on them Atalaya Old Course (Par 72) is a classical parkland course formed by a series of superb, wide-open fairways with strategically-placed bunkers and elevated greens.
Design ŠEat Publishing S.L.
Atalaya New Course (Par 72) is according to the experts, a genuine test; as much for beginners as for established players. Atalaya Golf & Country Club Ctra. de BenahavĂs Km 0.7. 29688 Estepona (Costa del Sol) Spain Tel: (+34) 952 882 812 - Fax: (+34) 952 887 897 info@atalaya-golf.com / www.atalaya-golf.com
28TH JULY ‘07
25TH AUG ‘07
23RD SEPT ‘07
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FISCHER MERCEDES Marbella. Juan de la Cierva 11. Tel: (+34) 952 82 26 44. contact@mercedes-consulting.com FISCHER MERCEDES Sotogrande. C.C. Sotovila c/ Cantarillo, Local 9. Tel/Fax: (+34) 956 78 52 94. soto@mercedes-consulting.com FISCHER 2 Selected Cars, San Pedro Alcántara. Polígono Industrial. Edif. Ferroman, c/ Pablo Picasso. Tel: 952 79 92 60. Fax: 952 78 54 60. f2@mercedes-consulting.com
®
1ST DEC ‘07
12TH JAN ‘08
2ND FEB ‘08
23RD FEB ‘08
Open to amateur and professional golfers, the Fischer Open Golf Series 2007-8 is the highly anticipated second season of the acclaimed Costa del Golf Alliance, organised by PGA Professional Andrew Butler, in association with EAT GOLF! and Fischer Events.
OPEN GOLF SERIES 2007-8
A unique opportunity for both resident and visiting golfers to experience a higher standard of competition play, the Fischer Open Golf Series 2007-8 is a series of 12 events contested on the Costa del Sol’s finest golf courses. Participants are welcome on a per event basis with both pairs and singles play rewarded, whilst the coveted Fischer Order of Merit will go to the most consistent players of the series. Keep up to date with the leaders on-line.
For information and entries visit: www.fischeropen.com or call Andrew Butler: (+34) 655 367 024
22ND MAR ‘08
EAT
GOLF! Issue 9
4th of 5 editions for 2007
PUBLISHING S.L.
model or golfer? PAGE
26 EDITOR’S LETTER Firstly I would like to say a big hello to the Algarve from EAT GOLF! Demand for the magazine is ever increasing, and after a recent visit to Portugal we decided that the time was right for us to join in the fun, and venture into this great golf and tourist destination. For those of you who live the sport, we hope that EAT GOLF! will continue to satisfy your appetite enough for you to play it with even more knowledge and enthusiasm. Our tradition of interviewing some of the biggest golfing stars each issue has seen the likes of Ian Poulter, Michael Campbell, Paul McGinley, Sergio Garcia and Nick Dougherty grace these pages. This edition leans toward the Ladies European Tour, and so we asked our latest contributor, Anna Rawson, to tell us where she sees herself and the Tour going in the future. The LPGA Tour in America has seen some radical changes in recent years, and with it greater popularity. In September these two Tours come to head via the Solheim Cup. Although Anna cannot compete in the Solheim Cup
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(she is Australian), her modelling background is helping to stir up some attention from the media. Is Anna the new superstar that the Ladies European Tour are looking for? Read her own thoughts about this and more on page 26. Regular readers may notice that we are constantly tinkering with the style of the magazine, both in print form and on the web. Our aim is to integrate the two media in order to give you the most complete reading experience we possibly can. For example, we spoke with Cabell Robinson for over two hours in our exclusive interview, and therefore had to break it down into two parts. If you missed part one, or indeed any of our previous interviews, you can catch up with them on our website at: www.fairwaylife.com I hope that this issue keeps you entertained whilst enjoying the sunshine, and before summer comes to a close we look forward to seeing you at our very special ‘Big Golf Chill’ tournament. Happy golfing! Nick Senior, Editor & Publisher.
C.I.F. B92673359
For general enquiries / comments Email: postmaster@eat-golf.com Web: www.fairwaylife.com For editorial contributions / advertising information visit: www.eat-golf.com
GOLF! is distributed in golf clubs, golf outlets and luxury hotels from Huelva to Málaga and Almería / Murcia, Spain, and across the Algarve, Portugal.
EAT
The articles appearing in this publication represent the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited manuscripts, pictures or artworks. Any reproduction, either in part or in full, of written or photographic material contained in this magazine is prohibited unless permission is given by the publisher. Printed by Jiménez Godoy S.A. Ctra. de Alicante, Km.3. 30160 Murcia Tel.: (+34) 968 851 650. Fax: (+34) 968 852 477
Whilst producing this issue we’ve been keeping cool in the summer heat by listening to the chillout sounds of the Tarifa Groove Collections.07 ‘The Anniversary’ features tunes selected and compiled by Rafa Gas, and comes in the form of a 2 CD collection. Check out more details on their website: www.tarifarecords.com.es Of course the other reason we’ve spent so much time listening to their music is that Tarifa Records will be DJing for us at our ‘Big Golf Chill’ event, taking place 6th September at the magnificent La Reserva Golf Club, Sotogrande.
Back issues online at: www.fairwaylife.com
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16. THE ART OF FASHION
EAT
GOLF! would like to thank:
24. FEATURES 26. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW ANNA RAWSON www.sotogrande.com
34. VALDERRAMA FIRST TIME EXPERIENCE
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40. LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR SOLHEIM CUP PREVIEW
www.eccogolf.com
46. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW CABELL B. ROBINSON. PART TWO 52. PGAs OF EUROPE MEET ‘THE STRIKER...’
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www.sunice.com
56. YOUR GAME 58. SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY BY ALLISON DYER
www.tommy.com
62. CLUB FITTING BY DAVID POULTON 66. GOLF TIPS BY PATRICK BRADY
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www.peakperformance.com
68. FITNESS & NUTRITION BY JUAN BARBERIS 70. TIPS FROM THE TOUR BY ANNA RAWSON
www.pgae.com
72. GOLF & TRAVEL
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74. MONTE REI, PORTUGAL A JACK NICKLAUS GEM 82. GOLF CLASS BY GARY FIRKINS 86. TURKEY : ANTALYA BY SUE FARMER 94. LIFESTYLE
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www.ladieseuropeantour.com
www.pgm.es
...and all of our contributors, see pages 10-12
NICK SENIOR l EDITOR & PUBLISHER Busy, busy, busy! The Fischer Open Golf Series got off to a cracking start with a two seater convertible up for grabs all season for a hole-in-one courtesy of Fischer Mercedes! We have also firmed up plans for ‘The Big Golf Chill’, a unique end of summer tournament with golf and music at the beautiful La Reserva, Sotogrande, 6th September. If you’re around, come and join in the fun! MICHAEL DENKER l PUBLISHER & ACC. MANAGER Two years, wow! Seeing the magazine grow and changing attitudes along the way - I love to think that we can help spread the word on a lifestyle already embraced by so many on the coast. And with Portugal on the agenda there are new things happening all the time. I thought I’d be playing a lot more golf, but I’m guessing I’ll still be shanking it in October! DENNIS SHAW l PGAs of EUROPE Currently Media consultant for the PGAs of Europe, having previously been UK sports writer for a number of national and provincial newspapers, including, for several years, Midland correspondent for The Times. A British Sports Journalist winner and also a Midlands Sports Writer of the Year. Author of two football books as a ghost-writer and formerly editor of Football Today. BETHAN CUTLER l LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR Media Manager for the Ladies European Tour. Bethan is the principal news and features writer for the Tour’s official website and responsible for the overall production of the Tour’s annual media guide. She also contributes to numerous publications as a photo journalist. Media point of contact for access to all players and officials. GARY FIRKINS l WRITER & BROADCASTER Gary is also a golf public relations consultant with more than 10 years experience working in the media. He wrote for national consumer magazines for seven years, focusing on special interest titles and was deputy editor of Golf World magazine. He also has experience as a freelance journalist, editing an industry magazine and writing for a variety of publications and newspapers, including The Sunday Times. 010
nick@eat-golf.com www.fairwaylife.com www.eat-golf.com
michael@eat-golf.com www.fairwaylife.com www.eat-golf.com
www.pgae.com info@pgae.com Tel. UK +44 (0)1675 477 899
www.ladieseuropeantour.com mail@ladieseuropeantour.com Tel. UK +44 (0)1625 611 444
www.landmark-media.com gary@landmark-media.com Tel. UK +44 (0)1780 752 790
Design © EAT GOLF!
A breath of fresh air
Gran Marqués has all the qualities you dream of finding in a home on the Costa del Sol. Quality, luxury, views, space and of course easy access to golf from a privileged location. Just 54 two and three bedroom apartments and penthouses are being developed to suit the
Contact Tel.: (+34) 951 272 863 Fax: (+34) 951 272 887 Email: info@granmarques.es Sales office Urbanización El Marqués, plot nº3 Road to Benahavis. km 1,5. 29680 Estepona Málaga, Spain www.granmarques.com Promueve: Operis Invest, S.L. Documentación relativa al Decreto 218/2005 de 11 de Octubre, a disposición de los interesados en las oficinas de venta del conjunto
needs of the most demanding property buyer. A perfect development in every way, Gran Marqués truly is a breath of fresh air. Call by our sales office to see for yourself, or visit our website for further details.
ANNA RAWSON l PROFESSIONAL TOUR PLAYER Currently competing on the Ladies European Tour, Anna has a unique story - excelling in two very different careers - modeling and golfing. Now Anna combines all her passions, by wearing designer pieces such as Marc Jacobs, Chanel, Gucci and Tom Ford glasses while playing. She is a rarity in sports, with the perfect mix of femininity, raw athletic talent, and intelligence. ALLISON DYER l TOTAL SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY BSc MSc CPsychol, British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) Accredited Sport Psychologist and British Psychological Society (BPS) Chartered Psychologist. Allison works as a consultant sport psychologist to the PGA EuroPro Tour, and Positive Golf (Elviria), the official winter training ground for players on the EuroPro Tour. PATRICK BRADY l PGA PROFESSIONAL Patrick is a modern and forward thinking golf professional with an enthusiasm and passion for teaching the game as much as playing it. It is a pleasure to have Patrick on board for his thought provoking and visual ideas which assist us all in improving our own game. This issue Patrick demonstrates how to develop your left side through the swing. DAVID POULTON l KZG WORLD TOP 100 GOLF FITTER David was selected by KZG, the world’s leading manufacturer of custom pro-line golf equipment, as one of the World’s Top 100 Club Fitters. The top 100 represent those who are the most skilled, the most knowledgeable, and the most committed to the process of custom fitting golf equipment, marrying technical expertise with a distinctly personal touch. JUAN BARBERIS l FITNESS & NUTRITION EXPERT Juan works with amateur and professional golfers to improve their “golf shape”. He conducts thorough assessments and provides individualised fitness and nutrition programs that enable golfers to enjoy the game more by remaining pain and injury free and also by hitting drives further and more accurately on a consistent basis. 012
If you have any questions for Anna, you can email her at: AskAnna@annarawson.net She will answer a couple of questions a month, and post the answers on her website: www.annarawson.com
www.sportpsychologist.org.uk totalsportpsychology@fsmail.net Tel. UK +44 (0)7718 208 942 Tel. Spain (+34) 662 070 787
For private tuition telephone Spain (+34) 607 827 021 www.golfimprovementcenter.nl
Appears in association with www.golf-us.com
Tel. Spain (+34) 685 990 138 www.golfimprovementcenter.nl
www.mygolfadvantage.com service@mygolfadvantage.com Tel. Spain (+34) 670 565 590
FREE ENTRY
WIN ONE OF FIVE POLO SHIRTS!
Tommy Hilfiger are offering the chance for 5 lucky readers to win a Polo Shirt in our exclusive EAT GOLF! competition
HOW TO ENTER Tell us which year the European Team recorded their victory at Bärseback G&CC, Sweden in the Solheim Cup. Was it? (a) 2002 (b) 2003 (c) 2005 Log on to our website: www.fairwaylife.com to post your answer. The Tommy Hilfiger brand combines fresh American style with unique details to give time-honoured classics an updated look for customers who desire high quality, designer apparel. The Company’s products can be found in leading department, and specialty stores throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Central and South America, Japan, Australia, South Africa, India, China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan, as well as the companies own network of outlet and specialty stores in the United States, Canada and Europe.
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The winners will be chosen at random, and notified by email. We will print the winners names in the next issue of EAT GOLF!
ABOUT FAIRWAYLIFE Fairwaylife is an on-line golf portal providing a full range of services to both golfers, and would be golfers alike. Home to EAT GOLF! on-line, you can access the content of all our previous issues, as well as entering our competitions. A new Event section keeps you up to date with tournaments we are involved in, including leaderboards and more! www.fairwaylife.com
WINNERS The 5 lucky winners of a free driver fitting at the TaylorMade Performance Lab, La Cala in our issue 8 competition were: Graham Crook Jon Badminton Juan Jose Martinez Ibanez Gareth Vincent Olav Maaland
For more information about Tommy Hilfiger visit: www.tommy.com
They answered correctly that the lab uses 9 high speed cameras to capture your swing.
Golf
Enjoy Santa Clara this Summer 2 Green fees including buggy, 110 â‚Ź
Twilight (from 5 pm) including buggy, 50 â‚Ź Plus...
Competitions every Saturday through July & August. Grand Final of the Santa Clara Golden Cup 18th & 19th August.
Visit the course or call: (+34) 952 850 111 reservas@santaclara-golf.com
the ART of
fashion
Models: Lorena and Tete Styling: Sonia Espa単a Maria Angeles Hair by Aloan Group
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This Page Tete wears: T-Shirt by Golf Refugees Black golf ball by Golf Refugees
Opposite Page Lorena wears: Outfit by G+ Black golf ball by Golf Refugees
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This Page Tete wears: Belt by Nudie Nudie Jeans Sandals Hawaianas T-Shirt Modern Amusement Lorena wears: Cap by Goorin Pique by Golfino Shorts by Golfino Shoes by Ecco
Opposite Page Tete wears: Sunglasses by Triple X Pique by Cheap Monday (S8) Shorts by Golfino Shoes by Ecco Lorena wears: Top by Cheap Monday (S8) Shoes by Colcci
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This Page Lorena wears: Bandana and Top by G+ Jeans by Nudie
Opposite Page Tete wears: Bermudas by Modern Amusement Pique by G+ Sandals Hawaianas Lorena wears: Dress by 10 Feet Shoes by Colcci
Hair by Aloan Group
Colthing supplied by
Golfino: www.golfino.com
Super Ocho, Estepona www.golf-refugees.com
Golf shoes supplied by Ecco www.eccogolf.com
Shot on location at Cucurucho Beach Club www.sotogrande.com 020
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This September
GOLF! are putting on a unique
Following the golf, Trader Vic’s will be serving cocktails
golf tournament which will combine their two greatest
on the terrace from their special Mai-Tai bar, whilst
passions: music and golf. Set to take place at the
chill-out dj’s from Tarifa Records provide the musical
prestigious La Reserva Golf Club, Sotogrande on
entertainment. A fun competition and golf clinic will also
6th September, The Big Golf Chill will be a fun event
take place on the floodlit driving range. Fantastic prizes
to be enjoyed by players of all abilities and ages.
are on offer courtesy of Golfriend’s for the best team
Participants will tee off via a shotgun start at 3.30pm,
scores from the days play. Open to all. Limited places
and play into the glorious late summer evening sunset.
are available, so book early to avoid disappointment!
