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••• Golfer’s paradise
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Swingtime Corporate Golf Challenge 2010 Mauritius It’s a Pleasure Swingtime Mauritius brings to all Golfers the 2nd Swingtime Corporate Golf Challenge for May 2010. This event is a must be partaking whilst regrouping golfers world wide will also entertain an exchange in different sectors of business interaction and standards. Golf & Business have become the most probable catalyst over the past 5 years, with an increasing number of corporate leaders playing the game to relax, entertain their clients as well as to pursue networking opportunities in an environment. Mauritius, being the economical hub in Africa is also well known for its classy tourism & hospitality diversification. Mauritius offers numerous investment opportunities, both on shore and off shore. Opportunities are multiple in the traditionally strong economic sectors as well as in the island’s many rapidly emerging sectors. Ideally located at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia, the country also offers an ideal platform for holding and structuring investments in many of the world’s fastest growing economies. Swingtime Golf has the pleasure to invite you and your team and families to the most outstanding golf event for May 2010 in MAURITIUS... Come and experience the tropical beauty, pleasure & leisure golfing tour in Mauritius… Dhinesh Rai Kallee General Manager
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Swingtime Corporate Challenge
2010
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Swingtime Corporate Challenge 2010 Rules and Regulations Venue: Constance Belle Mare Plage: Legend and The Links Dates: May 14-15 May 2010 (36 holes scheduled) 2 balls betterball strokeplay. Registration and official practice day May 13th May 2010 (Terms and conditions apply) Handicap Men: 0-28 Ladies 0-36 (players will have to produce a certificate of their handicap before teeing off) Due to any unforeseen reason (weather condition) if the 1st round has already been completed and the 2nd round has been cancelled, the winning team will be declared by consideration of the results from the 1st day. Golf carts will be permitted for any player wishing to use them at the Legend, at their own cost. Pace of play: players are requested to play without any delay. Pace of play will be announced at the starting tee. All entry forms must be accompanied with entry fee. (Please note that your entry will not be processed until your full entry fee has been received) Deadlines: entry closes on the 15th April 2010 Use of non-confirming drivers will not be permitted for the Swingtime Corporate Challenge. A List of such drivers is available on the USGA website, http//www.usga.com Golf etiquette should be respected by one and all. The Rules committee will resolve all disputes regarding any aspects of the tournament. The decisions of the committee shall be final. The Swingtime Corporate Challenge shall be played in accordance with the rules of golf, as provided by the R&A Rules.
Additional information pertaining to package We are pleased to provide further information for this exceptional golfing tour in Mauritius starting on 13th May 2010. The package is thoroughly designed to meet your holiday and business travel as a Golfer and also care has been taken for your family if ever accompanying you to feel the exotic beauty of the island of Mauritius. Mauritius – It’s a Pleasure to be and inside this package you are offered the following (per golfer): • • • • • • • • • • • •
Air Fare – Economy Class via Air Mauritius 7 nights Accommodation in a Five (5) Star Hotel - Constance Belle Mare Plage on ½ board (breakfast & dinner included) Partaking in 2 (two) days of unforgettable Golfing Event in 2 (two)World Class Golf Courses – The Legends & The Links Welcoming Cocktail Lunches during tournament Prize Giving Gala Dinner Additional 5 days of free Golf during your stay at Belle Mare Plage in either Links or Legends Golf Course Relax in an colourful Atmosphere Enjoy the serenity of the shores of the East Cost of Mauritius Business Interaction with different industry Profiles world wide & Many More…
Do Business and taste alongside the contentment & leisure moments in the Tropical Island of MAURITIUS. www.swingtimegolf.co.za
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Swingtime Corporate Golf Challenge 2010
“If one of us can make a difference, just think of what we can do together’’
PACKAGES ASIA: India, Malaysia & Singapore Golfing Package: OPTION A €500/-
OPTION B: Price in euro per golfer: €2,820/-* OPTION C: non golfer package €2,690/-*price per person
EUROPE PACKAGE - UK, Switzerland, Russia, France, Italy, Belgium Golfing Package: OPTION A €500/-
OPTION B: Price in euro per golfer: €3,990/OPTION C: non golfer package €3,790/- per person
Indian Ocean Islands – Reunion, Madagascar & Seychelles Golfing Package: OPTION A €500/
OPTION B: Price in euro per golfer: €1,500/-* OPTION C: non golfer package €1,290/-*price per person
South Africa PACKAGE Golfing Package: OPTION A • ZAR 5600/-
OPTION B: Price in ZAR per golfer: ZAR 31990/OPTION C: non golfer package ZAR 29,990/-
13th - 15th May 2010 Book Now ! Local packages (MAURITIUS) at Rs15,000/- per player. Including . 2 Rounds of Golf . Welcoming Cocktail . Lunch (Two) 2 . Gala Dinner . Prize Giving Ceremony For all Invites from the above packages please note that Business Class Travel Package is also on offer. For more details,kindly contact us on admin@marketinfodirect.com. All Payments terms & Conditions are available online on www.swingtimegolf.co.za. ASIA & INDIAN OCEAN PACKAGES ARE ON OFFER FOR 4 (Four) nights stay. Upgrades are available. Bookings must be confirmed by 26th February 2010
