ISSUE 15
SUMMER 2018
SURREY GOLF T H E
M A G A Z I N E
F O R
S U R R E Y
COUNTY NEWS
C O U N T Y
G O L F E R S
SPOTLIGHT
News and events from around the county
West Surrey Golf Club – Surrey’s best kept secret
GOLF BREAKS Quality and value in the West Country World class links courses in the North West of Ireland Explore the Costa Brava for year round golf
PRO TALK
David Boote’s season gets off to a busy start
PLUS...
SURREY AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP 2018
DISCOVER BELEK, TURKEY
STEVE MCNEILL, NEW COUNTY SECRETARY
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Welcome...
PUBLISHED BY Abstract Media Services Ltd Tel: 01883 370308 Editorial: Jo Habgood E: jo.habgood@abstractmediaservices.com
Welcome to a packed Summer edition of Surrey Golf Magazine. Congratulations to Surrey’s Ian Attoe who has won the English Seniors against Richard Jones from Rotherham GC. This is a terrific achievement and he is one of few people to have lifted the title twice after his win in 2015.
Advertising: Justin King E: justin.king@abstractmediaservices.com Design: Mandy Boosey E: mandy.boosey@btinternet.com
We have another bumper magazine for you... Lauren Blease looks at how to encourage more women to play golf and David Boote tells us his first season as a professional has been a fun and interesting start, if not busy. After 14 years of service, John Davies retired and Steve McNeill takes up the reins as the new County Secretary. Plus we have all the latest news from across the county. We all love going on holiday, especially the golfing variety. In this issue we discover some amazing destinations for golf holidays. For a staycation, the West Country offers unrivalled value when it comes to golf course quality, year-round playability and fantastic off-course facilities. Or you could pop over to the North West of Ireland for a warm welcome and superb world class links courses. If you don’t mind hopping on a plane, Belek in Turkey is fabulous and the Costa Brava’s climate makes it an ideal all-year-round destination. For a new golfing experience the Czech Republic has quality golf as well as beautiful countryside, culture and fine local cuisine to sample. Summer brings us longer and milder days which means more time on the course, so get out there and make the most of it. Happy golfing!
SURREY COUNTY GOLF CONTACTS Tel: 01483 755 788 Fax: 01483 751 771 www.surreygolf.org Office Manager and all Knockout results: Jane Duhart Junior U18 Manager: Alan Page Junior U16 Manager: Gary Barthram RookieTour Manager: Bob Lacey Head County Coach: John Noble COUNTY OFFICERS County Secretary: John Davies Treasurer: Stewart Simpson
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President: Jack Buchanan Chairman: Roger Vincent EG voting member: John Davies
Jo Habgood Editor
TEAM CAPTAINS/MANAGERS County Captain: David Corben
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Seniors Manager: Billy Mitchell SURREY LADIES COUNTY GOLF ASSOCIATION Tel: 01483 751622
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President: Rosemary Wallis Ladies Secretary: Amanda Harris Ladies Captain: Sally Parrish
We want to hear from you! Send us your news big or small, individual or clubs. Email editor@surreygolfmag.com NEXT ISSUE – October 1st 2018
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
ABSTRACT MEDIA SERVICES LIMITED
Surrey Golf 3
CONTENTS
CONTENTS NEWS
Spotlight
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6 Surrey County Golf have announced the appointment of Steve McNeill as the new County Secretary.
6 8 Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club – 36 holes of championship golf in the heart of London
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28 David Boote’s pro season gets off to a busy start
10 The Guildford Alliance 2017/2018 season 11 County Seniors’ Championship held at Betchworth Park 12 A warm welcome, great course and great food to enjoy at Purley Downs. 14 Surrey Amateur Championship 2018
JUNIOR NEWS 16 Junior Boys Scratch Knockout Final and Inter Counties U14 League 18 U12 Championship 20 Jess Adams – One to watch
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PRO TALK GET INTO GOLF
SURREY LADIES 22 Jess Adams wins 2018 Surrey Ladies County Championship
OTHER NEWS 24 Custom Made Artificial, Home Putting Greens
30 Lauren Blease asks: “How to enourage more women to play golf?”
GOLF BREAKS 32 High quality and great value golf in the West Country 40 Six-figure investment sees swinging start to the season at the Vale Resort
SPOTLIGHT
42 A warm welcome and superb world class links courses in the North West of Ireland
26 West Surrey Golf Club – Surrey’s best kept secret
48 Belek, Turkey offers a fabulous destination for golfers
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
56 59
PRODUCTS 58 A new ball collection from Vice Golf 59 Motocaddy introduces its new compact golf trolleys
32 50 Discover the Costa Brava for all-year-round top courses
FASHION 50
60 KJUS – taking the complication out of clothing
54 Dream golf homes at Chateau Des Vigiers, Dordogne 56 Explore golf around the Czech Republic
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
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SURREY NEWS
STEVE MCNEILL IS THE NEW COUNTY SECRETARY Following the retirement of John Davies after 14 years of service, Surrey County Golf have announced the appointment of Steve McNeill as the new County Secretary.
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teve, who took the reins on the 1st May 2018 has a wealth of experience gained from both a retail environment and also from within the golf industry. In addition, he has been a volunteer for the county for the last ten years, before being appointed Assistant County Secretary two years ago. During his working life Steve worked for the Thresher Group for 20 years in a variety of roles. His career at the Thresher Group saw him steadily progress from Shop Manager to Franchise Contracts Manager, Project Manager and finally Area Manager, responsible for the performance of a group of retail outlets. In 2006 he joined Crown Golf as Audit Manager, developing and implementing processes and procedures for the 20 golf clubs with the Crown Golf group, with regards to cash and stock management within its shops, bars and restaurants. During this time Steve became involved with junior golf starting in 2000, when as a member at Bramley Golf Club, he took on the role of Junior Organiser. After six years in this role he moved onto various volunteer activities within Surrey golf. He was instrumental in developing the U14 RookieTour, which is regarded by many as the engine room of the county, producing many wonderful young players who have gone onto represent their countries at international level both as juniors and as adults. A number of these players have also turned to the professional ranks to try their hand at making a living from the game.
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He also managed several of the Junior teams, from the U12 team, who he created, to the U16’s, winning many trophies during his time with them. Steve was involved with running county championships and other county events, plus he helped create the excellent county coaching programme that is now in place. Talking to him, it is clear that he is proud and excited to take on the role of County Secretary working with and supporting the golf clubs and their members. Within Surrey there are over 32,000 golfers affiliated to the county and Steve intends to work with the golf clubs to assist with promoting and growing the game of golf.
Surrey run a multitude of golfing events, coaching programmes, teams and championships, and Steve strongly believes that it is key to ensure there is something for players of all ages and standards, from beginner to elite, in which to take part. When asked if he had a goal, his simple answer was for Surrey to be the best county in the country. Those in the county that already know Steve, of which there are many, know that he has a real passion and infectious enthusiasm about Surrey golf. He is greatly looking forward to the challenges ahead and building on the successes that the county has already enjoyed.
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
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SURREY NEWS
ROYAL MID-SURREY GOLF CLUB 36 HOLES OF CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF IN THE HEART OF LONDON With two 18-hole golf courses, a majestic clubhouse and extensive practice facilities Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club is a club that really does have it all.
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tranquil oasis in the heart of Richmond, surrounded by the world-famous Kew Gardens and bordered by the River Thames, one almost forgets that the club is just 20 minutes by road from the West End of London and five minutes’ walk from Richmond Station. Both 18-hole courses (the JH Taylor and the Pam Barton) have been upgraded in recent years to maintain the standards and challenges set by the legendary JH Taylor, a five-time Open Champion and the club’s first professional. The JH Taylor course is a rolling parkland layout in keeping with the ‘humps and hollows’ of Taylor’s original design. A par-69 (Standard Scratch 72) and 6,402 yards off the white tees, it offers a real challenge for golfers of all abilities, especially those confronted with varying wind directions. All 18 greens have been constructed to USGA specification.
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With impressive views across to Kew Gardens and its spectacular pagoda, the quality of the course was rewarded with the staging of the Men’s Surrey County Championships and the English Women’s Open Amateur Matchplay Championship in 2017. Although shorter than the JH Taylor course, the Pam Barton course is challenging course, with cleverly designed holes that will test the best players’ course management skills. The course is home to annual The Mothers & Daughters Open Championship which has been played annually since 1932. Royal Mid-Surrey is open to visitor golf on weekdays and offers special packages for golf groups of more than 12 players including pre- and post-golf catering to the highest standards. The clubhouse provides members, guests and visitors with access to numerous bars and private rooms, each with a different ambience and charm. With three private function rooms, the largest of which can accommodate up to 140 people, each area can be set-up for private dining and entertainment. Two of these rooms have panoramic views over Royal Mid-Surrey’s golf courses. The recently renovated Proshop
has a wide range of clothing and golf equipment. The eight-strong professional team provides lessons to both beginners and seasoned golfers whilst also offering 6-month academy packages for both adults and juniors. The club is widely recognised as being sociable and welcoming with a busy annual calendar for its members. A limited number of membership places are available.
FURTHER INFORMATION GOLF GROUPS golfgroups@rmsgc.co.uk MEMBERSHIPS membership@rmsgc.co.uk Tel: 0208 940 1894
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
Every golfer’s dream... Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club offers two superb
To play at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club is to walk
championship golf courses – both designed
in the footsteps of royalty, Ryder Cup & Walker
by the great J. H. Taylor, with true, undulating,
Cup stars, great professionals and outstanding
fast greens – comprehensive practice areas,
amateurs from all walks of golfing history.
extensive clubhouse facilities and some of the UK’s best teaching professionals. The Pro Shop offers a wide range of leading brands with up-to-date competitive pricing. The Performance Studio is where we use state
With a rich heritage and 36 holes of testing golf, Royal Mid-Surrey provides golfers with one of the most exceptional golfing experiences in London.
of the art software to recommend the correct
We welcome golf groups (minimum size 12
custom fit clubs to suit your swing.
players) and individual visitors on weekdays.
Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, Old Deer Park, Twickenham Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 2SB Tel: 020 8940 1894 | Email: recp@rmsgc.co.uk | www.rmsgc.co.uk
SURREY NEWS
GUILDFORD ALLIANCE 2017/2018 SEASON The Guildford Alliance, a Surrey based pro-am series played over the winter months, has had another memorable season...
