MIDDLE EASTโ S No.1 GOLF MAGAZINE
RYDER CUP 2012
COLUMNS
GREG NORMAN GARY PLAYER PETE COWEN
Captain Olazรกbal prepares for a tough defence at Medinah
TIPS
ELS BELLS! ADAM SCOTT GIFTS ERNIE THE CLARET JUG! ISBN 978-9948-15-427-3 IS
ISSUE 139, SUMMER 2012
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Worldwide Golf Executive Editor Since 1999
GARY PLAYER The nine time Major Champion who has witnessed and been a part of some of the most historic and memorable golfing occasions reflects on the game today
1994 U.S. Open
1997 U.S. Open
2002
Open Championship
2012
Open Championship
I think that is a bad omen for the future of the game and I understand that from the response from Worldwide Golf readers the vast majority agree with me that long-handled putters should be banned.
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T’S an amazing statistic that when Ernie Els won the 141st Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St. Annes he broke the current trend of first time Major winners. Prior to Ernie’s fourth Major win the previous nine Grand Slams had been claimed by first time Champions. The game has never been as wide open as it is today. Virtually anybody can win. It’s almost impossible to pick a winner. Who would have thought that the last three Major winners before Ernie’s win would have been Keegan Bradley, Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson. Yet those three young Americans managed to halt the dominance of The European Tour players. Prior to Bradley winning last year’s US PGA Championship the previous six Majors had been won by European Tour Members. It was interesting that Ernie used a long-handled putter to win The Open at Royal Lytham just as Webb Simpson had used a belly putter to win the US Open at the Olympic Club, San Francisco in June and Keegan Bradley used one in winning the US PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club last August. Matt Kuchar used a long-handle, which he runs up the inside of his left arm, in winning The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. I think that is a bad omen for the future of the
game and I understand that from the response from Worldwide Golf readers the vast majority agree with me that long-handled putters should be banned. I know that Ernie, who had previously been a big critic of the long-handle putter, said last year when he switched from a regular putter, “as long as it’s legal I’ll keep cheating like the rest of them.” I felt desperately sorry for Adam Scott who had The Open Championship in the palm of his hand at Royal Lytham before he squandered his lead over the closing holes. I also thought that Graeme McDowell should have won the US Open Championship at The Olympic Club but wasted numerous birdie opportunities on the final day. Had he holed his fair share of putts he would have been a comfortable winner. To shoot a fourth round 73 to Webb Simpson’s 68 lost him the chance of another Major. It was good to see Padraig Harrington back to his old self in San Francisco, finishing in a share of third place just two shots off the winner and producing a final round 68. He also enjoyed some good moments at Royal Lytham but never quite got the breaks. Padraig is one of the hardest workers in golf and when he’s on top form he’s a dangerous competitor. I’m sure he’s got another Major in him. Lee Westwood finished only four shots off the
winner in a tie for 10th place at the US Open and he’s not far off his best form despite a tough time at The Open. Tiger Woods remains something of a mystery at the moment – he was back in a share of 21st place in San Francisco and looked some way off his best despite leading at the halfway stage but at The Open he was much more assured and could have won his first Major since 2008 but for a couple of holes in the final round. I thought he was good value for his tied third place finish.
McIlroy Concerns I’m still concerned about Rory McIlroy. I’ve mentioned it before in Worldwide Golf that I think Rory’s preparation for the big events is misplaced. At The Open he was tied for 60th place, 8-over- par and at the US Open he missed the cut, shooting 10-over 150. I’ve said from the beginning of the season that he will win a Major this year. Well, if he doesn’t work at it and practice hard he’s not going to achieve that elusive second Major. I used to practice every single day. It was part of the job and part of being successful. You can’t win tournaments consistently unless you do that. For a player of his talent playing so inconsistently, something must be wrong. Q www.wwgolf.biz
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CONTENTS FEATURES
Broom and belly on the way out - at last! I’M NOT going to rant too much about Steve Williams’ handling of Adam Scott during the closing holes of The Open but why on earth did he hand over that three-wood on the last. As you will read in Pete Cowen and Gary Player’s columns they were as confused as I was. I know Adam said he wasn’t feeling any nerves but the adrenaline on the previous hole had shown he was pumped and he was ripping it even further with every club. This was obvious to the millions of people watching, so why his caddy didn’t upgrade to a driver and encourage Scotty to go for the win or back off with an iron and make the playoff? Who knows, he could have even knocked his approach stiff and won anyway. It was ironic that the Els and Scott frenzy also brought the attention to the broomhandle and bellyputter. This time it looks set that the R&A and USGA are going to ban them and it will probably come into effect in 2016. The final decision will be made in Autumn this year but at last common sense is starting to prevail. To have three of the current Major Champions plus The Players Champion using long-handle putters to overcome issues in technique and confidence isn’t what the game is all about. If they are outlawed it will be interesting to see how the rule is written as Matt Kuchar, for instance, uses an elongated putter and anchors it to his left forearm to take the wrist out of the equation. I don’t think the rule should just isolate the belly and broomhandles but ban any device that enables a player to stablise the club or prevent the player from hingeing the club and removing the natural movement of the wrists. The Open is the first real indicator of the form of The Ryder Cup Teams. Europe had G-Mac and Luke in the top five and Jiménez and Poulter tying for ninth. The Americans were headed by Woods, with Kuchar, Dustin and Zach Johnson also tying for ninth. So you could say things are evenly matched. But both teams will not have as much Ryder Cup experience as in previous years, which is why the Captains’ picks might not go straight to the form book but to the old hands who can handle the pressure and calm the young nerves down. I’m sure if Jiménez doesn’t play his way into the team he will be a nailed on pick for Olazábal. For this reason I can see him going with Björn. Thomas has been playing great golf for the past 18 months and he’s a Ryder Cup Captain in waiting, with a huge amount of experience as a player and a Vice Captain. For Davis Love III to have Stricker and Furyk in the wings – both close to qualifying – will make his life easy when it comes to the picks. But on home soil at Medinah the crowd will be their extra man and I think that will be the difference.
THE 141ST OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Easy does it Ernie Els won his fourth Major as Adam Scott blew a four shot lead but it's brought the long handle putters under review by the R&A and USGA – and about time, too! Richard Bevan reports from Royal Lytham & St Annes
ERNIE Els rediscovered the Feelgood
good was going to come out of this.
Factor and turned back the clock with a dramatic last gasp victory at The 141st Open Championship at Royal
Even if I didn’t win I was going to feel good about it because of all the work
Lytham & St Annes as his good friend
we’ve put in. My game is back to where I feel I can compete. If it wasn’t to be this
Adam Scott suffered an horrific late collapse to see his chances of glory
year, I felt I could compete next year. But I really feel for my buddy, Scottie, I really
slip away.
do. I’ve been there before. I’ve blown
The South African rolled in a 12-foot putt for birdie on the final hole which
Majors and golf tournaments before, and I just hope he doesn’t take it as hard as
proved enough to clinch his first Major in 10 years – and his second Open
I did.” Australian Scott cut a lonely figure as he stood on the 18th green shaking his
Championship – as Scott contrived to bogey the final four holes and lose by
putt to force a play-off slip past the hole to cap a miserable end to a tournament
feel for Adam Scott, he is a great friend
that had appeared his for the taking.
of mine,” said Els, who finished 7-under 273 after rounds of 67-70-68-68 to pick up the Claret Jug and prizemoney of £900,000 for his first Major since his triumph at The 2002 Open at Muirfield. “We both wanted to win so badly, but I
FATEFUL FINAL STRETCH He’d played impeccably all week, lighting up the unusually calm Lytham course with a brilliant opening 64 –
really feel for him. That's the nature of the
equalling the lowest start on the famous links in the event’s history – before adding
beast, that's why we are out here. “It was my time. I was hoping at best
rounds of 67 and 68 to take a four-stroke lead into the final day.
for a play-off. A lot of people never thought I would win but I started believing this year, getting a lot of help from my family and the professionals around me. “For some reason I felt something 8
head in disbelief after watching his par
one. “I am just numb at the moment, I
SO CLOSE TO HIS FIRST MAJOR “I had it in my hands and managed to hit a poor shot at each of the closing four holes. I’m very, very disappointed, but I played so beautifully for most of the week I certainly should not let this get me down.”
"I REALLY FEEL FOR MY BUDDY, SCOTTIE, I REALLY DO. I’VE BEEN THERE BEFORE. I’VE BLOWN MAJORS BEFORE AND GOLF TOURNAMENTS BEFORE, AND I JUST HOPE HE DOESN’T TAKE IT AS HARD AS I DID.” ERNIE ELS failed to get up and down, then he threeputted the relatively easy 16th missing a three-footer. A hooked approach on 17 left him in trouble and he missed his par putt from 25 feet before perhaps the most unexpected decision of the day saw him opt to take a three-wood off the tee at the last. Rather than taking the fairway bunkers out of play by going for it with his driver, which he’d been hitting
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That advantage was still intact when
wonderfully well all week, or taking a long iron and laying up, Scott chose three-
he began the fateful final stretch as the long putter that had served him so well
wood and found one of those horrendous deep fairway bunkers. The mistake led
went sour at the most inopportune of moments. After finding the sand on the 15th he
to the final decisive blow of a fourth consecutive bogey as his anticipated first Major slipped through his grasp. “I’m
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Ernie’s all smiles as he bags his second Claret Jug and fourth Major...but Scotty’s not.
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Sanjay Manchanda (right) Acting CEO of Nakheel, and Saeed Harib, Managing Director of Nakheel Maritime and Leisure present World Number One Luke Donald with the magnificent Race to Dubai Trophy.
SANJAY MANCHANDA, ACTING CEO NAKHEEL
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The Greatest Players on Earth
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FTER the 2012 Race to Dubai reached its half-way stage, the players on The European Tour could be excused for casting one eye towards the DP World Tour Championship Dubai, which will bring the 2012 season to a dramatic finale at the Greg Norman-designed Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, from November 22-25. Boasting $8 million in prize money, plus The Race to Dubai bonus pool of a further $3.75 million – including $1 million to the new European Number One – the DP World Tour Championship Dubai will see the top 60 players on The European Tour in action in the four year old event, formerly
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known as the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World. Although the name of the Championship has changed, the quality remains as high as ever with a world-class field of 'The Greatest Players on Earth' competing for one of the most prestigious titles in the game. Entrance still free of charge for spectators who can look forward to seeing the likes of Race to Dubai defending Champion and World Number One Luke Donald, former US Open Champions Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, former Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel and Open Championship winners Paul Lawrie and Louis Oosthuizen plus a host of the greatest players in golf.
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FAIRWAYS OF THE WORLD
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DONALD TRUMP OPENS HIS SCOTTISH MASTERPIECE
B
RAND Trump has finally put its mark on the Scottish landscape. After much controversy and more than $150 million invested by the American tycoon the Trump International Golf Links doors have been opened to the golfing community. At around US$350 for a green fee, it’s got to offer more than just novelty value and become worthy of its high tariff or the investments will have to keep rolling in from across the pond to keep it alive. The grand opening of the Aberdeenshire course was soundtracked by a traditional bagpipes fanfare attended by a Who’s-Who of Scottish golf but now the presentation is over it has to live up to expectations. It is indesputably a breathtaking course and a true links test but the competition is fierce. For Trump International to be considered one of the greats, it first has to establish itself on a par with so many renowned Scottish links courses. That will be no mean feat, with illustrious company including the “Home of Golf “. St Andrews and other current Open venues Muirfield,
Turnberry, Royal Troon and Carnoustie. Turnberry stands out as the most picturesque of those courses, while Muirfield hosts the world’s oldest golf club and Carnoustie is often regarded as the toughest. To the west of of the Trump development’s Menai Estate location in Balmedie, are a wealth of top class Highlands layouts including Royal Dornoch, Nairn and Castle Stuart (host venue of the recent Scottish Open). There’s also hot competition for the tourist golf trade south of the border in England, including the traditional highly-rated links of Royal St. George’s and this year’s Open venue, Royal Lytham and St. Annes. Trump International is starting on the back foot against its British rivals, but with broadcast cables already running beneath the course and a plan in place for several thousand spectators, it has a strong case to one day host Major tournaments. If this happens it will undoubtedly be classed as one of the great British links venues.
Donald Trump finally makes his mark in Scotland, but will the course live up to the hefty price tag? ISSUE No. 138, SUMMER, 2012 Published by: Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd +44 1663 719926
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With the season past the halfway mark thoughts start turning to the DP World Tour Championship and registration is already open for you to claim your free tickets.
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Alex Gallemore Editor
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JOSÉ MARIA OLAZà BAL
m WWW.WWGOLF.BIZ
INSTRUCTION PETE COWEN COLUMN
WORLDWIDE GOLF TALKS EXCLUSIVELY TO EUROPE’S RYDER CUP CAPTAIN, JOSÉ MAR�A OLAZà BAL, ABOUT DEFENDING THE TITLE AT MEDINAH, CHICAGO, SEVE BALLESTEROS, AND HIS LATEST GOLF COURSE DESIGN PROJECT IN QATAR
PETE COWEN PGA MASTER PROFESSIONAL
RYDER FEVER
LYTHAM WIND BLEW IT WIDE OPEN
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t’s been a hectic time on the range with the lads leading up to The Open Championship but I didn’t see this one finishing in such dramatic fashion. Lee Westwood got off to a flier in the opening round, birdieing the first two holes and everyone thought it was going to go his way. But a bad break on the third which resulted in a double bogey saw Lee start to doubt himself. He wasn’t at his best going into Royal Lytham but I’d not read too much into that. His golf is in good shape but like the rest of us there are other things going on that can occupy your mind and Lee been really busy o the course. Moving house with a family can be stressful to say the least but when you are upping sticks and relocating your whole family to America there’s a lot of stu to sort out and it have an aect, even when you’re not aware of it. Lee’s put his 55 acre mansion up for sale for ÂŁ3 million in the heart of England. It’s a glorious set up, and, as you would imagine, it’s got a golf range, large leisure set-up plus two additional large houses in the grounds! With looking for a new family house in West Palm Beach in the United States and sorting out the sale of his long-standing family home in the town where he grew up, you can excuse the slight distraction going into The Open. As I say, his golf is in great shape and it won’t be long before he wins that ďŹ rst Major. Padraig Harrington is another player I’ve been working with and he’s so close to being back to his best but he still can’t comprehend that he’s going to hit it straight with his driver. He just can’t trust it. But he’s the ďŹ rst to say: “When I do trust it I never miss a shot. The problem is trying to make sure I trust it. “ Padraig had a good ďŹ nal round but when the wind got up on Sunday I thought Graeme and Ernie were Adam Scott’s main threat. All the papers had Tiger down as the one to watch but the ďŹ rst three days had very seen little wind and
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he’d hit that left-to-right stinger o the tee all week. He does this to safeguard against the costly big left hook with the driver. That shot means he takes the left hand side of the fairway out of play and you rarely saw him go for the driver, which shows in his driving accuracy for the week. He led the stats in driving accuracy going into the weekend but the Sunday wind made the course a tougher challenge. As some players were drawing their driver into the wind, Tiger was keeping the driver as quiet as possible. He was also battling to keep the left to right ight in play and was often left much further back than the previous days in his attempts to do so. But when you need to put pressure on the guy at the top of the leaderboard you don’t want to be left taking on pins with longer irons and bringing bunkers into play.
GďšşMAC IN THE HUNT AGAIN! As you are aware I’ve been working closely with G-Mac for many years and for him to make the ďŹ nal group in two Majors this season is remarkable. Even if you were to take his US Open result out of the equation he’d still be 11th in the World Ranking, which shows how consistently he’s been playing. At the moment his conďŹ dence is on a high and he’s really enjoying it out there. But to win Majors you need a little bit of luck. It wasn’t with G-Mac on Sunday and it certainly wasn’t with Adam. Ernie was looking solid and he even left a few out there but to birdie the last closed the Gap just enough to make Adam start to think about things. Up until the last four holes Adam had been cruising along safe at the top with a four shot lead. But standing on the 18th tee he had to take those bunkers out of the equation. Get the driver out and go for the win with a birdie or play safe with an iron and get a solid par to force the play-o. A 3-wood was neither one nor the other. He’d driven well under pressure all day. Even when he bogeyed the previous holes he’d still split the
fairways. Steve Williams should have advised him to go with an iron or the driver. Steve will always be remembered for saying: “I’m a great front runner,� after the pair won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. But after being four up with four to play I don’t think he’ll be using that line again!
RYDER CUP WIDE OPEN With the ďŹ nal Major just weeks away and the Ryder Cup only moments after that you’ve really got to start looking at the teams and who is in form. I’ve got to admit the European team is looking rusty and the senior lads will need to start ďŹ nding some form. Lee and Padraig aren’t far o; G-Mac performs well when the spotlight is on – he thrives on it – which is ideal for the Majors and Ryder Cup; Garcia has to ďŹ nd that missing spark; Kaymer is playing poorly; Rory’s not got going through the mid point of the season but he just needs a conďŹ dence lifter. Luke Donald is starting to drive the ball better and if he’d just found the measure of the greens at Lytham it could have been a dierent story – he’s that close right now. The Captain’s picks will be interesting. Even though I’ve been saying Padraig isn’t far from putting all the pieces together I don’t think he’s going to get enough points in time. Don’t ask me why but I doubt that OlazĂĄbal would opt for him as one of his picks. Having said that the senior European players need to ďŹ nd their form I don’t think the American players are pulling up any trees either. Both teams have a small nucleus of players – Lee, Luke, and G-Mac for Europe with Tiger, Big Phil and Hunter Mahan forming the backbone of the American team. Aside from those guys, all the other players on both sides have either one Ryder Cup to their name or they will be rookies teeing it up Medinah. It’s going to be close and interesting to see how OlazĂĄbal’s picks will strengthen the team. Q
TIGER’S STRENGTH MEANT HE COULD KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE WITH AN IRON OFF THE TEE – BUT SUNDAY’S WIND CHANGED EVERYTHING
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Renowned coach Pete Cowen gives his verdict on The Open.
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JOSÉ MAR�A OLAZà BAL
SWING
It's great to see Olazåbal battle back from rheumatoid polyarthritis in both feet. Like Seve, JosÊ has that Spanish air you just can't teach. The key to his swingthough is highlighted in the sequence below, where you can see how he generates great downward pressure on the ball with his irons.
BY PETE COWEN PGA MASTER PROFESSIONAL THE ACADEMY AT EMIRATES GOLF CLUB in Association with PETE COWEN
F R A M E B Y F R A M E A N A LY S I S O F S O M E O F T H E B E S T S W I N G S I N P R O F E S S I O N A L G O L F
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As anticipation builds ahead of the greatest show in golf we talk to Captain Ollie, the Ryder Cup legend who will lead Europe out at Medinah.
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REGULARS
LOCAL SCENE
GARY PLAYER INTRODUCTION QUICK 9 WITH BEN CURTIS
PETE COWEN COLUMN SWING SEQUENCE: JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL GREG NORMAN COLUMN GARY PLAYER COLUMN TROON TUTORIAL
t the recent Press Conference for the 2012 MENA (Middle East & North Africa) Tour, it was announced that the new schedule will include two additional tournaments on the calendar this year. The Tour has been extended to include Saudi Arabia’s Dirab Golf and Country Club and another additional tournament in Dubai at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, host of the 1999 and 2000 Dubai Desert Classic. As the MENA Tour has now grown from four events in 2011 to six events this year, it is also great to hear that the total purse for the Tour has been increased by $100,000, taking the combined prize fund to $325,000. This will give players like myself, a much greater opportunity to showcase our talent both from the region and as far aďŹ eld as Europe, Asia and Australasia. The Tour was such a huge success last year that we can only expect a higher level of competition and interest for the 2012 season and will hopefully be used as a platform to other mainstream events such as the Asian and European Challenge Tour. It’s very encouraging that this new initiative by the Sheikh Maktoum Golf Foundation is taking the MENA Tour is further aďŹ eld beyond the UAE into Saudi Arabia and I think that it’s only a matter of time before we see the likes of Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Morocco coming into the Tour. The top three professionals and the leading amateur on their respective Orders of Merit will be invited to compete in the 2013 Omega Dubai Desert Classic in continuation of the Tour’s policy to substantially enhance the careers of its members. The way that the Tour has been organised, with six tournaments back-toback, is a big help with travel expenses enabling players to make one trip for the six weeks instead of multiple trips which adds to the costs. This can be a huge limiting factor for players, especially those travelling from further aďŹ eld. Almost everyone I spoke to and played with last year gave positive feedback about the way that the MENA Tour had been organised with back-to-back events. This made it possible for the players to commit to all four tournaments last year. At the end of the series they all said, “see you next year.â€? That means we’re going to have more entries and a higher level of competition this year!! Life on the MENA Tour for myself and 56
GET SET FOR THE MEDIA TOUR 2012
The 2012 MENA Golf Tour Schedule: September 24 to 26 Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Open October 1 to 3 Abu Dhabi Golf Citizen Open at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club October 8 to 10 Dirab Golf and Country Club, Saudi Arabia October 15 to 17 Ras Al Khaimah Classic at Tower Links Golf Club
October 22 to 24 Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open at Al Badia Golf Club October 29 to 31 MENA Tour Championship at Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club
others from the region is fantastic. We regard it as our ‘home Tour’ by virtue of it being on our doorstep and immediately cuts our travel and hotel expenses down to a manageable amount. It feels great to be competing at an international standard in an environment where we learned the game. I Just can’t wait for September 23rd to come around!
GOLFING IN THE HEAT IT’S that time of year again when most of you put the sticks away for a couple of months to collect cobwebs whilst escaping the summer humidity and intense heat. I would have to agree with most of you in saying it’s energy sapping and insane to be out there between the hours of 11.00am-2.00pm. However, with increased daylight hours and reduced working hours it’s a no brainer when so many golf clubs introduce reduced green fees and it’s more than tempting to grind it out for the brave hearted! For those willing to travel outside of Dubai up the coast to Abu Dhabi the Yas Links Golf Club have introduced a “Summer Passportâ€? loyalty scheme, which rewards repeated use by, in most cases, discounting repeat play or oers for dining experiences. The
Yas Links Summer Passport oers incentives for weekday and weekend play on both the Links course and the oodlit Par 3 Academy course with green fees starting from 50AED per player. Repeat golf can be played on the Links at 199AED a round whilst weekend incentives net down to 257.50AED per round. Not wishing the coaching sta to have a quiet summer the Yas Links Academy again has some amazing oers with 30-minute lessons netting down to 112.50AED a lesson. Another destination for those who are based in Dubai and use convenience as an excuse, The Track at Meydan, a city golf course just 7 minutes from the Dubai Mall also has some very hot summer packages to take advantage of. Renowned golf course architect Peter Harradine, has created a unique 9 hole course that stretches over 3,700 yards from the back tees and works its way between a series of lakes, which come into play on several approaches. The city location oers wonderful views of the Dubai Skyline and the Iconic Meydan Racecourse. The summer rates start at 195AED for 18 holes night golf, 245AED Sun-Thurs and 295AED Fri & Sat. Plenty of deals out there this summer, guys, so no excuses!