“ If one of us can make a difference, just think of what we can do together “ Travel Package Form Last Name First Name Address Email Phone number Country Handicap Club registered at
Choose your option and tick where appropriate: Package Details Entry fee only A Golfer Package as per country of origin B FAMILY PACKAGE C Kindly send details on: admin@marketinfodirect.com Contact Details: admin@marketinfodirect.com 0230-213-3399
••• Contents / Sommaire 13
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8 10 Publishers note 13 Swingtime in India 14 Billy in India
Editors note
16 Adopt-A-golfer in India Singh Mundy 18 Utam Director of PGTI Ahmed Rana 23 Matloob Winner of PGTI 26 The Tiger Business Exclusive 28 Swingtime Chris de Burgh 32 Benz & Partners view
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34 Standard Bank Open 37 Perspective Getting out of the Crisis 40 Interview Gary Skwaric 43 Interview Dass Thomas
50 Biz Bits 53 MCB Open 56 Fashion Round 60 Fit Golf war wounds it! 64 Swing Golf tips and strategy
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A publication of Market Info Direct Mauritius Ltd Director of Publication/ Directeur de Publication Alan Leslie DUVAL E-mail : alan@marketinfodirect.com General Manager Dhinesh Rai Kallee E-mail : dhinesh@marketinfodirect.com
67 Tech & Trends Profile by Asian Tours 70 Gaganjeet Bhullar Tours 72 Asian Jeev Milkha Singh Astrology 75 Steve Stricker
78 St. Petersburg 80 Directory
ADMINISTRATION OFFICE Personal Assistant Joyce LEE admin@marketinfodirect.com MEDIA TEAM Media Manager / Journalist-Editor Robert GREEFF E-mail : rob@marketinfodirect.com Graphic Concept / CrĂŠation graphique Yannick Laroche Coralie E-mail : yannick@marketinfodirect.com Graphic Designer / Graphiste Patrice SARAMANDIF E-mail : patrice@marketinfodirect.com Ingrid TIN E-mail : ingrid@marketinfodirect.com Photographer / Photographe Manoj Nawoor Golf and Events Golf Director Billy NARRAINA E-mail : billy@marketinfodirect.com Contributors / Collaborateurs Emotions Golf Events Benz & Partners Photos / CrĂŠdit Photos Emotions Golf Events Printing T-printers Co. Ltd
MARKET INFO DIRECT MAURITIUS LTD 6th Floor, Victoria House Line Barracks Street Port-Louis, Mauritius Tel : 230 213 3399 Fax : 230 213 3342 E-mail: admin@marketinfodirect.com Web: www.swingtimegolf.co.za
The opinions expressed in Swingtime Mauritius and in the advertorials are not necessarily those of the publisher.
COPYRIGHT: SWINGTIME MAURITIUS ISSN No 1694-0687 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the publisher.
••• Editorial Editor’s letter Darrin Gee, a leading authority on mastering the mental aspect of golf, so eloquently put it that Golf, by its nature, is a journey. With that in mind, welcome Swingtime readers to 2010, another exciting year with the First Mauritian Golf Magazine. This issue contains the journeys of some remarkable individuals, namely, Chris de Burgh and Rob Greeff at the St. Geran an exclusive conversation with Mr. Chris de Burgh, whose phenomenal career as a singer, songwriter and entertainer has spanned over 3 decades. We spoke to him about music, life and golf. (see page 28). We met Dass Thomas, the Chairman of Mauritius Telecom, and spoke to him about the journey of his career, one of determination and success. As an avid golfer our conversation with him provided some fascinating insights into the “Business of golf”. (page 43) Participants in Swingtime’s Adopt-A-Golfer Program went on a journey on a discovery. They accompanied Professional Golfer Billy Narraina to India for the PGTI, and were given the opportunity to experience firsthand, a Golf Pro, participate in an international tournament, Swingtime created this opportunity for the Adopt-A-Golfers specifically to provide them with invaluable insight into the world of professional golf. (page 16) Whilst in India, Swingtime spoke to the Director of the PGTI, Mr. Uttum Singh Mundy who shed some light o this exciting event. (page 18) Golf is a sport whose ethics and philosophy not only permeates every aspect of the game, but one’s life as well. Both begin by taking a step within ourselves, and moving forward. Have a great round! Rob Greeff Editor
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Golfer’s paradise
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To advertise in Swingtime: Page Size Double Page Spread (middle) Double Page Spread Inside Front Cover Inside Back Cover Back Cover Full page Half Page Advertorial
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+230 213 3399 Email us: admin@marketinfodirect.com dhinesh@marketinfodirect.com Swingtime - Issue9 8
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••• Swing for the thought “For better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though chequered with failure, than to rank with those poor spirits, who neither enjoy much, nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat”- Theodore Roosevelt. ed
