Editor: Jacqui Barry barrydxb@eim.ae
R 2015
NOVEMBE
ISSUE 53
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here’s no such thing as a slow start to the season at Emirates Golf Club is there? No sooner has the season kicked in with the Mixed and Ladies’ Season Openers than we are head on in to some ‘majors of the season..the Men’s and Ladies’ Seniors Championships. the Al Dobowi Mixed Amateur Open, Medals etc. It seems all members are back from their summer leave and everyone is throwing themselves into the events which is great to see.
EMIRATES GOLF CLUB SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Christopher May
Chief Executive Officer cmay@dubaigolf.com
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Andrew Whitelaw
General Manager awhitelaw@dubaigolf.com
The November calendar includes a few more highlights of our golfing events before we hit December and all the Christmas events…doesn’t it come around quickly? In fact, as I am writing this it is exactly 55 days to Christmas! We do have Diwali celebrations before then so it looks like two months of celebrations for many of our members! We have a number of new members at the Club so please introduce yourselves if the occasion arises - it’s not easy being a ‘newbie’ and it helps enormously if long term members make the first approach; we spent the summer in Portugal where we were the new members at Quinta do Lago Golf Club and it was wonderful to have people coming up to us to introduce themselves so we were made to feel very welcome. Congratulations to Emirates Golf Club for their Trip Advisor Award and also for their award for best golf club in the region, proudly received by our GM Andrew Whitelaw at a ceremony in Singapore. Please make a note of all the forthcoming events and support the Club by playing in the tournaments and attending the prize presentations. Don’t forget to check out the social events also as there are many scheduled for the next few months.
Craig Haldane
Director - Golf Course Maintenance chaldane@dubaigolf.com
Barney Coleman
Director of Golf bcoleman@dubaigolf.com
Ganesh Mangathil
In House Publishing Manager gmangathil@dubaigolf.com
Chef Nicholas Cuomo Executive Chef ncuomo@dubaigolf.com
Andy Meech
Head of Sport and Leisure ameech@dubaigolf.com
an excellent way of connecting and networking with one other. Regardless of your nationality, please join in the fun.
ith the season well and truly in full swing, I would like to thank both the Golf Course Maintenance team (GCM) and the management at our Club for all their hard work in preparing the golf course for our benefit and pleasure. Indeed, there has been a fair amount of work done by GCM to restore the golf course to its original look and feel - such as the rebuilt deep bunkers. These provide a prime opportunity for all of us to sharpen our bunker play, and our Club Professionals would be very pleased to help, if required.
The hospitality provided after golf events by the Club is another great forum for all participants to get together and our outlets offer excellent food and drinks.
The Academy staff has also been hard at work throughout the summer. The Junior Academy has been particularly busy, with over 300 juniors attending the sessions. The future looks good!
Vipen (our Vice-Captain) and I have been working with Andrew and his team to add new marquee events to our golfing calendar. Two events will be introduced, namely ‘Midnight Madness’ and an East v West match named ‘Captain’s Trophy’. Our Club management has been extremely supportive in accommodating these new events. More details on these will follow in the weeks ahead.
Dubai is a cosmopolitan city that is ‘home’ to people of many different nationalities and our Club reflects this diversity. Getting together at the Club is
We are fast approaching the 2015 Omega Dubai Ladies Masters and of course our jewel in the crown – the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. The following
Last, but not least, I would like to remind our members that the golf course is ours. This means that all of us must set the right example for all those visitors from across the world who come to play our magnificent course. Let’s remind ourselves to fill up divots on the fairways, rake bunkers and repair pitch marks on the greens. Enjoy the pleasant weather and good golfing to all. Walid Al Attar Club Captain 2015-2016
MASHREQ MEDAL
A DIVISION (handicaps 0-10)
in association with BMW & Ruth’s Chris Steak House Friday 23rd October 2015
Winner
Jignesh Sangani
Ne 68
Runner-Up
Tej Chhabra
Net 71
Third
Nigel Thompson
Best Gross
Ed Hesson
Overall Net Winner
Ashok Ahuja
Adele Cowgill
Head of Sales and Marketing acowgill@dubaigolf.com
Net 72 Gross 74 Net 68
B DIVISION (handicaps 11-20) Winner
Ashok Ahuja
Net 68
Runner-Up
Craig Dunn
Net 70
Third
Jesper Kjaedegaard Net 71
C DIVISION (handicaps 21-28) Winner Martin Drugan
Food and Beverage Manager mdrugan@dubaigolf.com
Saeed Ahamed
Financial Controller mahamed@dubaigolf.com
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MEN S SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIP Saturday 24th October 2015
Enjoy your golf
Jacqui Stephen Deane
Head Academy Professional sdeane@dubaigolf.com
Haridas Palliyalil
Resident Engineer hpalliyalil@dubaigolf.com
SENIORS CHAMPION:
Vipen Sethi
Gross 77
RUNNER UP:
Charles Stricklin
Gross 79
THIRD:
Nigel Thompson
Gross 79
Naveed Manazir
Gross 84
BEST NET:
Iain Everingham
Net 70
SECOND NET:
Eric Koeman
Net 71
THIRD NET:
Suresh Shewakramani
Net 72
OVER 60S CATEGORY WINNER: NET DIVISION
Follow Emirates Golf Club on Facebook for the latest news, views and special offers. We already have over 23,500 likes. Follow us on Twitter @emiratesgc and Instagram @emiratesgc
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COMPETITION RESULTS
The Ladies’ Pink Ball Breast Cancer Charity Day raised just over AED 45,000 for Brest Friends Charity in Dubai. Thanks to everyone who participated and donated raffle prizes and to those who bought raffle tickets - great effort! Next month we welcome back the Ladies European Tour players for the annual Omega Dubai Ladies Masters. Information about course closure, lockers and bag storage is included in this issue. If you are interested in volunteering please contact ‘golf in Dubai; office or check their website: www.dubailadiesmasters.com
weeks will see the Majlis course primed to its glorious best so let’s all celebrate another Classic by proudly supporting and promoting our Club, while wishing the Golf Course Maintenance team the best in showcasing it to the world.
Captain’s MEssagE
Editorial
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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
Lalu Mahtani
Net 68
4 in’s lady Capta MEssagE
team (only four points separating us), with Naema Maya taking home the prize for the best score of the day and Sue Hopwood claiming the prize for nearest the pin. Well done ladies; we hope to take the home advantage when we host next month’s inter-club on the Faldo course. Of course, we all looked very smart in our lovely new pink team shirts, courtesy of EGC Club management and Jack from Prosports.
Fortunately many of the ladies have been putting in some great performances. Congratulations particularly go to Carolyn Thompson, who successfully defended her title of Ladies’ Senior Champion.
The Pink Ball Tournament in aid of Brest Friends in partnership with Al Jalila Foundation took place last month. We were overwhelmed by the support and generosity that was shown by so many people who donated some lovely raffle prizes; sincere thanks also to members who bought and sold the tickets. Thanks to MercedesGargash Enterprises LLC for
This month also saw the first inter-club match of the season at Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, where the EGC ladies put up a splendid performance to come a close second behind the home
signing up as the key sponsor for this event. It was a great day with a huge amount of money having been raised, in excess of AED 45,000 although the final amount has not yet been confirmed. Since the start of the season we have had the pleasure of playing all our Monday competitions on the Majlis and we have been very grateful that the walking only rule (from early November) has not yet been in force, as the humid weather has lingered on but thankfully now seems to be improving. I am certainly looking forward to getting the extra exercise though much of it will come from walking up and down hunting for my ball lost in the rough!
