Club Life january 2018

Club Life January 2018 Issue 74

Editor: Jacqui Barry jaxdubai@gmail.com

#1 majlis RANKED

Course IN THE

MIDDLE EAST BY

AND THEIR READERS

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2

Happy New Year everyone,

Editorial

hope you all enjoyed the festivities leading up to and including New Year’s celebrations. Well done and congratulations to all our F&B colleagues at the Club for their hard work throughout the festive period which was an extremely busy time and, to add to this, they also had to quickly move an entire buffet and carvery indoors for the Mixed Christmas Scramble presentation when the heavy rain started, which they managed with ease. In addition, the New Year’s Eve function was a huge success with delicious food (and no queues) - take a bow Chef Nicholas and your team - superb service and enjoyable entertainment for over 1000 guests. What an excellent night, The Omega Dubai Desert Classic takes place this month 25th-28th January which is always a great week to be able to watch so many of the top players tackling the Majlis course. Whereas many of us are finding the rough difficult to play decent shots from at this time of the year, the Pros make it look relatively easy. So who will be the 2018 Champion - well there are so many possibilities, it would be difficult to choose. Watch all the action and, if you would like to volunteer as a marshal please do this online at www.omegadubaidesertclassic.com

The Golf Digest rankings are the most respected and credible in the industry as they are voted by a panel against a set of clear criteria (Shot Value, Design Variety, Resistance to Scoring, Memorability, Aesthetics, Conditioning and Ambience). It is fantastic to see the Majlis course ranked #1 for the first time in five years; huge congratulations to Craig, Mario and their team for such an achievement in a country with so many top courses.

I would also like to congratulate Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club who moved up to #4 since the last rating two years ago.

Christopher May

Chief Executive Officer cmay@dubaigolf.com

In addition, in the Reader’s Choice voting, which was an online vote of golfers in the region, the Majlis was again voted #1 and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club #3.

OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC We are delighted to welcome back defending champion and reigning US Masters Champion Sergio Garcia to the 2018 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, taking place on the Majlis course from 25th to 28th January. Sergio followed in the footsteps of Danny Willett to win the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and then the US Masters in the same year!

Barney Coleman

Club Manager bcoleman@dubaigolf.com

Andy Meech

Craig Haldane

Director - Golf Course Maintenance chaldane@dubaigolf.com

Head of Sport and Leisure ameech@dubaigolf.com

Congratulations to Craig and the GCM team who have been working very hard and very long hours to prepare the course for this event. It really is looking stunning and it is such a pleasure to play the course in this condition (despite the difficulty of the rough!} Following on from the Desert Classic, we will have a full schedule of golf events with no disruptions to the course; the hospitality chalets will be dismantled giving us great views of the 9th and 18th holes from our members’ terrace and from the Spike Bar terrace and, in addition, our new restaurant, Carine, will be opening soon so we have so much to look forward to.

Ganesh Mangathil

Dubai Golf Publishing Manager gmangathil@dubaigolf.com

Adele Cowgill

Saeed Ahamed

Head of Marketing & Communications acowgill@dubaigolf.com

Financial Controller mahamed@dubaigolf.com

Steen Simon

Food & Beverage Manager ssimon@dubaigolf.com

Pansy Gonsalvez

Head of Golf Central pgonsalvez@dubaigolf.com

Haridas Palliyalil

Resident Engineer hpalliyalil@dubaigolf.com

by Tom Barry

● Fill in your divots, especially on the fairways. Make sure you have sand on your trolley on the course. ● Avoid slow play. Keep up with the group in front of you at all times ● Be polite and civil to the marshals. Listen to what they have to say and act accordingly. They are there to help everyone and they are just doing their job

DATES * Practice Days – Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd January, 7am to 3pm (FREE entry for all) * Pro-Am, Majlis Course - Wednesday 24th January, 7.30am and 12.45pm shot gun starts (FREE entry for all) * Omega Dubai Desert Classic, Majlis Course - Thursday 25th to Sunday 28th January

MEMBERS’ TICKETS Emirates Golf Club members will be entitled to complimentary tickets based on membership category. These are available from Sunday 14th January at Membership Services and can be collected from 9am to 5pm. Please note that tickets will only be issued to members whose 2018 fees have been settled.

Members’ parking will be on the Faldo range (car park 2). Pease collect your car park pass prior to Monday 22nd January.

All tickets are processed through Platinum List but members’ tickets will be physical badges available at Membership Services.

Chef Nicholas Cuomo Executive Chef ncuomo@dubaigolf.com

Stephen Deane

Head Academy Professional sdeane@dubaigolf.com

Rhys James

Golf Services Manager rjames@dubaigolf.com

● Repair pitch marks - keep our greens in the great condition they are in ● If you inadvertently scuff a green, then please take the time to pat down the scuff mark with your putter, after putting out and before leaving the green

Sergio will join a host of other golfing superstars including Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy, Danny Willett, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Tommy Fleetwood, Ian Poulter and Pat Perez.

COURSE/RANGE CLOSURE * Majlis Course - closed from Sunday 14th January, re-opening Monday 29th January * Faldo Course - closed from Monday 22nd January, re-opening Monday 29th January * Majlis Range - closed from Sunday 14th January, re-opening Monday 29th January * Faldo Range - closed from Monday 22nd January, re-opening Monday 29th January * Par 3 Course - closed from Monday 22nd January, re-opening Monday 29th January

Jacqui

● Rake bunkers: too many players, (including members), just walk into a bunker, play a shot and just walk out again, without even thinking of raking the bunker behind them

Who will make it third time lucky for a ‘Classic-Masters double!’

This is set to be an exciting tournament and your chance to see the world’s top golfers in action at our Club!

Enjoy your golf and all the outlets in the Club.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

A

s we look forward to the 29th staging of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic I am delighted to advise that Golf Digest have just issued their new ranking list for 2018 and our Majlis Course has been ranked number one by an expert panel including 23 golf writers, accomplished amateurs, UAE PGA Professionals and MENA Tour players.

EGC Key Telephone Numbers Main Switchboard Members Golf Reservations Membership Recreation Accounts SensAsia Urban Spa

04 04 04 04 04 04

417 417 417 417 417 417

9999 9800 9801 9850 9875 9820

Follow Emirates Golf Club on Facebook for the latest news, views and special offers. We already have over 39,543 likes.

Follow us on Twitter @emiratesgc and Instagram @emiratesgc

MEMBERS’ GUEST TICKETS Fully paid up Emirates Golf Club members will be entitled to purchase two guest tickets per membership at a discounted rate of the retail ‘public’ price, for the tournament. The discounted price for the two tickets are AED 90 for a day pass and AED 300 for a season pass. Entry to Practice Round days and the Pro Am is complimentary. These are now available for direct purchase at the main reception between 9am and 5pm.

NOTE due to all ticketing through Platinum List, these guest tickets can only be purchased through CREDIT CARD; the tickets cannot be signed against member accounts. NOTE all guest tickets should be purchased through the main reception to guarantee clubhouse access.

MEMBERS’ WRIST-BANDING Access to the Clubhouse for the tournament will be controlled with wristbands. All members and their guests will be required to report to the refreshment hut near the main putting green with their tickets to be wrist-banded. By doing this, we are better able to control access to the Clubhouse and ensure that the members enjoy the atmosphere in the Club.

3

EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS’ AREA After the popularity of this area in the past few years we have once again secured the use of the top floor of the hospitality chalet behind the 16th green exclusively for the use of our members. We hope you can join us there to enjoy the action as it unfolds and to take part in some of our member activities. Due to the size limitations of the chalet, access is limited and numbers will be monitored on a one in, one out basis ensuring that we can give as many members access as possible. The chalet will be open from 10am every day from Thursday 25th January to Sunday 28th January. Access to the Clubhouse and the chalet will be with two different wristbands which can be collected from the members’ wrist-banding station located in the refreshment station next to the main putting green, and this will be clearly signposted. Please note that due to the restriction on numbers, members may not bring guests to the chalet.

gEr’s Club Mana lEttEr

I

EMIRATES GOLF CLUB SENIOR MANAGEMENT

NOTE this year the new members’ lounge, bar and decked terrace (overlooking the pool) will also be available to members; access to these areas will be from the right of the main Clubhouse entrance and the 16th Chalet wrist band will gain you access to this area.

DALLAHDROME SPORTS BAR The Dallahdrome Bar returns this year - the amphitheatre arena surrounding the first tee of the Majlis course will be a public viewing area; in addition, a large screen will be located adjacent to the first tee so patrons can follow the action throughout the day.

VOLUNTEERS Thank you to those members who have volunteered their services for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic 2018. If you are interested in being involved, please email Chief Marshal and Assistant Golf Services Manager Cian Hurley on CHurley@ dubaigolf.com BAG STORAGE In order to facilitate bag storage facilities for the tournament players, we would kindly request that members with bags in the Bag Storage remove them by Saturday 20th January. Bags still in the Bag Storage on that date will be removed and stored by the Club.

LOCKERS Once again, we will be requesting lockers from some members in the men’s locker room and will be advising those people shortly. If your locker is requested, we would be grateful if you could arrange for it to be cleared by Friday 19th January; you will however have access to and use of the locker rooms until Sunday 21st January.

RECREATION The swimming pool, gym, squash, tennis, Padeltennis courts and SensAsia Urban Spa will be closed from Monday 22nd January, re-opening on Monday 29th January.

FOOD & BEVERAGE We would request that members settle their food and beverage accounts on the spot rather than running ‘tabs’ due to the large numbers of members at the Club as this ensures no mistakes are made with your billing. Members’ signing privileges and discounts will still apply in the Clubhouse and we would again encourage you to use your membership cards for swiping when closing your bills to ensure bills are charged to the correct accounts.