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Our slogan, “If One of us can make a Difference… IUS AURIT just think of what weM can do Together,” has certainly olf s of G proved successful, by pioneering platforms for our usin es The B sponsors, readers and our very own Mauritian Adopted Golfers. We will look back upon 2009, as the beginning for the development in the Corporate ise of Golf in Mauritius. radSport a p s ’ r Supported by sponsors, Swingtime achieved e lfaccredited he goto initiate various events and programs. The thetplatform significant highlights were: • Publishing the 1st The Swingtime Golf Magazine in Mauritius (The Business of Golf) • The 1st Swingtime Corporate Challenge (10 ecial... ... l: year Commitment so sptournament) Duva totiuthis ri s r-Luc éciale Xavie akes Mau urice si sp a m • The Adopt Golfer Program (Social l’île M What renA d i Ce qu Responsibility in Education and Life Ethics) • The Mauritian Open (Gymkhana 5 year Sponsorship Commitment to this tournament) • Expansion into emerging countries India, Russia, Bulgaria and the Indian Ocean Countries. (Procurement and establishment of Swingtime Marketing and Sales Offices) Grateful acknowledgement is made to Aircel PGTI, Director of PGTI, Mr. Uttum Singh Mundy, Uday Marwah, Director of Uday Tours & Travel Ltd, Mr. Arjun Chakraborthy – Swingtime India Team Member, JP Greens India, New Delhi Golf Club, Air Mauritius, Skyprops Finance LLC and Mr. Steven Shearer (Golf Director of Golf Du Chateau) for welcoming us to discuss about the Adopt-A-Golfer program. Swingtime, together with their partners are poised and charged to promote the “Business of Golf” for Mauritius in 2010 and beyond! Our CAMPAIGN Corporate Golf in Mauritius 2010 & Beyond, commenced in the 2nd week of January 2010. Five countries that are to be visited by ambassadors of the Swingtime Team are Zurich, Germany, Spain, India, and the Indian Ocean Islands. They will be supported simultaneously by a special sales and marketing team from Market Info Direct (Mauritius). Their mission is to participate in a 3 day Corporate Golf Road Show in each country during the latter part of March 2010, presenting a full scale golfing package starting with The 2nd Swingtime Corporate Golf Challenge, in May, The Mauritian Open, in November, and the 1st Adopt A Golfer Amateur Open in March 2011. In addition, Swingtime has procured 2 more medium term Sponsors to assist in the Student Golf Exchange Program that will also promote reciprocation with emerging countries like India, Malaysia, China and Russia. This is a SPECIAL time for Mauritius to seize this opportunity from both Government and the private sectors to claim its rightful place in the sport of Golf, thus producing future champions in the years to come and will undoubtedly see the inclusion of their participation in the Olympics and many tournaments to come. In conclusion, Future SUCCESSES must be based on wide participation, and I call on all Golfers, Golf Directors and Managers Corporate and the Honorary Government of Mauritius to support this initiative at their highest priority.
s: u i t i r u Ma
Watch this space for Swingtime “Breaking News” in our next edition.
Alan Duval (Publisher)
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••• Swingtime in India
Mauritian Golf Pro, Billy Narraina, went to India to participate in the P.G.T.I. The tournament was held at the Golden Greens in Gurgaon. Billy indicated that he last played at the Golden Greens in 2007 during summer. This time around the tournament was held during winter and presented many challenges including the greens being very dry. He had this to say:” The competition this year was very tough, with demanding conditions. I am not used to playing when it is very cold. On the 1st day of the tournament, we began at 7h30am in very misty weather. It was very difficult to judge the aim and ended with a score of 82. The following day went much better with a later start at 11h30 am. I played 4 “birdies”, a few intermittent bad putts but managed to shoot 76, but missed the cut by 1 shot. Playing, however in the Final Qualifying Round, entitles me to the renewal of my P.G.T.I
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Billy Narraina, joueur de golf professionnel mauricien, a participé au PGTI qui s’est tenu au Golden Greens de Gurgaon, en Inde. Il retrouve ce parcours trois ans après, y ayant évolué durant l’été 2007. Qui dit changement de saison dit conditions de jeu différentes : l’hiver a son lot de défis, notamment des greens plus secs. A ce propos, Billy déclare que « la compétition cette année-ci était très disputée et s’est déroulée dans des conditions difficiles. Je n’ai pas l’habitude de jouer quand il fait très froid. Le premier jour du tournoi, nous avons commencé à 7h30 et le temps était brumeux. Il était très difficile de viser juste et j’ai terminé sur un score de 82. Le jour suivant, cela allait mieux car on a commencé plus tard, soit à 11h30. J’ai effectué quatre birdies et quelques mauvais putts. Mais jouer la phase finale de qualification me permet de renouveler ma carte de membre PGTI qui est essentiel
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Membership Card which is very important for recognition by International Golfing Associations. I enjoyed playing on the course. The 18th Hole presented a real challenge. The landing area is very tight. On the left you have a huge bunker and on the right the rough. Over all it is not a course that favours short play”. “It was a great experience to once again take part in this very important event as it provides me with an excellent evaluation of my level of play. I shall be working hard to improve consistency and focusing my own training for 2010 on putting within the 3 to 6m range, with the aim to play a lower score and “holding the putt”. I would like to thank Swingtime for all the support, especially financially. Having the Adopt-A-Golfers: Ridwan and Mourad accompany me was very productive for their own development and they learnt much about the sport on an international level.
