Gv#018

Thailand Edition vol. 18

My Top Ten Marcel Siem The 19th Best of Basel Legends ‘Bantam’ Ben Hogan The Interview Series Gary Player

Designer’s Choice Delightful Da Nang Choice Resorts The K Club

magazine of the gm group

golf vacations thailand vol.18 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016 180 baht

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11 CaRTOgOlF Cliffhangers - Illuminating the highest drop in golf.

ON THE COVER

12 pOsTCaRd Mission Hills Golf Club Blackstone Course - Hole 12, Haikou, Hainan, China

GOLF VACATIONS THAILAND VOLUME 18 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2016 VINPEARL GOLF CLUB AT NHA TRANG

26 COVER sTORy VINPEARL GOLF CLUB AT NHA TRANG One of two sites belonging to one of Vietnam’s wealthiest group resides on an island off a bustling resort town.

32 THE INTERVIEw sERIEs GARy PLAyER Even after 80 years, the Black Knight’s armour still shines true and bright as a beacon of optimism and all that is good in life.

14 JOuRNal - Cortina Watch and Bell & Ross - St Regis Bentley Suite - Moroccan Dreams - The Beauty of Victoria - Getting Started, Finally - Legacy Matters 22 lEgENds ‘BANTAM’ BEN HOGAN They call him The Hawk, Bantam Ben and revered him for having the sweetest swing in golf. But Ben Hogan is so much more, his trials and tribulations making his wins even more legendary.

36 my TOp TEN MARCEL SIEM'S TOP 10 A winner of four European Tour titles, the 36-year-old also won the World Cup of Golf in 2006, partnering German compatriot Bernhard Langer to victory at the Sandy Lane Resort in Barbados.

42 FEaTuRE kENT OPEN LINkS Back for this year’s Open championships, we explore the wondrous landscapes of Kent, an English county that has played host to both history and golfing antiquity.

48 THE 19TH BEST OF BASEL The world’s largest watch and jewellery show aside, this Swiss city offers a wealth of art, design and gastronomic temptations that have charmed multitudes year after year.

‘BANTAM’ BEN HOGAN VINPEARL GOLF CLUB AT NHA TRANG

BEST OF BASEL

My TOP TEN MARCEL SIEM 4 • G o l f V a c a t i o n s • sEP-oct 2016

kENT OPEN LINkS

54 designer's choice 54 Delightful Central Coast Just when you thought you know all about Vietnam’s fastest growing golfing strip, Da Nang throws up a couple more surprises.

62 lithuania golf feast The Baltics may not be the first stop for a golf traveller, until one finds himself in Lithuania.

68 choice resorts the K Club Two courses in the finest examples of links land encapsulated by meticulous modern touches.

72 resort golf AcAdemy Designing Your own golf stuDio Building a world-class training facility in your living room.

76 collection showcAse the perfeCt foil Forget black. Blue and gold are the colours of the year.

82 collection 82 time - Patek Philippe at Baselworld 2016 - The frequent flyer’s watch - Melodic Time

86 fashion - Calvin Klein, INC.'s Fall 2016 global advertising campaign - United in Sartorial Finesse 88 stYle - The Capsule The sheath of understated luxury by Maserati and Zegna.

89 bespoKe - The Rimowa-F13 A legend grows new wings.

90 hotel & food 92 hotel inDigo bangKoK The new restaurant CHAR offers an unparalleled rooftop dining experience.

93 islero New standard for Spanish Cuisine in Bangkok.

94 moments - Cortina Watch and Breguet Sit-down Dinner - Johnnie Walker Blue Label Room at Decanter - Rimowa Exclusive Sit-down Dinner at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok 98 lAst putt ben hogan’s five lessons: the moDern funDamentals of golf The finest swing in golf and the greatest instructional classic. the perfeCt foil

gm multimeDia group publiC CompanY limiteD Chairman & Ceo : PAKORN Pongvarapa executive vice president : finance PORNJITT Pongvarapa executive vice president : business Development RITNARONg Kulprasoot executive vice president : marketing SUEBWONg Kaewthipharat executive vice president : new media PESILP Pongvarapa editor-in-Chief : SUEBWONg Kaewthipharat executive art Director : PRATEEP Putchimtuck photographer : DAMRONgRIT Sathitdamrongtham Computer artist : PRASIT Anakananthpun advertising/marketing manager : NATHADANEE Sirisophonwirakun advertising/marketing staff : WORAMON Asampinpongs NUCHCHARIN Nammakrot PIRULA Kaewmongkol proofreader : SIRAYA Pongvarapa production manager : RATANA Khow general manager : PANUWAT Pongvarapa finance manager : WIMONLAK Asaiphanit accounting manager : NICHAPA Buparanond Color separation : Kanoksilp (Thailand) Tel. +662 215 1588 printing : O.S. Printing House Co., Ltd. Tel. +662 434 6850

Delightful Central Coast

Char at hotel inDigo bangKoK Calvin Klein, inC 6 • G o l f V a c a t i o n s • sEP-oct 2016

ben hogan’s five lessons

Editor’s Page STARTUP Startup is a fastly-growing trend in Thai society, especially among the young generation. Those who turn their backs on the cubibles get together for a business venture with small investment, clever strategies and innovative ideas to offer “solutions” as their products or services. With the deployment of digital technologies like software and applications, a startup company can aim to rapidly develop a business model.

Startups have been incorporated into the government's New Economic Warrior plan (NEW) with a huge budget of 20 billion THB. The goal is to have 10,000 startup companies by the year 2018. Currently, only 70 startup companies received 3 billion THB in investment aid. However, there are a vast number of big corporates like banks and major telecommunications companies, plus venture capital firms and crowd funding sources, that are ready to lend their support to startup entrepreneurs.

Today, the door to opportunities is wide open for startups. Uber, Airbnb and Line are just some of the examples of those who seized the opportunities.

Personally, I'd very much like to see Thai entrepreneurs venture into golf-related startups since it's a world-class sport with enormous amount of money involved.

What are the problems faced by golfers?

What are the problems faced by owners of golf courses?

What are the problems faced by manufacturers of golf equipments?

What would add to the convenience of consumers (golfers)?

What do consumers (golfers) want?

These are some of the questions to start with. We need to inject ideas into them and come up with new innovations.

I'll wait for that day to come.

Chaiyo...Team Thailand

SINGAPORE Company: Pacom Media Pte Ltd Address: 801 Toa Payoh Lorong 7, #06-08, Wearnes Building, Singapore 319319 Tel: (65) 6323 9600 Publisher: Karen Chan Managing Editor: Benny Teo CHINA, HONG KONG & MACAU Company: Senasia Publication Group Ltd Address: Unit 832, 8/F, Metro Centre II, No. 21 Lam Hing Street, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2570 6123 Website: www.senasia.com.hk Publisher: Alan Mok Managing Editor: Alex Tam CZECH REPUBLIC Company: Resort Media s.r.o.

Address: Škroupovo námestí 1255/9, 130 00 Prague 3, Czech Republic Tel: +420 271 773 934 Website: www.golfvacations.cz Publisher: Vera Hartmanova Managing Editor: Cenek Lorenc MALAYSIA Company: Big Shot Media Sdn Bhd Address: 31-5, Block E1, Dataran Prima, Jalan PJU 1/42, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Tel: +603 7880 2788 Publisher: Louis Foo Managing Editor: Benny Teo

THAILAND

Company: GM Multimedia Group Public Company Limited Address: GM Group Building, 914, Rama 5 Road, Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Thailand Tel: +662 241 8000 Website: www.gvthailand.com Website: www.gmgroup.in.th E-mail: thepooh.gvthailand@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/ golfvacationsthailand Publisher: Pakorn Pongvarapa Editor-in-chief: Suebwong Kaewthipharat

SUEBWONG Kaewthipharat Editor-in-chief

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Watch & Lifestyle Magazine Presents

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contributors robin bArwicK Jo EE KoK

JAcKiE TEo

AAron DE SilvA Former national player and educated in the University of California at Berkeley, where she received her scholarship in their vaulted golf program, Jo Ee is now back with Added Sports, a start-up keen on junior sports development. This issue is the third of a series of six where she discusses the process of getting that much desired scholarship.

Stylish, well-mannered and well-liked by all who know him, the previous penman of Men’s Folio and World of Watches magazine is far happier as a freelance writer, and we got him to write the Basel feature that he’s never done before, a travel one.

After years of travelling to that international watch fair Baselworld, he knows a thing or two about this Swiss city.

Editor of ‘Arnold Palmer’s Guide to the Majors’ and contributing editor of Arnold Palmer’s Kingdom magazine, Robin is an Englishman based in Kent and a regular contributor to other leading European titles including Golf Monthly in the UK, Golf & Turismo in Italy as well as Golf Vacations.

This issue, he engages German European Tour professional Marcel Siem on his top ten courses.

chriS FollEY

From France the previous issue back across to Ireland, our contributor and deputy chief sub-editor on the London Evening Standard features desk, Chris Folley, visits the famous K Club at County Kildare, and loves every minute of it.

10 • G o l f V a c a t i o n s • sEP-oct 2016

JASminE Yong

A penchant for travelling and writing about the finer things in life, this golfer has hung her clubs up and picked up the mighty pen along with her suitcase to journey around the world in an attempt to satiate her wanderlust. Keeping relevant to today’s golf news and such, Jasmine's curiosity about the game we love is still evident, although her game speaks otherwise.

The latest addition to our team, our new editorial assistant is a professional golfer, an ex-national player and a great all-around funny guy who has very quickly extended his personality into our work space. He is also a budding writer with a bright future and keen knowledge in golf and all major sports.

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CLIFFHANGERS

Illuminating the highest drop in golf.

1

LAKE RIDGE GOLF COURSE IN RENO, NEVADA, HOLE 15

A Robert Trent Jones design course, this tee sits atop a rocky ridge that is perched 140 feet above Lake Stanley.

You'll be playing downhill to an island green on this challenging but scenic hole.

2

GATLINBURG GOLF COURSE, PIGEON FORGE, TENNESSEE, HOLE 12

Affectionately known as "Sky Hi," the 12th hole is 194 yards in length and drops 200 feet, tee to green. The course is located in the hearts of Great Smoky Mountain.

3

LEGENDS GOLF COURSE, SOUTH AFRICA, HOLE 19

The 900-yard par 3 features a tee atop Hanglip Mountain and a green that is shaped like the African continent - 1,410 feet below. Its tee is accessible only by helicopter.

4

RED MOUNTAIN, PHUKET, HOLE 17

One of the most iconic and talked-about holes in Thailand, this dramatic par 3 drops almost 262 foot from tee to green and is only 109 yards long.

5

SUGARLOAF GOLF CLUB, CARRABASSETT VALLEY, WESTERN MAINE, HOLES 10 AND 11

The 10th green is 90 feet vertical above the fairway, while the 11th tee sees you teeing up 125 feet above.

Sugarloaf is also Maine's only location for the world-famous Nike Junior Golf Camps.

Postcard Mission Hills Golf Club Blackstone Course - Hole 12, Haikou, Hainan, China

12 • G o l f V a c a t i o n s • sEP-oct 2016

Journal ★ time

CORTINA WATCH AND BELL & ROSS ORGANIZED A MEMORABLE EXCLUSIVE MEDIA TRIP AND UNVEILS 2016 WATCH COLLECTION. July 14-15, 2016 – Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan: Cortina Watch (Thailand) Co., Ltd., the leading luxury watch retailer and distributor, together with Bell & Ross, a superb quality watch brand with outstanding innovation in aviation watch design taken from the inspiration of professional pilot watch and aviation instrument in aircraft cockpit combines with the great tradition of Swiss watchmaking, invited leading press of Thailand to an exclusive trip “Cortina Watch and Bell & Ross Media Trip 2016” to express appreciation for their great support at Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa, Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Mr. Krist Chatikaratana, Executive Director of Cortina Watch (Thailand) Co., Ltd., together with Mr. Fabien de Nonancourt, Global Sales Director of Bell & Ross Paris and Mr. Tong Chee Wei, General Manager of Bell & Ross Asia gave a warm welcome to all attendees and arranged special activities and receptions during two days and one night for the

great pleasure and memorable enjoyment of all guests.

This year, Bell & Ross presents the latest watch collections created in three exciting themes: “Land”, “Air” and “Marine”. The highlights are: BR 03-92 AeroGT watch and BR 03-94 AeroGT chronograph from the “Land” theme, inspired by the Aero supercar, produced in limited edition of 500 pieces each. And two marvelous models from the “Air” theme are BR-X1 Skeleton Chronograph Hyperstellar, an innovative chronograph designed to conquer the space, produced in limited edition of 250 pieces and BRS Diamond Eagle Diamonds, a ladies watch with 7 magnificent diamonds representing the Aquila constellation on midnight blue dial. The “Marine” theme is led by the BR 123 Aeronavale and BR 126 Aeronavale, a vintage style watch in marine blue bezel, dial and alligator strap with gilt hands and indices.

Journal ★ Suitespot

St RegiS Bentley Suite Inspired by the Mulsanne, desired by the most discerning.

Bentley's culture paired with St. Regis could only produce a

love child of symmetrical beauty. Introduced at Al Habtoor City's St Regis, the Bentley Suite is the penultimate expression of luxury that is beyond comparison. Inspired by the bespoke craftsmanship of the pinnacle Bentley Mulsanne, it will be the first in the flourishing Middle East. This is the third Bentley Suite in the world, following the launch of suites at The St. Regis New York in 2012 and The St. Regis Istanbul last year.

The Bentley Suite, designed by Wimberly Interiors, features handcrafted finishes and one-of-a-kind furnishings throughout.

The custom-designed one-bedroom Bentley Suite features a spacious entry foyer, generous living room and dining area with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the hotel’s manicured gardens, as well as a lavish marble bathroom, walk-in wardrobe and dedicated dressing area.

Upon entering the 195 square metre suite through bespoke Bentley-painted double doors, guests are greeted by the defining characteristics of the luxury automobile brand: a blend of cream and neutral tones, set against the rich wood finishes, elegant marble floors and leather accents on handcrafted furnishings.

In the living room, an exquisite LED chandelier inspired by the headlights of the Mulsanne takes centrestage above the 12-seat, smoked fiddleback veneer dining table. Adding to the room’s mix of rich textures is a carved rug reminiscent of the matrix grille on

the Mulsanne. Consistent with Bentley’s ‘hidden delights’ concept, the main wall slides back to expose a TV screen and five Breitling clocks keeping time across major gateway cities.

The adjacent study echoes Bentley’s signature Mulliner room with veneer walls, a silk carpet and a luxurious porpoise sofa adorned with cushions featuring Bentley seat belt detailing. The master bedroom features stitched leather walls and bedside tables inspired by the Mulsanne Speed wing emblem in Burr walnut.

In the dressing room, Bentley’s signature diamond detailing is etched into the frame of the mirror.

During their stay, guests will experience renowned hallmarks of the St. Regis brand, including signature St. Regis Butler Service and in addition, offers patrons an exquisite Bentley Mulsanne as a courtesy car for transit.

The hotel is part of the Al Habtoor City development on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai’s first fully integrated urban resort. The 234-room hotel features 52 suites and is complemented by eight distinctive culinary venues, an Iridium Spa, a fitness centre and two rooftop outdoor swimming pools. www.stregisdubai.com/en/rooms/bentley-suite

By J ac k i e t e o

Journal ★ Travel

Moroccan DreaMs

At the Mandarin Oriental, Marrakesh, golf and the exotic luxury life blends blurrily into one.

If living luxuriously during your golfing escapades is the way you like to travel, the recently opened (Late 2015) Mandarin Oriental, Marrakesh will make you drool bucket loads. Set amongst 20 hectares of landscaped garden, olive groves filled with 100,000 roses and the snow-capped Atlas Mountains as a breathtaking backdrop, this elegant resort features private Moroccan style villas - there are 54 altogether - and nine suites that will make this an unforgettable stay.

Launching a fantastic Golf Journey package that marries golfing brilliance and that picturesque backdrop, guests can definitely expect to be treated like royalty from the moment they arrive – private immigration escort takes care of that – to the chauffeur driven journey to hotel and choice of golf courses – Golf Al Maaden or the Royal Golf de Marrakesh.

The package includes a stay at any of the 54 villas inspired by Berber and Andalusian-Arabic influences, they can enjoy secluded walled gardens, swimming pools and hot tubs, extensive areas for sunbathing and shaded alfresco dining. Those who prefer suites may be glad to know that seven of the nine available comes with their own rooftop plunge pool, while all feature panoramic vistas of the gardens and the surrounding countryside. There are a variety of exceptional restaurants and bars, and a world-class spa offering Mandarin Oriental’s renowned signature treatments as well as treatments inspired by Moroccan traditions great for after golf pampering.

And speaking of golf, The Golf Al Maaden, set at the heart of a hilly countryside facing the Atlas Mountains, is an 18-hole championship golf course that melts into the terrain of the land –

with regular curves, alternating plains and landforms.

Designed to suit golfers of all levels, the course features overhanging tee areas, distinct vegetation along the fairways as well as water obstacles. A combination of natural hazards and technically robust design, the Al Maaden is the dream course for golfers who enjoy a view as well as a true test.

The other course, Royal Golf de Marrakesh, embodies grace and elegance that befits its status as the oldest golf club in Morocco. Once favoured by the ex-Prime Minister of Great Britain and World War II hero, Sir Winston Churchill, this 27-hole tract is made up of an 18-hole Original Course and a 9-hole Menara Course, all set within the heart of a hundred-year-old foliage.

Then, after an invigorating morning at golf, guests can proceed to the Red City itself a mere 10-minutes drive away, and take in the buzz of the medina with its markets and historical sites; or choose to enjoy the rest of the day sipping on cocktail at the Pool Garden of the Mandarin Oriental, Marrakesh. Either way, this should be a trip to savour, until the next one at the very least. www.mandarinoriental.com

By J a s m i n e yo n g

Journal ★ Design

The BeauTy of VicToria

A century old golf course gets a new redesign by Greg Norman.

Already known to host the South Pacific’s most illustrious collection of golf courses, the vibrant city of Melbourne in the Australian state of Victoria, is set to see a new one. Well, technically, that should not be something one would typically term a 100-year-old site, but it will be, after the nation’s most decorated golfer of all time, Greg Norman has his hands over it.