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total of 14 golf events were held, each attracting around 30 teams, being played between October 2017 and April 2018, at some of the truly great golf courses in the Guildford area. This season included: Hankley Common, The Berkshire, Worplesdon, Blackmoor, West Hill, Swinley Forest, New Zealand Golf Club, St Georges Hill, Liphook , Woking and Walton Heath. The 2018/19 season will see West Byfleet and North Hants added to the list. The end of season Championship, held over 36 holes at Walton Heath, was won by Captain David Copsey (Poult Wood Golf Club) with a very impressive 5 under par with David Callaway (West Hill) finishing 1 shot behind on the day. In the morning Kevin O’Connell (Purley Downs Golf Club) shot a superb gross 63 around the Old Course but was unable to match the two Davids’ 36-hole scores. The leading Scratch Amateur was Colin Caulfield (Woodcote Park) winning
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Above: Professional Order of Merit Winner Wraith Grant and Championship Winner, Captain David Copsey. Above right: Amateur Scratch Winner Colin Caulfield and Captain David Copsey. Right: Amateur Order Of Merit Winner Rob Stephens and Captain David Copsey.
on countback from Peter Conroy (The Wisley) and Handicap winner Jason French (Langley Park Golf Club). The season long Professional Order of Merit, was won by Wraith Grant (Woodcote Park) with Captain David Copsey in second place and last year’s winner Martin Woodbridge (Bearwood Lakes/Oxford Golf Club) in third. For the first time in the Alliance history there was an Amateur Order of Merit, the winner being Rob Stephens (Purley Downs Golf Club), with Mark Taylor (Bearwood Lakes) in second and Paul Colyer (London Club) in third. Next year’s Captain of the Alliance is John Pettitt (past Captain at Harleyford Golf Club and Captain of the Buckinghamshire Golf Captains).
The Guildford Alliance organises Golf days between October and April. If you are interested in playing in the Guildford Alliance in the 2018/2019 season please email David at davidgalliance@hotmail.com or @GFORDALLIANCE
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
SURREY NEWS
SURREY COUNTY SENIORS’ CHAMPIONSHIP HELD AT BETCHWORTH PARK
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fter having to cancel the first round of the Championship due to horrendous weather, the 51 players gathered at the now fairly dry Betchworth Park. The greens staff had done a magnificent job in getting the course ready. The championship was now a straight 18 affair instead of the planned 36 holes with a cut after the first round. Alongside the main Championship there are two other competitions for the slightly older gentlemen in the age groups 65-70 and 70+. The course played longer than normal, this certainly didn’t help produce any low scores and the players had to really work hard to get a decent number on their cards. In the end a really solid 74 from Betchworth Park’s own Christopher Spiller secured the Championship
with two other players only one shot behind with 75’s, on countback Lachlan Deuchar from Burhill just pipped North Downs Alan Stein for 2nd place. Mike Wilde (Camberley Heath) won the 65-70 age group with David Jones (Betchworth Park) winning the 70+.
The trophies were presented by Surrey President Jack Buchanan and Betchworth Captain Len Jennings. Congratulations to Christopher Spiller who now goes onto to the Surrey representative at the EG Champions of Champions event later in the year.
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Weekday adult £22.50 Weekend adult £27.50 2 adults + buggy £55 (midweek only) Coulsdon Manor and Golf Club, Coulsdon Court Road, Old Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 2LL 0843 178 7149 reservations.coulsdon@bespokehotels.com http://www.bespokehotels.com/coulsdonmanorandgolf
SURREY NEWS
PURLEY DOWNS A warm welcome, great course and great food to enjoy will make it an experience to remember.
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urley Downs Golf Club, established in 1894, was designed by J.H. Taylor, one of the famous triumvirate of Taylor, Vardon and Braid. Over the years the course has been visited by many famous names, including major winners, Henry Cotton, Gary Player, Tony Jacklin and VJ Singh. Through continuous investment in staff and machinery over the past five years the club has shown vast improvements, now hosting various mens and ladies county events. Only seven miles off the M25 (J6) and within walking distance of Purley and Sanderstead rail stations, Purley Downs prides itself in being a great venue for existing Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Home County golfers to come and enjoy the challenge and playability of the course.
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The course is set on free draining chalk based Downland, which means it has fantastic playing conditions both in the summer and winter. In fact, even in a winter as wet as 2013-14, play was possible every day. Thanks to recent investment the greens are fast and true, but the many subtle undulations and slopes provide a challenge to golfers of every level. As you traverse the course you will enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the countryside, with a fascinating array of flora and fauna, then as you turn a corner you will find some of the finest views over London. From the highest vantage points you have a wonderful panoramic view across London, taking in sights such as Wembley Stadium, the London Eye, the Shard, Gherkin, Canary Wharf, along with many other City landmarks. Hampstead Heath. Harrow-on-the Hill and the Chilterns are also visible. As with the growing trend within the golfing industry today, Purley Downs continues to encourage a speed of play that allows two ball matches to complete within three hours and ¾ ball matches to complete with four hours. Societies and visitors are seen as friends of the club and always given
A PERFECT VENUE FOR YOUR CAPTAINS AWAY DAY
a very warm welcome. With a great clubhouse atmosphere and stunning views over one of the best opening par 3’s in SE England, the terrace, lounge bars and dining room are perfect for a drink and some food.
Purley Downs Golf Club Ltd. 106 Purley Downs Road South Croydon, Surrey CR2 0RB Head Pro: Scott Graham 0208 651 0819 www.purleydowns.co.uk
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
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SURREY NEWS
SURREY AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 The 2018 Surrey Amateur Championship was played over the excellent New Course at Burhill, which improves each year with maturity.
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everal excellent recent changes to bunkers around the course and a new water hazard on the long 13th made navigating the course trickier for the 65 players who entered qualifying. Thankfully, like last year at Royal Mid Surrey, the course avoided the thunder storms that had been forecast all over the South East, and was in excellent condition, with the greens running fast and true. Play got underway at 8:00am and news quickly fed back that the defending Champion, Max O Hagan of West Hill GC, had a putter that was as hot as the sun that was shining down on the course. Eight birdies and only one blemish on his last hole of the morning saw the Florida Tech student in the lead with a 65 (-7), 4 ahead of his former Physics and PE teacher at Reeds School, James Wallis, who was bogey free for his 69. There were further under par scores in round one from Harry Plowman Ollington, Scott Murray and Duncan Hodgson (all 70), along with Alex Tonge, Peter Baeg, Eamonn O’Connor and last year’s beaten finalist, Lewis Hinton (all 71). The wind blew a little more in the afternoon but made no difference to Max and James who tied at the top of the pack with scores of 68 & 64 respectively for a total of -11. James was lead qualifier and therefore number one seed courtesy of his bogey free (again!) better second round, that also equalled the course record. James is obviously a man of many talents, having been part of the British Hockey Team at the 2000 & 2004 Olympics. The qualifying cut came at 147 (+3)
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with 16 players on this mark meaning no playoff was required for the first time for several years. Some big names missed out including previous two time champion, David Corben, who had an uncharacteristic bad day on the greens to miss by a couple. The draw for Saturday morning was: James Wallis v Alex Tonge Scott Murray v Dominic Griffiths Harry P. Ollington v Jacob Aaholm Peter Baeg v Stuart Beatty Duncan Hogdson v Harry Uzzell Charlie Crockett v Lewis Hinton Callum Mackay v Eamonn O’Connor Max O Hagan v Scott Pluthero
James again went bogey free in beating local man Alex on the 16th, whilst Dominic and Scott needed extra time before Dominic prevailed. Jacob overcame fellow First team player Harry Plowman Ollington to earn a quarter final against Peter Baeg of Banstead who had overcome Stuart Beatty of Effingham. The third quarter final would be between buddies Lewis Hinton and Harry Uzzell, Lewis beating Charlie Crockett up the last and Harry beating Burhill’s Duncan Hodgson at the 16th. 2017 Champ, Max, sealed his quarter final place taking out Scott Pluthero to meet his best mate and club mate, Callum Mackay, who had been victorious over Royal Wimbledon’s Eamonn O’Connor.
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
SURREY NEWS
The sun continued to shine as the eight players set off for the afternoon quarter finals. Game 1 was an epic encounter with Dominic pulling back a 4 hole deficit to win 1up against James with an excellent birdie 2 on the beautiful 18th hole. Both Jacob and Lewis managed wins on the 17th green over Peter and Harry respectively in nip and tuck matches before Max despatched his buddy Callum 4&3. Sunday morning was again showing signs of being hot and dry as Dominic and Jacob played off the first tee in game 1 followed by a re-run of the 2017 final, Max v Lewis in the 2nd semi-final. Both games started similarly with Max and Jacob getting their noses in front early, both a couple up through 3 holes. Jacob held his lead over Dominic into the back nine, although in game 2, a 30ft bomb at the 7th saw Lewis go 1up only for Max to hit two exceptional irons into 8 and 9 to restore the narrowest possible lead through the turn.
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
Jacob got to the 16th tee 3up on Dominic but the Walton Heath man would not lie down holing a nice 8-footer to win 16, and then also win 17 following Jacob’s visit to the fairway Bunker. Up the last! Both players hit nice shots into the par 3 and Jacob progressed to the final when Dominic couldn’t repeat his heroics from Saturday just running a 7ft birdie putt past the edge. Max, having been 1up through the turn then made a remarkable par on 10 from an impossible lie to go 2up but Lewis would reply with and excellent birdie at 11. Max went 2up on the 12th with a 3ft par putt after both players had missed the tricky par 3 green, a lead he would not relinquish and when Lewis missed his birdie try on the 17th Max was in his 2nd consecutive final. A healthy crowd followed the final match as Max started fast hitting his approach to the 1st to only a few inches and then went 2up when Jacob unusually 3 putted the 2nd.
The next few holes were halved with pars before Jacob made a nice birdie on 9 to halve his arrears. Max got in a little trouble at 11, just falling in the hazard with his approach, and although choosing to play it, Jacob was level. Jacob continued his steady play and a combination of a missed putt at 12 and an errant tee shot at 13 by Max saw Jacob 2up playing the short 14th. Halved holes over the next 3 saw Jacob dormie up on the 17th. An untimely error saw him in the fairway trap with Max in A1 position and the Final was going up the 18th. Max hit it to 20ft behind the hole whilst Jacob came up a bit short on the fringe and putted up to 4ft. Max was eyeing up extra time, but his putt slipped past before Jacob solidly holed his putt to be Champion for 2018. So not only had Jacob hit the last shot of the Championship, he was also the first player to tee it up on Friday! Many congratulations to Jacob and many thanks to Burhill for hosting our Championship.
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JUNIOR NEWS
SURREY JUNIOR BOYS SCRATCH KNOCKOUT FINAL
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n a somewhat wet and soggy Worplesdon golf course, holder David Gurr (Burhill) and Lucas Gambel (Cuddington) tee’d it up on the 1st to battle it out for the title. Both
boys hit great drives and followed these with good approach shots, and then two putted for par and a half, as they also did on the 2nd. The 3rd proved a bit tricky but David managed to win the hole to go 1up. The 4th and 5th were shared and David then made a fine birdie on the 6th to extend his lead. Lucas took the 7th to pull one back, the 8th was shared, but David won the 9th to go back to 2up. It had taken them 1 hour 20 minutes to play the front nine holes! The par three 10th was also won by David with a super birdie, his tee shot landing no more than a foot away from the hole, although the ball spun back 6ft he sunk the putt to go 3up. Nothing Lucas could do about that, but he wasn’t about to give up. He showed tremendous skill and fighting spirit by winning the 11th, 12th and 13th to bring it all back to levels. This was a real ding dong of a final and although very competitive it was played
in fantastic spirit, the boys chatting and enjoying the experience. The 14th was halved, then David made a fantastic eagle at the par five 15th to gain a crucial advantage, not to be outdone Lucas won the 16th to level things again. The 17th was shared, so it was all square going down the 18th. Lucas hit a super drive down the middle, David slightly pulled his tee shot and although it had landed and was slowing down it was heading out of bounds until it hit an oak tree and ricochet back into play. David then hit the green and two putted to win 1up, Lucas had missed left, chipped on and two putted. David had achieved something few have and retained the title, no easy feat with the high quality of youngsters who entered this prestigious competition. Although runner up Lucas had also shown what a good golfer he is, he was very gracious in defeat as was David in victory.