When you have a strong clubface as shown above, the legs have to be quieter as you don't want as much rotation. The outcome is highlighted in this frame as he gets under it and holds the shot off.
golf in DUBAi
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Pete Cowen dissects the swing of Europe’s Ryder Cup Captain. Club. The course is just great. I will concentrate on hitting fairways and greens, giving myself some birdie opportunities and keeping it in play. I never give up on myself,� said Wie, who is also a brand ambassador for Omega, the title sponsors of the Dubai Ladies Masters. “It’s so much fun to be in Dubai. There is always something new to look for, always something
new to try. It’s such an interesting place, it’s so mesmerizing. I’m really happy to be playing in the tournament alongside so many highlycompetitive Ladies European Tour players,� said Wie, who boasts two victories – the 2009 Lorena Ochoa Invitational and the 2010 CN Canadian Women’s Open -- and numerous top-10 finishes since joining the LPGA Tour in 2009.
GOLF CITIZEN PROVIDES CONVENIENCE TO EGF MEMBERS
Mohamed Juma Buamaim, vice chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi, with Adel Zarouni, secretary-general of the EGF
In these shots I'd like to see the left shoulder moving across and the right shoulder moving more out and in front of him. He's creating great down force and stays in the shot, hitting down and away from himself. This is what you need for iron shots, especially if you are going to hit a little draw. He's always been a great iron player and these sequences highlight that by showing how OlazĂĄbal squeezes the ball at impact.
Here OlazĂĄbal works it up and across his body and his right elbow sits down, which I like to see at this point in the swing.
MICHELLE WIE CONFIRMED FOR 2012 OMEGA DUBAI LADIES MASTERS MICHELLE WIE has signed up with ‘golf in DUBAi’ to play in this year’s Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, to be held under the patronage of HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, at the Emirates Golf Club. One of the world’s most popular athletes, Wie will be making her fourth successive appearance in the season-ending Ladies European Tour event where her best finish has been a creditable second to fellow LPGA star In-Kyung Kim of South Korea on her debut in 2009. The 22-year-old Hawaiian, who needed to juggle a career on the LPGA Tour with the demands of pursuing a college degree at Stanford University, in the United States, racked up a tied fifth with a bogey-free 67 in the final round in 2010, and last year she tied for 12th on five under 283. Now that she has officially graduated with a degree in communications from the prestigious university, Wie is looking forward to ending a roller-coaster year on a high. “Obviously, my goal is to win the tournament. For that to happen, I need to be on top of my game because the organisers, ‘golf in Dubai’ always assemble a very strong, world-class field each year,â€? she said ahead of the â‚Ź500,000 (Dh 2.7 million) tournament, promoted and organised by golf in DUBAi. “I’m practicing really hard, but I can’t really control all of it. What I can do is to have fun out there and just play the best I can,â€? said Wie, who is an impressive 25-under-par for the 12 rounds she has played at the Majlis course at Emirates Golf
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TUTORIAL
By:Danny Jakubowski - Director of instruction
MEMBERS of the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) booking golf rounds through the GOLF CITIZEN network can avail themselves of all privileges, including special green fee rates, they are entitled to. All major courses in the UAE are part of the fast-expanding network of GOLF CITIZEN and more are being added to its portfolio from Thailand and Vietnam, making it one of the most comprehensive worldwide golf reservation websites. Launched by ‘golf in DUBAi’ last year, the website (golfcitizen.com) aims at promoting golf courses on its network, especially in the UAE, and realising the country’s tremendous golf tourism potential. “We are encouraging members of the EGF to book rounds through the GOLF CITIZEN network as part of our drive to collectively promote all the clubs,â€? said Mohamed Juma Buamaim, Vice Chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi. “The members can sign up to become a ‘GOLF CITIZEN’ for free and book rounds at courses of their choice. Being EGF members, they will still be entitled to special rates at all courses in the UAE. Like any GOLF CITIZEN, they can easily browse the site and all the options available are easily found with just a click or two,â€? he added “With online payment and email conďŹ rmations, they can enjoy a seamless booking process, but the biggest advantage is that they can book multiple tee times in one go,â€? he added. Adel Zarouni, Secretary-General of the EGF which has more than 6,000 active members, praised golf in DUBAi for their new initiative, saying: “GOLF CITIZEN could play a role in increasing golf’s popularity and accessibility in the UAE. “I think with so many tee time options available for golfers, the popularity of the site across the internet will increase considerably as time goes on,â€? he said. “We have so many golf courses of international standards in the UAE, but we needed something of a centralised reservation system to try and package the growing golďŹ ng proďŹ le of the UAE to the world. I think in GOLF CITIZEN, we have found the answer.â€?
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THE DRIVE
THE TEAM Gent: Rob Smith, Handicap 5. Has been playing golf for 35 years. Lady: Joyce Smith, Handicap 18. Has been playing golf for 6 years. Junior: Hamish Smith Age 10 Handicap 35. Has been playing golf for 3 years.
JOYCE elects to throw caution to the wind and take on the corner of the dogleg. Any golfer doing so drastically reduces the length of the hole, but with water and bushes awaiting a poor shot, not to mention the fairway bunkers on the left, it is easy to see why many choose to play the safe route to the right. A good drive will get Joyce into position to shoot for the agstick, and her length gives her an advantage on this hole.
THE APPROACH
HAMISH tees it up from our Development tees. These were implemented at the start of the year to give junior and newer golfers a chance to play proper golf on a shortened course. Thankfully for Hamish he doesn’t have to worry about the bunkers and water on the left, but the rough and embankment on the right hand side of the hole will still pose a challenge. The play for Hamish is to aim down the centre of the fairway and play for a good drive. This will leave him a short approach with a wedge or 9 iron.
GREENSIDE Rob’s approach has come up just short and now he is
DUBAI GOLF TUTORIAL
Joel Neale discusses the recent annoucement of the 2012 MENA Tour while Michelle Wie confirms for the Dubai Ladies Masters.
LOCAL SCENE JOEL NEALE
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IN THE BAG: MALCOLM YOUNG
F Alvaro Quiros is the Big Gun of The European Tour then Jay Varkey is the Mighty Howitzer of the amateur game in the Middle East. The two big hitters have played together on a number of occasions and they share the same philosophy on how to play the game: Just go for your shots and enjoy the experience. Jay Varkey has a simple approach to golf: “I’m a grip it and rip it guy who plays for fun and takes great delight in trying to hit the ball further than anyone else,� he says. “I’m a great fan of Alvaro. He plays golf the way I like to play – with a smile on his face. Playing golf is meant to be all about enjoyment and there’s nothing I enjoy more than to outdrive my playing partners by as long a distance as I can. “It’s tougher for Alvaro because golf is his livelihood but the great thing about him is that although it’s serious golf, he’s still playing because he loves the game. “When we played in Abdullah Al Naboodah’s Invitational at the Creek in 2009, Alvaro hit a few past me, then I hit a few past him it and we went on like that throughout the round. It was hilarious. It was all good fun and we enjoyed every minute of it. “My playing partner in the pro/amateur pairs was Ross Fisher, who is one of the bigger hitters on The European Tour, and I was outdriving him by about 40 or 50 yards on many of the holes. “The Invitational is a great tournament. The atmosphere is always so relaxed and friendly,
IN THE BAG Driver:
Callaway Razr Hawk Tour 9.5 loft, Diamana Kaili X Flex
MALCOLM YOUNG
PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL ARABIAN RANCHES
Irons (4-PW): Mizuno MP Fli Hi3&4 Dynamic Gold S 300 Mizuno MP-59 5-Pw Dynamic Gold S 300
Hybrid:
Mizuno CLK Fli-Hi 17 loft Aldila NV S Flex
What age did you start playing golf? Where and what is your golfing background? I started playing golf around 11/12 years old at MoniďŹ eth Golf Links near Dundee in Scotland. I turned professional at 19 to do my PGA training at Aberdour and Panmure Golf Clubs on the east coast of Scotland. I then spent some time in Portugal at the Praia Del Rey Marriott Resort before moving to Dubai in 2007.
Putter:
What would you do to promote and expand golf within the UAE? Like most clubs we are doing well with our coaching programmes which has high volumes of Juniors and Ladies from our surrounding community. This year we’ve seen a positive turnover in converting these lessons into playing golfers. Making the courses accesible to beginners is a big thing. Green fee rates and accesibility makes this a lot easier for new golfers.
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“MY DRIVING IS GOOD, BUT IT DOESN’T ALWAYS GO WHERE IT’S SUPPOSED TO GO, AND MY PUTTING IS SOUND ENOUGH. BUT MY CHIPPING IS HORRENDOUS, I WILL DEFINITELY HAVE THE YIPS WHEN I’M OLDER. I HAVE ALREADY STARTED PRACTISING 50 AND 60 YARD PUTTS FROM THE ROUGH.� – Jay Varkey although the Tour players and the amateurs are all trying to win. “I love the challenge of driving the ball as far as I can. The longest drive I’ve ever hit was 430 yards playing at Royal St. George’s in Kent, England, in an ‘Old School Boys’ event. My foursomes partner used his putter for his second. Recently I was playing the Creek and John Fellingham challenged me to drive the sixth green. It was a 350 yard carry but I managed to knock it on.� Jay considered the idea of playing professionally but ultimately decided that he didn’t have the all-round game to make a success of it, or the dedication required. “You don’t have to be big to hit the ball long, it’s all about technique,� he says. “It’s not size that really matters. My brother Dino is the
perfect example of that. He’s not big but he hits it a long way. “I used to play water polo when I was in my teens. You’ve to be ďŹ t to play that sport. It’s good for your core strength and your upper body strength. I also used to work out a lot in the gym so I’ve always been quite strong. “Before I left Dubai to go to school in the UK, at Winchester College, and then University at Edinburgh, I had lessons at the Creek with Steve Holden, Gary McGlinchy, Scott Kirkwood, Paul Lightbody and, more recently, Mark Walters. It gave me a good grounding and a lot of conďŹ dence for playing in the UK. I remember playing in Boys Opens across Scotland. The standard was phenomenal. I was the oldest boy in my group so I was relatively successful and enjoyed playing for www.wwgolf.biz
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Odyssey Black Series 2 (34 inch, 1 degree at)
What change to the Rules of Golf would you make? The Rules have complicated elements to them so aside from making them a little more simple for golfers to understand generally. I think the issue of spike marks on greens is still evident today. If you can repair a pitchmark of your own and someone else’s I can see no reason to not be able to repair a spike mark on the green. Both maintain the surface to better quality for the whole ďŹ eld.
Wedge:
Mizuno MP-T11 Black Nickel 50, 54, 58
Dubai’s very own Big Gun Jay Varkey lifts the lid on his adventures on the local amateur circuit.
Rob has left his approach putt from the fringe within a comfortable 3 foot range. Statistics show that from this distance the average club golfer will make just over 70 per cent of these. Fortunately for Rob, he is a very good golfer and he has no problem tidying up to make his par. The approach putt from the fringe deďŹ nitely allowed him to get close to the ag while taking the pressure o his chipping. Joyce has hit a great shot and now is left with a sidehill putt of about 15 feet. With Hamish showing good etiquette she calmly rolls the ball towards the hole. Her ball comes to rest agonisingly close but still ďŹ nishes short. TIP: When practicing putts on the putting green, try to put a premium on ďŹ nishing past the hole if the ball does not go in. As they say, “never up, never in!â€? Professional golfers very rarely make this mistake often. How often do we? Joyce nonetheless taps in for a very conventional par and the risk of taking the tee shot over the bunkers has deďŹ nitely paid o. Now the moment we have been waiting for: Hamish has hit an excellent chip to within 6 feet but can he roll in the putt for a birdie! Following his Future Falcon training he purposely lines up his ball, takes a methodical practice stroke and boom the ball topples in for a 3! Bragging rights in the Smith family tonight belong to Hamish.
Master the 22nd hole at Abu Dhabi GC.
TUTORIAL
GETTING YOUR CHILD STARTED IN GOLF?
Once a strong foundation has been developed, a visit to your local course or Par 3 course is warranted. Whenever possible, try to play in non-peak hours so that your child is not subject to the pressures of pace of play requirements of a busy facility with other groups of golfers playing immediately behind them.
THE MIYAWAKI FAMILY ARE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A FAMILY WHO LOVE TO PLAY GOLF AND WHO HAVE INTRODUCED THEIR CHILDREN TO THE GAME IN THE PROPER WAY. THEIR SON, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB ACADEMY STUDENT TAKUMI MIYAWAKI, IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A JUNIOR WHO WAS INTRODUCED TO THE GAME THROUGH HIS PARENTS AND WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THE DELIGHTS OF THIS WONDERFUL GAME.
Children learn by imitation, so encourage them to watch a PGA or LPGA event on TV. If you should have a Tour event in your local area such as The Omega Dubai Desert Classic go to the course and watch in person. The crowds and the excitement of watching at ďŹ rst hand big time golf are great magnets for a young person’s imagination.
HERE are some helpful tips on how to attract your youngsters to play the game of golf “for a lifetime.â€? You, the parent, are the person who must provide access and oer encouragement to your children. One of the keys to getting your child interested in golf is ďŹ nding a programme that they enjoy participating in. Select a programme that nurtures their interest while at the same time provides an activity that is fun. HERE at The Academy at the Emirates Golf Club we run a successful Junior Pyramid Programme which offers a structured method of learning in a fun environment. One advantage of utilising such a programme is the social interaction that your child experiences with the other participants. During the regular programme tournaments, the juniors learn that golf is a social game played by rules of conduct and with proper etiquette.
Creating Champions with The Academy at Emirates Golf Club 1DFHRSQ@SHNM HR MNV NODM ENQ SGD MDWS ITMHNQ KDRRNM RDQHDR @S $LHQ@SDR &NKE "KTA 52
Who would be your dream fourball and why? Playing with Jack Nicklaus would be a great thrill he is still the most respected player in the game, learning from his wisdom and experience would make any game enjoyable. I doubt Noel Gallagher plays golf but he would be a good guy to have in a fourball he’s always got a quick wit, interesting angle on things and maybe a tune halfway round! A bit of comedy is always good so maybe Bill Murray he’s a keen golfer although playing with Caddyshacks Carl Spackler would be the bigger thrill.
PUTTING
THE 22ND HOLE ON THE GARDEN 9 AT ABU DHABI GOLF CLUB PROVED TO BE NO MATCH FOR THE GOLFING ABILITY OF THE SMITH FAMILY. GOOD PLANNING AND SHORT GAME EXECUTION WAS CRUCIAL FOR THEIR SCORE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT IS GREAT THAT GOLF CAN BE PLAYED AND ENJOYED SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. COME AND TRY THE FLOODLIT NIGHT GOLF ON OUR GARDEN 9 AND SEE IF YOU CAN TAME THE 22ND HOLE LIKE THE SMITHS DID!
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What’s your favourite golf course? I wouldn’t say I have a favourite course, there are just so many good courses out there. I played St Andrews Old Course in an event as a junior and that was a thrill at the time just because of all the associated history and with it being near home. I was fortunate to see a lot of the professionals playing the Dunhill Cups and Open Championships there.
What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen in golf? IT WAS a long time ago playing with a school friend whose main sport was rugby and his golf skills were somewhat limited. We stood on one tee at our home club, he made a swipe at the ball and the angle he caught it made the ball spin backwards o the tee peg landing under the heel of his right foot. He then looked around and asked where his ball was. I was laughing so much I couldn’t tell him that the ball was lodged under his foot out of his sight.
and has managed to keep the ball away from the fairway bunkers but close to the left hand side. This has shortened the hole and provided him with a shot of 175yds. Rob’s strategy is to play to the centre of the green as the putt will never be more than 20 feet in length. Conservative, but practical from this range.
Hamish has hit the best drive of his short young career and has actually driven it over the green! His approach will be only a short pitch from o the putting surface and will leave him with an excellent chance at birdie. Hamish has been a part of our Future Falcon Junior development programme and the short game has been predominately featured to improve scoring skills.
www.adgolfclub.com 48
Hamish has left himself with a tricky downhill chip that will pick up speed once it passes the hole. He wisely (with some encouragement from myself and his parents!) chooses to play a 9 iron chip-and-run shot. This reduces the margin for error while leaving him with the easiest possible shot. For the kids at home – remember, you don’t have to always play the high oating lob shot! Rob got away with a slight pull on his tee shot
Joyce has hit an energetic drive right over the corner which has now put her in the perfect attacking position for the approach. The combination of both a fantastic drive and aggressive aim has left her with only 130yds to the green. This has shortened the hole by at least 20 yards. She now has a green light to ďŹ re at the ag!
A visit to the driving range where you and your child can spend time together is an excellent way to get started. Invite some of your child’s friends along so that they associate golf with fun. Unless you are qualiďŹ ed to teach, don’t worry too much about instructing your child. Just make sure that he or she gets an opportunity to hit some balls and enjoy the exercise.
What’s your favourite golfing moment? From a personal perspective winning the UAE PGA Championship this year at Yas Links would have to be in there. It was a satisfying achievement. Aside from that I think as a golfer watching Tiger win the 1997 Masters so convincingly was a sign of things to come and a big moment in golf.
Who is your golfing hero? PROBABLY Sandy Lyle. He was at the top of the world when I started playing golf – as the 1985 Open and 1988 US Masters Champion, so being Scottish he was always the ďŹ rst person to watch at Tour events. I was fortunate to meet Sandy in Portugal when he stopped overnight at the golf resort I worked at. It was an experience to watch and meet someone who even his peers say is one of the most natural ball strikers they’ve seen.
The Abu Dhabi Golf Club is world renowned for its National Course and all of the accolades that go with hosting a major European Tour event of the calibre of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, but what about the other 9 holes? The fully floodlit Garden 9 has become a major attraction and with continued improvements it is quickly establishing itself as a family favourite. Our hosts, the Smith family, Rob, Joyce and Hamish will take you through how they play the dogleg left par 4 22nd hole. The 22nd hole offers a true risk and reward tee shot with two bunkers and water flanking the left hand side and corner of the dogleg, an awkward approach and a slippery putt. It plays differently for the men, ladies and junior golfers as the tees and bunkering are set up to pose a fair challenge for all golfers. Let’s see how they fare!
Mike Gallemore talks to JAY VARKEY and asks why turning pro was never an option for him
REACH FOR THE SKY
GROOM ROOM
faced with the decision of whether to chip or putt. The grain of grass is growing against the line of the shot which means that poor mechanics with the chip may cause a “chunkedâ€? or “thinnedâ€? shot. The rule of thumb here for golfers of all standards is to remember that even a poor putt will probably fare better than an average chip. Rob takes my advice and elects to putt from just o the fringe.
GOLF IN THE GARDEN
THE DRIVE: The 22nd hole for the men plays as a true risk and reward tee shot so the ďŹ rst order of business is planning the tee shot. After weighing up the options Rob decides that he should play slightly right of the bunkers at the corner which will leave him with a middle iron approach to the ag. This makes a birdie more diďŹƒcult, but also takes a double bogey or worse out of play. Like all good golfers, Rob picks out a speciďŹ c target in the distance that will aid him in playing his drive with the most conviction.
JAY VARKEY
I
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Some would say he's too strong in this position, but I like that for an iron and the clubface position.
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JOEL NEALE
SET UP For me his arms are a little hanging away from his body.
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For advanced juniors who show an interest, junior tournaments are a great way to test their skills. It’s important that participation in tournaments is the child’s idea. Access and encouragement are two important things that parents can provide for their children to help them learn and enjoy golf. Takumi pictured right representing The Academy’s Elite squad during regular matches against the U.A.E. Development squad.
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Get your kids started in golf.
Up close and personal with Arabian Ranches professional Malcolm Young.
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Editor-in-Chief: Mike Gallemore Executive Editor: Gary Player Editor: Alex Gallemore
Playing Editor: Joel Neale Design Manager: Joanna Eardley Technical Manager: Mark Collinge
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The 141sT Open ChampiOnship
Easy does it Ernie Els won his fourth Major as Adam Scott blew a four shot lead but it's brought the long handle putters under review by the R&A and USGA – and about time, too! Richard Bevan reports from Royal Lytham & St Annes
ERNIE Els rediscovered the Feelgood Factor and turned back the clock with a dramatic last gasp victory at The 141st Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes as his good friend Adam Scott suffered an horrific late collapse to see his chances of glory slip away. The South African rolled in a 12-foot putt for birdie on the final hole which proved enough to clinch his first Major in 10 years – and his second Open Championship – as Scott contrived to bogey the final four holes and lose by one. “I am just numb at the moment, I feel for Adam Scott, he is a great friend of mine,” said Els, who finished 7-under 273 after rounds of 67-70-68-68 to pick up the Claret Jug and prizemoney of £900,000 for his first Major since his triumph at The 2002 Open at Muirfield. “We both wanted to win so badly, but I really feel for him. That's the nature of the beast, that's why we are out here. “It was my time. I was hoping at best for a play-off. A lot of people never thought I would win but I started believing this year, getting a lot of help from my family and the professionals around me. “For some reason I felt something
good was going to come out of this. Even if I didn’t win I was going to feel good about it because of all the work we’ve put in. My game is back to where I feel I can compete. If it wasn’t to be this year, I felt I could compete next year. But I really feel for my buddy, Scottie, I really do. I’ve been there before. I’ve blown Majors and golf tournaments before, and I just hope he doesn’t take it as hard as I did.” Australian Scott cut a lonely figure as he stood on the 18th green shaking his head in disbelief after watching his par putt to force a play-off slip past the hole to cap a miserable end to a tournament that had appeared his for the taking.
FateFul Final stretch He’d played impeccably all week, lighting up the unusually calm Lytham course with a brilliant opening 64 – equalling the lowest start on the famous links in the event’s history – before adding rounds of 67 and 68 to take a four-stroke lead into the final day. That advantage was still intact when he began the fateful final stretch as the long putter that had served him so well went sour at the most inopportune of moments. After finding the sand on the 15th he
So cloSe to hiS firSt major “I had it in my hands and managed to hit a poor shot at each of the closing four holes. I’m very, very disappointed, but I played so beautifully for most of the week I certainly should not let this get me down.”
"I really feel for my buddy, ScottIe, I really do. I’ve been there before. I’ve blown majorS before and golf tournamentS before, and I juSt hope he doeSn’t take It aS hard aS I dId.” – ERnIE ELS failed to get up and down, then he threeputted the relatively easy 16th missing a three-footer. A hooked approach on 17 left him in trouble and he missed his par putt from 25 feet before perhaps the most unexpected decision of the day saw him opt to take a three-wood off the tee at the last. Rather than taking the fairway bunkers out of play by going for it with his driver, which he’d been hitting wonderfully well all week, or taking a long iron and laying up, Scott chose threewood and found one of those horrendous deep fairway bunkers. The mistake led to the final decisive blow of a fourth consecutive bogey as his anticipated first Major slipped through his grasp. “I’m www.wwgolf.biz
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T h e 1 4 1 sT O p e n C h a m p i O n s h i p
Many people will question Steve Williams' advice on letting Adam Scott opt for that 3-wood off the tee at the last and letting a four shot lead slip!!
Graeme McDowell in deep trouble after that mysterious hook on the 11th!
