Editor: Jacqui Barry barrydxb@eim.ae
june 2016
ISSUE 60
Editorial
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here did the slow build up to summer go? We seem to have gone from mild temperatures to vey hot overnight with temperatures reaching 46 degrees. This past week seems to have been kinder and we are back into the 30s…who knows what might be in store next week so enjoy your ‘good weather’ golf when you can!
Weather-wise, on the other end of the scale, I was at the Irish Open 18th-22nd May and a guest of Dubai Duty Free. If you watched it on TV, the weather would have had you thinking yourselves lucky that you were watching it in the comfort of your homes as we had a repeat of last year’s Irish Open weather at Royal County Down, albeit not as cold…rain, thunder, hailstones, sunshine, wind etc. However, it did not deter Rory McIlroy who played absolutely phenomenal shots into the 16th and 18th greens to win the tournament in style. It was The Rory Foundation, sponsored by Dubai Duty Free so an Irish win was the icing on the cake; Rory then donated all 660,000 Euros to his charities which was magnanimous of him and showed how much this meant to him. It was a superb week, despite the weather and this event looks like it will go from strength to strength, thanks to Dubai Duty Free’s sponsorship and involvement. All Club matchplays have now concluded and there were some very close matches indeed. Congratulations to all winners and commiserations to the runners-up. Full results are in this issue. Congratulations also to Lynne Dickinson who is the winner of this year’s Golfer of the Year congratulations Lynne on your consistent golf throughout the season. Although there will be one more issue of Club Life after this one..the summer issue…which sees us through to the beginning the new season at the end of September, I would like to thank all the contributors for their help throughout the season. I know I hassle you all for material and set you deadlines, but I really appreciate all your efforts, in particular, Club Captain, Walid Al Attar, Lady Captain, Helen Srivastava, GCM Superintendent Craig Haldane, Recreation Manager, Andy Meech, the Bespoke Wellness team, Sarah Walker, PR for SensAsia Spa, Academy Professional, Stephen Deane along with Professionals Jonathan Craddock, Mark Bruce, Alastair Brown, Dong Lee, Director of Golf Operations, Barney Coleman and Golf Services Manager Rhys James. Special thanks also to Dubai Golf Publishing, especially to Ganesh, Vinod and Eugene who are always so obliging and hard-working and who are often under pressure to do rush jobs,.
Emirates Golf Club Senior Management
Christopher May
Chief Executive Officer cmay@dubaigolf.com
Chef Nicholas Cuomo
Craig Haldane
Executive Chef ncuomo@dubaigolf.com
Director - Golf Course Maintenance chaldane@dubaigolf.com
Barney Coleman
Andy Meech
Director of Golf bcoleman@dubaigolf.com
Ganesh Mangathil
Dubai Golf Publishing Manager gmangathil@dubaigolf.com
Head of Sport and Leisure ameech@dubaigolf.com
Adele Cowgill
Head of Sales and Marketing acowgill@dubaigolf.com
Steen Simon
Food & Beverage Manager Development & Events Operation ssimon@dubaigolf.com
Saeed Ahamed
Financial Controller mahamed@dubaigolf.com
Finally, thanks you to everyone who takes the time to write to me with comments about Club Life - these are much appreciated. While you are travelling this summer, please take some photos of you and your families for the ‘Where were our Members this Summer’ feature. It’s always a fun and interesting feature in Club Life I think, so wherever you are, on or off the golf course, please forward your photos to jaxdubai@gmail.com (high resolution please!) Enjoy your summer if you’re travelling soon. If you’re staying in Dubai for some time, keep yourself hydrated on the golf course, slap on the sunscreen and drink plenty….of water!
Jacqui
Stephen Deane
Head Academy Professional sdeane@dubaigolf.com
EGC Key Telephone Numbers Main Switchboard Members Golf Reservations Membership Recreation Accounts SensAsia Urban Spa
Haridas Palliyalil
Resident Engineer hpalliyalil@dubaigolf.com
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 26,576 likes. Follow us on Twitter @emiratesgc and Instagram @emiratesgc
I would also like to congratulate all the winners of the Matchplay events and Omega for their kind sponsorship.
COMPETITION RESULTS BLACK TEE CHALLENGE Friday 6th & Saturday 7th May 2016
Jackson Wins Black Tee Challenge
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ongratulations to James Jackson (EGF), winner of the 2016 Emirates Golf Club Black Tee Challenge with scores of 75 on day one on the Faldo course followed by a 77 on the Majlis on day two - a thirty-six hole score of 152 to win by three strokes. The annual open event saw over 80 golfers taking part from the black tees of the Faldo and Majlis courses, a challenge of over 14,000 yards of golf over two days. The runner-up with scores of 80,75 for a 155 total was Pavic Barry (EGF). Also with a total score of 155 scoring 75,80 was the Emirates Golf Club Scratch Team Captain Rohit Gupta, Pavic and Rohit being separated by the better second day score. In fourth place with scores of 78,78 for a total of 156 was Chris Cornwall. In the net division Christian Klynge (EGC) was the winner with scores of 70, 71 for a three under par total of 141 closely followed by runner-up Alan McNamara (EGF) with two scores of 71 for a total of 142. In third place was Robert Darrah (EGF) with scores of 70,75 for a net total of 145. Day prizes were awarded for the best scores and the winner of the gross on day one of the Faldo course was Tom Luig (EGC) who scored a three over par 75. On day two the winner was Colin Fraser (Peebles GC) who scored a gross 76 on the Majlis course. The best net scores each day were won by Rajinder Razdan (EGC) in round one with a net 70 on the Faldo course. On day two the winner was Robert Underwood with a net score of 74.
Winner James Jackson with Director of Golf Barney Coleman
Obviously it is that time of the year when we are getting close to saying goodbye to the Captaincy and to welcoming both Vipen and Maura as our 2016/2017 Captains. I would like to thank our management and colleagues of our Club for their support in making the year of Captaincy so much fun and enjoyable for me. Also a very BIG thank you to all members for your support, encouragement and help throughout the Captaincy. Without members we have no club let alone a Captain.It has been a fantastic experience and a joy throughout.