INTER COUNTIES U14 LEAGUE – SURREY v HERTS v HANTS
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he Surrey U14 Squad kicked off their Inter Counties League fixtures with an away trip to Sherfield Oaks Golf Club in Hampshire. This is a nice course, part of the Crown Golf collection, with some challenging holes and a little water! This year Surrey have been drawn in the group stages against Hampshire and Hertfordshire, two good sides, so the Surrey boys knew we were in for a tough battle. The format for the day was a 12-a-side triple match play off scratch, with 2 points being awarded for a win and 1 point for a halved match. In preparation for the match the boys were taken down for a practice round the day before. Unfortunately the practice round featured several heavy downpours and they eventually had to come off after 15 holes! However, nothing perturbed the Surrey boys and they certainly stepped up a notch on match day playing some great golf. This with the
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tremendous teamwork showed through producing an amazing final score of: Surrey beat Hampshire 21-3, Surrey beat Hertfordshire 19-5. For the neutral’s out there, Herts beat Hants 14-10.
Team: Rocky Chapman (Captain), Oliver Wren, Nathan Woodham, Aidan Millham, Hashim Banday, Tom Kelly, Luca Knowles, Cameron Cridge, Kris Kim, Sam Wood, Edward Dimayuga, David Razinskas, James Munns (Reserve)
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
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JUNIOR NEWS
SURREY U12 CHAMPIONSHIP With a full field of nearly 60 players, the Surrey U12 County Championship, Paul Casey Trophy, took place on a beautiful May Sunday afternoon at Milford Golf Club. With players as young as seven years old taking part, the future of Surrey junior golf was clearly on display.
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he format for the Championship is 18 holes stroke play, in addition to this main competition there were handicap prizes and a putting competition. Max Reid (Windlesham) won the putting on countback from Luke Jones (Cuddington) in second, both players scoring 24 strokes, and Harry Garnett (Bramley) in third two strokes further back. The handicap prize was won by Caled Strauss (Farnham) with a nett 57, with Joe McSweeney (Farnham) in second with a 60 and Reggie Fear in third with a 63. Onto the main competition of the day the Scratch Championship, and what a close competition we had, with only one shot separating the top three players! Two Cuddington players, Kris Kim and Fredrick Gannon both shot 78’s
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with Kris just pushing his club mate into third on countback. The 2018 Championship was won by Leo Vorobyev of Windlesham with a fine 77 and this with a quadruple on the par three 12th! But impressively, Leo kept his composure and didn’t let it affect him finishing with a superb birdie on the 18th to avoid a three way tie and a play off. Everyone then headed back to the clubhouse for the presentation of the prizes. Chobham Captain, Roger Smith said a few words of welcome to all and presented the putting and handicapped prizes. Terry Casey then presented the Championship prizes. Thanks to Milford Golf Club for hosting the Championship, making everyone feel so welcome and presenting the course in good condition and to all the
volunteers who spent the day on the course helping make it such a wonderful day for junior golf and a wonderful day it was. Congratulations to Leo Vorobyev for winning the 2018 Surrey U12 Championship.
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
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JUNIOR NEWS
JESS
ADAMS
ONE TO WATCH...
PLAYER PROFILE
When did you start playing golf and who was your inspiration?
How often do you get to play and how much training do you do?
I started golf when I was 12 years old. My inspiration was Mel Reid.
Every week is very different. I try to see my coach each week for a couple of hours and practise 5/6 days but it is very varied.
Do you have a favourite player and who would be in your dream team? My favourite player is Rickie Fowler and my dream team would be Charlie Hull, Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickleson. Are there specific areas of your game that you work on and how do you monitor your results to try and identify any concerns you have? I enter every competition round I play into Golf Data Lab. This allows me to see where the weaknesses in my game are and where I’m dropping shots, which helps me plan my practise. The main area I’m working on at the moment is having a variety of chip shots that I’m confident to play as I will be playing abroad this season. 20
What are your goals for 2018 and beyond? My goals for 2018 are to play abroad in lots of national events to improve my European ranking and gain lots of experience. As well as this, I would like to get into the u18 National Squad. Eventually I’d like to play professionally. What advice would you give young players just starting on their journey in golf? My advice to young players starting their journey in golf is to enjoy it and not to worry about your handicap; it will naturally come down when you’re ready. Also, not to compare yourself to other people of similar ages as everyone progresses at different times.
Age: 16 Current club: Burhill Handicap: 3 List of wins/placements/achievements: • Surrey Ladies winner 2018 • Won the afternoon round at Surrey Ladies and came 3rd in the qualifier 2018 • Worplesdon Ladies Club Champion 2017 • Worplesdon Junior Club Champion 2017 • Burhill Girls Club Champion 2017 • 2nd In Burhill Ladies Club Champs 2017 • Worplesdon Junior Open Champion 2018 • Friendship Trophy 2017 • Member of the Junior County Week Team 2015, 2016, 2017 and in 2017 went on to win Junior County Match Week • South Region Squad 2015
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
West Surrey
I T RE ALLY IS SUR R E Y ’ S B EST K E PT S E CR E T Join us at a long established, friendly and welcoming Club. Set in the heart of beautiful, tranquil Surrey countryside. Indulge yourself in more than a centuries worth of golďŹ ng history, designed by the legendary Herbert Fowler. For new golfers who want to learn the game we have an excellent beginners Academy led by PGA Professionals to get you started, whatever your experience of golf. Welcoming Membership applications with no Joining Fee for Ladies and Juniors.
wsgc.co.uk 01483 421275 West Surrey Golf Club, Enton Green, Godalming, Surrey GU8 5AF
SURREY LADIES
16-YEAR-OLD JESS ADAMS WINS 2018 SURREY LADIES COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP After three days of 36 holes in testing weather conditions, 16-year-old Jess Adams of Burhill GC became the 2018 SLCGA County Champion.
T
he event was held at West Hill Golf Club earlier this month despite the course having been closed several days before due to all the heavy rain. Jess was one of 44 players in the 36 hole qualifier on the Friday which led to the top 16 players fighting it out over the weekend matchplay. Katie Laud from Worplesdon came 1st in the qualifier posting scores of 73 and 77 which was four shots clear of teenager Rafiah Banday from Royal Mid Surrey, who won the Laura Davis prize for the best junior score. Katie was particularly pleased to win the qualifier’s
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trophy as her mother had won it 40 years earlier! The weekend matchplay displayed some exciting rounds with the final places being fought over by a pair of ladies and a pair of teenagers. Katie Laud beat last year’s finalist Nicola Taylor from Walton Heath and Jess Adams beat fellow teenager Lauren Gooding from Roehampton, setting up a thrilling final. Despite the rain continuing to fall, Jess drove the ball well throughout and her strength got the better of her final opponent winning a convincing 5/4.
Main pic: Nicola Taylor. Inset: Jess Adams Above: Katie Laud
For further information please contact: Dawn Elliott, SLCGA E: dawn.e.elliott@btinternet.com T: 01883 722470
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READING GOLF CLUB SOCIETY PAR 3 CHALLENGE
Back for 2018 is the Reading Golf Club Par 3 Challenge for golf societies Any members of a golf society (min 12 players) who score 8 points or more in one round during a society visit in 2018 will be entered into a draw at the end of the year with the prize being a return visit in 2018 for the whole society!
With the longest par 3 measuring just 157 yards from the yellow tees this doesn’t sound too difficult and with Society Packages from just £39.95 it is the ideal venue for your golf society this year.
Call 0118 947 2909 and take the Reading Golf Club Par 3 Challenge in 2018 *Minimum of 12 players attending bookings July 2018 to October 2018
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OTHER NEWS
CUSTOM MADE ARTIFICIAL, HOME PUTTING GREENS Golfers throughout the world know the benefits of practising the short game. As much as 65% of all shots in a game of golf take place within 100 yards of the putting green. Getting down in two shots when you miss a green is one of the keys to lowering your handicap.
W
e have all been guilty of spending hours at the driving range hitting countless balls into the distance, this is great for getting to the green in 2, but then you go to pieces and take 5 to putt. Many enthusiastic golfers over the years have built a home putting green to have their very own practice area. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these home putting greens are difficult to maintain unless you are fortunate enough to employ your own green keeper.
Look Real Lawns, a small bespoke business based on the Surrey/Kent border, design and build artificial golf greens and install artificial lawns as well as a full landscaping service. Owner Andrew Brown is a former head greenkeeper with over 25 years experience in the golf and greenkeeping industry. He has spent the last 10 years designing and building synthetic golf greens. Creating your very own artificial putting green at your home could not be made any easier.
Look Real Lawns work alongside the client to make sure the end result blends with the environment and more importantly their budget. Using specialised artificial grass designed for golf, any size is possible from 300m2 with bunkers to a 20m2 green to practice those important short putts. Customised to suit your needs A customised individual putting/ chipping facility includes: • Landscaping to compliment your green, such as water features, paths and planting schemes. • Bunkers to make your practice time more challenging. • Undulations, contours, flat and two – tiered greens. • 3,6,9 hole golf academies designed and built. The benefits • Artificial grass does not fade • Grass is guaranteed for 8 years • In intensively used sports areas it will last for approximately 10 years, this can be up to double that in a leisure environment • No more mowing, occasional brushing only. • Child and dog friendly • Environmentally friendly Call 07748 350 530, email info@lookreallawns.co.uk or visit www.lookreallawns.co.uk
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SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
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Our artificial grass surfaces are the very best on the market and are ideal for putting greens, garden lawns, patios, balconies, children’s play areas and many other types of display and leisure areas. We offer a custom designed service to suit individual requirements and a professional installation team that will work to give you the results you would like.
07748 350 530 info@lookreallawns.co.uk www.lookreallawns.co.uk
SPOTLIGHT
Spotlight
WEST SURREY GOLF CLUB SURREY’S BEST KEPT SECRET
F
ew can doubt the beauty of West Surrey’s golf course. Designed by W Herbert Fowler in 1910, who’s other notable courses include The Berkshire and Walton Heath. West Surrey is a quiet and scenic parkland course, featuring attractive tree-lined fairways with wide and spectacular views of the surrounding countryside that is always maintained in superb condition and offers an enduring challenge to golfers of all abilities.
