrackMan, food and drinks on the Academy driving range. Well done to everyone involved and we are looking forward to the next event!
SCRATCH LEAGUE Congratulations to Emirates Golf Club Team on their convincing 4-0 home win against Sharjah Wanderers. Mark and Paul Donovan - won 7&6 against Mr Higson & Mr Flowers Ewan Cameron and Mathew Baxter won 5&3 against Mr Driver and Mr Tennant Ed Hesson and Peter Dedek won 6&4 against Mr Cameron and Mr Summerson Kouroche Achtari and Bradley Mogire won 9&7 against Mr Measav and Mr Morgan
MIXED COMPETITIONS RESULTS
OLD MUTUAL INTERNATIONAL CRICKETERS INVITATIONAL Billings Captains Team to Victory in Old Mutual International Cricket Invitational
Brendan Dolan (Old Mutual International), Eoin Morgan (England One Day Captain) and Walid Al Attar (Emirates GC Captain)
Brendan Dolan (Old Mutual International), Marcus Wallman, Ashley Anderson, Tony Azoulay, Sam Billings and Walid Al Attar
T
he Professional Cricketers Association and Emirates Golf Club members competed in the Old Mutual International Cricket Invitational over the Faldo course. The Nick Faldo designed course staged 18 teams in a Texas Scramble format with each fourball being joined by a professional cricketer past or present. Sam Billings captained his team to victory with Emirates Golf Club members Marcus Wallman, Tony Azoulay and Ashley Anderson who combined perfectly to fire a 14-under par tally of 58. The England Management were represented in the runnersup team with Trevor Bayliss, James Jackson, Chris Jones and Euan McIntosh also recording a 14-under par total but finishing second after
a card count-back. On a day of low scoring three teams carded rounds of 59 but it was the fourball of Emirates Golf Club Captain Walid Al Attar, Anish Malattiri, Rakesh Shah and bowling coach Ottis Gibson who took third place following a better back nine. Also in the prizes were Marcus Wallman, Anish Malattiri, Qamar Rasheed and Euan McIntosh for their accuracy on the nearest the pin prize holes with England fast bowler Chris Woakes clinching the longest drive on the 16th. The day was sponsored by Old Mutual International, and they entertained a star studded audience, including Sir Ian Botham, with a fantastic gourmet buffet in Le Classique restaurant as well as excellent prizes for the top performers. Also in the starting field from the media was legendary commentator David Lloyd along with Vic Marks and Jonathan Trott. The England One-Day team were represented by the following players and management;- Eoin Morgan, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Jason Roy, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Trevor Bayliss, Paul Collingwood, Phil Neale, Ottis Gibson and Charles Dagnall.
PRO-AM
Saturday 7th November 2015 WINNERS
Noemy Bertuol, Luiz Bertuol
46 Points
RUNNER UP
Qamar Rasheed, Rajinder Razdan
42 Points
THIRD
Ghanshyam Manghnani,
Arjun Manghnani
NEAREST THE PIN HOLE # 2
Arjun Manghnani
HOLE # 12
Anand Lakhiani
HOLE# 8
Sameer Joshi
NEAREST THE PIN IN TWO HOLE # 4
Kuttan Malattiri
NEAREST THE PIN IN THREE HOLE #16
Rajinder Razdan
LONGEST DRIVE (MEN) HOLE # 10
Arjun Manghnani
42 Points
5 Competition Results
T
he Faldo course was host to last month’s successful Members’ Pro Am. The field consisted of 12 PGA Professionals and 36 amateur members. The spoils were awarded to Head Professional Stephen Deane and his tremendous team of Club Vice Captains Vipen Sethi and Maura Duggan alongside Lionel Smith. The team compiled a fantastic score of 18 under par with a nine shot winning margin over Academy Professional Bryan Smyth and his amateur playing partners Natali Gupta, Kabir Kenalramani and Kuttan Malattiri.