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LADIES SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIP Monday 19th October 2015 Congratulations to Carolyn Thompson who successfully defended the Ladies’ Seniors Championship on the Majlis course. Carolyn won by two strokes with a gross 83, her nearest competitor being Jenny Ayres who finished second with a gross 85. A further one shot back with a gross 86 was immediate Past Lady Captain Mitsuko Emmerson . The best net prize was won by Sue Hopwood who scored a fantastic four under par net 68. In addition to the Ladies’ Seniors Championship there was a stableford competition for the non-seniors which was won by Mieke Slotboom who scored 37 points followed by Annette Carstanjen in second place with 35 points. CHAMPION Carolyn Thompson RUNNER-UP Jenny Ayres THIRD Mitsuko Emmerson NET DIVISION BEST NET Sue Hopwood STABLEFORD COMPETITION WINNER Mieke Slotboom RUNNER-UP Annette Carstanjen
Gross 83 Gross 85 Gross 86 Net 68 37 points 35 points
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Happy golfing - may your balls all find the fairways!
BIG BRANDS LADIES MONTHLY MEDAL
Helen Srivastava Lady Captain 2015-2016
Monday 12th October 2015 SILVER A DIVISION (handicaps 0 – 14) Winner Mitsuko Emmerson Runner Up Monica Palao Best Gross Mimi Hosking SILVER B DIVISION (handicaps15 –23) Winner Sue Hopwood Runner-Up Lynne Dickinson BRONZE DIVISION (handicaps. 24 –42) Winner Kiyono Taniuchi
LADIES’ COMPETITION RESULTS
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LADIES SEASON OPENER Monday 5th October 2015 Congratulations to Lady Captain Helen Srivastava and her partners Maura Duggan, Clare Hand and Carolyn Thompson for their fantastic winning score of a net 64 over the Majlis course during the season opening Texas Scramble. Well done to Helen for a great opening drive to start the ladies’ season!
Third
Runners-Up
Winners
WINNER
RUNNERS-UP
THIRD
Helen Srivastava, Maura Duggan Clare Hand, Carolyn Thompson
CoMpEtition rEsults
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any thanks to everyone for the wonderful turnout and for your support for the season openers at the start of October. Thank you to Captain Walid and Vice-Captains Maura and Vipen for being such a great team to play with - we are sure to have a fantastic season ahead! I very cleverly managed to get my ball nearest the pin on the 11th hole to create the illusion that I had played well, when in fact I had been carried by my team mates! The prophesy of captaincy being bad for the golf game certainly seems to have been coming true for me this month!
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Net 64
Lynne Whitelaw, Marie Benson Vera Woolnough, Senga Newell
Net 65
Sabine Choudry, Antonia Ludvigson Jenny Isles, Chris Dyball
Net 66
NEAREST THE PIN HOLE #4: Somita Prakash (SILVER DIVISION handicaps 0 – 23) NEAREST THE PIN HOLE #11: Katrine Haegglund Karlsson (BRONZE DIVISION handicaps 24 – 42) LONGEST DRIVE HOLE #10: Mimi Hosking (SILVER DIVISION handicaps 0 – 23) LONGEST DRIVE HOLE # 8: Birgit Baur Gallizioli (BRONZE DIVISION handicaps 24 – 42) GUESS LADY CAPTAIN HELEN SRIVASTAVA’S DRIVE 142 YARDS WINNER Lynne Whitelaw 142 Yards
LADIES’ CLINIC wITH BRYAN SMYTH
Another successful complimentary clinic for EGC ladies with Academy PGA Professional Bryan Smyth took place last month which concentrated on improving putting skills with fundamentals and Aimpoint routine.
Net 72 Net 73 Gross 76 Net 68 Net 69 Net 72
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PINK BALL COMPETITION BEST PINK BALL COMBINED SCORES WINNERS
Ingrid Sjodoff, Maria Petre Cecilia Fransson, Agneta Ekstrand
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Shiba Wahid, Kate Turner Vijaya Brahmachary 146 RUNNERS-UP Meg Clerc, Katrine Karlsson Ninu Smith, Avani Shah 144 THIRD Rekha Bandopadhyay, Jenny Ayres Gillian Doig, Nancy Wingate 141 BEST DRESSED TEAM Mitsuko Emmerson, Maggie Neil Fiona Munro, Han Soon Shin NEAREST THE PIN HOLE # 7 (Division A: handicaps 0-18) Han Soon Shin (Voucher from Harini White ) HOLE # 11 (Division B: handicaps 19-42) Shiba Wahid Khan (Voucher from Harini WHite ) LONGEST DRIVE HOLE # 12 (Division A: handicaps 0-18) Naema Maya (Boxed Cup & Saucer ) HOLE # 3 (Division B: handicaps 19-42) Swati Singh (Boxed Cup & Saucer )
Friday 2nd October 2015 WINNERS
Walid Al Attar, Helen Srivastava, Vipen Sethi, Maura Duggan
RUNNERS UP
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Pankaj Varma, Anvita Kapoor, Akash Kumar, Vikram Tah
FOURTH
59
Jonathan Vail, Jane Vail, Andy Robinson, Ronnie Pegna
THIRD
CoMpEtition rEsults
CoMpEtition rEsults
Monday 26th October 2015
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MIXED SEASON OPENER
60
Manish Bakshi, Aayush Bakshi, Harsh Munjal, Uday Sinha
LONGEST DRIVE LADIES HOLE #13
Fiona Berry
LONGEST DRIVE MEN HOLE #12
Richard Pompa
NEAREST THE PIN LADIES HOLE #11
Helen Srivastava
NEAREST THE PIN GENTS HOLE #7
Kush Sama
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NEAREST THE PIN FOR ALL GOLFERS HOLE #4
Yana Jamieson
HOLE #15
Saeed Fahim
GUESS CAPTAIN WALID AL ATTAR’S DRIVE: 231 YARDS WINNER
Qamar Rasheed
231 yards
GUESS LADY CAPTAIN HELEN SRIVASTAVA’S DRIVE: 147 YARDS WINNER
Steinar Bratland
146 yards
Winning Team
MIXED AMATEUR OPEN SPONSORED BY INFINITY, AL DOBOwI
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his year’s Emirates Mixed Amateur Open sponsored by Infinity, Al Dobowi was the 22nd edition and the first time the competition was contested over 36 holes in one day. An early morning start on the Faldo followed by a sunset finish on the Majlis course was the perfect setting for a closely contested finale. The champions, Maria
and Filip Petre, were the well deserved winners playing the most consistent golf of the day. The mother and son pairing combiined well to score back to back rounds of 70 for a 140 total to claim a memorable one shot victory. Missing out on a potential play-off by only one stroke were runners-up Eric Koeman and Sandra Chia who followed
up a morning score of 70 with an afternoon score of 71 to total 141 for the competition. A further two shots adrift was the in form Maura Duggan and her partner Paul Byrne who were in second position after 18 holes with a net 69 over the tricky Faldo course and followed that up with a 74 to finish in third place. In fourth place were Charles Stricklin and Josie Tracey who opened with a 75 but responded with a fantastic net 69 in round two. The prize for the most improved score over the two rounds was won by Carolyn Thompson and Rajinder Razdan who improved by seven strokes following an afternoon round of net 73.There were three teams tied on a total of 156 for the best gross prize; the winners, after a card count back, were Darren and Fran Cole who posted scores of 80 and 76. Emirates Golf Club would like to thank sponsors Infinity, Al Dobowi for again providing our competitors with a fantastic tournament.
Surender Kandhari (Infinity), Filip & Maria Petre (Champions), Helen Srivastava (Lady Captain), Vipen Sethi (Men’s Vice Captain) and Jasjeev Kandhari (Infinity)
TRI-NATIONS
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he annual Tri-Nations event took place on 24th October between England, Ireland and Scotland, captained by Mark Donovan, Scott MacPherson and Brian King respectively. The format was 36 holes of matchplay with rounds on both the Faldo and the Majlis. This event was started 25 years ago when it was originally called the ‘Challenge Match’ between Ireland and England. Several years later, Scotland was included and the Tri-Nations evolved. RESULTS: England and Ireland both finished with 6.5 points with the holders, England, retaining the trophy. Scotland finished with 5 points. All players would like to thank Barney, the Golf Office and all staff at Emirates Golf Club for setting everything up and for making the day so memorable.