Due to the tournament there will be no Club Night on Monday 22nd January and this will resume on Monday 29th January TRAFFIC Please be advised that during the tournament, traffic leaving Emirates Golf Club will not be permitted to turn left when leaving the main gate. This is a directive from the RTA and Dubai Police to ensure that traffic congestion is kept to a minimum. The above will also affect residents exiting the villa gate past the 10th hole on the Faldo course, who will also be unable to turn left.

This will be effective as follows: * Thursday 25th January to Sunday 28th January from 5am to 7pm I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your cooperation and assistance in the hosting of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and I wish all of you an enjoyable tournament.

Warm regards, Barney Coleman Club Manager

4

Dear Friends,

Captain’s MEssagE

W

ishing all members of Emirates Golf Club, your families and our colleagues here at the Club all the best and a healthy and prosperous 2018. I hope also that you have a lot of good rounds of golf! Enjoy the rest of the season and don’t forget that in March 2018 we will be celebrating the 30th Anniversary of our Club.

The Omega Dubai Ladies Classic was held last month which saw a very interesting finish and a playoff, resulting in Angel Yin winning on the second extra hole. The Omega Dubai Desert Classic will take place during the last week of January which will have a big field of top Professionals. Let’s not forget, the winner of our Desert Classic will be a favourite to win the Masters 2018, following on from past patterns.

Congratulations to our winners of the December tournaments; Kuttan Malatiri for the OMA Monthly Medal and the Christmas Scramble which was won by the Nanda Team. There was also a full field for the

T

ime flies - we are already in the New Year 2018!

So much happened last month! We started with our Christmas Scramble and it was lovely to see how most ladies went to the effort to dress up in festive costumes and colours! Congratulations to the three wise men and the angel who won best-dressed team on the day and to the snowman who kept his cool and didn’t melt, despite the heat. It was a lovely day that ended on the terrace of our Spike Bar with mulled wine and mince pies.

Congratulations to the team of Maureen Platt, Shiba Khan and Nehal Talwar who came first with an amazing score.

At the beginning of a new year, we cannot forget the past one, with many events having taken place at our Club, especially with the new restaurants that have opened and for Carine which will be the last one to open early this year. We are lucky that we have a great Club, great facilities, and two great courses. Let us enjoy it all. I would like to say thank you to wasl, the owners of the Club, also to the Management and to all our colleagues of EGC. For business, 2017 was not an easy year but we all hope that 2018 will be better.

I look forward to seeing you all around the Club in the next few months.

The Omega Dubai Ladies Classic was held on the Majlis and proved to be a big success this year with the final presentation being held for the first time on the Majlis practice putting green.

It was an exciting finish with Angel Yin winning after a twohole playoff. She held her nerves throughout the tournament,

Ivan Fornazaric Club Captain 2017-2018

MEN’S COMPETITION RESULTS

In association with

OMA MEDAL Friday 15th December 2017

C

In A Division, it was Priyam Godiwala who finished in top spot scoring a net 74, closely followed by Veneet Mohan with a net 75. In third place was Hugo Garcia-Villalon shooting a net 76 on what turned out to be a very tough scoring day on a breezy Majlis course.

The best gross score on the day came from Tony Azoulay, scoring a gross 79.

Kyle Yun claimed the top prize in B Division, scoring a net 73, beating

Ivan and I would like to thank you all for your generosity in buying our raffle tickets as well as donating prizes, which helped us to raise over AED 25,000 for our Junior Colleagues’ Fund. This demonstrates our gratitude and appreciation for the great service we receive from our colleagues every single day of the year.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year.

Najla Bartette Lady Captain 2017-2018

We played our Mixed Christmas Scramble on December 16th with a full field of 124 players and we

Monday 11th December 2017 A Division: Handicaps 0-10 Runner-up: Veneet Mohan

75 net

The winner of the Junior Medal was Valdemar Kofod-Olsen who scored a fantastic net 72!

Third:

76 net

Well done to everyone who took part in such a fantastic day and congratulations to all prize winners!

Our last Medal of the year was played on 8th December on the Faldo course, followed by our Member/Colleague Scramble that was held on 13th December with a record turnout by our members. Thank you to everyone who took the time to play in it.

Our colleagues look forward to these events so much during the season.

5

LADIES’ MONTHLY MEDAL

Jesper Kjaedegaard by a shot. In third place was Gaurav Verma, one shot further back on 75 net.

In the Medalford tournament, where players can compete in an adjoining stableford event, Tej Chhabra claimed the prize with 33 points. All of our winners will now enjoy an evening’s dinner courtesy of Jean Georges Dubai.

Our traditional Christmas lunch was held at the 16th hole chalet with a Christmas market and was attended by over 90 ladies.

A huge thank you to the F&B team who succeeded once again in putting on a sumptuous and tasty festive buffet that was enjoyed by all!

succeeded in finishing the game before the rainfall. The F&B team raced against the storm and downpour to move the buffet and all settings indoors where we held our prize-giving and raffle draw in a cozy atmosphere.

LADIES’ COMPETITION RESULTS

OMA Emirates December Medal 2017 ongratulations to Kuttan Malattiri on scoring a net 72 on the Majlis Course to win the OMA Emirates December Medal, in association with Jean Georges Dubai. Kuttan also claimed C Division with this fantastic score.

despite her young age of 19, and limited experience. I had the chance to be paired up with her at the Pro-Am and was able to see up close her amazing long drives and her lovely short game.

in’s lady Capta MEssagE

Happy New Year!

Member/Colleague Scramble which was won by the team of Bradley Eiffe, Marie Benson, Malik Rubbani, and Azmat Khan. I would like to say thank you to our Lady Captain Najla, Vice-Captain Sulafa and other ladies who all helped to sell raffle tickets for the Christmas Scramble and also for chasing sponsors.

Winner:

Priyam Godiwala Hugo Garcia-Villalon

Best Gross: Tony Azoulay

74 net

79 gross

B Division: Handicaps 11-20 Winner:

Kyle Yun

73 net

Runner -up: Jesper Kjaedegaard

74 net

Third:

75 net

Gaurav Verma

C Division: Handicaps 21-28 Winner:

Kuttan Malattiri

72 net

Stableford Event Winner:

Tej Chhabra

33 points

Junior Medal Winner:

Valdemar Kofod-Olsen

72 net

Neha Talwar wins December Medal

C

ongratulations to Neha Talwar on winning the December Monthly Medal. Neha took the top prize with an impressive net 69 on the day. She also topped Silver B Division, narrowly beating Mags Breen who shot a net 70 on the Faldo course.

Congratulations to Lady Captain Najla Bartette on winning Silver A Division which was again a closely fought contest. Najla shot a net 73 to beat Veronica Elias by one shot. The best gross score was posted by Cathy Lajotte, who scored a fantastic 77!

The winner of Bronze Division was Rena Sethi shooting an excellent net 70.

Well done to all competitors and to all winners.

SILVER A DIVISION: handicaps 0 – 14 Winner:

Najla Bartette

73 net

Runner-up:

Veronica Elias

74 net

Best Gross:

Cathy Lajotte

77 gross

SILVER B DIVISION: handicaps 15 –23 Winner:

Neha Talwar

69 net

Runner-up:

Mags Breen

70 net

BRONZE DIVISION: handicaps 24 –36 Winner:

Rena Sethi

70 net

7

LADIES’ COMPETITION RESULTS

MIXED COMPETITION RESULTS

LADIES’ CHRISTMAS SCRAMBLE 2017

MEMBERS’ MIXED CHRISTMAS SCRAMBLE 2017

Monday 4th December 2017

16th December 2017 Winners:

Ashish Nanda Chanchal Nanda Aman Nanda Nikhil Nanda Runners-up: Kush Sama Harjeev Oberoi Naresh Handa Pankaj Varma Third: Sulafa Hamdan Adel Hamdan Josie Tracey Mike Tracey NEAREST THE PINS Hole # 8: Ladies: Margaret Breen Hole # 17: for all players: Frederic Abbal Hole # 2: for all players: Kush Sama Hole # 12: Gents Arjun Manghnani LONGEST DRIVE Hole# 16 (GENTS): Frederic Abbal Hole # 5: Ladies: June McDonald NEAREST TO THE SANTA Hole # 4: Gents : Sadeq Sayeed NEAREST TO THE CHRISTMAS TREE Hole # 13: Ladies: Han Soon Shin

58.9

61

61.3

E

veryone got into the Christmas spirit for our Mixed Christmas Scramble which was held on the Faldo Course on December 16th in which 120 members took part, all wearing their vibrant Christmas colours.

Wind speeds gradually increased during the day, but that did not stop Ashish, Chanchal, Aman and Nikhil Nanda from posting a very impressive score of 58.9 net With both second and third place closely contested, it was Kush Sama, Harjeev Oberoi, Naresh Handa and Pankaj Varma who squeezed their way into second place with a fine 61 net. Very closely behind was the team of Sulafa and Adel Hamdan and Josie and Mike Tracey with a net 61.3, claiming third place with a better back 9 score.

CoMpEtition rEsults

CoMpEtition rEsults

6

There was a variety of on-course special events to be played for, including ‘Closest to the Santa’ on hole 4 for the men, won by Sadeq Sayeed and the ‘Closest to the Christmas Tree’ on hole 13 for the ladies, which was won

by Han Soon Shin. Our Nearest the Pin winners were as follows: Kush Sama on Hole 2, Mags Breen on Hole 8, Arjun Manghnani on Hole 12 and Frederic Abbal on Hole 17. Frederic also claimed the men’s longest drive and June MacDonald won the ladies’ longest drive.