Daman Investments International Pairs Qualifying Event
in’s Lady Capta Message
6
A
s I write this message I am sitting in Delhi rather than Dubai, following the sudden passing away of my mother-in-law. Bereavement is always hard and the loss of a mother is particularly tough. It is at such times that the the downside of being an expat really comes to the forefront of your thoughts, namely the distance from family and regrets for time not spent together. Having said that, you also realise what a wonderful and supportive expat ‘family’ you have gathered around you over the years. The messages of condolences that we have received have been very touching and comforting. Many thanks to Maura for stepping in as hostess for the Inter-Club and also for the latest Monday competition. Well done ladies for securing a win at the Inter-Club
LADIES COMPETITION RESULTS
placing Emirates Golf Club in the top position of the league table. Thanks also to Josie Tracey for replacing me in the team after a last minute call. The next matches will take place in the New Year. It has been great to see so many ladies coming to play in the tournaments every Monday but there is always space and a warm welcome for new faces. The competitions are open to all lady members regardless of handicap. The Monthly Medal is separated into divisions, so you will be playing with other ladies of a similar handicap. We also have competitions that are as much about having fun as playing golf. Check out the tournament calendar online, or feel free to contact myself or Maura for more information. I hope that many of you managed to watch some of the
exciting finish to the Race to Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Congratulations to Rory on another great win and we hope to see him back in action at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in February. Meanwhile, let’s not forget about the ladies on the European Tour who are arriving in town ready for the Dubai Ladies Masters next week. The lady golfers don’t get the same hype and attention as the men, but this is still a fabulous opportunity for us all to see some talented professionals at close quarters. Please come along and show your support for this event. I hope to see you there Helen Srivastava Lady Captain 2015-2016
SILVER A DIVISION (Handicaps 0 – 14) Winner:
Maria Victoria Arias
BIG BRANDS LADIES MONTHLY MEDAL
Runner Up:
Monday 2nd November 2015
Winner:
Thea Hendrickx
Runner Up:
Sue Hopwood
T
he ladies competed in the Big Brands November Medal on the Faldo course last month. There was some great scoring with all winners receiving vouchers up to the value of AED 500 to be redeemed at various Big Brands outlets across Dubai. In Silver A Division (handicaps 0-14) Maria Victoria Arias claimed first place with a fantastic seven under par net 65 winning by seven strokes over runner-up Viv Caley who scored a respectable level par net 72. Mimi Hosking claimed the prize for best gross after signing for a 78. Silver B Division (handicaps 15-23) was also won with a fantastic score of 6 under par net 66 by Thea Hendrickx. The runner-up after a count-back of the last six holes was Sue Hopwood, who posted a one under par net 71. The winner of Bronze Division (handicaps 24-42) with a net 74 was Kiyono Taniuchi. At each Monthly Medal the ladies are entered into a raffle courtesy of new sponsors Big Brands and last month’s lucky winner was Jo Docherty.
Best Gross :
65 Net
Viv Caley
72 Net
Mimi Hosking
78
SILVER B DIVISION (Handicaps 15 –23)
66 Net 71 Net
BRONZE DIVISION (Handicaps 24 –42) Winner:
Kiyono Taniuchi
74 Net
7
LADIES MODIFIED STABLEFORD COMPETITION Overall Winner
Thea Hendrickx
Competition Results
Monday 9th November 2015 82 Points
SILVER DIVISION (Handicaps 0 – 23) Winner
Mitsuko Emmerson
82 Points
Runner up
Maura Duggan
80 Points
BRONZE DIVISION (Handicaps 24 –42) Winner
Katrine Karlsson
74 Points
Runner up
Joumana Petridis
67 Points
HERITAGE TROPHY 16th & 23rd November 2015
'
BEGINNERS GROUP
T
Winner
Lynne Dickinson
37 + 34 = 71 Points
Second
Joumana Petridis
35 + 35 = 70 Points
Third
Helen Srivastava
31 + 38 = 69 Points
Best Round 1
Thea Hendrickx
39 Points
Best Round 2
Sue Hopwood
37 Points
by Maura Duggan
he Beginners’ Group Season Opener was on 13th October which was a Scramble played over 9 holes on the Faldo. Later that evening we met in Le Classique for the Gourmet Tuesday evening to kick-start the season in style. During October and November the ladies have played various team competitions, enjoyed two clinics with their favourite professional Jonathan Craddock and had a complimentary Thai Chi session with Torsten Kanzmeier who gave them lots to think about on and off the golf course! For our Christmas competition we are off to play the Par 3 at the Creek and some of the beginners are also joining the Monday Ladies Christmas Scramble and lunch. After overcoming nerves and with gentle encouragement a number of Helen’s beginners are already playing and winning in the Monday competitions which truly shows how important the Beginners’ Group is to help with the transition into the ladies section.
INTER-CLUB COMPETITION ROUND TWO by Maura Duggan
E
mirates Golf Club was the host club to teams from Jumeriah Golf Estates, Al Badia and Abu Dhabi City Golf Club on Wednesday 25th November. Coffee and muffins, provided by F&B, were a welcome treat! Emirates ladies made their home advantage count and took first place on an unusually rainy and windy day with JGE coming a close second. Congratulations to Sue Hopwood who was the individual runner-up and Carolyn Thompson who finished fourth and also took the longest drive prize. Special mention to reserve player Josie Tracey for taking my very early morning phone call and getting to the Club in time to tee off. EGC Abu Dhabi CGC JGE Al Badia
7 points 6 points 5 points 1 point
Missing from photo: Lynne Dickinson, Noemy Bertuol, and Josie Tracey
ees tw ite CloumbmN
8
LADIES HIGHS & LOWS COMPETITON Monday 30th November 2015
C
ongratulations to Anette Carstanjen, Carmel King and Carolyn Thompson for winning the Ladies Highs and Lows Stableford competition with a fantastic 84 points. This was a team event played over the Faldo course where the ladies combined the highest points scored and the lowest on each hole. However if a team member scored three points or more then the team were allowed to combine the two best scores for that hole. The runners up with 82 points were Viv Caley, Janine Dols and Moira Gowens.