The Eastern Golf Club, set in the majestic Yarra Valley, where the best of vines grow, producing the finest of wines, also means the golf club is set to enjoy an all-year climate for play. Set to fully operate by mid-2016 – the 18-hole course and clubhouse is now already open to the public – there will be a further 9-hole, par 3 course following midyear to complete the set.

Surrounded by vineyards and walking trails, the golf course overlooks the majestic Dandenong Ranges and against the backdrop and has been designed around the topology of the site to preserve as much of the natural features as possible.

“My goal is to improve upon the rich tradition and heritage of a golf club with origins dating back to 1896, by creating a golf course that we hope will one day rank as one of the top golf courses in Australia,” says Greg Norman.

Aside from the Eastern Golf Club, Victoria has more than 320 public golf courses to suit players at every level and some of the world’s finest and most recognizable golf regions. Courses across Victoria offer great diversity, taking in spectacular scenery along inland river systems, rugged coastlines and sandbelt regions, often flanked by giant eucalyptus trees and sharing fairways with kangaroos.

For instance, The Heritage Golf and Country Club in Wonga Park offers two championship golf courses split by the Yarra River. The Jack Nicklaus ‘Signature’ St John course

Australian legend Greg norman at his latest design.

Kangaroos are par for the course in the valley.

The new eastern Golf Club in all its glory.

greets players at the gates, while its sister course takes players on a journey around the foothills beyond. Each offers a unique but equally engaging experience for any skill level.

Visit www.easterngolfclub.com.au/cms/ and www. visitmelbourne.com or engage on social media using #visitmelb on the following channels.

By Benny Teo

Journal ★ Golf

GettinG Started, Finally

The adage ‘Early bird gets the worm’ applies to student-athletes keen on US University applications as well, apparently.

The third of our six-part series, this issue provides a step-by-step formula to kick-start the recruitment process by leveraging golf (or any other sport) to gain admission into US universities.

The recruitment process begins two years before a junior athlete signs with a university. This is so that prospective studentathletes have ample time to follow the process and increase the possibility of success. For example, an athlete looking to begin her first year in college in August 2019 will confirm her spot usually between November 2018 and April 2019, which means she needs to start this November.

The process in its entirety is overwhelming, but once you break it down into smaller chunks, it becomes more manageable. Refer to the checklist for junior golfers who aspire to leverage their sport to gain admission into US colleges and you will see that there are a fair number of things that needs to be done prior to admission, if you do indeed get admitted.

The key to it all is to build relationships with college coaches.

The most important part of the recruitment process, they are the decision makers of your application. In my experience at AddedSport, it takes an average of two years to build a strong relationship with a coach. Remember, a college coach doesn’t just want an excellent athlete – they want to have an individual with a strong and positive personality to construct a roster with strong team spirit.

Use this checklist as a guide and consult a professional for more advice. These two years in the recruitment process could very well determine your career pathway after college, but as long as you follow a structured process – you will achieve success in your university admission. Stay tuned for the final three articles in this series, and in the mean time, continue to dream big.

Jimmie Austin University of oklahoma Golf Course Georgia coach Chris Haack helps Sepp Straka read a putt Sunday at the NCAA championships at the Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida.

By J o - E E Ko K

CHECKLIST: Build a list ranking them according to “Reach”, “Fit”, and “Safety” Form marketing materials Craft your sports resume Create a cover letter Build a recruiting video Letter of recommendation from coaches and teachers Standardised testing – SAT or ACT Spend at least 3 months of preparation before the test Schedule to take test twice to improve score Complete NCAA Eligibility Center requirements Send a certified truecopies of academic transcripts to the NCAA Fill out all forms on NCAA Eligibility website Initiate contact with college coaches Compete in 2-3 tournaments per trip and visit coaches and campuses Send email updates to coaches at least once every two months Request for a Skype/ Phone call after September 1 of Grade 11 Schedule an ‘unofficial visit’ to meet them on campus

Want to receive a personal consultation on how to pursue the U.S. College Athletics recruitment process? There are over 20 sports that qualify. Contact Jo Ee at joee. kok@addedsport.com or visit AddedSport.com to get in touch.

Journal ★ Luxury

Legacy Matters Patek Philippe pays tribute to Singapore’s fiftieth year of independence.

1965 marked the beginning of Patek Philippe’s collaboration

with Singapore. It was the year that Singapore also gained its independent nation status. This year, it’s Singapore’s golden jubilee, so is Patek Philippe’s fiftieth year since establishing its presence here.

Back then, Mr Philippe Stern, present honorary president of Patek Philippe, travelled to Singapore in order to develop the company’s sales network and his journey marked the beginning of a promising cooperation with two multi-brand boutiques leading to the growth and establishment in the region over the years. For Fifty years, Patek Philippe has witnessed the great changes this country has undergone and its growing importance on the economic scene in Asia. Today a thriving city-state, Singapore is an essential hub for the distribution of Patek Philippe watches in the Southeast Asian region.

To commemorate this momentous occasion, a charity gala dinner and auction was held at the National Museum of Singapore. Stern himself graced the event with his presence that evening. Also in attendance were Sam Tan, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office and for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Yeoh Chee Yan, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, as well as His Excellency Thomas Kupfer, Ambassador of Switzerland.

From left to right: Mrs Deepa Chatrath, Mr Anthony Lim, Mr Philippe Stern, Mr Michael koh, Dr henry Tay and Mr Dirk Paulsen

Patek Philippe presented specially designed dome table clocks which capture the quintessence of the Singapore story, taking inspiration from Singapore’s history and evolution, its flora and fauna, its culture and heritage and its iconic modern landscape.

The three exceptional creations – “The Peranakan Culture”, “The Esplanade – Singapore” and “The Farquhar Collection” dome table clocks raised $700,000, $750,000 and $1,000,000 respectively. A total of $2.45 million dollars was raised in benefit of the National Heritage Board (NHB) in support of charitable causes as well as causes related to the preservation and promotions of the arts and heritage. To top it off, the proceeds will be matched dollar for dollar through the Cultural Matching Fund that will see the contribution gain greater mileage in the heritage sector.

In addition, the successful bidder of the “Farquhar Collection” dome table clock has generously donated the clock to the National Museum of Singapore. www.patek.com

By M i ko ko h

Ms Rachel ong

Legends

The call him The Hawk, Bantam Ben and revered him for having the sweetest swing in golf. But Ben Hogan is so much more, his trials and tribulations making his wins even more legendary.

BY to n Y s m a rt

Who is the best golfer that ever lived? Tiger Woods? Or Jack Nicklaus?

There are some who will challenge that billing, but none more suitable than Ben Hogan, who came before them and showed the world how easy it is to play the game.

Compared to his successors though, Hogan’s record may not be as outstanding – he’s won nine majors out of 57 starts versus Tiger’s 14 and Nicklaus’s incredible feat of 18 majors – but the circumstances surrounding his dominance of the game is nothing short of dramatic.

Hogan’s trials began when he’d just started to come into top form and won the 1942 Hale Open, the event that served as a stand-in for that year’s cancelled US Open, which many count as his first major, meaning he’s the only man to have ever won five US Opens.

Soon after, he was conscripted for World War II duty, which robbed him of his prime years and the opportunity to play 17 Majors - the number that were cancelled due to the war (1942-1945) and when he was in military service.

© Getty Images

Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

Extracted from Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons with Herbert Warren Wind and drawings

by Anthony Ravielli, published by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd. Copyright © 1957 by Ben Hogan; Copyright © renewed 1985 by Ben Hogan.

OPENING PAGE: Ben Hogan in action at Augusta National, Augusta, 1957.

Nevertheless, when he returned to tour, he quickly won three more slams, the 1946 and 1948 US PGA Championships, and the 1948 US Open. Then, in 1949 he almost died in a head-on collision with a Greyhound bus that happened to be overtaking a truck in deep fog.

The only thing that saved Hogan’s life was his selfless act of hurling himself in front of his wife, Valerie, to protect her. Had he not done this, the car’s steering column that had been shoved right through would’ve struck him head on, killing him instantly.

Even then, Hogan lay at death’s door for months on end, drifting in and out of coma. He had a double fracture of the pelvis, a fractured collarbone, a fractured

left ankle, chipped rib and near fatal blood clots. And when it was sure that he would live, doctors still thought that he’d never walk again. But Hogan proved them wrong.

With his incredible Texan grit, he taught himself to walk again and then to play golf again, and then to play golf at the highest level again.

Hogan would suffer from circulation problems and other physical limitations for the rest of his life. He would have to sit in saltwater baths morning and night and then wrap his legs in special bandages after every morning’s bath. And yet despite all this, Hogan returned to professional golf just 11 months after the accident

With his incredible Texan grit, he taught himself to walk again and then to play golf again, and then to play golf at the highest level again.

and incredibly barely lost his very first tournament, the Los Angeles Open, after a play-off with Sam Snead.

Perhaps even more incredibly Hogan won the US Open at Merion Golf Club just five months later, after a play-off against Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio.

Remember this was just 16 months after doctors had said he might never walk again.

Hogan had missed all four Majors in 1949 and he would not play in the US PGA Championship again until 1958, when he was past his best because until then, it involved 36 holes of matchplay every day and Hogan’s shattered legs simply could not hold up for 36 holes a day.

Hogan also missed 13 British Opens because of the war, the accident, and his refusal to take the time needed to travel to the UK. At that time, the British Open, although a major, wasn’t the prominent major that it is now and many Americans simply couldn’t be bothered to make the trip across the Atlantic for the meagre prize money offered then.

Eventually Hogan was persuaded by his friends to play in the championship in 1953 at Carnoustie, the only British Open he ever played in. In typical methodical fashion, Hogan planned his course strategy before the tournament, stuck to it throughout the championship and won by four strokes. His reward? A mere £500 that barely covered expenses for him and his wife Valerie.

This was the year that Hogan won three Majors, adding the Masters and the US Open to the heap; a feat that no one had ever done before until Tiger Woods in 2000. The accident also forced Hogan to severely limit his schedule but incredibly, while he only played in six tournaments, he won five, including the three majors.

What is known is that Hogan, although effectively retired from professional golf in 1955, still remained a superb player for another 12 years. He almost won the 1960 US Open at Cherry Hills at age 48, remaining in contention until the 71st hole when a superb wedge

shot proved too good, spinning back into the water that surrounded the green and leaving the championship to Arnold Palmer. Hogan also finished 10th at Augusta in the 1967 Masters when aged 55, shot a magnificent third round 66, including a 30 on the back nine.

The Hogan story is a legendary one and his car accident wasn’t the only setback he faced in life. His father Chester, whom the young Hogan adored, shot himself when Hogan was just nine years old, reputedly in front of the boy, leaving his mother to bring up the family alone. The young Hogan was introduced to golf when he started caddying at Glen Garden Country Club, near Fort Worth, Texas, in 1924 and was actually caddying at the same club at the same time as another Texas legend, the late, great Byron Nelson.

His early years on tour were not great. Hogan went broke twice and was close to quitting the game on several occasions. He always fought a vicious hook, leading to thousands of hours on the practice range honing a swing that made it impossible for him to hit a hook. It was only when the hook was eradicated from his game that he finally managed to start winning.

Thereafter, Hogan became so accurate with his long game (if he had been a good putter there’s no telling how many more he might have won) that people thought he must have discovered the secret to golf. If there was, Hogan never let on what it was. Instead he published his first instruction book, ‘Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf’, 53 years ago in 1958.* Even today, 53 years later and with all the developments that golf has made, the book is still regarded as a major work on teaching, and not just by older players. *To celebrate the 50th anniversary of this marvellous book, Simon & Schuster published a special 50th Anniversary Edition in 2008, which is still available from all good book shops.

OpenInG paGe: Vinpearl Golf nha Trang - Hole 1.

Cover Story

VinPearl Golf Club

at nha tranG

One of two sites belonging to one of Vietnam’s wealthiest group resides on an island off a bustling resort town.

BY j ac k i e t e o

The intermittent blaring of horns rattled me awake throughout the lengthy bus ride; the driver hustled through the streets at a mere 60km/h. We have arrived at the Vietnamese eastern coastal leisure town of Nha Trang. This is where the locals as well as perennial visitors, the Russians and Koreans, come when they need to unwind. Being slapped with a low speed limit means having a low rate of accidents despite having little to no traffic regulations. But then, the same could be said of the country as a whole.

Home to 400,000 citizens, Nha Trang has already proven to be a hit amongst travellers in the vicinity. Now, a surge of Chinese visitors are expected to arrive as well due in part to direct flights from major cities in that vast country as well as others. While I still had to make that commute via Saigon, it probably won’t be long before I can fly in directly, judging from the pace of development there.

My journey to the island of Hon Tre, where the luxury Vinpearl Nha Trang Resort is based took me three transits: one, after a three-hour layover at Saigon to get on a fortyminute flight to Nha Trang, and then an hour-long bus ride to the ferry terminal before finally cruising 10-minutes (with boats coming at 30-minute intervals) to my final destination.

When the large “VINPEARL” sign finally became visible, it bore a stunning resemblance to that famous “HOLLYWOOD” visage that sits atop the Santa Monica Mountains. I remember thinking, “This is a long way to go to a golf game”, but as I was to discover the morning after, it would all be worth every minute.

The island is set separately, five kilometres from the city.

Hon Tre is the biggest island within Nha Trang Bay where the most beautiful natural beaches in Vietnam lie and hide under the warm tropical sun. Hon Tre still retains its raw beauty amongst sprawling, untouched forests and is perfect for a peaceful getaway trip with nature as company.

At first glance, Vinpearl reminds one of Monte Carlo and Mandalay Bay. A castle-like grand reception area decked out with marble flooring with a full view of the truss on top, complete with posh furnishing. A fleet of buggies as well as ‘tuk-tuks’ (a local form of transportation similar to those in

LeFT paGe, CLOCKWISe FROM MaIn pICTURe: Vinpearl nga Trang Clubhouse; a view of the front nine at Vinpearl’s course; Vinpearl Golf nha Trang - Hole 15 (Bunker); Vinpearl Golf nha Trang - Hole 3 (Island green).

Thailand) are parked outside for resort patrons meaning to get around this vast property.

At this point in time, I was happy to finally be able to lounge in my king size bed at the resort’s Deluxe Ocean View Room. A view of the beachfront harbouring several parties this evening, I am certainly looking forward to the next couple of days.

When I awoke, my fatigue turned into vigour as soon as I saw the view before me. Palisades of green mixed in with rolling white waves and the baby blue expanse that frames the entire picture makes me just want to stand and stare for the next 10 minutes. Right ahead is the beach with mountains to the right and that aforementioned view upfront, the Deluxe Ocean View Room clearly has its reputation intact.

The golf course, when we arrived the next morning, carries forward the same two panoramic backdrops of mount and sea. The management spared no expenses, appointing acclaimed Australian based golf photographer, Gary Lisbon, to capture the beauty of the golfing landscape through his lenses, which truly does justice to the reality before my eyes.

I started the morning with my usual cup of Americano at the clubhouse, ‘paid’ using the the state-of-the-art keycard that also doubles as my personal identification (my picture shows up when scanned) and hotel access card. Basically, everything that I do, spend on, or need access to - from dining entries, ferry rides, as well as room - is linked by this personal keycard.

Once on the 18-hole, par 71 masterpiece built by IMG, I start to visualise the challenge this 6,787 yards layout stretching over 182 hectares can offer. The course meanders through the valley along lake banks and seashore with soothing breezes flowing in the palms.

White sand bunkers compliment a serene stretch of beach as it fades into the clear blue bay. Most tees are elevated to give golfers an excellent view ahead coupled with varying degrees of risk and reward options that balances throughout the 18 holes.

The golf course, when we arrived the next morning, carries forward the same two panoramic backdrops of mount and sea. The management spared no expenses, appointing acclaimed Australian based golf photographer, Gary Lisbon, to capture the beauty of the golfing landscape through his lenses, which truly does justice to the reality before my eyes.

The opening hole faces the ocean and Vinpearl villas as you tee off an elevated teebox onto a generous landing zone. A well guarded green with bunkers on the left and right makes the first a challenging albeit scenic trot along its brilliant Seashore Paspalum fairway – a grass variety that thrives in a seaside location with saltier water conditions making it the most friendly choice for maintenance in our age of environmental awareness.

Moving on to the third hole, it looks to be a carbon copy of TPC Sawgrass’s iconic 17th. A solitary island green with one lone bunker threatening the front, the difficulty of this hole is compounded with the constant crosswinds that billow in every now and then. This hole at 143 yards poses a huge obstacle for those who have trouble keeping their ball deviation to a minimum.

For long hitters, Hole 12 might be the catalyst of your round. At 290 yards, this short par 4 is reachable for those bold enough to challenge the water hazard that extends all the way to the green. The fairway landing area offers enough options for players to select from iron to driver depending on how much they are willing to risk getting close to the hole.

The 15th is perhaps the most difficult and yet the most beautiful on the back nine as it borders the pristine beach. A stream of bunkers accompanies this 440-yarder’s fairway all the way to the green which, in turn is chaperoned by traps all round, making it demanding for approach shots.

Playing with Vinpearl’s Director of Sales and Marketing Niklas Robinson as well as a fellow writer from down under Evin Priest, was made only merrier with beers during the round. Niklas, a former Challenge Tour player, left me perplexed, as he constantly harped on a spot in Phu Quoc called ‘Rory’s’, which I presumably thought was a golf bar in recognition of the young Ulsterman golfing sensation only to find out later that it is actually a hole in the wall where backpackers linger for cheap beer and good company.

I was impressed with the caddies and made that known to Niklas, who explained that they were given proper training by the golf club’s general manager Lee Marshall, before being allowed to work on the golf course. Informative and knowledgeable with the breaks on the green and surprisingly precise on yardages elsewhere considering the amount of doglegs and slopes around, their slightly better command of the English language as compared to the average Vietnamese, made it possible to actually have a meaningful conversation with them.

After the round, we walked to The Vinpearl Golf Nha Trang Academy where Marshall doubles up as club professional as well. A British PGA professional, the Englishman has over a decade of proficiency developing and coaching golfers of all levels and brings his expertise to guests looking to further enhance their golfing skills as well.

Passionate about the Nha Trang project here in Vietnam, Lee spoke of a recent visit by the legendary Gary Player who, we were told, enjoyed the course and was impressed by the facilities of the resort. He credits the Vietnamese government for the uprising, after which has evolved an environment conducive to golf-centred real-estate development and tourism in general. (Player also mentions this in his exclusive interview with us in this issue) To this end, Vinpearl Nha

Trang is looking to host a professional touring event in the foreseeable future and talks has already begun in that direction.