Well done to everyone who took part in such a fantastic day and congratulations to all prize winners!

Christmas Member/Colleague Scramble 2017

T

he Faldo course played host to this year’s bi-annual Member/Colleague Scramble, with 24 teams consisting of two colleagues and two members in each team.

M

onday 4th December saw the Faldo Course play host to the annual Ladies’ Christmas Scramble.

Fesstive spirits were high prior to the round, with ladies enjoying coffee and cakes in their Christmas-themed outfits.

Runaway winners were Neha Talwar, Maureen Platt and Shiba Khan with a net 52.7, eventually winning by a comfortable 4.8 stroke margin.

Runners-up were Lynne Dickinson, Mitsuko Emmerson, Cathy Lajotte and Chantelle De Villiers shooting a net 57.5, which looked like it was going to win the top prize for a period of time. Finishing in third place was the team of Christiane

Sprunck, Yana Jamieson, Ingrid Lind and Haide Wright, finishing with a net 61.

Special events on the course saw a “Nearest the Santa” on hole 4, which Elizabeth Batson claimed. There was also a “Nearest the Snowman” on hole 17 which was won by Neha Talwar. It was the best dressed team that all the ladies had set their sights on. Claiming this prize was the team of Mags Breen, Sue Hopwood, Viv Caley and Selma Kehoe. All prizes were presented at the ladies’ Christmas lunch which was held on Sunday 10th December.

Congratulations to everyone who took part, and to all prize winners!

Winners:

Neha Talvar Maureen Platt Shiba Khan 52.7 Runners-up: Lynne Dickinson Mitsuko Emmerson Cathy Lajotte Chantelle De Villiers 57.5 Third: Christiane Sprunck Yana Jamieson Ingrid Lind Haide Wright 61 SPECIAL EVENTS Nearest the Santa: hole 4: Elizabeth Batson Nearest the Snowman: hole17: Neha Talwar Best Dressed: Mags Breen Sue Hopwood Viv Caley Selma Kehoe

The winners were members Bradley Eiffe and Marie Benson, accompanied by Malik Rubbani and Azmat Khan, shooting a fantastic score of net 53.2, which took top prize by over one full shot.

Second and third places were very closely contested, but members Surjit Namli and Vikram Tah playing with colleagues Andrew Cortez and Albert Arabis squeezed into second place with a net 53.7.

Following very closely in third place was the team of Raj Janardhan, Chandru Manghnani,

Haris Mohamed and Ratna Kumar who scored a fantastic 53.9.

Services Manager Rhys James won both Nearest the Pin prizes for colleagues!

Our colleague Ratna Kumar was on fire on the day, winning the Straightest Drive prize on hole 10, as well as the longest drive on hole 16! Longest Drive on hole 14 went to our colleague Tracy. Surjit Namli claimed the members’ Nearest the Pin prize on hole 8, whilst with a stellar performance, Golf

Congratulations to all members and colleagues who took part, and also to each prize winner on the day. Also, a special thank you to MiDCOM for their generous support of this fantastic event. The day proved to be a very enjoyable one!

8 CoMpEtition rEsults

Winners:

Anand Kapoor Anvita Kapoor Akash Kumar Bradley Mogire Nitin Kripalani Surjit Namli Anil Shivanna Prateek Kumar Raj Janardhan Chandru Manghnani Suresh Shewakramani Arman Singh

Runners-up:

Third:

NEAREST THE PINS Hole # 2: Gents: Hole # 8: Gents: Hole # 12: Ladies: Hole # 17: Ladies: LONGEST DRIVE Hole # 16: Ladies: Hole # 5: Gents:

N

ew Year’s Day brought with it the first members’ competition of the year, the New Year’s Day Scramble which was played on the Faldo course with a fantastic turnout of 100 players. The winning team of Anand Kapoor, Anvita Kapoor, Akash Kumar and Bradley Mogire came in with a score of 15.2 under par and a net 56.8. The runners-up, the team of Nitin Kripalani, Surjit Namli,

Anil Shivanna and Prateek Kumar, shot an impressive 57 net. Finally, in third place, less than one shot behind the runners-up was the team of Raj Janardhan, Chandru Manghnani, Suresh Shewakramani and Arman Singh, finishing with a net 57.5.

On course special events included nearest the pins and longest drives for ladies and for gents, won by Akash Kumar (hole #2),

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

BRENDA CORNWELL

I

t’s hard to believe that I have been back in Hertfordshire for four years, but when I look at Club Life and Chipping In, I realise how much has changed at the Club, and how many new faces there are. Life here is good and I am kept busy helping with my three grandchildren, aged 6, 5, and 4, but the youngest one started school in September so life has changed a bit lately.

I have lots of friends close by and I manage to see Dubai friends who are also here, often meeting in London to have lunch together or to visit one of the many exhibitions or go to the ballet at the Opera House. Golf has become very infrequent but I play bridge with lots of golfing ladies so I keep up with the local club news. Summer is fun but winter is long and dark, so that is holiday time.

Sending my best wishes to all my friends at Emirates Golf Club

TONY & MAGS BREEN 56.8

57

57.5

Akash Kumar Anil Shivanna Fiona Berry Yun Hee Choi Amber Waite Bradley Mogire

Anil Shivanna (hole #8) Fiona Berry (hole #12) and Yun Hee Choi (hole #17). Longest drives were claimed by Bradley Mogire (hole #5) and Amber Waite (hole #16).

Many congratulations to all participants and to all prize winners.

What was your first ever job?

Tony: I trained and

qualified as a Chartered Accountant and my initial job was a four year stint with DeBeers – in the synthetic, industrial diamond division rather than the natural glittering variety.

Mags: My first job was with an Irish Bank.

How did the two of you meet?

Mags was working in the same bank, where I was a customer and as a perpetually broke accountant in articles (or servitude, depending upon your point of view), I visited the bank for increased social funding on a very regular basis – that’s how we got to meet.

How long have you been in Dubai?

Seven years now – almost long enough to say, “We remember when ………..” about this ever changing city.

Mags: like Tony, I grew up on a farm where I learned to drive a tractor at a young age, which makes Sheikh Zayed Road quite a simple proposition. I was also involved in sports, particularly hockey and ladies’ soccer.

What are your favourite nongolf hobbies?

Tony: I love reading especially

Geography and Politics. The Views – a daily supplement with the Gulf News – is a great way to keep up with all sorts of contrarian views.

Mags: I am also an avid reader and love a good thriller. I have also recently taken up Yoga which I enjoy so much.

What’s on your bucket list – top three?

Tony: visit icy Greenland while it still exists,

Visit Damascus at the earliest opportunity and be present in Croke Park Dublin, when Limerick again win the All Ireland Hurling Championship –it’s been 44 years now.

Mags: visit Australia and New Zealand for a long vacation and visit old friends.

What brought you to Dubai?

I worked with PepsiCo in Ireland and I transferred to the Region HQ office in Dubai to take up a new position to manage Financial Shared Services for the Asia, Middle East and North Africa geography.

Our daughter Sorcha is Commercial Manager with Brown Forman (Jack Daniels!) for the India and MENA regions and she lives in Dubai.

Our daughter Deirbhile is studying Business in University College Dublin back in Ireland, and our son Colum is completing a PHD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry in Loughborough UK

What are you favourite young adult memories?

Tony: I grew up in a small Irish town called

Croom and my earliest memories revolve around sports; we played everything and it was parish v parish and defined who you were. There were no mobile phones or social media to get in the way of sports.

when, from over the lake on the 18th, I cracked one of the spot lights that shine back over the 18th fairway at night!

Mags: nailing the 100 foot putt challenge at the ladies’ Pink Ball Charity Day, winning an Evnroll putter.

What has been your best accomplishment in golf to date?

Tony: captaining the brilliant 2017 Ireland

Tri-Nations team following Brian King’s wilderness years. Ironically, our golf shirts on the day were from Brian’s new golf apparel company - Druids Golf – karma!

What was your favourite golf trip?

Thailand was great, South Africa was wonderful, but the standout one was with our friends Bill and Lorraine Logan (exmembers) in Kerry, Ireland – Ballybunion, Killarney and Dingle - all great courses. Great memories.

What would be your dream golf fourball?

Tony: Elon Musk, Keith Richards and John

Daly

Mags: Ellen DeGeneres, Miguel Jimenez and

Adele.

We live in the Greens where we have a great view over the course; we can see just how early the staff start on the fairways each morning – often at 4.30am as we can see the cart lights.

Tell us a bit about your family

What has been your most spectacular golf shot or round?

Tony: most memorable for me was

ags tony & M brEEn

1st January 2018

9

INTERVIEW WITH..

NEW YEAR’S DAY SCRAMBLE 2018

What has been your most exciting golf encounter?

Both Mags and I play off the same handicap and we play regularly together – extremely competitive and always exciting.

What has been your best travel destination Tony: Istanbul – a memorable trip

with great people Mags: Petra –a fascinating place “a rose red city, half as old as time”

What is your earliest golf memory?

Tony: actually Pitch and Putt

was my first memory of the small white ball. There was a championship course just next door when I was a young boy. Hurling, Gaelic Football and Soccer got in the way before I took up golf in 1987.

I’ve not improved since.

Mags: golf in Tipperary Golf Club during December, many years ago, using my putter to clear the ice from my shoes – not a Dubai problem thankfully!

What are your stand-out moments at Emirates Golf Club?

Tony: my brother Liam, current Captain of

Rosapenna Golf Club in Donegal, on a visit to Dubai, got a great hole-in-one at the 15th on the Majlis. “I come for a week and do this – how long have you been trying?” he quipped.