I cannot sign off without wishing the best and all our kindest support to Vipen and Maura in their Captaincy - the Club Captaincy is in good hands. Last but not the least big thanks to Jacqui Barry for all her efforts in bringing life to our Club through the Club Life magazines - she has been extremely supportive. Thank you so much, Jacqui. Enjoy your golf and also your summer travels. Walid Al Attar Club Captain 2015-2016
Captain’s Message
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ummer is here with a vengeance so please keep drinking liquids to stay hydrated. On 28th May we had the final event of the season which was a Lady Captain v Captain Matchplay Team Challenge which was a great event enjoyed by all and even more so by the Captain’s team for winning the event. Thank you to all members who supported the Captains in making the event so much fun. We were all winners in the end.
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OMA Emirates Monthly Medal
Competition Results
In association with
Winner Manish Bakshi with Club Captain Walid Al Attar
Friday 20th May 2016
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anish Bakshi fired a superb five-under par net 67 to take the honours in the OMA Emirates Monthly Medal series at Emirates Golf Club which features a unique end-of-season Porsche shoot-out. Bakshi’s score saw him topping the B Division by three shots from Sekhar Reddy in the May Medal event, staged in association with Porsche Centre Dubai and Ascot and Chapels, with Craig Dunn another shot away in third. Christian Klynge edged to a slender victory in Division A, recording a two-under-par net 70 to edge out Joe Smith on a countback with Qamar Rasheed third after returning a 71. More than 70 players were in action on the Majlis course and Jan Hooftman topped C Division with a level par net 72 in an event which was part of the official Order of Merit to send 36 qualifiers into a Grand Final in January 2017.
Eleven-year-old Arjun Gupta produced a sparkling performance to win the best gross prize, recording a dazzling one-under par 71 containing 13 pars, three birdies and just two dropped shots. Emirates Golf Club qualifiers for the Grand Final will be joined by another 36 qualifiers from the Monthly Medal Series at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. Each of the Monthly Medal events features a Porsche Centre Dubai nearest-the-pin competition, and Allan Cross became the second winner at the weekend on the par 3 seventh hole. He will be one of eight qualifiers and eight other invited golfers forming two teams, led by celebrities, contesting the season-ending par-3 style Porsche Centre Dubai shootout on the Majlis course’s 18th hole.
A DIVISION (handicaps 0-10) Winner Runner Up Third Best Gross B DIVISION (handicaps 11-20) Winner Runner-up Third C DIVISION (handicaps 21-28) Winner Nearest the Pin # 7
Christian Klynge Joe Smith Qamar Rasheed Arjun Gupta
Net 70 Net 70 Net 71 Gross 71
Manish Bakshi Sekhar Reddy Craig Dunn
Net 67 Net 70 Net 71
Jan Hooftman Allan Cross
Net 72
As winners of their handicap divisions in the May Medal, Christian, Manish and Jan are now invited to play at Al Hamra Golf Club in September with a chance to win a place in the RAK 2016 Golf Challenge Pro-Am, a Challenge Tour Event being played at Al Hamra between 26th 29th October.
The May Medal division winners Klynge, Bakshi and Hooftman are now invited to play at Al Hamra Golf Club in September with a chance to win a place in the RAK 2016 Golf Challenge Pro-Am, a Challenge Tour Event being played at the course October 26th - 29th.
Dileep Kumar wins Tournament of Champions Friday 27th May 2016
Winner Dileep Kumar, Club Captain Walid Al Attar and Golf Services Manager Rhys James
Congratulations to Dileep Kumar who fired a superb net 67 to win the Men’s Emirates Tournament of Champions. The field consisted of only fifty players who have won a major event through the season and it was Dileep who came out on top over the Majlis course. The runner-up and the only other player who posted a sub seventy score was Robert Underwood with a net 69. A further two stokes adrift was Rajinder Razdan who carded a net 71 to finish in third place. The best gross prize was won by current Club Champion Ed Hesson who scored a one over par 73. Champion Runner-up Third Best Gross
Dileep Kumar Robert Underwood Rajinder Razdan Ed Hesson
Net 67 Net 69 Net 71 Gross 73
Before I hang up my green jacket, there are many people to thank for their help throughout the year. It goes without saying that Maura has been a star and a great friend. Chris May, Andrew Whitelaw and Barney Coleman have all been wonderfully supportive. Nishanthi, the Golf Office team and all our
golf reservations colleagues ensured that all our events ran smoothly. Thank you to Martin, Chef Nicholas, Chef Sri and the F&B team for our lovely lunches every week, along with Tess and colleagues in Le Classique who look after us every Monday; the girls in the locker room, Ummer and team, Craig and all the green keepers, Ganesh and the team at Dubai Golf Publishing; Jacqui Barry for our ladies’ Chipping In newsletter and Club Life magazine; Bryan for the Sunday golf clinics and, of course Rhys, who organised our Oman trip (and came with us too!), and without whom our Mondays just wouldn’t be the same! Indeed I would like to thank all colleagues at the Club for the great service and the happy, smiling faces we have around us all the time. Last but not least, I would like to thank you all for your amazing
LADIES’ COMPETITION RESULTS
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Ladies Stableford Monday 2nd May 2016 Overall Winner: Sabine Choudry 39 Points SILVER DIVISION (handicaps 0 – 18) Winner Viv Caley 38 Points Runner up Caroline Sabbagh 38 Points BRONZE DIVISION (handicaps 19 –42) Winner Josie Tracey 38 Points Runner up Sue Hopwood 36 Points
Ladies’ Sofitel May Medal
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support during this last year. I hope you realise what a fantastic group of ladies you all are. Our shared love of golf has brought together a wonderful mix of cultures, personalities and ages from which we all benefit. I don’t believe that there is any other golf club in the world that could rival our ladies’ section and I have been proud to be your Lady Captain this year.
in’s Lady Capta Message
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ith temperatures and humidity levels rising, it has been great to see so many ladies coming out to golf every week. We had a fantastic turnout of about 50 ladies for the final event of the season at the Tournament of Champions. Congratulations to our Lady Vice-Captain Maura for claiming the title - she will be starting her year as a Champion Captain and I’m sure that with Najla by her side, she will lead the Emirates Golf Club ladies’ section from strength to strength. Good luck ladies and I hope that you enjoy your captaincy as much as I have.