We then proceeded to the 19th hole which overlooks the golf course and the turquoise blue ocean. A modern clubhouse, it is also elegantly equipped with all the luxury amenities a discerning golfer desires. Handed a menu full of Vietnamese food, it was hard to resist the local ‘pho’.

Clear brewed broth primarily served with rice noodles, beef and herbs, this delicacy encapsulates the crux of refined taste in simplicity. One can never leave Vietnam without having tried a full bowl of their warm ambrosia.

Outside of golf, there is a plethora of activities to enjoy from amusement to water parks, and things to do for young and old alike. The ladies will be glad to know that there is a wonderfully adorned VinCharm Spa complete with a comprehensive range of treatments and massages.

Golfers will certainly want to pay a visit after a round as well to soothe their tired muscles. Additionally, don’t be fooled by the petite stature of their masseuses; a full body deep tissue massage helped removed some tight knots I never knew existed.

Here at Vinpearl Nha Trang, there is a myriad of activities to do at any point in time. Personally, being inebriated with Beer Larue and a host of confounding cocktail mixes by the beach is my choice of the century; it is easy to get lost in the rhythmic percussion of waves on sand, forgetting about the woes of the day, and even at some point, the fact that I have to write this story at the end of the day.

Being a carouser of sorts, I had to experience the nightlife in Nha Trang, which was when I discovered what Rory’s was. I also visited the Sailing Club, the town’s definitive nightspot since its inception in 1994. A classy restaurant throughout the day and lively nightclub by night, the establishment offers an extensive menu of beverages, a selection of Asian cuisines, lively tunes, and a massive dance floor. Sailing Club has been known for throwing major beach parties for both locals and tourists alike.

Not calling it a night, next up was Skylight Skydeck & Rooftop Beach Club, which is Nha Trang’s first rooftop club. The club offers a panoramic view of the East Sea, the city and its surrounding mountains which exhibits similar

COUnTeR CLOCKWISe FROM TOp LeFT: Swimming pool at Vinpearl Golf nha Trang; amphitheatre; Grand Hilltop Suite Bedroom; Overview of Vinpearl Golf nha Trang.

properties to Miami’s coastline. Set on the 45th floor of Best Western Premier Havana Nha Trang, the nightlife spot is fitted with three fully stocked bars, four event spaces, three DJ booths, a swimming pool, and a kitchen that serves up Pan-Asian cuisine. Bottle service came at a reasonable price, and we had the option to convert half of the bottle into a zestful cocktail.

After a night of binge drinking, there must be food and Nha Trang is overloaded with fresh seafood. One can bite into lobsters and oysters caught by fishermen just moments ago, again at a reasonable price. From roadside stalls to ritzy restaurants, anyone can satisfy your cravings with their wealthy spread. The night markets offer great deals on little ornaments and collectibles as well as their famous Vietnamese coffee mix.

It is 3am by the time I crawled under the sheets back in my Deluxe Ocean View Room, and at 8am, a flight is waiting for me. We’ll be heading to the alluring island of Phu Quoc, where I’ll begin the second part of my Vietnam adventure, but more on that next time. http://vinpearl.com/

Snap2art / ShutterStock.com

Tournament presenter Gary Player playing at Gary Player Charity Invitational Golf Tournament laughing through the second 18 on November 15, 2015, Sun City, South Africa.

The Interview Series

When it comes to retirement, Gary Player scoffs at the very notion: “Retirement is a death warrant. We need to get fitter and exercise more. Think of how much that would save us in long-term health care costs and help people lead healthier lives well into their eighties and nineties.”

Even after 80 years, the Black Knight’s armour still shines true and bright as a beacon of optimism and all that is good in life.

By R i c h a R d a l d h o u s During the fifties and sixties, Gary Player was one of golf’s ‘Big Three’ alongside Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.

Player is tied with the legendary Ben Hogan for fourth place all-time with nine major titles and is one of only five golfers ever to have achieved a career Grand Slam and the only one to also have won the Senior Slam for professionals 50 and over.

The South African is known as one of the fittest men to have competed in any sport. Now 80, he still does over 1,000 sit-ups every day, extensive stretching, 300lb leg presses while spending an hour on the treadmill. He famously posed nude in a stunning black and white pictorial for ESPN’s The Magazine in 2013 as a way of highlighting the importance of staying fit and “not accept getting old.”

That quote sees him highly active in charitable work as he travels around the world throughout the year. Apart from The Player Foundation, which has raised over $60 million for underprivileged children globally, Gary Player is a long-time member of the Laureus World Sports Academy, a unique association of 60 of the greatest living sporting legends from sports as diverse as football, tennis, athletics, skateboarding and of course golf that was started by corporate luxury giants Richemont and Daimler and supported by its partners IWC Schaffhausen and Mercedes-Benz respectively. All members of the academy share a belief in the power of sport to break down barriers, bring people together and improve the lives of young people around the world.

GV: At 80 years old, you’re much fitter than most people in their 30s. How do you do it?

GP: It’s a desire. I have 22 grandchildren and six children, and I have a zest for life, and I have tremendous appreciation and gratitude that I’m healthy.

The most important thing in your life is your health, and most people don’t worry about health and pay enough attention to it.

So it gives me such a thrill that at 80, I can go out and shoot an average of 70 on a golf course, and I can push 400 pounds in my legs and I can beat most 30-year-olds in the gym. It just gives me great satisfaction when I work hard, and that keeps inspiring me to maintain that level of training and to be able to continue to appreciate everything in life.

Have you always been this positive or was it something that you really willed yourself into developing?

It was a combination of suffering as a kid - I came from a very poor family and my father worked thousands of feet deep down in the gold mines - and hard work.

I think it’s also probably genetics too.

What would you tell someone who is struggling and feels depressed about their life or body?

All you’ve got to do is realise that in places like in India, Africa and China, there are millions of people who never sleep between two white sheets. They don’t have clothes, they don’t have three meals a day.

When you stop to think about that, then what right do you have to be depressed when you think what you’ve got as compared to what the majority of the people in the world don’t have. Just realise how damn lucky you are and get off your butt and do something about it!

Who do you think would come out on top if we imagined a fantasy world where you had Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan competing in all four majors their prime?

I think Ben Hogan would win. Think about this Ben Hogan won nine majors. He went to war for five years, came back and had a terrible auto accident and basically was never able to play his best for three years.

So, for 32 majors in his prime, he was ineffective. He couldn’t play, and he still won nine. And he played with junk equipment and golf courses that were often in terrible condition. Man alive - it’s amazing. I’ve watched the old tapes and I’ve never seen anybody hit the ball like Ben Hogan. Ever.

About Tiger’s swing changes, do you think this was a case of somebody who was such a perfectionist and so obsessive to get better that he wound up destroying his own game?

I would say you’re right. I would say confusion set in there, and if he never had another lesson after he won the U.S. Open by 15 shots (in 2000) he would have won at least 22 majors. I will never understand that when a man was that good, and he was on his way to being the best player ever, that he would try to change his swing.

He changed his swing for the worse, and then it got even worse after that, and it was very sad for me to see what he was doing.

Based on what you have seen of his revised, back to the future type swing he was evolving last year under Chris Como’s guidance, do you think he’s on the right path and heading back to his original Butch Harmon-type swing now?

There’s no question that he should go back to the Butch Harmon swing, because the other swings he was using never allowed him to hit the fairway. You could see it.

Everybody could see it. All the top players could see what he was doing was wrong, time after time, and yet when he was with Butch, he had the perfect golf swing.

What is your perspective on Tiger Woods today?

He’s at a crossroads in his career. I hope he comes back and plays well. He’s such a charismatic and dynamic golfer. I just hope he gets over all his problems and comes back and does well. Whether he can add to his record, only time will tell.

If you spent one day with Tiger Woods, what would you try to do with his swing or with his mindset?

Oh no. That would take us at least half an hour to discuss, and it would be wrong of me. I see so many things are wrong (in Tiger’s swing), that it would be very insolent, very arrogant of me to start explaining what I would do.

Mark Lundborg / Shutterstock.com

What do you think is the biggest issue in golf today?

We’ve got to stop building longer courses. It’s a waste of water and the world is running out of water. Instead of spending it on making the courses longer, you could just slow the ball down and use those funds to help develop the junior game and the development of new young players. So slow the ball down for professional golf and leave the ball as it is for the amateurs so it won’t hurt the manufacturers.

What do you think is Tiger’s greatest achievement as a player?

There’s been nothing like Tiger Woods winning the Grand Slam at 24. That’s the greatest effort ever produced in golf.

What Ben Hogan did comes very close. He won all three and remember that in those days you had to cross the Atlantic by boat and he couldn’t get back in time to play the PGA. And he still won 3 out of 4.

I won the Masters at 42, and here today I’m averaging 70. So how can people know, how can people who have never exercised give opinions on exercising? That’s what I don’t understand.

Can Tiger win another major?

If you asked me about anybody else winning a major else I would never commit myself because to win a major you need everything to go right. Winning another major would be just what golf needs at the moment. But let’s start with a regular tournament first. We need a Tiger Woods. I hope he gets over his problems.

Which of the new crop of young players do you like?

Jordan Spieth had a fantastic year. He behaves so well and the same applies to Jason Day. But what Jordan Spieth did at age 21 was very remarkable. (I also like) Jason Day who has one of the three best swings on the tour now along with Rory (McIlroy) and Kevin Kisner.

But Jordan Spieth is the best putter and in golf they say, “Beware of the best putter.”

There’s a tremendous amount of over-emphasis on length. One of the things that shocked me at St. Andrews last year was that a Scottish journalist said that Jordan Spieth couldn’t win because the course is too long. I’ve never read such nonsense in my life! Spieth had won at Augusta which is way longer and much tougher than St. Andrews. Augusta is twice as tough as St. Andrews.

Why does Spieth have the winning edge?

He’s the best putter out there. If you asked me whether I would like to be the best driver or the best ball striker out there from tee to green or would you like to be the best putter, I would take being best putter every day.

Recently, you got into a little bit of a quarrel with (noted golf commentator) Brandel Chamblee regarding Rory McIlroy and the amount of weight training that he is doing.

Well, you’ve got to be careful that you don’t obviously overdo things. But the first thing they said when Tiger started to play badly, “Oh, no, it was his weight training,” is nonsense. I did weight training all my life, for 63 years, and even today, I’m pushing 400 pounds with my legs, and I mean, my game has gotten better as I got older. It got better.

I won the Masters at 42, and here today I’m averaging 70. So how can people know, how can people who have never exercised give opinions on exercising? That’s what I don’t understand.

Anything that you overdo obviously isn’t very good. I play with people who are built like Tarzan and they swing the club beautifully and hit it a long way. There’s a lot of discussions about bodies by people who know a hell of a lot about nothing!

Do you think that the new big three of Spieth, Day, and McIlroy could potentially evolve into the big three rivalry between Nicklaus, Palmer and you?

The rivalry would be very different to that Arnold, Jack, and I had. We had a rivalry that involved travelling around the world and hanging out together. We travelled on the same plane, we didn’t have our own private jets the way they do now. We stayed in each other’s homes. Jack and Arnold would come to South Africa and we would visit the game preserve together, they would come to my farm, and we would go down into the gold mines. We had a friendship.

Today it’s a different game. It’s a big business now and it’s all done individually and on individual terms. It’s a different time.

With respect to your own career, you won nine majors, but you could very easily have won a 10th or 11th major title, especially had it not been for Arnold Palmer sinking a 68-foot putt on 16 at Augusta and another long one on the 17th.

I was two shots ahead with three holes to go, and he missed the green on the right at 16. Now, only people who have been there can appreciate this. And he had a putt of at least 68 feet, and the putt had a 15-foot break, and nobody ever two-putts from there. Arnold hit it a hundred miles an hour and then it hit the flag and went in. Then at 17, he holed something like a 28-foot putt.

Then we went into a playoff, and I was three shots ahead with nine holes to go and he came back in 31, which was phenomenal golf. But anytime you hole a putt like that at 16, when normally you can try a hundred putts and never even two-putt from that distance, (that involves) a lot of luck.

But on the other hand, I’ve also won tournaments where I had luck. That’s the great game of golf. You never look back and say what could have happened. I was second in seven majors - seven! But don’t forget I’m the only player that ever won the Grand Slam on the regular tour and the Senior Tour.

So, how can I ever complain about anything in golf?

My Top Ten

1Le GoLf

nationaL, Paris, france

• When the Ryder Cup lands in France for the first time, in 2018, it is heading to Le Golf National.

Home to the French Open since 1991, the stadium-style layout at Le Golf National provides stunning vantage points over a difficult parkland course that features elements of both links and Florida-style target golf.

Siem won the 2012 French Open here.

“Le Golf National is a course where great ball striking is required and it probably has the toughest four holes that we play on the European Tour. I won there in 2012 so I also have good memories of the course and I always enjoy going back.”

MARCEL SIEM'S TOP 10

A winner of four European Tour titles, the 36-year-old also won the World Cup of Golf in 2006, partnering German compatriot Bernhard Langer to victory at the Sandy Lane Resort in Barbados.

By R o Bi n B a Rw i c k

Siem’s greatest success to date came in October 2014 when he won the BMW Masters at Lake Maclaren Golf Club in Shanghai. The winner’s cheque for €918,944 is the biggest prize of Siem’s career and the victory propelled him to finish seventh in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai.

A contender to qualify for Germany’s 2016 Olympic golf team, Siem’s season so far has been hindered by tendonitis in his right shoulder. “I have to rest my shoulder so I can’t play as much golf as I want to right now,” Siem tells Golf Vacations. “I have to be careful to make sure the problem does not become chronic. I am being patient and I know there is some good golf to come as soon as I can get through the injury.”

It is a terribly frustrating injury for a golfer in the prime of his career and who has the talent to take his achievements to an even higher level. Beyond 2016, Siem has his medium-term sights set on the 2018 Ryder Cup. The Ryder Cup will be played at Le Golf National in Paris then, and it is also where Siem won the 2012 French Open as well as one of his top-10 of favourite golf courses in the world.

2 Loch

Lomond, GLasGow, scotLand

• On the banks of Loch Lomond, to the northwest of Glasgow, this famous Tom Weiskopf design was the venue for the Scottish Open from 1996 to 2010. Owned by its membership and operated with a premium on privacy, Loch Lomond is surrounded by a stunning wooded landscape.

“This is a really beautif ul golf course, the surroundings are amazing and it is also just really well designed. If you look at the tournament scores around there, some of them were really low but overall you would often see a winning score between eight under par and 14 under par, and that is how I like to play courses, where birdies really have to be earned by golfers rather than given to them.

3 Kiawah isLand

(ocean course), south caroLina, usa • The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island was once named the ‘Toughest Golf Course in the United States’ by Golf Digest magazine. A Pete Dye design, the course is not a links although it lines the Atlantic coastline of the United States, but like a links course the course relies on ocean breezes as its greatest defense. The 1991 Ryder Cup was held on the Ocean Course not long after it had opened, and the illtempered matches became known as ‘The War on the Shore’.

“I love that track, it is really cool there. I first played it in the World Cup in 2003, partnering Alex Cjeka, and after playing in 30-mile-an-hour winds we led after the first round. In the end we finished fourth but that was my rookie season on the European Tour and it was fantastic experience. I also played really well there in the PGA Championship in 2012 until I screwed up the back nine in the final round. The surroundings are really beautiful but then when the wind gets up, all of a sudden it is a brutal golf course. When the winds are gentle you can get quite a few birdies but when the winds come in, level par is a great score.”

4 conGressionaL cc (BLue course), maryLand, united states

• Home to the Quicken Loans National tournament on the PGA Tour, Congressional has hosted the U.S. Open three times, the last being in 2011, when Rory McIlroy won his first major title. Congressional CC opened in 1924 with a view to offering Washington congressmen and businessmen a place to congregate, and many US presidents have frequented the club since.

“I played in the U.S. Open there in 2011 when Rory won and it is a complete golf course. It has everything you want from a U.S. Open course. This is another course on which great ball striking is required, particularly hitting into those greens, so your iron game needs to be sharp.

5 wentworth cLuB (west course), surrey, uK

• Home to the European Tour’s PGA Championship, Wentworth is one of Europe’s most famous and prestigious clubs, although its championship West Course has received as much criticism as praise from tour golfers in recent years, with the condition of the greens and renovations by Ernie Els receiving mixed reviews. Designed by Harry Colt, the West Course opened in 1926 and in the same year it staged a match between teams from the USA and Great Britain and Ireland, in what was a precursor to the first Ryder Cup in 1927.

“Even though a lot of golfers moan about the golf course when we play the PGA Championship there, it is still excellent. They have perhaps tricked it up a little too much now, but they will get it right. Both 16 and 17 are excellent, and while 18 often gets criticised I think it is a great hole. It is tough but not unfair. The crowds there are always amazing so it is always a week to look forward to.”

6 GoLfcLuB munchen eichenried, munich, Germany

• Located 20km to the north east of Munich, Golfclub Munchen Eichenried has become a regular venue on the European Tour since the Kurt Rossknecht design opened in 1989. The tree-lined course is punctuated by frequent water hazards and a long list of the world’s finest players have won there, including Sandy Lyle, Paul Azinger twice, Colin Montgomerie, John Daly, Martin Kaymer and it is where Masters champion Danny Willett won for the first time on tour, in 2012.

“I really like Eichenried. A lot of people say the other course we visit on the European Tour, Gut Larchenhof, is the better golf course but I think Eichenried is much more interesting. All the par fives are in reach in two, there is more water in play and so there are a lot of risk-andreward situations at Eichenried in my eyes. It is great fun to play.”

7 BarseBacK

GoLf & country cLuB (masters course), sweden

8 reaL cLuB

de GoLf de seviLLa

• Barseback Golf and Country Club is one of Sweden’s most famous clubs, located near Malmo and Sweden’s southwest coastline and the home club of Henrik Stenson. The Masters Course first came into the international limelight as the stage for the European Tour’s Scandinavian Masters in the early 1990s, before staging the Solheim Cup in 2003. Barseback is, and when the Masters Course last staged the Scandinavian Masters in 2009, it was 7,665 yards long and the longest course in the history of the European Tour at the time.