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More details online at www.fairwaylife.com
For booking and information email ‘BGC’ to: postmaster@eat-golf.com Telephone Michael: (+34) 635 024 358 or call Nick: (+34) 699 958 528
ALL WEATHER 40. SOLHEIM CUP
Europe versus USA at the Halmstad Golf Club, Sweden, 14th-16th September 2007
THESE GIRLS ROCK!
PROQUIP, the world’s leading innovator of lightweight golf weatherwear, is the official weatherwear supplier to the 2007 United States Solheim Cup Team. www.proquipgolf.com
ALL SUMMER The Ladies European Tour is often overshadowed by its fellow tours, and with a strong, ever growing field of talent this must be very frustrating for the organisers. This year Wimbledon brought up some interesting topics of conversation during the many rain delays, and one point regarding equal prize money for women and men seemed particularly relevant to professional golf. Pioneers in women’s tennis such as Billy Jean King fought hard to win equality for women in the sport, and encouraged as much media exposure as possible in order to build their Tour’s reputation. Whilst the new young tennis stars of today are unlikely to appreciate just how good they have it as a result of King’s efforts, it is refreshing to see that the Ladies European Tour has a positive and welcoming attitude. Players on the LET are only too happy to put their faith in the ability of the media to promote them 024
without a voice how can they hope to raise their profile to attract more sponsors and money vital to the success of any Tour? The LPGA Tour is proof that sexiness and sport can work to generate a rise in popularity, and their slogan ‘These Girls Rock!’ demonstrates the way attitudes have changed since the time of Billy Jean King. Our interview and imagery of Anna Rawson this issue may raise some of our readers eyebrows, but there is no denying that the way she presents herself is both prudent and skilfully handled. Whilst it’s worth remembering the likes of King who managed to make great inroads for her sport simply by playing it well - today’s young tennis players will probably attribute achieving equal prize money for women and men at Wimbledon on how they present themselves. Modern lady sporting stars have long been using more than just their game to attract attention, and nobody could criticise the LET if they were to follow suit.
Ashworth Ladies: Summer/Holiday 2007 Electropop is the name of the new Ladies AWS range, which features a vivid colour palette of Neon, Black and White. www.ashworthinc.com
ALL LEFTIES
Stapleford Park, Leicestershire The UK’s left-handed golfers can improve their golf by booking a place on the first instructional golf clinic just for lefties. www.jeremydale.com
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model or golfer?
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In her brief professional career, Anna has already earned attention for both her superb game and striking appearance. The 5’10,” blond-haired, green-eyed beauty works as a fashion model when not impressing with her on-course skills, recently headlining a runway show at LA Fashion Week. EAT
GOLF! asks our newest contributor how her two very different careers came to be...
It is early morning in LA, what time do you start your day? I normally get up pretty early, like around, I guess six or six thirty. There’s a lot of traffic in LA so if I’m up early I can beat it. How did you get into golf and modelling? Was there any relation between the two? I think that in the beginning they were totally separate. I won a cover girl competition in Australia when I was 16. I was already playing golf at the time, but they were two separate things that I was doing. Initially I was doing high fashion modelling in Australia to make money and playing golf separately. But now I use fashion more to get the word out about golf.
How old were you when you took up golf? I was about thirteen, so I wasn’t that young. Depending on what you call young! Was there any family influence? Yes, my whole family plays, and I had a golf course at the end of the street. They didn’t want you to play on the course unless you were over thirteen, so fortunately I was able to play. You did your college training at USC in America. What was your motivation for going there? I’d always had a dream of going to America, and in Australia you get a lot of American TV shows and I’d always admired the place. Then I got
the opportunity to go and play golf there and study at the same time. We didn’t have anything like that in Australia, so I took the chance to go there and live in the place I’d always had a fascination with. So it was like a no brainer, and I said ‘where do you sign me up?’ ‘I’m going!’. And you choose to live in LA? Yes, well I believe that America is the number one place to be if you want to be the best professional golfer you can be. I had a wonderful experience here during my college years, and I love Los Angeles, it’s a great town and a lot of fun. I know a lot of people here from college and I met a guy from Los Angeles and fell in love, so there’s all these kinds of things keeping me here.
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You play on the Ladies European Tour as opposed to the LPGA Tour. Is that out of choice? Not really. I really want to be playing on the LPGA, but it is very difficult to get there and I’ve yet to get through the qualifying school. I have been playing on the second tour in America called the Futures Tour, but it didn’t fit with my lifestyle and the courses were not as good as the ones I was used to playing on. So I decided that in Europe you can make a good living and the competition is really strong. You’re playing against a lot of LPGA players week in week out - so I feel that the competition is better there. Plus of course I love Europe, and I haven’t had too much of a chance to travel there. So it was a good option for me and now I love it! I’m in my second year and it’s just getting better and better. Do you think that the Ladies European Tour receives enough attention? Err, no! Probably not. I think that women’s golf is still fighting off some of the stigmas of the past. I think the Tour is doing all they can to bring attention to it - and are doing a good job on the Tour - but maybe not doing all that they can for the players. It’s the players and their personalities that are going to attract sponsors and more money, and not really just the Tour itself. So I think if they were to focus a lot more on the players it could grow with more possibilities. You’ve touched upon the fact that one of your motives is to bring more attention to
© Pol Baril 2006
“...the more variety of players you have the better. I think having a golfer that has an outside interest and is welcomed by the media is always good.” ladies golf. How do you feel that your presence on the Ladies European Tour could generate more interest? Well I think that the more variety of players you have the better. I think having a golfer that has an outside interest and is welcomed by the media is always good. Whether it be that I’m playing or somebody else, anything that is even a little bit interesting can help. I’m trying to do all that I can, and generate interest from the media. I have my
own team of people helping me because I’m out playing golf and that’s what I want to be doing. Do you think that the LET are ready for these new ideas and the changes they may bring? I do, I think they are ready for anything! I’m not in a position to say if they are ready to move forward, but they definitely want all the input they can get, and I am sure that they are happy with what I’m doing.
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How do your fellow lady golf professionals feel about your approach to promoting women’s golf? They are really encouraging. I think that they feel if I am helping to bring attention to the Tour then it is helping them in the end as well. So I think they’re actually quite happy with me most of the time! You say most of the time, are there times when they’re not happy?! I don’t know, they don’t tell me to my face! Your modelling career suggests that fashion is one of your big interests. Where do you see golf fashion going? I think that it is moving, but ever so slowly.
Do you get the programme ‘Project Runway’ in LA? Maybe you should put yourself forward to have an outfit designed to wear on the golf course! Yeah we do, that would be great! If I could get in contact with some designers in New York a lot of their Spring collections are perfect for golf. For example Marc Jacobs makes skirts with pockets, so he has the perfect line he could be selling to golf stores. A lot of the Spring / Summer lines could be used, even his
issue in golf, and some criticism is often levelled at the time it takes ladies to play on the Tour. What are your thoughts on this? It’s something that really gets under my skin, because when the players are taking their time, they are not playing slow by any means. So I don’t understand the concern, and don’t think that it is a problem at all. I think that the argument might be that women are more indecisive, but from my experience of watching men’s and women’s golf, I feel like the men are slower! I think it’s ridiculous that if we have a doubt in our minds that we can’t back off a shot because there will be a penalty for slow play. I think that the LET does a great job of managing the time it takes to play.
You seem frustrated by that? Yeah, well I’m yet to find a golf label that I can wear for longer than a week. There’s nothing really out there that is capturing what I see. It’s quite funny because I have all these ideas about what I want.
“...the argument might be that women are more indecisive, but from my experience of watching men’s and women’s golf, I feel like the men are slower!”
For example the way golf used to be when women wore skirts and tights or stockings. That’s how I like it. We’re so far from that, as everything is so sporty now, and very boxy - they’re not flattering.
slacks are perfectly cut for golf. If only I could get in touch with him to ask if he could start selling these things in golf stores!
I don’t know if that’s because golf is seen more as a sport now, and because people want to be more comfortable - and I suppose that makes sense. But the thing is that golf is such a glamorous game, and I personally can’t stand what’s going on right now! I’m out there sometimes in my designer shorts
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or skirt, dripping wet because it’s so hot, and thinking ‘Oh, I could just do with something light and sporty right now!’ But nobody ever said that glamour was comfortable!
I buy a lot of my golf clothes from designer shops because they’re tailored well, with a great cut and usually have all the pockets that you need. So I find what I want there - it’s just not a golf label. Moving on to something slightly different, pace of play is a big
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Would you describe yourself as a technical player or a feel player? Definitely a feel player. I’ve always been that way, and have been able to figure out the game for myself. Who are your golfing idols? I don’t know nowadays, I mean I’ve always admired Karrie Webb, and looked up to her, and she’s been great for the profile of golf in Australia. Now I’m out on Tour playing I don’t really know. When I was younger it was Greg Norman. I loved his whole persona, with such a strong image and he was great at marketing himself and golf. Would Greg be where you took some inspiration for how you present yourself within golf? Maybe. I think it is very important to have a good reputation, and
especially for women because we don’t have the same opportunities within golf to make the kind of money that the men do. So I think that in order to survive we need to take other opportunities, and if you maintain the right image then those opportunities become more available.
Will you remain on the Ladies European Tour, or be tempted to move on to the LPGA? Yes, I think I would like to move as soon as possible! Because this is where I live, and it makes more sense. But in the meantime I am happy being in Europe, and I enjoy playing there.
As an Australian, do you take much interest in the Solheim Cup? Not really because we can’t participate. But anyway it’s another week off for me! If I have time I might watch some of it on TV.
What does the future hold for Anna Rawson, will we see a line of golf wear designed by you? Eventually I’d love to collaborate with a designer. Right now with everything going on I don’t know if I could fit it in, but it’s something I’d definitely love to do.
Which side would you be cheering on? Oooh, now you’re asking! Probably Europe because they are my peers and the ones I play against week in week out.
If you’re still left wanting to know more about Anna, she has kindly offered to answer some questions on her website www.annarawson.com Email her at: AskAnna@annarawson.net
“...it is very important to have a good reputation, and especially for women because we don’t have the same opportunities within golf to make the kind of money that the men do.”
© Pol Baril 2006
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Valderrama FIRST TIME EXPERIENCE Images supplied by www.peakperformance.com
Venue of the 32nd Ryder Cup and two World Golf Championships; this year Valderrama will see the Volvo Masters celebrate their 20th anniversary whilst hosting the event for the 15th time. But for those of us who have never played the course, just how challenging is it? EAT GOLF! follows four players of differing abilities around their first Valderrama experience to find out.
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THE PLAYERS
Sam: PGA Professional
Playing the Competition Tees (Blue)
Nick: Handicap 9
Playing the Championship Tees (White)
Ian: Handicap 24
Playing the Standard Men’s Tees (Yellow)
Margaret: Handicap 19
Playing the Standard Ladies’ Tees (Red)
How did you play on the day? Sam: I didn’t start very well - probably because I was too busy recalling all the shots I’d witnessed during previous Volvo Masters and The Ryder Cup. Once I concentrated on my own game I played quite well.
Nick: Reasonably good. My driving was solid apart from a couple of loose drives (which I paid the price for). My iron play wasn’t the best, I didn’t feel to be striking them particularly well. My chipping was OK, and I was very happy with the way I was putting.
Ian: Do you have to ask that question? I could always play better! Margaret: Overall I was very pleased with the way I was playing, however my bunker play let me down.
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Any first tee nerves? Sam: Some. Any time you play a course with such a great history there are a few nerves. I kept thinking how packed that 1st tee was during The Ryder Cup in 1997! Nick: No not really. I had talked myself into it being like any other round of golf and got up and hit a good drive straight down the middle. But we all seemed to be a bit overawed with the whole experience, especially on the front nine. I think it was more excitement and anticipation than nervousness. Ian: No, I think I played the first hole well. Margaret: No, but I did feel nervous on the green. I felt quite in awe of the fact that great golfers had been there before me. I couldn’t quite believe I was actually about to play the course where I had only previously watched. It was an almost surreal experience. There was nobody else about, and it felt like I was walking on sacred ground! How was the course set up? Sam: It was immaculately prepared. The fairways were
amazing, so short. In fact from the middle of the 2nd fairway I wanted to check the wind and I had to walk over to the rough to pick some grass because I couldn’t physically pick any from the fairway! The rough was certainly shorter than it is for the Volvo Masters, especially around the greens. Nick: The pin positions were testing. They seemed to be very much the pin positions you’d find on a Sunday at the Volvo Masters. Would you say it is a difficult course? Sam: Definitely. Although not massively long, you can’t play averagely and score well there. If you are not on your game it will find you out. Nick: It is a very demanding test, and I think that the shots the course asks of you dictate how well you are able to play. Ian: I finished the round with the same ball I started with, so in that respect I wouldn’t say it is difficult. My approach play and short game were particularly bad, and the course is very punishing if you’re not on your short game.
“It is a very demanding test, and I think that the shots the course asks of you dictate how well you are able to play.”
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Margaret: No, I wouldn’t say it was difficult per se. I feel it is a very technically demanding course. I don’t have the length to get into too much trouble, but you still have to be accurate. What are some of the most difficult areas of the course? Sam: You really have to be accurate and plot your way around. There are numerous holes where hitting the fairway just isn’t good enough. For example holes 1, 2, 8, 16 and 18 you have to be on the correct side to have an accessible approach shot. It is the same with the greens, you have to be in the correct areas below the
hole. In many cases if you finish above the hole, you´re dead. Nick: There is a high premium on accuracy, both off the tee and from the fairway. There are a lot of tight drives, and your approach shots need to be well struck to find the right part of the green. Missing the green can leave some very difficult chips. Margaret: I think that the bunkers were very strategically placed. How did you find the greens? Sam: They certainly lived up to their reputation - incredibly true and fast. The ball never seems to
finish by the hole for an easy tap in and therefore you find yourself facing a lot of 4 and 5 foot putts. Nick: The greens are just an incredible surface. Once you have the feel of the pace, nothing needs to be hit - just make a good stroke, trust your judgement, and the ball will go exactly where you’re aiming. Putting is tricky if you’re on the wrong side of the hole, but with 28 putts and no 3 putts, I must have had some luck and landed on the correct side more often than not! Ian: Very true. They weren’t as difficult as I had imagined they would be, but there was the
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odd putt I had from above the hole which I hardly touched and would just keep on going! Maragaret: They were very true. They were slick - I expected them to be like lightning - but they weren’t. They were quite firm, but receptive to a well struck shot. Most memorable moment? Sam: Standing over the approach into the 17th. Although I was pleased with my birdies on holes 11 and 12. 12 especially as from the back tee it requires a long iron to a very small target. Nick: The whole experience. The privilege of playing a course steeped in so much history, where so many great players have been before you. Picking out a defining moment would be making birdie on the 2nd hole. After watching Sam putt from a similar position and seeing how much break there was, I nailed the putt! So early on in the round it was a great feeling.