I wish you all a wonderful summer, wherever you may travel in the world, and I look forward to seeing you in September. would like to wish every success to our incoming Captains Maura and Vipen, and to incoming ViceCaptains Najla and Ivan. Helen Srivastava Lady Captain 2015-2016
Sponsored By
Monday 9th May 2016
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ongratulations to Naema Maya, Maura Duggan and Kiyono Taniuchi for winning their divisions in the May medal sponsored by Sofitel, Dubai Jumeirah Beach, all ladies scoring fantastic sub 70 scores over the Majlis course. Naema Maya continued her good form in Silver A Division (handicaps 0-14) to win first place with a net 69. The runner-up was Mitsuko Emmerson with a net 72. The lowest gross score of the day was won by Jayshree Gupta for a score of 80. Vice-Captain Maura Duggan was the winner of Silver B Division (handicaps 15-23) with a superb net 68. Also with a net 68 was Sabine Choudry who finished runner-up following a card count-back. In Bronze Division (handicaps 24-42) Kiyono Taniuchi was the winner with another great score of net 68. Each Monthly Medal the ladies are entered into a raffle, courtesy of sponsors Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach and this month’s lucky winner was Past Captain Mitsuko Emmerson.
All of the above winners are now looking forward to overnight luxury stays and fabulous brunches at the wonderful Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach Hotel.
As winners of their handicap divisions in the May Medal, Naema, Maura, Kiyono, are now invited to play at Al Hamra GC in September with a chance to win a place in the RAK 2016 Golf Challenge Pro-Am, a Challenge Tour Event being played at Al Hamra between the 26th - 29th October. SILVER A DIVISION (handicaps 0 – 14) Winner Naema Maya Net 69 Runner-up Mitsuko Emmerson Net 72 Overall Best Gross Jayshree Gupta Gross 80 SILVER B DIVISION (handicaps15 –23) Winner Maura Duggan Net 68 Runner-up Sabine Choudry Net 68 BRONZE DIVISION (handicaps 24 –42) Winner Kiyono Taniuchi Net 68
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Ladies TWO MAN SCRAMBLE
in’s Lady Capta Message
Monday 16th May 2016 Winners Runners-up Third
Clare Hand, Fiona Hall Hilary Wynter, Elizabeth Agha Maura Duggan, Margaret Breen
-20 -14 -12
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Ladies LUCKY 9 HOLES COMPETITION Monday 23rd May 2016 Overall Winner Josie Tracey SILVER DIVISION (HANDICAPS 0-17) Winner Sabine Choudry Runner-up Rekha Bandopadhyay BRONZE DIVISION (Handicaps 18-42) Winner Margaret Breen Runner-up Antonia Ludvigson
21 Points 20 Points 20 Points 21 Points 20 Points
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Ladies TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS Monday 30th May 2016 Champion Runner-up Third Best Gross
Maura Duggan Jenny Isles Yana Jamieson Veronique Rossett
Net 67 Net 68 Net 69 Gross 76
LADY GOLFER OF THE YEAR Winner Lynne Dickinson LADIES STABLEFORD COMPETITION Overall Winner Mieke Slotboom Silver Division Winner Handicaps 0-17 Arathi Appaiah Bronze Divison Winner Handicaps 18 –28 Katrine Karlsson
42 Points 38 Points 40 Points
OTHER RESULTS ECLECTIC COMPETITION BEST NET WINNER Sabine Choudry BEST GROSS WINNER Carolyn Thompson Champion Maura Duggan
LADY GOLFER OF THE YEAR Lynne Dickinson
BEGINNERS’ ROSEBOWL COMPETITION Sarah Butler
BEGINNERS’ ROSEBOWL COMPETITION WINNER Sarah Butler
ECLECTIC COMPETITION - BEST NET Sabine Choudry
ECLECTIC COMPETITION - BEST GROSS Carolyn Thompson
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MIXED COMPETITION RESULTS MEMBERS PRO-AM CHALLENGE Winners Runners-up Third
Dong Lee, Manoj Kapur, Manoj Shivnani, Naveed Manazir Mark Bruce, Sekhar Reddy, Rajinder Razdan, Qamar Rashid Alastair Brown, Manish Bakshi, Aayush Bakshi, Sachin Mahajan
-20 -9 -8
SPECIAL EVENTS Nearest the Pin 17th hole (amateurs): Manish Bakshi Longest Drive 5th Hole (amateurs): Natali Gupta
Emirates Golf Club e th to s on ti la tu ra Cong aich Match against Qu r he ot an ng ni in w team on erie Dubai The Address Montgom
Competition Results
Friday 13th May 2016
22nd Dubai Duty Free UAE
Competition Results
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Nationals Cup
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mirates Golf Club hosted the 2016 UAE Nationals Cup with forty four players enjoying the challenge of the Faldo course along with the hospitality of sponsors Dubai Duty Free. Three golfers tied on 38 points in the Men’s Division but, on a card count back, the 2016 Men’s Champion was Saeed Al Balooshi. The first runner-up also with 38 points was Rashid Al Emadi. Also with 38 points but finishing as second runner-up was Faisal Al Sayegh. The best gross prize was won by Khalid Yousuf with a score of 4 over par 76. The Ladies’ Champion with a score of 31 points was Hamda Al Suwaidi and the Boys’ Champion was Obaid Al Heloo with a superb score of 38 points.
Commenting on the UAE Nationals Cup, Ramesh Cidambi, Senior Vice President, IT & Logistics of Dubai Duty Free said: “This year marks the 22nd running of Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup and the tournament has grown popular among UAE nationals since 1995 with junior Emirati golfers as well. Our thanks to all our participants, to the Marketing team at Dubai Duty Free and to Emirates Golf Club for their efforts in ensuring a great day was had by all.” The on-course prizes were won by Omar Thabit for nearest the pin on hole number 8 and longest drive on hole 16 was won by Khalifa Al Masaood.