“The Masters Course at Barseback is a really cool golf course. I always enjoyed playing even though it is probably not rated as one of the best courses on Tour. The greens are always very good, the crowds bring a lot of atmosphere and it was always a lot of fun to play there. It is a tree-lined course and I love them. I tend to enjoy that more than links because I am not a big fan of the funny bounces you can get on links.”

• Sevilla regularly hosts the Spanish Open, most recently in 2012 when Italy’s Francesco Molinari won on the 100th anniversary of the tournament. Also venue for the 2004 World Cup of Golf, the course was designed by Jose Maria Olazabal and opened to immediate acclaim in 1992. Defined by palm and fir trees and lots of water, accuracy off the tee is critical.

“This is another fun golf course to play when the Spanish Open is there. It is a lovely tee-lined course with a lot of exciting holes and danger too, like with the out of bounds along the left side of the 18th, a drivable par four. The course has reachable par fives but there is plenty of water so you have to be dialed in to score well. It is a really interesting challenge when you come down the stretch. There is a chance for eagle on the last hole but if you screw it up you are in big trouble.

I like that risk on a golf course, and food there is great too!”

9 royaL county

• Royal County Down is undoubtedly among the greatest links courses. Golf down Gc, Digest in the United States northern named it No.1 in its 2016 ireLand list of World 100 Greatest Golf Courses, where it succeeds Pine Valley. Overlooking Dundrum Bay and the Irish Sea, and with a backdrop of the Mountains of Mourne, County Down was established in 1889. Located in the Murlough Nature Reserve, the golf course has kept every bit of its natural and rugged charm. It hosted the Irish for the first time in 2015.

“Of all the links courses, Royal County Down is a beauty.

We had a bit of an issue last year with the weather when the Irish Open was played there, but you can’t judge a golf course by some bad weather. This is a links golf course that rewards good shots. There are not so many bad bounces there and the greens are quite flat, so they reward good approach shorts and they are very fair. It is not ‘hit-andhope’ links at County Down. I played the British Amateur there and fell in love with the golf course, and the Guinness around there is great too!”

10 royaL

meLBourne, victoria, austraLia

• Representing the epitome of Australian ‘Sand belt’ golf, Royal Melbourne is Australia’s pre-eminent golf course. The West Course, designed by Alister Mackenzie, was built in 1926, with the Alex Russell-designed East Course following in 1931. When professional tournaments are played there, they tend to play a composite of the East and West courses.

“We played the World Cup there in 2013. It is an old-school golf course with fast greens. I don’t like golf courses with big, flat greens because they reduce tournaments into putting competitions, but at Royal Melbourne you have to make sure you play accurate yardages into the greens and find the right spots to make a birdie. I like that kind of challenge, and the course has great history too.”

Marcel Siem is a Mercedes-Benz golf brand ambassador.

Mercedes-Benz is Proud Patron and Official Car of The Opens.

kent open links

Back for this year’s Open championships, we explore the wondrous landscapes of Kent, an English county that has played host to both history and golfing antiquity.

by to n y s m a rt

Feature

OPENING PICTURE: Aerial view of Nexus Resort and Spa. BELOW - INSET: Mardan Mamat won the Sabah Masters in January at Sutera Harbour Golf Club.

OPENING PAGE: Approach to 5th green Royal St Georges.

In July, the Open Championship returns to its most southerly venue, Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, Kent. This is always a great source of joy to English golfers, especially those in London, as the next nearest Open location for them is Royal Birkdale some 220 miles away. Kent is a mere 75-mile drive from London to Sandwich.

It’s also a source of joy to golfers everywhere as this magnificent, storied golf course with its amazing views across Pegwell Bay, is a tremendous championship site. This is where Thomas Bjorn gifted the 2003 Open (the last time it was held at Royal St George’s) to then-unknown American Ben Curtis by taking three shots to get out of a greenside bunker at the par three 16th when he had a two shot lead in the final round.

This is also where J. H. Taylor won his first Open, Harry Vardon his third and fifth Opens, Walter Hagen his first and third Opens, Sir Henry Cotton his first Open, and where Sandy Lyle became the first Brit to win an Open in 16 years back in 1985.

Royal St George’s is also where James Bond beat Goldfinger in his famous match in the book ‘Goldfinger’.

Though the course is called Royal St Mark’s in the book, it is clearly based on Royal St George’s where Ian Fleming, author of the 007 books, was Captainelect at the time of his death in 1964.

Royal St George’s is also where James Bond beat Goldfinger in his famous match in the book ‘Goldfinger’. Though the course is called Royal St Marks in the book, it is clearly based on Royal St Georges where Ian Fleming, author of the 007 books, was Captain-elect at the time of his death in 1964.

The course, which in 1894 became the first club outside Scotland to host the Open, will play at 7,204 yards, par 70 for its 14th Open, and that can be easy or well nigh impossible depending on the weather. Greg Norman still holds the record Open Championship winning score of 267 (13-under-par), which he shot at Royal St George’s on winning his second Open in 1993. Yet when the tournament returned there in 2003, winner Curtis (one-under-par) was the only player to break par.

I used to play Royal St George’s a lot many moons ago when I gained my degree at the University of Kent and I have many fond memories of balmy summer evening rounds there when there was scarcely a breath of wind. However I can also remember some really tough tournament rounds when the wind was blowing in off the English Channel at speeds in excess of 30mph.

But, wind or no wind, you’re bound to enjoy playing at this classic Open Championship venue. Different tees allow visitors to play the course at shorter yardages, 6,630 or 6,340, and the greens are superb. As with most links, there’s a plethora of fiendish pot bunkers to avoid and one giant sandpit that confronts you when you step onto the fourth tee. Several holes play right beside the beach and you can see the English Channel from every hole.

Right next door to Royal St George’s is Prince’s Golf Club which has hosted the Open once, back in 1932 when

LEFT PAGE FROM TOP: 2011 Open Championship Final Qualifying Prince's course; 1st tee & Clubhouse at Royal St George's.

ABOVE: Littlestone Golf Club.

Gene Sarazen won, and which will be one of the Open Final Qualifying courses this year, as it always is when the Open is played at Royal St George’s.

Comprising 27 great holes split into three nines - the Himalayas, the Shore and the Dunes - it is the Shore and the Dunes nines that are now used for Open qualifying.

But all 27 holes are of the finest links quality with fast, true greens and a vast quantity of pot bunkers to penalise the errant shot. Most holes have views of Pegwell Bay and the English Channel and when the wind blows, which is most of the time, those that can hit the ball low have a distinct advantage.

Like Turnberry in Scotland, another Open venue, Prince’s was used by the British Armed Forces during both world wars as a battle training ground and for coastal defence including anti-aircraft batteries. After the Second World War, it was briefly considered as a permanent rifle range for the Royal Marines but thankfully for golfers, it was derequisitioned in 1949 and work began to restore the course to its former glory.

Unlike many of England’s links, work has also begun at Prince’s to modernise the club and bring it right into the 21st century. And so, by spring 2012, there will be on-course accommodation for up to 65 guests in a special facility that will also have a gym, snooker room, restaurant and bar, with all rooms overlooking Prince’s, Royal St George’s and Pegwell Bay.

Some 35 miles further south along the Kent coast lies Littlestone Golf Club, the remaining final qualifying course for the 2011 Open.

Set out on undulating links land between Romney Marsh and the English Channel, Littlestone is frequently rated in the top 100 courses in England and is famous for its firm and true putting surfaces.

Around 10 miles south of Sandwich at Deal you’ll find the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, another former Open venue (1909 and 1920) and final qualifying course for this year’s championship. Like Royal St. George’s and Prince’s, Royal Cinque Ports is another course that I have fond memories of from my university golfing days.

Measuring 7,006 yards, par 72, from the back tees, Royal Cinque Ports is laid out through large sand dunes and undulating fairways, so undulating that it’s often said the only flat stance you’ll get at the course is on the tees. 66 bunkers are strewn around the layout though not on every hole and the greens are some of the fastest in England. After the first hole, the front nine plays out beside the sea wall and pebble beach, both of which are integral parts of the course and therefore in-bounds, before the back nine loops back towards the clubhouse, more inland and safely away from the pebbles unless you hit as big a hook as John Daly.

Some 35 miles further south along the Kent coast lies Littlestone Golf Club, the remaining final qualifying course for the 2011 Open. Set out on undulating links land between Romney Marsh and the English Channel, Littlestone is frequently rated in the top 100 courses in England and is famous for its firm and true putting surfaces.

Another of Kent’s wonderful links courses is North Foreland, some 15 miles north of Sandwich at Broadstairs. Located on rolling cliff-top terrain at the spot where the English Channel meets the North Sea, North Foreland offers spectacularly panoramic sea views from every tee and green.

Of course Kent’s great golf isn’t just at the seaside.

There are some magnificent inland courses in this, the oldest county in the British Isles. Most notable among them are the relatively new London Club and Chart Hills and the Jack Nicklaus-designed Heritage course at the London Club; one of two great 18-hole courses at this superbly modern club. Located close to the M25 and M20 motorways, the London Club opened in 1993 and has since hosted European Seniors Tour events and the European Open on the main European Tour in 2008 and 2009.

RIGHT PAGE FROM TOP: Leeds Castle; Hever Castle Golf course

As a matter of interest to motor racing enthusiasts, the club is also close to the Brands Hatch Formula One circuit which hosted 12 British Grand Prix on between 1964 and 1986. Race meetings are still held on most weekends during the motor sport season and keen drivers can book racing experiences here.

Further south and almost in the centre of Kent is Chart Hills Golf Club, the first British course designed by Sir Nick Faldo. A magnificent, beautiful course covered in Faldo’s trademark bunkers includes the 220-yard long ‘Anaconda’ bunker at the par five 5th hole. Numerous streams and lakes add to the character at Chart Hills.

Other good Kent courses include Hever Castle Golf Club, Canterbury Golf Club and the wonderful nine-hole course at Leeds Castle. From this last sentence you may surmise that there are quite a few castles in Kent and you’d be right. In addition to the two just mentioned, there is Dover Castle and Henry VIII’s former castles at Deal and Walmer, as well as the world famous Canterbury Cathedral.

Indeed Kent is a veritable treasure trove for history buffs as it was here that Julius Caesar first led his conquering armies across the English Channel over 2,000 years ago; that St Augustine came to bring Christianity to Britain 1,500 years ago; and where the ancient Cinque Ports of Sandwich, Romney, Dover, Hythe and Hastings date back 1,000 years.

Kent is also known as the Garden of England and with over 180 showcase gardens to choose from, the county is also a horticulturist’s dream. Sissinghurst, the spellbinding creation of writer/poet Vita Sackville-West and her husband, diplomat/writer Harold Nicolson, is especially recommended.

For accommodation in the Sandwich area, the Blazing Donkey Hotel or the Bell Hotel comes highly recommended. With Royal St George’s as the jewel in the crown, other wondrous gems like Prince’s, Royal Cinque Ports, the London Club and Chart Hills are tracts that are memorable as they are exceptional.

For information on golfing in Kent, visit www.visitkentgolf.co.uk.

For other details on Kent, see www.visitkent.co.uk.

The 19th

BESt of

BASEL The world’s largest watch and jewellery show aside, this Swiss city offers a wealth of art, design and gastronomic temptations that have charmed multitudes year after year.

By AA r o n D e S i lvA

For watch journalists, Basel means one thing.

Baselworld, the world’s biggest watch and jewellery trade show that takes place every March. For years, they had to explain its location and significance to the less informed. “Oh, Brussels? No? Brazil. No?” would come the typical response. The city is after all Switzerland’s third largest after Zürich and Geneva and a mecca for watchaholics and artholics – Art Basel being the marquee event held every June – but remains off the radar to most casual visitors.

Which is a shame, really. There is plenty on offer, from world-class art, culture and design, to picturesque nature trails and golf courses just outside the city.

But Basel is small compared to Geneva and Zurich, compact enough to be explored on foot. It’s roughly divided into two halves by the Rhine river: Grossbasel (literally, ‘Big Basel’) on the south bank and Kleinbasel (‘Little Basel’) to the north. Most points of interest are concentrated in Grossbasel, including the charming medieval Old Town, while Kleinbasel is home to the city’s sizeable immigrant population and working classes. Consequently, the vibe is urban and grittier, with narrow streets lined with sundry shops, ethnic eateries and corner bars.

Balmy weather also brings out the locals in droves to the banks of the Rhine, where they congregate on any available patch of earth to lounge, picnic and sun bathe. Being a landlocked country, this is as close as it gets to a waterfront lifestyle. If you’re up for it, join in the merrymaking or even a dip in the river; otherwise, enjoy the scenery from the refined perch that is Cheval Blanc, a two Michelin-star establishment in the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois, Basel’s poshest lodging.

CUltUral attraCtions

Some of Switzerland’s finest collections of art, design and architecture are found in and around Basel.

Kunstmuseum www.kunstmuseumbasel.ch/en/home Who’d have thought that Basel would be home to switzerland’s best collection of paintings? And in recently (April 2016) renovated premises too. In the sleek, monolithic, monochromatic building designed

by Swiss firm Christ and Gantenbein, feast your eyes on major works by Cézanne, Chagall, Dali, Gauguin, Kandinsky, Klee, Léger, Picasso, Rembrandt and Van Gogh. Conveniently located smack in the centre of Grossbasel.

FonDation BeyeLeR www.fondationbeyeler.ch/en/Home A 15-minute uber ride from Basel takes you to Fondation Beyeler, a private-turned-public collection curated by former art dealers Hildy and ernst Beyeler. Admire 19th- and 20th-century works by Picasso and Rothko alongside sculptures

by Miró and Max ernst and tribal figures from oceania in a low-slung, light-filled, open-plan building designed by starchitect Renzo Piano.

VitRa DeSiGn MuSeuM www.design-museum.de/en/information.html A must-visit for lovers of furniture design and architecture. Located in the German town of Weil am Rhein (a five-minute train ride from Basel), the museum’s main building is designed

by Frank Gehry, while buildings by Álvaro Siza, Herzog & de Meuron, Sanaa, tadao ando and Zaha Hadid populate the adjacent Vitra Campus.

Rotating exhibitions focus on designers such as Charles and Ray eames, Verner Panton, alexander Girard and Konstantin Grcic.

LEFT PAGE, CLoCkwisE From ToP LEFT: Baselworld general impression; messe Basel; Buchmann Galerie; Art Basel Exhibit; Art Basel Exhibit at Galerie kamel mennour; Baselworld ViP Tour.

Most visitors start their exploration in Old Town, the focal point of which is Marktplatz (‘Market Square’), where purveyors of local produce hawk their wares at the daily market. Not a bad spot to pick up some gourmet cheeses, meats, olive oils and wines. Most Swiss wine is consumed domestically, making this a unique souvenir or gift. On the same stretch of the square as the imposing, iconic red sandstone Rathaus (‘Town Hall’), there’s Globus, an upmarket department store with a heavenly food hall – another excuse to swipe your plastic, because frankly, there is not much else to shop for in Basel.

The tangle of small, crooked streets to the south of Marktplatz plays host to some upscale fashion boutiques, though the range is far from extensive. For that something special, you’re better off poking around nearby St. Johanns-Vorstadt, an area that has attracted an edgy veneer in recent years thanks to the clutch of independent designers, hairstylists and restauranteurs that have set up shop in the neighbourhood. Not far away is the leafy square that is Petersplatz, where Basel’s biggest flea market takes place every Saturday. It’s great fun rifling through old vinyl records, antique pocket watches and ethnic bric-a-brac.

Messe Basel, site of ginormous exhibition halls that host Baselworld and Art Basel, is situated in Kleinbasel.

This, of course, is where you’d spent most of your time if you were in town for those fairs. But an architecture

UsefUl links

www.baselworld.com www.artbasel.com www.globus.ch www.herzogdemeuron.com volkshaus-basel.ch/en www.lestroisrois.com/en/ restaurants/cheval-blanc www.union-restaurant.com baslermuenster.ch zumkuss.ch

Most visitors start their exploration in Old Town, the focal point of which is Marktplatz (‘Market Square’), where purveyors of local produce hawk their wares at the daily market. Not a bad spot to pick up some gourmet cheeses, meats, olive oils and wines.

buff could just as easily make this the starting point of his journey - the fair’s main hall was redesigned in 2013 by no less than renowned architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, who designed London’s Tate Modern and Tokyo’s Prada Aoyama, and who happen to be Basel natives themselves. The firm’s website lists their projects in the Basel region, including practical information such as which buildings offer public access and which ones don’t.

One that does is Volkhaus, a stylish bar, brasserie, beer garden, club, event venue and gallery space all rolled into one. The building dates to 1925, and previously housed a hotel, library and restaurant. When it came to the refurbishment, Herzog and de Meuron took inspiration from the 1920s, though the style is more Great Depression than Great Gatsby. Think bare bulbs, simple wooden furniture and a muted colour palette. Still, it’s a nice place to grab a drink and mingle with hip young things in the warmer months, especially in the fairy lightdecorated courtyard.

Balmy weather also brings out the locals in droves to the banks of the Rhine, where they congregate on any available patch of earth to lounge, picnic and sun bathe.

Being a landlocked country, this is as close as it gets to a waterfront lifestyle. If you’re up for it, join in the merrymaking or even a dip in the river; otherwise, enjoy the scenery from the refined perch that is Cheval Blanc, a two Michelin-star establishment in the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois, Basel’s poshest lodging.

Book a table on the Summer Terrace (open when the weather permits) overlooking the river and sup on Chef Peter Knogl’s Mediterranean-inflected menu. The extensive wine list features wines from Saint-Émilion’s Château Cheval Blanc, after which the restaurant is named. On chilly days, head to Union, an achingly hip American-style diner on the buzzing Klybeckstrasse, and ask to be seated in the yurt out back. Yes, a yurt, or Turkish tent, fully decked out with tribal rugs and sheepskin seat-warmers. The hearty menu of burgers and ribs is icing on the cake.

If you’re in town for a weekend stopover, do note that much of the city is closed on Sundays, save for churches.

You could, of course, go church hopping, starting with the landmark Basler Münster, a ninth-century Protestant Church famed for its twin Gothic towers. Climb the 250 steps to the top of one of the towers, head to the terrace,

and take in sweeping views of the river and city. For a more relaxed option, go for brunch at Zum Kuss, a cafe-cum-culture bar perched on the edge of a shady park. Alternatively, pack a picnic basket, find a quiet spot along the Rhine in St. Johannspark and watch the world go by.

Golf in Basel

Loosen up with these 9-holers about an hour from Basel.