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Ian: Making par on the 17th! Plus the fact that the tee times are so spaced out allows you to get the most out of the course, and makes the experience all the more enjoyable. Margaret: Making par on the hardest hole on the course, the 4th. Sinking my putt was very satisfying. Any Disappointments? Sam: A double bogey on the last hole is never a good feeling to leave any course with! Nick: Two loose drives going out of bounds on the 9th and 11th cost me 4 shots. Ian: Only in myself, none with the course. There are not many courses where you’ve spectated and then got to play, so you appreciate the course design more so than usual. Margaret: I ended up in too many bunkers I could not get out of - so too many bunker shots!
“The fact that the tee times are so spaced out allows you to get the most out of the course, and makes the experience all the more enjoyable.”
Hole
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
out
Par
4
4
3
5
4
3
5 (4)
Stroke Index
13
7
17
1
11
15
5
4
4
36 (35)
9
3
Professional
356
385
179
515
348
149
448
320
403
Sam
5
4
4
5
6
4
5
4
Stableford
1
2
1
2
-
1
1
2
Putts
1
2
2
2
2
3
2
Championship
339
345
161
470
332
138
Nick
5
3
3
6
6
Stableford
1
4
2
2
-
Putts
2
1
1
1
Executive
319
315
126
Ian
5
7
Stableford
2
1
Putts
2
Ladies
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
in
total
36
72 (71)
4
5
3
4
4
3
4
5
4
18
10
2
14
6
16
4
12
8
3103
356
500
194
368
338
206
386
490
415
3253
6356
4
41
4
4
2
5
5
3
4
5
6
38
79
2
12
2
3
3
1
1
2
2
2
-
16
28
2
1
17
2
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
15
32
494
296
386
2961
333
476
180
341
315
183
354
455
397
3034
5995
4
5
5
7
44
4
8
3
5
4
3
4
5
5
41
85
1
3
2
-
15
2
-
3
1
3
2
3
2
2
18
33
2
1
2
2
2
14
2
2
1
2
1
2
1
1
2
14
28
460
314
120
387
272
364
2677
303
449
165
321
289
183
327
405
379
2821
5498
4
9
7
4
6
7
7
56
5
7
6
7
7
6
7
5
7
57
113
2
-
-
2
3
-
1
11
2
1
1
-
1
-
1
3
-
9
20
3
2
2
1
1
2
3
2
18
2
1
2
2
2
3
3
1
2
18
36
282
274
101
417
258
115
345
231
330
2353
261
411
133
286
277
146
289
374
343
2520
4873
Margaret
6
5
4
5
5
3
5
6
6
45
4
8
4
5
6
4
7
6
6
50
95
Stableford
1
2
2
4
2
3
3
1
1
19
3
-
2
2
1
2
-
2
1
13
32
Putts
3
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
17
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
1
2
14
31
“17 has obviously witnessed some memorable scenes, but my favourite hole was the 4th. A great par 5 with some beautiful scenery, particularly around the green.”
Favourite hole(s)? Sam: 17 has obviously witnessed some memorable scenes, but my favourite hole was the 4th. A great par 5 with some beautiful scenery, particularly around the green. Nick: All of them! It is very rare to play a course that doesn’t have a bad or indifferent hole on it, but Valderrama is one of them. It really is hard to pick out a highlight hole as they are all exceptional. Ian: 17! Probably because it is the most well known, and to get to play it (and par it) would make it my favourite. Margaret: I think that the 4th was my favourite hole, as much as the
17th is a great hole. It is very hard to choose as they are all fantastic in different ways. I also thought the 10th was a wonderful hole. Most difficult hole? Sam: 18 is difficult to find a good position from the tee, but if I was playing the Volvo Masters I would be happy to make a par on the par 4, 7th. My tee was a long way back from Nick’s and the par for the hole was a shot less! Two long shots are required to reach a very difficult undulating green. Nick: In all honesty I think the difficulty on all the holes is dependent on your tee shot, but I can see why the par 3, 12th is stroke index 2.
Ian: For me, the 4th was alright until you got around the green. It is like a platform with danger on all sides. Trees at the back, water to the front and right, and bunkers on the left. The green is quite small and narrow, two tier, and seems to lean towards the water. Do I need to say more?! Any other comments? Sam: On the day I wasn’t quite striking my irons 100% which on reflection worked in my favour as I wasn’t often going past and above the flag. A lot of my putts seemed to be from below the hole, certainly the easier side when trying to hole them. Perhaps a valuable piece of advice for any future Volvo Masters Champion - practice mis-hitting your irons!
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The Solheim Cup is a biennial transatlantic team matchplay competition and is considered the premier event in women’s world golf. Founded in 1990 by Karsten Manufacturing Corporation (KMC) - makers of PING golf equipment - The Solheim Cup features 12 of the top European born players from the Ladies European Tour (LET) and 12 top American born players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). Players on both sides of the Atlantic compete for points in their respective tour events to earn a coveted place on the team. Played over three days, The Solheim Cup consists of 28 matches - eight foursome matches, eight four-ball matches and 12 singles played on the final day. The USA leads by six encounters to three over Europe after the ninth edition of the matches took place at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana from 9th-11th September 2005.
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When Europe’s top women golfers begin their pursuit of the crystal trophy at The Solheim Cup in September they do so in the knowledge that they have the golf crazy Swedes supporting. In 1990, Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson was one of the Europeans literally shaking in their spikes at the prospect of taking on the mighty stars of the LPGA Tour in a brand new competition entitled The Solheim Cup.
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By Elspeth Burnside Ladies European Tour
Way back then at Lake Nona in Florida, the tournament was constantly (and rather irritatingly) labelled “the women’s Ryder Cup”, was virtually ignored by the golfing public and, as expected, the European visitors were given a good old thumping by their American counterparts. But how times have changed. Come September in Halmstad and the landmark tenth Solheim Cup will have the infectiously enthusiastic Alfredsson as the skipper of a European team that no longer does scared. And the home side can call on a bundle of statistics to back up their new-found confidence. Europe has never lost in Sweden - Barsebäck 2003 was one of the three European victories - home
advantage is always a key factor and the strength in depth on the Ladies’ European Tour means that the battle for places to produce Alfie’s final dogged dozen is expected to be even fiercer and more fascinating than ever.
“But now I’m just so thrilled the way the Solheim has grown to become one of the biggest events in women’s golf. Even back then I knew it had great potential, but it has become even bigger than I could ever have imagined.”
For Alfie herself, it has been an amazing journey. “What I remember most about the first Solheim was being really, really nervous,” recalls one of the world’s most respected professionals who went on to win a major title at the 1993 Nabisco Dinah Shore and collected four more victories on the LPGA Tour.
One intriguing aspect this year is the change to the selection system and how it will shake up. Instead of seven players from LET rankings plus five wild cards, this time there will only be five players from the LET list plus four (not otherwise selected) from the Rolex World rankings. Alfredsson will then have free rein to pick the final trio.
“My first match was a fourball against Nancy Lopez and Pat Bradley and all I could think about was when it might be a convenient moment to ask for their autographs.
It’s a system that should help the players who compete more regularly on the US-based LPGA Tour to have clearer guidelines and perhaps not have to rely quite so much on the whims of a Captain. But they will still have had to show loyalty to the LET by competing in at least six tournaments over the twoyear qualification period.
“But now I’m just so thrilled the way the Solheim has grown to become one of the biggest events in women’s golf.”
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2007 EUROPEAN SOLHEIM CUP CAPTAIN Surname First Name(s) Date of Birth Place of Birth Nationality Residence Name of Spouse Interests Date turned Pro. Exemption Status Sponsors Represents
Alfredsson Helen Christine 9th April 1965 Gothenburg Sweden Orlando, Florida Kent All sports & keeping fit 1st January 1989 Life Member TaylorMade / Peak Performance Sweden
SOLHEIM CUP 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 (7) 2003 Captain victorious PING European Junior Solheim Cup Team at Bokskogens GK
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Whoever makes up Alfie’s gang, it promises to be another classic contest played out over a course that hosted the Chrysler Open in 1999 and 2000. The two respective winners - Laura Davies and Carin Koch - are likely to be vital members of this year’s home team. Two years ago at Crooked Stick, America threw up a potent mix of old and new, and just emerged victorious by 15.5-12.5. Beth Daniel, Rosie Jones and Juli Inkster provided a mature backbone to a side that also included three giggly and glamorous young girls in Paula Creamer, Christina Kim and Natalie Gulbis. The rookie babes came up trumps by contributing nine and a half points to the final total and the ‘oldies’ admitted that their bubbly enthusiasm was almost worth an extra point. This year, US Captain Betsy King seems certain to have Creamer, Gulbis and Kim back in her side with 19-year-old Morgan Pressel and twenty-somethings Brittany Lang and Brittany Lincicome taking on the role of exciting newcomers.
The Solheim Cup returns to Sweden in 2007, where the Europeans recorded a momentous victory at Bärseback Golf & Country Club in 2003 - winning by 17.5-10.5 The 2007 matches will be played at Halmstad Golfklubb, from September 14th-16th 2007; where the Halmstad Community will also be celebrating its 700 year anniversary. The Swedish Golf Federation will once again be the Host and will be joined by the other Nordic Federations, who will each take the status of ‘Co-Host’.
044
Inkster, at 47, is set to be the senior member of the side, while Cristie Kerr came into 2007 as the leading American at No.4 on the world rankings. And there could even be a place for the 2006 Weetabix Women’s Open Champion, Sherri Steinhauer, the player who scored the winning point for the US at Muirfield Village in 1998. What of Europe? Incredibly - although no one who knows her will be surprised - Laura Davies looks set to continue her unbroken appearances. She was one of the very few not to feel intimidated in 1990 - she had, after all, won a US Women’s Open - and she remains such an important cog in the European team. After a two year drought, Laura delighted everyone when she returned to the winner’s circle at last season’s SAS Masters in Norway and she celebrated the New Year as a record seven time winner of the New Star Order of Merit and in second place on the European Solheim rankings. As they say in the US, she is already a shoe-in.
“Whoever makes up Alfie’s gang, it promises to be another classic contest played out over a course that hosted the Chrysler Open in 1999 and 2000.” Surely another certainty is Gwladys Nocera. An untried rookie at Crooked Stick when she hadn’t even won a single tournament, the French woman has since blossomed into a real European star. Perhaps it was her notable Solheim singles victory over Kerr that provided the injection of confidence and helped her underline her class with three wins in Europe in 2006.
Matthew and Carin Koch. All four have terrific Solheim records - the hope is that they can add to their credentials in September. Then there are the imponderables. Iben Tinning, who played when she was pregnant in 2005, is a certain contender, and another new Mum, Janice Moodie, is always an asset to a team competition.
Annika Sorenstam, adored by her home Swedish crowd, will again be leading the side, while France’s Stephanie Arricau, England’s Rebecca Hudson, Italy’s Veronica Zorzi, Denmark’s Karen Margrethe Juul and Finland’s Rikka Hakkarainen could take the leap from LET title-holders to Solheim Cup rookies.
Karen Stupples could also come into the mix, although the birth of her first baby in April could put her second Cup appearance on hold until 2009. Maria Hjorth, a two-time Solheim Cupper, could be another welcome Swede to stir up the home emotions. All will be revealed on the 21st August following the Wales Ladies Championship of Europe.
But every team needs experience so step forward Sophie Gustafson, Suzann Pettersen, Catriona
But whatever the line-ups, reaching double figures is a significant milestone for a Cup
that continues to be so stoutly and gratefully supported by the gracious Solheim family. History and tradition is something that builds with age and it now seems strange to reflect that the new, young players have no memory of Europe’s famous victory at Dalmahoy in 1992. They need to be told how the team of ill-fated underdogs snapped at the heels of the glittering US stars and emerged with one of the most famous upset victories - not just in golf - but within the world of sport. On reflection, even the Americans would probably accept that those three days in Edinburgh provided the perfect boost for the future of the Cup. It brought the contest to the attention of a much wider public and gave the Europeans the belief that they were just as talented as their transatlantic counterparts.
Tickets on Course for Sell Out Over 80% of tickets have already been reserved for The 2007 Solheim Cup. The capacity will be limited to just 30,000 spectators per match day. The organisers are encouraging the public to make sure they purchase tickets and parking tickets well in advance to avoid any disappointment. To book tickets log on to: www.solheimcup.se or call +46 (0) 771 44 44 10.
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046
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Cabell B Robinson PART TWO Continuing from last issue, Cabell speaks to EAT GOLF! about more of his work including one of his latest projects, Valle Romano Golf & Resort. We also managed to get onto the course to bring you some sneak preview shots of how it is shaping up. Please be aware that the course is still under construction, and photos in this artcile are of work in progress.
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What can you tell us about the Valle Romano project you’ve been working on? It was a challenging site to get the course to fit into the footprint of the land. But now that’s done I think there are some very good golf holes there. The first hole is interesting. It is a long par 5 of about 525 meters, and is built entirely on top of a tunnel which runs the full length of the hole from beginning to end! We were very restricted in the amount of earth movement we could do on there, but it turned out to be a very good golf hole and it’s certainly interesting to be playing above the inside of a tunnel! Not that anyone would know that when playing it. There’s a very nice par 4 on the back nine with almost a double fairway, where if you’ve swiped it from the tee you’ll then have to play across a lake to the green. The 18th hole, if they keep the order I laid it out, is a very long par 3 of about 220 meters from the back. It will be a par 72 for the amateurs. It is not an overly long course, I think it will be around 6,100 or 6,200 meters. Usually if I’m pleased with a course then I know the client will be, and I can sleep well if I’m happy!
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How do you decide the length of a hole & where to place the tees? The problem is that the average player doesn’t really know what tees they should play from - for example - we men are macho! I sometimes wonder with all the money we spend building tees which is considerable - that courses don’t take advantage of them. That’s partly the fault of the way the course is set up by the people who maintain them, and partly to do with the Federation and how they allow tournaments to be set up. When I set up a scorecard for a course I get all the different measurements from each tee and decide ‘I want the ladies yardage to be x’ or say ‘I want the white course to play at this length’. So I play with all the holes to try and get a short course and a long course using the tees that are built. On a flat site you can do the scorecard before you build the course, and make the tees according to your scorecard. But on a hilly site you’ve got to build them where you physically can. So you then adjust the scorecard to what’s there on the ground. You’re trying to come up with a combination of numbers that fit with the tees. Sometimes you’ll put a white tee marker right at the back of the tee box, but if you’ve got 50m to play with there’s no reason why they can’t be moved around.
American architects are often asked to come up with regulations for fairway widths and hole lengths etc. but we refuse to do so because it entirely depends upon the site. We have our own personal norms, but we don’t want to be held legally in court for not meeting the regulations. When I tried to push for 5 tee markers in France some years ago, the French Federation had only four colours that were acceptable for tees! I said ‘what difference does it make?’. In America the tees are any colour we like. When you’ve been out to play a great course nobody ever asks what tees you played from. When Rees and I played Kiawah Island a few years back - he’s a better player than me and wanted to play from the very back tees - it was no fun for me. I was hitting 3 woods into all the greens so I said ‘why don’t we just play a shorter course?’ So we moved forward and in the end Rees said ‘Yeah, that was a lot of fun!’ My own personal feeling is that it’s sad that people (golfers) and the courses themselves don’t take more advantage of all the tees that are available - the square meterage of tees in the States is now usually greater than that of the greens!