Herbert Fowler, notable course designer
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It really is Surrey’s best kept secret. Set within 220 acres of the tranquil Surrey Hills countryside, this parkland course has USGA specification greens which allow free draining, thereby creating putting surfaces of the highest quality that remain playable all year round. They are impervious to the heaviest of rainstorms and are amongst the best in this county. The watering system installed in 2002 has also enabled the greenkeeping staff to present fairways of a consistently high standard on all holes, whatever the summer weather. Chris Rogers (PGA Professional Richings Park) said after winning the recent Pro-Am in June, “the course was the best we played on this year, and was in fantastic condition”. Over the last three years the club has invested in hole improvements and bunker upgrades working with
renowned course architect Ken Moody. The careful changes implemented over the last few years have only added to the character of the course and have strengthened the 6477-yard par 71 layout. The boundary of the estate is framed by open farmland running as far as the eye can see and this, combined with no main roads, railway nor any flightpath, means that peace and tranquillity reign as you enjoy your round. The course winds slowly upwards towards its highest point 440 feet above sea level, around the 16th tee. From there, apart from a teasing climb to the 17th, it begins a gentle descent back to the clubhouse. The view from the 18th tee down to the clubhouse and over to the Hogs Back is one to remember. The club itself has everything a member would want. A very welcoming, friendly and warm atmosphere with a beautiful clubhouse and terrace overlooking the
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT
DISCOVER THE SECRET West Surrey is open throughout the year, welcomes lovers of the game, either as new members, visitors or society players. Come and discover the secret. Full details are available on the club’s website www.wsgc.co.uk or, for a personal introduction please call Membership Secretary Tara Cosser or Club Secretary James Newman on 01483 421275. Enton Green, Godalming Surrey GU8 5AF
18th green. Club Roll-ups form the main focus for friendly play at West Surrey and take place on most mornings and afternoons of the week. These roll ups are completely open and are a wonderful way for new members to meet others and play some competitive golf. In addition to monthly Medals and Stablefords, there are summer weekend trophy competitions and winter and summer match play knockouts. Ladies meet primarily on Tuesday mornings but also on Saturdays, which are alternate competition days and there is a match play practice and roll up on Thursdays during the winter. As well as Medals and Stablefords, ladies compete for a number of Trophies and play friendly social matches against several local clubs. The Junior Section seeks to provide youngsters with an early introduction to golf, to the fun and challenges it
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
offers and the chance to learn the necessary playing skills as well as absorbing the culture of the game. All this within a supportive, safe and enjoyable environment. The club has the Golf Mark accreditation recognising the high level and standard of junior and beginner friendly golf facilities. West Surrey boasts a busy, well stocked professional’s shop, run by Advanced PGA Head Professional Duncan Giblett, offering a wide range of products and services. Practice facilities at the club include a covered teaching area, full length driving range, putting green and short game practice area with chipping green and practice bunkers. Adjacent to the 8th green, West Surrey has a wonderful half-way house for golfers needing sustenance after their first eight holes. The team
are on hand to provide breakfasts, an array of sandwiches, excellent homemade cakes and hot and cold beverages throughout the year, weather permitting in the winter. A visit to the ‘hut’, as the members call it, is a must; the hardest decision you have is what delights to choose from. You’ll find the clubhouse a warm and inviting location with friendly welcoming staff, a pleasant wellappointed bar, fantastic catering and a comfortable lounge.
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PRO TALK
DAVID BOOTE’S PRO SEASON GETS OFF TO A BUSY START So I’m into my first season as a professional and it’s been a fun and interesting start. I have seven starts on the Challenge Tour and now a full category on the Europro Tour, which I managed to secure at their Q school in March.
M
y first Challenge Tour start this season seemed a long time coming after having to wait until the end of April. The Challenge Tour doesn’t start until mid-March and so from main Tour Q school in November through until then you don’t have a lot to play in unless you have a full tour card or you decide to play on some of the many winter mini tours. My winter consisted of a few good results on the TP Tour and the Algarve Tour in Portugal with my best being tied for second place in Palmares. I
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then spent a couple of weeks Stateside back at my Alma Mater Stanford. One of the many great things about Stanford Golf is that Coach Ray allows ex team members who are now professionals to come back and use the facilities. This was a great help to sharpen the game for the year ahead. Turkey was to be my first event on Challenge. It was my second time to the country, but my first time to the Belek area, known for its abundance of well designed golf courses and beachside hotels. The
Turkish Challenge was held at Gloria Golf Resort, which was a course I thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately, I missed the cut by one stroke, but in fairness it fell at -4 and I was actually +4 through the first six holes and fought back to -3 so there were plenty of positives to take forward. I had a chance to practice hard over the weekend and get myself ready for the next event. That’s one of the interesting things about life on tour – once a week is over it’s straight into the next event. Like a conveyor belt it never
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
PRO TALK
stops and whether you’ve had a great week or not, the following Thursday, all is forgotten and a new tournament starts. In this case the winner was Joachim Hansen of Denmark on -18. A 9pm Sunday flight back from Antalya arriving into Stansted at midnight, four hours sleep in an airport Holiday Inn, a 7am flight out to Bilbao and a 1½ hour drive later, I arrived at the next stop – Spain. The Challenge De España was being held at Izki Golf Club at Urturi in the heart of Basque Country. It was high up
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
in the mountains, at altitude and very cold (highs of 6/7 degrees Celsius the first two days) so the ball wasn’t flying as far as it might normally. I was lucky to experience some incredible views from the top of the mountain which my housemates and I had to travel over every day to get to the club. The course itself was very cool too, and, being a Seve Ballesteros design, it had a lot of unusual holes with some great par 3s and some serious shot making required on many tees. I played solid again, this time making the cut on level par and finishing T34th after four rounds. I was pleased to have my first Challenge Tour points finish of the year under the belt! The winner was Oscar Lengden from Sweden on -15. Fortunately, I had arranged to travel back on the Monday evening so was able to spend a day sightseeing around Bilbao which has a beautiful centre despite being quite an industrial city. My first Europro event was up next during the third week of May. Frilford Heath is beginning to feel almost like a second home to me since I’ve played in a couple of European Tour Stage 1-Q schools there now as well as a Europro Q school earlier this year! Situated just south of Oxford, Frilford
Heath is a fantastic club with three courses, a par 3 course, and great practice facilities and was a nice place to start the Europro season. My golf was a little bit up and down, finishing in a tie for 32nd but there were positives in my back nine 2nd round of -3 to make the cut comfortably and then lots more good golf in there too. The Europro Tour is a very high standard and the winning score that week was -11 from Paul O’Hara through just three rounds. There are 15 events through the year to September and the top five players on the seasons order of merit will gain full Challenge Tour status next year so there is a lot of incentive to play well. As I write this blog I am currently in the Czech Republic for my next Challenge Tour start. It’s a golf course I’ve played before and in a lovely part of the country about an hours drive from Prague. I’m looking forward to competing in the US Open Qualifying again in early June at Walton Heath. It’s a great event and hopefully I can pull off some of last year’s memories!
@davidboote123
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GET INTO GOLF
How to encourage
more women to play golf
by Lauren Blease
One thing I am particularly passionate about, is encouraging more women and girls to play golf. There has always been a culture in golf that it is seen as an old mans game and it is very exclusive, but it doesn’t need to be that way...
I
n my opinion, in order to encourage more women and girls to play, we need to change the culture within the golf industry. We need more positive role models, not just from the playing perspective but also from the operational and coaching side of the game. Recently I attended a Women in Golf Leadership Group hosted by the GCMA, which was an amazing experience for me. I was able to meet other women in the industry who were highly successful in their fields and doing a wonderful job of promoting women within golf. We discussed a range of issues, but the main focus was how to attract and retain more women into the game; whether that’s the playing side or working within golf. Some of the main thoughts that I came away with from that meeting, were that rather than always dwelling on the past and thinking of the negative side of golf and how it used to be, we need to start implementing a positive change and being pro-active in encouraging
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more women to play, which can be done through numerous ways. One suggestion that I think we could do, would be to adapt courses to be more accommodating to women, especially in the winter. Having the option of moving the tees further forward will help with pace of play as well as women feeling more comfortable with their game. This will take a major monetary commitment by clubs to build/extend new tees, but ultimately if it brings in more women and juniors to the game then this can only be a good thing. The money spent on new tees can be recouped from future membership fees, money spent in the pro shop and in the bar and all future spending within golf of the women and juniors they are attracting. As an industry,
we all need to come together to encourage more women and families to play as if more women are playing then there is a higher likelihood that their children will play too. At Foxhills we have decided to host a Women’s Golf Day to help to encourage more women
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
Let’s all work together to change the industry and encourage more women into the game to try the game. It is aimed at female beginner golfers who have either never played before or are just getting started. The day will be a great way to meet people and socialise with other women with similar interests and at a similar ability level. Hopefully, the day will be a way for women to see that golf is fun and there are other women out there to play with and it is not an intimidating environment to be in. My hope for this day is that it will be part of this huge movement by the golf industry to encourage more women to play golf. We need to keep the
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
momentum going and keep pushing forward and making golf a welcoming experience for everyone. Golf is an amazing game and my wish is for as many people as possible to play and become involved in the sport. Golf has given me so many wonderful memories and allowed me to make friends all over the world as well as play a game I love with my family. The game is definitely starting to change and starting to evolve, but everyone needs to adapt and come together to make it an inclusive game for all.
If every person who played golf and every golf club did just one thing, no matter how small, to encourage even one more woman to play, it would be a great thing. Lauren is a Assistant PGA Professional at Foxhills Club and Resort and is available for lessons. You can contact her via email or follow her on social media: Email: lblease@foxhills.co.uk @laurenblease89 @laurenblease
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GOLF BREAKS
St Mellion Resort
SOUTH WEST GOLF If you are looking for a golf holiday which will provide you with picturesque, high quality and great value golf then look no further than the West Country.
G
olf breaks in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset offer unrivalled value when it comes to golf course quality, year-round playability and fantastic off-course facilities. Nine of the South West golf courses rank inside the top 100 golf courses in the UK. One of these courses is listed in the World top 100! Golf breaks in Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset continue to grow in popularity and it is easy to see why with the sheer quality of courses available. ST MELLION If you’re looking for a multiple awardwinning place to stay in Cornwall that offers a touch of luxury, together with a warm and friendly atmosphere, then make a beeline for St Mellion International Resort.