GoLF CLuB LauFentaL www.birs-golf.ch Distance from Basel: 20-30 minutes by car Designed by Scotsman John Chilver-Stainer and opened in 2012, this course boasts three par 3 and six par 4 holes, for a total par 33. although it is relatively short – just over 2,000m – there are enough water hazards, sand and grass bunkers and undulating greens to keep golfers challenged.

LEFT PAGE, CoUNTEr CLoCkwisE From ToP LEFT: Petersplatz; Basel Flea market; marktplatz; Cheval Blanc; Basler münster.

GoLFZentRuM RHeinFeLDen www.golfzentrum.ch/de/Home Distance from Basel: less than 30 minutes by car open since 2006, the Golf Club Rheinfelden is designed by John Chilver-Stainer with wide fairways well suited for beginners. Particularly memorable is the spectacular hole 7, an uphill par 3 that banks steeply with a blind shot into the green.

GoLF FRiCKtaL golf-fricktal.ch/home Distance from Basel: 40-50 minutes by car Located on the southern slope of Mount Frick, this picturesque course features lush green meadows and rolling hills studded with cherry trees. Water hazards and bunkers are mixed in with the natural obstacles, yet the course remains easy to navigate on foot and offers golfers of all levels a fair challenge.

For example, every Saturday and Sunday at 9pm, the 700-metre Dragon Bridge in the city centre comes alive for a 10-minute fire-breathing display. (Tip: make sure you’re positioned at the correct side of the bridge.)

A relaxing, evening stroll along the boardwalks of the Song Han River which cuts through the city also offers beautiful views of the city at night.

But nothing beats soaking in the balmy seaside breeze with locals while chowing down on delightfully smoky barbequed or freshly prepared steamed lobster, fish, squid, clams and crab washed down with ice-cold local “Larue” beer (not to be confused with Singapore’s Tiger

THIS PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Banyan Tree Lang Co Resort - Beach Pool Villa; Exterior Angsana Lang Co.

RIGHT PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM MAIN PICTURE: InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort; Aerial view of Laguna Lang Co; Hue Citadel The kingdom of 13 kings under Nguyen Dynasty; The Imperial city at Hue Citadel; Overview of Laguna Lang Co beach; Hoi An city.

GettinG there Jetstar (www.jetstar.com) flies nonstop between Singapore and Da Nang three times weekly, on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. And for more information and travel tips, visit www. centralcoastvietnam.com.

beer) in true streetfood style. Cheap, fast and good, we went to the same stall twice in three nights. A meal for two which consisted of barbequed fish, calamari, clams, a whole lobster and rice paper rolls and salad cost under US$60.

For beach lovers, an ever-expanding selection of spas and wellness resorts backdropped by stunning panoramic vistas of the sun and sea may be just your cup of tea (or in Da Nang, that would be coffee). There are even private enclaves like Laguna Lang Co., a secluded bay bordered by three kilometres of white sand owned and managed by the Banyan Tree Group.

And situated just off the main My Khe beachfront, Marble Mountain consists of limestone outcrops that are home to pagodas and natural caves containing Buddhist shrines. A visit should last no more than two-three hours, depending if you’re adventurous (climb the stairs the traditional way) or pampered (take the space-age lift which brings you straight to the main pagoda level).

Either way, worth a visit for the breathtaking views of the surrounding city and seascape.

If you’re a foodie in search of your next culinary adventure, Hoi An and the former Imperial capital of Hue showcase spicy, local delights that go beyond traditional Vietnamese rolls and pho. And of course, how can we forget about the golf? A wonderful semi-tropical climate and three beautiful golf courses make Da Nang the perfect golf getaway that is rapidly finding favour with Koreans, Japanese and the Chinese.

But under the surface of its touristy veneer and breakneck construction lies an old-school charm that is Da Nang’s true calling card. Look carefully and you’ll spot signs around everyday life. The old, weather-beaten fishermen boats that dot one end of My Khe beach.

Its young, vibrant workforce - gentler versions of their cousins in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi - whose favourite activity involves nursing ice-cold beers and chowing down street food under clear night skies after work, or the coffee-drinking and people-watching culture that’s seen hipster cafes sprout all around the city, makes this culturally closer to the Parisians rather than communist Leningrad. Then, of course, the key to it all, golf, is a fun mix of challenges here.

It was no less than Bob Fagan, the acclaimed US golf writer and self-professed golf addict, who pronounced Da Nang as “the world’s best undiscovered golf destination” after his visit in 2014. According to him, any decent golf destination must have at least three very good golf courses and Da Nang certainly fits that description to a tee.

Until this June, that is exactly the number of courses the area has – Montgomerie Links, Danang Golf Club and Laguna Lang Co. Now however, there is one more, a Luke Donald (his first!) design called Ba Na Hills set at the foot of Ba Na Chua Mountain. Managed by internationally acclaimed golf management firm IMG, this stunning property is set amongst some of the most impressive mountain ranges in the region.

At 7,595 yards (6,945 meters) the par 72 18-hole golf course provides a balance of challenge, enjoyment and excitement to golfers of all levels and abilities. The front 9 is somewhat more traditional forest/parkland in style, while the back 9 winds its way through the twists and turns of the surrounding hillside. The bunkering is impressively bold with grass rolled over the faces leaving the sand partly visible from the tees. The greens feature subtle undulations and encourage a variety of approach shots.

The former world number one Englishman is especially excited about this project, a long time in getting done since it was first announced back in mid 2011. “To be able to work on my first ever golf course design at Ba Na Hills is a tremendous opportunity.

COUNTER CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Night view of Ba Na Hills Golf Club - Hole 11; Ba Na Hills Golf Club Hole 12; Aerial view of Ba Na Hills Golf Clubhouse.

We have a great site with good elevation change and incredible existing natural features including large trees, streams and mountain backdrops.”

That it has finally come to fruition is itself worth the visit to be among the first to play a Donald-designed golf course.

Back down the main coastal road, one will find that the first two courses to take shape in the region is still in fine fettle, considering they paved the way for the latter two. The Colin Montgomerie-designed Links course and Danang Golf Club, designed by Greg Norman are conveniently located along the My Khe beachfront and are literally next to each other.

Affectionately known as “Monty Links” by locals, the 7,100-yard, 18-hole course is designed by eight-time

European Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie.

Being the first course to open in Da Nang in 2010, it sets the standard for among other things, a luxury resort experience. Like all of Montgomerie-designed courses, the key is to work closely with natural characteristics of the site, which in this case, is a tranquil, rolling linksinspired layout reminiscent of those found in Monty’s homeland of Scotland.

Indigenous vegetation, sandy soil, wind-blown dunes and tranquil ponds dotted with native casuarina trees are among the distinctive characteristics of the course.

Of particular note is the par-five 12th hole which plays slightly uphill to a bunker-riddled fairway with the clubhouse in the background that has been described as the best par-five in Vietnam.

Right across the road is Norman’s Dunes course at Danang Golf Club. Winner of several “No.1 course in Vietnam” awards since its (later) 2010 opening, the Dunes course is another links track, but could not be any more different than Monty’s Links. The 7,160-yard, 18-hole course winds its way across the natural seaside landscape to include shallow blown-out bunkers, rugged waste areas and swales set to test every aspect of your game – a rough hewn challenge as opposed to its neighbour’s more benign carvings. The signature hole is the stunning par 3 16th hole framed by two bunkers where players tee-off facing the azure sea and on a clear day, the Cham Islands.

Simply brilliant.

There is cause to stay near both courses and enjoy a short commute to both but for those who want to enjoy

“Nestled in the bosom of the Son Tra Peninsula, 1.2 million foreign tourists are drawn to Da Nang and the central coast of Vietnam every year, attracted by not one but three UNESCO World Heritage sites: the ancient trading port of Hoi An, 25km south of Da Nang, the former Imperial Citadel of Hue, two hours’ drive to the north, and My Son, a cluster of over 70 ancient Hindu temples and tombs which lie another 60km south.” an all-inclusive experience that includes a combination of fine resort living, private beach, a host of outdoors and nature inspired activities, and of course, world class golfing, the way to go is to book a stay at either Lang Co’s Banyan Tree Resort or its more contemporary sister site, Angsana Lang Co. Located halfway between Da Nang and Hue and cradled within Lang Co Bay - nominated for “World’s Most Beautiful Bays Club” – Lang Co is the perfect launch pad to play golf and visit the nearby city of Hue. Connected to Da Nang by the Hai Van Pass, (which means “Ocean and Cloud”) and weaving back through tight bends and steep inclines while offering breathtaking vistas of the East Sea coastline, this provides the stunning backdrop that frames the golf course and property.

An 18-hole, par-71 championship course designed

by Sir Nick Faldo, Laguna Lang Co Golf Club is named “Golf Destination of the Year in 2013” by the International Association of Golf Travel Operators (IAGTO). The course measures just under 7,100 yards off the back tee with the front nine playing against an amphitheater-like backdrop of wooded mountains and waterfalls while the back offers tremendous views of white sandy beaches and the calming sounds of the sea.

Serene, peaceful and majestic, the beautifully manicured Laguna Lang Co will be one of the most soothing, relaxing rounds of golf you’ll ever play albeit in one of the most challenging landscapes for shotmaking.

Although a little harder to get from Da Nang (it’s about 90 minutes drive away), it is well worth the commute given its prime location and wonderful array of lifestyle options.

For those who want to stay closer to the city and yet enjoy the peace and quiet of resort life, the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Hotel offers its own private bay and panoramic views of the East Sea in a sprawling jungle mountain retreat. A masterful blend of modern design and traditional Vietnamese architecture, it is separated into four levels – Heaven, Sky, Earth and Sea – the resort is linked by a monorail that transports guests up and down forested slopes. Free daily shuttles to the nearby My Khe beach and Hoi An are also provided, making it an ideal getaway to explore the sights and sounds of Da Nang.

And speaking of this historic UNESCO World Heritage township a short 20-minute drive from the city, Hoi An was once the largest harbour in Southeast Asia controlling the regional spice trade during the 16th

RIGHT PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Laguna Lang Co Golf Course - Hole 10; Laguna Lang Co Golf Course - Hole 9; Laguna Lang Co Golf Course - Hole 7 & 11.

and 17th centuries. Remnants of Chinese, Japanese and French architecture are sprinkled throughout the town, which till today, appears to be stuck in a time-warp. But signs are afoot that it is slowly awakening: trishaw-riding tourists, newly constructed riverside boardwalks and the lantern-lit row of modern eateries along the snaking Thu Bon river point to changing times.

Among Hoi An’s main attractions is the Seven Generation House (The Old House of Phun Hung). Built two centuries ago, the House has served as home for seven generations of the Phun family – and still does (the family lives on the second floor). Look carefully and you’ll see signs of Japanese and Chinese influences - the three-beam Japanese ceiling, ornate Chinese poetry characters in the shape of birds carved into supporting columns and a traditional indoor Chinese courtyard.

Chalk marks on one wall which mark former flood levels are a reminder that Hoi An is still prone to the occasional flash flood.

Even now, a traditional pulley attached to the ceiling is used to lift furniture and other valuables to the second floor during emergencies. Meanwhile, the Japanese

Travel Tips 1. February to May are the best months to visit, with cooler and drier weather. Avoid June to August when temperatures soar above 30 degrees Celsius and the city turns into a popular retreat for domestic tourists. Final months of the year tend to be the wettest.

2. Stick to using Vina Sun and Mai Linh taxis to get around.

They are the two most reputable taxi companies to use in Vietnam.

3. For good and reasonably-priced food, ask your hotel concierge about what’s popular with locals. Go one step further by asking what are the must-try dishes.

4. Most hotels provide regular shuttle services to popular nearby hotspots. Some hotels also offer daily free massages for overnight guests, so be sure to ask.

5. If you are planning to visit all three UNESCO sites, leave ample time for transit and travel.

Da Nang is perfect for exploring Hoi An and My Son, but for Hue, which is more than two-hours drive up north, you’re better off staying somewhere around Lang Co Bay or Hue itself.

covered bridge is symbolic of Hoi An and its melting pot history. First constructed by the Japanese community in the 1590s to connect to the Chinese quarters, the arched, covered bridge measures no more than 20 metres across and is guarded at both entrances by a pair of monkeys on one side, and dogs on the other.

Then, to its east and set in a lush jungle valley lies My Son Sanctuary, another UNESCO Heritage site which contains the ruins of over 70 ancient Hindu temples and tombs. Built by the Champa Kings between the 4th and 14th century, My Son was once the most important intellectual and religious centre of the Champa Kingdom, a formidable centuries-old Hindu dynasty, whose immense wealth and sophisticated culture spread not just in Vietnam but throughout Southeast Asia.

First rediscovered and partially restored by the French in the late 19th century, the complex has been ravaged by time and bombing during the Vietnam War. Entirely made from red bricks and sandstone, only about 20 of the structures still survive and are currently undergoing restoration. Still worth a day trip and as the ruins do get busy in the day, either go very early or late. Leaving Da Nang or Hoi An at about 5am, you can catch the sunrise and wander the ruins on your own before the tour groups arrive.

Apart from these two, there is another ancient town two-hours north of Da Nang - the walled city of Hue, located on the banks of the Song Huong river. Formerly the seat of the Nguyen dynasty - the last feudal dynasty of Vietnam - its main attraction is the 19th century Hue Citadel, surrounded by a moat and imposing stone walls.

Within the citadel lies the Imperial City. Take a day to wander around intricately designed palaces, golden-hued temples and pagodas, and the Forbidden Purple City, once the emperor’s home. On the outskirts of Hue lie the Royal Tombs of former emperors. The one of Minh Mang is among the most impressive, comprising of an 18-hectare area, defended by a three-metre high wall and containing nearly 20 architectural constructions.

Visitors can also take a scenic riverboat cruise down the Perfume River or dip into mineral hot springs in nearby Thanh Tan. One of the must-try local dishes Hue is famed for is “com hen” – rice with baby clams. Once the preserve of poor people in Vietnam, it’s now the favourite of locals and tourists, thanks to its sublime taste and simplicity.

Four exquisite golf courses, three ancient heritage sites and a host of activities for city slickers, beach lovers, cultural seekers and outdoor adventurers makes Da Nang one of the most all-inclusive vacations anyone can ask for.

And really, what more can you want? www.lagunalangco.com www.dananggolfclub.com www.montgomerielinks.com www.banahillsgolf.com http://danang.intercontinental.com http://tourism.danang.vn/en/

designer's choice

Lithuania GoLf feast

The Baltics may not be the first stop for a golf traveller, until one finds himself in Lithuania.

By A n d r e w M A r s h A l l

P h oto g r A P h y By PAu l M A r s h A l l

OPENING PICTURE PREVIOUS PAGE: The V Golf Club.

THIS PAGE - FROM TOP: The short par-3 6th with trouble all around, Centre of Europe Golf Course; Enjoying a glass of Gira (a traditional Lithuanian drink made from bread) before a round at the Centre of Europe Golf Course.

RIGHT PAGE - TOP PART, CLOCKWISE FROM MAIN PICTURE: Par-4 17th hole - Centre of Europe Golf Course; St Casimir’s Church is the city’s oldest baroque place of worship; Wandering the Old Town’s backstreets and narrow lanes is one of the pleasures of visiting Vilnius; One of Lithuania’s specialties - Žemaičių blynai (made from grated potatoes and filled with chopped cooked meat).

RIGHT PAGE - BOTTOM PART, CLOCKWISE FROM MAIN PICTURE: Vilnius Grand Resort & Spa; The Bora Bora Grill Restaurant, Vilnius Grand Resort & Spa; Autumn colours and the par-4 18th hole, The V Golf Club.

Europos CEntro Golfo Klubas

When it comes to golf travel, there’s a growing trend towards city trips - a few rounds of golf mixed in with some sightseeing, culture and local cuisine. For golfers looking for an off-the-beaten track destination, then it’s worth considering undiscovered Lithuania and its beautiful UNESCO World Heritage capital, Vilnius. The golf scene in Lithuania is relatively new, and currently there’s a total of five 18-hole courses in the country, the main trio being located in the Vilnius region and the other two in Klaipeda and Druskininkai.

Situated in Northern Europe along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, Lithuania is one of three Baltic States (Estonia and Latvia are the other two), bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south and Kaliningrad Oblast (a Russian exclave) to the southwest. This beautiful and peaceful country is ranked third in Lonely Planet’s Top Ten ‘Best in Travel’ destinations for 2015 and is one of the world’s cleanest and most ethical countries.

Located a 20km drive northwest of central Vilnius (and 24km from Vilnius International Airport) is the Vilnius Grand Resort, our home-away-from-home for a four night-three golf courses city break. Set on 395 acres of scenic lakes, sprawling forest and lush rolling countryside, this luxury five-star resort boasts 185 wellappointed guest rooms, renowned spa facilities and its centrepiece– the championship V Golf Club.

But first, we awake the following morning for a 10am tee time at the Europa Golf Center, a 20km drive northeast of the resort. Upon arrival at the clubhouse, we head straight to the pro-shop to pick up scorecards, tees and balls and have the obligatory nosy around the golf equipment. Framed photos of James Bond, aka Roger Moore, teeing off during his UNICEF visit, adorn the walls which lead to a rustic outdoor seating area overlooking the putting green and course.

Before teeing off on this sunny August morning, we are offered hot croissants and a glass of gira, a traditional Lithuanian non-alcoholic beverage. Gira is made by the natural fermentation of wheat, rye, or barley bread, sometimes flavoured with fruit, berries, raisins or birch sap. With hints of licorice, Dandelion & Burdock and Guinness, it tastes like it should be alcoholic and is certainly an acquired taste.

Karl Grundin, PGA Club Professional and Director of Golf at the Vilnius Grand Resort, joins us to tackle this tricky Bjorn Eriksson design, who gets proceedings underway by expertly splitting the fairway of the par 5 first. “It’s a very tight front nine lined with lots of trees, so you may want to tee off with hybrids or long irons on some of the holes,” says Karl. “The course then opens up on the back nine where there’s more opportunities to use driver.”

Before playing our second shots on the very narrow par-4 7th, we take a short detour through a gate to learn how the course got its rather imposing name. In 1989, a group of French scientists from the French National Geographic Institute (with map reference at 54 degrees, 54 minutes latitude and 25 degrees, 19 minutes longitude),

announced that the geographical centre of Europe was 26km to the north of Vilnius, or to be exact, a short chip shot from the Europa Golf Center’s 7th tee. On May 1st 2004, the date Lithuania entered the European Union, a famous Lithuanian sculptor, Gediminas Jokūbonis unveiled at the site his composition of a column of white granite, the top of which is rimmed by a crown of stars and hence the Europa Golf Center was born.