“When I tried to push for 5 tee markers in France some years ago, the French Federation had only four colours that were acceptable for tees!”
“Whoever makes up Alfie’s gang, it promises to be another classic contest played out over a course that hosted the Chrysler Open in 1999 and 2000.”
It’s very easy when you’re laying out a course to end up with a lot of holes that are the same length - if you don’t think about it too much. La Reserva wanted a big course, and they were great - they just let me get on with my work and really express myself. On completion they were very happy with the results, and they came to me and said that they were going to move a couple of the boundaries of the course because it was so good they didn’t want the houses to interfere with it. I have never before had a developer move the housing boundaries back after the course is done!
Those qualities are apparent when you play the course, and the same is true of Santana. Yes, well Santana was perhaps the last easy site on which to develop a course on the Costa del Sol. It’s a beautiful site, and a walkable course which isn’t terribly long and has a very pretty setting. From an earth moving and drainage point of view it was a very easy course to build. It is a very enjoyable course to play, and they keep it in great shape, the greens are fabulous and they’ve got 10 minute starting times.
One thing is that many courses don’t let buggies go on the fairways, which frustrates me. I design playing fields and I have no interest in people looking at them from the side - they are designed to be seen from the fairway. I should write it into my design contracts that golf carts must be allowed on the fairways! If the course is wet then that’s different, but let people run around the course! Every course I do, with a few exceptions, has wall to wall cart paths. It’s very difficult to put them in after a course has been built if they weren’t thought of in the beginning. I try and hide them - as cart paths should really be for wet days or as an emergency alternative. If you’re forced to keep on the paths it’s always going to be sods law that you end up hitting it to the opposite side! Especially nowadays the way we build courses there’s no excuse not to let buggies drive on them. At what point do you say ‘my job is done’ and leave the site? I am usually involved up until the growing stage and inauguration. Sometimes this will extend, such as I have since been involved with tree planting at La Reserva. But as far as growing and course maintenance, if the course superintendent is good then he knows more about that than I do, because I’m not a trained agronomist.
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“I know what Mr. Jones was thinking back then, and if I make changes I can feel confident that he would make the same decisions were he here today...”
report from the viewpoint of Mr. Jones, because I know what he was thinking back then, and if I make changes I can feel confident that he would make the same decisions were he here today due to the change in equipment. It’s easy for me to keep his style, and it’s nice to be able to preserve Mr. Jones’ name. Everything I have today I owe to him.
Sometimes I am called back to look at changes a course might want to do, and that’s easier on the coast because I’m based here. Some courses religiously won’t consider any course changes without calling me - but that’s not normally in my contract - I don’t own the course. If they want my input they can have it, but I can’t insist on it once the course is in their hands. I like to stay involved, and especially the ones where they look after them. It’s very disturbing if you go back to a course 10 years on and see that it’s been let go. Because when you’ve finished it you like to feel a certain amount of pride in what you’ve achieved, and they always look pretty good after a year or two - but if they let it go downhill then that’s very disappointing. Most of the old courses on the coast of Spain are designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior, and if re-modelling is required I can do a
050
There can’t be many people who could make that claim?! Well there’s Rees and Bobby Jones (sons of Robert Trent Jones Senior). Bobby runs around the world so much he doesn’t get too involved in details, and Rees rarely works over here in Europe. But the other one very definitely, even more than I, would be Roger Rulewich who was with Mr. Jones for 34 years back in New Jersey. Rees left the year after I started working there, and he set up on his own I think in ‘68 or ‘69 - so he was independent of his father for a long time. I was with his dad for 19 years, but Roger was there for 34 years. So there’s three others could do that sort of work, but more than anyone else it would be Roger, and he comes over from time to time. He’s a very nice guy and we’re pretty good friends. What would be your most satisfying project to date? That’s a canny way of asking what’s my favourite! None of us architects like to answer that. We give answers like ‘do I love my children? I love them all!’ or ‘the one I’m currently working on’ etc.
There’s a bit of truth in those answers, but none of us want to upset a previous or current client by saying some other course is better. It’s a legitimate question, and I’m doing my best to side step it! I think there are different levels of satisfaction. In some ways I was very pleased with Santana because it was such a commercial success for the owner. He believed it would be, and when he had 38,000 rounds in the first year I was pretty gob smacked by that number, and it makes me feel good that he was proved right. La Reserva was wonderful to work on, and Finca Cortesin was as well because they let me express myself. There were technical problems at times (as there will be with every project) but there wasn’t someone looking over my shoulder golf wise, asking this and that. Although that’s not always bad if the questions are good, because if I don’t have a good answer then I need to think about the question a bit more! Sometimes being tested is beneficial for the end result. But I certainly enjoyed those courses because there was the freedom of being able to do the course and make decisions freely. When courses contribute to the financial success of a project, apart from being happy with the course, it makes you feel like you must have done something right. Because it is the course that draws people to a project first.
Meet ‘The Striker’
but hide your mobile! By Dennis Shaw, PGAs of Europe
052
The golf ball is perched, bizarrely, on top of a mobile telephone. Approaching it, at a speed of up to 140 mph, is the hot face of sweetly-swung, stiff-shafted, Yonex Cyberstar driver with a seven-degree loft.
A large gallery, comprised mainly of PGA professionals, watches in silence, as though hypnotised by the audacity of the trick. These are guys who thought they had seen it all before. But this one is different... A nanosecond later the hardened pros break out into a round of spontaneous applause. The ball is now flying dead straight ahead, on a high trajectory. Had it not been for the far wall of the Messe Munchen New Trade Fair Centre, Munich, it would have flown for some 300 yards. Probably more. And the mobile ‘phone hasn’t even rocked... The Striker has struck again. Then to confirm the sweet purity of his ball-striking ability he winds himself up again with a turn that could be likened to John Daly’s. This time he drives a ball dead straight, off a concrete slab and the only sound is of titanium meeting urethane-elastomer. No hint of scraping metal. The sparks fly, though, that’s for sure. Meet Paul Barrington, (nickname The Striker), PGA professional, a star of the Long Drive/ Trick Shot circuit, showman extraordinaire and surely, if you’ve attended his show, one of the very best ball strikers you’ve ever seen at any level of the sport. OK, I know that’s an extravagant claim, and how the heck can I support it, but many far better judges than myself do, at least, deem the viewpoint worthy of debate. This 37-year-old Director of
Golf at The Players’ Club, Bristol, UK, has a phenomenal hand-eye co-ordination no doubt about that. It’s at this point that the question escapes involuntarily from everyone’s lips: “OK, if he’s one of the best strikers of a golf ball you’ve ever seen, why isn’t he winning a fortune in prize money on the world’s tournament circuits? There could be a simple answer such as; ‘well, he can’t pitch and putt, can he..?’, but I don’t think it’s
that simple. The scene I described in the opening paragraphs took place at the PGAsE Golf Europe Trade Exhibition where PGA pros were astonished by his prowess. The professionals were equally gobsmacked when he gave a similar display before the Aegean Airlines International Pro-am in Crete. He can drive a ball straight through a piece of chipboard, ahead of him in a frame, leaving a hole the size of... well, a golf ball. He strikes balls
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“Tiger Woods, for instance, has never sold a tee peg nor collected the empty buckets on a driving range. Can you imagine Monty giving lessons to elderly ladies? I don’t think so...”
huge distances, always on target, using woods ranging from 24” to seven feet (yes, seven feet!) long. His driving distance claims are: a quarter of a mile (normal stance); 308 yards (from his knees); 303 yards (left-handed); 365 yards (longest carry), 301 yards (with a putter...). On the The Players’ Club he has driven each of the par-four greens that measure up to 360-yards, or thereabouts. This eye-hand co-ordination of his enables him to entertain galleries with such stunts as bouncing a ball on a hard surface then, as its on its way down, smashing it out of sight whilst it is in mid-air. Who NEEDS a stationery ball on a tee peg, for heaven’s sake? Barrington’s repertoire of skills has brought him the titles of World Trick Shot Champion, 2005 and British Long Drive Champion 2002, 2003. Alongside this, (slightly sadly considering his monumental talent), the best he can manage on his Tournament-winning CV is Winner of the Glenmuir Club Professional West Regional qualifier, 1999. The sceptics who say ‘There you go. Didn’t I tell you? He can’t pitch and putt...’ have a solid argument. There is, though, I believe, another viewpoint and it’s one that’s all wrapped up with how individual golf development from junior through to adult level has inescapably taken shape in the last couple of decades or so. Take a look at the leading tournament players... David Howell, Paul Casey, Luke Donald are instant examples. Before they turned pro they were full-time amateurs. No disrespect to them, and all the others, but they’ve 054
never had to do anything else but concentrate on their golf. Now take a look on Paul’s web site www.prodem.co.uk. He was probably as outstanding a talent as a lad, as many of the current European and World leaders. But not for him a subsidised teenage of playing full-time, tournament golf. He became a trainee pro at 17 and, like his PGA club professional colleagues, went in a different direction. If an outstanding junior has to get a ‘proper job’ on leaving school, possibly for family reasons, to ensure a regular income, he or she can’t spend hours on the practice putting green and chipping and putting area honing those essential skills. Their time is taken up in the pro shop or on the range teaching others. Tiger Woods, for instance, has never sold a tee peg nor collected the empty buckets on a driving range. Can you imagine Monty giving lessons to elderly ladies? I don’t think so... Yet Paul, now aged 37, is not complaining that ‘he didn’t have the chance to become a fulltime tour pro’. He’s never short of bookings for his one-man displays (The London Golf Show was among his ‘gigs’) and leading authorities on the golf swing profoundly admire his skills. Sky TV presenter, Ewen Murray, himself a former Tour player and now also a respected coach, has talked of the ‘brilliance of his technical ability’. Murray’s Sky colleague, and another former Tour player, Robert Lee, has described him as: ‘Brilliant and entertaining...’
More recently when he staged his show at The Wisley, the home pro there, one Denis Pugh, the Sky TV analysts who is among the world’s most respected coaches (and who can list Colin Montgomerie among those who have benefited from his guidance), was highly complimentary about his ball-striking prowess. Having seen Paul’s show at close quarters, and played a fun round with him at the Players’ Club, it seems blindingly obvious to me that here is a guy with very special eye-hand co-ordination akin, say, to Kevin Pietersen the England Test batsman. Sadly, now that he’s in his late thirties, it’s too late for him to catch up on all of those missed hours on the short-game area of an academy, harnessing that precious talent into the multi-faceted skills of a consummate all-round player on the European Tour. On the other hand, though, he’s not given up that shred of ambition, that was always there, to use his ability as long-hitting, trick shot showman to bring him some degree of success as a tournament golfer. You never know. He has attempted recently to free up some time to practice and to play in regional events. And still some 13 years ahead is the European Seniors’ Tour, so maybe. Just maybe… Certainly, if a sponsor were to offer to give him that opportunity he would jump at the chance. Meanwhile, should you get the opportunity to go to see his mindboggling show, just remember to keep your mobile ‘phone switched off… and well out of sight!
WHAT TO WATCH
PLAYING TIPS
PORTUGAL MASTERS
The Oceânico Victoria Course, Vilamoura to stage the inaugural Portugal Masters, 18-21 Oct.
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EUROPEAN TOUR www.europeantour.com
US PGA TOUR www.pga.com
AUGUST 02-05 Russian Open Golf Championship Le Meridien Moscow CC
AUGUST 02-05 WGC - Bridgestone Invitational Firestone Country Club, Ohio
09-12
US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Southern Hills CC, Oklahoma
09-12
US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Southern Hills CC, Oklahoma
16-19
Scandinavian Masters Arlandastad GC, Sweden
16-19
Wyndham Championship Forest Oaks CC, North Carolina
23-26
The KLM Open Kennemer G&CC, Netherlands
23-26
The Barclays Westchester CC, New York
30-02
Johnnie Walker Championship The Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland
31-03
Deutsche Bank Championship TPC Boston, Massachusetts
SEPTEMBER 06-09 Omega European Masters Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland
SEPTEMBER 06-09 BMW Championship Cog Hill G&CC, Illinois
13-16
Mercedes-Benz Championship Gut Lärchenhof, Germany
13-16
THE TOUR Championship East Lake GC, Atlanta, Georgia
20-23
The Quinn Direct British Masters The Belfry, England
20-23
Turning Stone Resort Championship Atunyote Golf Club, New York
27-30
Seve Trophy The Heritage G&CC, Killenard, Ireland
27-30
The Presidents Cup The Royal Montreal Golf Club, Quebec
OCTOBER 04-07 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns
OCTOBER 04-07 Valero Texas Open LaCantera GC, San Antonio, Texas
11-14 11-14
HSBC World Match Play Open de Madrid
11-14
Frys.com Open TPC Summerlin / Canyons, Las Vegas
18-21
Portugal Masters Oceânico Victoria Clube de Golfe
18-21
Fry’s Electronics Open Grayhawk Golf Club - Raptor, Arizona
25-28
Mallorca Classic Pula GC
25-28
Ginn Classic at Tesoro Tesoro Club, Port St. Lucie, Florida
Callaway Golf TV Get tips from Phil Mickelson and hear what Annika Sorenstam does when she’s not on the course. www.callawaygolftv.com
PLAYING TIGER
Nike Golf One-thousand special-edition Nike One golf balls. One sweepstake. One hole played with the No.1 golfer in the world. www.nikegolf.com
PLAYING No.1
TaylorMade The no.1 driver in golf, with more PGA Tour Professionals playing TaylorMade Drivers than any other brand. www.taylormadegolf.com
Images supplied by www.peakperformance.com
competition preperation
By Allison Dyer
BSc, MSc, C.Psychol
Total Sport Psychology
www.sportpsychologist.org.uk
Often it will take a golfer a few holes to settle into their round. They only start warming up and finding their groove by the second or third hole they play. The first tee shot can often be a bit wayward, which can be both demoralising and unsettling.
When the first putt doesn’t drop it is easy to conclude that the putts just aren’t going to go your way and today is just not going to be your day! The aim of this article is to provide some ideas on how to approach each round in a way that will maximise your chances of a consistent and sustainable performance from the beginning of the round through to the last putt on the 18th. To give yourself the best chance of achieving your golfing potential and performing consistently it makes sense to develop and implement a Competition Plan - a protocol to follow that allows you to feel good and ready to go from the start of the round through to the end of the round! In this article we will explore basic strategies and techniques that will help you attain the right frame of mind to play your best golf throughout four key competition phases:
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1. Day before competition 2. Night before competition 3. Morning before competition 4. Warm-up Day before competition: Practice rounds are key, they are your rehearsal period and particularly useful if you haven’t ever played the competition course or you haven’t played the competition course recently. A key objective of a practice round is to establish a solid game plan – a clear idea of how best to play each hole. It is useful to use the practice round to gauge hazards and traps in relation to the distance you play to, experiment with potential chips, bunker shots, putting positions and so on. Identify those holes you could take a chance with and those you will always respect. I encourage my golfers to take the time to look at each hole backwards. It is amazing how much information you can glean from this simple check.