Mags: being a ‘newbie’ and trying to locate the Lady Captain after a typical Monday Medal in the changing rooms – so many ladies!!! Plus all the memorable Curtisy Cup nights.

What do you love about Emirates Golf Club?

Firstly the staff, all of whom are exceptional right across the board – friendly and warm.

Secondly the diverse and friendly membership who make the Club what it is – the best!

rECiproCal Clubs

10

SPOTLIGHT ON

The Duke’s, St Andrews

W

ith a spectacular setting above St Andrews, the championship course at The Duke’s gives magnificent panoramic views over the surrounding countryside to the sea.

The Duke’s is highly regarded as one of the finest heathland championship courses in the British Isles and a must-play course for any golfer. Its style ranks alongside the great inland challenges, which demand accuracy and inventive play as well as power golf. And with five separate tee

positions at every hole, The Duke’s has the flexibility and challenge to appeal to golfers at every level, with the venue being chosen to host the 2014 International European Amateur Championship, one of the four majors in the world of amateur golf.

RECIPROCAL CLUBS Full golf members at Emirates Golf Club have the privilege of the member’s guest green fee rate when playing the below reciprocal golf courses.

-

Albatross Golf Resort, Czech Republic Archerfield Golf Club, Scotland Banyan Golf Club, Thailand Blue Canyon Country Club, Thailand Centurion Club, Hemel Hempstead, UK Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club, Hong Kong, China Close House Hotel & Golf, England, UK DLF Golf & Country Club, Gurgaon, India Foxhills Club & Resort, Surrey, UK Huntingdale Golf Club, Victoria, Australia

- Hubbelrath Golf Club, Dusseldorf, Germany - Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, UAE - K Club of Straffan, Kildare, Ireland - The Hong Kong Golf Club, Hong Kong, China - Laguna National Golf & Country Club, Singapore - London Golf Club, UK - Mission Hills, China - Münchener Golf Club, Germany

- Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club, Victoria, Australia - Real Club de Golf el Prat, Barcelona, Spain - Royal Golf Club, Marianske Lazne, Czech Republic - Saujana Golf & Country Club, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Taiheiyo Club, Japan - The Duke’s, St Andrews, Scotland - The Heritage Golf Club, Mauritius - Yas Links, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Tee time reservations need to be made in advance through Membership Services.

The current membership card must be produced at the reciprocal club when playing golf upon check in.

For further information on the reciprocal clubs please contact our Membership Services team or email egc@dubaigolf.com

12

OMEGA DUBAI LADIES CLASSIC

by Viren Verma

A

odlC

ngel Yin displayed her vast potential and power off the tee as well as a soft touch around the greens in a threeway playoff to capture the Omega Dubai Ladies Classic in a riveting finish at Emirates Golf Club on Saturday 9th December 2017.

The 19-year-old Los Angeles native saved par after finding the water on the closing hole in a bogey-free final round of 67 to match the clubhouse target of a 15-under-par set by South Korea’s In-Kyung Kim and Celine Herbin of France.

Long-hitting Yin, who averages 276.75 yards off the tee, and Kim birdied the first extra hole (the 18th) to stay in the hunt while Herbin was eliminated after finding the water with her third shot. A tap-in birdie on the drivable second playoff hole (254-yard, 17th) saw Yin clinch the issue as the South Korean agonisingly missed her birdie effort in the first ever play-off since the tournament’s inception in 2006.

“I feel amazing.

Actually, it’s my first major tour professional win, so this is big for me,” said an elated Yin after receiving the winner’s trophy from Hend Bilselah and Walid Al Attar of Emirates Global Aluminium.

“It’s been a long week and I’m happy to be here in Dubai for the second time. I had a great time last year and I’m happy to be here again,” said Yin, who tied for 10th in the event in 2017.

“Two days ago, I went to the aquarium in the Dubai Mall and today I’m going to see penguins with my friends — yes! I loved the

course and it was in great shape,” said the rising star who became the second American after Lexi Thompson to win the season-ending Ladies European Tour event.

Herbin, who shot a final round of 64, wasn’t too disappointed at being eliminated with a double-bogey on the 18th hole after finding the water with her third shot.

She said: “I mean, it was really a bonus for me to in this play-off today.

It was an awesome

round for me, my personal best, minus eight and I had nine birdies. I enjoyed it a lot today.

“I played very well, really, but so I spent a little bit too much time without playing.

I finished earlier and I lost a little bit of rhythm, I would say. I could feel it on the drive and even the 7-iron on the lay-up.

“The sand wedge went out of the club face, but today is a very nice day for me.

It’s nice to finish well in this tournament, one of the biggest of the LET and I’m very happy.”

Kim, the 2009 champion, admitted that she was disappointed to have missed her birdie putt from six feet on the 17th hole in the play-off, but felt that she had given it her best.

She said: “You know, just getting myself in contention on the back nine, that was my goal.

I was able to get into the playoff. I think that was the best scenario that I could ever have ask for before teeing off. I’m sure that a lot of girls played well today, and we all have a similar story. The course was set up for more aggressive play, but I think I took good advantage of it.”

Overnight leader Anne Van Dam fired a final round of 71 and ended two strokes back in fourth place, with Aditi Ashok, Charley Hull and Pernilla Lindberg tied for fifth.

Thidapa Suwannapura was eighth, while Olivia Cowan and Michele Thomson completed the top 10 spots.

Georgia Hall, who had already wrapped up the Order of Merit, tied for 21st place and a tie for 66th was enough for Camille Chevalier to end the season as the leading first year professional and be crowned as the LET Rookie of the Year.

14

Omega Dubai Desert Classic

by Viren Verma

G

the Irish artist announced he will be flying in especially for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic golfing tournament where he will participate in the Pro-Am on Wednesday 24th January 2017, with good friend and Professional Golfer, Rory McIlroy, who won the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2009 and 2015 and will again compete in the tournament later this month.

The multiple award-winning performer, who has sold over 70 million records and toured the globe numerous times, will for the first-time ever, not be putting his vocals to the test, but instead his golfing skills.

On Friday 26th January at 5.30pm the Omega ‘Constellation Clinic’ will take place at Emirates Golf Club Driving Range featuring Rory, Niall and also Professional Golfer Paige Spiranac, Rory and Paige will be showing Niall how to perfect his golfing skills and will no doubt make for some

oddC

lobal superstar, Niall Horan, has announced that he will be coming to Dubai to attend the 29th edition of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament, taking place at Emirates Golf Club, from Thursday 25th January until Sunday 28th January 2018.

In a post released on his social channels –

amusing viewing. The clinic will be open to all those who visit the tournament that day.

Players due to compete in the 2018 tournament include: Pat Perez, Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Darren Clarke, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn.

Tickets for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic are priced from AED 175 for a daily ticket.

Children aged 16 years and under can enter free of charge if accompanied by a paying adult.

For further information visit: www.omegadubaidesertclassic.com.

FORTHCOMING OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC Not only is Paige Spiranac going to be the official starter for the tournament, but you could WIN the chance to have her as your very own caddy! Visit http://bit.ly/2ztlnjO to find out how you could meet Paige Global superstar, Niall Horan will be at Emirates Golf Club on 24th January.

christmas day brunch

New Year’s eve party

RIZVI

JUNIOR GOLF T

he Professionals at The Academy are very grateful to Dubai Golf for their support to grow the Junior Development Programmes with tournaments for all levels of children in the United Arab Emirates.

The Dubai Golf Junior Development Programme (JDP) was created for youngsters aged between seven and seventeen years old and allows them to progress through different levels as they become more experienced golfers.

M

y name is Fatima Zafar Rizvi. I am 11½ years old and I attend Hartland International School. I am an avid golfer and I started playing golf at about the same age as I learnt to read. My dad is a Colonel in the Army and it’s thanks to him that I caught the golfing bug while I accompanied him for his game. Seeing my interest in the game, he encouraged me to get involved and today I play in several International tournaments.

The game comes naturally to me and I have excelled in most tournaments. I have worked hard and I have travelled across the country and also to various other countries too to participate in different championships.

Alongside golf, I have also excelled in school with A+ grades which I have managed with a fine balance between my studies and golf.

I wish to earn my school as many laurels as I can as I grow up as an International golfer, which is my ambition.

I also wish to be an inspiration for children of my age, particularly girls, to take up challenges in sports and to develop as allrounders in their lives.

(http://www.albatross.co.in/order_merit. php?cat_id=D&yr=2016&gender=F) •

Attended a month long golf scholarship training programme at Hills Golf Academy Queensland, Australia.

•

Finished first in the Order of Merit in the Albatross Junior Golf Tour, India 2015 (http://www.albatross.co.in/order_merit. php?cat_id=D&yr=2015&gender=F)

•

Ranked fourth at the True Vision International Golf Tournament at Saim Country Club, Pattaya, Thailand, from 30th March to 4th April 2015 . (http://www.albatross.co.in/ content.php?id=101&name=14th%20 TrueVision%20Junior%20Golf%20 Championship%202015%20:%20Thailand)

•

•

Major Achievements : •

•

Ranked fourth in the Order of Merit 2016 of the Indian Golf Union (IGU) National Sub Junior golf tour. (http://indiangolfunion.org/final-all-indiasub-junior-feeder-tour-merit-list-2016/) Finished third in the Order of Merit in the Albatross Junior Golf Tour, India 2016

•

Ranked third at US Kids Arizona State Open Championship, Phoenix USA. (16-17 August 2014) (http://www.uskidsgolf.com/ tournaments/state/findtournament/4825 69/2014arizonastateinvitational/results) Ranked third at the US Kids Seaview Open Golf Championship at Galloway, NJ, USA. (30-31st August 2014) (http://www.uskidsgolf.com/tournaments /regional/findtournament/481709/ seaviewopen2014/results) Qualified to participate at the US Kids World Championship 2014 and 2015, Pinehurst, USA, from 30th July 2015 to 1st August 2015

•

•

•

•

•

•

Ranked second at ‘IJGA NCR Delhi ATOC Pre Qualifiers, at Jaypee Greens Golf Resort, 20th-21st October 2014.