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St Mellion Resort is a unique blend of contemporary style, exceptional facilities, true golfing heritage and wonderful Cornish hospitality. This modern Resort is on a scale which allows it to offer an exceptional range of high quality sporting, relaxation and dining facilities, delivered to a consistently high standard, with a comfortable, friendly and unfussy approach, offering exceptional value. A combination rarely found in the UK. The 450 acre estate boasts a fully air conditioned 80-bedroom, AA four-star star hotel, 10 fairway cottages, and two golf courses; The Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, a UK top 100 course of European Tour repute which celebrates its 30th Anniversary in 2018. Superstars such as Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Jose-Maria Olazabal and Paul Casey
St Mellion Resort
have all won on ‘The Nicklaus’ at St Mellion. Alongside it is The Kernow Resort Course, also with a European Tour pedigree. Health and fitness facilities include lane, leisure and children’s swimming pools, sauna, steam and jacuzzi experiences; tennis courts; cardiocontinued on page 34
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
GOLF BREAKS
Stover Golf Club
vascular and resistance suites; dance studios; plus a crèche and children’s club. The highly skilled Spa team have chosen Elemis treatments, which harness the best of aromatherapy & thalassotherapy and also offer a complete range of products to complement your experience. All-day dining is offered in the golf course facing No.18 restaurant and the Nicklaus Bar specifically catering for golfers. There is also the award-winning An Boesti restaurant, offering the finest Cornish fayre in elegant surroundings. A warm and friendly atmosphere permeates throughout St Mellion International Resort. Perhaps this is down to its vibrant golf and leisure
membership, or indeed its strong Cornish roots, but no matter the reason you will be assured of a wonderful welcome and a memorable visit. https://st-mellion.co.uk/en/ STOVER GOLF CLUB The peace and tranquillity of Stover Golf Club, located on the edge of Newton Abbot, is a convenient treat for golfers in the south west, with easy access from the A38 and M5. The beautiful parkland golf course features a wide variety of holes, elevation change, mature trees, streams and picturesque ponds. The Front-9, offer a number of feature holes, with recent
Stover Golf Club
improvements adding to its attraction and challenge. The Back-9, is narrower and requires good course management and with again the recent additions adding to its charm. The cosy lounge, adjacent to Liverton Brook, with its trout and bird-life; enjoys a superb view of the 1st hole. The friendly bar and catering staff will ensure that your liquid refreshments and meal requirements are catered for with a wide selection of drinks and hot or cold snacks or meals. At 5,952 yards, par 69, from the white tees the course is relatively short, however, careful course management is required to produce a good round, particularly on the back 9 holes. www.stovergolfclub.co.uk THE DORSET GOLF RESORT Celebrating FORE-TEE Years of Golf. Celebrating 40 Years and now at the ‘top of their game’ The
The Dorset Golf Resort
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continued on page 36
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
stay and play With a stunning cliff-top location overlooking St Austell Bay, the Carlyon Bay offers the perfect golfing escape for groups as well as couples
Room & Breakfast
Dinner, Room & Breakfast
23 Sept - 31 Oct 2018
85
105
1 Nov 2018 - 31 March 2019
80
100
1 April - 30 June 2019
90
110
22 Sept - 31 Oct 2019
90
110
GROUP RATES
Prices are per person per night based on two people sharing a twin/ double inland facing room for a minimum of two nights for groups of 10 or more.
FREE
golf daily & use of the spa
Price Includes: Round of golf per person per night of their stay, lunch in the clubhouse, 20% off buggies, luxury accommodation at the 4 star luxury Carlyon Bay hotel and full use of spa & leisure facilities.
To book please call 01726 812304 quoting ‘Surrey Golf’ Visit: carlyonbay.com | Email: reservations@carlyonbay.com Sea Road, St Austell, Cornwall PL25 3RD
Carlyon Bay Golf Course
Dorset Golf Resort has recently been acknowledged by many independent bodies as a Top 100 Golf Resort having never been before! The combination of 5-star log homes and cottages with private sauna’s, a Top 150 Championship Golf Course (27 holes) and a superb locally sourced menu is clearly a winning one as the resort boast a 65% repeat booking rate. With lots to do locally including wine tasting and tours, clay shooting and other fantastic attractions within 10 minutes, there’s no why wonder golfers are flocking to The Dorset Golf Resort for more than just a golf holiday. Don’t be fooled, for the serious golfer the quality is undeniable with the Lakeland, Parkland and Woodland Courses designed by Martin Hawtree.
Carlyon Bay Golf Course
Hawtree received international acclaim for his excellent work in redesigning The British Open courses and more recently the design of the 5-star Trump International Links in Aberdeen for Donald Trump. He is certainly rated as one of the best designers in the world today, so in design terms the courses at The Dorset Golf Resort have a pedigree that is undeniable. With four sets of tees the course can be set up to play at multiple levels of difficulty. Having hosted many championship events, Justin Rose even held the course record briefly shooting a Gross 69 from the back tees which he shot playing in a Tour event. There are certainly resorts you would always look forward to staying at and considered ‘one of the best’ in England; The Dorset Golf Resort is now rightly rated as one of them! www.dorsetgolfresort.com CARLYON BAY
The Dorset Golf Resort
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The Cornwall golf hotel that is in a class of its own! Stand on the first tee of this Championship Golf Course and the views across the cliff tops and over the shimmering bay will take your breath away. Carlyon Bay Golf Course is unlike any other that you have played. It is a truly
magical combination of beautifully manicured fairways and greens set in captivating scenery, while providing an exhilarating golfing challenge. The Championship Golf Course is the finest cliff top course in Cornwall and one of the most spectacular championship golf courses to be found anywhere. You play the first ten holes right along the cliff side and most of the course yields breathtaking views across St Austell Bay. The Par 72 golf course is complemented by a superb six acre practice ground, two excellent putting greens and a nine hole approach course. All these facilities make it the finest course in Cornwall for golf tuition. Cornwall is a magnet for golfers and this outstanding championship golf course makes it the premier golf hotel in Cornwall and one of the very finest continued on page 38
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Having previously spent 20 years as the Head Professional and Golf Director at West Surrey Golf Club, Alister is now enjoying his new challenge at Lanhydrock, one of Cornwall’s premier golf destinations.
“If you are thinking about playing golf in Cornwall, this truly is a great facility with a wonderful 18 hole golf course and hotel. One of my main objectives is to continue to help increase awareness of this Cornish Gem. The South West has a great mix of Parkland, Links and Downland courses and I would highly recommend playing Lanhydrock”.
Alister Tawse Alister Tawse, Head PGA Professional, Lanhydrock Hotel and Golf Club, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL30 5AQ T: +44 (0) 1208 262 570 | E: info@lanhydrockhotel.com | www.lanhydrockhotel.com
GOLF BREAKS
Mullion Golf Club
in the UK. Use of this superb course is complimentary for guests of the hotel and the highly experienced team of five PGA professionals will be able to give you all the advice you need to get maximum enjoyment from your round. www. carlyonbay.com LANHYDROCK HOTEL AND GOLF CLUB A golf club set in iconic scenery. Hidden in a sheltered wooded valley in Bodmin, Cornwall, Lanhydrock Hotel and Golf Club is one of the finest 18 hole golf courses in the South West.
Over the years the course has been beautifully shaped into the landscape, producing a course that offers an enjoyable challenge for golfers of all abilities. From the first hole, players are excited and enthralled. A short par four provides the option for a gentle lay up to the generous landing area, or do you take on the water for the opportunity of a birdie or eagle? A range of practice facilities are also available to warm up before your game. The driving range offers six covered bays and two grass area practice tees and is located adjacent to the clubhouse. Food is available from 7am for those requiring sustenance before their round, and of course, no round of golf would be complete without the pleasure of sinking one in the nineteenth hole, or as we call it, Nineteen Bar and Bistro. www.lanhydrockhotel.com MULLION GOLF CLUB
Lanhydrock Hotel and Golf Club
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Mullion Golf Club is situated on the cliffs of the Lizard Peninsula and is framed by sandy coves and protected
Mullion Golf Club
reed beds. It is not only the most southerly course in England, but one of the most beautiful courses in the West Country. The course itself was founded in 1895 as a 9-hole course and has been improved and lengthened to the course we have today. Although not overly long, it is a challenge when the wind blows. Visitors are always assured of a warm welcome whether it be from members or staff on the course, in the pro-shop or in the clubhouse. www.mulliongolfclub.co.uk
FURTHER INFORMATION www.golfsouthwest.co.uk info@golf-escapes.com
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Golf Ad.qxp_Layout 1 04/05/2018 15:31 Page 1
DO YOU WANT A CAREER
WORKING IN GOLF?
BRITAIN’S MOST SOUTHERLY GOLF COURSE
If you’re finishing school or college, take a look at the range of Golf Coaching & Management courses at Myerscough College. For school leavers we have full-time two-year A-Level equivalent Level 3 Diplomas. At university level we offer Foundation Degreesin Golf Coaching and Performance or Golf Management, with progression to an Honours Degreetop-up. Myerscough has excellent facilities, with a testing nine-hole golf course, two indoor golf academies, overseas training camps and the opportunity to work on PGA European Tour events. There’s residential accommodation for 750 students.
@My_GolfNews
OPEN MORNINGS
A challenging 18 hole course awaits along with fine food and superb local real ales. Where else can you play golf with such a backdrop of ever changing scenery as this?
SATURDAY 23RD JUNE 8 SEPTEMBER
PRESTON, LANCASHIRE
MyerscoughColl
Visitors are assured of a warm welcome at one of the most beautiful courses in the West Country – ranked in National Club Golfers Top 100 ‘Hidden Gems’
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@MyerscoughGolf
Mullion Golf Club, Cury, Helston, Cornwall TR12 7BP
T: 01326 240276 E: secretary@mulliongolfclub.co.uk www.mulliongolfclub.co.uk
MyerscoughGolf
Golf In South Devon A WARM WELCOME TO ALL GOLFERS • • • • • • • • •
Superb Sea Views Bars & Restaurants Snacks, Lunches, Dinners Golf Practice Area Extensive Grounds Reduced Fee Golf at DWGC Heated Indoor & Outdoor Pool Fitness Room Tennis
• • • • • • •
Table Tennis Snooker FREE Wi-Fi 20 Courses within 20 Miles 64 En-Suite Bedrooms Hairdressing Beauty & Holistic Therapies
• FREE Car & Coach Parking
The peace and tranquillity of Stover Golf Club, located on the edge of Newton Abbot is a convenient treat for golfers in the south west, with easy access from the A38 and M5. The course is one of the best parkland courses in the south west and features a wide variety of holes, elevation change, mature trees, streams and picturesque ponds
A James Braid Golf Course
Bovey Road, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 6QQ T: 01626 352460 E: secretary@stovergolfclub.co.uk www.stovergolfclub.co.uk
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
Telephone 01626 868000
Mount Pleasant Road, Dawlish Warren, Dawlish Devon EX7 0NA
www.langstone-hotel.co.uk 39
GOLF BREAKS
SIX-FIGURE INVESTMENT
sees swinging start to golf season at the Vale Resort
As part of its ongoing commitment to golfing excellence, the Vale Resort in south Wales has tee’d up a £250,000 investment to upgrade its golf buggy equipment.