MATCHPLAY CUP Saturday 28th May 2016 Winners Captain’s Team Match Scores Captain’s Team Lady Captain’s Team Nearest The Pin (Ladies) Hole # 4 Fran Cole Hole # 11 Lynne Dickinson Nearest The Pin (Men) Hole # 7 Micky Brigg Hole # 15 Luiz Bertuol Nearest The Pin In 3 (For All Players) Hole # 18 Sanjay Dhandsa & Aisling Dekonski Longest Drive (Ladies) Hole # 16 Aisling Dekonski Longest Drive (Men) Hole # 3 Sanjay Dhandsa
12.5 8.5
Congratulations Rajinder Razdan on winning the Hit the Boat Challenge sponsored by Dubai Islamic Bank on the Majlis Hole 2.
The tournament was a great success and our thanks go to Dubai Duty Free for their continued support for all sports and for golf in the region.
DUPLAYS
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ongratulations to Yogesh Mohite who claimed top honours in the The Emirates Academy Happy Gilmore League in association with Duplays, picking up a new PING G Driver! Well done to Tom Hampson and Mark Field who took second and third place respectively. The Happy Gilmore League is open to all levels of players and a summer session will be starting soon! Please enquire at The Academy for more information on emiratesacademy@dubaigolf.com.
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ixteen of the best Amateurs in the UAE had a healthy lead over the top sixteen Professionals in the first day of the Dubai Golf Trophy. The score was 10 points to 6 as they went in to the final round of singles match play at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. The Professionals were on course for a fine fight back during the initial period of the singles on Sunday; once the final group had teed off, the projected score was 16 ½ -15 ½ to the Professionals. The final result was however very different, with the Amateurs winning the Dubai Golf Trophy for the first time in nine years, and only the third time in its 17 year history, with convincing 19 ½ -12 ½ score line. Having started the second day at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club four points behind at 10-6, the Professionals won the first game and halved the next three. Tom Buchanan put up the first point of the singles for the Professionals in the first match, beating Rakesh Shah 2&1, followed by three halved
games between Gavin Sutherland and Christopher Rahm, Luke Plumb and Mike Robson and Cennydd Mills and Max Burrow. The next three games however all went the Amateurs’ way; Bilbo Perrot beat Stephen Hubner 3&2, Craig Vance beat Rory Young 5&4 and Gary Swan beat Anthony Buchanan 1up, making the score line after the first seven games 8 ½ -14 ½ meaning the Amateurs were only two points from victory. The match between Joe Marshall and Martin Fernandez went the distance with the game finishing all square; a superb 2 on the par 4 17th by Martin started to really show that this had to be the Amateurs’ year! A 2&1 win for Jaco Stander over Miki Mirza and a 5&3 win for Michael Major over the amateur team Captain Chris Alderman, briefly kept the dream alive for the Professionals; however, a convincing 4&2 victory for Bayhaan Lakdawala over Ryan Smith meant Matthew Baxter went into his final two holes only needing a half for the Amateurs to claim the Dubai Golf Trophy. Matthew holed a 5 foot putt to halve the 17th hole
Competition Results
Dubai Golf Trophy
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ensuring the victory for the Amateurs for only the third time in the history of the competition. Matthew went on to win the 18th hole 2up, ensuring an emphatic score line of 17-11 favouring the Amateurs. In the final four games, Stephen Loftus went on to beat Sharjah’s Mark Ruddy 4&2, UAE PGA Order of Merit winner Callum Nicoll beat Tiago Lobo 2&1, Dubai Creek professional Jack Woods halved with Andrew Smolak, whilst Rayhan Thomas completed his 100% record in this year’s event for the Amateurs with an impressive 5&4 victory over Malcolm Young. This was an inspiring performance from the Amateurs, where all 16 players in the team contributed at least one point, ensuring a remarkable 19 ½-12 ½ victory. No doubt the Professionals will be practising hard for next year’s event, as the Dubai Golf Trophy continues to conclude the season for the UAE’s best Amateurs and Professionals in the most enthralling way.
Junior Link
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10 JUNIOR LINKS Well done to all our Junior Golf Programme golfers who graduated from their final term this week! We are already looking forward to next term for more fun whilst learning golf!
How high can you jump?
The Dubai Golf Junior Programme enjoying their lesson with PGA Professional Bryan whilst working on fundamental movement skills!
Our juniors enjoying a round of night golf
JUNIOR ELITE SQUAD
RULES BY RHYS
When Exact Lie or Spot Not Known
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common scenario for having to replace a ball is if a ball at rest is moved by the player; there is a one stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced.
There is no problem with this requirement, providing the exact lie and location of the ball that was moved is known. However, very often this is not the case, as in the scenario where a player is 100 yards away from where their ball has come to rest in the rough and they witness someone from another group playing it by mistake. In most cases it is not possible for the player to be sure of the lie of their ball in the rough, or precisely where it was at rest. If the player does know the spot, but the lie has been altered (e.g. a divot hole has been made by the other player when making their stroke), Rule 20-3b is relevant and the ball must be placed in the nearest lie most similar to the original lie. If it is impossible to determine the exact spot where the ball is to be replaced, Rule 20-3c requires that the ball must be dropped as near as possible to the place where it lay.
by ACADEMY Professional,
Alastair Brown Keep Connected to your Target
Academy
“Replacing�
Pro’s Tip of the Month
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ummer is a perfect time to make the corrections required in your game as you have more time to practise without the added pressure of having to perform in tournament golf.
One of the keys is to go back to basics and re-set your fundamentals in order to clear up your swing issues. Work hard on good alignment which will help you move in balance and control your posture throughout the whole swing, and ball position to improve the angle of attack. As shown below I have set up a practice station to help me with these and gives me a focus on starting my ball online. After the set-up it is time to focus on the swing - not before! One of the key faults I can help you with is the first move. When the hands and arms over rotate the club and position the club behind the body, from here it is a constant game of catch-up to get the club back in front of you.The catch-up is hard to achieve consistently, resulting in a block slice or, if over corrected, a low hooking shot.
The correction is to move the club away together with arms, chest and shoulders thus keeping the hands low and in front of the body and club-head connected to the target line for longer. A useful drill to help create this position is shown below. Place the butt of the club just above your belt line against the body and grip down the shaft in normal posture. Work on keeping the butt of the club connected to the body until your hands just pass your right leg feeling your hands are more in front of you.