Played nine consecutive tournaments organised as part of the US kids International Qualification for India by Ultimate Golf Tour. Ranked first in eight of these tournaments. (http://www.uskidsgolf.com/ tournaments/world/ internationalqualification and http://tour. ultimategolf.in/events ).

Finished first in the Order of Merit 2014 in the Indian Golf Union (IGU) Sub Junior Tour organised by Tata Steel Ltd. (http://ultimategolf.in/igu/images/2014/ omm2014.pdf ) Finished first in the Order of Merit in the Ultimate Golf Tour, India (http://ultimategolf.in/images/oom2014. pdf) Won the 5th international Albatross Golf Tournament in my category. First in the Order of Merit in the Albatross Golf Tour 2013. (http://albatross.co.in//order_merit. php?cat_id=E&yr=2013&gender=F ) Apart from these, I have been the winner in a number of tournaments, including the 14th, 15th and 16th editions of the ONGC Cup as well the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Sara Governor”s Golf Cup at FRIMA, Dehradun.

The entry level to the programme ensures that sound fundamentals are instilled from the beginning. As the child moves through the various stages of development the Golf Professionals have a greater focus on the physical aspects, etiquette, rules and on-course performance areas of the game. Our ultimate goal is to provide each child with the facilities, skill sets and the knowledge required to reach their full potential.

Juniors can now enjoy access to the 9 hole Par 3 course, the mini golf course and The Academy practice facilities for the duration of the programme to put the skills they learn into practice.

Each child receives a Dubai Golf Futures Passbook which contains all levels of development with physical and technical challenges for each level. As each junior progresses to higher levels, individual assessment profiling ensures that all juniors work on key, personally focused elements developing their game for future elite golf.

Along with the Passbook provided containing exercises, rules, challenges and online tuition, each child receives an instructional DVD containing the lesson content.

Our Dubai Golf Junior Par 3 Series is currently headed by Sean Cooper, a fantastic young talent who competes in the World Golf events during the summer. We have five events remaining; January 26th: February 15th: March 16th: April 5th: April 20th:

Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Emirates Golf Club Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Emirates Golf Club Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Final.

This year we introduced a progression from the Par 3 League for all juniors in Black Level of the UAE JDP (and higher) called the Dubai Golf Medal Series. The series consists of 13 events contested both at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and at Emirates Golf Club. These events are complimentary for all juniors who have reached this level; we have a Dubai Golf Members’ category and also a UAE JDP

category. Currently Jay Chinchankar holds the top spot in the UAE JDP category with Jay Pangarkar leading the members’ category. There are nine events remaining; January 18th: January 25th: February 8th: February 22nd: March 1st: March 22nd: April 5th: April 12th: May 10th:

s

Junior link

SPOTLIGHT ON F A T I M A

21 Junior link

s

20

Emirates Golf Club Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Emirates Golf Club Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Emirates Golf Club Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club

I was also recently given a fantastic opportunity to run the Dubai Schools Golf League. This league consists of the top golfing schools in Dubai and we have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to host the events here at Dubai Golf.

The schools involved are incredible and the children who represent the schools have some massive talent; Jumeirah College Dubai College Dubai English Speaking School Universal American School American School of Dubai Jumeirah English Speaking School Dubai American Academy Bradenton Prep Wellington International School Gems World Academy Emirates Golf Federation We have had two events so far and there are two events remaining before the grand final which will be held at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club; The remaining events are; Monday 5th February: Faldo, Emirates Golf Club Monday 12th March: Faldo, Emirates Golf Club Monday 23rd April: Grand Final at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club The students from Jumeirah College are currently in the driving seat but with three events left to play there is still everything to play for.

Jonathan Craddock PGA Golf Professional - DG Programme Development

22

StartLine is one of four essential aspects to high performance putting. StartLine refers to the initial direction the ball travels, relative to the target immediately after impact.

Here are three easy steps to improve the consistency of your StartLine…..

1. Align your ball to target using either the manufacturer logo or draw a more prominent line using a line-me-up-cup

by PGA GOLF Professional Richard Dunsby

Golf Game Like Training As a PGA Golf Professional, my questions to you are, “How do you practise? Is it measured? Structured or deliberate? DOES IT HAVE A PURPOSE?” Most people would say, “No!” So this article emphasises deliberate ‘Game Like Training’ from which you record the results to see where your strengths and weaknesses lie. This will then highlight what areas you need to improve on.

Did you know 43% of golf shots are putts?

Tour Professionals regard putting as the single most important skill in golf, dedicating the majority of their time analyzing and training systematically. They achieve consistent, high performance on the greens assisted by expert coaching, industry leading technologies, effective training systems and custom fitted equipment.

Amateur golfers, on the other hand, overlook the importance of putting and typically dedicate the majority of their time on the driving range.

2. Connect the putter to your body to increase face stability and minimise manipulation

Join Bryan Smyth, Advanced PGA Golf Professional, for an opportunity to train and putt like the Pros. Bryan’s Putting Masterclass is designed to enhance putting performance and consistently lower your scores!

Deliberate practice is a unique approach to practising your skills with the clear and unmistakable goal of improving your performance first and foremost (as opposed to just hitting balls).

Using SAM PuttLab, the tour preferred analysis and training system, Bryan will analyse all aspects of your putting performance and clearly explain your patterns based on accurate data capture. Bryan will then detail a clear improvement pathway using the latest putting performance drills and tour training aids.

Masterclass includes: • Two hour individual programme • Putter Custom fitting • Performance analysis using SAM PuttLab and video technology • Data analysis review • Personalised training plan • Post session digital report & on-going support Timing: Location: Price:

Sessions available between 7am and 7pm Majlis Putting Green Member AED 900 Guest AED 1,200

3. Align your putter face to the ball line

Advanced registration is required.

To reserve your session, please contact Bryan Smyth on b.smyth@dubaigolf.com

Ross Barry booked a class with Bryan and he had this to report…

“I leapt at the opportunity to do Bryan’s Masterclass, knowing that I would probably have some major changes to my putting technique. I have always been an average putter...at best and I had no understanding of proper technique, always trying out new grips, styles etc., but I was never comfortable or confident and for sure, I would never be the player anyone would bank on to nail a 10-footer.

Following a putting assessment, built around state-of-the-art technology, my stats pointed to a mediocre putting technique…as expected!

Effective Training Tip – Use an elevated string line with a ball gate to provide feedback on your StartLine skills…..simple & effective

The key distinction between deliberate practice and normal practice is that you consciously manage your practice effort towards the goal of continuous improvement.

Bryan then helped me adjust to a new stroke, but more importantly, he gave me a process to follow which has become a sort of pre-putt checklist and a way to approach putts of varying lengths.

I played the next day and, after nine holes, I felt I had adjusted well and soon enough the putts started to drop.

I could not recommend Bryan’s Masterclass enough - whether your are a novice or the best putter in the Club (Micky Brigg lays claim to this title!). It certainly does not feel like a major change but a process you can easily work into your game.”

Check out my social media page to see how to train deliberately @GolfLessonsDXB

pro’s tip

aCadEMy

To control StartLine we must control the putter face aim at address and impact.

Pro’s Tip of the Month

23

sinEss

2017 HIGHLIGHTS

Thanks to our sponsors

T

sinEss

sport2bu

25 sport2bu

24 S2B DECEMBER

he festive month of December was very busy, a time when jumpers and woolly hats were being worn in the freezing 20 degree conditions! We started off the month with the Omega Dubai Ladies Classic, when James Yeomans, Dave Minchin, Tony Piccolo and Eric Koeman from S2B were lucky enough to caddy for some up and coming stars on the European Tour. All four players made the cut showing that our local knowledge of the Majlis came in handy. Then it was the Christmas Party at the Fairmont Hotel when we had 44 attendees at a fantastic awards evening. The New Year is now here and we wish everyone an exciting 2018.

S2B Christmas Party This Year the Fairmont Hotel on the Palm hosted our annual Christmas Party on 14th December. It was a fantastic evening celebrating yearly rewards and enjoying the excellent food and beverages on offer. It has been a fantastic year with the society growing each week, averaging over 40 players each Monday and we have more away events being scheduled for 2018 as well as other corporate days.

Congratulations to the winners on the evening showing true form over 2017: Most Improved Player: Most Monday Night Wins: Most Valued Player: Player of the Year:

Neal White Russell Curtis Roger Lee David Minchin

S2B vs EMIRATES GOLF CLUB The inaugural better ball matchplay games commenced on 18th December between Sport2Business and Emirates Golf Club Pros. Cian Hurley stole the show by finishing birdie, birdie, birdie to win his match and to win the S2B Monday night fixture! The match ended up 3–1 to Emirates Golf Club. We finished the night in the Spike Bar where we had the presentation as usual and then went on to the darts board where Club Manager, Barney Coleman, showed what sport he is really good at!

It was a very enjoyable night and we thank Emirates Golf Club guys for joining us and for their continued support to help our society grow. The rematch is eagerly awaited!