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Where possible plan to walk the course backwards, starting at the 18th hole. You will be surprised at how much additional information you pick up walking the course in reverse. You should leave your practice round feeling that you understand the course and how to play each hole. Preparing like this helps to ensure a feeling of readiness and control and so confidence on the day. Night before competition: It is useful to identify a routine you can engage in the night before competition that will help ensure you are mentally ready and prepared
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on the morning of the competition. This routine could include a start time check, an equipment check - balls, tees, glove, waterproofs, towel etc. Check your equipment is clean and that you have sandwiches, snacks, water etc. for during the round. These checkpoints are all small organisational checks but they can all make a huge impact on your round if you don’t get them right! It can be useful to review your game plan the night before the competition to consolidate the information you drew out of your practice round or the last time you played the course. You can
use this time to write out the competition goals you have set yourself for the day e.g. “to play one shot by one shot”, “to commit to my pre-shot routine”, “to commit to positive and constructive thinking throughout the round”. You can spend a few minutes using imagery - perhaps seeing yourself successfully playing that first tee shot or a hole that is particularly tricky. (For further information on visualisation see my ‘Imagery’ article, EAT GOLF! Issue 8 - available on-line at www.fairwaylife.com). It can also be useful to review positive experiences, perhaps from
tempo for the day. Using music can be a good way to psych yourself up or relax yourself. The type of music to use will vary from person to person because music is very unique to the individual. If you find a piece of music or an album that works for you keep a copy in your car so that you can play it on the way to a competition. You could also use this time to review your competition goals.
Example Night before competition checklist The night before competition Check start time Do a final equipment check - check relevant clubs / clean clubs / iron clothes Buy sandwich / snack / water / bananas Review game plan - be clear about Chance and Respect holes Prepare yardage book (write out competition goals) Spend 5 minutes visualising self successfully playing each tee shot Spend 5 minutes visualising yourself living the competition goals you have set Relax - TV / Book / Magazine/ iPod / Playstation Plan for 8 hours sleep
your last practice session, practice round, a recent competition or the last time you played on this particular course. Review your mental library of good shots, positive experiences, achievements and so on. These practices will all work to enhance your confidence and help you feel ready! Morning before competition: Most of us have our wake up routines established. We know how much time we ideally need to wake up, get showered etc. Key points here are that you leave enough time to travel to the venue and complete your ideal warm up
before you tee off (see below) and that you fuel yourself correctly by eating an appropriate breakfast. To get your mind in the right gear you can also use this time to complete a thought control check, perhaps whilst you are in the car on the way to the event - “Am I thinking in a useful, constructive and helpful way?” - If I am great, if not lets CHOOSE to direct my thoughts through a more useful pathway. (For further information on self talk see my ‘Thought Control’ article in EAT GOLF! Issue 5). It can be useful to drive slowly to the course, thus setting your
Warm Up: Establish a warm up that suits you and allows you to step up to the first tee feeling ready and good to go. You will need to practice this routine so that you become comfortable and familiar with it. Identify how much time you should spend on the driving range, chipping, putting etc. Reflect on the content of your warm-up. Are there any specific practices that suit you? e.g. finishing with the club you know you will tee off with, playing your clubs in a certain order, rehearsing the first three holes by imaging them etc. Once you have identified a warm up that suits you build it into your routine and Competition Plan. Ensure you arrive at the competition venue with plenty of time to complete this warm-up. Prepare and practice a reduced version of this warm up to cater for unexpected time delays. Conclusion Taking the time to figure out an approach to competition that suits you and helps you to attain the right frame of mind is a worthwhile exercise. Devise a competition plan that allows you to approach competition in a way that will maximise your chances of a more consistent and sustainable performance.
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By David Poulton, PGA Professional, KZG World Top 100 Club Fitter 2007
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Being fitted for the correct type of wedge is essential for successful chipping & pitching
Successful wedge play is all about controlling the spin on the ball which is influenced by the contact the golfer makes with it. When you have selected the loft of your wedges, 3 important specifications need to be checked.
1) Lie Angle 2) Bounce Angle 3) Swing Weight All of these 3 have a huge effect on making a clean contact on the ball. Most golfers struggle to get the club sliding cleanly under the bottom of the ball which is what creates the spin, they normally dig the club into the turf before the ball which is then followed by thinning the next one right through the green. The wedges in your set should never be too upright in Lie Angle. For example a 3 iron could be made
slightly more upright to help a social golfer stop a slice - but not a wedge. A lot of professionals make their wedges a little flatter to take some of the bounce away, which helps with making a clean contact. It’s always better to see the toe of the club closer to the ground for chipping and pitching, the club will slide along the ground much easier. Get the Clubfitter to accompany you to a turfed chipping area
to test for lie angle and not on a plastic lie board. Once the Lie Angle has been selected the bounce of the wedge must be chosen. The bounce that you choose must correspond to the turf or sand conditions you will be using the club in. The bounce of the club is the angle from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wedge. For example don’t go above
“Get the Clubfitter to accompany you to a turfed chipping area to test for lie angle and not on a plastic lie board.” 6 degrees of bounce if your home course turf conditions are generally dry with not much lush grass and you require a club for lob shots / low trajectory spinning shots.
✔
< 6° bounce - good for bare lies
✔
> 8° bounce - good for fluffy lies
The norm when fitting for bounce is to match the bounce to your angle of attack. Some golfers make a clean sliding attack through the ball - others have more of a digging or trapping action with the ball way back in their stance which requires more bounce. I like to see the ball further forward in the stance
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Photos taken at Positive Golf, Marbella. Winter training ground for the PGA EuroPro Tour. www.pgm.es
“In simple terms the swing weight is the ability to feel the clubhead when the golfer swings the wedge.”
✔
Correct lie angle allows the club to work in the way it was designed
encouraging a cleaner, shallower contact. Tiger does all his pitching from the front half of the stance controlling the trajectory with the through swing which means he always has control of the spin - only trapping it when necessary. For me the most overlooked specification regarding wedges is the swing weight. In simple terms the swing weight is the ability to feel the clubhead when the golfer swings the wedge. If you cannot feel the head you have little chance of controlling the speed you swing the club and allowing it to drop down to the bottom of the ball. A sand wedge head normally weighs close to 300 grams. That 300 grams wants to follow the laws of gravity and drop to the ground - but most golfers don’t allow that to happen due to grip pressure and attempted scooping.
✔
A higher swingweight encourages the club to drop into the back of the ball
✘
Golfer must feel the head weight or they force the club in the direction of the ball
Your wedges should be at least 4 or 5 swing weights higher than the rest of your clubs, and that is not always the case with some of the cast clubs on the market. If you use a lob wedge try and get one up around the D6 to D8 range.
✘
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Too upright introduces all the bounce and the plane of the face points left
A lightweight steel shaft with a very light grip will get the swing weight up sufficient enough to feel the head of the club. Get your Club Fitter to swing weight your wedges and see if they need to be changed.
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GOLF TIPS
left or right? By Patrick Brady, PGA Professional
Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Mo Norman, Nick Price, Sergio Garcia... all these players have two things in common. They are renowned for their ball striking, and are all left handed golfers playing the game right handed.
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Feature in association with Golf ‘us. www.golf-us.com
Top supplied by Lacoste www.lacoste.com
☑
TIP FOR THE HOME Picture 1 (and main picture left) I am using a table tennis bat to demonstrate the amount of rotation required in the left forearm to hit a straight flighted ball. The different colours on each side allow you to see the correct left arm rotation which is vital in oder to keep the width through and after impact, and have a consistent swing. Work the colours so that you see black in your backswing and red in your follow through. It is also a good idea to practice this with just your left hand in order to train the correct feelings.
1. A table tennis bat can train left arm rotation
☒
Picture 2 demonstrates something I see in many golfers. Whilst there are numerous elements which make up a golfer’s swing, the fact remains that without strength and coordination of the left forearm (for a right hander) our right side overpowers the swing causing it to break down through impact - leading to a ‘chicken wing’ effect. TIP FOR THE RANGE Picture 3 shows a great exercise which I have used for eighteen years in my teaching. Lifting the right thumb off the grip encourages you to feel the left side hitting through the ball. It might seem a little strange in the beginning, but after a few shots you’ll feel the contact with the ball improve.
2. Right arm overpowering the swing
TIP FOR THE COURSE Hold your finish with the left arm extended away from the chest (Picture 4). When you practice this you’ll realise how weak your left side has been. This is good - as you’re now aware of the feelings we’re looking for!
☑ 3. Right thumb not touching the grip
There is a lot of debate as to which arm should be leading the club through the impact area. I believe that it is both - but when I look at many of my pupils on camera the left arm is so weak it might as well not be on the club at all. If you are a right handed golfer playing right handed golf, you will always have a natural tendency to use the right arm too much, which causes the swing to break down at impact. When the right arm takes over it is pushing the left out of the way, and not allowing you to get to the back of the ball consistently. Ben Hogan wrote one of the most widely read books in golf - but what Ben didn’t tell us in his ‘five fundamentals’ is that he was left hand dominant. Lee Trevino kept the clubhead squarer through the impact area for longer than anyone who has ever played the game, and was also a left hander. We all marvel at how much lag Sergio Garcia creates in his swing - but if you’re left handed, like Sergio, it is a more natural reaction to pull the club as hard as he does from the top when playing right handed. Swinging down and through the ball is very natural to him. Is it just coincidence that these golfers are such great ball strikers? I think not. So how can we expect to play like them if our left arm is weak and uncoordinated? If you aspire to have these attributes in your swing - you’re going to have to train the left arm - there are no short cuts. Follow some of my tips to train your left arm to work in the correct way through impact, and watch your consistency improve!
The left arm can encourage many of the correct movements necessary for a good golf swing. By focusing on one thing you can make 10 other movements happen naturally. It all clicks into place!
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Photos taken at El Higueral Golf, Benahavís. First 9 holes (par 36) opening August ‘07. For more information call: (+34) 639 793 542.
4. Hold finish with left arm extended
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FOR BETTER GOLF
get flexible By Juan Barberis Internationally Certified Golf Fitness Trainer
Prior to starting the stretches, a golfer should undertake a visual self evaluation of his/her range of motion of lower back and hamstrings by conducting a standing toe reach as detailed in picture 1. The results of this evaluation will be one of the following: a) Able to touch toes or close to touching toes.
Most golfers want to improve their game and eliminate pain within a few days rather than waiting months to witness an improvement. The answer to this quest, in many cases, is greater flexibility and most golfers can achieve this improvement in as little time as two weeks provided they commit 5-10 minutes twice a day to an easy-to-follow flexibility program. The only equipment required is a stretch pad and you can start right away!
b) Able to reach the middle of the shins. c) Not able to reach past knees. If a golfer is able to touch their toes or come close to touching their toes, they have proper flexibility of their hamstrings and lower back enabling them to maintain good golf posture during the swing and not place undue stress on the lower back. If reach is limited - either to the middle of the shins or not past the knees - a flexibility routine is certainly one of the keys to better golf. In the majority of cases, my clients are instructed to focus their daily stretches on their hamstrings, hip flexors, and lower back muscles. The reason for this focus is that 80% of the challenge of hitting a good golf shot is due to proper positioning during the address or setup. Most golfers are not able to attain this proper position because their hamstrings, hip flexors, and lower back muscles are tight and not sufficiently flexible. In addition, most golfers experience lower back pain or discomfort and through greater elasticity in these muscle areas, their condition is very likely to improve.
1. Toe touch test (Hamstrings & lower back)
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Photos taken at El Soto de Marbellla Golf www.elsotoclubdegolf.com
The stretch sequence recommended is simple to follow yet effective. Begin by warming-up your body by walking at a brisk pace for 10 minutes. Then, start by stretching your hamstring muscles one leg at a time as detailed in picture 2.
3. Rocking back and forth (Lower back)
Once you feel your back upper leg stretching, hold the position for 10-15 seconds and repeat three times. When you have completed this sequence with both legs, progress to the “rocker stretch” as shown in picture 3 to warm-up and loosen your lower back muscles.
4. Cat (Hip and back)
Greater flexibility is one of the keys to eliminating pain and one of the avenues to better golf. As humans, we are most flexible between ages seven and twelve. At adolescence, flexibility tends to level off and thereafter begins to decline - even more after the age of twenty-five. This condition which is the result of normal aging is the reason why flexibility exercises and regular activity are necessary to maintain our health and even more important for playing good golf on a regular basis.
Rock back and forth for 30-60 seconds on the stretch pad. Once this sequence has been completed, start the “Cat & Dog” stretches outlined in pictures 4 & 5.
5. and Dog (Hip and back)
Hold each position for 10-15 seconds and repeat three times. Finally, a couple of excellent exercises for gaining greater flexibility in the hips and back muscles: The “Pretzel” (picture 6) and the “Crocodile” (pictures 7 & 8).
6. Pretzel (Hip and back)
As with the previous exercises, hold each position for 10-15 seconds and repeat three times. Conduct these exercises daily for 5-10 minutes every morning and every evening. Within two weeks, you will feel much better and your golf game will certainly improve.
7. Crocodile, part 1 (Hip and back)
To contact Juan, or to discuss any concerns call: (+34) 670 565 590 or email: service@mygolfadvantage.com
8. Crocodile, part 2 (Hip and back)
2. Stretch against a wall or tree (Hamstrings)
The stretching sequence outlined here is safe for most golfers, so I encourage you to start today and witness for yourself an immediate improvement in health and better golf! If you have any specific questions or concerns regarding your ability to follow these exercises, please call me as I am happy to assist. Yours in service!
“Greater flexibility is one of the keys to eliminating pain and one of the avenues to better golf...” 069
TIPS FROM THE TOUR
By Anna Rawson Professional Tour Player Putting is really as simple as rolling a ball to the hole. You stand over the putt, look to the hole, tell yourself to hit it in the hole, and then roll it there. When rolling the ball with your hand, you do not think about keeping your head down or hands still, you just naturally roll it. If you stood over a putt and did the same thing nine times out of ten, you will hit it in the hole.
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CONQUER YOUR SPEED
on the greens... 070
Now this is fine for a flat putt, but when you have an uphill or downhill putt, I like to adjust where the hole is. For example, on a downhill putt, I might imagine the hole a foot or two short of the actual hole (pictured above). I tell my body to hit it to the imaginary cup, and more often than not, I have the right speed. For an uphill putt, I imagine the hole beyond where it actually is (pictured below). This way I am adjusting for the slopes that my body isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recognising. Rather than worrying about the speed you just imagine where the hole is. Try it and watch how much better your speed will be.
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olfing excellence amidst the rolling hills of Cádiz
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Arcos Gardens - the undiscovered gem of Andalucia - where fast greens and wide fairways merge with nature and tranquillity. Golf and Lunch 70 € per person 1 Night Stay and Play
- 1 night staying in the beautiful Hotel Cortijo Fain including breakfast - Golf unlimited play for two days - Golf buggy unlimited for two days
190 € per person*
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LUXURIOUS FLIGHTS MONTE REI, PORTUGAL
“...put Monte Rei on your ‘to do’ list and discover what all the fuss is about.“
ANNA’S TAVEL TIPS
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PUNCTUAL FLIGHTS
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With the continued world growth of golf, the choice of travel destinations that require your clubs to go with you is also on the increase. With this in mind our ‘On Course’ section has now become our ‘Golf & Travel’ section. Although we will continue to focus on our distribution areas - including Murcia, Almería, the Costa del Sol and now the Algarve - we appreciate that the residents of these areas occasionally wish to enjoy some alternative surroundings.
