Your FREE copy
Issue May 2010
Are you playing with the right partner.... Or is it time to put them on the scrapheap
INSIDE...
Stapleford Park to host European Seniors Tour event Orton Meadows and March course reviews Five-handicapper equals Stoke Rochford course record Get your set-up right with our new resident golf pro Delivered to South Lincolnshire, North Cambridgeshire, North Bedfordshire, East Northamptonshire and Rutland
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Considering joining a Golf Club? Can’t choose which one? Try Kettering and Oundle together for 3 months Choosing to join a golf club is always a tricky decision. Will you like the course? Can you get a tee time? Will you be welcomed by other members? Can you find playing partners? Oundle Golf Club Kettering Golf Club Established 1893 Established 1891 Will you get value for your subscription? Every club will answer ‘Yes’ to all these questions. At Kettering GC and Oundle GC we will prove it. Established in 1891 and 1893 and arguably two of the best and friendliest clubs in the county. And you can find out. Pay just £160 and play at both clubs for 3 months on any weekday and after 12.00noon on weekends and Bank Holidays. At the end of your trial, choose to join either club and your £160 will be deducted from an annual subscription.
We’re convinced. You will be too. John Gilding Lance Quantrill Kettering GC Oundle GC www.kettering-golf.co.uk www.oundlegolfclub.com secretary@kettering-golf.co.uk manager@oundlegolfclub.com 01536 511104 07982 679 891 www.pitchmark.co.uk
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Great condition golf course at a great price!
Lyle & Scott Green Eagle
Midweek Green Fee £15.50 Senior (Over 65) £9.50
At Thorpe Wood Golf Shop
Monday to Thursday for only £10
Shirts from £29.99 Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SE
01733 267701 10
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Offer - Play after 2pm
You do not have to be a member or have a handicap to play Golf societies welcome 7 days a week
01733 237478 www.ortonmeadowsgolfcourse.co.uk Orton Waterville, Peterborough
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ST IVES’ new course set to open
S
t Ives Golf Club are ready to unveil their long-awaited new course this month.
Built on a 230-acre site at Gifford Farm, Needingworth, the local club is now the proud owner of a new 18-hole facility with clubhouse, driving range and a fitting centre in partnership with Titleist. The new
course is a first class facility and will be a test of golf for amateurs and accomplished professionals alike. It will open for members on May 1 while an official opening will be held in August with one of Europe’s top professionals, courtesy of Titleist. With the opening of the new course, a small number of
memberships will be available. Application forms are available on the website (www.stivesgolfclub.co.uk) or from the club (Tel: 01480 468392 or 01480 466067). Pictured above is the fourth hole on the new course. And the Pitchmark Golf Society has already booked in at the new course later in the year.
St Ives (Hunts) Golf Club
ST Ives (Hunts Golf Club) Proudly announces The relocation to its new Inland Links style Golf Course, Driving Range and Club House Facilities at Needingworth Road, St Ives, with effect from 1st May 2010. Part of our Driving Range has been dedicated to the Acustnet Europe, who are world renowned for the Titleist and & Footjoy equipment and clothing range. Limited Membership is currently available.
Please enquire to The Manager for further details
01480 468392 or 01480 499920 16
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Visitors Welcome
Monday-Friday £25 www.girtongolf.co.uk
’avin a laugh
golf quiz
turned around and headed back to where Dick waited. “Can’t do it,” Tom said, sounding mighty embarrassed. “One of them is my wife and the other’s my mistress!” “OK,” Dick said with understanding. “Then I’ll go ask them.” Dick started up the fairway, only to stop halfway and turn back. “What’s wrong?” Tom asked when Dick got back. To which Dick could only reply: “Small world, isn’t it?”