Lytham brought Tiger to his knees!
pretty disappointed,” said Scott after his torturous closing round of 5-over 75. “I had it in my hands and managed to hit a poor shot at each of the closing four holes. I’m very, very disappointed, but I played so beautifully for most of the week I certainly should not let this get me down.” Despite the late blow-up, former Players Champion Scott insisted it had nothing to do with his nerves getting the better of him, saying: “Surprisingly I was incredibly calm and I still am. I thought I could roll that last putt in, but I didn’t and that’s golf.” In contrast to Scott’s capitulation Els, who now has two British Opens to go with the two US Opens he won in 1994 and 1997, raced for the finish line with the self-assuredness that comes from having been there and done it before. He’d given himself a fighting chance with some solid play throughout the week and was six shots adrift at the start of the final round. An opening nine of 36, during which he couldn’t buy a birdie, gave no hint that he would be the last man standing. The famous Lancashire coast winds 10
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“It’S happenS to all of uS at one poInt or another,” lamented the former world no.1 after a cloSIng 73. “we’ve all been In poSItIonS to wIn golf tournamentS and SometImeS people go ahead and wIn them and take them away from you, other tImeS we make mIStakeS. and that’S juSt the way It goeS.” that had failed to materialise all week had finally shown up and everybody was struggling with the change in conditions – as was highlighted by the fact that not one of the leaders was under par for the day at the halfway stage. But cometh the hour, cometh the man and The Big Easy switched on the burners down the closing stretch. His aggressive play from tee to green was sensational – as it had been all week as he topped the Greens in Regulation charts with a success rate of 79 – but his belly putter also started doing its job as he rolled in putts for birdies on 10, 12 and 14 before the clincher on 18. Ernie revealed that his 9-year-old son,
Ben, who suffers from autism and was watching his dad on television at home, proved an inspiration during his lightning finish. “He loves it when I hit golf balls,” said Els, who at 42 is the same age as last year’s Champion Darren Clarke was when he won at Royal St George's. “Ben’s always there. He comes with me. He loves the flight of the ball and the sound. I knew he was watching today, and I was trying to keep him excited today.” BreathtaKinG
'Tiger Woods showed glimpses of the
Belgium big-hitter Nicolas Colsaerts must have been scratching his head wondering how he could shoot two rounds of 65 in The Open without winning. Second and third rounds of 77-72… that’s how!
form that won him 14 Majors, particularly in his short game and scrambling which was, at times, breathtaking – but he found himself in trouble too often and left himself too much to do as his wayward long game let him down. A triple bogey on the sixth in the final round, when he took two shots to get out of a bunker, upset his rhythm before a run of three consecutive dropped shots from the 13th effectively ended his challenge and he finished tied third with fellow American Brandt Snedeker, four shots off the pace, despite a birdie at the last. “It happens to all of us at one point
GreenS in reGuLATion LeADerS
1. els 79.2%
2. Donald 75% 3. Morison 73.6% 4. F.Molinari 72.2% 5. Luiten 70.8%
or another,” lamented the former World no.1 after a closing 73. “We’ve all been in positions to win golf tournaments and sometimes people go ahead and win them and take them away from you, other times we make mistakes. That’s just the way it goes.” Snedeker also limped over the line to join Woods at 3-under. The 31-year-old had looked red hot after opening rounds of 66-64 left him top of the pile at the midway point as the only player in the field yet to drop a shot as he equalled nick Faldo’s 20-year 36-hole record score of 130. But disappointing weekend rounds of 73-74 left him just out of reach. northern Irishman Graeme McDowell was tied for second with Snedeker, four back from Scott going into the final day. The 2010 US Open Champion, who grew up on the blustery links of Royal Portrush, would have prayed for wind when he went to bed on the Saturday night and when he got his wish it was he more than anyone who was expected to put the Aussie leader under serious pressure. But it wasn’t to be as G-Mac struggled to mount a serious challenge and matched Scott’s closing 75 to share fifth
place at 2-under with World no.1 Luke Donald. The Ryder Cup star’s day went from bad to worse when he followed a birdie at the eighth with three consecutive bogeys, culminating in an embarrassing snap hook into the bushes on the 11th. “I was thinking, 'that wasn’t very good, that wasn’t very smart – and there goes my Open Championship," he said. After failing to find his ball he was forced to hop back on the buggy with his caddy and return to retake the shot. “It’s the longest walk in golf, and believe me, the cart ride doesn’t make it feel any shorter,” McDowell said. “It was gone for me.”
BOGeY streaK More bogeys followed on 15 and 17 as the 34-year-old watched his chance of a second Major slip away. But he was able to put his feelings into perspective paling in comparison, as they surely did, to those of Scott. “It was a tough day at the office, no doubt about it,” said McDowell. “But I’m not splattered on the floor right now in disappointment. I’m just a little frustrated. I guess my disappointment kind of seems relatively stupid considering I’ve just seen
ernie'S putter comeS under fire Ernie’s win has reignited the debate on long handle putters as he became the third man in four Majors to win using one – despite previously being a long term critic of them. With the USGA and the R&A set to make an announcement on the legality of their use this autumn he may be one of the last. “I can’t deny the belly putter has been great for me, but I certainly won’t be complaining if the authorities ban it,” said Els. “It isn’t the way golf is supposed to be played and if they ban it that will be fine with me.”
a guy lose The Open Championship.” Englishman Donald’s search for a first Major continued despite an encouraging closing 69 to match his highest finish in the event and he was pleased to have delivered a strong response to his showing at the US Open where he missed the cut. “You can learn a lot by playing poorly like I did at the US Open,” said Donald, “and not living up to my expectations. I certainly was very anxious and didn’t do a good job on the mental side. So this week was a huge improvement and I’ll use that going forwards.” But the day belonged to Els, who after missing the cut in three of the four Grand Slams last year and failing to qualify for this season’s Masters finally seems to be back, playing with that famous easy smile on his face. When you’ve got the Feelgood Factor, anything is possible. “This game is amazing, you know,” he said. “You have a positive feel, you give yourself positive vibes, sometimes and positive things happen. I think I’ve been in such a negative mode for a while, and now that I’m starting to feel more positive, obviously things happen." n www.wwgolf.biz
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JOSÉ MARIA OLAZÁBAL
m WWW.WWGOLF.BIZ
WORLDWIDE GOLF TALKS EXCLUSIVELY TO EUROPE’S RYDER CUP CAPTAIN, JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL, ABOUT DEFENDING THE TITLE AT MEDINAH, CHICAGO, SEVE BALLESTEROS, AND HIS LATEST GOLF COURSE DESIGN PROJECT IN QATAR
RYDER FEVER ww.wwgolf.biz
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JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL
I
m WWW.WWGOLF.BIZ
T’S entirely fitting that the first man to Captain Europe’s Ryder Cup team since the passing of the tournament’s greatest European icon, Seve Ballesteros, should be Jose Maria Olazabal. To say they were great friends would not do the relationship justice. They were more like brothers. The Spanish pair shared so many adventures together in golf’s biggest team event, forming the greatest Ryder Cup partnership in history – winning 11, halving two and losing only two of the matches they played together. When Ollie made his debut in the competition at Muirfield Village, Ohio, in 1987 as a wet-behind-the-ears 21 year-old it was Seve who approached Captain Tony Jacklin and asked if he could be paired with him. Seve was nine years his senior and already had the experience of three Ryder Cups under his belt. It was an inspired decision. The pair dovetailed beautifully, winning three of their four matches together. Seve’s intuition regarding the young Spaniard created the most formidable doubleact in the history of The Ryder Cup. Over the years, images of the two of them helping each other out of scrapes after a wayward shot, encouraging each other, or celebrating when another hole was won were commonplace.
Memorable moments They provided some of the most memorable moments of the greatest years of The Ryder Cup in the four successive tournaments they played as a duo. The opposing qualities of the flamboyant extravert Seve and the quiet pragmatist Ollie not only suited one another on the golf course, they also formed an unbreakable bond off it. Of course, Olazabal achieved huge success as an individual golfer. His two Green Jackets for winning the Masters Tournament in 1994 and 1999 among some 29 worldwide victories are testament to that. But the impact he had on the Ryder Cup with fellow World Golf Hall of Famer Seve helped transform the tournament forever as a whole new generation switched on to what has become one of the most exciting sporting events on the planet. Seve’s passing last May, when he finally lost his battle against cancer, was felt deeply by the golfing world, but José María felt it more than most and it brings an added poignancy to following in his friend’s footsteps as Captain at Medinah in September. Seve transferred his success as a player to his captaincy when he led a European Team that included Olazabal to a highly emotional 14½-13½ victory on home soil at Valderrama in 1997. There will be a tribute to Seve in the lead up to the Chicago showpiece but Olazabal doesn’t want the emotion to dominate the occasion. It’s Seve’s battling qualities that he wants his Team to evoke as they bid to retain the Cup they won in Wales two years ago.
WWG: What will the Seve tribute involve and how are you hoping his memory inspires your team at Medinah? JMO: I don’t want to talk about it because we want it to be a surprise for everyone, including the players. We’re all conscious of wanting to strike the right balance. Whenever there was a meeting before the Ryder Cup it was Seve who had the last word, when he always managed to convey his core values: not quitting, being always ready and facing down adversity. Yes, Seve will be there in spirit in every Member of our Team but it’s those core values we want to get across. We don’t want people so emotional they can’t play. WWG: What are your thoughts on how the team is shaping up – you must be delighted to see the likes of Luke Donald and Lee Westwood up there in the qualification spots along with players like Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer? JMO: I think we all know how good Lee and Luke are and I hope they can win a Major because there’s nothing better than watching players whom you think deserve to win Majors finally doing so. That’s why Darren Clarke’s Open victory thrilled so many people last year. I’d place Sergio (Garcia) in the same category. Majors for a pro are the icing on the cake. It’s a special thrill to be able to say you won one. The Team is shaping up very nicely.
WWG: Why is the Ryder Cup so special to the players? JMO: It is a very special event and a unique event, a team event that only happens once every two years. We don’t play team events in golf in general. The atmosphere in these two weeks is second to none. WWG: Would you describe that as the unique Ryder Cup spirit? JMO: Yes, without a doubt. You have 12 players all together, all week long, and they have to play as one. They have to understand each other and leave aside their differences and play as one for the Team. You can’t let your guard down because you’re playing for the Team, compared to playing for yourself in individual tournaments. You are completely open to your partner for that day or that particular match.
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josé maría olazábal
m www.wwgolf.biz the olazábal course at mission hills, shenzen in china, which played host to the omega mission hills World cup in 2007, 2008, 2009. following his design of the world renowned olazábal course, josé maría is working on the design of a new course in qatar, where doha golf club presently hosts the prestigious commercialbank qatar masters (pictured left).
WWG: How’s your golf course design work coming on in Qatar? “My project in Qatar is coming along very well. We are hopeful of work starting in November this year with the plan for the project to come to fruition in 2015. Obviously, until the course starts being developed you can never be sure of how it is going to look, but I have to say that the plans look very exciting.” have had relief and a much better lie for his second shot, but he said that he would not improve his lie in such a way. That says a lot for Davis and I don’t think the US Team will be playing any tricks. WWG: How does the Ryder Cup compare now to when you first played in it? JMO: Well, it is much bigger event now, it is a worldwide event. I believe it’s the third largest sporting event in the world. It’s huge, you have sponsors, TV media attention, it’s broadcast around the world. It means a lot to the players to be part of that event. It used to be a great match event between the US and Europe but now it’s a global event. WWG: Are the current crop of European players as good as the ones Seve and you played alongside in the 1980s and early 90s? JMO: I genuinely think it is hard to compare different players in different eras. That group of players led by Seve and Nick (Faldo) were special in their time. What we might see is a much larger group of high-quality players but it is going to be very difficult for them to achieve the things we saw in the past because the competition is so much closer these days. -WWG: Have the duties of the Ryder Cup captains changed much over time? JMO: Not really. It’s true that we have tried to cut
down on a lot of the things that used to be done, like the dinners. We have tried to reduce those down to the minimum. Once the tournament starts, the pictures are taken and the opening ceremony is done, the players just want to concentrate on their game and their matches. Once they play their matches, their day is over, they don’t have a lot of time as they have to prepare for the next day, they have to get a massage or physiotherapy depending on whether they are tired or have cramps. They don’t have much time to relax. WWG: All Ryder Cup captains have their own style – what will yours be? JMO: I’m going to be myself, that’s the way I am. I talk from my heart. I will express what I feel and that’s what I’m going to do during that week. We will have some experienced players who know what The Ryder Cup is all about. We might have some rookies in and we’ll try to make them feel comfortable within the Team, help them relax and I’ll try to speak to them straight from the heart. WWG: How does being Captain on US soil differ to doing the job in Europe? JMO: Well, obviously things are going to be tougher over there. We’re playing away, we’re playing in Chicago, the crowds are loud over there. The US Team will have huge support. They are going to try and win the trophy back. They have the chance to prepare the golf course to their liking,
like we do when we play in Europe. It’s going to be tough but the players have played in America enough to know how the crowds are. They know that they might get some silly comments from people who want to be too clever at the wrong time, but they are mentally strong and they will be well prepared for that. WWG: Which is more important in a Ryder Cup team, youth or experience? JMO: I think both are very important. The game of golf is played very aggressively. Just look at the golf courses we play: Usually, narrow fairways, severe rough, firm greens, pin positions that are really tight. But, still, the young guys aim for the flags and try to make birdies – that’s golf today. But to have a certain degree of experience is always welcome. WWG: Twenty nine worldwide victories, two Majors and seven Ryder Cups against a backdrop of injuries and a struggle against arthritis – now The Ryder Cup Captaincy. It’s not a bad career is it? JMO: Yes, I am really happy with my career. When you’re a teenager with promise you dream of being a good player and perhaps winning a Major, so to win two and play in six Ryder Cups while going through my injuries, I couldn’t ask for more. Even now, I don’t really think the doctors know why I couldn’t walk in 1995 and ‘96. Over the years my health has been a real medical mystery. www.wwgolf.biz
17
ERIC’S PUTTING MIRACLE
Eric Gold has devised a smart phone app that will revolutionise the art of putting. The Englishman has been a keen golfer all his life and he believes that “Eric’s Putting Miracle” will ‘putt’ an end to any on-thegreen woes. You key in whether the putt is uphill, flat or downhill and then walk from your ball to the hole. Key in how many paces you have walked and the app will give you a guide as to how far back and through you should swing the putter head. Here Eric describes the thinking behind “Eric’s’ Putting Miracle”.
T
HIS putting miracle has taken me many years to finalise to get it to work so that it can assist golfers of all levels to improve their putting strokes on all different types of golf course and significantly reduce their handicap. With this system you should never take more than two putts and on a good day they will drop in the hole for one, regardless of distance. As you are no doubt aware, putting is the most important part of the game when it comes to scoring and this new practical approach should work for all types of amateur golfers, regular players and beginners. The weather conditions on the day you play could affect the greens, so the app allows you to take into account that they could be slower or faster than normal with instructions to give you the approximate putting stroke you will need to take, according to how many paces you have walked to the hole. This is a whole new approach to putting and is not taught by professionals in this format. This putting system has been tried and tested amongst many of my golfing colleagues on different courses and they swear by it, saying their putting has improved beyond recognition. Most professionals recommend that you should walk past the hole, look back to your ball and see which direction it should be struck (straight, left or right of the pin, according to the lie of the green). This should not affect your putting distance, as you should always aim to strike the ball just past the hole so it has a chance of going in. With this system of counting your paces from ball to hole and entering the number into the app (and adding in whether the putt is
flat, uphill or downhill), you will get the instruction of how far back and through you should take the putter head (in inches or centimetres). This is the basis of how the technique works and is applicable to all distances up to approximately 90 feet which is 36 paces. This app has a built-in tolerance level to accommodate your own personal walking pace, and I suggest you carry it with you when you are putting, so you are ready to use it when you are on the green. For ease of use, the putting app will show you three different dimensions: flat, uphill or downhill putts. As you gain experience using this app you may choose to tweak your putting for allowing greater gradients for both downhill or uphill putts by slightly more or less backswing and followthrough. This system is so accurate, you can even putt off the green in light rough – the app will be able to show you how to do this with a scroll button. On championship type courses where the greens are like glass you can use the app to scroll back much more than usual. If you wish to increase or decrease the amount of numbers shown on the screen of the app, (to accommodate the fast greens, or increase gradients for both uphill and downhill putts), use the scroll button to scroll up or down. These different type of putts whether uphill or downhill, slow or fast, have been built into the app, which will go either way of the screen. There will be a short video on the app and it will also give you a visual putting aid which will guide you as to what length of stroke to take back and through. It will show you how to apply it to longer putts and you should use this as often as possible as it is important to get a visual image. It is very important, regardless of distance, that all putts must be played smoothly back and through (think smooth). This is not an instant cure for your putting, this is a development for your pace of putts and will take practice. Remember – visibility is credibility. Good Putting, Eric.
ERIC’S PUTTING MIRACLE is available to purchase on Apple iPhone in the apps marketplace E-mail: info@erics-puttingmiracle.com or call + 44 77 666 01565 with any enquiries (All Rights Reserved) 18
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Video and Visual Putting Aid which will give you a guide of what length of putt to take back and through (in inches and centimetres)
Three types of putts to choose from – flat, uphill and downhill
Pace Button – count every pace before you putt
Scroll Button – to scroll up or down for slower or faster greens Language button for Japanese and Mandarin options
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19
GET TING TO KNOW THE 2003 OpEN cHampION
QUICK NINE
WITH
BEN CURTIS WWG: What’s your favourite golf course in the US? BC: Spyglass Hill. WWG: What’s your favourite golf course outside the US? BC: Royal St Georges of course! WWG: Who would be in your dream fourball? BC: Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus.
WWG: What’s been the best shot of your career? BC: The final putt at The 2003 Open Championship. WWG: When was the last time you bought a golf ball? BC: High School. WWG: What’s your favourite sport away from golf? BC: Football (American). WWG: What’s your favourite team?
BC: The Cleveland Browns.
WWG: What’s your all-time favourite movie?
BC: Meet the Parents.
WWG: Who’s your favourite musician or group?
BC: Metallica.
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21
ADVERTORIAL
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design. The layout combines the best of the great clubs Ernie has played worldwide over the last 20 years. The Butch Harmon School of Golf offers players the opportunity to improve their game in one of the most technologically advanced teaching facilities in the Middle East. Three air conditioned swing studios provide students with wall-mounted cameras linked to the latest V1 Video Swing Analysis system. There is also
participants). “Co-Meeting” is the innovative Pullman approach to meetings, conferences and incentive events. This new take on meetings includes dedicated areas, latest-generation equipment, innovative breaks and special-purpose meeting teams (Event Manager, IT Solutions Manager). At The Pullman Dubai MoE, an entire floor is dedicated to executive facilities and features nine meeting rooms with private breakout areas with the flexibility to host different sized events from board meetings to conferences. The Els Club at Dubai Sports City, the first golf course in the Middle East designed by US Open and Open Champion Ernie Els, takes advantage of dramatic topography resulting in a course that is aesthetically stunning and exciting to play. Set on undulating slopes of native desert, it’s a links-style traditional classic
all parameters of the putting stroke, a BalanceLab to accurately record weight distribution throughout the shot and a Trackman Launch Monitor – a radar based device monitoring ball flight. The fourth largest studio offers the AMM electromagnetic 3D motion capture body swing analysis system, allowing players to receive an ‘MRI’ of their golf swing, plus the very latest state-of –the-art Technogym Kinesis. The Els Club is a Troon Golf facility who maintain the global management company’s standards from the pristine condition of the course, to personalised customer service to world class retail offerings. For reservations please call: +971 4 702 800, email: h7337@accor.com or visit website: www.pullmanhotels.com
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Tour NEws
Simpson shouts out to the ‘birdman’ party crasher: “enjoy the jail cell pal!”
SIMPSON HANGS ON FOR FIRST MAJOR WIN Date: June 14 – 17 Event: US Open Championship Venue: Olympic Club, San Francisco, USA Winner’s Cheque: $1,158,115
DeSPITe a late charge from Major winners Graeme McDowell and Jim Furyk, 26 -year-old Webb Simpson managed to hold out for his first Major victory. Simpson was in a share of eighth place at the start of the last round but was the leader in the clubhouse after closing with a 2-under 68 for a 1-over total of 281. McDowell was joint leader at the start of the final round but he and Furyk needed birdie at the 335-yard last hole to finish on 281 and force a three-way play-off with Simpson. McDowell and Furyk missed their opportunity and McDowell had to settle for a final round 73 and a share of second place on 282 with Michael Thompson while Furyk finished in a tie for fourth with Jason Duffner, Padraig harrington, John Peterson and David Toms.
“It was nerve-racking. I expected Jim and Graeme to do well coming in. They are both Major winners and I thought Graeme would hit the hole with his 25-foot birdie putt.” Name
Country
To Par
R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
1
webb simpson
usA
+1
72 73 68 68 281
T2
Michael Thompson
usA
+2
66 75 74 67 282
T2
Graeme McDowell
N.Ire
+2
69 72 68 73 282
T4
David Toms
usA
+3
69 70 76 68 283
T4
Padraig Harrington
Ire
+3
74 70 71 68 283
T4
John Peterson
usA
+3
71 70 72 70 283
T4
Jason Dufner
usA
+3
72 71 70 70 283
T4
Jim Furyk
usA
+3
70 69 70 74 283
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25
FAIRWAYS OF THE WORLD
Trump International
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DONALD TRUMP OPENS HIS SCOTTISH MASTERPIECE
B
RAND Trump has finally put its mark on the Scottish landscape. After much controversy and more than $150 million invested by the American tycoon the Trump International Golf Links doors have been opened to the golfing community. At around US$350 for a green fee, it’s got to offer more than just novelty value and become worthy of its high tariff or the investments will have to keep rolling in from across the pond to keep it alive. The grand opening of the Aberdeenshire course was soundtracked by a traditional bagpipes fanfare attended by a Who’s-Who of Scottish golf but now the presentation is over it has to live up to expectations. It is indesputably a breathtaking course and a true links test but the competition is fierce. For Trump International to be considered one of the greats, it first has to establish itself on a par with so many renowned Scottish links courses. That will be no mean feat, with illustrious company including the “Home of Golf “. St Andrews and other current Open venues Muirfield,
Turnberry, Royal Troon and Carnoustie. Turnberry stands out as the most picturesque of those courses, while Muirfield hosts the world’s oldest golf club and Carnoustie is often regarded as the toughest. To the west of of the Trump development’s Menai Estate location in Balmedie, are a wealth of top class Highlands layouts including Royal Dornoch, Nairn and Castle Stuart (host venue of the recent Scottish Open). There’s also hot competition for the tourist golf trade south of the border in England, including the traditional highly-rated links of Royal St. George’s and this year’s Open venue, Royal Lytham and St. Annes. Trump International is starting on the back foot against its British rivals, but with broadcast cables already running beneath the course and a plan in place for several thousand spectators, it has a strong case to one day host Major tournaments. If this happens it will undoubtedly be classed as one of the great British links venues.