in India
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pour être reconnu par les associations internationales de golf. J’ai bien apprécié le circuit. Le trou 18 constituait un veritable défi. C’était formidable de participer à nouveau cet événement important, qui me permet surtout d’évaluer mon niveau de jeu. Je dois travailler dur pour l’améliorer et concentrer mon entraînement en 2010 sur le putt dans la portée de 3 à 6m. Je voudrais remercier Swingtime pour tout son support, particulièrement financier. En outre, avoir permis aux deux bénéficiaires du programme Adopt-AGolfer de m’accompagner leur a été très bénéfique. Etre présents dans ce genre d’événement permet d’avoir une perspective élargie de ce sport et contribue résolument à leur épanouissement. »
Billy @ the practice
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••• Swingtime in India
Swingtime selected Ridwan Purdasy and Mourad Bundhoo, participants in the Adopt-A-Golfer program initiated by Swingtime magazine, to accompany Billy Narraina to India, who was there to obtain the renewal of his P.G.T.I Membership card. Over the course of a week, the 2 Adopt-A-Golfers were given the opportunity to experience firsthand a Golf Pro participate in an international tournament, observe the logistics of a sporting event on a grand scale and monitor players attitude on and off the course. The Adopt-A-Golfers were also privileged to play a round of golf at The Jaypee Greens in Noida, one of the most prestigious golf courses in India and also at the New Delhi Golf Club. During the period of stay in New Delhi, they participated in a training session with golf coach Mr. Jagit Singh, as well as have a full day of golf with Billy Narraina working on various aspects of their game. Swingtime created this opportunity for the Adopt-AGolfers specifically to provide them with invaluable insight into the world of professional golf. Integrating the AdoptA-Golfer Program, excursions like these provide young golfers an important perspective into their aspirant careers on the professional circuit. This is a multi-disciplinary approach that encompasses the psychological, physical and technical aspects of the game of golf.
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Ridwan Purdasy et Mourad Bundhoo, qui participent au projet Adopt-A-Golfer de Swingtime Magazine, ont accompagné Billy Narraina lors de son déplacement en Inde. Il y était pour renouveler sa licence P.G.T.I. Une semaine durant, les deux bénéficiaires ont eu le privilège de voir évoluer des golfeurs professionnels dans un tournoi international et d’observer les moyens logistiques déployés lors d’un événement de cette envergure. Ils ont surtout eu l’occasion d’analyser le comportement des participants sur le green, et d’apprendre à les connaître un peu mieux après les compétitions. Les deux jeunes hommes ont également et l’opportunité de faire parler leur club dans un round au Jaypee Greens de Noida, un des parcours de golf les plus prestigieux de l’Inde. Ils ont aussi joué au New Delhi Golf Club. Durant leur séjour dans la capitale indienne, ils ont participé à une séance d’entraînement avec le moniteur de golf Jagit Singh. Ils ont aussi passé une journée entière avec Billy Narraina pour perfectionner leurs techniques. A travers ce genre d’initiatives, Swingtime donne la chance à ceux qui sont retenus dans le programme Adopt-A-Golfer de s’embarquer dans l’aventure du golf professionnel et d’y envisager un parcours. Cette demarche pluridisciplinaire réunit les aspects psychologique, physique et technique du golf.
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Ridwan and Mourad had this to say about their experience. “First of all we would like to thank Mr. Duval for the creation of the Adopt-A-Golfer Program and giving young golfers like us a chance to improve our game and become respected golfers. With this wonderful initiative we have been able to travel overseas to follow a Professional Golf Tournament, to play a great golf course, have a training session with a professional golf coach from whom learnt so much, and of course, receive expert advice and support from Mr. Billy Narraina who focuses on the improvement and development of our level of play. It was a dream for us to be in India. Billy, on the course is tough, but creates an environment of positivity and learning. His dream is to see us among the best 10 players of Mauritius. He believes that we have the ability to reach this target and so hopefully we will have more opportunities to play different courses as this experience has broadened our horizons to what can be achieved. We are much honored that Swingtime selected us for this trip and we are very grateful and appreciative. Everyone whom we have met has told us how fortunate we are to have had this experience, to be a part of the Adopt-A-Golfer Program and to have Billy, golf pro teach us. We hope to be able to pass on this knowledge to the youngsters soon. “Long life to Swingtime Mauritius”.