With such importance placed on a location, we headed back to the capital city with eyes more open to its cultural and geographical distinctiveness. “Narrow cobblestone streets and an orgy of Baroque: almost like a Jesuit city somewhere in the middle of Latin America,” wrote the Polish author Czeslaw Milosz of pre-war Vilnius, and with a proliferation of churches and a distinctive skyline of steeples, domes and belfries, the description still holds true today.

Vilnius’s Old Town includes over 1,000 protected monuments, among them outstanding masterpieces not only of Baroque but also Gothic, Renaissance and Neo-Classical architecture. We enjoy an open-topped bus tour taking in some of the major attractions such as Cathedral Square, St Anne’s Church, Vilnius University, the Presidential Palace, the Jewish Quarter and Ghettos, Chapel of the Blessed Mary and the Gates of Dawn. A

UsefUl links • Vilnius Grand Resort: www.vilniusgrandresort.com • Europa Golf Center: www.golfclub.lt • V Golf Club: www.thevgolfclub.com • Capitals Golf Club: www.capitals.lt General Information: www.lithuania.travel

Capitals Golf Cl

lovely meal of homemade meatballs at Zoe’s Bar & Grill with cathedral views rounds off an excellent first day.

If we had stayed our enjoyment of golf at the resort, it was probably Grundin’s idea of delayed satisfaction. After a hearty buffet breakfast the second day and a blink of an eye, we are driving in a golf cart to the V Golf Club’s warm-up facilities, which includes a 250-metre driving range with 20 covered bays, a putting green for chipping and putting and another green with two bunkers for sand practice.

Situated in the scenic surroundings of the Vilnius Grand Resort, the V Golf Club is a 7,690-metre, 18-hole USGA standard layout built by architect Bob Hunt and is widely recognised as the best in the Baltic States. The course weaves its way among beautiful lakes, taking the golfer through spectacular birch trees and majestic pine forests interspersed with bullrush-fringed wetland areas and wild flower meadows.

Englishman Johnny Fleming, who is spending a few months at the V Golf Club as part of his Applied Golf Management Studies Degree at Birmingham University, joins us for a few holes and gives us some tips about the course. “The four, strong par-5s, namely the 7th, 9th, 12th and 15th are the key holes and it’s all about hitting your ball in the right spots. There’s also plenty of marshy areas to watch out for, and if your ball goes in, then it’s usually a goner,” he says.

According to professionals like Fleming and Grundin, if you manage to complete your round with the same golf ball, then it’s an achievement to be proud of. Like many players we lose plenty of balls, and we quickly go from using pristine Titliest Pro V1’s, to that last, cracked, creamcoloured Dunlop discovered in the dark recesses of the

golf bag, to looking in the trees for any kind of ball to complete the round.

During a post-round lunch at the resort’s Le Paysage Restaurant, there’s the opportunity to sample some local dishes. Lithuanian cuisine features products suited to the cool and moist northern climate such as barley, rye, potatoes, beets, greens, fungi and wild berries. Pork is the most popular meat, and fish caught in the area such as pike or perch are often baked whole or stuffed.

Our starter is barščiai (hot beetroot soup) accompanied by homemade dumplings with baravykas (dried boletus fungi). The potato is the mainstay of the nation’s larder and features as the central ingredient in a couple of Lithuanian specialties that follow; Žemaičių blynai (made from grated potatoes and filled with chopped cooked meat), and cepelinai (also known as zeppelins because of their shape, which are potato dumplings stuffed with meat, mushrooms or cheese). Pork steak with mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes is our main dish with cheesecake and berries for dessert.

In the afternoon, there’s time to fit in a siesta before checking out the resort’s facilities, including the ‘Oasis Spa & Gym’ consisting of a spacious fitness centre, a 20-metre indoor pool, jacuzzi, saunas, steam bath, spa treatments and aerobic room. In addition to golf, other outdoor recreational activities on offer include Nordic walking, biking, tennis, volleyball, lake fishing, boating, swimming and sunbathing in summer, to cross-country skiing and ice-skating in winter.

In the evening we visit the resort’s Bora Bora Grill Restaurant & Bar down by the lakeside. This attractive floating island consisting of a boardwalk and wooden

VilniUs Grand resort A range of Stay & Play packages are available including a three rounds/three night stay for a minimum of four golfers in a double/ twin room sharing, for €339 per person.

A round is played at the V Golf Club, Europa Golf Center and the Capitals Golf Club, with transportation from the Vilnius Grand Resort and airport transfers included.

cabanas with thatched roofs looks like it was transported from the Maldives or Seychelles, and creates an exclusive summer haven to enjoy exotic cocktails, a chilled beer and a barbecue.

Finally, we’re on to our last full day in Lithuania and we are heading towards the final golf course of our trip, situated 45km west of our base in Vilnius Grand Resort.

The main highway is soon replaced by smaller country roads that offer a window on rural life. We pass through small villages and golden fields of wheat backed by stands of silvery birch trees. Colourful houses and rustic farm buildings dot the landscape along with orchards and vegetable plots. An elderly man leads a cow on a rope to a barn for milking, and in the middle of a nearby field is a weathered trailer bulging with hay drying in the sun – it’s a scene that looks like it hasn’t changed in decades.

“Welcome to the Capitals Golf Club,” says Tomas Pranevicius, our host and director of the facility as he hands us glasses of refreshing birch water, a popular Lithuanian drink made from the sugary sap tapped from birch trees. The name of the course, we find out, is derived from being located approximately in the geographic centre (geography seem to play an important role in naming here) of the four historical capitals of Lithuania, the current one, which is Vilnius, and the previous three of Kernavė, Kaunas and Trakai.

The Capitals Golf Club which opened in July 2006 was the country’s first professionally managed golf club.

Designed by Peter Chamberlain, the layout is routed through an area which is part of the state-protected Pipiriškės Geomorphological Reserve, which helps preserve the relief forms of Eastern Lithuania. When the

LEFT PAGE - CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Capitals Golf Club (Sostinių Golfo Klubas); Green of the par-3 10th, Capitals Golf Club; 18th green flagstick and clubhouse, Capitals Golf Club.

RIGHT PAGE - TOP TO BOTTOM: Par-5 18th hole, Capitals Golf Club (Sostinių Golfo Klubas); Clubhouse terrace and 10th green, Capitals Golf Club; Green of the par-4 1st, Capitals

golf course was being planned, it was of great importance that all environmental and ecological aspects, and in particular, the sensitive nature of the surroundings would be taken into account. The Capitals Golf Club captured top honours in the 2007 Golf Inc. Development of the Year contest in the International Division, surpassing such projects as the Jack Nicklaus designed Punta Espada in the Dominican Republic and Pete Dye’s Mission Hills in China.

Chamberlain said this about the design: “The golf course is situated in undisturbed, rolling countryside comprising leafy woods and three large, natural lakes that come into play on nine of the 18 holes. These natural features means that the number of sand bunkers are kept to a minimum and are designed in conjunction with environmentally natural grass swales.” The course features many excellent strategic holes that really get you thinking, including the index 1, par 4 4th which doglegs right to a steeply elevated green, and the par 5 6th and par 4 13th, where wetland areas need to be avoided on the tee shots to achieve a good score.

After our round we visit the former Lithuanian capital of Trakai and its centrepiece attraction – the Island Castle.

This wonderfully restored red-brick fairytale castle atop a tiny island recalls the grandeur of the country’s medieval empire which once stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea, and every July during the Trakai Festival, the Island Castle hosts concerts and mock medieval battles. We find a lakeside café, order a couple of cold, local Švyturys beers and take in the picture-postcard view.

Cheers to a great golf trip, or as the locals say, “į sveikatą.”

68 • G o l f V a c a t i o n s • sEP-oct 2016

Choice Resorts Roll up the driveway of the K Club and it might occur

OPENING PICTURE: Palmer Ryder Cup Golf Course - 18th hole.

to you how symptomatic this grand estate might be of Ireland’s recent rollercoaster ride. Ten years ago, the Celtic Tiger was roaring, the Emerald Isle a magnet for businesses on the back of tax breaks and the eurozone in much finer fettle than it is now.

It seemed entirely appropriate, back in 2006, that Ireland should also host golf’s Ryder Cup (the 36th) for the first time – and that said host would be the K Club, the baby of tycoon Michael Smurfit. He made his millions through his paper and packaging firm Jefferson Smurfit Group and just a year earlier had bought the estate for €115 million with developer Gerry Gannon.

Europe won the cup that year – with even an Irishman (albeit from the North, Darren Clarke) taking centre stage on a rain-sodden weekend. That, though, was as good as it was going to get for The K. The Irish property crash and 2008 recession took hold before Smurfit was finally able to take over the club’s debts in 2012 and become its outright owner.

This year the K Club - otherwise known as the Kildare Hotel and Golf Club - celebrates its 25th birthday. The future appears brighter than it has been for some time, with more than €20 million spent on improvements including building two all-weather tennis courts and the new Liffey Wing containing 70 bedrooms, bringing the total number of rooms at the hotel to 140.

The K is now Ireland's first AA 5 Red Star Resort and is a member of the newly re-branded Preferred Hotels & Resorts Legends Collection.

Ireland is green for a reason, of course, but if the rain stays away, this really is a wonderful retreat. One of the great pleasures of the K is its location – you’re only half an hour’s drive inland from central Dublin via the M4 but you end up in lush countryside on a mile-long private stretch of the River Liffey.

As you hit the village of Straffan you are very obviously in horse-and-farm country - County Kildare is home to the National Stud of Ireland while top racetracks the Curragh, Punchestown and Naas are just 20 minutes away. As you check in you are likely to be immediately guided to the Media Puzzle bar, a newly created lounge named after Smurfit's Melbourne Cup-winning horse from 2002, with Gatsby-style chandeliers and views via huge French windows of the lawn. Another cosy bar, the Vintage Crop, perfect for an after dinner nightcap, is also named after another famous horse from the ’90s.

Across the estate is the clubhouse, where reminders of the Ryder Cup are everywhere. The K has two golf courses - the Smurfit and the Palmer, the latter being where the cup was won, with the players having to conquer a course that is typical Ryder cup territory and very American in its feel; it is long (more than 7,300 yards), treacherous (water hazards everywhere) and punishing.

On the Palmer, designed by the great Arnold Palmer and opened in 1991, you start on a par 4 418-yarder off the blues, driving from the right hand side of the clubhouse. Your drive must be straight but not too long Two courses in the finest examples of links as there is the same huge lake in front of the clubhouse land encapsulated by meticulous modern which protects the iconic 18th on its other side. The hole touches. then veers slightly right, with another good iron needed to

By Ch ri s Folle y reach the raised green over a ditch in two.

UsefUl links

www.kclub.ie www.theroyaldublingolfclub.com www.odonoghues.ie www.mcgrattans.ie www.ireland.com/golf Three nights half-board in a superior room at the K Club plus 18 holes on each golf course and access to spa from €320. Royal Dublin Golf Club green fees from €90.

One of the most spectacular early holes is the 568yard par 5 4th, dubbed Arnold’s Pick, where your tee is up on high with the grand Straffan House ahead of you in the distance. Your downhill drive is blind so you must walk up the stairs of a lookout point to have some idea of where you’re going. Water hugs the fairway to the right further down and you need to drive long to get as close to it as possible. More bumps and dips protect the hole, making club selection for your approach to the green a fair challenge.

The par 4 6th, The Liffey Stream, is a stroke index 3 mainly on account of the green being protected by water all around except the back, in a horseshoe shape. Go too far left and you will inevitably end up in the drink.

The next hole, Michael’s Favourite, is named after Michael Smurfit - he must have a warped sense of satisfaction, such is the difficulty of this 430-yard par 4.

With water going all the way along the right hand side there is no margin for error in your drive, and when the fairway runs out you have more water wrapping itself around the green. Not surprisingly, this is a stroke index 1 on the course.

The 8th, Mayfly Corner, is a very picturesque par 3, 173 yards off the blues - par should be achievable with a nice six-iron onto the green as there are few devils when you line up your putt. Turning for home there is a run of unmemorable holes before you get to the 13th, Laurel Haven, a dogleg left with a huge bunker on the left and a green again protected on its right hand side by a big expanse of water.

Your finish is as spectacular as you might expect on a course of this standing. The 16th, Inish More, is a 570-yard beast, dragging you from left to right after your second shot. With Straffan House behind the green, you have a devilishly difficult third shot to reach the green, tucked away in the left hand corner with the river running along the left hand side and then in front of the green. This is where Darren Clarke memorably beat Zach Johnson to effectively win the Ryder Cup for Europe back in 2006.

Fittingly the 18th, The Hooker’s Grave Yard, is a spectacular finish. It is a 537-yard par 5 veering left to right after your drive. Your second shot needs to stay central or to the right as on the left hand side is the landmark lake in front of the clubhouse, complete with fountain.

Back home, The K also has a state-of-the-art health club with a swimming pool and gym, three restaurants and activities including fly-fishing, horse riding, falconry and archery.

As a great contrast to the K, you could also head to the Royal Dublin Golf Club, a bastion of tradition which has carried on in its calm way since 1885 - though not so much that ladies are not welcome. It's the second oldest golf course in Ireland, and has been visited by luminaries such as former US President Bill Clinton and U2 guitarist The Edge.

Dublin native Padraig Harrington is also a regular visitor while one of Ireland's favourite golfing sons, Christy O’Connor senior, has been a member since the

LEFT PAGE, COUNTER CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: K Club - known as the Kildare Hotel and Golf Club; Palmer Ryder Cup Golf Course; K Club Palmer Course; Palmer Ryder Cup Golf Course 16th hole.

’50s and even now in his early nineties he can be seen on occasion out on the course. O’Connor was the first golfer to play in 10 consecutive Ryder Cup matches from 1955 to 1973 and the main lounge in the clubhouse is named after him. The last of the six Irish Opens the Royal Dublin hosted was in 1985, when it was won for the second time by none other than Seve Ballesteros.

Like other great links courses in the British Isles, such as Royal St George’s and Prince’s in Kent, vistas from the Royal Dublin are more industrial than spectacular.

The iconic chimneys of the Poolbeg Generating Station - recognisable to anyone who has been on a cross-Irish Sea ferry as the first sighter of Dublin - stand tall in the background as you come down the 18th. The power station has been derelict for four years now but there is strong support for keeping them rather than razing them to the ground and making new use of the site.

If your trip is on a chilly winter’s day, there is none of the bright yellow gorse that the Bull Island nature reserve, where the Royal Dublin is based, is known for. Instead horns from the ferries punctuate the air.

As you work your way around, the course has a very old-fashioned links feel to it, with small testing bunkers and deceptive bumps and dips on the fairways. Then there is the wind, a big factor on a links course that is brutally exposed to the elements. You will know about it as immediately as on the first tee - get your drive too far right and it will whisk you into serious trouble, with tall grass all the way along that side.

The 6th has history on its side as it features a real army bunker from the war when the British garrison was stationed here. The course now measures 7,236 yards after being extended by architect Martin Hawtree in the late ’90s at a cost of 4.5 million euros.

The back nine is arguably more interesting, with the most difficult hole on the course the par 4 10th, Marne, where your drive has to be long to allow yourself a chance of reaching the green with your second shot which must travel over a brook and through a narrow passageway created by trees. The 11th, by contrast, is long and wide open.

No trip to Dublin of course would be complete without sampling the black stuff – the Guinness is smooth enough in the clubhouse but even more so in one of the city’s great watering holes. Even on a wet Monday night O’Donoghue’s, a stone’s throw from the Irish Parliament, is buzzing with the sound of revelry and an impromptu jam by two fiddle players sitting in the corner. The pub has been run by the same family since 1934 and was where famous Irish folk group The Dubliners started performing in the ’60s.

While they may represent Gaelic culture, more recent history is very much in the air this year in The Republic.

This year marks the centenary of the Irish uprising in Dublin. Pubs such as McGrattans in Fitzwilliam Lane have huge roof placards celebrating the uprising while bookshops abound with historical tomes on the birth of nationhood. It’s certainly the right time to rediscover your Irish side, and deep down, we all have one.

Resort Golf Academy

Designing Your own golf stuDio

Building a world-class training facility in your living room.

By R o Be Rto B o R g at t i P h oto g R a P h y By Dav i D J. W h y t e

Every golfer should have the opportunity to practice regularly. As a golf professional who travels widely and lives in Manhattan, I appreciate the benefits of having a golf practice and training studio at home.

I have created my own SkyGolf Center, 39 floors above the crawling traffic of Madison Square Park. Besides keeping my game sharp, this refuge offers my citydwelling students and visitors from around the globe a place for one-on-one sessions.

The studio stems from my days teaching the game to Wall Street financiers in an indoor studio at the World of Golf facility here in New York. Most of these students shared a common request: “Get me ready for my weekend round!� (Their actual language was often much more colourful.) They all expected swift and immediate improvement. Golf, however, is unique in challenging all our resources, physical and mental, and resisting mastery.

For me, then a teaching pro early in his career, the pressure was always on to perform miracles. Each lesson was a challenging test to quickly impart sound mechanics and fundamentals that would bring results. I showed them that playing smart on the golf course, managing their emotions and expectations, was as important to success as working smart was in their careers.

I also quickly recognised that the indoor environment, rather than being a limitation, was actually an indispensable component for helping players maximise their games. It allowed players to grasp the fundamentals and do repetitions with a concentrated focus. For beginners, the privacy of the indoor setting put them at ease, and took the fear of embarrassment out of the equation. For any player it helped to condition a desired motion pattern and refine technique.

This idea was not revolutionary. I had visited Jim McLean’s centre at Doral in Miami where he had incorporated an electronic drop net into his facility. This can be used for inclement weather, as well as for coaching purposes.

GolfTec, a company specialising in coaching and club fitting has taken the indoor golf concept nationally with centres all around the US. The intent is to help

players focus on learning as a process rather than as the pursuit of a single goal.

Indoors training with a net helps a golfers learn a new technique, or practice an established swing or stroke without being distracted by ball flight.

For the player who wants a more playoriented experience, simulators have really evolved in the past decade. They now offer a golfer the chance to play some of the world’s best courses, albeit simulated, and watch their shots soar from a variety of distinct perspectives.