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DIwALI SCRAMBLE Saturday 31st October 2015
Gokul Mani Suresh Shewakramani Tom Luig Kunal Nijhawan RUNNERS UP Suvansh Arora Ashish Arora Bradley Mogire Tatyana Mogire THIRD Keith Prosser Darren Cole Fran Cole Ian Scott NEAREST THE PIN HOLE # 4: Alok Rawat HOLE # 7: Rajinder Razdan HOLE # 11: Shravan Khanna HOLE # 15: Viv Caley
Club nEws
CoMpEtition rEsults
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WINNERS
59
60
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CLINIC BY EUROPEAN TOUR PLAYER
SOPHIE wALKER
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hank you to Sophie Walker, Ladies European Tour player for a wonderful instructional clinic last month, exclusive to Emirates Golf Club ladies. 32 lady members turned out to listen and watch Sophie demonstrate her tour proven driver and bunker skills. Sophie gave everyone an insight into the importance of suitable equipment, mental and physical preparation and her thoughts on technique. Many thanks to Sophie and we look forward to welcoming her back to Emirates Golf Club for the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters from 9th to 12th December!
balls! My first lesson was with the local pro, Eric Sharp. Golf was only part of my life – I played every sport I could get my hands on! By the time I hit my teens I was a good footballer, swimmer and tennis player. However, I decided to concentrate on golf as it seemed the ideal sport for me.
wHO IS SOPHIE wALKER?
I had some great successes on my own during this time, winning the English Girls’ Championship in 2000, the Daily Telegraph Championship in 2000 and 2001 and the English Girls’ Strokeplay in 2002.
I first held a golf club when I was 18 months old. My Dad loves golf (probably more than I do) and he was the first person to get me involved in the game. He would take me to the golf club when he was playing and I would sit in the Pro-Shop drawing pictures and counting all the yellow golf
At the age of 13 I was playing for my county, Lincolnshire and I progressed to playing for England when I was 15. Playing for my country meant everything to me and I loved every minute of it, the travelling, the training, the camaraderie with the other girls and even the pink uniform!
My golf progressed at a fast rate and I joined the senior squad at 18, which coincided with me starting at Loughborough University. The following years as a full time amateur and student complemented each other well. I played
some great golf and had the time of my life at University! My playing highlights were winning the English Ladies’ Strokeplay in 2003, finishing 2nd in the European Team and having an undefeated record for GB and Ireland. I turned professional in October 2006 and gained my Ladies’ European Tour card in the November. It was a very proud moment for me as before, it was mostly about the team, now it was all about me. So here I am living out my dream of playing sport for a living. Most people say they dreamt of playing golf from a young age. I just dreamt of being a professional athlete. Tour life has its ups and down but I can honestly say that the places I have been and the people I have met have been amazing. Every week we are at a different venue, but it’s the same people so we are like a circus/family. I am now taking part in my seventh season on tour. I’m settled and happy with the way things are going – it’s up to me to let my golf do the talking and see how far I can go…
OUR TwO NEw TEACHING PROFESSIONALS
PRO'S TIP BY KEVIN & DANIEL
GOLFMY CRUEL PASSION
PUT IT STIFF
by Donovan (DJ) Benson
KEVIN MCNIVEN
K
evin was introduced to the game of golf by his father at the age of four. Through his amateur career having never had a lesson, he became Men’s Club Champion at his local golf club at the age of 15.
He joined the Gleneagles Hotel Resort & Spa in 2011 where he started and finished his PGA coaching degree in golf in 2015. During his time at Gleneagles, Kevin worked through three Johnnie Walker Championships on the European Tour and, the highlight of his career to date, The 2014 Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary Course, enabling him to have significant firsthand experience of world class major golf events. Whilst at Gleneagles, Kevin coached and supported a wide variety of age ranges from children as young as four through to male and female adults. Kevin has conducted group lessons to three people or more as well as presenting to larger clinics of 100 or more. Being trained with the latest technology and his passion to help any level of golfer, Kevin tailors every lesson to the individual and strives to impart his enthusiasm for the game to his clients throughout their lessons.
A key area in golf is anywhere inside 50 yards of or around the green. Within this distance many of the fundamentals that we know can go out of the window, as people try to manipulate the ball too much. Daniel and Kevin have a few simple steps to help turn this into one of your favourite areas of the game.
1 STEP ONE: Move your hands approximately two inches further down the grip to help to control your ball flight. Pitching is all about ball flight control.
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I started my golf training at Abu Dhabi City Golf Academy four years ago and could then already see my name on a scoreboard alongside those of my golfing heroes! Big was my surprise when I learnt progression in golf is not that easy. Hitting the ball accurately down a fairway was but only one aspect of a multi-faceted equation! We moved to Malawi in 2012 where my Mum worked as a Mathematics teacher and my Dad was appointed as General Manager of Lilongwe Golf Club. Our family was favoured with free membership, which allowed me daily access to the course. We moved to Dubai in 2014. I became a member of Emirates Golf Club in November 2014 with a handicap of 17, and a dream of playing on the PGA tour in the future. On my first visit to Emirates Golf Club, before becoming a member, I met Stephen Deane, who inspired me to work hard towards a single-digit handicap. If I could achieve this while still being a junior member, I could join the Junior Elite programme. This was something that I was looking forward to!
DUBAI GOLF JUNIOR PROGRAMME The 2015 - 2016 Dubai Golf Junior Programme at the Dubai Creek Golf Academy and Emirates Golf Club is now open for registration and is the perfect way to start your child’s golfing career.
He qualified in 2010, after which he took a role as Head Professional and Manager at a golf centre in Nottinghamshire. It was here where Daniel excelled himself as a teaching professional and a club manager. Daniel has experience in coaching all abilities including fellow PGA professionals as well as complete beginners. He coaches using technology such as trackman, video analysis and the famous explainer. His philosophy of coaching is to keep it simple, change little things at a time and concentrate on the five key impact factors that relate to the ball flight. Daniel is a competitive player and plays in various professional events including The Open qualifier, as well as overseas and local Pro-Ams. Daniel will give you a good understanding of the golf swing. He will give you challenging but achievable targets to help you work towards your goals. Daniel has huge experience coaching juniors and and has helped to bring their game quickly onto the next level. He is extremely approachable and has great social skills making you feel very relaxed during lessons.
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y captivation with golf started four years ago in Abu Dhabi. The mere thought of a golfer hitting a golf ball with minute accuracy down a fairway was fascinating.
STEP TWO: Move your weight distribution in your body from 50/50 to 60/40 in favour of the left side (right handed player). This is to help you create a descending blow as you need to get steeper on these shots to gain spin and control of the shot.
STEP THREE: You need to control your backswing to control your ball flight. Swing the club back using your shoulders to a point where your hands reach the level in line with the top of your abs and below your chest. Maintain a straight left arm position with a little wrist cock.
DANIEL BEAMAN aniel was a keen sportsman from a very young age and his father introduced him to the game of golf when he was just 10 years old. Daniel is from Staffordshire in the UK and he completed his PGA training at a private members’ club in the West Midlands.
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4
STEP FOUR: Speed and tempo are extremely important to help achieve a good centeredness of strike and control your distance. Once you have achieved the step three position all you have to do is use momentum speed and let the club come towards the ball with natural force.
5 STEP FIVE: Complete the follow through with your body rotating towards the target and your arms finishing at least parallel to the ground.