WINNERS:
Annette Carstanjen Carmel King Carolyn Thompson
84 Points
RUNNERS UP
Viv Caley Janine Dols Moira Gowens
82 Points
Rohit Gupta
E
mirates Golf Club member, Rohit Gupta, received a last-minute request to step in to caddy for Indian star golfer Anirban Lahiri at the DP World Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates last month. Lahiri has enjoyed a stunning rookie season on The European Tour, winning his first two titles in the space of a fortnight at the Maybank Malaysian Open and the Hero Indian Open and was ranked 19th in the Race to Dubai final standings. However, his regular caddy Rajiv Sharma ran into visa issues, so Rohit was fortunate to have been asked at the last minute. “I got a call from the Club and immediately I said yes,” said Gupta. “It’s a bit overwhelming but it’s been really good. I had to skip work for two days which was no problem. It’s been a great experience. “I knew of Anirban obviously – he’s India’s biggest and brightest shining golf star at the moment but I’d never met him,” said the two-handicapper. “The players are so relaxed out there. You’d think they would be pumping themselves up and trying to ‘beat’ the ball into the hole but they’re very relaxed.” “It’s been a lot of fun,” Lahiri said. “Obviously I miss having my regular caddy Rajiv on the bag – that goes without saying but having said that, I don’t think I’m a very demanding guy on the course and Rohit has been fantastic. He’s had a great attitude on the golf course and it’s been fun. I’ve enjoyed all the time we’ve spent together on the golf course this week and I’ve made a new friend.”
9 Teipe st CoPmrmoit
PRO’S TIP
with GOLF Professional Mark Bruce
Ladies Golf - the Power Game In Dubai all courses are of championship standard and playing the courses can sometimes seem very long. Follow these simple steps to increase your power and hit the ball further than ever.
The Grip
Grip
BODY TURN AND WIDTH
From my experience most lady golfers I have taught have a neutral or weak left hand (right handed golfer) which limits the leverage during the backswing and what we call the release through impact. Many ladies on the PGA tour adopt a strong left hand position turning the left hand a little to the right to reveal three knuckles when looking down from posture. This will increase your swing speed and you will hit the ball with more power for increased distance.
STANCE
The Stance
ARM EXTENSION AFTER IMPACT
When using your longer clubs you want to create more power and remain in balance throughout your swing. Try to increase the width of your stance so the feet sit wider than your shoulders; this will help stabilise the legs and create more power from the ground up into your body.
The Swing Part 1 - your body is your engine and your arms are the steering wheel, so just like a car use your engine to create power. Ladies I teach tend to swing the club up and down with the arms and never really get the body turning; try to swing the club more around the body on a flatter plane line and this increased rotation of the shoulders turning against your legs will create what we call the X-factor stretch to maximise your power. Part 2 - power in the golf swing is created by the width of your swing as it has further to travel equalling greater clubhead speeds. Next time you practise/play try to keep your arms (left) at full stretch and the club as far away from your centre (sternum) as your can.
The Finish All top ladies you see on TV have a fabulous drive with the legs through the ball and all finish in balance with the club positioned behind them and the body facing the target. Try to accelerate your club through impact and don’t slow down coming to hit the ball. The club should be travelling at its top speed a foot after we make contact so try from the top of your backswing to start the downswing into the ball by turning the legs and hips towards the target, extending your arms after the strike and completing the body turn to a balanced pose. Enjoy and happy big hitting!!
FOLLOW THROUGH
Academy
10
SPOTLIGHT ON
CONNOR FORBES
M
y name is Connor Forbes and I am 17 years of age. I was born in Aberdeen, Scotland and attended Robert Gordon’s College until I was 16. I left in my second last year of school because I was attracted to the opportunities that were presented to me by my father who had moved across to Dubai the previous year. I had passed all my exams at school so I could have finished my final year in Dubai but I decided against that and thought I would move out here and experience what all the hype was about. During my time at school I played a lot of sports and I represented my school in rugby, football and golf - all of which were played at very competitive levels. Although I had a lot of success playing rugby and football, my biggest achievements derived from golf. I won the Scottish Schools Championship and I was part of the winning Pennant Team for Aberdeen in 2014; of the two Junior Club Championships I played in I was runner-up to Michael Lawrie, the son of the 1999 Open Championship winner Paul Lawrie; however, that didn’t phase me as I came back the next year and won comfortably. Golf has always been my passion; when I was seven years of age, my grandfather first took me out to his local course and showed me the basics but unfortunately I never started taking it seriously until three years ago (a year of which I was out of action due to a broken arm and ankle which ended my football and rugby careers swiftly as the risk of injury was too high as it would affect my golf). I am solely focused on golf now. I have settled nicely in Dubai, having only been here for four months but it feels like a home away from home. I am currently doing an ACCA with PWC, as a profession is a good fall-back just in case I’m not cut out for life on tour, but I’m staying positive. I’m sure my time at Emirates Golf Club will prove to make a real golfer out of me yet. If I’m not studying or attending lectures, I’m on the golf course so feel free to stop and speak to me anytime and if you fancy a game I’m always around. I would like to say a big thank you to Alastair and Fiona Munro, long term residents of Dubai and members at Emirates Golf Club; they have been extremely helpful to my father and me and Fiona was responsible for introducing me to the pros at The Academy and to other juniors which I very much appreciated.