1. Drink loads of water – before and during your flight. Planes are so dehydrating. You must drink extra water to make up for it. You will have far less jet lag if you stay hydrated.
We have some interesting destinations coming up in future editions of EAT GOLF! For this issue we take in a magnificent new course on the Algarve, Gary Firkins visits Girona, Sue Farmer looks at golf in Turkey’s Antalya, whilst Linexa Property give us a brief glimpse at some of the latest developments in Bulgaria.
3. Moisturize during the flight. Planes really dehydrate your skin. If I don’t moisturize during the flight my skin can get dry and itchy. I always try and moisturize once or twice especially on long flights.
As a regular traveller around the world, Anna Rawson has kindly given us her top 5 tips on how to prepare for every eventuality...
5. Try to avoid caffeinated beverages and alcohol during the flight and the day before you leave. This will help you to feel less dehydrated.
2. Start adjusting to your time change a few days before you leave. If I know I have a big time change, I start to go to bed late or earlier depending on the change. It just makes it easier to combat jet lag.
www.jet2.com European low cost airline Jet2.com was voted Europe’s favourite short-haul airline this year and awarded the title of most punctual low cost airline in the UK
LOW COST FLIGHTS
4. Get to the Airport early. This will relieve stress and leave more time for duty free shopping. www.flymonarch.com Monarch low-cost scheduled flights from bases at London Gatwick, Luton, Manchester & Birmingham. Recently named ‘Leisure Airline of the Year’
Monte Rei
PORTUGAL
Photography by Aidan Bradley www.golfcoursephotography.com
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Set in the picturesque foothills of the Eastern Algarve, with sweeping views of the Serra do Caldeir達o mountains to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south lies Monte Rei Golf Club, boasting a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course with another to follow. EAT
GOLF! visited the area and discovered a true gem - with service and dining to match.
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Your Monte Rei experience begins from the moment you arrive at the club, with enthusiastic and welcoming staff on hand to pamper your every need. Bag drop and valet parking ensure an effortless transition from car to clubhouse, and in no time at all youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be checked in and ready for the range. The clubhouse is immense, luxurious and well situated overlooking the course - but more on that later. For now it provides a relaxing environment in which to prepare for what most will be here for; heading out to enjoy 18 superb holes of golf.
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With clubs cleaned and loaded onto the cart, a short trip down to the magnificent practice facility provides a teasing glimpse of the golf course. Like everything at Monte Rei this is an accomplished and well thought out area not to be missed - the immense driving range provides high quality balls from Callaway to fire at a multiple and diverse selection of targets with well manicured greens. Attention to detail is evident at every turn, right down to the buggy being manoeuvred on your behalf so there is no need to back it out of a parking space!
By now youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sure to have an overwhelming desire to get to the first tee, but prior to selecting a club from the bag there is one vital decision to be made - which tees are you going to play from? This selection will have a huge impact on the enjoyment you get from your round. Following the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guidelines is highly recommended - especially for those golfers with a high handicap - you have been warned! There are some extremely demanding tee shots from the back tees which are clearly designed only for the better players.
Having settled on a tee to suit your level of play you’re in for a real treat over the next few hours, and will experience some of the finest, most exquisitely designed holes you’re ever likely to find. The first hole kicks things off with an elegant par 4 dogleg to the right. As with all the holes here at Monte Rei, the fairways run through the natural contours of the undulating landscape. Semi-rough inevitably leads to the deeper rough of the brush covered hillsides which add to the beauty of the course, but make for an excruciatingly difficult place to search for balls! Sensibly, local rules treat these areas as a hazard allowing the player to drop back in play under a one shot penalty should the search be unsuccessful. But the fairways are generous enough for the most part, with all trouble clearly visible from the tee. The glistening white sand of the bunkers sit up to
be noticed whilst water hazards include magnificent lakes and running streams. Certainly there is an American influence here - a stadium like feel with added touches of links - but the course has such a unique character of its own that it is difficult to pigeon-hole it to one particular design style. Monte Rei has a rhythm which only the best designers seem to capture, and draws you through the course from one challenge to the next, increasing it’s tempo towards the finishing straight. Just when you think you have worked it out there is another surprise waiting around the corner. Amongst 18 fabulous holes, the beauty of 14, 15 and 16 will surely take your breath away, but get too distracted and they may well take your ball away too! One of the most impressive features here is the course conditioning. The greens are immaculate, fast and true, the
“...you will experience some of the finest, most exquisitely designed holes you’re ever likely to find.”
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“...professional service is matched by high quality cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Jaime Pérez” fairways beautifully prepared and the bunkers raked and presented with style. For such a new course, Monte Rei are rightly proud of what they have managed to accomplish. The level of concentration required to successfully navigate your ball into each hole means that you are sure to draw many of your conclusions about the course on reflection after the round, and this makes for some great clubhouse banter. Be it on the terrace with panoramic views of the golf, or in the stylish bar, the professional service is matched by high quality cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Jaime Pérez (pictured right). The Monte Rei development is an ambitious project. The course currently open for play is the first 078
of two Jack Nicklaus Signature Courses planned here. Construction of the second eighteen is due to begin in the near future and will offer a different challenge, though of equal quality. Just six percent of the land acquired for the project is assigned to building and includes the sale of plots around the course in addition to areas focused on developing apartments, town houses, an on-site shopping precinct and its own beach club. If you’ve never experienced a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course then this is surely the place to start. Whether visiting the area or looking for a golfing residence, put Monte Rei on your ‘to do’ list and discover what all the fuss is about.
Monte Rei has appointed the celebrated and award-winning Jaime Pérez as Executive Chef. A former student of the world renowned Adria, Perez crafted his skills in the 3-Michelin star El Bulli restaurant, then at the award winning Enoteca Des Arts in the Ritz Carlton’s Arts Hotel in Barcelona. Perez is rapidly developing his reputation on the world stage for creating Mediterranean dishes that combine Catalonian, Andalusian and Basque cuisine.
Finally and for the first time in the Algarve and southern Spain, LAGOS GOLF SHOP provides you with a personalized custom golf service that englobes all your golfing needs at a guaranteed lowest price!
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Lagos Golf Shop, Avenida da RepĂşblica, lote 2 - Loja X, 8600-643 Lagos, Portugal Telf. +351 282 082 069 - Fax. +351 282 085 769 - Telf. Spain. +34 671 316 910 info@lagosgolfshop.com - www.lagosgolfshop.com
Algarve Golf Guide Vila do Bispo to Castro Marim. Portugal dialing code: +351
01. Parque de Floresta ✆ 282 690 054 ➲ www.vigiagroup.com 02. Boavista Golf ✆ 282 000 111 ➲ www.boavistagolf.com 03. Lagos Golf Shop ✆ 282 082 069 ➲ www.lagosgolfshop.com 04. Palmares Golf ✆ 282 790 500 ➲ www.palmaresgolf.com 05. Le Meridien Penina Golf & Resort ✆ 282 420 223 ➲ www.lemeridien.com 06. Alto Golf & Country Club ✆ 282 460 870 ➲ www.altoclub.com 07. Golfe do Morgado / dos Álamos ✆ 282 402 150 ➲ www.morgadodoreguengo.com 08. Pinta / Garmacho Courses ✆ 282 340 900 ➲ www.pestana.com 09. Vale de Milho Golf (9 holes) ✆ 282 358 502 ➲ www.valedemilhogolf.com
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Monte Rei Guide
✆ +351 281 950 960 ➩ golf@monterei.com ➲ www.monterei.com
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CASTRO MARIM
10
TAVIRA
09
FARO
08
ALMANCIL
07
LOULÉ
06
VILAMOURA
05
ALBUFEIRA
04
LAGOA
03
PORTIMÃO
02
LAGOS
VILA DO BISPO
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10. Salgados Golf ✆ 282 583 030 ➲ www.herdadedossalgados.com 11. Balaia Golf Village (9 holes) ✆ 289 570 442 ➲ www.balaiagolfvillage.pt 12. Pine Cliffs Resort ✆ 289 500 100 ➲ www.sheraton-algarve.com 13. Oceânico Old Course ✆ 289 310 341 ➲ www.oceanicogolf.com 14. Oceânico Pinhal Golf Course ✆ 289 310 390 ➲ www.oceanicogolf.com 15. Oceânico Laguna Golf Course ✆ 289 310 180 ➲ www.oceanicogolf.com 16. Oceânico Millennium Golf Course ✆ 289 310 188 ➲ www.oceanicogolf.com 17. Oceânico Victoria Golf Course ✆ 289 310 100 ➲ www.oceanicogolf.com 18. Villa Sol ✆ 289 300 505 ➲ www.vilasol.pt
19. Vale do Lobo - Ocean & Royal Golf Courses ✆ 289 353 465 ➲ www.valedolobo.com 20. San Lorenzo Golf Club ✆ 289 396 522 ➲ www.lemeridien-donafilipa.com 21. Quinta do Lago - North & South Courses ✆ 289 390 700 ➲ www.quintadolagogolf.com 22. Pinheiros Altos Golf, Spa & Hotels ✆ 289 359 910 ➲ www.pinheirosaltos.com 23. Colina Verde Golf ✆ 289 790 110 ➲ www.golfcolinaverde.com 24. Benamor Golf ✆ 281 320 880 ➲ www.golfbenamor.com 25. Quinta da Ria / Quinta de Cima ✆ 281 950 580 ➲ www.quintadaria.com 26. Monte Rei Golf & Country Club ✆ 281 952 521 ➲ www.monte-rei.com 27. Castro Marim Golfe ✆ 281 510 330 ➲ www.castromarimgolfe.com
18 hole, Par 72 Championship course Designed by Jack Nicklaus
GREEN FEES
DIRECTIONS FROM FARO From Faro take the A22 in the direction of Spain, exit the A22 at the Tavira junction, follow signs to Tavira, and at the main roundabout on the N125 road take 3rd exit in the direction of VRS. Antonio, after 11 km you will see a large blue sign on the left hand side of the road indicating to turn left for Monte Rei Golf & Country Club; follow signs through the quaint village of Santa Rita and then pick up the directional signage to the Monte Rei golf course.
PRE-VIEW PLAY (18 Holes) - 150€ June 1st - August 31st 2007 18 HOLE GREEN-FEE - 190€ September 1st - November 30th 2007 TWILIGHT GREEN FEE - 90€ Until August 31st 2007 WINTER GOLF SPECIAL - 150€ December 1st 2007 - February 28th 2008 GOLF CLUB RENTAL (Callaway) - 30€ GOLF SHOE RENTAL (Footjoy) - 10€
Southern Spain Golf Guide Huelva to Malaga and Almería / Murcia. Spain dialing code: +34
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04 05
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08 12 SOTOGRANDE
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01. Islantilla Golf Resort ✆ 959 204 500 ➲ www.islantillagolfresort.com 02. El Rompido ✆ 959 024 242 ➲ www.clubdegolfelrompido.es 03. Arcos Gardens ✆ 956 704 131 ➲ www.arcosgardens.com 04. Montecastillo Hotel & Golf Resort ✆ 956 151 200 ➲ www.montecastillo.com 05. Meliá Sancti Petri ✆ 956 491 200 ➲ www.solmelia.com 06. Benalup Golf & Country Club ✆ 956 424 928 ➲ www.benalupgolf.com 07. Montenmedio Golf & Country Club ✆ 956 451 216 ➲ www.monteenmedio.com 08. Alcaidesa Links Golf Course ✆ 956 791 040 ➲ www.alcaidesa.com 09. The San Roque Club ✆ 956 613 030 ➲ www.sanroqueclub.com 10. Almenara Golf ✆ 902 181 836 ➲ www.sotogrande.com 11. La Reserva de Sotogrande Golf Club ✆ 956 785 252 ➲ www.sotogrande.com 12. Real Club de Golf Sotogrande ✆ 956 785 014 ➲ www.golfsotogrande.com 13. Valderrama Golf Club ✆ 956 791 200 ➲ www.valderrama.com 14. Club de Golf La Cañada ✆ 956 794 100 ➲ www.lacanadagolf.com 15. La Duquesa Golf & Country Club ✆ 952 890 425 ➲ www.golfladuquesa.com 16. Dona Julia Golf Club ✆ 952 893 856 ➲ www.golfdonajulia.com 17. Finca Cortesin Golf Club ✆ 952 937 883 ➲ www.golfcortesin.es 18. Albayt Country Club (Golf Academy) ✆ 952 804 702 ➲ www.albaytcountryclub.com 19. Estepona Golf ✆ 952 937 605 ➲ www.esteponagolf.com 20. Valle Romano Golf & Resort ✆ 902 35 36 35 ➲ www.valleromano.net
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24 22
ESTEPONA 18 19 20
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23
COIN
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53 54 55 56
NEUVA ANDALUCIA 36 31 32 33
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21. La Resina Golf & Country Club (9 holes) ✆ 952 885 313 ➲ www.laresina.net 22. Flamingos Golf Club ✆ 952 889 157 ➲ www.flamingos-golf.com 23. El Paraiso Golf Club ✆ 952 883 835 ➲ www.elparaisogolfclub.com 24. Atalaya Golf Club ✆ 952 882 812 ➲ www.atalaya-golf.com 25. Guadalmina Golf ✆ 952 883 455 ➲ www.guadalminagolf.com 26. Monte Mayor Golf Club ✆ 952 937 111 ➲ www.montemayorgolf.com 27. Marbella Club Golf Resort ✆ 952 889 101 ➲ www.marbellaclub.com 28. El Higueral (9 holes) ✆ 639 793 542 29. Los Arqueros Golf & Country Club ✆ 952 784 600 ➲ www.losarquerosgolf.com 30. La Zagaleta ✆ 952 855 453 ➲ www.lazagaleta.com 31. La Quinta Golf & Country Club ✆ 952 762 390 ➲ www.laquintagolf.com 32. Los Naranjos Golf Club ✆ 952 812 428 ➲ www.losnaranjos.com 33. Magna Marbella Golf (9 holes) ✆ 952 929 249 ➲ www.magnamarbellagolf.com 34. Real Club de Golf Las Brisas ✆ 952 813 021 ➲ www.lasbrisasgolf.com 35. Aloha Golf Club ✆ 952 907 085 ➲ www.clubdegolfaloha.com 36. Golf La Dama de Noche (9 holes) ✆ 952 818 150 ➲ www.golfdamadenoche.com 37. Golf Río Real ✆ 952 765 733 ➲ www.rioreal.com 38. Santa Clara Golf ✆ 952 850 111 ➲ www.santaclara-golf.com 39. Marbella Golf & Country Club ✆ 952 830 500 ➲ www.marbellagolf.com 40. Greenlife Golf (9 holes) ✆ 952 839 142 ➲ www.greenlife-golf.com
MARBELLA 38 39 40 41
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48
34 35 42 43 44
51 49 50
MALAGA
JEREZ
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BENAHAVIS
11
SAN PEDRO
HUELVA
10
DUQUESA
06
52
41. Santa Maria Golf ✆ 952 831 036 ➲ www.santamariagolfclub.com 42. Cabopino Club de Golf ✆ 952 850 282 ➲ www.cabopinogolf.com 43. Miraflores Golf ✆ 952 931 960 ➲ www.miraflores-golf.com 44. Calanova Golf ✆ 951 170 194 ➲ www.calanovagolf.com 45. La Noria Golf & Resort (9 holes) ✆ 952 587 653 46. La Cala Resort ✆ 952 669 033 ➲ www.lacala.com 47. Santana Golf & Country Club ✆ 951 062 560 ➲ www.santanagolf.com 48. El Chaparral Golf Club ✆ 952 587 700 ➲ www.golfelchaparral.com 49. Mijas Golf ✆ 952 476 843 ➲ www.mijasgolf.org 50. Torrequebrada Golf ✆ 952 561 102 ➲ www.golftorrequebrada.com 51. Grupo Suite (9 holes) ✆ 952 569 110 ➲ www.gruposuite.com 52. Parador Málaga Golf ✆ 951 011 120 ➲ www.parador.es 53. Alhaurín Golf & Hotel Resort ✆ 952 595 800 ➲ www.alhauringolf.com 54. Lauro Golf ✆ 952 412 767 ➲ www.laurogolf.com 55. Guadalhorce ✆ 952 179 378 ➲ www.guadalhorce.com 56. Antequera Golf ✆ 951 701 900 ➲ www.golfantequera.com 57. Desert Springs (Almería) ✆ 678 679 387 ➲ www.almanzora.com 58. Golf Valle del Este (Almería) ✆ 950 398 743 ➲ www.valledeleste.es 59. Hacienda del Alamo (Murcia) ✆ 902 654 400 ➲ www.clubdegolfhda.com 60. Roda Golf & Beach Resort (Murcia) ✆ 968 173 093 ➲ www.rodagolfcourse.com
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golf class
By Gary Firkins
A LANDSCAPE MASTERPIECE
Hole 2, Geen Course
I once asked a landscape psychologist why Augusta National was considered, by many, to be the most beautiful golf course in the world. Having assumed it was purely a subjective matter - you either thought a golf course was attractive to look at or it wasn’t - I was intrigued to learn that there are certain common components in the visual appeal of a landscape that trigger deep human instincts that lead us to be happy in our environment. Water, for one, is a key ingredient. Water is not only a source of life, which is why humans instinctively settle next to rivers and lakes, but still water and the reflections of our world about us engender a sense of calmness. We like to see grassy swards - apparently because it echoes the African savannah and the cradle of human existence, and practically because it offers the