Interested in golf lessons? Call either Daniel or Kevin at The Academy on 044179845 Enjoy your golf Kevin & Daniel
11 aCadEMy
aCadEMy
10 INTRODUCING
The Academy’s Junior Programme has been created for youngsters aged between seven and 17 years old and allows them to progress through different levels as they become more experienced golfers. Our Little Champions programme is designed for children from four to six years to develop your child’s understanding of the game whilst also working on key FUNdamental movement skills needed for future development. Classes are limited to a maximum of six children per instructor and safety and enjoyment are always paramount. For more information and to secure your child’s space please contact: The Academy at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Call +971 4 205 4666 or email areservations@dubaigolf.com The Academy at Emirates Golf Club Call +9714 417 9845 or email emiratesacademy@dubaigolf.com
The coaching and opportunities in Dubai are great! All aspects of the game, from the very basic principles to the more advanced methods, are addressed by professional coaches. The remarkable skills and patience of my coaches Jamie McConnell and Stephen Deane reduced my handicap down from 17 to 4.4 in a year’s time. I am currently part of the EGC Junior Elite Group under the strict but caring instruction of Stephen Deane. I maintain a rigid practice timetable six days per week. On Tuesdays at 6.00am, Stephen puts us through a regimen on the driving range. On Wednesdays at 6.00am, he makes us sweat in the gym. These sessions last for an hour after which I take the metro to GEMS Wellington International School where I am in my final year of school. On weekdays after school, I take the metro and arrive at Emirates Golf Club at around 3:30pm where I practise until 5.00pm. I work on all the guidelines received from Stephen and Jamie. Thereafter, two or three times per week, I play 18 holes and arrive at home at 9.30pm. On weekends, I play in most tournaments held at Emirates Golf Club for which I qualify. It is a privilege to be part of the EGC Junior Elite Group where my driving, putting and pitching skills have shown remarkable improvement. I realise that I still have a long way to go but I firmly believe that one day I will play on the professional circuit. Golf is a cruel addiction, but I love the game!
TUNE UP wITH GOLF PROFESSIONALS DANIEL BEAMAN AND KEVIN MCNIVEN
EMIRATES GOLF CLUB’S MAJLIS COURSE NAMED BEST COURSE IN THE MIDDLE EAST!
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Club nEws
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The Academy’s Golf Professional’s Daniel and Kevin invite you to join them in a weekly tune up session every Friday, Saturday and Wednesday. The complimentary supervised practice sessions are exclusive to members of Emirates Golf Club and will cover a different topic of the game every week. Join Daniel or Kevin at the members’ area at the back of the Majlis range and benefit from their handy tips and hints as you practise under their watchful eye. Sessions with Daniel Beaman: Every Friday from 11.00am to 12 noon Sessions with Kevin Mcniven: Every Saturday from 11.00am to 12 noon and every Wednesday from 5.00pm to 6.00pm Sign up is on a first come, first served basis, simply add your name to the weekly registration form in the men’s and ladies’ locker rooms. For more information, please email dbeaman@dubaigolf.com or kmcniven@dubaigolf.com www.dubaigolf.com
We are proud to announce that the iconic Majlis Golf Course at Emirates Golf Club has officially been recognised as the ‘Best Course in the Middle East’ at the recent ‘Asian Golf Monthly Awards 2015’, held at the award-winning Orchid Country Club in Singapore. This is the second time in five years that the Majlis course has been awarded this prestigious award at the coveted Asian Pacific Golf Summit. Having recently become the first club in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region to become GEO Certified, this accolade further confirms the club’s position at the forefront of golf worldwide and being recognized as the best of the best in the golf industry in the Asia Pacific.
Emirates Golf Club Members
Golf Trip to South Africa We have an exciting golf trip planned exclusively for members of Emirates Golf Club. Escape Dubai for a golfing break to the Fancourt Hotel and Golf Estate, South Africa where you can play on their award-winning golf courses against the backdrop of the ever-present Outenigue mountain range. Enjoy a week of world class golf and luxury accommodation with stunning views, in addition to seven 18 hole rounds on some of the regions finest golf courses. One of our Academy professional will accompany the group and provide daily tuition and tournament organisation during the trip.
The package is inclusive of the following Ä‘Ĺ? +))+ 0%+*Ĺ? 0Ĺ? * +1.0Ĺ? +0!(Ĺ? * Ĺ? +("Ĺ? /0 0! Ä‘Ĺ? .! '" /0Ĺ? %(5 Ä‘Ĺ? ((Ĺ?0. */,+.0 0%+* Ä‘Ĺ? *!Ĺ?.+1* Ĺ?+"Ĺ?#+("Ĺ? 0Ĺ?0$!Ĺ?"+((+3%*#Ĺ?#+("Ĺ? +1./!/Ä? - The Links, Fancourt - The Pinnacle Point golf Course - The Oubaai Golf Course, Herolds Bay (Ernie Els Course) - The George Golf Course, George - The Simola Golf Course, Knysna - The Montagu Golf Course, Fancourt - The Outeniqua Golf Course
For prices and more information please get in touch Head Professional Stephen Deane on sdeane@dubaigolf.com or call +971 4 417 9859
wIN wITH GOLF GAMEBOOK Win a Your Race to Dubai Hat Signed by Ernie Els! Enter the draw to win a signed Your Race to Dubai hat by Ernie Els, three time Omega Dubai Desert Classic winner! Simply download the Golf GameBook mobile app, register for a free account and play one round of golf on the Majlis or Faldo course using Golf GameBook to score your round. All members scoring under par on either course will be automatically entered to win this exciting prize! The Golf GameBook app is available to download for free from the App Store.
MIXED SEASON OPENER
2015
BOB & IVY BAILEY
BY RHYS
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For 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 for their best interest and all fellow golfers.
I certainly miss the Monday mornings and the ladies’ section. I don’t think there’s another Club with such a special group - this doesn’t hit you until you leave! Until now we haven’t had chance to settle into our new life as we house-hunted, our daughter ‘s wedding was in May and we have only now just completed the full renovation to our flat in London. We are looking forward to settling down in our house in Kuala Lumpur.
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. 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 applied to breaches of etiquette. These may include: đŏ ,%.%0ŏ+"ŏ0$!ŏ# )! đŏ +*/% !. 0%+*ŏ"+.ŏ+0$!.ŏ,( 5!./ đŏ "!05 đŏ !ŏ+"ŏ,( 5 đŏ .!ŏ+"ŏ0$!ŏ +1./!
Best wishes to all members at EGC
Please note: 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. 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
Tuesday 10th November 2015, 9.00am - noon & 6.00pm - 9.00pm
Join Ian Peek, Advanced Fellow of the PGA, for a workshop on optimising your practice time to shoot lower scores on Tuesday 10th November. This three hour coaching workshop will combine Ian’s 20 years of coaching club golfers with scientific research and data around the theme ‘why do club golfers shoot the scores they do and how can they practise most effectively to improve their game?’. Workshop schedule: đŏ +.'/$+,ŏ%*0.+ 1 0%+*ŏ đŏ 3+ŏ$+1.ŏ,. 0% (ŏ/!//%+*ŏ+*ŏ0$!ŏ .%2%*#ŏ. *#!Čŏ putting green and short course đŏ 1)) .5ŏ3%0$ŏ Ē ŏ/!//%+* Date: Tuesday 10th November Timings: Morning session from 9.00am to 12 noon, evening session from 6.00pm to 9.00pm Venue: The Academy and M’s Faldo Suite Price: AED 500 per person This event is exclusively for Emirates Golf Club members. To book your space please contact The Golf Academy on +971 4 417 9845 or email emiratesacademy@dubaigolf.com www.dubaigolf.com
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.
Consideration for Other Players
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!!
Safety
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 a danger of hitting someone you should immediately shout a warning which is traditionally ‘fore’.
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 shots. 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 know, our Golf Course Maintenance 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.
Bunkers - please rake over any footprints made by yourself OR by any other player.
rulEs
Etiquette: What the Rules Say...
e retired in December, 2014. Hating the cold weather in UK, we decided to move to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We managed to find a semi-detached house very close to Tropicana Golf and Country Resort where we are members.
OPTIMISING YOUR PRACTICE TIME TO SHOOT LOwER SCORES: AN IAN PEEK COACHING wORKSHOP
17
RULES
wHERE ARE THEY NOw?
whErE arE thEy now?
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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. For safety, please use the cart paths and fairways at all times. 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.
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19
Dear Members,
I
t’s been an eventful month at Fit Lab with many of you burning off the excess from summer and now preparing for the next big event - Christmas.