Junior Golf Pr
Some of our youngest memb Junior Golf Programme at th
Programme
bers of the Dubai Golf heir weekly session
JUNIOR OPEN
11 Academy
Supported by
Saturday 14th November 2015 BOYS’ CHAMPION
Rayhan Thomas
GROSS 71
GIRLS CHAMPION
Alison Muirhead
GROSS 76
RUNNER UP
Joseph Griffin
GROSS 74
THIRD
Hoshi Yadav
GROSS 75
DIVISION A BOYS (handicaps 0-14) BEST NET
Hrithik Khurana
NET 72
DIVISION B BOYS (handicaps 15-28) BEST NET
Mark Baxter
NET 70
GIRLS’ DIVISION (handicaps 0 - 36) BEST NET
Lucie Hondareyte
NET 63
Academy
12
Junior
Development
programme
H
ave you ever been to the Faldo practice facilities on a Friday? I ventured over there last week to see what the Dubai Golf Junior Programme was all about. There are approximately 300 registered players from complete beginners to the more advanced and the level of coaching they receive from our Club pros is second to none. The juniors are put through various practice drills, each week concentrating on different aspects of the game and, in addition, they get some time for golf on the Par 3 course. All the pros showed true interest and passion in the juniors’ games as well as having a great sense of humour. I could see from the kids that they thoroughly enjoyed the sessions as did I when watching them. The Dubai Golf Junior Programme was created for youngsters between the ages of 11 and 17 and it allows them to progress through different levels as they become more experienced golfers. As they move through the various stages of development the Golf Professionals will have a greater focus on the physical, etiquette, rules and on-course performance areas of the game. Their goal is to provide children with the facilities, skill sets and knowledge required to reach their full potential Each child receives a Junior Passbook containing all levels of development with physical and technical challenges for each level. Classes are limited to a maximum of seven children per instructor and over 15 weeks each child will spend 50 minutes per week with one of the pros, As well as the passbook each child receives a Junior Programme shirt and a level coloured hat.
BLUE LEVEL
The pros teach us really well but we also have a lot of fun
KHAREEN AT THE ACADEMY
ming I LOVE co ay golf to my Frid session!
I love all the drills we do It’s so much fun FRED AT THE ACADEMY
JUNIOR HOLE IN ONE HALLOWEEN FUN
13
I really want to move up to the next level quickly until I get to the top Black Level
PURPLE LEVEL
YOHAN AT THE ACADEMY
GEHAN AT THE ACADEMY
I’ve improved a lot
I feel I am improving each week
MARLON AT THE ACADEMY
It’s my favourite time of the week
Academy
I’m working hard as I want to beat my dad on the par 3 course
I’ve learned so much in a fe w weeks
YELLOW LEVEL
Hole in One Well done to Khaled Khalifa Al Mubarak who scored a Hole-inOne on the Par 3 course hole 7 last month during a Friday session with Blue Level.
Club News
14 UPDATE FROM THE GOLF OFFICE Dear Member Congratulations this month to Rayhan Thomas for winning the Emirates Junior Open, Lynne Dickinson for triumphing in the Heritage Trophy
and Mohamed Pirmohamed for clinching the Clubhouse Trophy.
feedback to the membership so future sponsored events can be well attended.
Another highlight of the month was the Old Mutual International Cricket Invitational; thank you to those members who supported and played. I hope you enjoyed competing with an England Cricket star and it was great to hear such positive feedback following the event. Please be encouraged to spread the
Caddies Last month the Caddie procedure was mentioned as below. Apologies for not meeting all requests but I can guarantee that Ummer and Jega do their very best to meet all members demands for caddies. I know they receive texts in the early hours of the morning (even 2:30am!) for a caddy the following day so cooperation and understanding is much appreciated. The majority of caddies at Emirates Golf Club are members of the operations team (including Golf Operations, Golf Course Maintenance and Food/Beverage). The demands of the operation dictate that their day job comes first, therefore it is not possible for us to always organise and guarantee caddies. The Caddie Master is our Golf Operations supervisor Ummer. Requests for caddies can be made on the following numbers at the said times; however, please note we cannot always guarantee a caddie for your game but will try our best to meet the demand - at least 24 hours notice is also required. Ummer – 0506768148 (Please call Thursday – Monday, 8.00am6.00pm) Jega – 0505786800 – (Please call Tuesday & Wednesday 8.00am4.00pm)
15
RULES BY RHYS
In addition to the rule book, there is a 600 page long decisions book which covers almost every rule incident on record by the R&A. Below are three examples of what can be found within the decisions book.