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he resort, home to two championship golf courses, has purchased 50 new high-tech Club Car UK GPS buggies to give its members and thousands of visitors, an even better golfing experience in 2018. The new £4,000 buggies are installed with a state-of-the-art tabletstyle device that can track a golfer’s progress on the course, tell them how far from the hole they are, as well as recommending which club to use. “The GPS in our buggies will help to improve the game of many golfers visiting the courses,” said Clive Coombs, the Vale Resort’s golf manager. “The real ‘hole in one’ feature though is the device’s ability to judge the distance between the golfer
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and the hole – something which can transform someone’s experience. “The Wi-Fi structured system also allows players to see the course from a birds-eye view perspective, as well as warning them of any approaching obstacles or hazards.” Set in 650 acres of Welsh countryside, both courses have a mixture of wooded areas, wide and narrow fairways, and water features. At 7,433 yards off the championship tees, the Wales national is one of the longest courses in the UK, with the slightly shorter Lake course at 6,436 yards. “We’re committed to constantly improving the facilities on offer to our members and visitors – last year we invested £400,000 in our greens
maintenance equipment to ensure our golf courses are presented to the highest standards and have also just completed a £500,000 bedroom refurbishment. “We look forward to seeing how seasoned members and visitors get on with the new buggies and hope it’ll encourage those who are new to the game.”
FURTHER INFORMATION The Vale Resort, Hensol Park Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan Wales, CF72 8JY Tel: 01443 667800 www.valeresort.com
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SUN, SAND & WATER
A PERFECT GOLF BREAK IN WALES Summer golf breaks at the Vale Resort are hard to beat!
SUMMER GOLF BREAKS B&B + 18 holes from £69*pp D,B&B + 36 holes from £109*pp FACILITIES INCLUDE: • 4*, 143 bedroom hotel • Award winning dining • • • • •
2 championship courses Wales’ largest spa Unrivalled leisure facilities Driving range, putting and short play areas Only 3 mins off J34 of the
01443 667800 | www.valeresort.com Hensol Park, Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan, CF72 8JY *Terms and conditions apply.
SG.06.18
M4 and 20 mins from Cardiff
GOLF BREAKS
Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort
GREAT NATURAL LINKS IN THE
NORTH WEST OF IRELAND The North West of Ireland is a region renowned for its warm welcome, natural beauty, golfing heritage and superb world class links courses.
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he North West Ireland golfing scene is amassed with hidden gems and culture that will give you the full Irish experience and more during your golf break. ROSAPENNA HOTEL & GOLF RESORT – Ireland’s Home of Golf since 1893. Located on the edge of the picturesque Sheephaven Bay, Rosapenna is the proud home to two of the finest links in the world. The Old Tom Morris Links designed by
Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort
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Old Tom Morris of St. Andrews in 1893 and a modern great in the Sandy Hills Links laid out by Pat Ruddy and open for play since 2003. With a luxury 4 star hotel on site Rosapenna is the perfect venue for a golfing break or just a quiet getaway in this beautiful corner of Donegal. Relax at Rosapenna in a spacious comfortable room ranging from classic accommodation, a deluxe room overlooking the beach or a
Bayview suite with private balcony overlooking Sheephaven Bay. The hotel boasts an indoor swimming pool, a sauna and a steam room. The elegant restaurant specialises in locally caught fresh seafood, with a menu that changes daily to reflect the best of the day’s catch. The Sandy Hills Links at Rosapenna has matured into one of Ireland’s finest modern links courses. Each hole is spectacular and the views across the Old Tom Morris Links toward the beautiful Sheephaven Bay will salve any wounds inflicted by this incredible golf course. continued on page 44
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
For one looking to drive somewhere different
Play & Stay in France from £105pp This autumn enjoy a great value golf break playing on some of the finest crowd-free courses in Brittany or Normandy, all an easy drive from our arrival ports. Our Golf Desk will look after the travel, hotel and tee-time arrangements – all you have to do is pack you clubs in the car and enjoy your break!
Your break includes:
✓ Return sailings with your car including overnight cabin ✓ One night’s hotel stay with breakfast ✓ Two rounds of golf ✓ The freedom to mix and match all hotels, courses and ferry routes to suit your plans
Travel from 15 October 2018
Call 0330 159 5418 email golfdesk@brittanyferries.com or visit brittanyferries.com/golf Prices shown are per person based on 4 travelling together in a standard sized car and sharing a cabin and twin rooms. Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply - see website for details.
GOLF BREAKS
Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa Hotel
Sandy Hills is in many ways the ideal of a modern links. Intended for the serious golfer, its narrow fairways appear constricting from the tee, but the landing areas sculpted from the dunes are deceptively wide. Measuring a hefty 7,255 yards from the tips, Sandy Hills was designed with championship play in mind. Above all, the appeal of Sandy Hills lies in its beautifully balanced routing through the high dunes cloaked in marram grass. These sandhills bear a striking resemblance to the ones near the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland that form the spine of Royal Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock. Many of the holes feature elevated tees and greens, with drives into natural bowls on the dune floor. Most of the holes run north and south along the dune ridges, parallel to the front nine of the Old Tom Morris Links below, and above Tramore, the large beach along side Sheephaven Bay that caught the Scotsman’s attention so long ago. A few of the holes, like the Par-3 third, Par-3 seventh, the Par-5 eighth, and the Par-4 10th, 12th and 15th, run across the dune ridges, lending a change of pace and overwhelming sense of seclusion in the dunes. There are no average holes on the new layout, but the best come at the stretch of Nos. 6-13, which romp across the interior dunes. BALLYLIFFIN LODGE & SPA HOTEL – The award winning Ballyliffin Lodge Hotel and Spa is one of the best known family run hotels in Inishowen. Located in the heart of Ballyliffin, this luxury 4 star Donegal hotel is the perfect location for you to
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Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa Hotel
explore the Inishowen Peninsula with its vast range of local activities to suit everyone. With spectacular panoramic views over Malin Head, the hotel is located 1km from the golden sands of Pollan Bay and the world famous Ballyliffin Golf Club. Ballyliffin Lodge Hotel boasts 40 bedrooms, all of which are decorated and equipped to a very high luxurious standard with complimentary Wi-Fi in all areas of the hotel. Dining at the Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa Hotel Donegal offers exceptional value for money accompanied with great food and quality service. Ballyliffin Golf Club consists of two outstanding, contrasting links courses and 36 wonderful holes, making up one of the finest golf resorts to be found anywhere in the world. The expansive panoramic views of countryside, coastline and ocean savoured by these magnificent links courses will not easily be forgotten. The Old Links undulates in the glory of its natural terrain, presenting an immensely enjoyable challenge to every golfer. Work recently undertaken by Nick Faldo has strengthened The Old Links and brought much acclaim
from members and visitors. The new Glashedy Links is a Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock masterpiece fashioned around the incredible dunes and is rated amongst the best links tracks in the world. Ruddy cherishes Glashedy as his own and has returned in recent years to fine tune the stunning bunkering of this magnificent links. Craddock and Ruddy are also credited with much of the improvement carried out to The Old Links in the course of constructing The Glashedy Links. The Glashedy Links has hosted the Irish Inter-provincial Championships in 2006, the European Tour, North West of Ireland Open in 2002 and the Ladies European Tour, Ladies Irish Open in 1998.The Old Links hosted the European Seniors Tour in June 2008 – The Irish Seniors Open. This year Ballyliffin will host the Irish Open for the first time! The home to two championship links courses and one of the warmest welcomes in golf – this is a must when putting together an Ireland golf package with your friends.
FURTHER INFORMATION www.Ireland.com/golf Following @GoToIrelandGB https://www.facebook.com/ DiscoverIrelandGB @DiscoverirelandGB /@TourismIreland Irish Open: @DDFIrishOpen #DDFIrishOpen http://www.dubaidutyfreeirishopen.com
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2017 12 Surrey Golfer HP Golf Breaks.qxp_135mm h x 210mm w 29/11/2017 13:49 Page 1
Wish you were here Ufford Park Woodbridge
1 night Golf Breaks from only £98* per person
includes complimentary use of the Health Club with it’s gym and pool.
Looking for the perfect all year round venue for your golf break? Set in the heart of Suffolk and located just off the A12, our 18 hole, par 71 course is ideal for the beginner or the experienced player. Book your tee time online, visit the on-site AmericanGolf superstore and practice your swing on our 2 tier floodlit driving range, all before you even set foot on the lovingly cared for, award-winning, top winter course. *Terms and conditions apply. Subject to availability.
t 0844 847 9489 (local rate) w www.uffordpark.co.uk Yarmouth Road | Woodbridge | Suffolk | IP12 1QW
Looking for a fantastic experience on your next society or away day? Why not come and play Waterlooville Golf Club, home of the 2016 English Women’s County Finals?
We welcome groups from 12 to 100+ players. Waterlooville Golf Club is one of Hampshire’s friendliest clubs and you are sure to have a great experience, from the warm welcome, to the fantastic championship course right through to the great food after your game. If you haven’t played it, put it on your bucket list! The friendliness of the welcome, the presentation of the course and the quality of the greens were all outstanding. Andra, Gloucestershire Team Captain
GOLF DA YS FROM A S LITTLE AS £31.5 0
To book your day at Waterlooville Golf Club please call 023 9226 3388 or email admin@waterloovillegolfclub.co.uk
LOOKING FOR A CHALLENGE? PLAY THE BEST GARY PLAYER CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE AND EXPERIENCE THE UNIQUE SEAFRONT SCENERY FLY DIRECT WITH EASY JET, WIZZ AIR AND THOMSON FROM LONDON GATWICK, LUTON AND MANCHESTER TO VARNA, BULGARIA, STARTING FROM £150 RETURN STAY & PLAY PACKAGES Packages include: 4, 5, 6 or 7 nights luxury accommodation with breakfast, free wi-fi 1, 2 or 3 green fees at the Signature Gary Player Design Golf Course at Thracian Cliffs, free access to Thracian Spa & Fitness, outdoor swimming pools, piano bar, gaming room and resort’s entertainment program BOOK DIRECTLY AND GET THE BEST RATES AVAILABLE 10% EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT FOR RESERVATIONS MADE FOR SEASON 2019 FOR MORE FLIGHT OPTIONS AND TAILOR-MADE PACKAGES, CONTACT US TO ORGANIZE YOUR PERSONALIZED GOLF HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE +359 5709 2200 I RESERVATIONS@THRACIANCLIFFS.COM I WWW.THRACIANCLIFFS.COM
GOLF BREAKS
TURKISH DELIGHT By Clive Agran
Perhaps the most golden of golden rules when staying in a hotel is that, no matter how hungry or, more likely, thirsty you are, never open the door of the mini-bar. Inside are all sorts of tempting goodies that are almost impossible to resist, especially after a grueling 18 holes. But a beer on your balcony and what appears to be a few harmless Pringles could cost roughly the equivalent of a new driver!