Fit lab
Now the winter weather is back why not try our outdoor TRX classes. Parveez our TRX profes-sional provides an excellent full body workout and you will see the benefits very quickly. The TRX classes are scheduled for Mondays and Wednesdays 7.00pm - 8.00pm. Please book in at Fit Lab reception. Exercise of the Month by David Poole The deadlift is an excellent compound exercise that targets the following: - quads - hamstrings - gluteal muscles - lower back - traps and forearms This is a great functional exercise every day living and it’s also great for your golf game. Tennis Elite Tennis Academy hosted their yearly Breast Cancer Fund Raiser Tournament on 12th October at Emirates Golf Club.It turned out to be a thrilling and highly competitive morning of doubles tennis with Dolores Bacque and Fiona Donaldson emerging the winners and Carolyn Thompson and Angela Spiller finishing runners-up.
SENSASIA URBAN SPA AT EMIRATES GOLF CLUB wINS THE 2015 MIDDLE EAST SPA AwARD FOR BEST INDEPENDENT SPA
T
he team at SensAsia Urban Spa, Emirates Golf Club is celebrating winning Best Independent Spa at the 2015 Middle East Spa Awards. The award was collected by SensAsia Urban Spa founder Salina Handa in a glittering ceremony in September and, in addition, the 11-year-old home grown brand was also named an Aquarius magazine Beauty Hero for Best Massage. “I’m delighted that our Emirates Golf Club spa has again been recognised as the stand-out location it is,” says Salina. “As a former golf widow, I know the demand for the unique sanctuary and services that SensAsia provides could not be higher at this particular spot! The team looks after hundreds of long-term and visiting clients, both male and female, every week, and we are constantly evolving our treatments based on the incredible feedback we receive. These accolades are testament to them, and we celebrate them together.” Emirates Golf Club members can enjoy a 20 per cent discount on all SensAsia Urban Spa treatments. The spa is open from 10.00am to 10.00pm, seven days a week. For information and bookings, call +971 4 417 9820 and visit www.sensasiaspas.com
BESPOKE wELLNESS
Fit lab
To keep you motivated at Fit Lab we have a fun fitness challenge currently going on -The Duathlon 10k cycle followed by a 5k run. Many of our EGC colleagues have been getting involved with some friendly banter going on - time for you members to step up and get involved. You can sign up at the Fit Lab desk and there are some great prizes to be won.
by Victoria Roper Would you like to
đŏ%),.+2!ŏ5+1.ŏ/3%*#ĕ đŏ$%0ŏ0$!ŏ ((ŏ"1.0$!.ĕ đŏ/0. %#$0!.ĕ đŏ * ŏ3%0$ŏ)+.!ŏ 1. 5ĕ Then Pilates for golf, could be for you! Golfers are constantly twisting and turning their bodies with the demands of the swing, bending down to measure putts and/or pick up balls. Muscles can easily become unbalanced when these movements are repeated over and over again, or hole after hole. Unless some kind of complementary exercise is done to correct these imbalances, they will become more engrained within your motor control system, harder to fix in the long run and may cause injuries. Both recreational and professional golfers are now turning to Pilates as an essential training tool that keeps the body in balance and actually improves performance. Pilates is based on movement from the centre of the body or the core, as it is more commonly known. Good core strength and stability can improve hip rotation, range of motion in the shoulders and back stability. This can make larger muscles stronger, more balanced, able to fire more efficiently and in the correct order. After embarking on a Pilates for golf programme you will enjoy benefits such as: đŏ%* .! /! ŏý!4% %(%05 đŏ%* .! /! ŏ. *#!ŏ+"ŏ)+0%+* đŏ%* .! /! ŏ ( * ! đŏ !00!.ŏ +* !*0. 0%+*ŏ * ŏ .! 0$%*#ŏ, 00!.*/ đŏ ( * ! ŏ)1/ (!/ŏĨ/5))!0.5ŏ0$.+1#$+10ŏ0$!ŏ body)
The ladies ended the morning with a leisurely swim and coffee at the pool followed by an appetising lunch in the Spike Bar. Special thanks go to Mehul at House of Windsor Jewellers in the Gold and Diamond Park for providing us with the prizes. Healthy Regards Andy Meech
This can then translate to the following when on the golf course: đŏ%* .! /! ŏ '/3%*#ŏ * ŏ"+((+3ŏ0$.+1#$ đŏ$%00%*#ŏ0$!ŏ ((ŏ"1.0$!. đŏ/)++0$!.Čŏ/0. %#$0!.ŏ/3%*# đŏ%* .! /! ŏ,+3!.ŏ * ŏ +*0.+(ŏ0$.+1#$ŏ0$!ŏ$%,/ŏ Ĩ0$%*'ŏ +.5ēĩ đŏ(!//ŏ" 0%#1!ŏ0+3 . /ŏ0$!ŏ!* ŏ+"ŏ0$!ŏ.+1* . For further information or to book an appointment with STOTT Pilates Instructor/Trainer, Victoria Roper. B.Sc. (Hons), please call 055 3724670 or email Victoria@bespoke-wellness.com
INTRODUCING
TORSTEN KANZMEIER
T
orsten is German and his background is in Martial Arts. He lived for eight years as a monk and his passion is to research how to connect body and mind to create a successful and happy life.
He is Master in Martial Arts, in Tai Chi and Meditation and he is also a certified Mental and Peak Performance Coach, Life Coach and Leadership Coach. Six years ago he decided to work with sports people and he has since worked with big names in boxing in USA and Europe. His way of teaching brings them a strong focussed mind, effortless relaxation movement and much more power in their punches. For the last five years Torsten has been bringing these principles to golf. He has worked with Senior and Mena Tour players and also with many professionals and passionate amateur golfers. What is Torsten doing for golfers at Emirates and Dubai Creek? His coaching will connect the golfer with the golf club, to create this amazing effortless easy, free swing…what all golfers are looking for. You will find your authentic free swing. Your mind will be free from any kind of disturbing thoughts and you will learn how to get a free focus on your target. Working with Torsten means, that you will learn to be in the ‘NOW’ in every situation, especially when you are under pressure. His coaching involves team work, and it works on different levels to help you to improve your golf, step by step. Some facts: You will have - a free swing - more control in your swing - a free mind - your shots will be more precise - you will hit the ball further - you will learn to control your mind/thoughts TAI CHI CLASSES 9.00pm - 10.00pm Tuesday and Thursday AED 120 per session AED 1,000 for 10 sessions MEDITATION CLASSES 9.00pm - 10.00pm Monday and Wednesday AED 120 per session AED 1,000 for 10 sessions
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IN THE ZONE TRAINING THE AUTHENTIC GOLF SwING
' #!ŏăč
Level 1 & 2: Effective Pre Shot Routine including BodyMind-Swing-Visualization with lunch break Six hours compact training Immediate visible success Group size: min. 5 – max. 10 people Price: AED 1.998 pp: 5 - 7 people Price: AED 1.698 pp: 8 - 10 people
BY TORSTEN KANZMEIER
INTERNATIONAL SPORT AND MENTAL COACH
Content:
4,! 0! ŏ.!/1(0/ŏ+"ŏ0$!ŏ3+.'/$+,
Pro-golfers know it: the ‘perfect swing’ asks for perfect technique and many hours of training, but also, in every situation the right mental attitude, to create the experience of ‘flow. Everyone has already experienced it: muscle contractions, stress and incorrect tension leads to failure and, in the same way, your thoughts and, the way you think and what you think, has a big impact on your swing and how you play golf. The right way to move and mental techniques can dissolve internal resistance, create an effortless and light swing and lead the ball into the hole as if by itself. You could call it ‘the authentic golf swing’. The ability to let go in the decisive moment, helps you not only in golf but also in many other areas of life, in management and sales or in dealing with people in general. Practise during golf what you can apply in your daily life, to achieve without being tense, to arrive at your goals in a playful manner to stay in the flow even when the going gets tough. In the workshop Level 1, you will have the ability to find your authentic swing. In the workshop Level 2, you will also have the ability to connect with the field and get in the zone. If you want to improve your golf with this method, you have to go through Level 1 and 2 before you are ready for the 60 minute lessons.