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ability to see all around and spot danger from a distance. But we don’t like 360-degree openness - our mind’s eye wants to view stands of trees, enabling us to seek safety and shelter if required. And then there is the human instinct of curiosity, the need and desire to explore the landscape and know what is around the next corner - and I don’t mean Augusta’s Amen Corner, but the mystery effect created by dogleg fairways and ascents of blind summits. So, my interviewee concluded, Augusta features all the necessary visual treats that release endorphins into the brain to give us feelings of happiness and satisfaction in our environment. But you don’t have to fly to Georgia to get this golf beauty buzz - my tip is to go to Girona, Spain, and PGA Golf de Catalunya. I visited last month and I can honestly say that it is not only one
of the best golf courses in Europe I have played, but also one of the most beautiful, with more than a hint of Augusta National about it. Opened in 1999 and designed by former European Tour professionals Neil Coles and Angel Gallardo, the Green Course has featured in the Top 10 Courses of Continental Europe. It has hosted the Spanish Open and Sarazen World Open, and will welcome the European Tour Qualifying School Stage II in November, so its pedigree is assured. The enjoyable Red Course opened more recently and combined with the strikingly contemporary, four-star Hotel Melia Vichy Catalan, PGA Golf de Catalunya is now a complete, stylish resort. While the pine, cork and mature oak tree lined holes and still ponds are reflective of Augusta’s arcadian delights, for me it is the undulation that most strongly echo the Georgia connection. Take the 1st hole on the
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Hole 11, Red Course
Green Course, for example. Arriving on the tee you are not only faced with a golfing challenge that sets the pulse running, but a stunning assault on the senses. Here is a hole, tightly tree-lined, that plunges into a valley (not unlike Augusta’s 10th) and then swings violently left for an approach over a pond. The safer you play from the tee, the longer the second shot while the bold, drawing drive around the corner is rewarded with a pitch to a perfectly presented green. It’s a thrilling hole that throws you directly into a landscape and a golf course that rocks and rolls and doesn’t let you go until the final putt on the 18th green. Played in the early morning or evening with soft light melting onto the Montseny and Pyrenees mountains, the verdant, curving fairways and mirror-like lakes couldn’t look more serene but beware, for danger lurks. The 3rd hole, for example, is an inviting, downhill par-five whose fairway
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funnels you towards a green protected by water that cuts in at the front and curves around the left side and back. The approach poses a similar challenge to Augusta’s 11th, except here you can’t bail out to the right without finding sand. It’s an outstanding hole and despite having the green in range for my second shot (okay, so we played off the yellow tees, not the championship markers), I was satisfied with a par, having wimped out of the long draw required to find the green. The 7th, 9th and iconic 13th, down the hill to an island green, with their bold undulation are a thrill-seeker’s paradise. In the week we visited the greens were running fast, around 12 on the stimpmeter, which is up there at Augusta speed. It took me six holes (and one four-putt) to get the feel but, once figured out, these are perfect surfaces on which to play and squarely struck putts always drop.
A new road that borders one side of the property is the only fly in the ointment, but it is rarely in view so does not spoil the experience. On the plus side, it is bringing Girona and its magnificent 11th century cathedral, plus the buzz of Barcelona, even more easily into range. For a scientist with a check list of visual factors that make a golf course beautiful, PGA Golf de Catalunya ticks all the boxes. The water, grasslands and trees are arranged in the most exquisite way on a course that sits naturally on a wonderful, rolling property. More than this, it is an outstanding and thrilling experience which, in my opinion, is hard to beat anywhere in Europe. PGA Golf de Cataluyna ✆ (+34) 972 472 577 ➩ info@pgacatalunya.com ➲ www.pgaetc.com ➲ www.pgacatalunya.com
TRAVEL : TURKEY
Golf in Turkey’s Antalya
By Sue Farmer
This is a country steeped in history, which, through the ages, has seen civilizations come and go. Now, in the 21st century Turkey offers a wide range of all those magic ingredients sought after by holiday makers; from history and culture to sun, sea, skiing and excellent cuisine!
The city of Antalya and seaside resort of Belek are situated on Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast, encompassed for some kilometres inland by an extended and enormously fertile tract of fluvial land. Where this meets the foothills of the magnificent Taurus mountain range, you will find the largest unspoiled forest in Turkey (indeed, the entire Mediterranean) - the Koprülü Kanyon National Park. The awesome view of millions of cypress trees offers a remarkable contrast against a backdrop of snow-clad peaks. It is the mountains themselves which act as a natural ‘collar’ for the region, protecting it from external weather patterns and creating an enviable micro-climate. Scenically they are breathtaking, appearing as 086
some theatrical prop, put in place by an unseen giant hand and in stark contrast to the blue skies beyond. The coastline is a magnet for those seeking sun, sea and sand during the oppressive months of summer... Summers are hot. The region is dubbed the Turkish Riveira - indeed, hotels started to spring up along the seafront as long ago as the 1980’s. People come from miles around - not to mention nearby Russia - to enjoy the refreshing facilities provided along this extended coastline of the Mediterranean sea. By contrast, for many local people, however, these months provide a welcome opportunity to emulate the nomadic traditions of yesteryear, as they migrate inland to the cool of the mountains!
As the region has developed, the age-old question of how to sustain touristic infrastructures during the ‘off’ season has become increasingly persistent. The coast is lined with fabulous hotels, many of them quite substantial in size, thereby potentially running the risk of operating at under viable capacity at certain times of the year. For those involved in the important industry of Tourism, an answer has, to a very great extent, been provided by... Golf. The region’s temperate winter climate is a definite plus for golfers coming from anywhere in northern Europe, where short daylight hours and inclement conditions make practicing this sport somewhat of an endurance test!
Oh for some warm, sunshine across these shoulders... Look no further than this southern region of Turkey for it not only offers winter sunshine, but has distinct other, added attractions. The people are friendly, courteous, offer high standards of service and you will find excellent value for money. Interestingly enough, the country has actually long been recognised as a golf destination, but with a focus now fixed more firmly by those in the Industry on this sport, there is now clear evidence of a definitive push for its expansion. At the same time, there is everincreasing awareness that the courses on offer must meet the demanding standards of the discerning international golfer. Since the opening of the first golf course at Belek in 1994 - The National - a further 6 courses were built quite quickly, one after the other. Where the region has now really put itself on the golfing map has been a determination by national investors to set out to attract world famous names in golf course design - names that make everyone sit up and
take notice. This determination is, happily, coupled with the recognition by the Turkish Culture & Tourism Department and Turkish Golf Federation of the enormous importance of this sport to their region. The Nick Faldo designed Faldo Cornelia Golf Course officially opened in November 2006. By the end of this year, a Colin Montgomerie designed facility will be completed nearby, for the Papillon Golf Resort - The Montgomerie. NB: One of the enormous advantages in Belek is an ease of access - none of the golf courses are more than 20 minutes drive away, while the International Airport at Antalya may be reached within approximately 40 minutes. Not only is the region well supplied with sweet water by the run off of snow as it melts on the nearby mountains, but the existence of a relatively high subterranean water table indicates that it will be a very long time before water ever becomes a problem either for domestic or irrigation uses. Continued...
starting october on the Costa del Sol
PRESENTED BY
For more details visit: www.fairwaylife.com or contact Tim Rowland: tim@fairwaylife.com (+34) 657 356 205
TRAVEL : TURKEY Seven courses presently exist in Antalya, and are listed below in alphabetical order. presence of indigenous trees provides welcome shade, while seven lakes and a generous scattering of deep fairway bunkers provide the hazards! The Gloria Old hosted the PGA European Turkish Seniors’ Open in 1998, 2000 and 2001: the event returns to this enviable location in May 2007. Antalya Golf Club ➲ www.antalyagolfclub.com.tr 2 x 18 holes in a magnificent setting, both supervised by design consultant and Seniors’ Tour Professional, David Jones and constructed by European Golf Design. Both courses are set in the magnificent surroundings of the forest of Belek. The Sultan: Par 71 : 6,411 m. Perhaps best summed up by a quotation from Bobby Jones, on the first page of the existing course yardage guide: “There isn’t a hole out there that can’t be birdied if you just think. But there isn’t one that can’t be double-bogied if you stop thinking”!! Fairway bunkers abound, making good, careful, club selection essential. The Pasha: Par 72 : 5,731 m. A good test for both high and low handicappers. Tricky dog-legs, strategically-located bunkers and undulating greens to test putting skills to the limit!
Gloria Golf Resort (1997) ➲ www.gloriagolf.com All designed by French course architect, Michel Ganyon. The Old: (1997) Par 72 : 6,288 m. Is considered a Ganyon classic. While relatively flat, in keeping with much of the surrounding countryside, the abundant 088
The New: Par 72 : 6,280 m. A tree-lined parkland course, owing much of its interest to the undulations in the fairways. Shot placement is essential and there are definite advantages to be gained by careful club selection. The Verde: Par 36 : 3,148 m. Nine holes set around a huge lake in the middle of a pine forest. The course can be played from two different tee positions.
The National (1994) ➲ www.nationalturkey.com Par 72 : 6,306 m. Designed by Ryder Cup Player, David Feherty, and Seniors’ Tour player from Northern Ireland, David Jones, The National was the first in the country to be developed to European PGA standards. The course is set amid stately eucalyptus and pine trees and is an intriguing blend of American and British features. Even before you’ve settled into your swing, you are faced with a daunting par-3 at the second which, although only some 141m. off the back tees, plays to what is a virtual island green.. While for the most part any hazards are always in view, they are well located. Strategy here is of paramount importance. Low handicappers may find the course tight - the fairways get very narrow where they wind between the trees!
The Robinson Nobilis Golf Club (1998) ➲ www.nobilis.com.tr Par 72 : 6,314 m. Designed by internationally renowned course architect Dave Thomas, this championship course is fashioned out of a forest of stately pine trees within an overall area of approximately 729,000 square meters, along the banks of Belek’s River Acisu. The secret off the tee should be to go for placement, setting up a good position for the second shot when deep, albeit visible, bunkers can mean the difference between par and bogey!
Tat International Golf Club (1996) ➲ www.tatgolf.com.tr Par 72: 6,200 m. Designed by Martin Hawtree and possibly one of his best, comprising three 9-hole loops which are similar in length and may be played in various combinations. ‘Yellow’ & ‘Red’ are probably the toughest test, incorporating water hazards as they do in the significant presence of the river Besgösz and its tributaries. The ingenious incorporation of landscaped trees enhances what is a relatively flat layout, with a style that shifts between links and parkland.
DON’T MISS OUT! Papillon Hotels’ Colin Montgomerie designed Golf Course As you may see, the Belek region, of Turkey, some 30 kms. to the east of Antalya on the Turkish Mediterranean coast, already offers a wide variety of golfing experiences and is already an enviable golfing destination. Golf course construction in the area has the blessing of the Turkish Ministry of Tourism, enhancing the excellent touristic product which now exists. The local climate and energetic approach by government is accommodating to the building of new courses. Before too long (estimated 2010) there will be a total of 14 courses around Antalya/Belek. A further top quality golf course is due to open in October of this year... just around the golfing corner, in the shape of ‘The Montgomerie’. The Papillon Hotels’ Group already boasts a collection of three distinctive, luxurious 5* hotels around Belek (Zeugma, Ayscha and Belvil), with one 4* (Muna) in Side. When the luxury Papillon Golf Resort Belluna Hotel opens, in 2008, the golf course, designed by Colin in conjunction with European Golf Design, will be duly complemented. Set within 104 hectares of mixed pine forests, a 9-hole Resort Course and Golf Academy completes this exciting picture. The Montgomerie will be a Par 72 in excess of 6,420 m. Its importance to Antalya was underlined by the President of the Turkish Golf Federation, Mr. Ahmet Agaoglu, at a News Conference in January this year. Papillon Group President, Mustafa Nazik, expressed a distinct pleasure in working with this much admired, at times, enigmatic top-ranking golfer, whose name is synonymous with quality. Monty (as he is affectionately known to millions around the world) visits on a regular
basis, ensuring an adherence to those very high standards encapsulated within the project. ➲ www.papillon.com.tr It is important not to let this world-famous name overshadow other golf course projects due to come on line during 2007. For example, the Lykia Group’s Links Golf, Antalya - 18 holes by celebrated course architect, Perry Dye, who, together with his father, Pete, has designed more than 300 distinguished golf courses worldwide - Harbour Town and Kiawah Island Ocean Course. Lykia will emulate a Scottish links layout, incorporating pot bunkers and greens boasting an average size of 550 sq. m! A 9-hole Academy Course will provide an opportunity not just to hone one’s short game, but (it is anticipated) for families to practice the sport together. ➲ www.lykiagroup.com It is refreshing to note that, for the most part, hotel groups and golf courses are owned by Turkish nationals and everyone is working towards a common goal. Again, quoting Mr. Ahmet Agaoglu, President of the Turkish Golf Federation: “We are establishing the infrastructure which gives quality service to elite golf tourists”. Everyone in the region is aware that if Belek is to become attractive to a wider range of golfers from Europe, it is of urgent necessity to enter into discussions with either their (very successful) national airline, or with charter groups to open up direct flights to Antalya. This is particularly relevant for English and Irish golfers where at present the only air access to the region is via Istanbul. Whatever the outcome, golfers seeking to add breadth to their golfing experience should add this magnificent region to any list of ‘must play’ courses they may already have drawn up. Continued...