in India
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« Nous tenons à remercier M. Duval pour la mise sur pied du programme Adopt-A-Golfer qui donne aux jeunes joueurs comme nous l’opportunité d’améliorer nos techniques afin de devenir des golfeurs dignes de ce nom. Grâce à cette formidable initiative, nous avons pu voyager et surtout assister à un tournoi professionnel, de jouer sur un parcours légendaire et de participer à une formation dispensée par un coach professionnel avec qui nous avons beaucoup appris. Et surtout, les précieux conseils que M. Billy Narraina nous a prodigués nous ont permis d’améliorer le niveau de notre jeu. Notre séjour en Inde est un rêve devenu réalité grâce au programme Adopt-AGolfer. Billy est d’une extrême rigueur sur le green et c’est quelque chose de très enrichissant. Son objectif c’est que nous soyons parmi les 10 meilleurs golfeurs à Maurice. Il est convaincu que nous avons le potentiel pour y parvenir et cela nous motive pour aller encore plus loin. Cette expérience est un encouragement supplémentaire dans notre quête d’excellence », déclarent Ridwan et Mourad. Ils ajoutent que c’est un honneur pour eux d’avoir été choisis par Swingtime pour faire partie de cette aventure et qu’ils sont très reconnaissants envers les organisateurs. « Tous ceux que nous avons rencontrés nous ont dit à quel point nous étions chanceux d’avoir pu vivre cette expérience grâce au projet Adopt-A-Golfer et d’avoir eu Billy comme mentor. Nous souhaitons pouvoir à notre tour être en mesure de transmettre les connaissances acquises aux autres jeunes golfeurs. Longue vie à Swingtime Mauritius».
Ridwan and Mourad learning from Pro Jasgit Singh
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••• Interview
Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy Director of PGTI at the Golden Greens Golf & Country Club, Gurgaon (Haryana)
During Swingtime’s trip to India we were very fortunate to speak to Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy: The Director of the P.G.T.I Mr. Mundy proved to be very affable and presented a wealth of Golf experience. He spoke to our Representative Mr. Arjun Chakraborty about his journey as a golfer, turning Pro and the state of golf in India today.
A: As you have already come to know, we are representing the Swingtime Golf Magazine from Mauritius, and we would like to thank you for giving your precious time. On behalf of Billy and Vishnu, both from Mauritius, it is an honour and privilege for us to come and participate in your tournament, we are extremely grateful for your warm reception.
M: Thank you for your kind words and it is a pleasure having you here with us. We look forward to the participation, especially from overseas and time given to come here and try to qualify for the 2010 calendar.
A: Firstly, how did you get introduced to the game of golf?
M: Going back to my old days, reminds me of how I started. I was surrounded by golf, my brother played the game, and the journey since then has been really sweet. I picked up the game really fast, and 3 years later I played
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Swingtime s’entretient avec Uttam Singh Mundy, directeur de PGTI, à Golden Green à Cardon Présent en Inde, Swingtime est allé à la rencontre de Uttam Singh Mundy, le directeur de PGTI. D’une grande amabilité, il détient une grande expérience dans l’univers du golf. Il s’est confié à notre représentant, Arjun Chakraborty pour parler sur son parcours comme un golfeur, sa conversion comme un pro e t l’évolution de ce sport Inde.
Comme vous êtes certainement au courant, nous représentons le Swingtime Golf Magazine de Maurice .Billy et Vishnu se sentent honorés de votre accueil et de pouvoir participer à cette compétition.
Merci pour ces gentils mots. Nous sommes heureux de votre présence parmi nous et de votre participation à cette compétition . Nous souhaitons votre qualification pour le calendrier 2010.
Comment s’est développé le premier contact avec le golf ?
Cela remonte très loin. Il faut dire que j’étais entouré d’une famille porté vers le golf car mon frère y jouait déjà. J’ai commencé assez vite car trois ans après, j’étais dans l’équipe nationale. J’ai représenté l’Inde jusqu’à 1991 . Par la suite, j’ai entamé une carrière de pro jusqu’au décembre
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Interview for the national team. I played for Team India till 1991, after which I turned pro. I played till December 2008, and then I took the role of administrator.
A: Most Indian administrators do not have a background in the sport. You have done very well for the team and game, because of your experience as a player and now, administrator. When did you decide to take this important role for golf in India?
M: I think, a number of things went with the fact that I’m not taking on much. I’m not actively playing golf as I’ve said, I played till December, and then this suddenly came up. I didn’t have much time to make the decision, and thought I must try this as well. It’s a different ball game. When playing golf, one doesn’t realise what goes on behind the scenes and how one has to manage an event or putting things in the right perspective. The decision took me a week to make. Last year, when I was still playing, I slid down to number 16, and here I am. As of now, I don’t play much golf. I wish I could play, because my friends would play on the course, and you look at the conditions and it itches. But now, I enjoy it, but it’s different.
A: When you started golf and turned pro in the early 1990’s, how would compare the golfing scene in India now, compared to people who are trying to be pro now? Do they have better advantages and better facilities at this moment?
M: There is a vast change to what it was 12 years ago compared to what it is now. One is at a competitive stage, of course, back then it was competitive but now, the courses earn a lot, what with teaching and technique. I suppose the courses back then, didn’t have what we have now in terms of golf courses of international standards. We have the facilities, we have the coaches. People are now working with swing coaches, or working with mind coaches so things have obviously gone a number of steps forward. It’s a different ball game. Now you have to be playing your heart out, to be right up there. Back then, it wasn’t the case. Even the youngsters are now far more serious, and more into the money aspect. Before, money was not a big issue, but now, you are playing for big bucks and for that, you have to be at the top of your game.