' #!ŏāč
Level 1: The Effective Pre-shot Routine to create your authentic swing Three hours compact training Immediate visible success Group size: min. 5 – max. 10 people Price: AED 999 pp: 5 - 7 people Price: AED 849 pp: 8 - 10 people
Content:
1. Introduction to the movement and swing theory of the effective pre-shot routine 2. Practical body exercise to identify resistances and disharmony in your own movement, to dissolve resistance and how to apply it to the golf swing 3. Practical application of the effective pre shot routine on the driving range
How can the Kanzmeier Method ™ Improve your Golf?
Please read this reference from PGA Golf Instructor Adnan Hajdini after his first clinic with Torsten Kanzmeier. “Torsten Kanzmeier is a top trainer. I have never experienced anything like him, like his abilities. Not only did I immediately get into the ‘flow’ but I also learned the ability to bring about this state of flow for myself whenever I need it.
The Kanzmeier Method will enrich golf tremendously, maybe even in a revolutionary way. I would like to be part of the first group of people who learns this method and be able to pass it on to others.”
Individual Sessions are also available Testimonials: I practised a few days with Torsten and I was impressed by his ability to reduce stress and through that allowing an absolutely ‘free’ swing. Even my most difficult student was relaxed and easy after only 15 minutes. I will introduce this method to my students, especially to the PGA Tour professional players. I am positive that with Torsten’s method they will be able to enhance their performance when they are under pressure. Mike Davis, PGA Master Professional Walters Links Las Vegas (GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher)
After only one hour I was able to hit with more consistency and power. Torsten step-by-step taught me a pre-shot routine that enables me to practise with more concentration, relaxation and therefore better efficiency.
At the beginning, I was full of doubt as to whether I could believe what he talked about in the lecture previous to the seminar but when Torsten put a golf club in my hands in ‘his special way’, and I started to move the club into a golf swing, I found myself in the perfect ‘flow’. It was an incredibly harmonious feeling.
So I can say that the Kanzmeier Method can easily be transmitted to others . I was in the German Golf Squad and I have met many different and good trainers, not only in golf but also in areas of psychology, fitness and mental training. I have worked for several years with many of them, but I have never experienced someone transforming complicated things into personal practice so easily. No talk, just results!
1. Introduction to the movement and swing theory of the Effective Pre Shot Routine 2. Practical body exercise to identify resistances and disharmony in your own movement, to dissolve resistance and how to apply it on the golf swing 3. Practical application of the ‘Effective Pre Shot Routine’ on the driving range 4. Introduction to the Body-Mind-Swing-Visualization (BMSV) with practical exercises and application to the golf swing 5. Combine the BMSV with the newly learned Effective Pre Shot Routine 6. Practical application of the learnings on the range 7. Practical application of the learning in a chipping session
Dear Torsten Thanks for your help last week. It was great to get in tune with my feelings and emotions again. The few exercises we went through freed me up considerably and put me more in tune with my body. I felt how my body and mind freed up and how the flow returned into my swing. Proof was shown in the trackman results, a higher smash factor and purer strike. André Bossert European Senior Tour
Why? Experiences says that we need these six hours to create to create a real proven benefit and to move on to the next step of your golf. The individual lessons include Levels 1 and 2 in one 180 minute session.
When I saw the video tapes, I had to believe it: I was totally surprised by the visible change of my swing. The next day, I hit a few balls, and immediately the ‘flow’ was present. That morning I was teaching someone, and I applied the Kanzmeier method. It was unbelievable what happened next: it also worked for this person as she also immediately came into her ‘flow’.
Fit lab
Fit lab
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' #!ŏĂč
Level 2: Body-Mind-Swing-Visualization ‘In the Zone’ Three hours compact training Immediate visible success Group size: min. 5 – max. 10 people Price: AED 999 pp: 5 - 7 people Price: AED 849 pp: 8 - 10 people
Content:
1. Introduction to the Body-Mind-Swing-Visualization” (BMSV) with practical exercises and application to the golf swing 2. Combine the BMSV with the newly learned effective pre-shot routine 3. Practical application of the learnings on the range 4. Practical application of the learnings in a chipping session
On the golf course I start my concentration not when I’m standing at the ball, ready to swing, but even before that. This method is a “must-have” for any golfer who wishes to improve their handicap. Lukas Fleckenstein, GC Kitzingen, Handicap 11 Again, personal thanks and gratitude for your time yesterday. It was an opportune moment and I am grateful I was there to step into it. I took the set up routine on the course, combined that with being in the present moment. I felt the earth beneath my feet throughout my round, heard every bird chirp, heard the splash of the water from the fountains and approached every single shot I played today with the same mindset. I didn’t care what the result would be, I simply felt the flow from the minute I stepped into the shot till I had completed it. I hit 16 greens in regulation, hit 12 of 14 fairways and it was honestly, the easiest round of golf I have played in my life. Craig Haldane Director - Golf Course Maintenance Dubai Golf
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GREENKEEPER’S CUTTINGS Step 1 - AREA We need to get an area marked out that will allow us to calculate how much seed is actually being applied. Can we go and walk an entire Acre and measure it? Yes, but it would take way too long and trying to collect and weigh seed over an Acre is impossible. So, we need to get a smaller area. What we do is we measure out 1000 square feet using a measuring wheel and we mark this block out on the ground.
CALIBRATION As is often the case at this time of year, I would typically give you a synopsis of our overseeding practice, why we in fact do it, what the benefits are etc. Well, we have heard the why many times and in a very brief summary, it is to provide you with the best playing surfaces possible for the months ahead. We have also written many articles on how this is all done including video summaries of the practices being carried out. Prior to actually applying the seed, and arguably the most important part of the overseeding preparations, is the calibration of equipment to apply the seed at the desired rate. So this month, I wanted to share with you how we do this, how it is calculated and to hopefully give you an insight into just how important this little publicised section of overseeding is. The term calibrate is simply defined as “to adjust or mark something, (such as a measuring device) so that it can be used in an accurate and exact way�. We apply seed to all our playing surfaces, except greens. We have two different varieties of seed that we use and each is different in size and weight. Depending on the area being seeded, the equipment used is different too. Larger areas are seeded with a tractor mounted seeder and smaller areas by hand, using what is known as a ‘Gandy Drop Seeder’. So, determining the rate of seed to apply is the first decision to be made. The seed companies will give you their recommended rate of application but if truth be told, this is something you learn in time as there are so many factors to consider.
Area
Rate
Variety
Fairways Tees Approaches Rough
400lbs/A 450lbs/A 350lbs/A 500lbs/A
Fescue Rye/Fescue Fescue Rye
I won’t go through the calibration of every piece of equipment but I will just quickly mention that we will be calibrating around 16 individual pieces varying from drop seeders and rotary spreaders which are used to apply seed manually (walking), to larger seeders such as the Lely Spreaders which are drawn behind a tractor at a consistent pace. So let’s calibrate the equipment to overseed the approaches with Fescue, at a rate of 350lbs/A. So, we know that for every Acre of land, we want to distribute 350 pounds of seed (7 x 50lb bags). How do we actually work this out?
what length you need to drive and how long for, to get to your 1000 sq F. The difference here is, we put a netting up behind the spreader and open it up for the length of time it took the tractor to drive the area, vs. actually applying it over the area, then we measure what has been let out of the hopper. Again, we need to go back and forth with the settings until we know exactly how much seed has been measured to get to our rate of application. Now, when applying seed you always apply in two or three directions so that you avoid any misses. When applying over such vast areas, if you go at the full rate with one pass only, you are asking for trouble. So, we typically go in two directions. Now, not only do we go in two directions, but we will also put foam markers on the front of the tractors so we know exactly where we have driven (you can’t see the seed on the ground). So, if I said to the guys, we are going to throw out the seed ‘Foam to Foam’ it means we will be applying with a 50% overlap. We then do this in two directions! What does this do to the calibrated rates above? Well it quadruples them! It is very important to know exactly how many passes and overlaps you will be doing PRIOR to calibrating the equipment or you are going to over apply massively. So for the sake of argument, applying at a rate of 500lbs/A is worked out like this.