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31
AdvertoriAl
STAy AhEAD oF ThE GAME wiTh ShoTSAvEr Leading golf GPS brand, Shotsaver, has launched the latest addition to its range, the S430 Tour Pro, featuring market firsts with both 2D, 3D hole, green flyover and lay-up views for better course management. The S430 Tour Pro’s inventive ‘Fly-over Technology’ takes golfers down the full length of each hole, helping golfers plan the best route to each green, before they have even stepped onto the course. Preloaded with over 5,500 European golf course maps and with capacity to hold a further 15,000, the device’s ‘Lay-Up Technology’ helps users plan for greater handling of the course as it calculates the distance of the next two shots from their position to the front, centre and back of the green. As golfers walk up the fairway, the S430’s hole view automatically moves with them and provides greater detail as they need it, zooming in and rotating to match their view on the course for a greater chance of accurate shots. As with all Shotsaver products, the S430 also allows golfers to record the distance each ball is hit and which club was used, helping them to develop their game, monitor progress and improve their handicap. Golfers simply record the position of their ball before each shot, and Shotsaver will provide the user with details of the longest, shortest and average distances hit with each club. The S430 has a sunlight readable 3.5-inch LCD screen and is also fully waterproof to ensure that users can use their device when caught in bad weather on the golf course. Steven Ballard, Managing Director at Shotsaver, comments: “The S430 Tour Pro offers smarter technology for the GPS market, reacting to the golfers’ needs with automatic rotation, zoom and view, which can help improve their control of the course.
“The device’s 5,500 pre-loaded course maps and its impressive 3D hole and flyover views mean that users can plan their game before they play, with access to detailed information for individual sections of the green and the locations of hazards, making it a must have product for the savvy golfer.” The Shotsaver S430 Tour Pro is available from £249.99 (approx US$387.00/Dhs 1,423) and includes
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The Greatest Players on Earth
A
FTER the 2012 Race to Dubai reached its half-way stage, the players on The European Tour could be excused for casting one eye towards the DP World Tour Championship Dubai, which will bring the 2012 season to a dramatic finale at the Greg Norman-designed Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, from November 22-25. Boasting $8 million in prize money, plus The Race to Dubai bonus pool of a further $3.75 million – including $1 million to the new European Number One – the DP World Tour Championship Dubai will see the top 60 players on The European Tour in action in the four year old event, formerly
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known as the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World. Although the name of the Championship has changed, the quality remains as high as ever with a world-class field of 'The Greatest Players on Earth' competing for one of the most prestigious titles in the game. Entrance still free of charge for spectators who can look forward to seeing the likes of Race to Dubai defending Champion and World Number One Luke Donald, former US Open Champions Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, former Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel and Open Championship winners Paul Lawrie and Louis Oosthuizen plus a host of the greatest players in golf.
“ON BEHALF OF JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES, WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ONCE AGAIN PLAY HOST TO THE FINALE OF THE RACE TO DUBAI AT JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES. THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH SUCCESSIVE YEAR WE HAVE WELCOMED THE FINEST GOLFERS ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR TO THE EARTH COURSE AND IT GIVES US GREAT PLEASURE AND PRIDE TO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE OUR SUPERB DEVELOPMENT TO THE PLAYERS AS WELL AS TO TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS, MEDIA AND GUESTS ATTENDING THE DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP. THE JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES DEVELOPMENT IS A WINNING COMBINATION OF GOLFING EXCELLENCE AND REAL ESTATE. THE PROJECT IS UNDERWAY AND PROGRESSING AT PACE WITH HANDOVER OF VILLAS ANTICIPATED DURING 2013."
Sanjay Manchanda (right) Acting CEO of Nakheel, and Saeed Harib, Managing Director of Nakheel Maritime and Leisure present World Number One Luke Donald with the magnificent Race to Dubai Trophy.
SANJAY MANCHANDA, ACTING CEO NAKHEEL
Register for FREE tickets at
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22-25 NOVEMBER, 2012 JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES
STAR NAMES EYE DUBAI FINALE A
DD in 2009 Dubai World Championship winner Lee Westwood and current Race to Dubai leader Justin Rose and the line-up already has another world-class look about it with four months to go before the DP World Tour Championship Dubai. Since the tournament was launched in 2009, more than 40,000 spectators per year have made the annual visit to the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates to witness the tournament successes of Westwood, Robert Karlsson and Alvaro Quiros as well as the crowning of Race to Dubai winners Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Luke Donald. “Obviously there is still a long way to go and many tournaments still to be played before we know the names of the final 60 players who will have qualified to take part in the DP World Tour Championship, “ says Nick Tarratt, Director of European Tour International – Dubai Office. “But it’s fair to say that the players who currently hold the top 20 places in The Race to Dubai will all be in action come November, while a host of Major winners and Ryder Cup stars are all well placed to join the line-up by the time we reach the 46th tournament of the year here in Dubai.” Tarratt adds that preparations are well underway behind the scenes to give The European Tour’s elite a fitting climax to the season. “Hospitality packages for the four days have already gone on sale with a special discount for those who book before August 15, while our volunteer recruitment drive for marshals and TV scorers continues to gather pace. General admittance tickets will once again be completely free of charge giving the public the best chance possible to watch some of the world’s greatest players in action here in Dubai in this world-class Championship.”
Plenty of drama Situated adjacent to the 18th green of the Earth course – where plenty of drama has unfolded over the past three years – the DP World Tour Championship Hospitality Pavilion is considered the premium location for spectators with gourmet catering, stunning views of the golf course and a supremely comfortable environment in which to entertain guests or simply relax with family and friends while enjoying one of golf’s truly world-class, prestigious occasions. The price for a day’s hospitality ranges from AED 2,250 per person (Thursday 22 November) to AED 2,750 (Friday 23 and Saturday 24 November) and AED 3,250 (Sunday 25 November) with a corporate package of both Thursday and Saturday (22nd and 25th November) costing AED 5,250. A season package for all four days of the tournament is also available at AED 10,250. The package includes admission to the Hospitality Pavilion and the golf course, contemporary lounge and dining facilities, breakfast and lunch buffets, live coverage of play on large HD TV screens, VIP car parking, an official event programme and a daily drawsheet plus the attention and services of a dedicated Guest Management Event Team. For further information and bookings – plus a discount of ten per cent if booking before August 15 – spectators are encouraged to contact rflores@europeantour.com. “With a spacious and well-appointed terrace overlooking the 18th green as well as a luxurious, climate controlled environment indoors, the Hospitality Pavilion is sure to be one of the best vantage points during the DP World Tour Championship,” says Tarratt.
(TOP) Justin Rose pictured with his wife Kate and children Leo and Charlotte after the South African born Englishman won the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship at Doral at the start of The Race to Dubai 2012 season. Justin missed last year's Dubai World Championship as his wife was expecting their second child. (ABOVE) Lee Westwood is presented with the inaugural Race to Dubai trophy in 2009 by George O'Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour.
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22-25 NOVEMBER, 2012 JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES
VOLUNTEERS SIGN UP
GETTING up close and personal with the best golfers in the world will be an army of more than 300 volunteers led by Chief Marshal Jenni Hoskins. “Initial invites went out to previous years’ volunteers, and it is amazing how quickly they responded,” says Hoskins. “The volunteers really love this tournament and are very eager to be part of the team again with a good 50 per cent repeat volunteers from previous years. I usually hear back from 90-95 per cent of repeat volunteers. Those who can’t make it always ask not to be forgotten and to be included for the following year.” Although the majority of volunteers
come from Dubai and throughout the UAE and the surrounding Arab states, volunteers come from far and wide to be part of the climax to The European Tour calendar. “Last year we had 37 volunteers who arrived from the UK, Europe, South Africa, the USA and Asia,” adds Hoskins. Although the event itself does not tee off until November 22, for Hoskins the coming weeks will be challenging but ultimately rewarding. “The hard work starts now. When you have 300 plus volunteers to recruit, it is all go and, once recruited, they have to be motivated with constant updates and newsletters. But we have full commitment from them and they will work hard
to get the job done to the very high standards we ask of them. During the tournament, work starts as early as 5.30am and sometimes goes on till 9.00pm when the last schedule for the next day has been posted. From then on we all run on adrenalin for the week – we literally don’t stop until the trophy is raised and the crowds have gone home. “
To learn more about becoming a volunteer for the $8 million tournament, please contact Jenni on jennih51@hotmail.com
LUCKIEST BALL ON EARTH
Chance to win Pro-Am place in the 2012 DP World Tour Championship ANOTHER way golf fans can enjoy a much more personal experience of the DP World Tour Championship is through the Luckiest Ball on Earth initiative, held as part of the Emirates Golf Federation’s (EGF) sanctioning of the tournament. The initiative is aimed at providing local golfers with a unique opportunity to play in the event’s Pro-Am to be held over the Earth course on Tuesday, November 20. Each EGF affiliated golf club in the UAE has been invited to take part in the initiative either through the September Monthly Medal or another approved individual members’ September event. Each winner will go forward to the Grand Final of
the ‘Luckiest Ball on Earth’, which will take place on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, on Monday, October 22. The winner of the Grand Final will then qualify to play alongside some of the biggest names in golf in the curtain-raising Rolex Pro-Am. “Once again we are delighted to have the support of the EGF,” adds Nick Tarratt. “We started the Luckiest Ball on Earth initiative last year and the reaction of the golfers made it easy for us to maintain it in 2012. We look forward to working closely with the EGF and finding the winner of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
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PETE COWEN PGA MASTER PROFESSIONAL
LYTHAM WIND BLEW IT WIDE OPEN
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t’s been a hectic time on the range with the lads leading up to The Open Championship but I didn’t see this one finishing in such dramatic fashion. Lee Westwood got off to a flier in the opening round, birdieing the first two holes and everyone thought it was going to go his way. But a bad break on the third which resulted in a double bogey saw Lee start to doubt himself. He wasn’t at his best going into Royal Lytham but I’d not read too much into that. His golf is in good shape but like the rest of us there are other things going on that can occupy your mind and Lee been really busy off the course. Moving house with a family can be stressful to say the least but when you are upping sticks and relocating your whole family to America there’s a lot of stuff to sort out and it have an affect, even when you’re not aware of it. Lee’s put his 55 acre mansion up for sale for £3 million in the heart of England. It’s a glorious set up, and, as you would imagine, it’s got a golf range, large leisure set-up plus two additional large houses in the grounds! With looking for a new family house in West Palm Beach in the United States and sorting out the sale of his long-standing family home in the town where he grew up, you can excuse the slight distraction going into The Open. As I say, his golf is in great shape and it won’t be long before he wins that first Major. Padraig Harrington is another player I’ve been working with and he’s so close to being back to his best but he still can’t comprehend that he’s going to hit it straight with his driver. He just can’t trust it. But he’s the first to say: “When I do trust it I never miss a shot. The problem is trying to make sure I trust it. “ Padraig had a good final round but when the wind got up on Sunday I thought Graeme and Ernie were Adam Scott’s main threat. All the papers had Tiger down as the one to watch but the first three days had very seen little wind and 40
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he’d hit that left-to-right stinger off the tee all week. He does this to safeguard against the costly big left hook with the driver. That shot means he takes the left hand side of the fairway out of play and you rarely saw him go for the driver, which shows in his driving accuracy for the week. He led the stats in driving accuracy going into the weekend but the Sunday wind made the course a tougher challenge. As some players were drawing their driver into the wind, Tiger was keeping the driver as quiet as possible. He was also battling to keep the left to right flight in play and was often left much further back than the previous days in his attempts to do so. But when you need to put pressure on the guy at the top of the leaderboard you don’t want to be left taking on pins with longer irons and bringing bunkers into play.
GMAC IN THE HUNT AGAIN! As you are aware I’ve been working closely with G-Mac for many years and for him to make the final group in two Majors this season is remarkable. Even if you were to take his US Open result out of the equation he’d still be 11th in the World Ranking, which shows how consistently he’s been playing. At the moment his confidence is on a high and he’s really enjoying it out there. But to win Majors you need a little bit of luck. It wasn’t with G-Mac on Sunday and it certainly wasn’t with Adam. Ernie was looking solid and he even left a few out there but to birdie the last closed the Gap just enough to make Adam start to think about things. Up until the last four holes Adam had been cruising along safe at the top with a four shot lead. But standing on the 18th tee he had to take those bunkers out of the equation. Get the driver out and go for the win with a birdie or play safe with an iron and get a solid par to force the play-off. A 3-wood was neither one nor the other. He’d driven well under pressure all day. Even when he bogeyed the previous holes he’d still split the
fairways. Steve Williams should have advised him to go with an iron or the driver. Steve will always be remembered for saying: “I’m a great front runner,” after the pair won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. But after being four up with four to play I don’t think he’ll be using that line again!
RYDER CUP WIDE OPEN With the final Major just weeks away and the Ryder Cup only moments after that you’ve really got to start looking at the teams and who is in form. I’ve got to admit the European team is looking rusty and the senior lads will need to start finding some form. Lee and Padraig aren’t far off; G-Mac performs well when the spotlight is on – he thrives on it – which is ideal for the Majors and Ryder Cup; Garcia has to find that missing spark; Kaymer is playing poorly; Rory’s not got going through the mid point of the season but he just needs a confidence lifter. Luke Donald is starting to drive the ball better and if he’d just found the measure of the greens at Lytham it could have been a different story – he’s that close right now. The Captain’s picks will be interesting. Even though I’ve been saying Padraig isn’t far from putting all the pieces together I don’t think he’s going to get enough points in time. Don’t ask me why but I doubt that Olazábal would opt for him as one of his picks. Having said that the senior European players need to find their form I don’t think the American players are pulling up any trees either. Both teams have a small nucleus of players – Lee, Luke, and G-Mac for Europe with Tiger, Big Phil and Hunter Mahan forming the backbone of the American team. Aside from those guys, all the other players on both sides have either one Ryder Cup to their name or they will be rookies teeing it up Medinah. It’s going to be close and interesting to see how Olazábal’s picks will strengthen the team. Q
PETE COWEN COLUMN
TIGER’S STRENGTH MEANT HE COULD KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE WITH AN IRON OFF THE TEE – BUT SUNDAY’S WIND CHANGED EVERYTHING
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JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL
SWING
It's great to see Olazábal battle back from rheumatoid polyarthritis in both feet. Like Seve, José has that Spanish flair you just can't teach. The key to his swingthough is highlighted in the sequence below, where you can see how he generates great downward pressure on the ball with his irons.
F R A M E B Y F R A M E A N A LY S I S O F S O M E O F T H E B E S T S W I N G S I N P R O F E S S I O N A L G O L F
SET UP For me his arms are a little hanging away from his body.
Some would say he's too strong in this position, but I like that for an iron and the clubface position.
Here Olazábal works it up and across his body and his right elbow sits down, which I like to see at this point in the swing. When you have a strong clubface as shown above, the legs have to be quieter as you don't want as much rotation. The outcome is highlighted in this frame as he gets under it and holds the shot off.
GREG NORMAN WORLDWIDE GOLF COLUMNIST experiences of my life. When I shot a second round 63 it tied the lowest round ever recorded in a Major. In more recent history, at Royal Birkdale in 2008 I became the oldest player ever to lead a Major after 54 holes until Tom Watson broke that record the following year here at Turnberry aged 59. I was 53 years old and slept on a two shot lead going into the final round on Sunday. It may have come as something of a surprise to some people that I played so well at Royal Birkdale but it didn’t surprise me. I ended up having to settle for a share of third place behind the eventual winner Padraig Harrington. I followed my third place finish in The Open by finishing fifth in the Senior Open at Royal Troon and then flew back to the US where I came fourth in the US Senior Open. As evidenced by my run at Royal Birkdale that year and Tom Watson’s run in 2009, the Senior players seem to be bridging the age gap more and more these days.
Some of the guys on the US Champions Tour spend more time in the gym now than they did when they were playing on the PGA Tour. I think that what Tom and I did at The Open in 2008 and 2009 really got some of them thinking – ‘if they can do it, why not me?’ It’s just a matter of time before someone comes along and breaks the record as the oldest player to win a Major Championship on the regular Tour. Senior golf is more popular than ever. The average purses are higher, the ratings are better and attendances are at an all-time high. At one point in time, Senior golf was viewed as more of an exhibition match but it has evolved hugely and become very competitive. A lot of guys go back and forth between the US Champions Tour and the PGA Tour and a growing number of players switch between the European Senior Tour and the Champions Tour. That tells you something about the quality of Senior golf. Q
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By:Danny Jakubowski - Director of instruction THE TEAM Gent: Rob Smith, Handicap 5. Has been playing golf for 35 years. Lady: Joyce Smith, Handicap 18. Has been playing golf for 6 years. Junior: Hamish Smith Age 10 Handicap 35. Has been playing golf for 3 years.
GOLF IN THE GARDEN
The Abu Dhabi Golf Club is world renowned for its National Course and all of the accolades that go with hosting a major European Tour event of the calibre of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, but what about the other 9 holes? The fully floodlit Garden 9 has become a major attraction and with continued improvements it is quickly establishing itself as a family favourite. Our hosts, the Smith family, Rob, Joyce and Hamish will take you through how they play the dogleg left par 4 22nd hole. The 22nd hole offers a true risk and reward tee shot with two bunkers and water flanking the left hand side and corner of the dogleg, an awkward approach and a slippery putt. It plays differently for the men, ladies and junior golfers as the tees and bunkering are set up to pose a fair challenge for all golfers. Let’s see how they fare! THE DRIVE: The 22nd hole for the men plays as a true risk and reward tee shot so the first order of business is planning the tee shot. After weighing up the options Rob decides that he should play slightly right of the bunkers at the corner which will leave him with a middle iron approach to the flag. This makes a birdie more difficult, but also takes a double bogey or worse out of play. Like all good golfers, Rob picks out a specific target in the distance that will aid him in playing his drive with the most conviction.
www.adgolfclub.com 48
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TUTORIAL
THE DRIVE
JOYCE elects to throw caution to the wind and take on the corner of the dogleg. Any golfer doing so drastically reduces the length of the hole, but with water and bushes awaiting a poor shot, not to mention the fairway bunkers on the left, it is easy to see why many choose to play the safe route to the right. A good drive will get Joyce into position to shoot for the flagstick, and her length gives her an advantage on this hole.
THE APPROACH
HAMISH tees it up from our Development tees. These were implemented at the start of the year to give junior and newer golfers a chance to play proper golf on a shortened course. Thankfully for Hamish he doesn’t have to worry about the bunkers and water on the left, but the rough and embankment on the right hand side of the hole will still pose a challenge. The play for Hamish is to aim down the centre of the fairway and play for a good drive. This will leave him a short approach with a wedge or 9 iron.
GREENSIDE Rob’s approach has come up just short and now he is faced with the decision of whether to chip or putt. The grain of grass is growing against the line of the shot which means that poor mechanics with the chip may cause a “chunked” or “thinned” shot. The rule of thumb here for golfers of all standards is to remember that even a poor putt will probably fare better than an average chip. Rob takes my advice and elects to putt from just off the fringe.
Hamish has left himself with a tricky downhill chip that will pick up speed once it passes the hole. He wisely (with some encouragement from myself and his parents!) chooses to play a 9 iron chip-and-run shot. This reduces the margin for error while leaving him with the easiest possible shot. For the kids at home – remember, you don’t have to always play the high floating lob shot! Rob got away with a slight pull on his tee shot and has managed to keep the ball away from the fairway bunkers but close to the left hand side. This has shortened the hole and provided him with a shot of 175yds. Rob’s strategy is to play to the centre of the green as the putt will never be more than 20 feet in length. Conservative, but practical from this range.
PUTTING
Joyce has hit an energetic drive right over the corner which has now put her in the perfect attacking position for the approach. The combination of both a fantastic drive and aggressive aim has left her with only 130yds to the green. This has shortened the hole by at least 20 yards. She now has a green light to fire at the flag!
Joyce has hit a great shot and now is left with a sidehill putt of about 15
Hamish has hit the best drive of his short young career and has actually driven it over the green! His approach will be only a short pitch from off the putting surface and will leave him with an excellent chance at birdie. Hamish has been a part of our Future Falcon Junior development programme and the short game has been predominately featured to improve scoring skills.
Rob has left his approach putt from the fringe within a comfortable 3 foot range. Statistics show that from this distance the average club golfer will make just over 70 per cent of these. Fortunately for Rob, he is a very good golfer and he has no problem tidying up to make his par. The approach putt from the fringe definitely allowed him to get close to the flag while taking the pressure off his chipping.
feet. With Hamish showing good etiquette she calmly rolls the ball towards the hole. Her ball comes to rest agonisingly close but still finishes short. TIP: When practicing putts on the putting green, try to put a premium on finishing past the hole if the ball does not go in. As they say, “never up, never in!” Professional golfers very rarely make this mistake often. How often do we? Joyce nonetheless taps in for a very conventional par and the risk of taking the tee shot over the bunkers has definitely paid off. Now the moment we have been waiting for: Hamish has hit an excellent chip to within 6 feet but can he roll in the putt for a birdie! Following his Future Falcon training he purposely lines up his ball, takes a methodical practice stroke and boom the ball topples in for a 3! Bragging rights in the Smith family tonight belong to Hamish.
THE 22ND HOLE ON THE GARDEN 9 AT ABU DHABI GOLF CLUB PROVED TO BE NO MATCH FOR THE GOLFING ABILITY OF THE SMITH FAMILY. GOOD PLANNING AND SHORT GAME EXECUTION WAS CRUCIAL FOR THEIR SCORE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT IS GREAT THAT GOLF CAN BE PLAYED AND ENJOYED SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. COME AND TRY THE FLOODLIT NIGHT GOLF ON OUR GARDEN 9 AND SEE IF YOU CAN TAME THE 22ND HOLE LIKE THE SMITHS DID!
PLANET GOLF
PRINCE OF THE LINKS P
rinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golf Club is the ideal destination for links fanatics who can be playing on this historic 27 hole championship course within two hoursâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; drive of central London. Princeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golf Club, host to the 1932 Open Championship won by Gene Sarazen, is situated on the strip of land, between the towns of Sandwich and Deal on the English Channel. Along with Royal Cinque Ports and Royal St. Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Princeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is one of only three courses in Southern England to have hosted The Open Championship. Princeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boast three loops of 9 holes; The Shore, The Dunes and The Himalayas, each of which has seen substantial investment and redevelopment over the past three years under the stewardship of internationally-renowned golf course management and agronomy specialists, Troon Golf and European Golf Design, the Golf Course Design Company of The European Tour and IMG. In less than three winters additional bunkers have been added, new championship tees created, past design features bought back in to play as well as the mammoth challenge of revetting all 97 bunkers across the facility, including the now famous Sarazen Bunker, opened by three-times Major winner Padraig Harrington, in memory of the late grand slammer Gene Sarazen. The Shore and Dunes courses were used in 2011 as the Local Final Qualifying Course for The Open Championship, and will again co-host The Amateur Championship in 2013. The addition to Princeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golf Club, The Lodge at Princeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, which opened in May 2012, is a XQLTXH JROĂ&#x20AC;QJ DQG IXQFWLRQ YHQXH RQ WKH 6RXWK East Coast. With its two adjoining Lodge Houses,
it has 38 bedrooms, all with en-suite facilities and stunning views across the courses or the Bay of Sandwich and beyond to the White Cliffs at Ramsgate. Coupled with a Lounge, Bar, Terrace, Gymnasium and Snooker room, The Lodge also offers a modern, contemporary dining experience in The Brasserie on The Bay, where the emphasis is placed on local Kentish produce with attention to service and quality. At the entrance of Princeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, The Lodge has EHGURRPV DFURVV WZR Ă RRUV HDFK ZLWK FOXE storage and tea making facilities plus a further two doubled-bedded suites. The Links and Bay suites provide a more lavish experience with each decorated in a contemporary style. The Links suite offers fantastic views across the courses with additional private dining and lounge facilities whilst The Bay looks out over the Bay
of Sandwich. The Lodge Houses have a further 12 two-bedroom Apartments, perfectly suited to groups and societies for up to four people sharing. Each Apartment has a well-appointed lounge with panoramic views, an area for club storage and battery charging. The en-suite apartments are ideal for those who wish to experience the joys of links golf or for those who wish to sample a tuition break at The Links Academy, a purpose-built school teaching all aspects of the game, but most importantly the challenges of links golf. With a fully equipped TrueStrike driving range, the Links Academy offers packages for Golf accommodation and tuition, where PGA Professional coaches are always on hand to offer expert advice. Contact Princeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golf Club and The Lodge DW 3ULQFH¡V RIĂ&#x20AC;FH# princesgolfclub.co.uk; www.princesgolfclub.co.uk www.wwgolf.biz
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TUTORIAL
GETTING YOUR CHILD STARTED IN GOLF?