2. In stroke play, a competitor, in replacing his ball on the putting green, inadvertently put the ball in a wrong place nearby and holed out. The error was then discovered and the competitor put his ball in the right place and holed out. What is the ruling?
1. A player’s ball is believed to be in a bunker covered by leaves. The player probes for the ball with a club which touches the ground in the bunker. What is the ruling? There is no penalty. Rule 12-1 permits a player to touch or move loose impediments in a hazard in order to find
Provided that the competitor had not committed a serious breach, the score with the ball played from the wrong place counts and the competitor must add two penalty strokes to that score (Rule 16-1b or 20-3a and 20-7c). The competitor incurs no penalty for having putted from the right place after holing out from the wrong place. (Revised) 3. In a hazard, a player’s ball lies against a movable obstruction. A loose impediment
Rules
From the Decisions Book...
a ball. A player is also permitted to touch the ground in the hazard while probing in the loose impediments with a club for the purpose of finding the ball. Such permission overrides any prohibitions in Rule 13-4. (Revised)
lies on top of the obstruction in such a position that the player cannot remove the obstruction without also moving the loose impediment. The player is entitled to move the movable obstruction under Rule 24-1 but is not entitled to move the loose impediment under Rule 23. What is the procedure?
The player may remove the obstruction as authorized by Rule 24-1. As the loose impediment will be moved in the process, in equity (Rule 1-4), the player incurs no penalty and must place the loose impediment as near as possible to the spot where it originally lay. If the player fails to place the loose impediment as required, in equity (Rule 1-4) and in view of the purpose of Rule 13-4, he would lose the hole in match play or incur a penalty of two strokes in stroke play.
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.
COMPLIMENTARY CLINIC with holly aitchinson and hanna burke Thank you to Holly Aitchinson and Hannah Burke, Ladies European Tour players for a wonderful instructional clinic last month, exclusive to Emirates Golf Club Lady Members. Many thanks to both ladies and we look forward to welcoming them back to Emirates Golf Club for the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters from 9th to 12th December!
16
Dear Members,
W
Fit Lab
ith the festive season upon us it’s fantastic to see so many of you burning the extra calories and preparing for Christmas. Looking ahead, Fit Lab has some exciting ideas to add more value for you so watch this space as we will have some interesting activities taking place in the New Year. The tennis season has been very active with great work being done by the Elite Tennis Academy thanks to Luis and his team who are doing an amazing job. The ladies’ social mornings on Mondays and Thursdays are going great; to any ladies wanting to participate, please come along to these fun sessions. Nikky Harradine our resident Squash Professional is as active as ever and is offering lessons for all ages and standards. We will be organising a Club Championship in the coming months so if you’re interested in joining the squash leagues to be involved in the Club Championship please put your name down as soon as possible. Nikky has started a bootcamp class for all fitness levels which is hugely popular so please come along. It is a great way to keep fit and get fantastic results. Bootcamp is very much a circuit-based class working every muscle in the body! Artistic Yoga did two complimentary Yoga for Golf classes last month which was very popular and went down very well with our members. As golfers are aware, it is so important to be fit for golf and most people will tell you the benefits of doing yoga is huge not just for golf but for a healthy lifestyle. We are looking at doing Yoga for Golf classes on the driving range outside and for those looking to sign up please contact one of the Fit Lab Team.