Step 2 - CONVERT RATE So we have downscaled the area from 1 Acre to 1000 square feet. We therefore need to look at the rate and convert it from lbs/A to lbs/1000 and this is a simple mathematical calculation of 43,560 square feet in 1 Acre. So 350lbs/A converted to lbs/1000 is simply 350/43.56 which comes to 8.03lbs/1000.
Step 3 - MEASURE AND ADJUST
Now we know that over our marked out area, we need to apply the seed then sweep it up and weigh out 8lbs of seed. The drop seeder has an adjustment setting allowing more or less seed to flow through. You therefore need to go back and forth until you nail it perfectly. Of course the other variable is SPEED. If I walk at a faster or slower pace, this is going to affect how much seed is applied over this area. So, having an operator who is consistent is key! We will do this run as many times as it takes to get it absolutely perfect.
Step 4 - LOCK IT IN
EpEr’s grEEnKE Cuttings
EpEr’s grEEnKE Cuttings
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Rate/A: 500lbs/A Rate/1000: 11.47lbs/1000 (500/43.56) Foam to Foam (50% overlap): 5.73lbs/1000 (11.47/2) Two directions (50%): 2.86lbs/1000 (5.73/2) Final Calibration is therefore at 2.86lbs/1000 for us to apply with a 50% overlap in two directions to get to our desired rate of 500lbs/A
Calibrating seeders
Seeding rough and marking out
Area
Seed Variety
Total lbs/ A Rate
Calibrated lbs/ A rate
Calibrated lbs/ 1000 rate
Equipment
Application
Fairway
Fescue
450
112lbs/A
2lbs/1000
Vicon Spreader 1
Foam to Foam in two directions
Fairway clean up
Fescue
350
175lbs/A
4lbs/1000
Gandy drop seeder 1
Fairway clean up
Fescue
350
175lbs/A
4lbs/1000
Gandy drop seeder 2
Two widths (so work together) with two passes. Use the approach gandys to include fairway clean up
Approach and clean up Fescue Approach and clean up Fescue
350 350
175lbs/A 175lbs/A
4lbs/1000 4lbs/1000
Gandy drop seeder 1 Gandy drop seeder 2
6 to 12 using flags
Approach and clean up Fescue Approach and clean up Fescue
350 350
175lbs/A 175lbs/A
4lbs/1000 4lbs/1000
Gandy drop seeder 3 Gandy drop seeder 4
3 to 9 using flags
Rough and tees
Rye
450
112lbs/A
2.5lbs/1000
Lely Spreader 1
Foam to Foam
Rough and tees
Rye
450
112lbs/A
2.5lbs/1000
Lely Spreader 2
Foam to Foam
Rough off fairway Rough off fairway
Rye Rye
450 450
224lbs/A 224lbs/A
5lbs/A 5lbs/A
Gandy drop seeder 5 Gandy drop seeder 6
Two widths (so work together) with two passes
As always, feel free to ask me or my team any questions; we are happy to take the time to explain the ins and outs of what is involved in the dayto-day operations with the maintenance of our facilities. Thank you as always for your patience in allowing us to get this very important aspect of our season out of the way. We look forward to having the course in great shape for the season ahead. Good golfing! Craig Haldane Director - Golf Course Maintenance Dubai Golf
DECEMBER DATES FOR YOUR DIARY +* 5Ĺ?ć0$Ĺ?
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Once we have the correct setting on the equipment, we lock that number in. We actually lock nut the position so it will not move and each individual spreader is marked with the rate, what seed to use as well as what area it will be working.
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When calibrating a tractor drawn spreader that broadcasts seed, the method is similar except that you need to measure the speed it takes for the tractor to cover an area and then adjust the gears to suit. The other difference is you need to measure the width that the seed is spread out over to determine
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24
UPDATE FROM THE GOLF OFFICE
T
Club updat
he season is truly underway now and thank you to all members who joined us for the Season Opener on Friday 2nd October; it was a great event and the perfect way to welcome Walid and Helen to their roles as Captains. The Infinity Mixed Amateur Open, a 36hole Greensomes Championship witnessed the mother/son pairing of Maria and Filip Petre clinching the title by one shot. Congratulations to Carolyn Thompson for successfully defending her Ladies’ Seniors Championship crown over the Majlis course, with a gross 83. Vipen Sethi, our Men’s Vice-Captain, continued his excellent start to the season by triumphing in the Men’s Seniors Championship with a 77 over the Majlis. October ended in fine style with Helen, Maura and the ladies’ section raising over AED 45,000 for Breast Cancer Research in the annual Pink Ball Golf Day. A big thank you to all who supported this event with donations and through the purchase of raffle tickets. The Midcom Diwali Scramble closely followed on the 31st October with a staggering 132 players competing on the Majlis course on the final day before the closure for overseeding. Please be reminded that the Majlis re-opens on Friday 6th November and will be walking only until 18th February 2016.
CADDIES The majority of caddies at Emirates Golf Club are members of the operations team (including Golf Operations, Golf Course Maintenance and Food/Beverage). The demands of the operation dictate that their day job comes first, therefore it is not possible for us to always organise and guarantee caddies. The Caddie Master is our Golf Operation’s supervisor Ummer. Requests for caddies can be made on the following numbers at the said times; however, please note we cannot always guarantee a caddie for your game although we will try our best to meet the demand but at least 24 hours notice is also required. Ummer:
050 676 8148 (Please call Thursday – Monday 8.00am-6.00pm) Jega: 050 578 6800 (Please call Tuesday & Wednesday 8.00am-4.00pm) Minimum Caddy Fees: Members and Members’ Guests: AED 120 Visitors: AED 150 (Additional gratuity at discretion of player)
THE MAJLIS COURSE NEW STROKE INDICES FOR LADIES Please note the Stroke indices for ladies have been reviewed and the below will be in place as of Friday 6th November in line with the Club Matchplay Championships Please note for Mixed Tournaments including the Mixed Matchplay Championship the Men’s stroke indices will be used. +(!Ĺ? !*Äš/Ĺ? %!/Ĺ? +(!Ĺ? !*Äš/Ĺ? %!/ S/I S/I S/I S/I Ä Ĺ?
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2015 OMEGA DUBAI LADIES MASTERS KEY DATES Ä‘Ĺ? $!.!Ĺ?3%((Ĺ? !Ĺ? Ĺ? $ ((!*#!Ĺ? 0 $Ĺ?0$%/Ĺ? year Ä‘Ĺ? .+ÄĄ )Ä?Ĺ? &(%/Ĺ? +1./!Ä?Ĺ? 1!/ 5Ĺ?ĉ0$Ĺ? December Ä‘Ĺ? )!# Ĺ? 1 %Ĺ? %!/Ĺ? /0!./Ä?Ĺ? &(%/Ĺ? course, Wednesday 9th - Saturday 12th December
FALDO COURSE We are delighted to announce that once again, the Faldo course will remain open for the duration of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters giving members access to golf during the week of the event. Tee times should be booked online or by phone as usual. The bag drop and cart pick-up area will be located at the Faldo driving range close to the members’ parking area and players will have the option to check in either at the Par 3 course starter hut or in the main clubhouse. Due to the unavailability of the ladies’ locker room during the week, ladies are requested to use the recreation changing room facilities. Although these are not as extensive as the main locker room, access to the main ladies’ locker room is restricted to the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters players only. The men’s locker room will be available for players to use as normal with unrestricted access.
Finally, as the Faldo range will be used for parking during the event, please be advised that no driving range will be available to warm up before your round. The Par 3 short game area and putting green are open as usual.
PAR 3 COURSE Tuesday 8th - Thursday 10th December: Open from 5.00pm Friday 11th - Saturday 12th December: Open all day
COURSE / RANGE CLOSURE Majlis Course: Closed 4th - 13th December Majlis Range: Closed 5th - 12th December Faldo Range: Closed 7th - 12th December
BAG STORAGE We would request members with bags in the Bag Storage to remove them by Saturday 5th December, as space will be required for the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters players’ bags. Bags remaining in the bag storage after this date will be removed and stored by the Club. If you intend to play the Faldo course during the week of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, we would recommend that you keep your clubs to avoid any delays in staff bringing your clubs to your carts during tournament week. Please note that we cannot accept responsibility for any damage or loss which may occur in relocating your bag.