By: Stephen Deane , Head Academy Professional Emirates Golf Club
THE MIYAWAKI FAMILY ARE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A FAMILY WHO LOVE TO PLAY GOLF AND WHO HAVE INTRODUCED THEIR CHILDREN TO THE GAME IN THE PROPER WAY. THEIR SON, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB ACADEMY STUDENT TAKUMI MIYAWAKI, IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A JUNIOR WHO WAS INTRODUCED TO THE GAME THROUGH HIS PARENTS AND WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THE DELIGHTS OF THIS WONDERFUL GAME.
HERE are some helpful tips on how to attract your youngsters to play the game of golf “for a lifetime.” You, the parent, are the person who must provide access and offer encouragement to your children. One of the keys to getting your child interested in golf is finding a programme that they enjoy participating in. Select a programme that nurtures their interest while at the same time provides an activity that is fun. HERE at The Academy at the Emirates Golf Club we run a successful Junior Pyramid Programme which offers a structured method of learning in a fun environment. One advantage of utilising such a programme is the social interaction that your child experiences with the other participants. During the regular programme tournaments, the juniors learn that golf is a social game played by rules of conduct and with proper etiquette.
A visit to the driving range where you and your child can spend time together is an excellent way to get started. Invite some of your child’s friends along so that they associate golf with fun. Unless you are qualified to teach, don’t worry too much about instructing your child. Just make sure that he or she gets an opportunity to hit some balls and enjoy the exercise.
Creating Champions with The Academy at Emirates Golf Club 1DFHRSQ@SHNM HR MNV NODM ENQ SGD MDWS ITMHNQ KDRRNM RDQHDR @S $LHQ@SDR &NKE "KTA 52
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Once a strong foundation has been developed, a visit to your local course or Par 3 course is warranted. Whenever possible, try to play in non-peak hours so that your child is not subject to the pressures of pace of play requirements of a busy facility with other groups of golfers playing immediately behind them.
Children learn by imitation, so encourage them to watch a PGA or LPGA event on TV. If you should have a Tour event in your local area such as The Omega Dubai Desert Classic go to the course and watch in person. The crowds and the excitement of watching at ďŹ rst hand big time golf are great magnets for a young personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imagination.
For advanced juniors who show an interest, junior tournaments are a great way to test their skills. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that participation in tournaments is the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea. Access and encouragement are two important things that parents can provide for their children to help them learn and enjoy golf. Takumi pictured right representing The Academyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Elite squad during regular matches against the U.A.E. Development squad.
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Spend a Day at the Club This summer spend the day at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. Book your round on the 18 hole championship course and receive a host of additional benefits! Enjoy a day at the club for AED 325 from Sunday to Thursday and AED 375 on weekends and public holidays between 1st June and 30th September, inclusive of: • • • •
18 holes on the championship course with range balls and cart hire Sandwich or snack at LakeView before or after your round Ice cream at LakeView or the Pool Bar Complimentary pool access for the player and a guest on the day of play
Bookings are subject to availability and must be made in advance.
For reservations please contact T +971 4 380 1234 Email golfbooking@dubaigolf.com dubaigolf.com
A R A B I A N
LOCALNEWS
HOLE IN ONE JOY AS THE TRACK WELCOMES ITS FIRST
Season ending junior event a success
THE Emirates Golf Club Academy recently hosted its end of season match against the U.A.E National Development team at the Emirates Golf Club to mark the end of a successful season of competitive play. Both teams coaches Stephen Deane (The Academy) and Jason Froggatt (U.A.E Development) were proud of their students’ performances and were delighted to see how both teams have developed throughout the season. “They have enjoyed the competiveness of every match as well as the camaraderie between the teams,” said Froggatt. “This is something we hope will continue to grow as the new season gets under way in September.”
LOCAL golfer Karl Ormerod has hit the historic first ever hole-in-one at The Track – Meydan Golf’s new pay-and-play course. Englishman Ormerod has been a regular golfer for more than 20 years and admits to coming agonisingly close to an ace on several occasions at courses both the UAE and abroad, but in June his golfing dream came true as he struck the perfect 8-iron which cruised through the air on the 156yard par-3 sixth hole, hit the pin and settled nicely in the hole. Typically, Karl waited until he actually saw the ball in the hole before celebrating with his playing partners. Karl has been rewarded for
his achievement with a place in the Emirates NBD Pro Am team at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters which is being held at Emirates Golf Club in midDecember. “The Track is a massively challenging course,” said Karl. “Hitting my first ever hole-in-one there was a very sweet moment indeed and now I get to take part in a brilliant Pro Am which is the icing on the cake.” It took 24 days for the first hole-in-one at The Track which has become one of the most popular courses in the UAE since it opened next to the famous Meydan racecourse.
Karl Omerood (right) is congratulated by James Leeman of The Track, Meydan.
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JOEL NEALE WWGPLAYINGEDITOR
A
t the recent Press Conference for the 2012 MENA (Middle East & North Africa) Tour, it was announced that the new schedule will include two additional tournaments on the calendar this year. The Tour has been extended to include Saudi Arabia’s Dirab Golf and Country Club and another additional tournament in Dubai at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, host of the 1999 and 2000 Dubai Desert Classic. As the MENA Tour has now grown from four events in 2011 to six events this year, it is also great to hear that the total purse for the Tour has been increased by $100,000, taking the combined prize fund to $325,000. This will give players like myself, a much greater opportunity to showcase our talent both from the region and as far afield as Europe, Asia and Australasia. The Tour was such a huge success last year that we can only expect a higher level of competition and interest for the 2012 season and will hopefully be used as a platform to other mainstream events such as the Asian and European Challenge Tour. It’s very encouraging that this new initiative by the Sheikh Maktoum Golf Foundation is taking the MENA Tour is further afield beyond the UAE into Saudi Arabia and I think that it’s only a matter of time before we see the likes of Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Morocco coming into the Tour. The top three professionals and the leading amateur on their respective Orders of Merit will be invited to compete in the 2013 Omega Dubai Desert Classic in continuation of the Tour’s policy to substantially enhance the careers of its members. The way that the Tour has been organised, with six tournaments back-toback, is a big help with travel expenses enabling players to make one trip for the six weeks instead of multiple trips which adds to the costs. This can be a huge limiting factor for players, especially those travelling from further afield. Almost everyone I spoke to and played with last year gave positive feedback about the way that the MENA Tour had been organised with back-to-back events. This made it possible for the players to commit to all four tournaments last year. At the end of the series they all said, “see you next year.” That means we’re going to have more entries and a higher level of competition this year!! Life on the MENA Tour for myself and 56
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GET SET FOR THE MENA TOUR 2012
The 2012 MENA Golf Tour Schedule: September 24 to 26 Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Open October 1 to 3 Abu Dhabi Golf Citizen Open at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club October 8 to 10 Dirab Golf and Country Club, Saudi Arabia October 15 to 17 Ras Al Khaimah Classic at Tower Links Golf Club
October 22 to 24 Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open at Al Badia Golf Club October 29 to 31 MENA Tour Championship at Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club
others from the region is fantastic. We regard it as our ‘home Tour’ by virtue of it being on our doorstep and immediately cuts our travel and hotel expenses down to a manageable amount. It feels great to be competing at an international standard in an environment where we learned the game. I Just can’t wait for September 23rd to come around!
GOLFING IN THE HEAT IT’S that time of year again when most of you put the sticks away for a couple of months to collect cobwebs whilst escaping the summer humidity and intense heat. I would have to agree with most of you in saying it’s energy sapping and insane to be out there between the hours of 11.00am-2.00pm. However, with increased daylight hours and reduced working hours it’s a no brainer when so many golf clubs introduce reduced green fees and it’s more than tempting to grind it out for the brave hearted! For those willing to travel outside of Dubai up the coast to Abu Dhabi the Yas Links Golf Club have introduced a “Summer Passport” loyalty scheme, which rewards repeated use by, in most cases, discounting repeat play or offers for dining experiences. The
Yas Links Summer Passport offers incentives for weekday and weekend play on both the Links course and the floodlit Par 3 Academy course with green fees starting from 50AED per player. Repeat golf can be played on the Links at 199AED a round whilst weekend incentives net down to 257.50AED per round. Not wishing the coaching staff to have a quiet summer the Yas Links Academy again has some amazing offers with 30-minute lessons netting down to 112.50AED a lesson. Another destination for those who are based in Dubai and use convenience as an excuse, The Track at Meydan, a city golf course just 7 minutes from the Dubai Mall also has some very hot summer packages to take advantage of. Renowned golf course architect Peter Harradine, has created a unique 9 hole course that stretches over 3,700 yards from the back tees and works its way between a series of lakes, which come into play on several approaches. The city location offers wonderful views of the Dubai Skyline and the Iconic Meydan Racecourse. The summer rates start at 195AED for 18 holes night golf, 245AED Sun-Thurs and 295AED Fri & Sat. Plenty of deals out there this summer, guys, so no excuses!
golf in DUBAi
MICHELLE WIE CONFIRMED FOR 2012 OMEGA DUBAI LADIES MASTERS Michelle Wie has signed up with ‘golf in DUBAi’ to play in this year’s Omega Dubai ladies Masters, to be held under the patronage of hRh Princess haya Bint Al hussein, at the emirates Golf club. One of the world’s most popular athletes, Wie will be making her fourth successive appearance in the season-ending ladies european Tour event where her best finish has been a creditable second to fellow lPGA star in-Kyung Kim of South Korea on her debut in 2009. The 22-year-old hawaiian, who needed to juggle a career on the lPGA Tour with the demands of pursuing a college degree at Stanford University, in the United States, racked up a tied fifth with a bogey-free 67 in the final round in 2010, and last year she tied for 12th on five under 283. Now that she has officially graduated with a degree in communications from the prestigious university, Wie is looking forward to ending a roller-coaster year on a high. “Obviously, my goal is to win the tournament. For that to happen, i need to be on top of my game because the organisers, ‘golf in Dubai’ always assemble a very strong, world-class field each year,” she said ahead of the €500,000 (Dh 2.7 million) tournament, promoted and organised by golf in DUBAi. “i’m practicing really hard, but i can’t really control all of it. What i can do is to have fun out there and just play the best i can,” said Wie, who is an impressive 25-under-par for the 12 rounds she has played at the Majlis course at emirates Golf
club. The course is just great. i will concentrate on hitting fairways and greens, giving myself some birdie opportunities and keeping it in play. i never give up on myself,” said Wie, who is also a brand ambassador for Omega, the title sponsors of the Dubai ladies Masters. “it’s so much fun to be in Dubai. There is always something new to look for, always something
new to try. it’s such an interesting place, it’s so mesmerizing. i’m really happy to be playing in the tournament alongside so many highlycompetitive ladies european Tour players,” said Wie, who boasts two victories – the 2009 lorena Ochoa invitational and the 2010 cN canadian Women’s Open -- and numerous top-10 finishes since joining the lPGA Tour in 2009.
GOLF CITIZEN PROVIDES CONVENIENCE TO EGF MEMBERS
Mohamed Juma Buamaim, vice chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi, with Adel Zarouni, secretary-general of the EGF
MeMBeRS of the emirates Golf Federation (eGF) booking golf rounds through the GOlF ciTiZeN network can avail themselves of all privileges, including special green fee rates, they are entitled to. All major courses in the UAE are part of the fast-expanding network of GOLF CITIZEN and more are being added to its portfolio from Thailand and Vietnam, making it one of the most comprehensive worldwide golf reservation websites. Launched by ‘golf in DUBAi’ last year, the website (golfcitizen.com) aims at promoting golf courses on its network, especially in the UAE, and realising the country’s tremendous golf tourism potential. “We are encouraging members of the EGF to book rounds through the GOLF CITIZEN network as part of our drive to collectively promote all the clubs,” said Mohamed Juma Buamaim, Vice Chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi. “The members can sign up to become a ‘GOLF CITIZEN’ for free and book rounds at courses of their choice. Being EGF members, they will still be entitled to special rates at all courses in the UAE. Like any GOLF CITIZEN, they can easily browse the site and all the options available are easily found with just a click or two,” he added “With online payment and email confirmations, they can enjoy a seamless booking process, but the biggest advantage is that they can book multiple tee times in one go,” he added. Adel Zarouni, Secretary-General of the EGF which has more than 6,000 active members, praised golf in DUBAi for their new initiative, saying: “GOLF CITIZEN could play a role in increasing golf’s popularity and accessibility in the UAE. “I think with so many tee time options available for golfers, the popularity of the site across the internet will increase considerably as time goes on,” he said. “We have so many golf courses of international standards in the UAE, but we needed something of a centralised reservation system to try and package the growing golfing profile of the UAE to the world. I think in GOLF CITIZEN, we have found the answer.” www.wwgolf.biz
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DIRAB GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
CONTACT: Tel : +966 1 812 6671 Email: info@dirabgolf.com
www.dirabgolf.com
Dirab Golf & Country Club set to host MENA Tour event Dirab Golf & Country Club, the only grassed 18-hole Par-72 PGA approved championship golf course, will play host to the third event on the 2012 MENA Tour from October 7-10. Located 45 kms south west of Riyadh City and nestled in the picturesque Tawiq valley, the club features lush tree-lined fairways and perfectly manicured greens. With amazing grass formations and thousands of plants, trees surrounded with desert and mountains, Dirab Golf & Country Club attracts people who enjoy an active and fulfilling lifestyle. The club’s aim is to satisfy golfers, even those with the most discriminating tastes. It has lush, tree-lined fairways, meticulously manicured greens and excellent practice facilities. The 9-holes are floodlit enabling play after sundown allowing golfers to play after work and in the cooler hours of the evening. In Saudi Arabia, like everywhere else in the world, golf is increasing in popularity. Dirab Golf & Country Club offers both Saudi nationals and the large expatriate population the opportunity to both learn and play this fascinating game. Dirab Golf & Country Club is firmly established on the golf map in the Gulf region having hosted tournaments ranging from the 1st National Amateur Championship, 10th Annual GCC Golf Championship, BMW World Qualifier Tournament as well as Dirab Pro-Am Golf Tournament and most recently the
28th Pan Arab Championship. Not only is Dirab Golf & Country Club a place for golf, but also offers a plethora of leisure activities, including horse riding, swimming, tennis and a 5,000 acre farm suitable for camping out under the amazing desert sky. In an area known for its exclusive golfing facilities, Dirab Golf offers a 9-hole course with a reputation for playability and hospitality. It is a comfortable, easily walked course that is lush with greens. An excellent par 27 course to exercise your irons, become comfortable with golf whilst still challenging your shots. The Dirab Golf & Country Club Pro shop offers the hottest innovations in the golf industry. The latest and best fashion in golf apparel and accessories are available in stock. The Pro shop is operated by friendly and knowledgeable staff who can help you find the right equipment for the game-whether you’re a beginner or a pro. The latest models of drivers, irons, putters, wedges, gloves, shoes, bags, carts, balls and clothing are ready and available anytime. The Clubhouse is located at the heart of Dirab Golf Course offering cuisine by French Corner Restaurant. It has a lounge area with satellite TV for relaxation allowing golf enthusiasts to relax before or after their game, with Satellite channels updating sports enthusiasts. With fine views of the 10th and 18th Holes, putting green and driving range from both the lounge and dining area, provides entertainment as you watch the agony and ecstasy. The dining room is convivial – good food, refreshing drinks and friendly staff awaits its clients.
golf in DUBAi
Mohamed Juma Buamaim, Vice Chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi, shakes hands with Ahmed Marjan as Chris May, General Manager of Dubai Golf; Adrian Flaherty, General Manager of golf in DUBAi,; and teaching golf professionals Alan Gregson-Walters and Alan Walters look on at the Emirates Golf Club
GOLF SCHOLARSHIP FOR MOROCCAN PRODIGY
AhMeD MARjAN is currently undergoing an intensive training programme in Dubai to hone his competitive skills as part of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation’s ambitious drive to discover, develop and promote Arab talent. The Moroccan prodigy, who showed glimpses of his precocious talent when he topped the inaugural MENA Golf Tour’s Order of Merit standings for amateurs last year, is in no hurry to turn professional, but believes the strenuous training stint in Dubai will help mould him into a better player. “My immediate goal is to try and better my performances in the forthcoming MENA Golf Tour and, hopefully, match the scores of the professionals in the field. For that to happen I need to train harder and stay focused,” said the 18-year-old who plays off an impressive plus three handicap. “I am grateful to the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation for providing me with this opportunity to train under the tutelage of professional coaches at the Emirates Golf Club. Opportunities like this one don’t come knocking on your door every day and I will try and make the most of it. “Their gesture will also motivate other emerging Arab players to work hard if their aim is to make a career out of golf,” said Marjan who topped the MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit table with 127 points, well ahead of Daniel Owen of England (105) and Mustapha El Maouas (94), also of Morocco.
six-month scholarship In recognition of Marjan’s efforts, the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, which was set up under the auspices of golf in DUBAi in 2006, has awarded him a six-month scholarship to brush up his game in Dubai. The Emirates Golf Club’s coaching staff have specially designed a programme for Marjan which will cover every aspect of the game, ranging from technique to swing strength and physical fitness. “We welcome Ahmed to the Emirates Golf Club and our expert coaches will ensure he gets the best possible training to develop his skills,” said Chris May, General Manger Dubai Golf which cover the Creek, the Faldo course and the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club, the home of the flagship Omega Dubai Desert Classic and the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters events. Mohamed Juma Buamaim, Vice Chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi, said: “The emergence of Ahmed on the golfing scene speaks volumes of the development and growth of the game in Morocco which also boasts their own tour. Ahmed’s performance in the MENA Golf Tour shows he certainly has the potential to become a better golfer. More importantly, he has the desire and the eagerness to improve. The scholarship to Ahmed is part of our commitment to continually identify and nurture the talented Arab youth with the aim of producing a future generation of champions. Besides undergoing advanced golf training, Ahmed will also join English coaching classes to brush up his communications skills so that he feels at ease when interacting with players from different countries. “There is a huge amount of talent in the region. All they need is a competitive environment to take their game to the next level. The MENA Golf Tour, which we started last year, aims to realise that strong potential of growth in the region,” he added. “The scholarship to Ahmed underlines the bond of brotherhood that we share with the Moroccan Golf Federation and is a tribute to their initiatives in promoting the game among the juniors, in particular.”
Frank Bernthaler, Director, Sales and Marketing, MercedesBenz Cars Middle East & Levant, shakes hands with Adrian Flaherty, Commissioner, MENA Golf Tour, after signing the sponsorship agreement in Dubai.
MERCEDES-BENZ DRIVES MENA GOLF TOUR FORWARD MERCEDES-BENZ will be the Official Car Sponsor of the forthcoming MENA Golf Tour for a second consecutive year, a growing partnership that reiterates the shared commitment to drive the game forward in the region. The oldest automotive brand in the world will line-up a luxury fleet of latest Mercedes models to ferry players and officials to and from the venues under the terms of the agreement which will also see them make a significant on-site presence. One of the major sporting highlights of the region, the second edition of the MENA Golf Tour will have six events on its expanded schedule which, for the first time, includes a stop at Dirab Golf Course in Saudi Arabia. “Our association with the MENA Golf Tour demonstrates our support to the sporting community in the region and is very much part of our drive to promote the close ties between the sport of golf and Mercedes-Benz,” said Frank Bernthaler, Director, Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East & Levant. www.wwgolf.biz
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local scene
Mike Gallemore talks to Jay Varkey and asks why turning pro was never an option for him
Reach foR the sky
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F Alvaro Quiros is the Big Gun of The European Tour then Jay Varkey is the Mighty Howitzer of the amateur game in the Middle East. The two big hitters have played together on a number of occasions and they share the same philosophy on how to play the game: Just go for your shots and enjoy the experience. Jay Varkey has a simple approach to golf: “I’m a grip it and rip it guy who plays for fun and takes great delight in trying to hit the ball further than anyone else,” he says. “I’m a great fan of Alvaro. He plays golf the way I like to play – with a smile on his face. Playing golf is meant to be all about enjoyment and there’s nothing I enjoy more than to outdrive my playing partners by as long a distance as I can. “It’s tougher for Alvaro because golf is his livelihood but the great thing about him is that although it’s serious golf, he’s still playing because he loves the game. “When we played in Abdullah Al Naboodah’s Invitational at the Creek in 2009, Alvaro hit a few past me, then I hit a few past him it and we went on like that throughout the round. It was hilarious. It was all good fun and we enjoyed every minute of it. “My playing partner in the pro/amateur pairs was Ross Fisher, who is one of the bigger hitters on The European Tour, and I was outdriving him by about 40 or 50 yards on many of the holes. “The Invitational is a great tournament. The atmosphere is always so relaxed and friendly,
“My driving is good, but it doesn’t always go where it’s supposed to go, and My putting is sound enough. but My chipping is horrendous, i will definitely have the yips when i’M older. i have already started practising 50 and 60 yard putts froM the rough.” – Jay varkey although the Tour players and the amateurs are all trying to win. “I love the challenge of driving the ball as far as I can. The longest drive I’ve ever hit was 430 yards playing at Royal St. George’s in Kent, England, in an ‘Old School Boys’ event. My foursomes partner used his putter for his second. Recently I was playing the Creek and John Fellingham challenged me to drive the sixth green. It was a 350 yard carry but I managed to knock it on.” Jay considered the idea of playing professionally but ultimately decided that he didn’t have the all-round game to make a success of it, or the dedication required. “You don’t have to be big to hit the ball long, it’s all about technique,” he says. “It’s not size that really matters. My brother Dino is the
perfect example of that. He’s not big but he hits it a long way. “I used to play water polo when I was in my teens. You’ve to be fit to play that sport. It’s good for your core strength and your upper body strength. I also used to work out a lot in the gym so I’ve always been quite strong. “Before I left Dubai to go to school in the UK, at Winchester College, and then University at Edinburgh, I had lessons at the Creek with Steve Holden, Gary McGlinchy, Scott Kirkwood, Paul Lightbody and, more recently, Mark Walters. It gave me a good grounding and a lot of confidence for playing in the UK. I remember playing in Boys Opens across Scotland. The standard was phenomenal. I was the oldest boy in my group so I was relatively successful and enjoyed playing for www.wwgolf.biz
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local scene
Jay Varkey BIG-HITTERS: Alvaro Quiros and Jay Varkey playing in The Invitational Hosted by Abdullah Al Naboodah at the Creek Golf & Yacht Club.