TOM and Dick were being held up by a female twoball who were always half a hole ahead. The women were playing terribly slowly. Finally, after watching the women in the distance as they stood over their putts for what seemed like an eternity, Tom decided to do something. “I’ll walk ahead and ask them if we can play through,” he said. He set off down the fairway, walking towards the women. But when he got halfway he stopped,
1 When was the British Open first staged at St Andrews: 1853, 1873 or 1893? 2 Who has spent more weeks ranked at No.1 in the world: Ernie Els, Nick Price or Vijay Singh? 3 Which player did John Daly beat in a play-off to win the British Open in 1995: Costantino Rocca, Corey Pavin or Michael Campbell? 4 Which former Masters champion won three of his first four events on the Champions (Over-50s) Tour: Fred Couples, Sandy Lyle or Mark O’Meara? 5 Who many par threes are there on the Old Course at St Andrews: Two, three or four? 6 When was the European Tour launched: 1964, 1969 or 1972? 7 Which player did not appear in a play-off with Angel Cabrera at the 2009 Masters: Kenny Perry, Chad Campbell or Steve Stricker? 8 Which English player is Sky Sports golf presenter Di Stewart engaged to: Simon Dyson, Luke Donald or Nick Dougherty?
teasers and ticklers
golf games Blind Nine: This is a scramble tournament in which only nine of the 18 holes count. And the big catch is that the teams don’t know which of the nine holes count until after the round is completed. Organizers usually wait until all teams have teed off before randomly selecting which holes will count. Alternatively, organizers may select three par threes, three par fours and three par fives, but that makes it easier as players know they really need to score well on all the par threes and par fives because they are almost certain to count.
in which year? RICH Beem was a shock winner of the USPGA Championship – Sam Torrance led Europe to victory over America in the Ryder Cup – Ernie Els won the British Open in a four-man play-off – Retief Goosen finished top of the European Tour Order of Merit.
who am i? For eagle: I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1980. For birdie: I won my first pro event at the 2002 Dunhill Championship in South Africa. For par: I began my professional career by missing 21 successive cuts. For bogey: I won the European Tour Order of Merit in 2007 and made my Ryder Cup debut the following year. For double bogey: I finished fourth in the British Open as a 17-year-old at Royal Troon.
answers: Golf Quiz: 1 1873, 2 Nick Price, 3 Costantino Rocca, 4 Fred Couples, 5 Two, 6 1972, 7 Steve Stricker, 8 Nick Dougherty; What Was The Year?: 2002; Who Am I?: Justin Rose.
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South Africa Mexico Uruguay France
GROUP B Argentina Nigeria South Korea Greece
GROUP C
GROUP D
England United States Algeria Slovenia
Germany Australia Serbia Ghana
GROUP A Friday 11 June
South Africa v Mexico 15:00 Uruguay v France 19:30 Wednesday 16 June
South Africa v Uruguay 19:30 Thursday 17 June
France v Mexico 19:30 Tuesday 22 June
France v South Africa 15:00 Mexico v Uruguay 15:00
GROUP B
A – Winner B – Winner C – Winner D – Winner E – Winner F – Winner G – Winner H – Winner
Thursday 17 June
Argentina v South Korea 12:30 Greece v Nigeria 15:00
GROUP E Netherlands Denmark Japan Cameroon
GROUP F Italy Paraguay New Zealand Slovakia
Group Group Group Group Group Group Group Group
A v Runner-up C v Runner-up D v Runner-up B v Runner-up E v Runner-up G v Runner-up F v Runner-up H v Runner-up
QF1 QF2 QF3 QF4
– Winner – Winner – Winner – Winner
Game Game Game Game
E A D G
v Winner v Winner v Winner v Winner
Game Game Game Game
B - Saturday 26 June 15:00 D - Saturday 26 June 19:30 C - Sunday 27 June 15:00 A - Sunday 27 June 19:30 F - Monday 28 June 15:00 H - Monday 28 June 19:30 E - Tuesday 29 June 15:00 G - Tuesday 29 June 19:30
F B C H
GROUP C Saturday 12 June Sunday 13 June Friday 18 June
Slovenia v USA 15:00 England v Algeria 19:30 Wednesday 23 June
Slovenia v England 15:00 USA v Algeria 15:00
GROUP D Saturday 13 June
Serbia v Ghana 15:00 Germany v Australia 19:30 Friday 18 June
Germany v Serbia 12:30 Saturday 19 June