A: Most middle class people in India are not even aware that there are 18 holes on a golf course. They’re not interested in golf as in football, cricket or even tennis. What do you think the PGTI or corporate houses can do to make golf more accessible to the common people, who may not be as financially accomplished?
M: There are a number of factors contributing to that. One being that golf isn’t what it used to be, and unfortunately, the games are on private golf courses. If you get a membership on a golf course, you are fortunate. In India, we have public driving ranges, and that helps, but obviously we have to
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2008 quand j’ai assumé le rôle d’administrateur.
Nombreux sont les administrateurs indiens qui n’ont pas une expérience sportive. On connaît votre expérience comme joueur et administrateur. Depuis quand assumez-vous ce nouveau rôle ?
Depuis décembre dernier, je ne joue pas activement au golf. Ensuite, cette nouvelle est tombée et je n’ai pas eu beaucoup de temps pour y réfléchir et prendre une décision. Je me suis dit qu’il faut l’accepter car cela relève aussi d’un jeu. Quand on joue au golf, on ne réalise pas ce qui se passe derrière la scène. Comment quelqu’un doit gérer un événement ou mettre les choses dans la bonne perspective. L’année dernière, je pratiquais encore ce sport et je me suis glissé au numéro 16. Maintenant, je ne joue pas tellement même si j’aurais souhaité le faire quand on voit des amis s’y adonnaient. Quand vous avez commencé à jouer au golf et ce jusqu’à votre statut de pro dans les années 90, comment comparez-vous cette période à cette d’aujourd’hui , notamment aux golfeurs qui se préparent à passer au pro. Est-ce qu’ils ont de meilleures facilitées aujourd’hui ? Il y a certainement de gros changements par rapport à la situation qui existait 12 ans de cela. Le golf est aujourd’hui un sport de compétition qui rapporte gros. Mais il faut dire aussi qu’à l’époque les golfeurs n’avaient pas des terrains de niveau international. Aujourd’hui, il y a plus des facilités pour ceux qui veulent s’adonner à cette discipline. Les jeunes sont certainement plus appliqués mais courent derrière l’argent. Car aujourd’hui, on joue pour de gros cachets et on s’efforce être parmi les premiers.
Des gens de classe moyenne en Inde ne savent même pas que des parcours de golf de 18 trous existent. Ils ne sont pas intéressés au golf contrairement au foot, cricket ou encore le tennis. Que doit faire PGTI ou d’autres Corporates pour rendre le golf plus accessible aux gens qui sont au bas de l’échelle et qui n’ont pas les moyens financiers pour le pratiquer ?
Il existe plusieurs facteurs qui contribuent à cet état de choses. D’abord, il y a le fait que le golf ne se pratique pas de la même manière qu’auparavant. Aujourd’hui , il se joue dans les parcours privés. Si vous arrivez à décrocher un abonnement pour le pratiquer sur un parcours de golf, vous pouvez vous considérer comme quelqu’un de fortuné. Il faut s’assurer pour qu’il y ait plus de terrains de golf pour accommoder l’Indien moyen. Le golf a été inclus dans les jeux Olympiques ; donc on peut s’attendre à ce qu’il y ait plus de parcours aménagés. Le media joue également un rôle prépondérant dans la promotion de ce sport. Aujourd’hui, je note qu’il y a deux partenaires qui peuvent nous aider. Les gens regardent la télévision et se font une
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••• Interview arrange for more public courses and ranges that can accommodate the average person. Golf has been included in the Olympics, so we could see more courses springing up. Secondly the media also plays a huge role in this, and now that we have two partners to help. People watch television, and can get an idea of what the sport is about, and hopefully in the next few years, it can do that job. Golf courses should also provide more junior programs, and that is what we need to do. I’m not just talking about member’s children in the clubs; I’m talking about school kids. That we get kids from schools into playing the game. That is how one can attract more people.
A: What steps is the PGTI considering making this happen?
M: You see, what we did last year helped generate that interest amongst people in golf. We had an event last year that we, the PGTI took on upon ourselves and we plan on taking a mini group. The idea is to try and take the game to different levels and then people get to see what the game is about, because they come across some golf and that’s how one can generate interest.
A: Swingtime Magazine has a programme called Adopt-A-Golfer, therefore along with us, we brought two young men who are receiving, with the help of you and Mr. Chary, the opportunity to feel the atmosphere and accompanying our players onto the field. What is your opinion on this effort from Swingtime?
M: It’s fabulous! One way to generate interest among the youth and any help to bring those youngsters in, to make it more popular, I think you’re on the right track.
A: In India, do you know of any corporate houses who may be thinking of such a programme. That maybe PGTI can encourage or appeal to corporate houses to sponsor initiatives like Adopt-A-Golfer?
M: We just got our bearings on this little boy who’s only 3 years old. We have our eyes and mind set on certain things, training programmes, getting good coaches, all sorts of things. We would like that, we just have to formulate how best to put them forward, and get sponsors and trusts to take care of certain programmes.
A: Are companies starting to express some interest in investing in golf, where public houses are?
M: This was a trying year, because of the global meltdown. We broke the spell. We didn’t lose any sponsors and actually increased the number of golfers from last year. We did very well this year, we increased the number of players. The prize money has gone up too and in 2010 we are looking at an even bigger prize pack, perhaps 26+. That’s all a good sign.