Eclectic 20 Since the start of the Eclectic 20 on 9th October there have been 143 birdies and four eagles made on the Faldo from S2B Monday nights. One man in particular who has made 15 birdies and an eagle, leading this Eclectic is Tony Piccolo, who currently has a two shot lead over Dave Minchin with the final week taking place on 8th January. Andrew Robinson, OB Sealey and Mike Kaye need a good final week to have any chance of taking the title!

December Monday Night Winners December 4th:

Neal White:

20 points

December 11th:

James Mcsweeney:

21 points

December 18th:

Cian Hurley:

20 points

Sport2Business Events for the Diary • • • •

Meydan Race Night: Weekend in RAK: Meydan Race Night: Weekend in Al Ain:

February 1st February 16th/17th 2018 March 1st March 16th/17th 2018

2018 Sponsorship Available We are looking to finalise our 2018 sponsorships for S2B as the Monday evening events go from strength to strength. With over 300 members and over 40 attendees every week, it is becoming a valuable networking group. We will be increasing the sponsor exposure in the coming year so if you would like to maximise this opportunity, please contact Russell or James Yeomans.

Call to Action for Emirates Golf Club Members Should you be an existing or a new member at Emirates Golf Club, and you fancy joining us on a Monday night for some competitive roll-up golf and socialising in M’s afterwards, please contact James for more information! email: jyeomans@yeomansexecutive.com phone: 0504816277 We look forward to welcoming more Emirates Golf Club members to our society.

rulEs by r

GREENKEEPER’S CUTTINGS

BY RHYS

ETIQUETTE: WHAT THE RULES SAY...

F

Team do a fantastic job in preparing our courses to such a high standard and with YOUR help we could enjoy even better playing conditions.

or those who are familiar with the rule book, you will know that there is a section in the early pages on etiquette. This section highlights HOW each golfer should behave whilst on the golf course in the best interest for themselves and for all fellow golfers.

Some might say that it’s unfortunate that there are no penalties that apply for general breaches of etiquette. Unless a ‘serious breach’ has occurred where the organising committee would be entitled to disqualify a player there are no penalties.

Serious breaches are thankfully few and far between but I’m sure there have been plenty of discussions worldwide suggesting that golf would be better off if penalties were applied to breaches of etiquette; these may include:

Consideration for Other Players

• Spirit of the game • Consideration for other players • Safety • Pace of play • Care of the course

No disturbances or distractions - players should always show consideration for other players on the course and should not disturb their play by moving, talking or making unnecessary noise. Please don’t mistake this with not being allowed to have some fun and enjoyment amongst your four ball!!

Please Note: That pace of play is covered in the rules of golf and in accordance with Rule 6-7 players MUST play without any undue delay and any pace of play guidelines that the committee may establish.

Players should NEVER play until the players in front are out of range; despite the usual excuses, these will never be enough if someone is actually struck by your ball.

If you hit a stray shot and there is danger of hitting someone you should immediately shout a warning. Traditionally used is “Fore”.

With the new season getting underway, I thought that this would be a good opportunity to write about what the rule book states on good golfing etiquette combined with a few additions by Emirates Golf Club.

The Spirit of the Game

For the vast majority of us, golf is played without the supervision of a referee. Here at the Club we have an active team of marshals who are on the course to HELP you and to HELP every other player on the course too. Please respect their instructions and discuss politely if you have any feedback. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be.

Safety

Pace of Play

Play at a good pace and keep up, It is a group’s responsibility to keep up with the group in front. Always look ahead and not at the group behind!! To help with this each player should ensure that they are Ready to Play when it is their turn. Where possible, begin your preparations whilst your playing partners are playing their stroke. Lost Ball - if you believe that a ball may be lost outside of a water hazard or is out of bounds, to save time, always play a provisional ball.

Care of the Course

Leave the course as you wish to find it - as you will know, our Golf Course Maintenance

Bunkers: please rake over any footprints made by yourself OR by any other player.

Divots: by filling in your divots with the sand provided, you are not only helping the turf to recover but you are also respectfully assisting other golfers playing behind you, ensuring that they don’t suffer a bad lie caused by your forgetfulness. We can also assist the GCM team and enhance the condition of the course by filling in any others nearby.

Pitch-Marks: the simplest of tasks on the golf course is to repair the mark on the green caused by your ball. A good pitch mark is mostly caused by a cleanly struck iron shot with good accuracy, so enjoy this moment and repair that pitch-mark with pride as your playing partners look on!!

Sand Areas: these areas that run parallel with and separate our fairways are a challenge in themselves, but when carts are driven in them leaving tyre tracks. it makes the surface even more difficult to play from.

Also, on a more serious note, the terrain of these sanded areas is very unpredictable and carts driven in them do so at a risk to themselves and any other golfers in the cart. Hence the introduction of the cart kill technology preventing carts from accessing such areas!

I hope this article is interpreted in the right manner. I understand that it may be a case of preaching to the converted but it felt an appropriate time to write a gentle reminder - a reminder of what is not only expected by Emirates Golf Club, but by the governing bodies of golf, namely the R&A and the USPGA. If you have any rules queries that you would like to discuss over the coming weeks then please do not hesitate to ask on your next visit to the club or simply Email your query to rjames@dubaigolf.com

T

his picture shows the traffic from just one four ball on a given green.

As you can see, it’s pretty impactful. Now imagine a typical full field on a weekend double shotgun and we are talking about 140-160 golfers, excluding their caddies or golf trolleys. Yes, golf trolleys don’t go on greens but they all get taken right up to the edges and the surrounds get a beating, not only from the foot traffic, but also from the wear and tear from trolleys which adds to the equation.

Why am I sharing this picture? Simply to help us all appreciate the stresses the turf goes through in the busy season. At a time of year when we are trying to introduce a cool season turf variety onto the golf course so that it can better handle the additional traffic, it does need the time to grow-in and “take” as it were, in order to produce a surface. The greens remain Bermuda (warm season) and in the winter the growth is reduced considerably, meaning any recovery is very slow as well. Pitch marks, spike marks you name it, all goes up 10fold so from a turf quality and surface quality perspective it’s not all plain sailing.

Hosting two events within a fiveweek period certainly adds to the demand from all perspectives, but our main objective is to ensure that the disruption to membership is minimal.

We have an obligation to both tours to produce a great product too and finding the balance is key. In order

for us to attain the best possible conditions we need to continue seeding areas that have been damaged by traffic which we have been doing since directly after the Omega Dubai Ladies Classic. This will mean we will be managing traffic very carefully and requesting all walking golfers to avoid walking up to the green with trolleys altogether. Trolleys are to remain at the side of the path and you are requested to walk up to the green with your chosen club/s.

We have instructed all caddies to abide by this rule so please respect the guys who are caddying for you and don’t pressurise them to come up to the green.

27 r’s grEEnkEEpE Cuttings

hys

26

If you hear of anything about the course from anyone that strikes you as “odd” please come and speak to me or, at the very least, one of the management first, before circulating anything amongst others in the Club. This is your Club and you form part of the team who manage it on a daily basis. As I have said on numerous occasions, including a recent talk to the Members’ Consultative Committee, I am an open book when it comes to sharing information and I hide nothing from anyone. If you have a query, please come and talk to me face to face and I will be more than happy to take the time to explain things.

We are struggling with some edges around greens. This is down to a combination of factors since extending the greens back in 2012. The newer edges are young and exposed to a lot more traffic than an entire new green would be. I could write a thesis on the agronomy behind it all but, suffice to say, it’s a combination of a few key factors that have resulted in some challenges. What are we doing to correct it? We are plugging out the worst areas with turf from our turf nursery. We will be taking some of the edges back to where they were prior to the extension in 2012. In order to gain the best possible coverage we will be introducing some seed into these areas too so that we have the opportunity to present our Club in the best possible light to our members, their guests and to a television audience of millions in a couple of weeks’ time.

Please assist us as follows: - Keep away from green surrounds with trolleys - If you see a weak area don’t just walk through it, move around it which will help the areas recover sooner - If you see any other players not doing as we have asked, kindly remind them and help them understand - Continue to repair your pitch marks and at least one other during your round My team and I are privileged to have the opportunity to prepare the golf courses for your leisure and enjoyment. By sharing information we bridge the gap and have a better understanding from all fronts. Thank you, in advance, for helping to create the best possible environment to ensure great surfaces for the season ahead.

Happy golfing and from the Golf Course Management department. We wish you and your families a wonderful New Year.

Craig Haldane Director - Golf Course Maintenance

Ents

Happy New Year

W

ith another busy year behind us, we certainly finished with a bang “Make it a Thriller Night” on the lawn was even more successful than originally hoped and I am delighted by the amazing feedback passed on to all the F&B team both on the night and since. We hosted a sell-out total of 1100 people to celebrate the start of 2018 along with live entertainment from Michael Bublé & Michael Jackson tribute acts, Groove Station and our ever-present DJ, Phil Richardson.

Christmas Day was also a busy one in the clubhouse with the Spike Bar welcoming everyone to their first Christmas Day Brunch in their new home alongside 250+ orders for Turkey Take-Away.

Now for 2018, in the coming month, we will see the opening of our third restaurant, Carine, replacing Le Classique on the upper left side of the clubhouse. The “high-end casual” French restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner, Sunday to Thursday, and for breakfast, lunch & dinner at weekends.

In Jones The Grocer we will start “Jones BBQ Saturdays” a four-hour brunch style Surf & Turf BBQ Buffet available with a choice of soft drinks, house beverages and sparkling.

Finally we have kicked off the New Year in our rejuvenated Spike Bar with new daily deals to offer a variety for every day:• Our Quiz Night will take a new turn with the addition of a bonus round for anybody who wins a prize and a “Thinking and Drinking” package from 7-10pm - AED 175 for those who get smarter the more they drink.