Ghana v Australia 15:00 Wednesday 23 June
Australia v Serbia 19:30 Ghana v Germany 19:30
Final
– Winner SF1
Spain Switzerland Honduras Chile
v Winner QF1 v Winner QF4
v Winner SF2
Monday 14 June
Netherlands v Denmark 12:30 Japan v Cameroon 15:00 Saturday 19 June
Netherlands v Japan 12:30 Cameroon v Denmark 19:30 Thursday 24 June
Cameroon v Netherlands 19:30 Denmark v Japan 19:30
GROUP F Italy v Paraguay 19:30 Tuesday 15 June
New Zealand v Slovakia 12:30 Sunday 20 June
Slovakia v Paraguay 12:30 Italy v New Zealand 15:00 Paraguay v New Zealand 15:00 Slovakia v Italy 15:00
- Tuesday 6 July 19:30 - Wednesday 7 July 19:30
WORLD CUP FINAL 2010
England v USA 19:30 Algeria v Slovenia 12:30
– Winner QF2 – Winner QF3
GROUP H
Thursday 24 June
Semi finals SF1 SF2
Brazil North Korea Ivory Coast Portugal
Monday 14 June
- Friday 2 July 15:00 - Friday 2 July 19:30 - Saturday 3 July 15:00 - Saturday 3 July 19:30
Tuesday 22 June
Greece v Argentina 19:30 Nigeria v South Korea 19:30
GROUP G
GROUP E
Group Group Group Group Group Group Group Group
Quarter finals
Saturday 12 June
South Korea v Greece 12:30 Argentina v Nigeria 15:00
CUT OUT AND KEEP
Last 16 Game Game Game Game Game Game Game Game
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GROUP A
CUT OUT AND KEEP
- Sunday 11 July 19:30
GROUP G Tuesday 15 June
Ivory Coast v Portugal 15:00 Brazil v North Korea 19:30 Sunday 20 June
Brazil v Ivory Coast 19:30
WORLD CUP 2010Fixtures www.comptonspropertyagents.co.uk Comptons Property Agents, No 3 Bridge Foot, Market Deeping, Peterborough, PE6 8AA. Tel: 01778 343417
Monday 21 June
Portugal v North Korea 12:30 Friday 25 June
North Korea v Ivory Coast 15:00 Portugal v Brazil 15:00
GROUP H Wednesday 16 June
Honduras v Chile 12:30 Spain v Switzerland 15:00 Monday 21 June
Chile v Switzerland 15:00 Spain v Honduras 19:30 Friday 25 June
Chile v Spain 19:30 Switzerland v Honduras 19:30
Lotus Evora 2+2 E VERY LITTLE boy goes through a stage of liking cars and some, like me, simply don’t grow out of it. Much of my car addiction could be down to growing up in Norwich, only a few miles from the Lotus HQ in Hethel where THE Bond car of the seventies – the Lotus Esprit S1 was made. The nearest I ever got to seeing my ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ dream car was on a sponsored cycle ride around the Lotus test track for the cubs. That seemed enough for me at the time, and I soaked up the atmosphere of that windswept former airfield as though I was somehow connected to Roger Moore and his 1977 Bond car with its ‘underwater’ gadgetry. I was still giddy from excitement a few years later when the new Turbo Esprit featured in the 1981 film, ‘For Your Eyes Only’. Yes, looking back, that is definitely where my addiction to cars came from. So, you can imagine my reaction when, after months of pestering from me, Lotus rang to see if I’d like to test drive their new Evora 2+2 model. And guess what? The model I was being offered was in white – just like the dream car I’d first clapped eyes on at the Norwich Odeon in 1977. To say I was excited would be an understatement. I was off to Norfolk in a flash. After being shown around the Lotus factory and witnessing Evoras being skilfully and lovingly put together by local people rather than robots, I was more than itching to get behind the wheel of my 59 plate demo model. I was hooked from the moment I set eyes upon it. Once inside the Lotus Evora 2+2 you soon realise that the world’s only midengined four-seater is just as dramatic as its gratifyingly styled exterior. The front leather seats are very comfortable, and touch sensitive switchgear abound. You’d struggle to get all but the tiniest baby seats to fit the miniscule rear seats, but, fair play to Lotus, the rear bench is a useful storage area and is trimmed in black leather as standard,
By motoring journalist, Tim Barnes-Clay