“I’m a great fan of Alvaro. He plays golf the way I like to play – with a smile on his face. It’s tougher for Alvaro because golf is his livelihood but the great thing about him is that although it’s serious golf, he’s still playing because he loves the game. When we played together we were both out-hitting each other. It was hilarious.” – JAY VARKEY
“education is a very rewarding business to be in – Just as rewarding as hitting a 400 yard drive as straight as an arrow.” the team while I was at university in Edinburgh. Richie Ramsay, Jamie McLeary, Gordon Yates, Lloyd Saltman, Danny Lee and John Gallagher were some of the players I was up against. “I also went to university in California at one point and came to the same conclusion – ‘these guys are just too good for me.’ I knew that I wasn’t up to playing the Pro game but I’ve got no regrets. Golf is a great game. It teaches you so many things and I enjoy everything about it, including the social side of golf. It’s a great way of getting to know people. “When I was 10 years old, I started playing the game. I won the Creek Open when I was 17 – I was 6-under going down the last, 12 shots ahead of the field, and managed to finish with a triple bogey. “My driving is good, but it doesn’t always go where it’s supposed to go, and my putting is sound enough. But my chipping is horrendous, I will definitely have the yips when I’m older. I
have already started practising 50 and 60 yard putts from the rough. “I really got into golf through my brother, Dino. He’s four years older than me and he’s a proper golfer. I wanted to play golf just so I could play with him. He’s not a big guy but he hits it 285-290 yards and sometimes over 300 yards. He’s what I’d call a classic golfer with a great allround game. Actually, I guess his putting could do with a bit of work. I love to play with Dino but not against him. We always make a point of not playing against each other. “We make a good team. My dad tried golf but he just couldn’t spare the time to play enough, due to the demands of the business. Our business is education – GEMS Education. We all work in the family business and it’s very rewarding. “Our first school was started by my grandfather in 1968 and then my father took over in 1978. He has done a fantastic job in expanding our work
in the education sector worldwide. Today, we have schools in the UK, India, China, and the USA. We have over 80,000 students in the UAE alone and a waiting list of more than 12,000. “We maintain a high quality of education no matter what the fee point and all our schools are multicultural. We’ve been lucky that the global recession has not affected our business. The requirements for education are more important now than ever before. We’re fortunate that our company has the knowledge and capacity to establish great schools very quickly so that we can provide this vital service to any community in the world. As I said before,education is a very rewarding business to be in – just as rewarding as hitting a 400 yard drive as straight as an arrow.” In the same way that the professional game needs characters with the personality and the humour to interact with players and fans alike, the amateur game needs individuals like Jay Varkey, and his brother Dino, who play the game for fun with a broad smile on their face. n www.wwgolf.biz
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I’ve had the pleasure of looking after Jay’s swing for the last 15 years and he is certainly one of the most gifted strikers of the ball you will ever see. Golfers from far and wide often ask me if I’ve heard of Jay Varkey and like to recount the stories of his big-hitting feats and the amazing shots he’s played. There are many things you can learn from watching Jay’s swing but the greatest benefit is to see just how much he enjoys hitting the ball and simply playing golf – whether his game is on or not. Jay uses his flexibility and power to the maximum and he can’t help himself in that he always has to strive to hit it out there further and further. It’s a case of power first and accuracy second. When it all comes together it’s great to watch!
SWING ANALYSIS BY
Mark GreGson -walters
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2 Jay works his upper body against a stable lower base, maximising the potential torque right from the start.
Jay displays a really natural dynamic set up.
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3 Shoulders continue to turn against the lower body with enough power and speed to allow the arms and wrist to travel along without the need to move across independently and lose width. Into a great release position Jay, even at this point, shows that the arms are in front of the body, so the body speed has constantly been the driving force all the way through to this point. Very impressive.
Jay now uses his stabilising strength to its maximum, driving down against it with no hint of moving laterally . From the top there is no rush to swing towards the ball. Perfect transition is the key power move to maximise shaft load on the downswing, creating loads of room for the arms to swing freely into frame 8 where he lets rip!
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BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
LOCAL GAME WITH JAY VARKEY
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This is where the first signs of Jay’s good or bad shots show. The wrist only now starts to cock but the line of the shoulder, elbow and wrist is perfectly correct here setting into his stable right shoulder up to frame 6. It’s a classic, neat-looking finish, balanced even after a 340+yard drive. Not bad for a Businessman!
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Call UAE: 800 4333; Bahrain: +973 17349199; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 800 244 2222; Kuwait: 222 64 222; Jordan: 06 593 1966 to find out more.
EmiratEs Golf Club www.dubaigolf.com
ContaCt: Tel : +971 4 380 2222
EmiratesGolfClub
Al Musharrekh wins on the Majlis Again JUST six weeks on from his win in the Black Tee Challenge, Ahmed Al Musharrekh impressed once again over the Majlis course with a fine gross 69 to win the Emirates Summer Open supported by Titleist, Ping and Footjoy. Having won the title in 2011 it was evident early on that he was keen to defend his title as he birdied the opening three holes. He dropped his first shot of the day on the demanding 166-yard par-3 fourth hole but bounced back with another birdie on the fifth. A second bogey on the ninth saw him to the turn in 33 strokes, 2-under par. Further birdies followed on holes 10 and 14 but a bogey on the 15th pegged him back. He then closed with solid pars to seal a three-stroke win over his National Team colleague Khalid Yousuf Azoulay in third with a 73. The net category was keenly contested as Choon Park, who had a hole-in-one at the 11th on his way to a net 66, won a nervy countback with Phillip Wooler while Alan Salem also took route 66 to win Division ‘B’ with Ian Ellis second with a 67.
David stevenson of Prosports presents ahmed al musharrekh with his prize for winning the Emirates summer open.
HutcHinson delivers in tnt tropHy TONY Hutchinson delivered a fantastic display over the Majlis to triumph in the TNT Trophy and join 11 other qualifiers from EGC in the Grand Final to be staged at Yas Links Abu Dhabi on October 5. Hutchinson carded 42 points to win by five from Janine Craig, Club Captain Mike Sim and Jignesh Sangani. Craig took second place outright thanks to her 21 points on the inward half while Sim edged out Sangani for third place finish with a better back six tally.
The other eight qualifiers from the 104-strong field are Alan Salem, Kuttan Malattiri, Paul Byrne, Vijay Devnani, Keith Prosser, Aaron Loats, Yasser Refai and Jon Phillips. Qualifiers will compete against the other 83 finalists from the region in the Grand final which will be followed by a Gala dinner and a night’s stay in Abu Dhabi. The three winners from the Grand Final will represent TNT in the Dubai World Championship Pro-Am on the Earth course in November.
The TNT Trophy qualifiers continue after the summer at the following locations: Jumeirah Golf Estates (Fire course) Arabian Ranches The Address Montgomerie Dubai
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September 7 September 21 September 28
tripathi and Hesson impress in July Medal ON one of the hottest and most humid days of the summer Dalip Tripathi and Eddie Hesson shone in the July BMW Rivoli Monthly Medal. Tripathi, the reigning singles Match Play Champion, produced a remarkable performance to return a net
67 and win Division ‘A’ by two strokes from Eric Koeman while Hesson fired a gross 72 for a net 71 to win both the Gross prize and third place in Division ‘A’. Hiromasa Tsuji took top prize in Division ‘B’ following his net 73, two clear of Madhav Nair with Alex Wonyop taking third.
Salem wins the Summer Series Opener ALAN Salem continued his excellent run of form with victory in the first fixture of the Dubai Golf Summer Series supported by Footjoy. Salem, who is a member at The Montgomerie and Emirates Golf Club, fired a blistering 43 points over the Majlis course from a gross 78. His consistent card included birdies on the 11th and 13th and if it wasn’t for a triple bogey on the par-4 16th it would have been an even more impressive tally. On a day of low scoring over the
Karl Litten designed course, Jai Bhalla and George Fitchet signed for 42 points, 6-under-par, and it was Fitchet who took second place with a better back nine. The ladies section was also a tight contest with the Desai sisters, Shloka and Aashaka, both carding 36 points. However, it was Shloka who took the prize following her 16 points on the inward half. Tony Azoulay followed his third place finish in the Summer Open by clinching best gross of the day with a level par 72.
Alan Salem collects his prize for winning the first event in the Dubai Golf Summer series from barney Coleman.
sangani stars in tournament of champions THE season-ending Tournament of Champions witnessed all the winners from the season come together in a strokeplay format and Jignesh Sangani took a starring role by carding a victorious net 69. Rabih Sfeila and Kuttan Malattiri both carded 1-under-par rounds of 71 but it was Sfeila’s better back nine that
handed him the runners-up position while Vikram Judge produced an excellent performance and took the best gross of the day with a 71. Scott Doak and Ewan Cameron clinched the doubles Match Play title for the second time with a 2&1 triumph over brothers Mark and Paul Donovan.
Janine craig triuMpHs in tournaMent of cHaMpions ON a day of low scoring around the Majlis course it was Janine Craig who took the end-of-season Tournament of Champions honours with an awesome net 60. Viv Caley and Naima Maya both had net 69s, with Caley taking the runner-up spot on a countback while junior member Kavita Sehmi secured the overall gross prize with a 76. For those members who hadn’t qualified for the Tournament of Champions a Stableford competition took place with Thea Hendrickx carding 37 points to win the Silver Division with Natalya Sobotovych carding 39 points to take the Bronze Division.
Janine Craig collects the trophy from lady Captain Caroline Jones.
Jones and Hendrickx combine to win the Blind partners competition LADY Captain Caroline Jones and Thea Hendrickx combined nicely around the Majlis to score 77 points and win the Blind Partners Competition recently. The format saw the players play their own Stableford game and then after play their score was combined
with a blind/unknown player to form a pair. The fight for second place saw two teams score 74 points and it was the duo of Najla Bartette and Ingrid Sjodoff who took the spot on a countback from Noemy Bertuol and Maura Duggan.
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Dubai Creek Golf & YaCht Club www.dubaigolf.com
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ContaCt: Tel : +971 4 295 6000 e-mail: dcgyc@dubai.com
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Kumar crowned the Omega Match Play Champion THANKS to a display of superb consistency Ashok Kumar downed Mark Irwin 2&1 in the final of the Dubai Creek Omega Match Play Championship to win the biggest title of his golfing life. “I’m so happy that I beat Mark,” he said. “Now I finally have my name on the Champion’s Board in the clubhouse – it’s a real honour.” The Men’s Doubles event produced some exciting battles throughout and it was the newly formed pair of Jean Hendrickx and Parth Goel who
took the honours ahead of the family duo of Farad Lakdawala and his son, the Men’s Club Champion, Bayhaan. In the Men’s Scratch Match Play John Fellingham and Paul King booked their places in the final with comfortable performances in the quarter and semi-final stages and finishing the championship in the strongest fashion was King who proudly hoisted the trophy after their 18-hole final. Vanessa North won the Ladies Match Play title
for the fourth time as she downed the in-form Naeme Maya in the final. “It really has been a wonderful season with some great battles taking place,” said Head Professional Stephen Hubner. “ Well done to all the winners on their fantastic performances and a huge thank you as always to Omega for their wonderful support. We are already looking forward to next season’s tournaments.”
Chiarentin secures the DDF Open THREE past champions were in the field at the 20th edition of the Dubai Duty Free Golf Open but it was Marino Chiarentin who emerged victorious thanks to a superb Stableford haul of 41 points. Past winners Khalid Al Halyan (1994), Craig McBride (2002) and Francisco Giles (2008) all teed it up in the hope of adding another trophy to their locker but they were all usurped by the Italian Chiarentin who later quipped, “I think I will become a member here now!” The battle for supremacy in the Men’s Division was closely contested with both Mohammad Al Musharrekh and Sergy D’Souza finishing on 39 points. However, it was UAE National player Al Musharrekh who came out on top after the countback of the back nine holes. Picking up third place was American golfer Patrick Morrow who managed 37 points. As always with Dubai Duty Free events there was a category for the senior players (50+) and with an excellent score of 38 points Creek member Shashi Raghavan took the spoils. “The annual Dubai Duty Free Golf Cup has been running for 20 years and the tournament has grown quite popular every year and always attracted golfers from different clubs,” said, Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free. “Thanks to my team at Dubai Duty Free and to the Dubai Creek for organising this great event and we look forward to seeing you all next year.” Up and coming Creek talent, 12 year-old Rayhan John Thomas played
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some wonderful golf to produce 35 gross Stableford points but the eventual Junior winner was another Creek youngster Rishi Nair who scored 38 points. Henna Jodha secured the Ladies Division with a 36 point haul, two clear of H.H Choi with Carmel King finishing third on 32 points. At the awards ceremony Dubai Creek’s Head Golf Professional Stephen Hubner said; “On behalf of Dubai Creek I would like to thank all of you for coming along and spending the day with us. It has been a real pleasure to host you. Of course our thanks as always go to Dubai Duty Free for inviting us to host this wonderful event on the 20th anniversary and for their continued support of golf in the region.”
Kim seals round two ALEX Wonyop Kim compiled a superb haul of 43 Stableford points to win round two of the Dubai Golf Summer Series ahead of EGF member Rattan Sehra by one point. A drop in humidity and an afternoon breeze made for almost perfect playing conditions and taking full advantage of this was Emirates and Creek member Kim. “I feel comfortable every time I play here at the Creek, even on the notorious 17th and 18th holes,” smiled Kim. “It’s a truly stunning course and always a pleasure to play. My playing partners were excellent and I feel they played a big part in my unexpected victory. I look forward to the upcoming fixtures and hope that I can continue to play well.” Stephen hubner (head Golf Professional, Dubai Creek), alex Picking up the prize for third spot was Stephen Fidler who made Wonyop kim and Stuart taylor (Prosports international). a very respectable 40 points after scoring a gross 73. However, this was not enough to win the gross category as UAE National Team member Ahmed Al Musharrekh scored a 72 on the day giving him Dubai Creek to join our own members in this event,” said Head Golf Professional 35 gross points to Fidler’s 34. Stephen Hubner. “It seems to be growing every year and so a big thank you to In the ladies division it was the Dubai Creek ladies Vice-Captain Maureen Platt Prosports International for once again supporting. The third fixture in the series who got back to winning ways securing first place with a solid 36 points. will be a night golf game on Friday August 10th at the Emirates Faldo course “It has been lovely to welcome so many players from around the country to and we look forward to that.”
Lebanese Society triumph THE Lebanese Golf Society won the Dubai Creek InterSociety Championship for the first time recently thanks to scores of 47, 40, and 38 for a winning total of 125. The format was Pairs Betterball Stableford and the Lebanese Captain George Khairallah led his team to a superb victory. The players had to face difficult conditions in the unusual early summer humidity but despite this there was some very low scoring. The star performer on the day was Creek member Adonis Nasr who played the round of his life scoring a gross 72. Afterwards Nasr commented, “What a day! It’s my best ever day on a golf course!” Closely behind them were the team from the DREGS Society whose top three scores of 44, 37 and 37 saw them secure second place on 118 points while a further three shots back in third with scores of 40, 39 and 36 was the Indian Golf Society.
Jamal shoots low to win the Medal Khalil Jamal secured the honours in the BMW Rivoli June Medal thanks to a fantastic net 64 while the Dubai Creek Omega Men’s Amateur Open winner Miki Mirza fired a 3-under-par 68 to top the Men’s Division ‘A’ title. “Playing Dubai Creek is always a challenge but when you play well, it is one of the most satisfying and rewarding courses to play,” smiled Jamal after taking the trophy. Newly joined Creek member Mark Jolliffe, playing his first BMW-Rivoli medal, shot a net 69 to pick up the runner-up prize behind Mirza in
Division ‘A’ while in Division ‘B’ Aziz Al Hakim shot a net 71 to win by four from Shariar Khodjasteh. Henna Jodha put in a superb performance with a score of 69 which secured her another ladies title while in the junior division brothers Dhruv and Rishi Nair finished tied at the top on net 69 after but it was the younger brother Rishi who took the title on a countback over the back. Tejan Fadlu-Dean, a consistent performer, took the overall gross prize with a 3-over-par 74.
Winner khalil Jamal is pictured with Club Captain ara Nakhnikian (left) and head Golf Pro Stephen hubner (right) after his victory. www.wwgolf.biz
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Unbeatable Group Rates this Summer! Now is your chance to play Al Hamra Golf Course in a group at unbelievable rates! We are available for golf tournaments 7 days per week and believe Corporate Golf Days provide you with a great opportunity to entertain clients, build relationships, strengthen ties or rewarding staff. We offer 1st class service and amenities before, during and after golf! Summer Group Rates: AED 210 (weekend) - AED 125 (weekdays) for groups 9-16 golfers AED 190 (weekend) - AED 115 (weekdays) for groups 17-28 golfers AED 170 (weekend) - AED 105 (weekdays) for groups 29-40 golfers AED 150 (weekend) - AED 95 (weekdays) for groups 41+ golfers For more info call us on 07 244 7474 email enquiries@alhamragolf.com www.alhamragolf.com
Jumeirah golf estates www.jumeirahgolfestates.com
ContaCt: Tel : +971 4 390 3333 Fax: +971 4 367 9584
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June Members and Guests take on US Open challenge THE US Open Championship is synonymous with being one of the toughest tests in world golf and the Jumeirah Golf Estates June Members and Guests tournament was no different, as pin locations and ‘US Open tees’ were in operation to entice every level of golfer to take a chance. Many teams took advantage of the double s
points awarded to those brave enough to attack these US Open locations and it certainly showed in the betterball team aggregate scores. Taking the top spot with a combined score of 132 Stableford points were Nadir Mohammadi, Ayaz Afridi, Omer Iqbal Khan and Stuart Cameron, seven points ahead of second placed Sinclair
Liddell, Don Whyte, Mark Ingram and James Murphy. Finishing third with a 123 tally were David Mundell, Mike Cowley, Paul Fairweather and Jason James while the Nearest the Pins on holes 3 and 16 were won by Jon de Fraine and Salem Bin Dasmal respectively.
Last gasp Eric Verret wins the Men’s Match Play AFTER an epic battle that went into extra time, Eric Verret calmly rolled in a putt on the 19th hole of his final match against Inerpal Singh to win the 2012 JGE Match Play Championship. The pair had battled through the 100-strong field to earn their place in the final and the closeness of the two was highlighted throughout
their first 18 holes in that neither player led by more than 1-hole throughout the match. Standing on the 18th tee it was Singh who had the advantage but Verret pegged him back, winning the hole to take it to a 19th hole. With momentum on his side Verret sealed the victory at the first time of asking.
Gelasinis team up for Pairs Match Play win The Jumeirah Golf Estates Pairs Match Play Finals was concluded over the Fire course recently to reveal the Pairs Match Play Champions of 2012. With the first rounds taking place at the beginning of this season, 58 partnerships were hoping to progress through five rounds of match play golf eager to the reach the final stages. Managing to obtain a winning streak and make their way to the final match were Don Whyte and Sinclair Liddell who earned the right to compete against regular JGE winners Giordano and Tania Gelasini for this coveted title. During the 18 hole final match, the Gelasinis created a strong partnership but Whyte and Liddell battled on and kept within touching distance right until the last hole. With the Gelasinis holding a 1-up lead on the 18th tee they safely secured a half to win the match and the overall Championship in style.
Forrest and Khan take June Rivoli Medal CRAIG Forrest recorded a respectable 2-over-par 74 to collect the best gross prize in the June Rivoli Medal while in the net category Omer Iqbal Khan secured the title with a 4-under 68 with Michael Talbot second with a 69. Lars Nielson stole the show in Division ‘B’ with a net 69, three clear of Seamus
Clune and Haiyan Mujarkech who had to be separated by a countback. Coming out on top and sealing second place was Clune with Mujarkech settling for third. In the Ladies Division Deepa Subba sealed the top prize with a level-par 72 with Gleny Hughes taking second place thanks to a 74. www.wwgolf.biz
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T H E R I YA D H G O L F C O U R S E . . .
. . . E X P E R I E N C E A PA R A D I S E F O R ALL GOLF LOVERS IN SAUDI ARABIA
P.O. Box 84329 Riyadh 11671 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia www.riyadhgolfcourses.com I n f o r m a t i o n a n d t e e - t i m e s c a l l : + 9 66 55 7399900 or e-mail: rgc.reception@hotmail.com
the address montgomerie dubai www.themontgomerie.com
ContaCt: Tel : 971 4 390 5600 Fax: 971 4 360 8981
theaddressmontgomeriedubai
eun, linn, Millar and sharMa take ecco Medal honours
JOON Eun shot a career-best gross 74 to win the Men’s Gross Division by one shot from Seng Gee Baek in the ECCO Medal recently, while Fiona Linn took the Ladies Gross prize by five strokes from Annie Browne.
David Millar won the Division ‘A’ title by one shot over Mike Weston while Junior golfer Ananya Sharma won a three way countback to take home the Ladies Net division ahead of Sam Salem and Pia Johansson.
Great scores in inauGural associate-MeMber coMpetition THE Montgomerie Dubai hosted its first annual Associate-Member competition with a team of four made up of three Members and one Associate and coming out on top with a superb score of 89 Stableford points were Bernard Valdez, Cedric Fevre, Liam Burns and Stephen Styen.
Moore and Judd take the title CHRIS Moore and Richard Judd shot a great net score of 62 to take a one shot victory over Gavin Brannan and Carl Sellick in Division ‘A’ of the monthly Rivoli Member Guest recently. Joon Eun and Calvin Chung were able to take home the ‘B’ division title by 1.5 shots over Paul Kistner and Rattan Sehra while Alex Kuk and Cedric Fevre had the low gross score of the day with a 67, one better than Nathan Brown and Chris Alderman.
Daw anD MatheSOn MaSteR the FielD CHRISTOPHER Daw and Rob Matheson shot a very impressive net 61 to win the recent Member and Guest Social by three shots from Paul Kistner and Rattan Sehra. In the final Rivoli Member-Guest event Christopher Daw and Rob Matheson shot a very
impressive net 61 to win the Net Division ‘A’ by three shots while Paul Kistner and Rattan Sehra won Division ‘B’, narrowly ahead of Joon Eun and Myoung Kyu Shin. Mark Gillings and Steve Pyle were crowned the gross winners with the score of 69.
© PING 2011
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Al BAdiA golf cluB www.albadiagolfclub.ae
ContaCt: Tel : +971 (0) 4 601 0101 Fax: +971 (0) 4 601 0102
Email: albadiagolf@ichdfc.ae
AlBadiaGolfClub
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Wartig duo triumphant LIAM and John Wartig carded a glorious score of net 52.5 to win the Summer Swingman Open recently. Despite opening with four bogeys on the opening nine the duo fought back in impressive fashion to win the event, which was set up to celebrate Father’s Day. Quick-fire birdies set them off on an inward half that would see them accumulate five birdies to turn things around in spectacular style. Another father and son team were on top form as Graham and Tom Ellis claimed the runners up spot with a score of 53.4. Paul Batson and Dennis Appleby finished in third place scoring 56. The winners of the gross prize were Brett Armstrong and Keith Nann who managed to muster up an incredible 11 birdies and seven pars to complete a flawless round of 61. There were an additional two on-course prizes given to the straightest drive on the first hole and anyone who could hit the gong in the middle of the lake on the 18th. The gong was hit on two occasions, first by Barry Parkin and then Ronan Hall. The straightest drive of
liam and John Wartig with Al Badia golf Pro, Ed chapman. the day was produced by 12-year-old Mark Baxter who was just one of many juniors to play some excellent golf. Al Badia Golf Operations Manager, Tim Neil said: “It was great to see so many families teaming up to celebrate father’s day, it created a great atmosphere around the club. “A special mention has to go to Brett and Keith
as their gross score of 61 is as good as this golf club has seen in a pairs texas scramble. It was a fun filled day and we are already looking forward to next year’s event.” The excitement carried on late into the night as many of the competitors stayed on in Spikes bar after the prize giving to cheer on the England football team in their Euros victory over Sweden.