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idée sur ce sport. Ils disent qu’ils peuvent le pratiquer dans quelques années. Les cours d’initiation au golf doivent proposer plus de programmes pour les jeunes . Je ne parle pas des enfants de membres dans les clubs. Mais surtout des enfants qui vont à l’école. Il va sans dire que cette démarche peut attirer plus de gens .
Quelles sont les mesures prises par PGTI pour atteindre cet objectif ?
Ce qu’on avait fait l’année dernière nous a permis de mieux intéresser l’intérêt les jeunes au le golf. Notamment en veillant à ce que cette activité soit portée vers les gens de tous les milieux pour qu’ils sachent les techniques de ce jeu.
Swingtime Magazine a un programme connu comme Adopt-A-Golfer. De ce fait, deux jeunes golfeurs ont fait le déplacement en Inde et auront la possibilité de vivre l’expérience d’une partie de golf. Quelle est votre appréciation de cette initiative de Swingtime ?
C’est fabuleux. Je suis persuadé que vous êtes sur la bonne voie pour développer chez les jeunes de l’intérêt à ce sport.
Est-ce qu’il existe des initiatives semblables en Inde . Pensez-vous que PGTI peut encourager les Corporates à parrainer des programmes comme Adopt-A-Golfer ?
Nous venons de porter notre choix sur un petit garçon de 3 ans. Mais nous faut parallèlement décider sur les programmes de formation, réunir de bons entraîneurs et s’assurer que toutes les conditions sont réunies.
Existe-t-il un certain intérêt de la part des entreprises à investir dans le golf ?
L’année 2009 a été une année difficile en raison de la crise économique internationale. Mais je remarque en même temps que nous nous sommes bien sortis dans la mesure où nous n’avons pas perdu de sponsors. D’ailleurs, le nombre de golfeurs a augmenté par rapport à 2008. Même le prix en argent a augmenté. Pour 2010, nous nous attendons à ce que le prix soit plus alléchant. C’est un bon signe.
Nous aurions souhaité avoir plus de jeunes golfeurs mauriciens en Inde et vice versa. De notre côté, nous sommes prêts à les accueillir pour vivre l’expérience mauricienne. Que pensez-vous de cette idée ? Nous l’accueillons positivement.
Nous organiseons en mai prochain le Swingtime Corporate Challenge. Nous souhaitons avoir des participants indiens à cette compétition. Nous allons saisir cette opportunité pour venir jouer.
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Interview
•••
A: We would like more junior golfers from Mauritius to come here to India. We are free to accept any exchanges from India if they would like to come to Mauritius courses and have the experience over there, what do you think of this idea? M: Sure, that would be good.
A: This year, we are having our Swingtime Corporate Challenge in May; we would like you to encourage Indian golfers to come, as well as yourself. M: I would love to.
A: And to play.
M: Definitely, any opportunity to come and play.
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Interview
•••
Swingtime’s Representative in India, Mr. Arjun Chakraborty, spoke to Professional Golfer and the Winner of the PGTI Tournament:
Mr. Matloob Ahmed Rana Golden Greens Golf and Country Club in Gurgon bore witness to Mr. Matloob Ahmed Rana winning the Aircel PGTI Final Qualifying Stage for the 2010 season with a score of 73, 73, 70, and 70. He totaled two under 286 after completing 70 in the Final Round. His fourth round of two under 70 comprised of Birdies on the 6th, 9th and 13th hole and Bogeys on the 15th and 17th hole. He had this to say about his game play: “This is a very important victory for me. It will give me a lot of confidence for the 2010 Aircel-PGTI season. I now hope to build on this performance and scale greater heights in the next season.” He added, “I think the turning point for me was the birdie on the 13th, where I hit my eight iron second shot from 160 yards to within three feet of the pin.”
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M. Matloob Ahmed Rana a remporté la finale comptant pour la saison 2010 du Aircel PGTI sur un score de 73, 73, 70 et 70, totalisant 286 points. Il a réalisé des birdies sur les 6e, 9e et 13e trous lors de son quatrième round, ainsi que des bogeys sur les 15e et 17e trous. Le golfeur professionnel s’est confié au représentant de Swingtime en Inde, M. Arjun Chakraborty. « Cette victoire compte beaucoup pour moi. Cela me met en confiance pour cette saison 2010 et me motive pour placer la barre plus haut pour la prochaine saison », déclare-t-il. Il ajoute que le birdie au 13e trou a été déterminant pour lui
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••• Interview A: Congratulations on your achievement. You have competed in this tournament and won before. Were there any challenges this time around?
R: Yes. This time the tournament was very tough and long. It required extra stamina and with weather conditions on the misty side extra focus.
A: How did you come to play golf?
R: My father was very involved with golf in Lahore. I picked it up from him. I turned Pro in 1994 and participated in many tournaments. My home course is in Lahore at the Gymkhana golf Club.
A: You are a Pakistani Golfer playing in India. What are your thoughts on Golf in Pakistan?