Internal Boxing lessons with Torsten Kanzmeier for Better Golf This special “boxing”coaching is for everyone who wants to be more powerful, balanced, and confident in golf. Boxing to improve Golf? Read what the Pros have experienced: Jonathan “I first approached Torsten for the mental aspect of performance coaching. He has such a wealth of knowledge that, through our short time together, he has been able to do just that using varied physical tools such as boxing. Feeling ready, powerful, balanced and confident are just a few of the by-products of our training. I have been training Muai Tai for three years. I have been very interested with regards to the power link along with the ground force reaction that’s is extremely similar in golf. I have already seen an improvement in my golf delivery. Having had the pleasure of working with Torsten, he has further increased my knowledge showing me how to effortlessly create power and use it very efficiently. From the first session I have been able to see a difference and I have been able create more speed in my golf swing. Torsten is a true professional and can adapt the session for any person. He made my sessions particularly physical as this was what I wanted. It has been a real fun journey so far which I will certainly be continuing.” Jonathan Craddock - PGA Professional Alastair Brown, “After my fourth boxing session with Torsten I was feeling stronger with the ball. I have the feeling I can move without having to try to move...I know it sounds silly...and I feel I put more pressure at the golf ball; even just standing, I feel much stronger and I stand straighter. The boxing also gave me much more awareness of my balance, and holding my position. This is also important for golf. I’m not throwing my balance around but I’m keeping myself balanced through the ball and I find it much simpler. Alistair Brown - PGA Senior Professional
Exercise of the month A pull-up is a compound, pull-type exercise which works a large number of muscles in your back, shoulders, and arms at the same time. This is a fantastic exercise for overall strength work. Recommended repetitions would be 3 x 10. Please see one of our Fit Lab instructors for further advice on this exercise. Healthy Regards Andy Meech
In my career in competitive golf I have been through a big variety of coaching. After getting more and more experienced I realised that the key to success in golf in all skill levels is the mental game. Since I met Torsten and decided to work with him my game has improved significantly. His diverse coaching techniques range from great ‘normal’ mind coaching to martial arts related stick work to boxing which has not only improved my golf but also my life. I’m very happy that he is part of my team. Aaron Leitmannstetter For more information contact Torsten Kanzmeier on 055 707 5421 or email Torstenkanzmeier@gmail.com To book a one-to-one boxing session contact reception at Fit Lab. Fee
one hour AED 350
10 X one hour AED 3,000
17 Fit Lab
TRIGGER POINT RELEASE FOR THE GOLFER by Reiss Adams, BSc Sports Therapist
T
SENSASIA URBAN SPA REVEALS ITS GORGEOUS CHRISTMAS GIFT OPTIONS, EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS AND FREE POP-UP SPAS
S
ensAsia Urban Spa’s spectacular Christmas gift vouchers are back by popular demand. The chic, festive vouchers and bespoke gift tags have become an annual tradition for the 11-year-old homegrown UAE brand.
SensAsia Christmas gift vouchers can be purchased against any of its unrivalled and award-winning facials, massages and body treatments, including latest launches – the winter-perfect, illuminating Elemis White Brightening facial and intense stretching SensSports massage for men. Vouchers bear a beautiful bow and tailored tag with the gift-giver’s choice of six cute Christmas messages, such as “Thank you... you’re spa-tacular”, “To the most super dooper spa-vellous mum” and “You made Santa’s nice list.” SensAsia has created incentives for spa ‘Santas’ too, and for every AED 400 spent on making somebody else’s festive season more serene. SensAsia will award the gift-giver a AED 100 voucher to spend on themselves. **Earlybirds catch the best spa-rgains, as SensAsia is offering a 20% discount on all Christmas gift vouchers purchased between November 16th and 24th, at any of its four decadent Dubai locations.** As well as tailored treatment vouchers, SensAsia has created the ultimate Christmas stocking filler. Guaranteed to delight friends and colleagues, ‘The Teaser’ is priced at AED 199 and includes a 20-minute back, neck and shoulder massage, 10-minute head massage and 10-minute Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta taster facial. There are also some incredible corporate Christmas gifting solutions available from SensAsia Urban Spa, that boast huge rewards for bulk buys. Companies (or individuals!) purchasing AED 10,000 of festive gift vouchers will receive a 10% discount, plus 35 SensAsia Oil Burners as an added employee treat. When AED 15,000 is spent, the discount goes up to 15% plus 35 SensAsia Oil Burners; a AED 25,000 total earns the gift-giver a free two-hour pop-up spa to treat the team to mini massages in their place of work.
rigger point therapy, or fascial release therapy, focuses on releasing muscular shortness and tightness. Many golfers seek trigger point treatment after losing flexibility or function following an injury or from neglecting flexibility and function training. We are all sometimes guilty of not stretching or doing any soft tissue release after sport which can lead to muscle tightness.
Ongoing back, shoulder or hip pain can be a symptom of tightness of the tissues which can restrict motion and can pull the body out of alignment, causing individuals to favour and overuse one side during sport. A sense of excessive pressure on the joints while replicating the golf swing due to the muscle imbalances can produce pain. If you have reduced range of motion or stiffness in the muscles, this could also be affecting your golf swing range of motion and movement patterns. Trigger point release is designed to combat these issues and has been proven to have outstanding results in reduced pain and increased range of motion and function at the joints. At Bespoke Wellness, Emirates Golf Club, our clinicians are trained in the use of trigger point therapy to help you move better to improve your golf swing. To find out more and learn how to improve your body movement through using the trigger point release kits, please contact us on +971 55 3724670 or visit us at the Emirates Golf Club, Fit Lab. Reiss Adams BSc Sports Therapist Bespoke wellness 0554060751 info@bespoke-wellness.com
EPER’S GREENKE CUTTINGS
18
Craig Haldane
Director Golf Course Maintenance Dubai Golf
Greenkeeper’s Cuttings
Well hello there....... Germination day!