which gives the illusion that the car is only a two-seater. The boot is even decent enough to fit in two sets of golf clubs. Brilliant! The first thing I noticed about the Evora is how well it rides. The 3.5-litre V6 lump is tame in town, but it’s hard to mask the rich throaty burble of the power waiting to be unleashed. Hit the open roads and the Toyota-sourced powerplant simply pins you in your seat. The 5.1-second 0-62mph time blows you away, yet the Lotus still feels cool, calm and collected. The car’s brakes took me by surprise – they scrub off speed in a blink of an eye and yet the Evora is totally stable under heavy braking and the mid-engined layout gives the car terrific traction. As well as the ability to turn heads and its sheer driving pleasure the Evora’s combined cycle fuel economy figure of 32.5mpg is also something to be admired. In a day driving from Norwich via Lincolnshire to Northamptonshire I got about 28 mpg - not bad considering I played about a little on the 100 mile journey home. The Norfolk based company has done an amazing job on this car. It’s utterly exciting
to drive, it draws looks wherever it goes, it feels safe and it is an extraordinarily competent all-rounder. All in all Group Lotus fulfilled my boyhood dreams by letting me drive this beautiful work of art. It’s something I won’t forget for a long time and nor will anyone else who gets behind the wheel of the stunning new Evora.
PROS ‘N’ CONS Performance 3 Ride and handling 3 Looks 3 Fuel economy 3 Rear seats 7
FACTS Max speed: 162 mph 0-62 mph: 5.1seconds Combined mpg: 32.5 Engine layout: Mid-mounted, V6 petrol, 3456 cc Power: 276 bhp @ 6400 rpm Torque: 258 lb-ft @ 4700 rpm CO2: 205 g/km
Price: £49,875
Golf in Paradise
Belle Mare Plage
Mauritius is truly a rainbow island – a mix of both eastern and western cultures living together on a verdant tropical island full of colour and contrast. The Dutch, French and English have all controlled the island at some time in the past and the impact from all is still very noticeable, and is now mixed in with Creole and Indian influences to create a harmonious pot pourri of cultures. Today the island is dotted with sophisticated resort hotels, which set standards the world over. But there is more to the island than just self-contained resorts. For the beach connoisseur the island is a treasure, but between the dazzling sand and blue seas is a scenic island with extinct volcanoes, lakes, waterfalls, forests and botanical gardens. The island is also home to a number of golf courses, including Le Golf Du Chateau some world-class offerings providing a challenge for golfers of all levels. Here, Steve Daykin, managing director of luxury tour operator Inspirational Travel, picks out some of the best courses and offers on the island. Belle Mare Plage, on the east coast of the island, has two 18-hole
Tamarina Golf Estate
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championship courses. The main course is “Legends”, which was designed by Hugh Baiocchi and opened back in 1994 and holds the Mauritius Open every December. “Links” was designed by Peter Allis and Rodney Wright and opened at the end of 2002. Both courses are lush, superbly laid out and beautifully maintained and offer challenging rounds in stunning surroundings, with water featuring heavily on the Legends course. Guests staying at Belle Mare Plage Hotel (or its sister hotel Le Prince Maurice) benefit from free green fees at both courses throughout their stay!! The resort is situated on a superb beach and also offers a number of pools, watersports, tennis, a health and beauty club and a choice of bars and restaurants. (See offer on facing page). The new Ernie Els course at The Four Seasons Resort at Anahita is built to USPGA standards and is the first of its kind in Mauritius and is quickly earning praise as one of the world’s great golf destinations with stunning oceanfront holes that are amongst the most spectacular in the world. Carefully woven into the tropical scenery, the course is set against lush mountains and fringed by the vast crystal-clear lagoon. The resort itself is aimed at the most discerning travellers and has all of the facilities and amenities one would expect from a world-class resort and guests receive unlimited golf at the resort course. Another recent addition to golf in Mauritius is the Tamarina Golf Estate on the west coast of the island. This is a challenging course that will test players of every level and is a must for any golfer travelling to the island. Built and designed by Rodney Wright on 206 hectares of land that was naturally sculpted for golf, the course is surrounded by mountains and the azure waters of the