Where was the ball previously played from? 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
In the pictures you will notice that the correct move away produces better motion from the shoulders and the right arm stays straight keeping pressure on the club. When done incorrectly the right arm folds and the pressure control on the club is lost. Have fun working on your game this summer. Please contact me if you would like some professional help with your game. Call 050 915 5814 or email abrown@dubaigolf.com
2015-2016
Congratula to Tony Az on winn the OME Men’s Sin Matchplay
Boys’ Club Champion Matthew Baxter
Congratulations to Nitin Kripalani and Surjit Namli on successfully defending their OMEGA Men’s Pairs Matchplay title
Muirhead mpion Alison ha C b lu C s’ Girl
Congratulations to Veronica Elias on winning the OMEGA Ladies’ Singles Matchplay Final Men’s Tournament of Champions Winner Dileep Kumar
Ladies’ Cl Champio Viv Cale
Congratulations t and Yana Jamieso the OMEGA L Matchplay
Champions
ations zoulay ning EGA ngles y Final
lub on ey
Ladies’ Seniors Champion Carolyn Thompson
Men’s Seniors Champion Vipen Sethi
Lady Golfer Of The Year Lynne Dickinson
Men’s Club Champion Ed Hesson Jnr
to Josie Tracey on on winning Ladies Pairs ay Final Ladies’ Tournament of Champions Winner Maura Duggan
Mixed Foursomes Champions Carolyn Thompson & Nigel Thompson
Barrys We y Anniversar
dding
14 Tom & Jacqui Barry’s
25th Wedding Celebration!
by Chris May
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acqui mentioned to me back in October that it would be their 25th Wedding Anniversary coming up soon, and as Tom and Jacqui had their wedding reception at the Club back in 1991 they wanted to host their 25th anniversary there too. What a great opportunity to do something a little special for some of the Club’s founder members and most loyal supporters! Jacqui shared the invitations and menus from 25 years ago,which she had kept in perfect condition. The wedding had been one of the first to be held at the Club and the menu and wines were selected by Tom and Jacqui, although the choice of wines was not as extensive in Dubai in those days and the prices have certainly changed!!! I asked Jacqui to leave it with me and the Le Classique team got to work on the menu with Chef Nicholas preparing a menu suited to the evening of fun and celebration. I called Jason Dixon, the head of A+E to ask if he could assist with a special occasion we were hosting for Tom and Jacqui. Jason was immediately on board, saying “It is not often anyone gets married in Dubai and also celebrates their 25th anniversary in Dubai so this is indeed a special occasion”. Jason selected the wines as close to the ones served 25 years ago and after being approved by Tom and Jacqui, Jason and the Le Classique team together managed to offer the excellent wines at the same price of 25 years ago!!! Our friends at MMI also helped on this special occasion by providing some additional beverages which helped make the evening a great success. We were proud to host this special evening for Tom and Jacqui, and what an evening it was!!
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Oh, what a night!! by Tom & Jacqui Barry
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e tied the knot on 25th April 1991 at Trinity Church Dubai then headed to Le Classique with sixty guests to celebrate with a four course meal prepared by our favourite Chef Francois. Later that evening we moved over to M’s (at that time, the Lounge Bar) to be joined by 100 more guests for an evening of food, and drinks with entertainment by home-grown band ‘Jamie and the Divots’ featuring James Williams, Head Pro, Pedro Pido (F&B Manager) RIP, Drigo, Le Classique entertainer, Charlie Fennigbauer, part of the design team for the Clubhouse and Barry Carter, Head Greenkeeper. What a band…they performed regularly at the Club and in particular in the Lounge on New Year’s Eve and were very popular. Honestly, we couldn’t have been at a better place (nor would we have even considered going elsewhere) for our 25th anniversary celebrations… Chef Nicholas, Chef Sri, Mary Ann
and Steen pulled out all the stops to make sure this was perfect for us…the food was outstanding, the beverages, service, set-up and the band we had organised were all second to none.Unfortunately we could not reunite Jamie and the Divots, nor could we get Chef Francois back, but James Williams was there on the night and even sang! What made the evening more special was that Tom had secretly arranged to fly Ross out from London for the evening. Now, that was one big secret which worked perfectly and it was so great for both of us to have Ross there to help us celebrate. We were overwhelmed that 14 people who had been at our wedding in 1991 travelled from the Far East, from UK and from Spain to celebrate with us, as well as many other friends still living in Dubai who had been at our wedding. With the party finishing up at 3am, obviously everyone is still able to party like they used to! Big thanks to Jason Dixon of A&E and to the Club’s F&B team for the special prices on the wines and also to MMI who helped out on the evening. We can never thank nor praise Emirates Golf Club enough for what they did it was a superb night in every sense and we were so happy to be able to celebrate this occasion 25 years later. Thank you all…we promise we won’t repeat this for another ten years at least…well. maybe five!!
EPER’S GREENKE CUTTINGS
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Greenkeeper s Cuttings What lies beneath?