• We will be looking after the ladies with “Spikes, Skirts and Sparkles” every Wednesday night offering two free selected Spike Cocktails and 20% discount on food, so dress to impress.

• On Saturdays, Spike will be showing all your favourite sports live on our screens combined with a kilo of chicken wings and a pint for AED 110.

• For the rugby lovers out there, the Six Nations just got better with a real taste of home. Spike Bar will be serving traditional bangers & mash with a pint of Kilkenny for only AED 80 on match days.

• Finally, for the first time ever, Spike Bar will also be open for the most watched sporting event in the world, the NFL Super Bowl. On Monday 5th February at 3.00am, Spike Bar will open with a full American themed breakfast and will show Super Bowl 52 live on all the screens.

Again, I wish you a Happy New Year and I hope to see lots of you in the coming months!

Six Indian ingredients to help you beat cold and flu season Want to find out which Indian ingredients can help you beat a cold? I share my favourite remedial spices and more. Learn about their benefits today!

Winter has arrived in UK and boy, can we feel it! The weather changes, tagged with the busy period that is December, can be a surefire way of burning yourself out.

I have always been fascinated as to how the Indian diet, the Indian Grandmas and cooks of the house were so in sync with the changing seasons.

They have a holistic attitude towards food in Indian culture and the Ayurvedic approach takes weather, body type and the effect they have on the body into consideration.

When the seasons change, the household cooks would naturally increase or decrease certain elements used in the daily dishes. This is all because various herbs and spices are known to have either warming or cooling effects on the body, as well as being rich in specific minerals that help to give you a boost.

Through understanding some of these and making a few small adjustments to your food – even introducing more Indian food to your diet, you could start to see the benefits.

Here’s a list of some easy-to-find spices and ingredients to fill your cupboard with, help stave off viruses and keep you (and your immune system) fighting fit.

Turmeric

Turmeric is the super spice of the Indian world and is now being recognised in the Western world too yet it’s something that I have grown up with. Recently, I’ve seen it in coffee, crisps, fizzy drinks - you name it!

Turmeric is the new big health product.

In Indian culture and in Ayurvedic medicine, it has been used for centuries. In cooking, turmeric was used because of its antibacterial properties, especially as a marinade for fish and seafood. It was also thought to protect the inside of your tummy too. Indeed, warm turmeric milk was given to children and the elderly and mixed with honey because of its healing properties – something that’s easy to try at home..

Ginger

Ginger is warming, making it the perfect ingredient to increase in your diet in the cold weather. My mum always makes athrak (ginger) soup when she is feeling under the weather. It warms you from the inside out and gives your immune system a bit of a

boost, so it’s just what you need if you are suffering with a cold. I have adapted my mum’s recipe for my Easy Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook so you can prepare the soup when it’s convenient and enjoy hours later. No more winter nights sniffling over the stove!

Ginger is also known for its anti-nausea properties and is good at settling the tummy if you are feeling a bit queasy, so this could be ideal if you’re pregnant too!

Cumin

Cumin is used in Asian cuisine, as well as Mexican and Mediterranean cooking. The seeds are warming and give a peppery earthiness to dishes. It is a great supplement to add to your diet since it is high in iron and magnesium.

Cumin is also a good source of calcium and may help to strengthen our bones too. With its high Vitamin C levels, cumin keeps your immune system healthy – you can even boil it up and drink the warm cumin water too for a homemade cold remedy. You can add cumin to lots of dishes to jazz them up, such as in my recipe for Jeera Aloo which makes a great side dish.

Garlic

Garlic is full of vitamins and minerals and is also known for its antibacterial properties which come from the enzyme alliinase. This converts alliin to allicin and it’s this that is responsible for the aroma found in fresh garlic and the antibacterial property of raw garlic.

Raw garlic is the most beneficial as the enzyme can be inactivated with heat.

Maximise the health benefits as follows:

1. Crush or slice all your garlic before you eat it. This increases the allicin content.

2. Before you cook with your crushed garlic, let it stand for 10 minutes.

3. Use a lot of garlic — more than one clove per meal, if you can. It has been found that increasing the amount you use compensates for its loss in medicinal properties.

Cinnamon

29 king

MilEs’ MoM

MILES ENTWISTLE

WHAT’S COOKING? HARI GHOTRA

Whats Coo

F&B UPDATE

28

Cinnamon is a beautifully seasonal spice, perfect for this festive time of the year. Its warming properties make it an ideal spice to use when you need to warm up. It makes a wonderful addition to puddings, mulled wine and spiced cider. However, it’s not just great for getting you into the Christmas spirit, it has also been used as a cold curer for years.

While cinnamon is well known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, honey has been shown to fight infections so combining the two make a super healing remedy. Honey and cinnamon together make a great glaze for ham or your Christmas goose, and you can even use them to make a warming tonic or tea if you are suffering from a cold. It can easily be added into your staple diet as well. Cinnamon features in my Healthy Chicken Korma, and many other savoury mains.

Asafoetida

Asafoetida is known as hing in India and is a pungent spice produced from the sap of a fennelesque plant native to Afghanistan. It has a similar flavour profile to onions and garlic with numerous health benefits. It helps improve digestion and is known to soothe coughs too, making it a lovely spice to incorporate into your diet. A classic Rogan Josh gains its flavour from asafoetida but it can also be used to make the tarka for Dhal and rice dishes like this Tamarind Rice.

It is so easy to get hold of these once exotic spices and add them to your diet, not just for the health benefits but also because they elevate the taste of your food like you wouldn’t believe. Many of them are available online from my shop but also from most supermarkets. If you don’t want to go and spend lots of money on different spices then my curry kits may be the perfect option for you. They have the measured amount of spices for that particular dish, making it easier for you to cook great meals from scratch and to introduce some of these much-needed spices into your diet this winter. Try the biryani kit - it’s the perfect way to use up your leftover turkey too.

Enjoy!

T

he Fit Lab Team would like to welcome you back after the festive season; we hope you had a wonderful time and we would like to wish happy New Year to you and your families.

“Our Golf Screening service can help you to develop your golf specific movement, control and power, leading to decreased injury risk and improved performance’

This time of year it always feels great to kickstart with those New Year’s Resolutions and what better way to get started than at Fit Lab. With many new activities about to commence soon, please watch out for details and do get involved.

We have added a fourth Padel Tennis court at the Club and this is a new Panoramic Court that is the best in the business.

Please see below.

Padel has been so successful we have also added two courts at the Creek. For the month of January please come along and play this game for free, that is a combination of squash and tennis. For more information please contact Hope on 0561798324

Michael Mefo – Sports Physiotherapist, with a special interest in golf.

We are delighted to introduce three new Padel Tennis courts at Emirates Golf Club and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, in association with the Real Racquet Academy.

Padel Tennis is a relatively new, but increasingly popular sport, involving a stringless racquet on a court smaller than a tennis court. It brings together a combination of other racquet sports, such as tennis and squash.

Additionally, starting from Friday 12th January, Real Racquet Academy will be launching a new list of programmes and activities.

For more information on Padel Tennis or to book a court time, please contact +971 56 179 8324, email info.dubai@RRApadel.com or visit www.RRApadel.com

Exercise Tip of the Month

by Eliane Gitani

STEP UP: Member of the Month Member of the Month goes to Sallie Taylor. Sallie has been an avid gym user for many years and fully deserves the award. She does regular Personal Training sessions with our very own Trainer Alan Walters to ensure she keeps in tip top shape.

Well done Sallie – keep up the great work.

31

UPANDRUNNING

Dear Members,

Fit lab

Fit lab

30

Step ups are a great addition to any workout routine; they are gentler on the knees than a traditional lunge and will target your quads and glutes while working on your balance and raising your heart rate.

Tennis Zata Sports hosted the traditional Christmas Tennis Tournament which, as always, had a fantastic turn out. Well done to Monika for organising this great event.

G

olf Musculoskeletal Screening available at the UPANDRUNNING Rehabilitation Center

The UPANDRUNNING Golf Musculoskeletal Screen is provided by our Golf Specialist Physiotherapists, and aims to help golfers to better understand and manage their injuries and to improve their performance. If you are a golfer who struggles with recurrent injuries, poor technique/ biomechanics, or simply want to

To begin, raise leg onto box and push up; to make the workout more advanced, add some weights.

To finish: both feet are to be firmly on the box.

Andy Meech Head of Sports & Leisure

During a 60-minute appointment, we will assess key movement, stability and power parameters that are essential for an efficient golf swing. We will then outline how these can be improved to minimise injury risk and to maximise performance.

Your consultation will include: - Golf specific examination - Musculoskeletal screen

- Analysis of key areas of mobility, stability and power that are specific to the golf swing - Advice on exercises and stretches to assist your performance, based on the screen findings - A rehabilitation/management plan To book a Golf Screen– Please call 04 518 5400 for appointments, email info@upandrunningdubai.com or visit the UPANDRUNNING Rehabilitation Center located in the Fitlab building at Emirates Golf Club.

SENSASIA SPA

MAKE A FRESH START FOR 2018 WITH SENSASIA URBAN SPA’S BRAND NEW ‘COCONUT-TY’ AND ‘STRIPPED BACK’ BODY TREATMENTS

S

ensAsia Urban Spa at Emirates Golf Club is calling on the incredible healing power of coconuts to give clients a nutrient-rich, replenished start to 2018.

SensAsia’s expert team have long been ambassadors of the unequivocal benefits of regular massage – boosting the body’s blood circulation, oxygen and metabolism to name just a few. Now, with the revolutionary power of pure virgin coconut oil in its corner, SensAsia has created its most antioxidant-packed body treatments to date.