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y rule book will have to be rewritten now that I’ve stayed at the fabulous Kempinski Hotel the Dome in Belek. Like nearly every other hotel in town, it’s gone ‘allinclusive’, which means everything, including the mini-bar, if not exactly ‘free’, has been paid for when you pay for the room. ‘All inclusive’ means you can play the ‘big shot’ by asking everyone in your group what they want to drink without having to shell out a lira. And standing over a threefoot putt to win the match you can concentrate on the line confident in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises when the time comes to check out. The only way ‘all-inclusive’ impacts on your golf is remembering to take a ball marker with you as there’s no need to carry loose change in your pocket. Everything was going fabulously
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well for Belek in general and the Kempinski Hotel in particular, as golfers from right across Europe discovered, is a fabulous destination. A combination of a near-perfect climate, beautiful beaches and ideal terrain enabled this former sleepy fishing village to metamorphose into the continent’s fastest growing golf destination to rival the very best that either Spain or Portugal has to offer. A string of outstanding courses sprung up along what was previously a swampy stretch of land just a little way in from the beach. Nothing further removed from the no-frills ‘holiday’ courses you might expect to find could be imagined. The very best architects were chosen and each of the dozen or more courses that were built has its own distinct character. Remarkably, they are all both beautiful and genuinely challenging. There are no duds.
In parallel with the golf boom was an explosion of top-notch hotels, some of which are gargantuan establishments built of truly biblical proportions. These can be a little too far over the top for those of a slightly delicate disposition and so I can wholeheartedly recommend the altogether classier and more tasteful five-star Kempinski Hotel. It has all the facilities but none of the nonsense and is clearly targeted at the more discerning guest. The Sirene (pronounced Seraina) Belek Hotel next door is similar, but significantly bigger and possibly angled more towards families. Both are thoroughly recommended and are adjacent to two of the best courses in Belek, the Sultan and the Pasha, which together comprise the PGA National Turkey Antalya Golf Club. Before we catch the shuttle bus for
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GOLF BREAKS
SIRENE BELEK HOTEL 7 nights all-inclusive accommodation at Sirene Belek Hotel + two rounds on PGA Sultan + two rounds on The Pasha will be £699 per person in double room. Dates: from September 2018 till end of November 2018
www.sirene.com.tr KEMPINSKI HOTEL – THE DOME
the short hop over there, let’s consider the problems Belek has suffered these past couple of years. Since this is Surrey Golf and not The Economist, there’s no need to go into great detail other than to say they were geopolitical in nature. Firstly, there was the shooting down of a Russian Air Force jet by a Turkish F-16 fighter in November 2015. And then the following July, after a failed coup attempt, there was a massive purge resulting in the imprisonment of thousands of the military, judiciary, civil service, intelligentsia, media and business people. Predictably, tourists were put off Turkey and visitor numbers plunged faster than a downhill putt at Augusta National. Thankfully for the tourist industry, that trend has now been reversed and a considerable proportion of those who deserted Turkey appear to be returning and the numbers projected
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
for this year are significantly up on the previous two. Okay, let’s now sweep politics aside and check out the two courses that belong to the Kempinski Dome and Sirene Hotel. The PGA Sultan is undoubtedly the tougher of the two. A genuine championship course that in 2012 was the venue for both the Eisenhower Trophy and the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final won by Justin Rose, it’s always beautifully presented and in perfect condition. Designed by affable Irish former tour pro, David Jones and comfortably over 7000 yards off the back tees, it’s a real challenge from the opening hole alongside a lake to the 18th where there’s yet more water and an uncomfortably tight fairway. Altogether there are about a dozen water hazards on the Sultan, which are certainly less of a threat to the more accomplished player than they are to the rest of us. The tall pines lining most of the fairways and the 100+ bunkers further complicate matters. The greens are perfectly true and in excellent shape, while the course overall is tough but fun. Easy to walk, not too long and with glorious views towards the snow-capped Taurus Mountains from every hole and a glimpse of the Mediterranean from the fifth, it is a genuine joy to play.
High Season – e940.00 per person in Superior Room Low Season – e710.00 per person in Superior Room Deluxe Room Supplement – e25.00 per night, per room NB: All packages include two rounds on PGA Sultan + two rounds on The Pasha www.kempinski.com/belek
Somewhat less menacing is the adjacent Pasha course. About 600 yards shorter than its neighbour, it’s also considerably more open, inviting and unthreatening. Although no stroll in the park as there are plenty of problems, not least of which are the numerous bunkers, it’s a course where, refreshingly, length off the tee isn’t a prerequisite to a good score. In similarly superb condition, it was also designed by David Jones. If he’s around, say hello to David Jones’s son Michael, who is the Director of Golf and is reputedly the best coach in Turkey.
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GOLF BREAKS
Costa Brava DISCOVER
Occupying a huge area north of Barcelona, the Costa Brava (rugged coast) has long been popular with holidaymakers who were drawn to the miles of unspoilt beaches and lively resorts. Golf in Costa Brava is proving just as appealing, with a number of magnificent courses to enjoy.
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he Costa Brava enjoys hot summers and mild winters, making it an ideal all-year-round destination to discover top courses and enjoy your favourite sport amid this wonderfully scenic region. LA COSTA GOLF & BEACH RESORT is located in the heart of the Costa Brava, just a few metres from the Pals Beach, Not only does the Resort have one of the best golf courses in Spain, It also has a boating centre for the
Golf De Pals
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summer season where you can enjoy all types of water sports. The hotel has 120 bedrooms, 43 of which are suites, all with a terrace or direct access to the garden and views of the spectacular tropical swimming pool, the golf course or the sea. All the bedrooms combine the comforts and services of a 4-star resort, where its decoration invites you to relax in quiet, cosy surroundings. The resort has various options of restaurants for every occasion.
Golf De Pals
Golf De Pals has direct access from the la Costa hotel garden. It is considered one of the most prestigious golf courses in Spain. Opened in 1966, it is the oldest on the Costa Brava and has a typically British design. It’s a par 73, unique in Catalonia with 5 par fives, 9 par fours and 4 par threes. Created in an immense pine forest facing Pals Beach, is a course capable of exciting all types of players, from the least expert to the most experienced. The first holes, which are quite short, with narrow fairways, gentle dog-legs, deep bunkers protecting the greens and ancient pines, surrounding the fairways, require a game of great precision, both in the drive and the approach. From hole 12 on, the holes are longer and more continental. The fairways widen, and greens are larger. Along the entire 3-hazard course, they add diversity to the round. continued on page 52
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GOLF BREAKS
PGA Golf Catalunya Empordà Golf Course
PGA Golf Catalunya
Girona
Hotel Camiral
OFF THE COURSE Girona is a city of museums, galleries, Gothic churches, cobbled lanes and medieval walls with a diverse nightlife and is a No.1 culinary destination – enjoy it at any time of year.
During its 50-year-long history, Golf de Pals has hosted numerous domestic and European professional and amateur tournaments. Particularly worthy of mention is the fact that the PGA European Tour began at Golf de Pals when the 46th Spanish Open was held here in 1972. www.resortlacosta.com www.golfplatjadepals.com PGA GOLF CATALUNYA is strategically located 50 minutes from Barcelona and 15 minutes from Girona This spectacular and imposing course has been consistently ranked among the best ten golf courses in Europe since it was opened in 1999 and was recently voted #77 in the world, #3 in continental Europe and #1 in Spain. As the venue for numerous PGA European Circuit tournaments, it is also routinely singled out for praise from the professional playing fraternity. PGA Golf Catalunya offers the best possible golf combination due
Empordà Golf Course
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to the perfect balance between the Stadium Course (inaugurated in 1999) specially designed for major competitions and for the most demanding amateur players, and the Tour Course (inaugurated in 2005) with its constant challenges and spectacular holes that will meet the expectations of all types of player. Be warned, however the beauty of the course can distract from the many dangers waiting to do serious damage to your scorecard. It makes no concessions with its trees pressing onto fairways, strategically placed bunkers and the lakes that come into play on no fewer than seven of the toughest holes. This is a quality that keeps players returning time and again to test themselves. It is rare to find so many memorable holes on one course and despite the many ups and downs, tees are elevated and very few fairways are uphill. The stunning dogleg of hole 6 is one of them and it demands nothing less than a driver and total commitment. The resort boasts luxury 5-star Hotel Camiral, members of The Leading Hotels of the World , located right next to the first tees of both courses. www.pgacatalunya.com EMPORDÀ GOLF COURSE in the heart of the Costa Brava was designed by American, Robert von Hagge, one of the best architects in the world. The 36-hole course consists of two
WHERE TO STAY Hotel Carlemany: Since its opening in 1994, the team at the hotel works with care to offer the perfect stay.
+34 972 21 12 12 carlemany@carlemany.es FURTHER INFO http://en.costabrava.org/ www.golfbreaks.com
18-hole rounds, the first of which (‘Links’) runs among dunes and lakes in the style of the finest Scottish links, while the second (‘Forest’) meanders among pine trees and more lakes in a Mediterranean forest style. The careful design and the natural beauty of this course make it one of the most attractive and stimulating in Europe. The complex is endowed with a 4-star hotel set in superb natural surroundings. The 87 guest rooms have large windows and balconies affording unbeatable views. The spa zone is the ideal place to relax in while your body is being pampered and your senses stimulated. www.empordagolf.com
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GOLF BREAKS
CHATEAU DES VIGIERS
now offers dream golf homes The dream of owning a beautiful property at a luxury French golf resort can now be a reality at Chateau des Vigiers in the Dordogne wine region of south-western France.
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ive spacious golf homes have been built on the resort’s golf course near the stunning 16th Century ‘Petit Versailles’ chateau, but golfers chasing this particular idyllic dream will have to move fast – as only two are left to buy. The fully air-conditioned homes form the Résidences de la Vallée, a collection of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom homes for sale which overlook the 7th and 8th holes of the Vallée Course at Chateau des Vigiers. Situated on the highest point of land within the estate, each property enjoys commanding views of its surroundings. The golf homes have been individually-designed by acclaimed Bergerac architect Didier Griffoul in the traditional Périgourdine style, typical of the Dordogne departement, with distinctive steeply-pitched roofs. Local craftsmen have constructed the homes using traditional rendering and
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locally-sourced stone, and interiors are fitted to a high specification according to each owner’s wishes. Each property comes with its own golf buggy, ideal transport for the short distance to the Chateau and all of its amenities including the Michelin Star ‘Les Fresques’ restaurant, various bars, the ‘Le Chai’ brasserie and the newly-renovated Spa, as well as the resort’s 27-hole golf course. Dedicated parking spaces for both your car and your personal golf buggy are also included, and each property has additional land available for an optional private swimming pool. In the last 12 months Chateau des Vigiers, which is ranked among Europe’s Top 60 golf resorts, has made a wide range of improvements to its golf facilities including new-look changing rooms, a more comprehensive pro shop, upgraded golf buggy tracks, and a bunker enhancement programme out on the golf course. To help you relax after your round of golf there’s also a sumptuous new wine cellar in Les Fresques, and the resort’s new-look spa now has a large hydrotherapy pool, improved treatment rooms and a new team of beauticians on hand with the 2018 range of Sothys Paris beauty products. And if you have friends down to stay
– which is one of the main pleasures of owning property on a golf course – you will also find that many of the hotel’s 65 four-star rooms have been refurbished in the last six months. “Many people dream of owning a luxury property on a golf course, but few will ever achieve it at a place as special as Chateau des Vigiers” said Niels Koetsier, the resort’s Managing Director. “South-west France is a truly special place to have an additional home, with a unique and charming lifestyle which suits a buyer with more discerning tastes. This is a very rare opportunity to own property at one of Europe’s top golf resorts.”