First cut after overseeding
9 days progress
Straightening up those fairway lines look mint on the aerial shots, so much tidier..
The course just ahead of ODLM
Please help us to maintain the quality of our golf courses by repairing all pitch marks and divots.
19 Club News
A pitch mark only takes a few seconds to fix correctly however, a pitch mark repaired incorrectly takes over three weeks to heal.
Repairing those little depressions is very important. Equally important is doing it the right way. While many golfers fail to repair ball marks there are also many well-meaning golfers who do “repair” the pitch marks, only to do so incorrectly. A ball mark can cause the grass in the depression to die, leaving not just a scar but also a pit in the putting surface that can knock well-struck putts offline. Repairing a ball mark restores a smooth surface and helps keep the grass healthy. So, let us all start fixing our ball marks, and doing it the right way. If you have a moment – if there isn’t another group of golfers behind you waiting for you to clear the green – fix one or two other ball marks, too, if you find more of them on the green.
Unraked bunker
Hand raked bunker
DECEMBER DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Sunday 6th
Ladies Christmas Scramble
08.30
Faldo
9th - 12th December - Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, Majlis course Monday 14th
Ladies Medal
08.30
Faldo
Tuesday 15th
Colleague/Member Scramble
13.00
Faldo
Friday18th
Monthly Medal Championship
08.00 & 13.00
Majlis
Saturday
19th Mixed Christmas Scramble
13.00
Faldo
Monday 21st
Ladies Competition
08.30
Faldo
Club News
20 UAE National day CELEBRATION AT EGC
FRIDAY BRUNCH Every Friday from 12.30pm to 3.30pm enjoy a French themed brunch at Le Classique. This family friendly afternoon featuring live entertainment and delicious sharing platters followed by classic French main courses is simply unmissable! Happy hour is available from 3.30pm to 5.30pm.
M’s NEW MENU Have you tried the new menu at M’s restaurant yet which includes a delicious range of social bites perfect for sharing with friends and family? Don’t miss our special weekly themed nights at M’s. To find out more information contact 04 417 9999 or visit www.dubaigolf.com
21 Club News
Download the Dubai Golf Mobile App for free Stay connected and download the official Dubai Golf mobile app for free. Book a round of golf on one of our championship courses or dine in one of our favourite restaurants for a chance to win a host of exciting monthly prizes. The Dubai Golf mobile app allows users to stay connected by: Book tee times on all Dubai Golf courses Manage your player profile page View course guides and videos Make payments online protected by a secure channel Reserve a table at Dubai Golf restaurants Connect with Dubai Golf on social media
BIRDS OF THE EMIRATES by Akhil Menon IT Manager Golf Citizen
White-eared Bulbul
Scientific Name: Pycnonotus leucotis Shot: Dubai, Emirates Golf Club (Majlis Course) Date shot: March 2015 Wiki link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-eared_ bulbul Description:
Now available for download at:
#dubaigolfapp www.dubaigolf.com
CHEESE AND WINE EVENINGS AT EGC
We invite you to join us for an evening of wine and cheese on the first and last Thursday of the month. This special evening will feature a selection of reds and whites from around the globe, accompanied by a stunning cheese buffet for AED 190 person.
These tree-dwelling birds are plentiful in the Middle East and get their name from the white cheek patch as seen in the image. The back side, and the lengthy tail are brown and the underside is pale yellow. Both sexes have the same colour. The song consists of a beautiful four-piece whistle. The birds are usually seen in pairs or in small groups in scrub forests and are also found in flocks or pairs in the mangroves, gorging on the fruits of various trees such as the Miswak (scientific. salvadora persica, arak in Arabic). Their usual diet includes fruits and insects and the breeding season is around March–June. In some countries such as Iran, these birds are considered to be pests owing to their habit of foraging on dates in agricultural farm lands. At Emirates Golf Club these birds thrive and are active all year around on both the Faldo and the Majlis course with the availability of trees for shelter and water for drinking. However, they are seen most active as winter approaches and it stays that way until the heat returns around July. You are very likely to find them on shrubs and trees on your day at the course
e l o H h t 9 1 SNIPPETS Congratulations to In House Publishing Manager, Ganesh Mangathil and his lovely wife Bindu who will be celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary on 8th December!
We are proud to announce that the iconic Majlis Golf Course at Emirates Golf Club was officially recognised as the ‘Best Course in the Middle East’ at the recent ‘Asian Golf Monthly Awards 2015’, held at the award-winning Orchid Country Club in Singapore. This is the second time in five years that the Majlis course has been awarded this prestigious award at the coveted Asian Pacific Golf Summit. Having recently become the first club in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region to become GEO Certified, this accolade further confirms the Club’s position at the forefront of golf worldwide and being recognised as the best of the best in the golf industry in the Asia Pacific.