Coconut oil is rich in vitamin E, which is any beauty regime’s best friend for anti-ageing, elasticity, moisture and natural balancing of uneven skin tone. It deeply penetrates the skin, and its rich, luxurious consistency quickly forms an anti-microbial protective layer on the surface, locking its super-softening and detoxifying properties inside.

Congratulations to the winners who were Alison Graham and Rafa Tom and also to the runners-up, Carolyn Thompson and Angela Spiller.

improve your performance, our Golf Screening Service can help.

First up is SensAsia’s ‘Coco-Nutz’ massage – a 60-minute treatment combining long, warming and scrumptiously- scented strokes to target tired muscles and work the wonder of coconut oil into dry, fatigued and ‘forgotten’ areas of the body, priced at AED 395*.

Then, ‘I Am A Coco-Nut’ takes our new year need for detox a little further. The

massage – for complete calm, comfort and reconditioned skin.

90-minute treatment is priced at AED 625* and starts with a 30-minute coconut scrub, to remove dull, dead skin cells, followed by the ‘Coco-Nutz’ body massage, to revitalise the body and lock that goodness straight back in.

Another new launch for the new year is SensAsia’s ultimate combination for top-to-toe renewal. ‘Oh Strip Me, Please’ was designed to take away the ‘fuzzy feeling’ we’re often left with post-party season, and is priced at AED 699*.

The treatment begins with an intensive full body ‘de-scaling’, using a choice of sugar, hot salt or coconut-based scrubs.

Then, it’s on to an ultra- moisturising vitamin E and Shea butter warm candle

For those feeling like festive indulgence is ‘written all over their face’, SensAsia recommends its Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial, priced at AED 620*. This 75-minute treatment is clinically proven to increase skin smoothness by up to 32 per cent after just one treatment, revealing more vibrant, renewed and visibly younger-looking skin.

The facial includes layering of Elemis’s patented tri-enzyme products, to reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, uneven skin tone and superficial scarring, alongside the specialised, ultra-relaxing ‘journey’ that only SensAsia can offer. *Emirates Golf Club members benefit from a 20% discount on SensAsia signature treatments Call SensAsia Urban Spa, Emirates Golf Club on 04 417 9820 or visit www. sensasiaspas.com for bookings and online purchases.

TEE & SANDWEDGES FROM THE PROSHOP

HOT PRODUCT: TITLEIST 718 IRONS AND 818 HYBRIDS

MOST FORGIVING DRIVER IN GOLF:

Can’t make the Demo day?… get fitted with Phil.

With golf club equipment and golf balls changing so often, it is very important to find the right set that suits your game. Test your clubs with our Senior Custom Fitting Specialist (Phil) to see if your clubs are set up correctly. Using the latest Trackman technology, test the newest equipment from leading brands including Callaway, Ping, TaylorMade and Titleist.

PING G400 The PING G400 range has been engineered to enjoy!

Designed with a higher-density back weight - which helps with forgiveness - it allows you to customise your swing weight. You can also fine-tune your launch conditions by adjusting loft up to +/- 1o. To see what’s best for you, visit us today or book a custom fit with or senior custom fitting technician Phil

TAYLORMADE SPIDER PUTTERS The Spider Tour Red with Sightline delivers Tourproven performance to every golfer. With perimeter weighting for added stability and an added sightline to zero in the player’s focus, Spider Tour Red with Sightline provides a stroke of confidence to help golfers drain more putts when they matter most.

Retail Price: AED 1195.00 (not including VAT) Members’ price: (less 20%) AED 956.00 (not including VAT) PURE ROLL™ INSERT Played by Rory McIlroy, Jason Day

CUSTOM FITTING WITH PHIL

33 pro shop

pro shop

32

Juan Kramer Retail Manager Prosports International Mob: +97150 6685157 email: juan@prosports.ae www.prosports.ae

For anyone who doesn’t know Phil yet, he recently joined us here at Emirates Golf Club. He understands the needs of golfers and the difference the right club can make.

During training, PGA Pros are taught, not only the fitting process and its benefits, but also about club building, giving them a vast understanding of the different components that make the finished products, and how each one of these can affect a golfer’s swing and ball flight.

and Dustin Johnson, the Pure Roll™ insert combines 45° grooves with a softer polymer to increase topspin and improve forward roll across varying surfaces – helping your ball start and stay on its intended line.

MOST WANTED PUTTER IN GOLF: NEW 718 AP IRONS. MORE DISTANCE, MORE FORGIVENESS AND MORE PROVEN PERFORMANCE FOR EVERY PLAYER.

Titleist have released their new 718 irons and 818 hybrids. With six different iron sets and two different hybrids, the new range is designed with something to suit everyone, so it’s definitely worth attending one of our regular fitting evenings to try them for yourself. Perhaps the most anticipated clubs are the all new 718 AP3 irons that truly represent the best of both worlds, specialised in speed and formidable in forgiveness. Everything Titleist have learned from creating and advancing their AP1 and AP2 irons merged to create the longest, fastest players’ irons ever: 1+2=3.

Retail Price

Price Including Members 20%Discount

Ap1

AED 605

AED 484

Ap1 Graphite

AED 735

AED 588

Ap2

AED 845

AED 676

Ap2 Graphite

AED 980

Ap2 Graphite

Ap3

AED 845

AED 784

Ap3 Graphite

AED 990

AED 676

CB

AED 845

AED 792

MB

AED 845

AED 676

TMB

AED 1,175

AED 676

TMB Graphite

AED 1,335

AED 940

Hybrids 818 H1/H2

AED 1,068 AED 1,375

AED 1,100

To book a custom fit, call: +971 4417 9866 or call in to the Pro Shop today. May sure your clubs are keeping your game up to scratch!

NUMBER ONE BALL IN GOLF: TITLEIST PRO V Titleist is still the #1 ball in golf. They recently released their mid-year report since we have passed the mid-way point on the calendar across the worldwide professional golf tours. Their report confirmed that over the first half of the 2016-2017 season Titleist has once again been the #1 ball for more players and more champions: ‘To date this season, the game’s finest players have relied on a Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball 15,411 times, more than seven times the nearest competitor with 2,123 and more than all competitors combined. During this same time, Titleist golf ball players recorded 115 worldwide victories, more than seven times the nearest competitor with 16’!

It’s the one thing you use on every shot so why settle for anything other than the #1 ball in golf?!

Juan Kramer Retail Manager Prosports International

s t e p p i n S e l 19th Ho Congratulations to Naima Maya on the birth of her first grandson, Laith Alkafaji, born on 16th December in London, to Naima’s son Nasser and his wife Raya.

Life member Frank Johnstone and Micky Bamboat, who first met nearly thirty years ago at the Club, enjoyed a catch up at the Omega Dubai Ladies Classic

Vice-Captain Paul Byrne and Scott MacPherson playing the Majlis with Gavin Moynihan who is starting his first season on the European Tour so best of luck to him.

The elf continued his antics last month throughout the Club…sneaking into the Members’ Lounge

…tasting cookies for Santa

Dubai Golf Colleagues’ Christmas Party

’

WHAT S ON IN JANUARY? Golf CalendaR January 8th - 13th Majlis course open to members & members’ guests ONLY Monday 8th Ladies Monthly Medal

08.30

Majlis

Thursday 11th Emirates Amateur Open Round 1

06.30-16.00

Faldo

Friday 12th Emirates Amateur Open Round 2

06.30-16.00

Majlis

Saturday 13th Legacy Prime Members’ Pro-Am

13.00

Majlis

January 14th - 28th: Majlis course closed for the preparation and staging of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic Monday 15th Lady Captain vs Lady Vice Captain

08:30

Faldo

25th - 28th January, Omega Dubai Desert Classic, Majlis course

…sneaking into Spike Bar very early to watch the golf.

Catch all the sporting action in Spike Bar Stephen Gallagher (two time winner of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic) and his son Jack, enjoyed a round of golf on the Majlis course with Mike Tracey and Scott MacPherson No wonder Vice-Captain Paul Byrne and his wife Aisling were looking like ‘The Glums’ at 11pm on New Year’s Eve - their whole table of friends had all deserted them!! (the truth was that Stephen Gallagher and his family left as he was not well and Scott MacPherson went down with a stomach bug on the day!)

Thank you to everybody who joined us for a beautiful evening to mark the start of the Festive Season at Emirates Golf Club with the lighting of the tree. Thank you also to the SOS Dubai Choir for bringing the festive cheer!

Fantastic news that the Majlis has been ranked as the number one course in the region by Golf Digest Middle East; the home of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic was a double winner, also coming out top in the Readers Choice awards!

04 417 9842

SPIKE@DUBAIGOLF.COM

USQ

ULTIMATE SPORTS QUIZ HOSTED BY CHRIS McHARDY & ROBBIE GREENFIELD V

S U N DAY S - Q U I Z S TA R T S AT 7. 0 0 P M JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

14th

4th

4th

1st

21st

11th

11th

8th

18th

18th

GRAND FINAL

25th

25th

WATC H L I V E P R E M I E R L E AG U E F OOT B A L L ON THE BIG SCREEN EXCLUSIVE OFFERS ON FOOD & BEVERAGES TOP SIX WEEKLY SCORES QUALIFY FOR THE GRAND FINAL ON APRIL 8TH WHERE TWO FLIGHTS TO NEW YORK CAN BE WON

@SPIKEBARDUBAI WATC H L I V E S P O R T | E XC L U S I V E

MENU | CLUBHOUSE TERRACE