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TRAVEL : TURKEY
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Hellenic and Roman. There is also an exceptional open-air museum.
Antalya: The historic nucleus of this ancient port is being lovingly restored into an attractive tourist centre with taverns, hotels, restaurants and a lively local entertainment. The old harbour is reached through the narrow streets and now houses an international yachting marina and a port for local ferry boats.
Side: A lively resort east of Antalya, where the houses and ancient ruins merge into one another. Two agoras, an amphitheatre, museum and other works of art are all well worth a visit.
Aspendos: Once a bustling major seaport and commercial centre, Aspendos today lies inland, 48 km. east of Antalya. The major attraction which remains here is the 2,000 year old amphitheatre, now a national monument and still used for classical concerts. The imposing remains of an ancient aqua-duct are evidence of a sophisticated water supply to the area, using enclosed stone pipe-work and bringing water from over 40 kms. away. Perge: 18 km. north-east of Antalya, the origins of this ancient city go back to 1000 years BC, although surviving remains are mostly
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Local Gastronomy Turkey has a history as a meltingpot of civilizations, and it is therefore inevitable that national dishes bear some trace of those many peoples who have lived or journeyed here. Traditional ‘meze’ and sweetmeats, based on a wicked combination of filo pastry, honey and nuts may remind you of those delicious starters and deserts one gets in Greece. However, it’s important to remember that it’s Greek cooking that bears the Turkish influence - not the other way around! Not only that. With such rich soil, most of what is produced is grown nationally. Many varieties of nuts and seeds (pistachio, almonds, sesame) a myriad range of citrus
and other fresh fruits including juicy cherries (sour & sweet), while figs from Izmir were famed throughout Europe for their distinctive flavour. Succulent vegetables (aubergine, okra, carrots, sugar beet) the abundant list goes on. Many meat dishes are based on lamb and minced lamb, cooked with blends of peppers, spices and olive oil, producing mouthwatering meals. Local, freshly caught fish and shellfish complete what is, by any standards, a gastronomic adventure. Most of the hotels boast a bread oven on conspicuous view, turning out more different varieties of bread than it’s possible to remember, making breakfast, (quite literally), the ‘start of something big’! This excellent cuisine blends east with west in a way as to offer such a varied selection of taste-bud experiences that it’s difficult to keep up. Add perfectly agreeable locally produced wines and an outstanding national beer in EFES and it is very nearly impossible to wish for more...
SUMMER OFFERS JUNE 1ST - SEPTEMBER 30TH 2007
ANY TIME, ANY DAY 2 PLAYERS, 18 HOLES INCLUDING BUGGY
ONLY 78.00 EUROS
EARLY BIRDIE BEFORE 10.00 9 HOLES INCLUDING BUGGY & BREAKFAST ONLY 30.00 EUROS TWILIGHT AFTER 16.00 9 HOLES INCLUDING A BUGGY ONLY 25.00 EUROS PER PERSON
ESTEPONA GOLF Arroyo Vaquero, Ctra. de Cรกdiz Kn 150. Aptdo. 532 Estepona Tel: (+34) 952 93 76 05 / Fax: (+34) 952 93 76 00 www.esteponagolf.com / information@esteponagolf.com
PROPERTY : BULGARIA
Excellent value properties on the Bulgarian Golf Riviera It is time to discover the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The times of cheap communal hotels are far gone, together with inedible restaurant meals and bad service - all without denting the locals’ hospitality. The traditional Black Sea holiday destinations, Golden Sands, Albena and Sunny Beach have had a face-lift with new 4 and 5 star hotels replacing the old communist style buildings. The weather is fantastic with mild winters and hot sunny summers, glorious springs and long pleasant autumns, while the prices are still only a fraction of those in the Mediterranean resorts. By entering the European Union on the 1st of January 2007, Bulgaria became an investment target for English, Irish and Scandinavian buyers looking for a ‘second home under the sun’, with reasonable property prices as well as capital growth of their investment. Some 20-25% increase of property prices was registered in 2006 for prime locations and property professionals predict further rapid growth at least until 2010. New apartment complexes have rapidly grown along the Black Sea coast. Quality of construction is varied and so one should be cautious when considering location and quality of buildings. One of the most exhilarating destinations is the new area near the fishing town of Balchik, situated some 50 km north of Varna. Totally undeveloped until some years ago, this area is set to become The Bulgarian Golf Riviera. Following the example of Spain, the
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Bulgarian, British and Scandinavian investors are developing the region as the new, affordable European golf and sea destination. Several ambitious projects are underway, including three championship golf courses which are being built along the coast. The developers have attracted top international names in golf design and architecture - two of the golf courses are designed by the legendary Gary Player and a third by Ian Woosnam, the 2006 European Ryder Cup team captain. Although the three golf courses and the entire infrastructure will not be ready until late 2008 (possibly stretching into 2009) it already attracts international buyers, investing whilst the prices are still low. Recently, the local authorities approved land allocation for another 3 golf developments further north close to the town of Shabla. Spanish developers also have projects in the area. ‘Grupo Mengle’ has 3 developments near Kavarna and Obzor. British, Irish and Scandinavian developers are also exploring the opportunities with apartment and villa projects. Several attractive developments are being built near the three golf courses. The quality standards are set much higher than the traditional tourist destinations such as Golden Sands and Albena - in par with the best resorts in Southern Spain and Greece. One example is Kalikaria Golf & Sea View Apartments, designed by the Marbella based Architect Gustavo Kloster. The design combines proven concepts from the Costa del Sol with a local Bulgarian
architectural style. The apartments are very spacious, with enormous terraces which overlook the golf course and the sea beyond. The apartments are offered complete with luxury bathrooms which include under-floor heating, fully fitted kitchens with built-in appliances, built-in wardrobes, marble floors, fireplaces and air conditioning as a standard. The complex features 5 large swimming pools and lush gardens with more than 100 different plant and tree species. The residence also embraces a reception and property management services. The complex is organised as a ‘gated community’ with 24 hour life security on site. There is a small shopping center which offers two restaurants, an Irish pub, a coffee shop, a grocery store, a mini-market and a fitness centre with a Spa and Wellness area. The developer, Linexa Property is a Swedish-Bulgarian consortium, with all of the building works being supervised by Swedish construction management. Various payment options are available, including full Bank Guarantee on all deposits, mortgages or stage payments, tailor-made to the need of the buyer. The first phase, completed in June this year, is almost entirely sold out. Construction on the second and third phase has started and will be completed in May 2008 in time for the summer and golf season. Anxious buyers from northern Europe are already queuing to place deposits. Kalikaria Golf & Sea View Apartments await their residents.
TRADER VIC’S SIGNATURE DRINKS TRADER VIC’S & RESTAURANT MAI-TAI
“There are now two great venues where you can sample their exotic menu...”
SUMMER OF MUSIC
As always the golfing lifestyle seems to encompass so much more than simply hitting a ball around the fairways, as is proved by the enormous amount of events related to, but not necessarily involving golf this summer. This section incorporates a few highlights from property interests to ways of relaxing, be it a beach club, restaurant or spa - anything which your golf lifestyle might require! Although life in the sun often runs at a slow pace, it is not always so easy to keep up with everything that’s going on! Don’t forget to stay abreast of our own golf events at www.fairwaylife.com Another great site to help you out with relevant news and what’s happening in and around Marbella can be found at www.marbellas.com. They have an excellent area listing with many of the events that make up the coasts ‘Summer of Music’. Check it out!
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The Original Mai-Tai The most famous Rum drink in the world, invented by Trader Vic in 1944 Scorpion Honolulu’s favourite libation. Light Rums replace the Okolehau and a Gardenia lends enchantment.
Beach Clubs & Restaurants Chucuruchu Beach Club ✆ (+34) 956 79 50 12 ➲ www.sotogrande.com Nikki Beach, Marbella ✆ (+34) 952 83 62 39 ➲ www.nikkibeach.com Trader Vic’s & Restaurant Mai-Tai ✆ (+34) 952 92 30 95 ➲ www.tradervics-spain.com Spas Elysium Spa, Sotogrande ✆ (+34) 952 18 18 36 ➲ www.hotelalmenara.com Selenza Hotel Thalasso Wellness ✆ (+34) 952 89 94 99 ➲ www.selenza.com Albayt Country Club ✆ (+34) 901 12 03 61 ➲ www.albaytcountryclub.com
Menehune Juice A secret blend of island Rum and nectars. One sip and you may see a Menehune! Potted Parrot Light Rum, Orange Curacao and Juices seem to make your taste buds tingle...
Samoan Fog Cutter A potent vaseful of Rums, fruits and liqueurs ...let the drinker beware!
Hotels Almenara ✆ (+34) 902 18 18 36 ➲ www.hotelalmenara.com NH Sotogrande ✆ (+34) 956 69 54 44 ➲ www.nh-hotels.com Husa Suites Duquesa Golf ✆ (+34) 952 89 04 25 ➲ www.laduquesahotel.com
Navy Grog A truly great drink... a blend of Rums and tropical fruits with a touch of Pimento PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY ...DON’T DRINK & DRIVE!
Come and Play...
at the right price!
2 GREEN FEES + SHARED BUGGY: 80 € • TWILIGHT GREEN FEE: 25 € P/P FROM 21ST MAY TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 2007
Because golf is more than a game, Alhaurin Golf offers you the best practice facilities plus a challenging course overlooking the Mijas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea just 20 minutes drive from Mijas Costa.
PAR 3 COURSE DAY GREEN FEE 20 € 1 HOUR GOLF LESSON FROM 32 € MENU OF THE DAY 10 € PRICES PER PERSON
ANNUAL & MONTHLY MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE
ALHAURIN GOLF & HOTEL RESORT Ctra MA-426, Km 15.1, 29120 Alhaurín el Grande, Málaga Tel: (+34) 952 59 58 00 reservasgolf@alhauringolf.com
RIO REAL
www.rioreal.com
Marbella’s first and only five-star boutique hotel has been re-launched as Sentidos en Rio Real, to become a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and to offer greater exclusivity and refined service to its guests. A charming boutique golf hotel, Sentidos en Rio Real offers an intimate and refined luxury golf experience. 29 exclusive rooms and suites blend modern decor with traditional influences and are made all the more spectacular by views across the hotel’s beautifully designed golf course, sandwiched between the Sierra Blanca and the glistening Mediterranean Sea. The 18 hole, par 72 golf course designed by Javier Arana was opened in 1965 and is located on gently rolling terrain, whilst the Sentidos de Rio Real Restaurant (open for breakfast, lunch and dinner) serves refined and creative MediterraneanInternational haute cuisine and regional specialities.
ALHAURIN GOLF
www.alhauringolf.com
GRAN MARQUÉS
www.granmarques.com
In a beautiful area dominated by the Mijas mountains and bordering the Mediterranean Sea lies Alhaurín Golf Resort, just a short drive from Malaga Airport or Marbella and only 15 minutes from Mijas Costa. Boasting a par 72 layout, the course was designed by Seve Ballesteros to blend perfectly with the surrounding nature. The area is full of rich and diverse vegetation such as pines, palms, olive and fruit trees. You will be drawn back time and again by this great test which requires the use of every club in your bag. There is also a 9 hole par 3 course, and a large driving range with separate putting and chipping facilities - whilst the 4 star hotel with pool, restaurant, gym and gardens makes for a perfect getaway, or just a day out. The last few months has seen many enhancements to the course, making for an even more pleasurable round with breathtaking views. Prices have also been made more flexible to suit your needs. There are many competitions and social events for the members, and a golf school has been organised by the local stores and merchants together with tournaments such as the “2x9” which averages over 100 participants.
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One of the most exciting new developments we have recently come across is Gran Marqués, set in a privileged location with easy access to many of the finest golf courses on the coast. Brought to you by the same developers responsible for the hugely successful Gran Bahia, you can rest assured that this is a quality project. The concept is to give the 54 apartments and penthouses room to breathe, with magnificent views over Atalaya Golf & Country Club.
KEMPINSKI HOTEL BAHÍA ESTEPONA
www.kempinski-spain.com
The perfect place for anyone seeking a combination of peace and refined luxury. Nestling amongst nearly 45,000 square meters of tropical and subtropical gardens, waterfalls and palm trees, this 5 star resort invites one to stroll, stay and relax. The Kempinski is located directly on a picturesque stretch of beach with panoramic views to the coast of Malaga, Gibraltar and the African Coastline. Special Weekly Events include Sunday Brunch, where you will be delighted by a variety of fresh salads, delicious main courses and home-made desserts, all in buffet style and all entertained by live jazz music. Every Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm at El Mirador. Price: 65€ (includes Cava and juices) Telephone: (+34) 952 809 500
VILLA PADIERNA
www.ritzcarlton.com
Discover true Spanish charm in the mountains of Marbella at The Hotel Villa Padierna, where on a clear day you can see the coastline of Africa and every night the sunsets are more spectacular than the last. Set near the shores of the Costa del Sol, this is the perfect place to soak in the Mediterranean sun, tee off in an idyllic setting, or indulge in a leisurely walk through the boutique shops on the harbour. Through the summer a recently constructed amphitheatre inspired by classic Roman architecture using stone and white marble will see some exciting performances.
www.tradervics-spain.com
TRADER VIC’S & RESTAURANT MAI-TAI One of our favourite treats is the perfect combination of cocktails and fine dining available at Trader Vic’s - the only Polynesian island in Marbella. Infact we are so fond of the original Mai-Tai that we absolutely had to have a bar serving their delicious concoctions at the ‘Big Golf Chill’! There are now two great venues where you can sample their exotic menu inspired by European, Chinese and Polynesian influences, with specialities from the wood-fired oven reminicent of the Han Dynasty. Trader Vic’s Restaurant: (+34) 952 816 100 Urbanisation La Alcazaba, Puerto Banús (Opposite BMW) Restaurant Mai-Tai: (+34) 952 923 095 Laguna Village Shopping Center, Ctra. A7 (CN-340), Km. 159, Estepona
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Summer Calendar (Performances start at 9 pm) July 23rd Flamenco: Juncal Group (Song and dance) July 30th Classical music performance with violin and piano August 6th Sombrero of the Alchemist August 13th Spectacle of Magic August 20th Flamenco: Juncal Group (Song and dance) August 27th Jazz & Blues: Suzette, piano and vocals