Dennis Ng wins inaugural RTJ Championships THE first staging of the Robert Trent Jones Championship witnessed a packed field eager to get their hands on the first trophy of the summer season and emerging victorious after a fine display was Dennis Ng. Ng shot an outstanding Stableford score of 40 to win by one from Madhu Pillai, who was disappointed to miss out on the overall prize but did take home the honours in Division ‘A’. The highlights of Dennis’ round came at the start of his back nine as he accumulated 12 points in four holes thanks mainly to net eagles on holes 12 and 13. Tony Billingham won the Nearest the Pin prize on hole 7 while Neil Bishop launched the Longest Drive down the 12th fairway.
ThE Els cluB www.elsclubdubai.com
ContaCt: Tel : +971 44 25 1010 golf@elsclubdubai.com
TheElsClubDubai
Siddorn and Sheen shape up nicely with a net 65 MARK Siddorn and Mercedes Sheen (pictured) took the spoils in the recent Betterball tournament with a score of net 65 which was good enough to pip Brian and Terri Stewart to the title on a countback. Meanwhile, in the Members Stableford competition, Michael Fournie scored 38 points to win by one from Brian Stewart with James Manikas taking third. Fournie also took home the Longest Drive prize while Brian claimed the Nearest the Pin prize on the 11th hole.
ARABIAN RANCHES GOLF CLUB www.arabianranchesgolfdubai.com
ArabianRanchesG
ContaCt: Tel : +971 4 366 3000 Tel : +971 4 366 3355
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Burrow and Fullerton seal the July honours MAX Burrow (+1) returned a gross 2-over-par 73 to win the July Rivoli Monthly Medal narrowly clear of Edoardo Galeppini (3) who settled for second place while Adrienne Fullerton (10) won the Ladies Division with a gross 81. Ladies Net Champion was Sheila Alban (21) as she posted a sublime net 69 to win by virtue of a countback over Juson Waimer (15). The Men’s Division ‘A’ Net title went to Chris Tometzki (12) who posted a superb 68, two clear of Pieter Van Wyk (10) while in Division ‘B’ Tom Free (13) posted a 2-over net 69 to win by two from John Patsons (14).
Gross winner Max Burrow.
Ladies Net champion Sheila Alban.
Division ‘A’ winner Chris Tometzki.
delacourte seals it in style ALAIN Delacourte (16) secured the honours in the recent Individual Stableford competition ahead of a field of 76 keen players who all endured some hot and humid conditions. Delacourte compiled 40 Stableford points to win by one from Kevin Warren (12) and Andy Barker (12) with Warren taking second place outright
thanks to a card countback. Delacourte accumulated points on all 18 holes and was delighted to pick up his first Individual Event win in his term of membership. Rania Hage (29) returned a fabulous 38 Stableford points to win the Ladies division by a huge margin of five from Ksenia Grayling.
Winners Alain Delacourte (right) and Rania Hage (centre) with Lady Captain Catherine Hut (left) and Club Captain Andy Scanlan (back).
livingston and Freer show no fear TOM Freer and Gary Livingston were crowned the Two-Player Strokeplay Scramble Champions recently after they posted a superb score of Net 59.8 to relegate Phil Brittain and Frederick Debieuvre into second place. Freer and Livingston used a combined handicap allowance of 10.2 and carded five gross birdies for an outward 32 and came home in 38 for a gross 70 and a superb net total. Finishing in third place with a net 62 were Darly Blanchard and Sheila Alban. In the Gross Division Elliot Gray and Graham Alban combined superbly to score a 65 to defeat Gary Swan and Bryan Banner by one point.
Kenaghans take the spoils MARK (14) and George Kenaghan (28) scored 46 Stableford points to win the Betterball of Partners Stableford event recently by virtue of a countback win over Xavier Farrington and Saqib Mahmood with Boff Anderson and Carl
Wright taking third place. In the Ladies/ Mixed Division Sheila Alban (21) and Pernilla Karlsson (24) took the spoils after a great performance that saw them post 46 Stableford points to edge out the pair of Mark and Karen Evans by one point.
Gross Champions Graham Alban and Elliott Gray collect their prizes from the Arabian Ranches Club Captains.
© PING 2011
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TECH ACCESS INTERNATIONAL PAIRS
International-Pairs-Uae
Presented by Cadillac
www.golffrontiers.com
Hall-mark of success – Yas Links duo take the title THE 2012 Tech Access International Pairs UAE Presented by Cadillac came to a conclusion in June as pairs representing 16 clubs in the UAE vied for a place in the World Final in Scotland. Playing at one of the UAE’s most prestigious venues, Yas Links, the National Final was keenly contested and fittingly, the final result was decided at the last hole. As predicted in many quarters, the 2012 series saw a pair of talented juniors playing a major role in proceedings. Sixteen year old 5-handicapper Ronan Hall held home advantage as he and his father, Walter, looked to repeat their qualifier success on one of the most difficult courses in the region. Playing alongside the Emirates Golf Club pairing of Trevor Varri and Conor Keegan, who is also 16 and plays to a 4-handicap, these teams embarked on a battle that went to the wire. By the time they reached their last hole, their scores were tied and the rest of the field were well beaten.
2011-12 International Pairs UAE Champions Walter and Ronan Hall, pictured with Chris Cornelius, Senior Vice-President of Sales, TechAccess. A courageous net birdie by the experienced Walter settled the duel and the Halls booked their tickets to the Home of Golf. Although Varri and Keegan just missed out on the top prize, they should be justifiably proud of their effort. Keegan, in particular was easily the standout player of the day as his
gross score of 75 was just reward for the time and effort he puts into his practice. It was testament to the quality of golf played by the two top pairs that the nearest challengers trailed home by four Stableford points, although 37 was by no means a poor score as Keith Nann and Colin Gow from Al Badia Golf Club claimed third place.
Runaway victors in Sponsors’ Event WHILE pairs from 16 clubs around the UAE were competing for a dream trip to the International Pairs World Final in the second UAE National Final, there was a separate event held for sponsors and guests, also on the beautiful Yas Links course. Playing the same 2-ball better-ball format as the serious contenders, representatives from Tech Access, Cadillac, Emirates Healthcare Ltd, Emirates Golf Federation, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, Rivoli Group, Acuma and International Pairs UAE vied for honours in this social event. There were prizes up for grabs and taking first place was the pairing of Klaas Boon and Ksenia Grayling. The experienced Boon laid the foundations of a serious betterball score of 40 points, although Grayling’s steady play was crucial throughout the round. Tony Lewis and Ross Bain scored 37 points to take second as they defeated Tom Luig and Carl Palmlung on a countback to secure the runner-up spot.
Winners Klaas Boon and Ksenia Grayling are pictured with Nadim Ghrayeb – Marketing Manager, Cadillac Middle East.
Clarke wins a luxury Cruise THROUGHOUT the 2011-12 TechAccess International Pairs UAE Presented by Cadillac, competitors at all 16 Qualifiers were invited to enter a Grand Draw for a luxury Mediterranean Cruise provided by Royal Caribbean. Almost 1,000 players entered and the lucky winner was Tony Clarke of The Montgomerie Dubai. Pia Johansson, representing The Montgomerie in the National Final, collected the prize on behalf of Tony who was not in attendance. 78
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JEBEL ALI GOLF RESORT AND SPA www.jebelali-international.com
CONTACT: Tel : +9714 814 5555 email : jagrs@jaihotels.com
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LETTS TEAM TRIUMPH AT FIGS THE summer edition of the FIGS Golf Society (Furniture & Interiors Golf Society) sponsored by Walter Knoll, was keenly contested and it was the three-man team of Rob Letts, Peter Bauer and Alistair Seivewright who took the spoils with a team Stableford points score of 91. Second place went to Martin Grove, Ajay Sajnani and Gary Vastag, a further 3 points adrift on 88 points with third place going to Liam King, Brad Wylie and tournament organiser Nick Burnett. Seivewright capped a successful afternoon by wining the Nearest to the Pin prize on hole 8 while Gary Vastag proved too accurate for the field on the 11th hole, winning the Nearest to the Pin prize.
MATJAZ FIRST PAST THE PUST MATJAZ Pust and his team of Alan Drysdale, Keith Rayson and Joel Marantan won the June Summer Swing tournament with a combined score of 80 points, finishing eight points ahead of the team of Mick Rosario, David Brady, Carl Reilly and Craig Rooney ho had to settle for second place. Taking home third place with a 70-point haul were Phil Herson, Alisdair Herson, Simon Fowler and Dee Fowler. www.wwgolf.biz
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Al HAmrA golf club www.alhamragolf.com www.alhamragolf.com
ContaCt: Tel : +971 7 244 7474
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Spavin and Connolly take the Summer open IT came down to the narrowest of margins but Andy Spavin was crowned the overall winner of the RAK Summer Open thanks to a superb final round performance at Al Hamra Golf Club. Spavin found himself locked in a share of the top spot of Division ‘1’ with Dan Player after two days of action at Tower Links and Al Hamra but thanks to his better score over the last day at Al Hamra Spavin was awarded the top prize. Both gentlemen finished with a 70 point total as Player carded scores of 43 points followed by 27 points whilst Spavin carded scores of 34 points and 36 points respectively. Spavin’s superior haul over the Al Hamra layout earned him the RAK Summer Open title. In Division ‘2’ Noel Connolly romped to a four-point win over Gerry Gibson after superb consistent rounds of 36 and 39 saw him compile a 75 point total. Gibson settled for second place with 71 points with Dave Clarke in third on 70. Nearest the Pin prizes on day one went to Justin Clark on hole 4 and Dave Gould on hole 16 while the on-course prizes on day two went to Saif Thabet (hole 4), Marrion Tennant (hole 7), Doug Cameron (hole 11) and Hany Abdelnour (hole 15) for their bulletlike precision on the par-3s.
Al gHAzAl golf club www.alghazalgolf.ae
ContaCt: Tel : +971 2 575 8040 Fax : +971 2 575 8041
Al-Ghazal-Golf-Club
Fun and Frivolity in paSt Captain’S hit n GiGGleS PAST Captain David Tait hosted a recent Hit n Giggles event and he gave the tournament a twist by mixing up the tees on the back nine. Taking the spoils by one point were Adda Haouara, Guillaume Cambolive and Angela Tiam-Fook as they scored 24.3, clear of second
placed Martin Sutherland, Anette Rego, Rob Jennings and Walter Tiam-Fook while third place went to Rob and Ming Brown, Peter Comber and Nigel Taylor. Deborah Castle struck the Nearest the Pin prize on hole 16 while Nearest the Ditch on the 14th went to Anette Rego.
CASTLE, CAMBOLIvE AND COuLSON CRuISE TO vICTORy ANOTHER Hit N Giggles event sponsored by club members Ken Ritzal and Abdul-Rahman had everyone having to decide which clubs to keep and which to leave behind as the regulations stipulated that the infamous ‘three clubs and a putter’ rule was in play. Winners with a score of 24.7 were the team of Deborah Castle, Guillaume Cambolive and Steve Coulson, followed by second placed Asaad Al Muharami, Marius Olivier, Angela TiamFook and Keith Sargeant on 24.9. Subsidiary prizes went to Steve Coulson for the Longest Drive, Emily Gordon and David Tait for Nearest the Pins and Keith Sargeant for Nearest the Pin in two shots on hole 9.
BLANCHARD AND BROWN TOy WITH vICTORy BERNIE Blanchard and Murray Brown took home the first prize in the first of the Hit N Giggles events this summer but found to their surprise that their trophies were toy Toyota FJ replicas. Finishing second, and proudly taking home a couple of toy tanks, were Jaco and Lizette Breytenbach while third place went to Will and Sue Murray and
their prizes were Shaun the Sheep toys. The main purpose of the summer AGGC ‘Hit n Giggles’ is to ensure that those who stay through the summer still get some golf and exercise and to encourage new golfers and beginners to the game of golf as well as, most importantly, enjoying a social evening afterwards.
SHArjAH golf & SHooting club www.golfandshootingshj.com
ContaCt: Tel : +971 6 548 7777 info@golfandshootingshj.com
Sharjah-Golf-Shooting-Club
Hakeem keeps his hot form going ABDuL Hakeem made it back-to-back victories in the Coral Beach Resorts Midweek Stableford competitions with a score of 21 points over nine holes recently thanks largely to an increase in time spent on the practice range. Managing to keep the dreaded ‘blob’ off his scorecard, Hakeem finished in magnificent fashion by birdieing the final hole for a whopping four points.
Losing out on the top spot by a scorecard countback was Zubair Bin Idris. The youngster has also been in great form recently and was only let down by a one pointer on his last hole which spoilt his chance of overall victory so he had to settle for winning the Division ‘B’ prize. Walking away with the Division ‘A’ prize was keen member Praveen Sharma and all three winners received pro shop vouchers.
Family affair at the BmW Social THE first BMW Members and Guests Social of the summer kicked off in style with family partnerships taking sole control of all the prizes during the event. In tough, humid conditions it was the father and son pairing of Alistair and Daniel McGregor who took the spoils by returning an 18-hole net score of 64.2, beating SGSC member Mohammad Firdaus and his 11-year-old son Zubair Firdaus by just 0.2 of a shot.
While Mohammad and Zubair were disappointed to have missed the first ever overall winners spot they returned an incredible 7-under net 29 on the inward nine Betterball format to claim the back nine award. The final award on the day for the front nine Texas Scramble went to father and son-in-law Mike O’Neill and John Gould, who compiled a fine net score of 2-under-par 34.
Excellent play at Junior meet
ahmad goes low PARvEZ Ahmad lit up the field in the recent Coral Beach Resorts Midweek 9 Hole Stableford as he scored 21 points to top the pile ahead of a field of 45 keen players. Ahmad finished strongly with 11 points taken over his final four holes which proved vital as he pipped up and coming junior golfer Zubair Bin Idris on a scorecard countback. Bin Idris still managed to pick up the prize for winning Division ‘2’ while Abdul Hakeem took the spoils in Division ‘1’ after a countback win over two players.
OvER 80 juniors recently participated in the end-of-season Session 3 Grading and Tournament Day held recently and with children ranging from 4 years old to 15 bringing their bats to compete in three competitions. The ‘youngster’s’ tournament proved to be the closest fought event and at the end of the event it was decided that two boys would share the top spot – Mansour Kashwani and Jack Robertson – with Antonio Presutti picking up the trophy for second place. With a vast number of children varying in age it was decided to have two separate divisions in the ‘five hole short course’ competition and coming out on top in the 11 years-and-older competition was local Emirati golfer Maryam Al Marzouqi, one shot clear of Australian golfer Geneveive Hall. In the 10-years-and-under competition it was Aqeem Kamar who led the pack winning by four shots over the five holes clear of Ahmed Al Marzouqi with Canadian born golfer Jakob Armstrong third.
The elder and more experienced juniors took to the Sharjah golf course in the evening to battle it out in a very close competition and taking the spoils was Moiz Qureshi with Arief Zulkilfi taking second. Third spot went to Georgina Liu who, for once, couldn’t retain her title.
Norrie at the top GLENN Norrie topped the pile in the first of the summer Orient Travel – Thai Airways Monthly Stablefords with a superb score of 36 points in challenging conditions. The rough was thick
and the humidity was high but Norrie won by three from vivien verma with Abdul Hakeem taking third ahead of new member Phil Cornish. The best gross prize for the
day went to the extremely steady South African Roy Holmes who finished with 25 gross Stableford points to see off the lowest handicapper on the day, George Liu.
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3rd SGSC Centro Sharjah Ramadan Open
1:30PM Shotgun 18-Hole Stableford Event Open to UAE amateurs
Friday 17th August 2012
The handicap limit for the Open is 28 index for men and 36 index for
Entry Fee
women
Visitors EGF Members NESLP SGSC Golf, Country & Summer Golf members Juniors
A valid handicap certificate must be produced when registering Entries will be accepted on first come first served basis Entries will only be confirmed as accepted after the closing date of Sunday 12th August, 2012
-
AED AED AED AED AED
Fantastic Prizes
Entries will be limited to 56 players
Overall winner, Divisional prizes, Gross prizes & Ladies prizes
Event is a handicap qualifier
3 x weekend stays for 2 people including breakfast
The open is a net event with gross prizes
Lunch & Dinner vouchers
Golf carts are compulsory
Includes 18 holes competition, golf cart, range balls and dinner (presentation - approx 7pm)
Name Home Club
HCP Index Mobile Number
Fax
Signature: Please complete this entry form and return to: Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club Academy office, Tel: 06 548 7777, Fax: 06 548 7046 E-mail: golfres@golfandshootingshj.com
275 245 210 140 140
ABU DHABI CITY GOLF CLUB www.adcitygolf.ae
CONTACT: Tel : +9712 445 960
Abu-Dhabi-City-Golf-Club
NEW SUMMER BARGAINS FOR ALL DURING this summer two new memberships have been introduced at Abu Dhabi City Golf Club. The Mission Statement of the nine hole club in the centre of Abu Dhabi is ‘Growing the Game of Golf’ and the tag line is, ‘The People’s Golf Club’ and with these in mind ADCGC has built a reputation for offering the highest level of expertise and service within the local golf scene. Now these services are being offered at special rates during the hot summer months. Summer golf Membership until the end of August Unlimited access to the golf course, seven days a week; Unlimited use of driving range; 30 minute golf lesson; Free use of ADCGC’s Leisure Facilities (pool, Gym, and Tennis Courts) 10% Discount in all of the F&B outlets. All this for 1,000/-AED Academy membership until the end of August New members of the Academy Membership scheme will receive unlimited Range balls at the fully floodlit driving range, free use of ADCGC’s Leisure Facilities (pool, Gym, and Tennis Courts) and 10% Discount in all of our F&B outlets. All this for 330/-AED Walk The Talk In addition to the summer promotions there is the ‘99 for 9 till 9’ offer where guests can book nine holes any time of the day till 9.00pm (or 10.00pm during Ramadan) and pay only 99/-AED includes Buggy on weekday before 3 pm. However, this offer doesn’t come with a golf buggy and so the offer, candidly named ‘Walk the Talk’, means golfers can stroll through the course and enjoy their conversation. One-Day pass The Daily Pass offers guests full access to all facilities and 18 holes of golf for just 250/-AED Entry times The last tee time for nine holes of floodlit golf is 8:30pm while the last tee time for a full 18 holes is 6:30pm The Driving Range, which is fully floodlit, is open from 06:00am – 10.00pm
YAS LINKS GoLf CLub
ContaCt: Tel : +971 2 810 7777
YasLinksGC
www.yaslinks.com
info@yaslinks.com
YasLinksGolfClub
Burrow and Iapichino shoot low in Summer Open DESPITE some scorching temperatures the Summer Open had a fantastic turn out with 204 players from across the UAE taking to the links and coming out on top with a Stableford a gross 72 was Max Burrow. Taking the top spot in the Stableford category was Alex Iapichino with a 43-point haul, narrowly defeating Thomas Fiala on a card countback. In the ladies category Soumya Salem won with 40 points, just beating Caroline Lamb on countback with a better back nine while the overall junior winner with 39 points was Druv Nair.
Max Burrow (left) is picture with Chris White, General Manager, Yas Links Abu Dhabi.
Barclay seals the July Stableford
Sibling rivalry in Junior Match Play DARREN Hall defeated his brother Ronan to win the 2012 Junior Match Play title. The pair were level through nine but Darren found himself 1up on the 18th tee and held firm to win.
FRIDAY the 13th is a date considered unlucky in Western superstitions but it proved to be no trouble at all for Alex Barclay as he took the Division ‘A’ title in the July Etihad Stableford. Despite the heat and high humidity, 28 players ventured onto the links in a bid to sink the winning putts and finishing runner-up to Barclay was Emanuel Ostojic who scored 36 points and defeated Brian McClure on a countback. In Division ‘B’ Alex Iapichino took the spoils with 37 points, one clear of Randolph Taylor with Seth Leong taking third on 35 points.
Captain Weisser crowned the Match Play king
Great scores in June Medal
CLUB Captain Dan Weisser defeated Peter Beynon 2up in the final of the Men’s Match Play to take the title recently while Susanne Haurum downed Agnes Letier Lacaze to win the Ladies title.
DESPITE the searing heat Lady Captain Sharon Hall took the spoils in the members medal at Yas Links with an almighty Net 71. In second place and just beating David Barwell on countback was son Darren Hall with a Net 76 while the gross winner with a 73 was Roman Hawczak.
AL AIN equeStrIAN ShootING & GoLf CLub www.aesgc.ae
golf@aesgc.ae
ContaCt: Tel: +971 3 702 6400 Fax: +971 3 768 3331
Golfin Alain
Mustchin seals the Hilton Handicap Day CLEMENT Mustchin scored a superb haul of 40 points to win Division ‘A’ at the Hilton Handicap Day, one point clear of Eoin Cunniffe with Adam Suski finishing third on 38 points. In Division ‘B’ the scores were even better as 11-year-old Dane Sandford Jnr scored 44 points for a two-point win over Peter Scoots with Clyde Rhode one further back in third. However, the best score of the day came from Division ‘C’ as the rapidly improving Stephen Thornton scored a remarkable 48 points to top the pile, five points clear of Phil James with Tom Leach in third with 39 points.
Captain’s team takes the Night Golf spoils THE first Night Golf Texas Scramble was held in June under the floodlights and it was the Club Captain and his team who came out on top with a score of net 26.2. Jim Muirhead, Ruth Muirhead and Mike Truelove combined well under the lights
to post their total over nine holes and win by just 0.5 shots from Dane Sandford Snr, Dane Sandford Jnr and Michelle Sandford. Finishing third were Charlene Van Wyk, Harry Van Wyk and Chris Sinden as they shot a net score of 27.
abu dhabi golf Club
Saadiyat beaCh golf Club
www.adgolfclub.com
www.sbgolfclub.ae
Abu-Dhabi-Golf-Club ContaCt: +971 2 558 8990
SUMMER OPEN VICTORY FOR HUNT AND DUROSETTE JOHN Hunt and Jerry Durosette took the spoils in the recent Summer Open thanks to an exceptional score of 60 over the Championship Course layout. The duo were awarded the top spot after completing a two-shot victory over two pairs who themselves had to be separated by countback. Taking second place after a back-nine card countback were Steven Ord and Paul Marshall as they relegated Chris Elms and Brett Beech into third place.