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trust you enjoyed the video we put together on the transition process at Emirates Golf Club. It was great to receive some positive feedback and a number of you have come to me and said that you never appreciated what it in fact was until now. I guess it means either our communication has not been effective enough, or that it is easier to understand in this format, than in the written form. I will aim to do more of these through the coming months so that
we can ensure you have the correct information at hand on a subject which is not very well understood. So, a quick round up of what we are going to be doing this season - as things get quieter we take advantage and get to work on the core of what we do, what lies beneath! You will have seen a recent post from Luke on what was done on the Faldo greens. The dreaded “they are punching holes in the greens” changed to “they are making long lines in the greens” for this closure. Instead of pulling cores, we removed long lines of organic matter through linear
aeration. By using this technique, we in fact remove a lot more than the hollow cores do. We did this in two directions, then cored over the top. Think of this as a massive detox! We get rid of unwanted material that is not beneficial to healthy growth and give the greens some well needed new growing material, plus a couple of good products to aid in recovery, thereby producing a healthier plant. We will do a more detailed video when we do the Majlis next month and post this for you to watch. If you have any questions on anything that is happening out on the course, please feel free to ask Luke or myself and we will be more than happy to explain. As always, thanks for giving us the time to carry out this work. Be safe out there, summer is finally here! Regards, Craig Haldane Director - Golf Course Maintenance
17 Birds of th Emirates
WHAT’S ON DURING SUMMER? Summer Golf CalendaR June Course Time EGC Colleagues / Member Tournament
Faldo
Fri 10th
OMA Emirates Medal Championship in Association with Ascots and Chapels and Porsche Centre Dubai
Majlis 1.30pm
Sat 11th DG Summer Series Fixture 1
1.30pm
e
Tue 7th
Majlis 1.30pm
JULY Fri 8th
DG OMA Emirates Medal Championship in Association with Ascots and Chapels and Porsche Centre Dubai
Majlis
1.30pm
Fri 15th
EGC Summer Open
Majlis
1.30pm
DCGYC
2pm
Sat 30th DG Summer Series Fixture 2
Photo Courtesy: Akhil Menon, golf in Dubai
August Sat 20th DG Summer Series Fixture 3
Faldo
2pm
Majlis
1.30pm
Mon 5th Ladies Competition
Majlis
8.30am
Fri 9th
Majlis
1.30pm
Mon 12th Ladies Competition
Majlis
8.30am
Fri 16th
September Fri 2nd
OMA Emirates Medal Championship in Association with Ascots and Chapels and Porsche Centre Dubai Single Matchplay Qualifier
Majlis
1.30pm
Sat 17th DG Summer Series Fixture 4
Professional Member Challenge
DCGYC
1.30pm
Mon 19th Ladies Competition
Majlis
8.30am
Fri 23rd
Majlis
1.30pm
Majlis
8.30am
Engineers Cup
Mon 26th Ladies Competition
Dear All Greetings from Emirates Golf Federation We recently received a query regarding EGF’s stand on USGA’s new policy on not accepting Solo game (player plays alone) scores for handicap purposes ( Ref :- Section 5-1 (e)/(vi) in 2016/2017 USGA handicap system handbook supplied earlier) We would like to confirm that EGF abide by this rule. As per USGA, enjoying a round of golf when playing alone is a great thing, and this change does not discourage playing alone, but in response to better supporting the reliability of a Handicap Index, scores from such games must not be recorded for handicap purpose. We thank all golf clubs for their support in ensuring above is conveyed/implemented, if an EGF member books a solo game at the club. Thanking you Yours sincerely Emirates Golf Federation
BIRDS OF THE EMIRATES by Akhil Menon IT Manager
Black-Crowned Night Heron
Scientific Name: Nycticorax nycticorax Shot: Faldo Golf Course Date shot: March 2016 Wiki link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackcrowned_night_heron Description: The bird for this month is the Night Heron. The scientific name Nycticorax means ‘Night Raven’ and this name is derived from the crow-like call of the species and night hunting habit of the bird. It is one of the medium-sized heron species found throughout the world except in the coldest regions. Distinctive features of the bird are the black crown on its head, white/grey body, red eyes and yellow legs. That said, the juvenile (as shown in the picture) has brownish body parts and orange eyes. Both sexes appear the same although the male is slightly larger. Its resting pose is normally hunched but when hunting it is seen to extend its neck out and appear as other wading birds. The Night Heron employs a hunting technique that involves a lot of standing still by the water’s edge ending in a sudden ambush. At Emirates Golf Club, the birds are seen in the trees and along the shore of the water features. The above image was shot near the third hole on the Faldo course. A large number of these birds have adopted the course as their home and can be seen all year round.
Club News
18
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Listed in World’s Most Iconic Clubhouses
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ubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club joins the ranks of the world’s most well-known Clubhouses in Golf.com’s recent listing of The 18 Most Iconic Clubhouses. The list, compiled by Golf Magazine’s Joe Passov, considers the aesthetics, architecture and history of each building and the final list is impressive. Referencing its nod towards Dubai’s nautical heritage with its curved concrete ‘sails’, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club comes in at number eight, along with the United States’ Augusta National Golf Club, Medinah Country Club, Winged Foot Golf Club and Congressional Country Club. Top of the list is The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the home of golf. Golf.com is the digital platform for Golf Magazine, the American influential golf publication. To view the full list, please visit www.golf.com
Football Central is back! Swing by Emirates Golf Club’s dedicated venue for people who love football and catch all the Euros matches live between 10th June and 10th July. Cheer on your team as they compete for European football’s biggest prize live on over 22 screens, meaning that you won’t miss a minute of the action. With a host of evening brunch buffets, table and corporate packages, make this your football venue of choice this summer! Table packages start from just AED 676. Free entry. To reserve your table and guarantee your seats call +971 4 417 9999 or email football@dubaigolf.com
Dubai Golf members are invited to enjoy 25% discount on all food and beverages
19 Club News
DUBAI GOLF SUPPORTS GCC BEST PRACTICE BY HOSTING CLUB MANAGERS ASSOCIATION OF EUROPE’S MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE MIDDLE EAST
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ubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club this week completed the Club Managers’ Association of Europe’s (CMAE) Management Development Programme Part 1, which was attended by 34 delegates from across the GCC, Asia and Europe, including four GCC Nationals embarking on the Club Management education path. Club managers are under greater pressure than ever from their committees, owners and members to create and implement business strategies that guarantee the continued success of their clubs. In order to better serve their club committee, owners and members, the four GCC National delegates in attendance included Abdulla Al Noon, Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, Mubarak Hill of Almouj Golf, Muscat, Mohamed Al Naimi of Qatar International Golf Club and Salman Al Khouji of Doha Golf Club. Commenting on the programme, Dubai Golf’s Chief Executive Officer, Christopher May CCM said, “We are delighted to see the huge interest in the first CMAE Management Development Programme to be held in the Middle East; it is the largest MDP 1 course held anywhere to date, with delegates from Europe, Asia, Africa as well as the MENA region. It is encouraging to see four GCC Nationals taking their first steps down the Club Management education path, which is a positive for the industry in the region. A range of excellent speakers covering all core competencies assembled in what proved to be a very valuable week for all attendees”. The week long programme which took place from 29th May to 2nd June 2016 saw spokespersons Mike Braidwood, Darshan Singh and Jason Koenigsfeld educating and informing