EGC members enjoying the superb golf at the DP World Championship, Jumeirah Golf Estates L-RAndy & Glynis Hendry, Carole-Ann & Malcolm Wood, Ian Walton, Tom Barry, Peter Jamieson
Thank you Ultratravel Middle East for recognising Emirates Golf Club as the Best Golf Course/Resort in the Middle East!
Rhys James with his Dad, brotherin-law and latest family addition Noa on their recent visit to the Club
Salvatore Purpura, hole-in-one on the Majlis 11th on 8th November
ENERGY AWARD
Emirates Golf Club is proud to have been awarded the Prestigious Emirates Energy Award in recognition of its achievement with Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) and advanced irrigation that have been implemented to safeguard the region’s most precious natural resource, water. We are delighted that our efforts and endeavours to protect the environment have been officially recognised with the prestigious Emirates Energy Award. The Award is given to organisations that have demonstrably proven processes and results in the areas of energy and resource management. Emirates Golf Club impressed the judges with resource-saving initiatives that include changing its course water supply to treated sewage effluent, transitioning its turf grass to a variety better suited to lower quality water and installing a state-of-the-art pump station. The latter innovation allows up to 6,500 gallons of treated sewage effluent water per minute to travel through the network, thereby significantly reducing watering time. Emirates Golf Club received its Emirates Energy Award on the back of becoming Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) Certified®, a distinction it attained in January this year. The club is the first and currently the only golf club in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to achieve the certification. GEO Certified® is golf’s internationally accredited ecolabel which is awarded based on the club demonstrating a commitment to continual improvement in six main areas of sustainability; water, nature, energy, supply chain, pollution control and community.
Moshe and son at the DP World Chapionship
Mike Forbes, hole-in-one on the Majlis 15th on 29th November
Congratulations to honorary member and Omega Dubai Desert Classic Champion Rory McIlroy on winning the DP World Tour Championship and The Race to Dubai! We look forward to welcoming him back to Emirates Golf Club for the 2016 Omega Dubai Desert Classic early next year to see if he will defend his title.
Congratulations to team Skippy has Norfolk & Chance who won the Spike Bar Quiz Night on 2nd November followed by teams Tequila Mocking Birds and Party Fears.
Congratulations to team Tea Leaves who took first place in the Spike Bar Quiz Night on 23rd November, followed by Party Fears and Norfolk N Chance who won some great vouchers from the Club!
425 lb Blue Marlin caught whilst in Mauritius utilising our Members’ Party prize at Paradis Hotel and Golf Club.
Chef Sudeep from EGC was appreciated at an Indian function held at Emirates
Central for his excellent preparation and presentation of Indian food. Congratulations Sudeep!
I would appreciate you conveying our thanks to the sponsors for an exceptional stay at their resort. The pictures show sport other than golf but in this case far more physically tiring! Another tick on the bucket list Best Regards, Tony and Chris Hutchinson
YOGA SESSION
Our members enjoyed two complimentary yoga sessions recently with Gurpreet from Bharat Thakur Artistic Yoga! The Academy and Fit Lab have combined forces with Bharat Thakur Artistic Yoga to let you experience the many fitness benefits of yoga for your golf, health and well-being including flexibility, mobility, stability, balance, muscular strength and endurance, internal strength and mental control.
Complimentary Tai Chi session with Torsten Kanzmeier
Past Lady Captain, Nancy Wingate was visiting Dubai from Malaysia last month and enjoyed golf and dinner with some of her friends at EGC
With the festive season fast approaching, Emirates Golf Club is proud to announce an exciting range of packages and events that are sure to brighten up this special time of year for you, your family and your friends. Whether you wish to enjoy an intimate Christmas gathering, welcome in the New Year in style, buy a seasonal gift or if you just need a helping hand in the kitchen, we guarantee a truly memorable festive experience at Emirates Golf Club. For more information please contact 04 417 9999, email emiratesdining@dubaigolf.com or visit www.dubaigolf.com
Welcome in the New Year in style at Emirates Golf Club this year! Celebrate in M’s, Le Classique or in the Spike Bar for a truly memorable New Year’s Eve!
Emirates Golf Club is happy to announce a range of festive experiences. Everything from an intimate festive gathering to welcoming the New Year in our impressive surroundings – even lending you a culinary hand at home, we guarantee festivities you’ll savour.
• Enjoy our festive family brunches at M’s restaurant • Indulge in an elegant seasonal celebration at Le Classique • Treat yourself to our award-winning culinary delights at home with our takeaway turkey and festive menu • Welcome 2016 in style with our spectacular New Year’s Eve packages For more information or to make a reservation, please contact +971 4 417 9999 or email: emiratesdining@dubaigolf.com, www.dubaigolf.com