Paradis Hotel & Golf Club
Four Seasons
ocean and is unmatched in terms of layout, location and beauty. On the extreme South of Mauritius lies the majestic Le Golf Du Chateau, an exceptional 18-hole golf course surrounding a vast natural park and two world class hotels: Heritage Awali Golf & Spa Resort and Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Spa Resort. The course has the right balance and variation in length of holes, width of fairways, green sizes and ultimately the risk and reward element that is crucial on any Championship layout. Green fees are included for guests of either resort who are on an all inclusive package. Other 18-hole courses of note on Mauritius include the superb Bernhard Langer designed course at Le Touessrok Hotel, Le Paradis Golf Course at La Morne and the Gymkhana Club, which was built by and for the British Army and is actually the oldest club in the southern hemisphere and the 4th oldest in the world!! There are also 9-hole courses at Le St Geran, The Maritim Resort and the Shandrani Hotel.
Interested in a golfing holiday to Mauritius? Call
01780 784380 now to find out more!
Le Touessrok
SPECIAL OFFER BELLE MARE PLAGE HOTEL, MAURITIUS – 5-STAR
7 nights on half board including return flights on British Airways and private transfers to and from the resort from just £1,150 per person (honeymooners pay from just £1,040!!). Situated on arguably one of the best beaches in Mauritius, this resort is surrounded by tropical gardens and overlooks a protected coral reef, making it perfect for swimming and snorkelling. The resort offers 7 restaurants, 5 bars, 4 pools, an excellent array of watersports (including free waterskiing), a dive centre, gymnasium, tennis courts, a spa and a kids club. The resort also has two 18-hole championship golf courses with complimentary green fees for guests!!
Exclusive • Imaginative • Personalised • Stylish • Romantic • Inspiring
Be inspired with.....
The Old School House, Great North Road, Wittering, Peterborough, PE8 6BX. T: 01780 784380 F: 01780 784613 E: info@inspirational-travel.com
www.inspirational-travel.com Southern Africa • East Africa • Indian Ocean • Middle East • Caribbean
FREE Electrical Checks from
Mr. Electric
Local electrician Martin Brown and his team of qualified electricians are offering recession-busting FREE electrical house checks. Martin, the franchise owner for Mr. Electric in Peterborough and Lincolnshire is concerned about the number of electrical-based injuries and deaths in the home. Government statistics show that every year up to 4,000 people are injured and 30 die due to electrical faults in the home. “Electrical dangers in the home are completely avoidable if people use the right experts for the right jobs,” explains Martin. “I hear more and more reports of people either doing their own electrical DIY or using non-approved electricians.The recession means that everyone is looking to save money where they can but the true cost can be people’s lives.” Martin’s “Mr. Electric” FREE house electrical check includes a 45-minute visual assessment of the home focusing on wiring and electric shock risks.“I’m keen to put something back into the local community and offering my time free of charge to help homeowners better understand any electrical risks or to take comfort from knowing their electrics are in good working order is my investment in a safer future for local residents,” he says. “When working and fitted correctly, the electrics in your home are an everyday godsend. If they’re badly fitted, badly maintained or in need of repair, they can be the biggest risk in the home.” Martin added:“Unlike gas or water, you can’t smell or see electricity.There is no tangible evidence of an electrical fault so I’m asking people to be extra vigilant and fully understand the warning signs and above all, call in an expert.” To contact Martin call 01778 338225 or visit www.electricalsafetycheck.com for information on our FREE Electrical Safety Checks. For general information on Mr. Electric visit www.mr-electric.co.uk.
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