For the golfer who wants detailed information, there are launch monitors such as the world-leading Trackman that provide every conceivable variable from launch angle and spin rate to club path and face angle. In short, information that is helpful for the average player as well as the tour professional.

An indoor or outdoor home training facility is time efficient, negating the need to transit to and from a driving range. It is also available throughout the year and always offering perfect conditions. When you factor in the performance benefits of ten to 15 minutes a day with club in hand, there are huge benefits in terms of improvement to those who have little or no time for warm-ups, nevermind training.

However, I do not advocate using an indoor studio or a backyard net as the sole solution to learning golf. It is not a replacement for trips to the practice range.

But it is part of an integrated solution for city slickers and busy folks where a trip to the golf course or range may not always be possible.

Resort Golf Academy

Roberto Borgatti is the author of “A Swing You Can Trust” and the featured instructor at the Long Boat Key Club in Florida.

How to Design Your golf stuDio

Once you have decided on a dedicated space indoors or on your property, building your own studio is quite simple and straightforward.

BASIC MATERIALS NET: Acquiring a net is step one. Nets come in a wide array of designs and quality. My favorite is The Net Return (theNetReturn.com). As the name indicates, it sends the ball back to you with each swing, allowing you to practice with one ball and establish a rhythm of repetitions in a short time period.

HITTING MAT The most important facet of a quality hitting surface is one that best reproduces the sensation of hitting the ball off real turf. I like the Realfeel Golf Mat (realfeelgolfmats.com) relative to its competitors. It’s great for recreating the impact of an iron off the fairway. It also allows you to tee up a ball. It lets you know if you are coming in “too steep” but without the jarring and shock to the wrists.

BALLS Elevated Golf has developed limited flight balls, which are an especially good idea if you have windows in your golf studio space. There are many others in the market as well and these are important to avoid breaking things at home or at your neighbour’s home.

TRAINING AIDS My favourites include developmental aids such as GolfFlex (SKLZ.com) for developing a wonderful warm-up, tempo and proper sequencing; Swing Ball Pro, a specially-designed medicine ball with handles; and Leverage Discs for balance (SmartBodyGolf.com).

VIDEO ANALYSIS As an instructor, I use V1 Professional (v1sports.com) to provide students with immediate visual feedback. There is an elaborate system for the professional with a deep library of swing models that can be matched up to individual swings for comparison and it offers an affordable app for iPad and other tablets as well.

LAUNCH MONITORS AND SIMULATORS For those who cannot imagine practicing without seeing the results, and having essential variables for analysis on ball flight like launch angle, angles of attack, path, face angle, clubhead speed. The Trackman (trackmangolf.com) is a top of line professional equipment. There is also FlightScope (flightscope.com) and GC2 (foresightsports.com) but you have to know what the numbers represent and more importantly, know what to do to improve yourself having that knowledge. You are better off seeking professional advice for this.

There are basic gadgets like Swingbyte which gives a number of important variables or world class systems like Trackman, favorite of the pros, club fitters and players, that combines video analysis, simulator and launch monitor all-in-one.

Collection Showcase

The perfecT foil Forget black.

Blue and Gold are the colours of the year.

Photo g r a P her: c hin g S t yl iSt: o n g w eiS hen g

Royal oak offshoRe DiveR ChRonogRaph in steel by auDemaRs piguet

Rm 016 with pink sapphiRe in ReD golD

by RiChaRD mille

gRanDe seConDe lapis lazuli in ReD golD

by Jaquet DRoz

oCto in steel by bvlgaRi

patRimony RetRogRaDe Day-Date in pink golD by vaCheRon Constantin

collection Time

Patek PhiliPPe at Baselworld 2016

As the first big surprise at Baselworld 2016, Patek Philippe is presenting a new model in the regular collection that pairs two highly popular complications in one watch. The second premiere is a new model that celebrates the 20th anniversary of a genuine bestseller. The Third debut graces feminine wrists, the fourth is a

grand classic that was subtly reworked, and number five once again demonstrates that no complication is too challenging for Patek Philippe.

Aficionados, collectors, and connoisseurs of mechanical timepieces will be awed when they see the new Patek Philippe World Time Chronograph

Ref. 5930. It combines the Genevan manufactur’s patented World Time mechanism with a property self-winding chronograph movement that comes in a round white-gold case and a dial with a blue, manually guilloched center.

The second debut is the Annual Calendar Ref. 5396 that very tastefully

recalls the 20th anniversary of the patented Annual Calendar (Its successful career began in Basel in 1996 with the Ref. 5035 that a few months later was voted Watch of the Year ). Since then, the Annual Calendar has been crafted in 21 versions including ladies’ diamond –set models with mother-of-pearl dials, not to mention the numerous variations in platinum, yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold with the eclectic dials designs. The new Ref. 5396 is model No.22.

The new World time Watch Ref. 5230 supersedes all previous models of its lineage because politically motivated modifications of the World Time order called for the new time – zone scale.

And not least, Patek Philippe has announced a changing of the guard at the top of its ranking for the most complicated regularly produced wristwatches. The

new Number 1 is the Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300 with a novel and distinctive exterior.

Patek PhiliPPe World time ChronograPh ref. 5930 a rare Combination that Watch enthusiasts have long awaited World Time watches and chronographs rank among the most popular complications in mechanical timepieces.

For the first time, the Ref. 5930 pairs these two complications in a model that has now been added to Patek Philippe's regular collection.

Classic elegance is also the theme of the new Ref. 5930 with its blue and silvery dial that structures the displays of local time, the other 23 time zones, and the chronograph functions in an exemplary manner to assure instant legibility at a

glance. The outermost scale is a blue disk with the city names that represent the 24 time zones. An adjacent 24-hour ring with bright/dark zones as well as sun and moon symbols doubles as a day/night indicator for the World Time readings. As in all Patek Philippe World Time watches, the dark blue center is dedicated to decorative artistry and manually guilloched.

The new Patek Philippe World Time Chronograph Ref. 5930 launches in 2016 as a version with a white-gold case and a blue, silvery dial. It is worn on a handstitched matt navy blue alligator strap with large square scales that is colorcoordinated with the dial. An 18K whitegold Calatrava fold-over clasp keeps the watch comfortably secured to the wrist. annual Calendar Stories From Stonehenge to the Patek Philippe Ref. 5396 Annual Calendar In the cultural history of humankind, the progression of a year is of greater significance than the time of day. The time can be quite easily estimated on the basis of brightness: in daylight, people work, and when night falls, they go to bed. But without what today would be called utilities, it is difficult to grasp the progression of a year with its four seasons, be it merely with a chalk or charcoal mark on a wall for each elapsed day. It wasn't until the dawn of the astronomical calendar – monumental structures such as Stonehenge (ca. 3000 BC) or handy instruments such as the Nebra Sky Disc (ca. 2000 BC) – that it became possible to

in 1932. A totally new design was developed to create space for the flattering complement of diamonds and to extend the strap lugs into the circumference of the glass. This makes the watch all the more precious. As befits the "Timeless White" theme, all diamonds are graded rare white in the Top Wesselton category (also designated F or G on the international scale). The selection of the 44 diamonds totaling approx. 0.52 ct. is already a challenge, not to mention the work involved in setting the stones of different sizes. But this is exactly what makes the Calatrava "Timeless White" Ref. 7122 such a treasure that will delight many generations to come.

reliably track the passage of a year based on the positions of celestial bodies.

Thus, the start of springtime could be announced weeks in advance, so farmers could prepare their fields for sowing. The calendar signaled that winter was approaching, allowing time to make provisions for dealing with the cold. For early societies, calendars were important for survival, and those who could configure, read, and interpret them enjoyed social esteem and affluence. The importance of calendars is exemplified by the Julian calendar introduced by Julius Caesar. It extended every fourth year by an extra (leap) day to 366 days in order to improve the system's long-term accuracy.

The Gregorian calendar was born. It remains valid to this very day. Meanwhile, though, astronomical irregularities are corrected on demand with the insertion of a leap second, most recently on June 30, 2015, at 23:59:59 UTC. Because this always involves a risk in information technology, discussions are currently underway regarding the abolishment of leap seconds and the insertion of an entire leap hour in the year 2600 instead.

Patek PhiliPPe Calatrava "timeless White" ref. 7122 the "Blanc de Blanc" of feminine elegance The new Calatrava "Timeless White" Ref. 7122 by Patek Philippe is a ladies' wristwatch that lives up to its name in every respect. It is timelessly elegant, timelessly seductive, timelessly precious.

This modern, all-white diamond-set mechanical ladies' timepiece showcases a highly innovative design which even decades from now will retain its feminine grace when it is handed down to a granddaughter some day. For the human eye, white is, quite simply, the absence of color. But for the soul, white is one of the special colors that directly and universally evoke emotions and are perceived as having strong symbolic meaning.

Patek Philippe leveraged this symbolic eloquence a number of years ago and instantly won the hearts of many women with the Twenty~4® “Timeless White.”

Now, the "Timeless White" theme is being revisited in the Calatrava ladies' wristwatch family which due to its larger format offers even more space for this leitmotif.

feminine elegance all in White Patek Philippe's definition of "timeless" comes to the fore right away in the case with lucid and sleek contours inspired by the Ref. 96 proto-Calatrava launched

mechanical Purity and elegance The gleaming white dial framed by sparkling diamonds conceals the reliable mechanical caliber 215 PS movement that keeps the gold hands running with remarkable accuracy (with a tolerance of -3/+2 seconds per day, it clearly surpasses the conventional rate specifications for mechanical watches). It is manually wound, as preferred by more and more women with a penchant for timeless watches and an affinity with lasting value. They love the daily ritual of turning the crown before they put on the watch, providing their Calatrava "Timeless White" with energy for another day. A look at the movement through the sapphire-crystal case back reveals far more than the functional interaction of mechanical components.

Its individual parts have been meticulously decorated by hand: bridges with manually applied Geneva striping and polished chamfered edges, brass wheels with a golden gloss and chamfered spokes, circular-grained steel wheels for the winding train and the spring barrel and screws with polished slots in polished countersunk bores. Deep red synthetic ruby bearing jewels deliver vibrant accents, as do Patek Philippe's proprietary Gyromax® balance with the patented Spiromax® balance spring that breathes even more precisely than conventional flat hairsprings.

The Calatrava "Timeless White" Ref. 7122 is available in 18K white gold or rose gold. It is worn on a large-scaled iridescent white alligator strap secured with a prong buckle in the same 18K gold as the case.

collection Time

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the frequent flyers watch Reconciling opposites through the extreme user friendliness and smooth readings of a multiple-display watch.

Highly complex functions versus supereasy usage and read-off: Bulgari reconciles apparent opposites in its new Hora Domvs watch, a multi-timezone timepiece that provides an exceptional city display in two spacious apertures. A single pusher serves to synchronise the multiple functions that make Hora Domvs a benchmark “worldtime” model.

This creation represents an authentic travel instrument that meets the needs of contemporary nomads. Humankind must return to the centre of a world that has become a global village, driven by technologies with the ability to shrink space and time. Hora Domvs – from the Latin “Home Time” – meets this demand. This classic yet innovative watch is equipped with a Manufacture-made movement endowed with an original multitimezone complication that is astonishingly user-friendly.

Ticking to “Frequent Flyers” Time Enabling easy read-off thanks to its pure, uncluttered dial, Hora Domvs provides a precise response to the real needs of frequent flyers, including the ever-growing population of professional travellers.

Having selected the destination city of a given journey via the 4 o’clock pushbutton on the caseband, globetrotters can view its name through the aperture pointed to by a dedicated arrow. The corresponding time is indicated by a solid hand, while home time remains permanently visible via the small cut-out hours hand.

Bulgari has chosen to go even further by providing a sophisticated display taking account of information such as the season (summer/winter time), as well as day/night or morning/afternoon differences. Despite this comprehensive range of indications, the functions remain extremely simple to use in that they are all coordinated via the pusher. Activating the latter synchronises all the information relating to both home

and travel times. When the wearer is not travelling, the two dedicated hours hands remain mysteriously superimposed.

Hora Domvs is equipped with Calibre BVL191, developed and produced by the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Bulgari in Le Sentier and enriched with a module produced in-house. This mechanical self-winding movement, with its balance oscillating at 21,600 vibrations per hour, measures 28.30 mm in diameter and 8.55 mm thick. It is housed in an 18K pink gold double ellipse case. Hora Domvs, a lesson in keeping one’s bearings in a world where temporal borders are swiftly being abolished, or at least significantly eroded.

Movement Calibre BVL191 with module, mechanical self-winding, 21,600 vph, 48-hour power reserve: 28.30 mm in diameter, 8.55 mm thick, hand-crafted movement decoration: circular graining, Côtes de Genève, chamfered steel parts.

Functions Multi-timezone function via a disc displaying a choice of 24 cities through two large-size apertures; complementary summer (DST) time/winter (standard) time and day/night indications for home time, AM/PM indication of local travel time; instant synchronisation of the two timezones via a push button at 4 o’clock; display of the respective times via two hands: local or travel time corresponds to the city pointed to by the dedicated arrow; home time is permanently displayed, along with the season.

Case and crown in 18K pink gold with a ceramic insert, 45 mm in diameter, glassbox-type sapphire crystal protecting the dial and sapphire caseback; individually numbered; satin-finish silver-toned or black lacquered dial; water-resistant to 30 metres; black or brown alligator leather strap with pink gold pin buckle.

collection Fashion

CALVIN KLEIN, INC.

ANNOUNCES FALL 2016 GLOBAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN Campaign brings together striking and diverse mix of talent; expands upon “I ___in #mycalvins” call to action.

NEW YORK, NY, JULY 6, 2016 – Calvin Klein, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of PVH Corp. [NYSE: PVH], today announced its Fall 2016 global multimedia advertising campaign. As first done for the Spring 2016 season, each of the Calvin Klein brands – Calvin Klein Collection, Calvin Klein Platinum, Calvin Klein, Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear – are presented together in a powerful visual narrative featuring a provocative blend of talent and deeper storytelling through a rich collection of video and interactive digital content.

Captured on film by photographer and filmmaker Tyrone Lebon, who shot the Calvin Klein’s acclaimed Spring 2016 global multimedia advertising campaign, the Fall 2016 campaign spotlights an evolved cast of talent that encompasses actors, musicians, cultural icons, athletes, fashion idols, social media heavyweights, artists, and professional and street cast models – often paired together to create a dynamic and artful mix of visuals.

In its Fall 2016 campaign, Calvin Klein dives further into the cultural conversation with a commitment to authentic, personal storytelling. This approach is realized through robust digital and video content, intimate interviews with each of the campaign cast members, special behindthe-scenes material and social media moments that will run throughout the Fall season.

Through this collection of digital and video content, the brand creates an emotional and intimate platform for its cast to share their stories and themselves with Calvin Klein’s global audience.

As an added layer to the advertising campaign, an immersive campaign hub launches today on ck.com, beginning

with a 24-hour integrated video takeover on its U.S. site, www.ck.com/mycalvins.

The takeover is comprised of a collection of over 50 videos featuring campaign cast interviews, behind-the-scenes content and unique talent performances.

Throughout today, viewers can visit the site to experience a constant stream of

this dedicated video footage from the campaign, a selection of which is exclusive to calvinklein.com. For the duration of the Fall season, ck.com’s digital “zine” will provide an audiovisual stream of stories, updated regularly, which the user can explore to more fully engage in the campaign and learn more about its cast of characters. Viewers will experience in-depth editorial stories with each cast member, behind-the-scenes moments, and expanded creative content from the campaign. Additionally, the site will offer select talents’ Spotify playlists, rolled out through the season, as well as a custom Spotify playlist generator, whereby the user can choose a verb from a list of options and a customized music playlist will be created on Spotify.

With over 500 million impressions planned across 26 global markets with a diversified media mix comprised of digital, mobile, print, and outdoor advertising, this campaign will deliver on the unique lifestyle of Calvin Klein. For the Fall 2016 season, Calvin Klein has partnered again with Dazed Media on a unique collaboration leveraging their print and digital properties, which will culminate with their 25th anniversary celebration in London.

In March 2016, for the first time, viewers experienced the Calvin Klein Fall 2016 advertising campaign production in real time on Calvin Klein’s Periscope channel. Fans were granted early access to the shoot with behind-the-scenes videos of campaign talent including Bella Hadid, Cameron Dallas, Selah Marley and street cast members. Calvin Klein, Inc. is one of the leading fashion design and marketing studios in the world. It designs and markets women’s and men’s designer collection apparel and a range of other products that are manufactured and marketed through an extensive network of licensing agreements and other arrangements worldwide.

Product lines under the various Calvin Klein brands include women’s dresses and suits, men's dress furnishings and tailored clothing, men’s and women's sportswear and bridge and collection apparel, golf apparel, jeanswear, underwear, fragrances, eyewear, women’s performance apparel, hosiery, socks, footwear, swimwear, jewelry, watches, outerwear, handbags, small leather goods, and home furnishings (including furniture).

collection Style

The Capsule

The sheath of understated luxury by Maserati and Zegna.

By m iko ko h

Following in the footsteps of the Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition with its Zegna-designed interior, the Italian fashion brand’s master craftsmen have now released a trim package to be available on all Maserati Ghibli and Quattroporte models. The automotive-grade fabric combines an incredibly soft feel with an elegantly technical look to deliver dynamism and a contemporary feel that is worthy of Maserati’s most iconic of models.

In honour of the collaboration, the excitement is revved with a special capsule collection of fine leatherwear and accessories designed to reflect the heritage, craftsmanship and elegance synonymous with both the Zegna and Maserati brands.

The collection is crafted from Zegna’s distinctive patterned silk combined with fine leathers and embellished with the Maserati trident to complement the dynamic dual-material of the Ermenegildo Zegna trim package. Ranging from

outerwear to special edition sneaker and exclusive foldable sunglasses, each product is detailed to bring out the luxury sports car enthusiast in each of us.

Exclusively available in key Ermenegildo Zegna global stores. www.zegna.com

collection Bespoke

The Rimowa-F13 A legend grows new wings.

By M iko ko h

On June 25, 1919, a small, six-seater passenger aircraft took off for the first time. So, there was a world before the Junkers F13 and a world after. It did not only revolutionized aviation, but it was a catalyst to the travel industry.