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
SAADIYAT BEACH HOSTS CHARITY COACH-A-THON GOLFERS of all abilities descended onto Saadiyat Beach Golf Club’s sweeping fairways recently, to take part in its first every charity coach-a-thon and the event, organised by The Academy by Troon Golf, saw 40 golfers raise AED 5,350 in 14 hours. Teaching professionals Paul Wilson and P-J Van Merch regularly hold events that aim to give something back to the community and they were pleased with how this charity event went. “The team at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club are always looking at ways we can use the game of golf to help raise money for charity,” said Wilson. “Previously, we’ve organised traditional golf days oncourse but this time we thought we’d try something a little different.” Proceeds raised from the day will be donated to the Future Centre for Special Needs in Abu Dhabi and UK-based charity Lifespan. The Academy by Troon Golf has supported the Future Centre for Special Needs in the past through light-hearted training sessions with children enrolled at the centre, helping them to develop core
skills in a fun and friendly manner. “The coach-a-thon was a brilliant success. In addition to supporting two worthwhile causes, the event gave us the opportunity to introduce the facility and our golf instruction programmes to new members and guests,” said Wilson.
ContaCt: Tel : +971 2 557 8000
info@sbgolfclub.ae
YOUNG STARS RISE TO THE GOLFING CHALLENGE CHILDREN from Abu Dhabi’s Future Centre for Special Needs (FCSN) are developing a passion for golf thanks to the Academy by Troon Golf at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club. The golfing Academy hosts 20 students every Sunday in a fun and light-hearted training session. From balance obstacle courses through to hopscotch and learning the basics of golf, the Saadiyat teaching professionals have introduced the youngsters to a whole range of activities that have ignited a love for the game in them. The initiative started as a way for Saadiyat Beach Golf Club to support the local community. Franco Botha, one of the professionals behind the programme, said: “We focus on developing ‘Fundamental Movement Skills’ and golf specific skills which has been incredibly popular with the children. They enjoy every minute of the sessions and look forward to returning every week. It has been so pleasing to see them develop their skills and a love for the game along the way.” In total, there were over 20 sessions conducted with the students. Gauri Vashisht, Vocational Coordinator for FCSN, says it has done wonders for the youngsters’ development. “The students very enthusiastically learnt not only how to play golf, but also improved on their team building skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills and their gross motor skills,” said Gauri. “These types of community activities help the students
enhance their self esteem and we would like to thank Saadiyat Beach Golf Club for their initiative and support. “Members of staff assigned to the students were very friendly and very patient with the students. It did not take long for them to understand each student and teach them according to their ability. And they did it with a lot of love.” The students are now all looking forward to more sessions of golf at the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club Academy in the next school year. The Future Centre for Special Needs is an Abu Dhabi-based non-profit organisation which specialises in the education and rehabilitation of individuals with special needs. FCSN caters to an annual average of 180 students aged between
3 and 23 and enrolled in various education programmes and rehabilitation services offered by the centre.
MUSCAT HILLS GOLF CLUB www.muscathillsgolf.com
MuscatHills
CONTACT: Tel : +968 245 14080 Fax: +968 245 10277
Email: booking@muscatgolf.com www.muscathillsgolf.com
Muscat-Hills-Golf-Country-Club
MUSCAT HILLS WINS TOP AWARD MUSCAT Hills recently received an award for Special Commendation in the ‘Green Landscape’ category of the Oman Green Awards (OGA) at a special ceremony recently. “This is a very special award for Muscat Golf Course Project, which recognises our company philosophy to run a sustainable business and to keep the balance between environment protection and business practices,” said Director of Golf Ray Stopforth, who picked up the award on behalf of Muscat Hills. “Muscat Hills Golf Course is complying with all relevant environmental legislation, regulations and approved codes of practice. “ There were 19 finalists overall in nine categories in the third edition of the OGA initiative of the Oman Economic Review which was under the auspices of Mohammed Salim al Toobi, Minister of Environment and Climate Affairs and was held also in association with the Muscat Municipality and the Ministry of Health.
BRITISH STUDENT JOINS FOR SUMMER MATT Jones, a student from the University of Birmingham’s Applied Golf Management Studies (AGMS) Degree, joined the team at Muscat Hills at the end of May to assist in the Golf Operations department for the summer period. Second year student Matt Jones will be working alongside PGA Professionals Alex Day and David White as he looks to become a qualified PGA Professional in 12 months time. “I have a lot of playing experience in the county amateur tournaments and I play for the first team in the University of Birmingham,” said Jones. “In addition to this I have done a lot of coaching in Surrey based golf clubs such as Burhill GC and Worplesdon GC and both gave me a good start for my career – either in teaching or playing as a professional.” Jones started playing golf when he was 11 after being introduced to the game 88
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WHITELAWS DOMINATE YOUNGSTER Jordan Whitelaw won the challenging Cross Country competition with an excellent score of 43 points recently while his mother Sarah Whitelaw turned in the best result in the Ladies Division, finishing top of the pile with 35 points. Farique Tareen took second place behind the 11-year-old Whitelaw with 40 points while third place went to Brett von Harmeen on 38 points.
SUMANT CROWNED POWER PLAY CHAMPION by his dad. “I was playing a lot of tournament golf, representing my county Surrey,” he said. “I lowered my handicap down to 3 for a few years and managed to achieve a handicap of 1 before turning assistant professional in May this year. My passion for the game led me to take on this profession as a full time career.” The AGMS course is a unique partnership between the PGA and
University of Birmingham (UoB) – the only golf degree to offer the opportunity to apply for PGA membership. “Muscat Hills is delighted to get involved in placing the AGMS students. We are constantly on the lookout for good people to move into management positions so by giving the students a placement, it gives them a taster of what is expected of them in the future,” said Ray Stopforth, Muscat Hills Director of Golf.
FOR the second consecutive year Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club ran a challenging Power Play Championship which captured the attention of 47 golfers and coming out on top was Sumat Sunder who stormed to victory with a score of 51 points. Sunder, who plays off 6, carded two net eagles and three gross birdies on his way to victory ahead of Jim Dolan who scored 48 with Taketsugu Kimura third with 45. In the Ladies Division Dubai-based Terri Steward took the spoils with 38 points.
ALMOUJ GOLF THE WAVE MUSCAT www.almoujgolf.com
CONTACT: Tel : 00968 22005990 email : info@almoujgolf.com
facebook.com/almoujgolf
Left to right: St John Kelliher and Craig Hardie present Mercedes Matchplay winner Bill Welsh with his trophy.
WELSH WINS THE MATCH PLAY BILL Welsh sealed the inaugural Mercedes-Benz Match Play tournament at Almouj Golf with a cool 5&3 victory over Tony Huson while Catherine Shackleton took the ladies title with a 4&3 win over Kim Davis. In the Pairs fixture Iain Liversage and Aaron O’Hara competed against Edward Daly and Stephen Morris for the title and it turned out to
be a relatively one-sided affair as Daly and Morris won 7&6. Commenting on the tournament’s success, St John Kelliher, General Manager at Almouj Golf said: “The inaugural season of the Mercedes-Benz Match Play created the perfect arena for Almouj Golf members to interact and promote the spirit of good sportsmanship whilst building new
friendships and golf partnerships. It also provided less experienced players a great introduction to competitive golf through the mixed handicap Pairs fixture. I would like to extend my thanks on behalf of Almouj Golf to Zawawi Mercedes-Benz for its steadfast support as our Official Automotive Sponsor, and look forward to building on its success in 2013.”
COOL COOMBES WINS THE JUNE MEDAL DALE Coombes sealed the net honours in the June Monthly Medal with after a superb gross 85 gave him a net 65 and a three-stroke victory over Khalil Jamal who carded a gross 87 for a net 68. Aaron O’Hara won the gross prize with an 83.
Runner-up Khalil Jamal is congratulated by Marcus Casey.
Turner hits the perfect shot
James Turner (right) is congratulated by St John Kelliher after his hole-in-one on the eighth hole at Almouj Golf recently.
BAIN AND BULLIMAN SEAL THE DEAL IN a combined golfing-tennis effort, Almouj Golf marked the Wimbledon tournament with a special ‘Wimbledon Doubles’ competition held in early July which was won with a very impressive performance by Adrian Bain and Mike Bulliman. With a Greensomes format – where both players hit tee shots, select the best and then play alternate
shots from that point onwards – the competition aimed to match the doubles format in tennis. Eight teams teed it up and Bain and Bulliman triumphed with a countback victory over Catherine Shackleton and Nathan Kendal after both teams scored 40 points while Kevin Wright and Geetshe Tamse took third place with 38 points.
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The perfect place. Fly in. Drive off. Almouj Golf. Inspired by Oman. Designed by Greg Norman. World-class golfing has never looked better: the 18-hole Almouj Golf links course is set between the stunning Hajar Mountains and tranquil Indian Ocean. It’s also never been more convenient: thanks to its location just minutes from Muscat Airport and close to The Wave, Muscat, enjoying its 5-star facilities will fit in perfectly with your business schedule. You can even use our golfing equipment – with our compliments. Should your meeting run late, fit in a round or practise your swing at our floodlit 9-hole par-3 course and driving range. Afterwards, make your way to our fully-equipped clubhouse and enjoy the culinary delights prepared by our top chefs. For more information about Almouj Golf and its facilities, or to make a booking visit www.almoujgolf.com; alternatively, call our reservation team on +968 22 00 59 90 who will be happy to help with any questions you may have.
THE GOLF COURSE
s
THE ACADEMY www.almoujgolf.com
s
5 STAR FACILITIES
banyan golf club www.banyanthailand.com
ContaCt: Tel : +66 (32) 616 200 email :reservations@banyanthailand.com
facebook.com/Banyan-Golf-Club-Hua-Hin
Manfred Lanter and Khun Ampika Sangwichai pose with their Club Championship trophies.
Lanter and Sangwichai crowned cLub championS MANFRED Lanter and Khun Ampika Sangwichai came out on top in the Mens and Ladies Club Championships respectively after an enthralling day of play. The course maintenance team had been busy in the weeks prior to the event getting the playing conditions up to tournament level to ensure all golfers enjoyed as close to
professional standards as possible. The Club Championship, this its second year, is considered as one of the club’s main events and the winners will get their names engraved on the Club Championship trophy as well as on the Club Champions Wall in Mulligan’s Pub. Club General Manager, Stacey Walton commented: “It’s great to see the
club members participate in the Club Championship. This is club history in the making as over the coming years, more and more names will be added to our Champions Wall of Fame. “Congratulations to our 2012 Champions Khun and Manfred, we hope to see them back next year to defend their hard earned titles.”
Muscle up for ‘power Tee’ forMaT Low ScoreS in inter hoteL ScrambLe THANKS to the success of the awarded for play from the red ONCE again Banyan Golf Club hosted the Inter Hotel Scramble this year but sadly for the defending champions S’Mor Spa they could not recapture the form that saw them win last year as they finished in seventh place. Taking the honours this year were the Intercontinental Resort / Yaiya Resort on net 50.4 with Banyan Golf Club finishing 0.2 shots back in second place and Chiva Som in third with net 50.8 The format for the day was the team scramble with 20% of combined individual handicaps becoming the team handicap and there were some fine performances with the top three teams being separated by just 0.4 of a shot.
recent ‘Banyan Shoot Out’ format the officials at Banyan Golf Club tried out a new format which they dubbed ‘Power Tee’. Stuart Daly, Banyan Golf Club’s Director of Operations, explains: “Our members and regular visitors are always asking us to create new events for them to try out and this is exactly how Power Tee was born. “At first a concept is created, but ultimately, it is only after we have tried it out with golfers that we know if it works.” ‘Power Tee’ was played over nine holes at which competitors had to play two black tees, two white tees and two red tees over the first six holes. The final three tees could be played from any tee they choose. Regular Stableford points were
tees and 1 and 2 extra bonus points were awarded for players from White and Black tees respectively. The white and red tees were strategically placed to give golfers a real sense of risk and reward golf. Players could choose to drive shorter par-4s from the whites or reds and take on the par-5s in two shots – all with knowledge of the bonus points on offer. It gives golfers a completely new sense of playing a familiar course, as they are forced to play from tee boxes they may not otherwise play and scores on the day ranged from 34 to 22 over the nine holes. The feedback from members and guests was positive and the club is sure to host further ‘Power Tee’ events in the future. www.wwgolf.biz
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DOHA GOLF CLUB www.dohagolfclub.com
CONTACT: Tel : +974 4496 0777 info@dohagolfclub.com
Doha-Golf-Club
Air Miles Summer League launches at Doha THE inaugural Air Miles Summer League 2012 began recently and the first three events in the series were a huge success despite the searing temperatures. The first was played in a Stableford format and Policapio Porto finished on top in Flight ‘A’ with a 38-point tally while Flight ‘B’ saw Dean Kenneally secure the honours with a haul of 41 points. In Flight ‘C’ Arnav Jain won with 42 points while a score of 41 saw Taddy Dance top the Ladies Flight. The wind picked up and blew sand across the course during the second round of fixtures but that didn’t deter the keen golfers as 121 people teed it up in the quest for honours. Taking the spoils in Flight ‘A’ was junior member Faisal Mir with a superb gross 76 for a net 70. Flight ‘B’ witnessed Mike Flanagan seal top spot with a net 70 from his gross round of 87 while Suresh Rebello sealed Flight ‘C’ with a net 69. Anne Marie Mathiesen secured the Ladies title with a 72. The third event of the series was played in Match Play format with 109 golfers participating on the day. Coming out on top in Flight ‘A’ was Abdul Aziz Al Boainen as he defeated Mike Cox to secure the title. Mark Lisgo played some excellent golf to win Flight ‘B’ while Ryoto Kashiwa and Melanie Chong won Flight ‘C’ and the Ladies Flight respectively. Air Miles CEO, Mark Mortimer-Davies, said: “The competition has started well and the numbers taking part have been very impressive. Qatar is an important market for Air Miles Middle East and it’s great to be able to give something back to the community by supporting this well organised sporting event.”
Above: Policapio Porto (second from right) is pictured with his fourball prior to winning Flight ‘A’ in the first fixture of the Air Miles Summer League. Far Left: Junior Faisal Mir, winner of the second event in the Air Miles Summer League.
No fooling Flewellen SCOTT Flewellen secured the honours in Flight ‘A’ of the July Vodafone Monthly Mug thanks to a back nine countback victory over Jeff Glover. Both players scored 36 points on the day but Flewellen’s consistency saw him score identical nines of 18 points while Glover scores 19 over the front and 17 over the back nine – handing Flewellen the title. Three players scored 40 points in Flight ‘B’ but coming out on top after a card countback was Kelly Dagless. The unlucky duo settling for the podium places were Terry Farnworth and Randy Holt. Jens Otto Larsen topped the pile in Flight ‘C’ with a 41 point haul to win by three points while Chang Sook Kim won the Ladies Flight with 31 points.
AL BOAINEN BEST IN JUNE MEDAL ABDUL Aziz Al Boainen scored a superb level par 72 for a gross 68 to win Flight ‘A’ of the Guardian Wealth June Monthly Medal while the same net score helped Anthony Richardson top Flight ‘B’. In Flight ‘C’ Gerry Mulvey won a countback while in the Ladies Flight Jean Hay scored a level par 73 to beat Lesley Looker to the title.
Left: Abdul Aziz Al Boainen, winner of the third instalment of the Air Miles Summer League.
Toby Toon takes the latest Air Miles Summer League medal TOBY Toon tore the course apart as he secured the honours in Flight ‘A’ in the latest edition of the Air Miles Summer League. Toon shot a superb gross 71 for a net 65 and a five stroke victory in the division. Hiram Diggines scored a net 65 from his gross 78 to win Flight ‘B’ while Arnav Jain’s better back nine saw him win Flight ‘C’ on a countback from Gerry Mulvey after both had signed for a net 69s. Young Souk Choi, who scored 47 and 46 for a 93 total and a net 70, won the ladies division. “We would like to congratulate all winners and thank Air Miles for their continued support of this summer series of events,” said Phil Wright, Golf Operations Manager at Doha Golf Club. “Despite the rising mercury, the number of competitors is actually increasing, which is testament to the strength of this tournament and the commitment of our members to the sport.” The inaugural Air Miles Summer League 2012, which runs over ten weekends until September 21, 2012,
sees winners in each of the four flights – Flight ‘A’ Men (handicap 0-9) Flight ‘B’ Men (handicap10-18), Flight ‘C’ Men (handicap 19-28) and the Ladies Flight – receive weekly prizes. Players also collect points towards an overall Order of Merit and grand prizes.
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LOCKER ROOM
COOL STUFF
LOGIC 3 I-STATION TIMECURVE This little box of tricks is a docking station for your iPhone and iPod, a radio alarm clock and a weather forecaster. The i-Station TimeCurve from Logic 3 will ensure you’ll never be late for an early tee time again – you can set it to wake you up with your favourite tunes off your i-Pod, phone or radio or if you prefer you can go old school with a classic buzzer and it’ll tell you how hot it’s going to be out on the course before you set off! You can even create your own playlists on it, while the handy built in user manual is available in seven different languages. www.logic3.com
MICRO SUITCASE SCOOTER Traipsing through the airport on a seemingly endless journey towards your departure gate need never be a chore again with this ingenious invention. It’s a sturdy hard shell Samsonite case but the section where the wheels are has been extended out to turn your luggage carrier into a Micro Scooter! You no longer have to carry your luggage – it now carries you! www.micro-scooters.co.uk
SEGWAY X2 GOLF How about this for a fun way of getting round the golf course? It’s a Segway that doubles as a golf buggy with a maximum speed of 12.5 mph and a range of up to 14 miles – the equivalent of 36 holes! It can tackle hills and changing terrain no problem and is much easier to maneuver than a standard golf buggy. This thing gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘Speed Golf’. www.segway.com
GROOM ROOM
AFTER A LONG DAY ON THE COURSE, IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO TAKE TIME OUT TO FRESHEN UP
PACO RABANNE 1MILLION SHOWER GEL
JO MALONE AMBER & LAVENDER
This bumper 600ml shower gel from Paco Rabanne will keep you going for a while. Created to complement the famous 1 Million fragrance, the shower gel carries the same sensual blend of leather, white wood, amber and Indonesian patchouli essences. Technical jargon: Top notes – Grapefruit, Mint, Blood Mandarin. Heart notes – Rose Absolute, Musk, Cinnamon Bark. Base notes – Blonde Leather, Tonka Bean, Amber Ketal.
A classic from renowned perfumer Jo Malone, Amber & Lavender is a cultivated and cosmopolitan fragrance. It’s got a lovely elegant and distinctive smell that leaves you wanting more. Technical jargon: Top notes – Mint, Bergamot, Lavender. Heart notes – Clove, Cinnamon, Lily-of-the-Valley. Base – Myrrh, Patchouli, Amber.
BOSS BOTTLED SPORT
RALPH LAUREN ROMANCE Ralph Lauren Romance is passionate and romantic but still with a hint of playfulness. It is a velvety, floral fragrance that blends the qualities of a classic perfume with the subtlety of a modern fragrance based around the rose, the ultimate flower of love. Technical jargon: Top notes – Rose, Citrus Oils. Heart notes – Water Lily, White Violet. Base notes – Patchouli, Oakmoss, White Musk.
Another perfect choice for the sporty at heart, Boss Bottled Sport by Hugo Boss is a fresh scent that provides a boost of energy. Vibrant and citrusy with a spicy heart, this is one for the driven man who won’t stop until he succeeds. Technical jargon: Top Notes – Grapefruit, Yuzu Zest, Pink Peppercorn. Heart Notes – Lavender, Cardamom, Aldehydic Mist. Base Notes – Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Patchouli.
LACOSTE CHALLENGE REFRESH Lacoste Challenge Refresh is an invigorating scent that is all about freshness with patented Time Release Technology that works to reactivate the effects of the fragrance over time. The blend of herbal aromatic notes boosts energy and enlivens the body and mind, making perfect for the sportsman, while a rich and sensual base follows. Technical jargon: Top notes – Birch Leaf, Cardamom. Heart notes – Oregano, Rosemary. Base notes – Patchouli, Tolu. .
IN THE BAG Driver:
Callaway Razr Hawk Tour 9.5 loft, Diamana Kaili X Flex
MALCOLM YOUNG PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL
ARABIAN RANCHES
Irons (4-PW): Mizuno MP Fli Hi3&4 Dynamic Gold S 300 Mizuno MP-59 5-Pw Dynamic Gold S 300
Hybrid:
Mizuno CLK Fli-Hi 17 loft Aldila NV S Flex
What age did you start playing golf? Where and what is your golfing background? I started playing golf around 11/12 years old at Monifieth Golf Links near Dundee in Scotland. I turned professional at 19 to do my PGA training at Aberdour and Panmure Golf Clubs on the east coast of Scotland. I then spent some time in Portugal at the Praia Del Rey Marriott Resort before moving to Dubai in 2007.
Putter:
Odyssey Black Series 2 (34 inch, 1 degree flat)
What change to the Rules of Golf would you make? The Rules have complicated elements to them so aside from making them a little more simple for golfers to understand generally. I think the issue of spike marks on greens is still evident today. If you can repair a pitchmark of your own and someone else’s I can see no reason to not be able to repair a spike mark on the green. Both maintain the surface to better quality for the whole field. What would you do to promote and expand golf within the UAE? Like most clubs we are doing well with our coaching programmes which has high volumes of Juniors and Ladies from our surrounding community. This year we’ve seen a positive turnover in converting these lessons into playing golfers. Making the courses accesible to beginners is a big thing. Green fee rates and accesibility makes this a lot easier for new golfers.
Wedge:
Mizuno MP-T11 Black Nickel 50, 54, 58
What’s your favourite golfing moment? From a personal perspective winning the UAE PGA Championship this year at Yas Links would have to be in there. It was a satisfying achievement. Aside from that I think as a golfer watching Tiger win the 1997 Masters so convincingly was a sign of things to come and a big moment in golf.
Who is your golfing hero? PROBABLY Sandy Lyle. He was at the top of the world when I started playing golf – as the 1985 Open and 1988 US Masters Champion, so being Scottish he was always the first person to watch at Tour events. I was fortunate to meet Sandy in Portugal when he stopped overnight at the golf resort I worked at. It was an experience to watch and meet someone who even his peers say is one of the most natural ball strikers they’ve seen. What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen in golf? IT WAS a long time ago playing with a school friend whose main sport was rugby and his golf skills were somewhat limited. We stood on one tee at our home club, he made a swipe at the ball and the angle he caught it made the ball spin backwards off the tee peg landing under the heel of his right foot. He then looked around and asked where his ball was. I was laughing so much I couldn’t tell him that the ball was lodged under his foot out of his sight.
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What’s your favourite golf course? I wouldn’t say I have a favourite course, there are just so many good courses out there. I played St Andrews Old Course in an event as a junior and that was a thrill at the time just because of all the associated history and with it being near home. I was fortunate to see a lot of the professionals playing the Dunhill Cups and Open Championships there.
Who would be your dream fourball and why? Playing with Jack Nicklaus would be a great thrill he is still the most respected player in the game, learning from his wisdom and experience would make any game enjoyable. I doubt Noel Gallagher plays golf but he would be a good guy to have in a fourball he’s always got a quick wit, interesting angle on things and maybe a tune halfway round! A bit of comedy is always good so maybe Bill Murray he’s a keen golfer although playing with Caddyshacks Carl Spackler would be the bigger thrill.
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