delegates to standardise best practices in golf clubs across the world, including the ten-core competencies of a modern club manager such as Club Governance, Strategy & Leadership, Risk Management and Facilities Management. “CMAE started the Management development programme in Europe in 2011 and since then have run 42 week long programmes in six different countries and have had over 750 delegates in attendance. To bring the programme to Dubai has been a long term plan of the Association and the response has been phenomenal with 34 delegates signing up; this is a record for CMAE and just shows the appetite in the club industry in the Middle East for high level education. CMAE’s mission is to advance the profession of club management throughout Europe and the Middle East, to promote best practice in the club industry, and to provide a certification programme which recognises and rewards those club managers
who can demonstrate the highest standards of knowledge and competence in club management. The staging of our first programme in Dubai is significant in helping us achieve our mission. Our thanks go to Dubai Golf who, without their help, this programme would not have been possible,” said Mike Braidwood, Director of Education, CMAE. Jason P. Koenigsfeld, Senior Vice President, Professional Development, Club Managers’ Association of America added, “Since 1927, The Club Managers’ Association of America (CMAA) has been committed to professional development of club executives. CMAA’s global strategy has always been to provide our education as well as what we have learned over the past 30 years and, in return, we seek new learning opportunities including new models, trends, concepts and strategies while being sensitive to local cultures and traditions. With strategic partnerships in Canada, Europe, the Middle-East, Africa (Kenya and South Africa), China, Southeast Asia, New Zealand and Colombia in place to help the global club community evolve and prosper, the curriculum allows for local laws, customs and practices to be taught while sharing knowledge we have gained from our global outreach. We could not be more excited to be part of a programme in Dubai where local and expatriate delegates will expand and contribute to our knowledge base as well as continuing to further develop a global community of club leaders.” Dubai Golf continuously supports international organisations and contributes to the education of club managers to ensure its employees are constantly ahead of the curve in the region as well as in line with golf club managers across the world to develop a global community of club leaders.
20
Dear Members,
T
Fit Lab
he gym is really getting busy as we approach the summer months and people are wanting to get into shape for the summer and/or wanting to achieve the perfect ‘beach body’. We have many classes and instructors at Fit Lab to help you achieve your goals so please contact one of our team if you feel you need a bit of motivation or a different gym routine, even a programme that can be tailor made to suit you that you can work with over the summer months if you are travelling. Below are some helpful hints to help you maintain your body weight and tips to help you improve your fitness level. 1. Invest in a weighing scales for food When you have food weighing scales at hand in your kitchen, it becomes much easier to keep control of the amounts of food you consume which will be a big help if you are trying to lose weight or even if you are trying to maintain your optimum weight. The scales will certainly help you to monitor food portions to ensure you don’t over-indulge. 2. Re-establish your goals Set yourself realistic fitness goals. By doing this you always have a plan and this will help you attain your fitness targets. Setting targets can provide motivation and focus. 3. Set time scales for your progress As soon as you have set your targets, you should then set time-scales and deadlines, monitor and review your goals to allow for constant improvement. As you achieve your goals, set new ones, and keep up the momentum of success. 4. Do more sprint training Including sprint training in your routine can improve your speed and muscle strength as well as helping with weight loss. Sprint work helps improve metabolism, which means you’ll burn more calories. It can improve your physique, making you leaner and more toned. It works the legs, glutes and core, burning the fat and building muscle. It’s high intensity, so it’s important that you train safely and sensibly. 5. Try something new Doing the same fitness routine each day not only leads to boredom but it also does not challenge your body. Look into slight
changes like lifting more, running further, running faster or even starting a class that involves something totally different. Mix things up a bit - it will keep you motivated and, at the same time, it will improve your fitness level 6. Find something new to motivate you There are many fitness apps which could be useful for trying something different or for varying your programme, Several apps also give you the option of competing against other athletes. There are even apps for weight loss, one of the best I have come across being ‘My Fitness Pal’; this allows you to enter all food you eat during the day which then displays the number of calories consumed and it also lets you log your fitness activities, as well as sharing information with others. 7. Track your improvements By tracking your improvements, you will be able to see what progress you have made, whether it be fitness levels or weight loss. Weigh yourself at the start of any ‘healthy kick’. Check your fitness levels by times for your running, number of reps of exercises, amount of weight lifted etc. I hope the tips I have outlined will help with your fitness. If you require any additional help, please contact me or one of my team.
Squash Professionals’ Visit We had the pleasure of having three-time World Champion Nick Matthew training at the Club recently. Nick is currently World Number three and is a great ambassador for the sport. Unfortunately he didn’t take the honours at the first hugely successful PSA Squash tournament held at the Burj Khalifa. He did beat the current world number one Mohamed Elshorbagy and it was fantastic to be able welcome him to Emirates Golf Club. Laura Massaro, World Number two was also training at the Club and had a remarkable week at the PSA in Dubai. She beat the World Number one, Nour El Sherbini on the way to the final where she defeated Raneem El Welily. She is a fantastic lady and also a great ambassador for the sport.
Emirates Golf Club Amateur Squash Tournament The Emirates Golf Club Amateur Squash tournament was a huge success which was well attended by many squash enthusiasts within the UAE. We hosted both a men’s and a ladies’ tournament and I would like to extend my thanks to Nikky Harradine for helping to organise the ladies’ tournament. The winners of both events got to play on the glass court at Burj Khalifa before the professionals went on court for the PSA Squash tournament held there recently.
Mohamed Salman
Dikhana
Mohamed Salman beat Dikhana 3-0 which was a great game with Mohamed showing what a talented player he is.
Inesse and Jaida
In the ladies’ tournament Inesse beat Jaida in what was a great game with Inesse taking the honours; well done to both finalists.
Member of the Month Viraj Shrivastva is one of our long serving members. I personally have known him for a number of years and he is very dedicated to his fitness. Viraj certainly deserves to be Member of the Month through his sheer hard work and commitment and to complete two ironman events (one in Vietnam and one in Dubai) is an amazing achievement. Well done Viraj Great to have had Robbie Cannon with us at Fit Lab last month! Robbie is a golf specific strength and conditioning coach working with global tour players and aspiring golfers to help to optimise their physical skills. Healthy regards, Andy Meech Head of Sports & Leisure
Correction: Last month, we published an advert for Robbie Cannon’s Strength and Conditioning Workshop at Emirates Golf Club. We apologise for unauthorised use of the European Tour logo.