Some 30 years later, it was the era where airliners began to cross the Atlantic on scheduled flights. Travel was meant to be easy, so luggage had to be light and sturdy. This inspired Richard Morszeck to use Duralumin when manufacturing the first RIMOWA suitcase with grooves, choosing the same material – reliable, robust and durable – Hugo Junkers had favoured for his aircraft.

Tracing its rich heritage and ties with the Junker, RIMOWA presented a replica of the world’s first all-metal passenger aircraft after extensive research and planning to execute the 26-month contruction project at the legendary air show, EAA AirVenture, in Oshkosh.

Powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior engine with 450 horsepower and a top speed of 170km/h. The singleengine aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 2,000 kilograms and a full-load range of 600 kilometres. Measuring almost 10 metres long, 3.5 metres high, and its wingspan measuring just under 15 metres, 35,000 rivets are used to hold together 2,600 individual parts of the F13. In the cabin, the Rimowa-F13 is reminiscent of

early 19th-century style: There’s interior paneling, Alcantara leather roof lining, and leather-covered seating.

Dieter Morszeck, CEO of RIMOWA, whom was involved in this exciting project from the outset and was overwhelmed by the sight of the F13 gushes, “The reconstruction of the ‘mother’ of all commercial aircraft had long been my dream, and I am delighted to see it finally come true. I’m extremely excited about this plane, and I can anticipate demand for other copies on the market, so we have already established the Swiss-based company RIMOWA Flugzeugwerke AG for the roll-out. Here we will build the F13 in series to meet market demand.”

Although, we’re pretty sure this is one RIMOWA product that won’t exactly fly off the shelves, pun intended, save for the truly extravagant. www.RIMOWA-F13.com

collection Time

Melodic TiMe

A unique masterpiece by A. Lange & Söhne gives a perfect pitch every time.

By Ben n y teo

Music is in all of us, inside us and

around us. From the rhythmic flow of rivers to finger tapping numbness from boredom, from the jarring sound of traffic and construction to the beautiful tones of robins chirping, we have raw music surrounding us every single day in every single way.

But perfectly composed music? That’s a different matter. Professional musicians and even prodigal ones spend their entire lives improving their craft. That spirit to transcend genius is represented in the inspired craft of the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater by A. Lange & Söhne.

The German high-end watch manufactory has developed the first mechanical watch that pairs a jumping 90 • G o l f V a c a t i o n s • sEP-oct 2016

numerals display with a decimal minute repeater. But it is not just an amazing horological work of art; it is also a finetuned mechanical musical instrument for the wrist. The first few of these watches are now being delivered to select showrooms around the world.

The inspiration for this masterpiece comes naturally as musical instruments have been crafted in Saxony for centuries, especially around the town of Markneukirchen in the Vogtlandkreis district, where more than 100 workshops still uphold this tradition today. By definition, an exceptional music experience is based on purity of sound. Just like master instrument makers, the product developers at A.Lange & Söhne are keen

on achieving perfect sonority and that is what they believe, have been achieved with the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater.

Here’s why. In a chiming watch, as in musical instruments, the physical laws that govern acoustic phenomena are key to achieving sounds of superior quality and reverberant volume. The case material, the size and shape of the gongs, the way they are secured to the movement, the number of moving parts – every detail counts and it is in these details that they perfected.

Special measuring technologies and a musically trained ear are essential in the development of a minute repeater for optimising the individual acoustic parameters down to the finest of nuances.

It begins with loudness. The volume of the sound must be perceptible but not overbearing. Its fullness and purity must be compelling to the connoisseur.

The rhythm and cadence of the sounds should express pleasant musicality. The gongs must harmonize perfectly with one another. All the while, any chatter of the striking mechanism must be reduced to the absolute minimum. It was a formidable challenge for Lange’s product developers to fulfill all of these criteria.

But even during the assembly of the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, the watchmakers must perform numerous adjustments. As is commonplace for high-end musical instruments, the gongs are tuned exclusively by hand until they thoroughly harmonise with each other.

In the end, they both sound full and pure – so the future owners of one of these masterpieces can look forward to a splendid experience in sonority.

A musical instrument? This is one you need not practice on. www.alange-soehne.com

collection Fashion

United in Sartorial FineSSe A conversation amongst the English, French and German lads might never have more chemistry than this.

By M iko ko h

Inheriting the experience of serving

discerning gentlemen over varying fashion eras, the brands have tailored precision to perfect your look this winter.

Open the doors to your wardrobe and find the new BOSS look that embody serenity and simplicity by finding a balance between clean, tailored lines and functional fine materials. Take your pick from quilted winter sports coats – the elegant alternative to down jackets – to lightweight outerwear.

Transit with ease from downtown to a mountain-ready look with new shapes, contemporary fits and refined tonal shades of unexpected winter colours which ranges from cool granite and glacier blue to the brick red of a slightly boxy virgin wool trench coat.

If you paired BOSS’s cotton-alpaca blend slim fit suit with a large check pattern, worn with a sand-coloured turtleneck sweater, double strap monk shoes, how about piping the look with casually preppy briefcases?

Crafted from printed Italian cowhide leather, the English has interpreted it with unstructured design to offer a modern twist to the traditional briefcase with durable construction and complete functionality.

Alfred Dunhill presents the new Bourdon collection in hues of deep burgundy, pine green and dark navy well contrasted with slates of grey.

From bags to belts and hats to scarves, there is vast variety of accessories to add a voice to your exterior stylish personality.

In a new format this season, Hermès Winter Ties feature woven Prince of Wales pattern on brushed silk. Delicate and warm, it would be a subtle addition to freshly ironed shirts. Don’t leave out the winter staples – scarves! Woven in cashmere and silk, the unusual geometric composition meticulously reproduced 292 pages of “A Lover’s Discourse: Fragments” by Roland Bathes, may just be your next personal favourite.

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1. Suit: Novan1/Ben, Knitwear: Musso-D, Belt: Cordy, Shoes: T-Legis, Bag: Gusst; All by Hugo Boss 2. Coat: Neel, Knitwear: Musso-D, Trousers: Piet, Belt: Cyngo, Shoes: Stalm; All by Hugo Boss 3. Scarves in Cashmere, by Hermès 4. Scarves 140 Fragments d'un discours amoureux in cashmere and silk, by Hermès 5. 8cm ties in silk, by Hermès 6. Bourdon Bi-Colour Corner Single Document Case by dunhill 7. Bourdon Currency Pouch by Dunhill 8. Bourdon Coat Wallet by Dunhill

food

Hotel IndIgo Bangkok

Launches CHAR for an Unparalleled Rooftop Dining Experience

Bangkok, July 4, 2016: Hotel Indigo

Bangkok today announces the opening of its signature dining venue, CHAR, promising an unprecedented and unmatched dining experience at the first rooftop venue on Wireless Road.

For the epicureans of Bangkok, the unique dining destination can elevate a night out into a memory with new attitude and altitude via its outstanding location, concept and cuisine. This signature restaurant and bar on the 25th floor and the rooftop of Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road features three components –CHAR Restaurant, CHAR Private and CHAR Rooftop Bar – each of which offers its own unique charm.

Grilled to Perfection

CHAR Restaurant, on the 25th floor of the hotel, serves top-notch grill and steak under the “contemporary grill” concept in the refined yet informal atmosphere.

Premium meats and responsibly-sourced seafood are grilled to sizzling perfection to delight your senses. A selection of

freshly shucked oysters and several signature dishes from its namesake and sister restaurant, CHAR at Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund, adds a wow factor to CHAR Restaurant at Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road. Most importantly, the engaging and knowledgeable culinary and service teams are ready to cater to the every whim of the restaurant’s customers. Lionel Vinatier, CHAR’s Chef de Cuisine draws on 20 years of culinary experience in Europe and Asia to create a one-of-a-kind menu incorporating artisan and organic produce. The French chef transcends culinary borders while adhering to classic technique to deliver honest and true flavours to diners with discerning taste.

exclusively yours

For the ultimate exclusivity, patrons can enjoy a private dining experience at CHAR Private, also on the 25th floor, where they can dine and socialise in style and privacy. The intricately-set private room can accommodate up to 24 people for an exclusive meeting or dining experience,

and offers unparalleled city views through floor-to-ceiling windows.

insPired eveninGs

Cap off the night after a day at work with cocktails underneath a blanket of stars at CHAR Rooftop Bar on the 26th floor of the hotel. Award-winning Italian mixologist, Francesco Moretti, concocts classic and signature drinks that will both delight and surprise. Moretti, whose impressive portfolio as bar manager includes Louis XXV Restaurant Club at Paris' ChampsÉlysées, Bar Rogue in Shanghai, and J. Boroski Mixology in Bangkok, brings sophistication into every sip of his creations. For CHAR’s signature cocktails, he derives inspiration from famous poems as secret ingredients to deliver enticing drinks with cutting-edge yet playful presentations. Enjoy a light meal with your cocktail and socialise to the tune of live music from talented bands at the bar every evening. The bar’s retractable roof reveals a full and stunning view of Bangkok at night.

food

Islero

Sets New Standard for Spanish Cuisine in Bangkok

Islero, a new Spanish restaurant on

Wireless Road, sets its sight on bringing bold and authentic flavors through beautifully presented dishes. Named after a famous fighting bull that defeated a matador in 1947, the restaurant offers a menu that not only honors classic Spanish dishes but also pushes the boundaries by embracing modern techniques and presentation.

Islero’s Michelin-level menu is cocreated by its Head Chef Pedro Luis Rodriguez Serrano and famed Chef Eduard Bosch. Both chefs have extensive experience working for Michelin-starred restaurants. Bosch has overseen menu conception and other gastronomic projects for various leading establishments, including three Michelin-starred El Bulli in Girona. Serrano joined Bosch at his kitchen laboratory in Spain to collaborate on Islero’s outstanding menu.

Chef Pedro left his previous post as chef de cuisine of the much-praised Aceite Spanish restaurant in Melia Doha Hotel in Qatar to take charge of Islero’s kitchen, making his Bangkok debut. His key

ingredients are imported from authentic sources in Spain and the vast selection of wine is put together by a Spanish sommelier. A cutting-edge "Josper" oven has been installed to make sure all meats will be cooked to perfection. Islero also features a tapas bar called Cava for afterwork unwinding.

To go with the sophisticated fare, the rustic yet refined interior of Islero is done

by Open Air Studio whose past works include chic design of several noted restaurants in Bangkok. Islero’s piece de resistance is an installation/partition in the centre, featuring food trays in different wooden hues.

The hIghlIghTs from Islero’s menu Include:

“Rostit catala” cannelloni is a truly appetizing starter. The thin crêpe envelops delicate and flavourful stuffing of slow-cooked mix of beef and pork. It is garnished to perfection with demi-glace, Spanish cheese sauce and truffle.

Grilled octopus tentacles served with beans and traditional Castilian stew is

another savoury starter. Chunks of octopus go great with tender giant beans, the feathery thin Spanish lardo and aromatic broth.

Baked red snapper features fresh fillet baked to perfection. It is served on a bed of thinly sliced potatoes, fried onion and cherry tomatoes and topped with picada – nora sweet chili, almond, oil and chili powder – enhances the tasty fish with even more flavour.

Come experience authentic Spanish flavour at Islero on the ground floor of Athenee Tower, behind Plaza Athenee Bangkok, on Wireless Road. Islero offers set lunch menu on weekdays. A two-course set lunch consists of your choices of one appetizer and one main course while a three-course option also gives you one choice of dessert.

Moments

CORTINA WATCH AND BREGUET HOSTED A SIT-DOWN DINNER TO SHOWCASE THE 2016 HIGH COMPLICATION TIMEPIECES BANGKOK, July 7, 2016 – Cortina Watch, Thailand’s leading luxury watch retailer and distributor, together with Breguet, the legend of Swiss Haute Horlogerie, invited watch collectors and watch enthusiasts to join the “Breguet High Complication Sit-down Dinner” at the Cellar, The Table, Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok to showcase the 2016 high complication timepieces.

On this special occasion, Mr. Krist Chatikaratana, Executive Director of Cortina Watch (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Mr. Fabien Levrion, Breguet Vice President of the Swatch Group (Southeast Asia) and Ms. Weeraporn Tatiyavoranant, Sales & Marketing Manager of the Swatch Group (Thailand) introduced 2016 Breguet’s high complication timepieces which included the “Tourbillon Baguette Set Diamonds”, the greatest combination of Haute Horlogerie and Haute Joaillerie with 356 Baguette-cut diamonds approximate 10.4 carats setting on white gold case, the “Classique Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon”, the remarkable complication which always tells the precise calendar to the wearer in precious platinum case and last but not least, the “Traditional Grande Complication”, the ultimate complication with classic Fusee Tourbillon mechanism in rose gold case. And before a memorable night reached the end, all guests enjoyed decorating their own chocolate to bring back home as a special complimentary gift from Breguet.

All great timepieces presented during the night had demonstrated Breguet’s expertise in Haute Horlogerie in terms of artistic, mechanical and technical excellence of renown mechanism invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet over 200 years ago integrated with the latest technology in material selection and manufacturing process.

Moments

BLUE LABEL Be our guest at Bangkok’s first ever Johnnie Walker Blue Label Room at Decanter together with a transformed wine lounge located on the 21th floor.

Decanter is exclusively housing the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Room to bring luxury whisky innovation together with design, dining and culture, where you can fully appreciate some of the world’s finest whiskies in the company of fellow connoisseurs. As a member of the house of Walker at Decanter, you will enjoy a range of privileges including your own Johnnie Walker Private Cabinet, invitations to members-only parties and events, engaging whisky education sessions with Johnnie Walker Ambassador, and opportunities to host your own parties at the exclusive venue.

Decanter also features an exceptional range of wines, from New World producers to classic Old World vintages. Selected with care by our passionate and knowledgeable sommelier, the expensive wine cellar includes some of the world’s most celebrated vintages as well as new and engaging labels. To complete the culinary experience, a new tapas menu has also been created to match the beverage offerings.

Moments

RIMOWA THAILAND IN RIMOWA ExcLusIvE sIT-DOWN DINNER Celebrating the first RIMOWA store at the renowned Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok.

Bonny International Company Limited, the official RIMOWA importer and distributer in Thailand, led by Mr. Bandhit Nilchiansakul, Managing Director and Ms. Jarupan Vanitkoopalangkul, Marketing Director, arranged the ‘RIMOWA Exclusive Sit-down Dinner.’

In order to celebrate the first RIMOWA store opening at Thailand’s five-star hotel ‘Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok’, guests were invited to the venue on the ground floor of Author's Wing

Building at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok to experience the opening of RIMOWA F13, presented through the resurrected creation of it under the concept of “The Return of Junkers F13”. This is creative and innovative that completely changed the RIMOWA’s history, our heritage brand from generation to generation.

In this event, the Somerset Maugham room at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok was decorated with the history of RIMOWA F13 in the outstanding Colonial theme. In addition, The Regency Room was transformed into the perfect place for an exclusive dinner with the aged elegant contemporary style of RIMOWA in the background.

Guests were introduced to the expetized and experienced history of developing luggage over 118 years, presentation of RIMOWA’s highlighted history, RIMOWA makes dreams come true – presentation of the rebuilt historic F13 -roll-out of the RIMOWA at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh in July 2015. The final session was the new collection’s presentation, RIMOWA Electronic Tag – the Future of Convenient Traveling, the first digital and fully integrated mobility solution for luggage that will make flying with baggage more convenient, faster and more secured.

For the exclusive night with RIMOWA welcomed Mr. Thomas Kinsperger, Director of Food & Beverage, Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok who graced the event with his presence in celebrating together with the brand informally. The brand received well response from the honorable guests, who attended the event such as celebrities and famous Thai media’s editors: Naphalai Areesorn, Editor-in-Chief of Thailand Tatler, Suebwong Kaewthipharat, Executive Vice President for Marketing, GM Multimedia Public Company Limited, Piamsuk Menasveta,Ph.D., Editorial Director of Robb Report & Luxury Guide Thailand, Francois Oosthuizen, Managing Editor of Prestige Thailand, Narit Paranulaksa, Editor-in-Chief of ELLE Men Thailand, Suriya Garudabandhu, Editor-in-Chief of L'Optimum Thailand, Jatuwat Srichan, Managing Editor of Esquire Thailand, Rathasiam Sinlakhun, Editor-in-Chief of Lonely Planet Traveller Thailand, Woody Milintachinda, Akkharaphol Chabchitrachaidol, Parama Raiva, Saarunthorn Techaphiboon, Pongsathorn Thammawattana and Matunart Sosothikul.

RIMOWA opened the first RIMOWA store in Thailand in 2009 and recently opened the latest one at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok early 2016, which is the same year the hotel celebrates its 140 years anniversary.

The objective of the celebration is to introduce guests to the new experience of traveling. Thus, this is the first time in Thailand that RIMOWA has its branch at a five-star hotel. Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok is the most immemorial hotel in Thailand and has been wellknown worldwide for its outstanding oriental style for 140 years, and its importance in Thai history. The brand believes that the brand new RIMOWA store will certainly attract Thai customers as well as visitors from around the world, especially the honorable hotel’s guests, who will be welcomed by superior service.

An innovative approach and exceptional demands when it comes to quality have made RIMOWA one of Europe's leading luggage brands. Shoppers are welcomed to visit the new store and experience a journey with contemporary design at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok.

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The Ben Hogan s Last Putt

Five Lessons: THe Modern FundaMenTaLs oF goLF The finest swing in golf and the greatest instructional classic.

Author: Ben Hogan, Herber t Warren Wind, Illustrator: Anthony Ravielli

Ben Hogan. Easily the finest swing that ever lived, the greatest golfer of his generation, and unbeknownst to many, a fantastic coach. Of the many legacies he had left behind, this timeless classic is probably the most helpful to golfers all around.

Ben’s Five Lessons outlines the building blocks of winning golf in a fully illustrated tome that comes with easy to read diagrams and instructions to improve just about any swing. Hogan believed that any golfer with average coordination can learn to break 80 if one applies oneself patiently and intelligently. With the techniques revealed in this classic, you can learn how to make your game work from tee to green, step-bystep and stroke by stroke.

In each chapter, a different experiencetested fundamental is explained and demonstrated with clear illustrations as though Hogan were giving personal lessons with the same skill and precision that made him a legend. Whether you’re a novice or a professional, Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons is a must-have reference for anyone who knows that fundamentals are where champions begin.

$14.74 (Hardcover) and $9.45 (Paperback) available at Amazon.com.

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