FURTHER INFORMATION Email Vigiers@vigiers.com or call +33 553 61 5000 to discuss the possibilities
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GOLF BREAKS
Loreta GC
Albatross GC
EXPLORE GOLF AROUND
PRAGUE You may be surprised to learn that there is a long tradition of quality golf in the Czech Republic...
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he first golf courses were opened in the west of the country in spa towns on Karlovy Vary in 1904 and in 1905 in Marianske Lazne. Since than Czech Republic hosted many international golf events including European Tour. With a low number of Czech golfers and more than 100 golf courses around the Czech Republic, it makes this country a heaven for golf tourists.
Konopiste GC
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Beyond West Bohemia, home of golf for local golfers, there is an increasing selection of great golf courses around Prague. You can play more than 10 different golf courses, most of them within 45-60 minutes drive from the heart of the city. For example Konopiste, Loreta or Panorama are very popular courses with an easy access from Prague centre. You should not miss golf at Albatross, home to Czech Masters, too. In addition to this there are many attractive golf courses in the other parts of the Czech Republic, for example in the areas of South Moravia or North Moravia. Easy and fast access from majority of the UK airports (it takes only 90 minutes from London to Prague) to Czech capital makes your golfing trip to the Czech Republic very attractive too. All this, plus the beautiful countryside, many historical highlights, attractive sightseeing, local cuisine,
Panorama GC
special beer and wine experience, excellent nightlife and great value for money will bring a breadth and depth to any golfing break.
PRAGUE SUMMER SPECIAL Book your golf holiday to Prague or around Czech Republic with all good UK golf tour operators. For example 3 nights including breakfast in first class hotel in Prague with 4 rounds of golf and all airport and golf transfers (minibus and English speaking driver) from 499 GBP per person based on 4 golfers. Quote Surrey Golf Magazine for this special offer. For more information, free brochure or more special offers call 020 8133 4366 or visit www.czech-republic-golf.com
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MALONE GOLF CLUB Stunning parkland golf course located just 5 miles from Belfast city centre
THE LITHIUM SPECIALISTS
• Considered by many to be the best ‘old style’ parkland course in Northern Ireland • 27 hole facility with green fees to suit all budgets • Host venue of the Vagliano Trophies in 2015 and many other championships over the years • Mature 330 acre estate, with a magnificent 180 year old main clubhouse building
In any 19th hole discussion attempting to determine the accolade of a supreme inland course in Ireland, it is perfectly understandable that there will be a case for the claims of Malone Golf Club. Not much argument is really required for, truth to tell, the gently rolling summertime tapestry of mature wood, restful lake and blaze of flowers sets it quite apart. John Redmond, Great Golf Courses of Ireland
MALONE GOLF CLUB 240 Upper Malone Road, Belfast, BT17 9LB T: 02890 612758 E: manager@malonegolfclub.co.uk
www.malonegolfclub.co.uk
topcaddy@btconnect.com | topcaddy.co.uk | 01236879815
BASINGSTOKE GOLF CLUB Enjoy Basingstoke’s most established members golf club • Classic James Braid parkland golf course • We welcome societies and visitors • Special Winter rates for societies. Contact us now quoting this advert.
er Summ ! ials Spec
Sporting Weekend Two night golf break – Dinner, Bed & Breakfast, 3 rounds of golf from: Friday and Saturday £160.00 per person
Sunday Driver Two rounds of golf, Three-course evening meal, Bed & Breakfast £64 per person
Welcome to the The Golf Shop at Basingstoke Golf Club The Basingstoke Golf Team are leading stockists for Srixon, Cleveland and Ping, offering excellent custom fit and after sales services to all visitors. Green fees are most welcome from Monday to Friday, with our friendly golf team looking forward to welcoming you and ensuring you have a memorable time during your visit to our wonderful course.
For more information contact Carl Crown (PGA Professional) or a member of our golf team on: 01256 351 332
Tel: 01256 465990 (Office) 01256 351332 (Professional) www.basingstokegolfclub.co.uk
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PRODUCT NEWS
NEW COLLECTION FROM VICE GOLF VICE PRO 2018
VICE PRO PLUS 2018
VICE TOUR 2018
A right golf ball for nearly every golfer. A ball that impresses with its outstanding performance.
The premium golf ball for golfers with the highest demands.
The new VICE PRO ball has been developed for players with the highest of standards and a swing speed that is average to high. The VICE PRO ball is characterized by extraordinary distance off the tee as well as its dynamic feel and very high spin rate in the short game.
The totally new VICE PRO PLUS is exclusively designed and engineered for high swing speed golfers. The ball is perfect for players with the highest performance demands in every aspect of the game – from exceptional distance off the tee to extraordinary feel and high spin in the short game.
RRP £29.88 for 12
RRP £29.88 for 12
Thanks to the newly developed Pana-Tetra® technology. the totally reworked VICE TOUR offers even more distance off the tee, stronger cut-resistance and an overall better performance for amateur players with a swing speed between 75 and 105 mph. RRP £19.08 for 12
VICE DRIVE 2018 The perfect ball for beginners.
VICE PRO SOFT 2018 VICE GOLF’s premium model for extra smooth feel. The VICE PRO SOFT ball is the first matte finished ULTRA CAST URETHANE ball worldwide. This premium ball was developed for golfers with average and low swing speeds, who will benefit the most from the ball’s performance. The lower compression of the VICE PRO SOFT ball results in larger distances off the tee for its intended target group of players. In addition, the higher spin in the short game allows you to attack the flag more aggressively without the ball rolling off the green. RRP £29.88 for 12
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The new VICE DRIVE ball has been designed for golfers whose main focus is distance off the tee. The VICE DRIVE ball will mainly be used by beginner golfers and those with a high handicap. It stands out with its minimal deviation off the tee and very high durability. The lower spin when driving this two-layer ball helps players with moderate to average swing speeds to achieve maximum distance off the tee. RRP £13.08 for 12
www.vicegolf.com
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
PRODUCT NEWS
MOTOCADDY LIFTS COMPACT TROLLEYS TO A NEW LEVEL Motocaddy is introducing a new M-Series range of compact-folding electric golf trolleys that includes super-lightweight Lithium batteries and the first compact model to come with a GPS functionality. The latest range offers the widest choice of car-boot friendly and easy-to-fold compact electric trolleys ever-seen, with features designed to suit the needs of every golfer. All four new models include spacesaving inverted wheels to help achieve a significantly reduced folded footprint, plus a next generation 28V high power system, making it twice as powerful as other compact electric trolleys on the market. The super-light Lithium batteries are also a third smaller than those supplied by the nearest competitor. The revolutionary new M5 CONNECT ‘Smart Cart’ is the only compact model in the world with GPS functionality offering smartphone notifications and distance data; while the latest M3 PRO is the trolley for those golfers looking for high performance features, such as distance measurement, a security pin code and Adjustable Distance Control.
• M3 PRO in Black or Alpine with Lime trim – £549.99 (Standard Lithium battery) and £599.99 (Extended Lithium battery). mechanism; plus Motocaddy’s exclusive EASILOCK bag-to-trolley connection system, which removes the need for a lower bag strap. It also features a new style oversize frame to offer unprecedented handle stability. The new M-Series trolleys are available from early July 2018 at the following recommended retail prices:
• M1 in Black or Alpine with Red trim – £499.99 (Standard Lithium battery) and £549.99 (Extended Lithium battery). • M1 DHC in Graphite with Red trim – £549.99 (Standard Lithium battery) and £599.99 (Extended Lithium battery). www.motocaddy.com
• M5 CONNECT in Black or Alpine with Blue trim – £599.99 (Standard Lithium battery) and £649.99 (Extended Lithium battery).
The brand new M1 model is the easiest-to-use compact electric trolley on the market and is also available in the M1 DHC (Downhill Control) version for golfers who play on undulating courses. Other features across the new M-Series include a soft-touch ergonomic handle, fully adjustable to any height by hand; a whisperquiet 230W motor; an integrated safety cut-out system; an auto-open stand
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
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FASHION
KJUS Taking the complication out of clothing MEN’S RADIATION VEST Pushing the boundaries of flexibility, and your performance. This insulation vest features state-ofthe-art 3D-stretch technology that allows not just the outer fabric to stretch, but the lining as well. For even more playing comfort, the vest is equipped with stretch side panels and a Y-tech cut, all adding up to a truly unrestricted swing performance. RRP £149
MEN’S SOREN POLO Swing dynamically, in comfort and with confidence with the Soren Polo. Inspired by climbing shirts, the innovative underarm gusset together with the shifted shoulder seam (Y-tech cut) ensures perfect freedom of movement. Made from highly moisture-absorbing and fast-drying fabric with built-in UV protection (UPF 50+), the Soren is guaranteed to be a wardrobe staple and your perfect playing companion. Easy to match with any outfit, it comes in short and long sleeve styles and a range of colours, including elegant muted shades, bold tones, narrow stripes and wide stripes. RRP £69
MEN’S IKE PANTS The Ike is KJUS’ most technical and popular style pant and is available in a Chino – in regular and tailored fit, in a 5-Pocket style and as shorts. Better still, the pants are available in three different lengths. Its double-weave, 4-way stretch fabric is water-repellent, dirt-resistant and super comfortable and will keep you looking sharp from the first tee to the clubhouse. The discreet, but ingenious anti-slide scorecard pocket will mean you‘ll never lose your score card again. RRP £129
UNISEX CLASSIC WEB BELT Braided classic belt with stylish leather applications and a premium metal buckle in a matte finish. Also available in solid colours. RRP £49
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MEN’S CLIVE 2L PRINTED JACKET Stylish 100% weather protection with full freedom of movement.This jacket has all the functionalities of a rain jacket but with a key difference: an ultra-stretch fabric that places no limits on your swing. The jacket has had a major makeover this season, with a modernised cut and an upgraded fabric to make it lighter weight, quieter and even more stretchable than before. It’s ergonomic fit means absolutely no compromises on the golf course, and handy zip pockets, a draw cord and Velcro straps on the wrists leave nothing to be desired. It is also extremely light, so you’ll barely notice you’re wearing it. RRP £269
www.kjus.com +44 141 846 1668
SURREY GOLF MAGAZINE
CUSTOM BALANCED. PRECISION MILLED.
Tour-Calibre Performance
Sole Weights
The next generation of PING’s 100%-milled putters are crafted and engineered to provide tour-calibre touch and performance through proven innovations like patented True Roll Technology and a new custom-weighting system. Visit a PING Fitting Specialist or PING.com today.
Premium Finishes
Three finishes — Stealth, Copper and Platinum — are available, depending on model.
© PING 2018
Custom weighting options in steel, tungsten and aluminium are offered to match a golfer’s feel and balance preferences.