21
I
t’s just women who obsess over the perfect, parade-worthy beach body... right? Wrong. SensAsia Urban Spa knows the pressure for rock hard abs and a taut tum is prime for guys as they begin to shed their shirts, which is why the homegrown UAE brand has launched ‘The Skinni Miki’.
Fit Lab
SENSASIA URBAN SPA’S ‘SKINNI MIKI’ TREATMENT IS CREATING HEAD-TURNING SUMMER BODIES! remineralise the male body and reduce cellulite, in one fell swoop.
Husband to SensAsia’s incredibly popular Skinni Mini treatment – which targets and tones female wobbly bits – The Skinni Miki has been developed by the 12-year-old spa chain’s expert team, in a bid to make men look and feel their very best for summer too. While women are prone to cellulite on the hips, buttocks and thighs, men can find the dreaded orange peel primarily appearing around their middle.
Although targeting different problem areas, both The Skinni Miki and The Skinni Mini treatments begin with a full consultation, including measurements. The body is then brushed and scrubbed from top to toe, using increased stimulation techniques on areas of concern, in preparation for the application of specially-formulated active products. Depending on gender and individual body type, SensAsia therapists will then apply a mix of postively and negatively charged gels and creams to eliminate toxins, increase blood circulation, firm and tone the skin, and micronised algae to boost metabolism.
The Skinni Miki is a 90-minute, five-inone corrective treatment that aims to improve and smooth the skin’s texture, firm and tone muscles, detoxify and
A thermal clay mask is applied, and electrodes placed onto the key problem areas for 30 minutes – to painlessly break down and transport fluid, toxins
and distorted fat cells – alongside a relaxing foot and scalp massage. The mask is then removed, the body is moisturised and measurements are taken. A single Skinni Miki or Skinni Mini treatment produces instant results, although a course is recommended for a significant and lasting body transformation when combined with a healthy diet and exercise regime. The Skinni Miki and The Skinni Mini are priced at AED 595, and form part of SensAsia’s SensConscious menu – a specially-selected and extensively researched list of high impact contouring treatments, for both men and women. Call SensAsia Urban Spa, Emirates Golf Club on 04 417 9820 or visit www.sensasiaspas.com
EXERCISE TIP OF THE MONTH How to do the TRX Plank
STAY HYDRATED IN THE Step 1: Hook the TRX cables so that they SUMMER MONTHS hang about six inches off the ground. Step 2: Place your feet in the stirrups so that the tops of your feet are facing downwards. The summer heat is here and higher Step 3: Get down on your forearms and temperatures and humidity will be the make your body into a straight line parallel norm in the coming months. Please to the floor. remember to drink plenty of water… stay hydrated and play better golf. Step 4: Hold this position for the desired Remember these essentials on the amount of time golf course.. This is a great exercise to target the core - drink plenty of water muscles!! - if necessary use rehydration sachets such as ‘Rehydrate’ (brand name) - use sun block with high SPF - drink plenty of water BEFORE your round and plenty while you are playing - wear a hat with a wide brim. Regular style caps are great but they’re not perfect. The bucket hat
- -
- -
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with the brim that goes all the way around may be more effective. It’s not just about avoiding sunburn, it’s maintaining your energy level. wear cotton or other breathable material during the very hot summer months iced towels are available at the comfort stations - use them often. Also, the marshals drive around with a cool box full of iced towels so take them often. Putting a wet towel over your head or behind your neck will always help cool your body temperature. wear sunglasses between shots to protect your eyes although drinking as much water as you can is one of the (if not the) most important rule for playing golf in the heat, a lot of golfers find that water alone is not enough. Try sports drinks if you want the extra boost in energy. The electrolytes in them are designed to help you recover and maintain your stamina as you sweat out your body’s salts. always try to park your cart in the shade, under any trees on the course.
s t e p p i n S e l 19th Ho Andy Wick Hole 15 Majlis course May 2015
Congratulations to Chris and Sarah Barnes (daughter of Bob & Ivy Bailey), whose son Nathan was born in Seattle USA on 25th April 2016.
Maurice Boyle Hole 11 Majlis course 27th May 2015 Congratulations once again to team Norfolk & Chance  on winning the Spike Bar Monday Quiz Night on 8th May. Blissfully Ignorant and Quizimodo took second and third places respectively winning AED 300 vouchers for the Pro Shop.
Congratulations team Quizimodo on winning the Quiz Night at Spike Bar on 23rd May, followed closely by Party Fears and Norfolk & Chance.
Congratulations to team Norfolk & Chance on winning the Spike Bar Quiz Night on 30th May followed closely by Quizimodo and Suffolk n Useless.
Member Viraj Shrivastva completed two 70.3 Ironman events this year, one in Dubai and one in Vietnam The “70.3” refers to the total distance in miles (113.0 km) covered in the race, consisting of a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) swim, a 56-mile (90 km) bike ride, and a 13.1-mile (21.1 km) run. Each distance of the swim, bike, and run segments is half the distance of that segment in an Ironman triathlon. Congratulations Viraj
Emirates Golf Club’s Management Team enjoy a team building session at Bounce! End of year dinner for the Lady Beginners’ group with Helen, Maura and Najla. It was held at the Sofitel Hotel Dubai, sponsor of the Ladies’ Monthly Medal.
Enjoy reciprocal rates at Almouj Golf, Muscat this summer
Dubai Golf Members are invited to enjoy enhanced member benefits this summer. Enjoy complimentary midweek golf at Almouj Golf, Muscat or play on Friday or Saturday for just AED 250. In addition, Members will be given complimentary access to the driving range and par 3 course at the Academy. Offer is valid from 15th June to 15th September 2016. Bookings can be made seven days in advance and are subject to availability. A valid membership card must be presented when checking in. For reservations and more information, please call +968 22 00 59 90 or email info@almoujgolf.com. www.almoujgolf.com