LOCKERS The Omega Dubai Ladies Masters players will use the ladies’ locker room during the tournament. We would ask members to clear their lockers for the week and hope that this does not cause too much inconvenience. Membership Services will be in touch with many of you to seek your assistance with this. Lockers will need to be cleared by Saturday 5th December. Items remaining in the lockers on this date will be removed and stored by the Club. Access to the locker room during the tournament will not be available so please ensure any items that you may require for the week of the event are removed in advance. Please note that we cannot accept responsibility for any damage or loss which may occur when clearing your locker. .*!5Ĺ? +(!) * Director of Golf Operations
EGC wELCOMES
MACHONA
wHO IS wITH TEAM wILDFLIGHT HELPING US wITH OUR CONTROL OF INVASIVE BIRD SPECIES Written by Ruan Botha
Black bandits Throughout a yearly cycle remarkable changes occur in our surrounding environment - we all know this as being part of the four seasons. Winter, spring, summer, and autumn can differ significantly in characteristics. Attributes of each season may vary by location but there are broad definitions for each of them. Due to the surrounding changes the invasive Indian hooded crow, Corvus splendens should relocate for food availability unless there is a possibility of adapting the diet. With a newly maintained eco-system to EGC, crows and other migrant bird species can still extend their stay unless threatened. Unfortunately, with an aggressive nature to certain species such as the Indian hooded crow a slight offbalance may occur if not controlled, in this case the successful breeding rate of crows in the Middle East that will escalate the population and suppress the indigenous bird species. The following will explain the influx and management of crow activity throughout the year:
The annual cycle In spring (March – May): seeds take root and vegetation begins to grow. The weather is warmer and there are possibilities of rain in the Middle East.
The preferred diet towards the end of spring and throughout most of summer is a seed and its pod carried by an acacia tree, Mimosoideae. A combination of trapping and keeping Charlie, our feathered security on site will decrease the resident crows. During summer (June – August): temperatures reach on average 45 degrees celsius. Breeding season for crows has passed but you will notice immature birds on site that are unaware of Charlie and Machona. Most of the activity will be early morning and late afternoon due to unbearable flying temperatures for both hawks and crows. The lakes at EGC have a high fish population; during the warm temperatures fish will die due to a lack of oxygen and this will supplement the crow diet. Towards the end of summer the diet will mainly consist of the date fruit, Phoenix dactylifera. A slight influx will occur. Autumn (September): temperature should cool down again and plants may begin to grow dormant. Animals will prepare themselves for winter. Migration will take place and various bird species will make their way with their newborn through the Arabian Peninsula to warmer climates such as Africa. Crows being the invasive bird species are fortunate enough to adapt well in any environment, crow activity should slow down during this period because of food insufficiency. This is ideally where you would want to hold on to that delicious sandwich and let Charlie do its scarecrow duties. Winter (October – March): days often provide a cooler temperature and thus improve bird activity compared with the summer season. A noticeable increase to bird species such as the Indian mina and Indian hooded crow will arise; more time will be spent on the golf course searching mainly for grub worms (larva of the Japanese beetle, Popilia japonica); damage to the turf, as you have all
Machona and Charlie
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Dear Members,
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experienced, will now begin to take place which is done while searching for the mid stage grub worm. Working closely with Craig and his experienced team we can minimise this damage until the cycle passes. Looking back to when WildFlight has implemented the non-chemical bird abatement programme it is safe to say that numbers have gone down in total. I remember the black cloud flying frantically above as Charlie took to the trees. Yes, we do have an influx during certain seasons that is caused due to breeding and certain abundance of food availability. The programme is environmentally friendly and will restore balance even after a sudden spike. By deploying birds of prey we can regularly implement the predator-prey relationship on site and develop a well-managed ecosystem.
Project Progress By studying the crow movements in the first season (blue) we should now be able to maintain the influx of numbers better by implementing strategic techniques for seasons to come.
SAY HI TO MACHONA Machona Galufu started flying birds of prey in 2000 at a well-established bird park in Zimbabwe. Machona then left Zimbabwe in 2006 for South Africa where he worked at the first Birds of Prey Centre to be established in South Africa. Machona then grew more as a falconer. Spreading awareness and the need for conservation of birds of prey, he was under the close mentorship of Trevor. Machona then moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2014 to join us at WildFlight where he then successfully managed the golf course at Jebel Ali.
e l o H h t 9 1 SNIPPETS Colleagues at EGC receiving 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 year long-service awards
The Turlik family paid a visit to Wales recently to meet up with Bob and Angela Connor and Mick Brett
Cees & Maria Van Dooren at the President’s Cup Korea
The PGA Professionals at The Academy at Emirates Golf Club are the first in the region to see and demo the new Trackman 4! Thanks to Emanuel Frauenlob, VP Trackman MENA, for a fantastic training and demonstration session. We are looking forward to the launch of this great product in December. Congratulations to team Humpty Dumpty who won the Spike Bar Quiz Night on 19th October, followed by teams Tequila Mocking Birds and Norfolk & Chance.
CEO of Dubai Golf, Chris May, bumped into past EGC and Dubai Creek employee Shona McRae at the HSBC World Golf Championship in Shanghai. Shona now works at the R&A as Assistant Director of Rules
Andrew Whitelaw, General Manager at Emirates Golf Club, was in Singapore last month to receive an award for the Majlis course as the Best Course in the Middle East at the Asian Golf Awards 2015. Congratulations Emirates Golf Club!
Have you experienced Le Classique’s French Friday Brunch? Join us on Fridays between 12.30pm and 3.30pm for an afternoon of traditional French fare for the whole family in the stunning surrounds of Emirates Golf Club. Our gastronomique brunch offers sharing style starters, an array of delicious á la carte main courses, delightful desserts and a formidable fromage counter. Call 04 417 9999 for bookings.
Congratulations to EGC’s Director of Golf Course Maintenance on completing his first Triathlon last week. Well done Craig!
The TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is awarded to properties that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on the site. Emirates Golf Club was recently honoured with this prestigious accolade.
Petr Dedek congratulating Victor Dubuisson after his win at The Turkish Airlines tournament in Antalya.
Congratulations to the Emirates Golf Club team on winning the Quaich Match against the Montgomerie!
IPGlobal would like to congratulate Paul Whitelaw on winning last month’s Golf GameBook’s competition at Emirates Golf Club. The prize was a personalised set of TaylorMade irons kindly provided by ProSports. IP Global are active supporters of golf in the Middle East, from grass roots all the way up to proudly sponsoring the UAE PGA for the past five years. Their latest investment into the local game is helping to bring Golf GameBook – the sport’s newest live scoring system taking the world by storm – to Emirates Golf Club. You may have already used this during your last round of golf. Don’t forget to drop your business card at the Golf GameBook console in the main Clubhouse (opposite Spike Bar) to be in with a chance of winning next month’s draw for another set of TaylorMade irons! L – R: Hugh Davies, Investment Consultant – IP Global, Nathan Fisher, Sales Manager – TaylorMade, Paul Whitelaw, Chief Operating Officer - XL, Christopher May, CEO - Dubai Golf,
Emirates Golf Club is happy to announce a range of festive experiences. Everything from an intimate festive gathering to welcoming the New Year in our impressive surroundings – even lending you a culinary hand at home, we guarantee festivities you’ll savour.
. Enjoy our festive family brunches at M’s restaurant . Indulge in an elegant seasonal celebration at Le Classique . Treat yourself to our award-winning culinary delights at home with our takeaway turkey and festive menu . Welcome 2016 in style with our spectacular New Year’s Eve packages For more information or to make a reservation, please contact +971 4 417 9999 or email: emiratesdining@dubaigolf.com, www.dubaigolf.com