R: Golf is slowly picking up in Pakistan. There is some good talent there, and tournaments are going well there. Obviously the threat of terrorism makes it difficult for golfers. Sport should be kept away from the political landscape. In India, the relationships with the Indian golfers is very good. We receive lots of help and learn from their experience and skills.
A: Swingtime has brought 2 young golfers participants in the Swingtime Adopt-A-Golfer program, to observe the workings of a big golf tournament and see Pro’s play and gain insight to the professional golf circuit. What do you think of this initiative?
R: It is very good. It is always good to start any sport at a young age. They have a wonderful opportunity to learn and prepare themselves on all levels for when they move on to the next stage of a professional career in golf. They must appreciate this chance for training and growth. And take the time to know how to live with the challenges, sacrifice and success that golf can bring.
A: We hope to see you one day soon in Mauritius. R: I would be happy to come.
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A: Félicitations pour votre performance. Vous avez déjà remporté ce tournoi dans le passé. Y avait-il des défis particuliers cette fois-ci?
R: Oui. Cette édition a été dure et longue. Cela a exigé beaucoup plus d’endurance et surtout de concentration vu les conditions climatiques sur la partie brumeuse.
A: Comment avez-vous découvert le golf ?
R: Mon père évoluait dans l’univers du golf à Lahore. J’ai hérité de sa passion et mon parcours de prédilection est le Gymkhana Golf Club de Lahore. Je suis passé pro en 1994 et j’ai participé à de nombreux tournois.
A: Vous êtes un golfeur pakistanais évoluant en Inde. Que pensez-vous du golf au Pakistan?
Il y a un bon potentiel et le golf commence à y prendre de l’ampleur. Les nombreux tournois qui y sont organisés contribuent à son développement. Evidemment, la menace terroriste est un facteur qui freine l’épanouissement de ce sport. C’est pour cela qu’il faut que le sport soit tenu à l’écart du monde politique. Nos relations avec les golfeurs indiens sont excellentes. Ils nous soutiennent et partagent leur expérience avec nous.
A: Swingtime a permis à deux jeunes golfeurs qui font partie du programme Adopt-A-Golfer de voir évoluer des joueurs professionnels dans un tournoi de grande envergure. Que pensezvous de cette initiative.
R: C’est une excellente initiative. C’est toujours mieux de commencer la pratique d’un sport à un jeune âge, ce qui leur donne le temps d’apprendre et de se perfectionner à tous les niveaux. Ces deux jeunes ont eu une chance extraordinaire et cela les inspirera sûrement pour entamer une carrière professionnelle. Ils sont maintenant plus conscients des défis et des sacrifices que cela implique, mais également de la grande satisfaction que cela peut procurer.
A: Au plaisir de vous voir un jour Maurice. R: Ce serait avec grand plaisir que je viendrai.
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••• Tiger business
The Tiger Business Eldrick (Tiger) Woods, a 34 year old golfing and media phenomenon, what has not been written and publicised about this man in the last two decades? And what one must consider is that the vast majority of Tiger publicity has been hugely favourable, until recently that is. Why so favourable? Well a golfing prodigy that has become one of the most successful golfers in history, a seemingly happily married man with children, a vast bank balance and an uncanny control over his private life. Always a controversial subject for those who strive to be the best at something is their given right for privacy. Tiger Woods has now taken that right to the extreme by announcing on the 11th December 2009 that an indefinite leave from professional golf would follow.
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True to his word it is now mid January and apart from a few Police interactions there has been neither sight nor sound of the Tiger. It would be hard to find anyone who is not aware of what brought about this situation but officially it started on the 25th November 2009 with a tabloid claim of an extra marital affair, culminating shortly after with a crash at his home at 2-30am when he hit a hedge, fire hydrant & neighbours tree. The admittance of infidelity and an apology followed during a period of media frenzy. Sponsors made announcements, one after the other, some supportive some not so, but consider that Tiger Woods, the man and the brand was the most bankable
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Tiger business
sportsman in the world with a sponsorship income approaching US $93 million per year. Notable sponsors that have dropped the Tiger are Accenture and AT&T. Gillette will support his desire for privacy by ‘’limiting his role in our marketing programmes’’. TAG Heuer dropped Woods for the foreseeable future and then recanted and stood by the Tiger. But that does still leave EA Sports, Gatorade, Golf Digest, NetJets, Nike Golf, Tatweer: The Tiger Woods Dubai, TLC Laser Eye Centres, Upper Deck and lastly the PGA Tour Partner all continuing to support Tiger Woods. The first athlete reportedly to have earned US $1 billion, golf has now currently ‘’lost a billion dollar juggernaut’’ quoted Sports Business Commentator Rick Harrow to CNN. A study released by two economic professors from the University of California that this scandal may have cost up to US $12 billion. ‘’We estimate that shareholders of Tiger Woods’ sponsors lost $5-$12 billion after his car accident relative to shareholders of firms that Mr. Woods does not endorse.’’ The report by Victor Stango and Christopher Knittel carried a caution that this kind of statistical study might have a ‘’particularly large’’ margin of error. However large or small error the effect on share values, endorsements, advertising & the whole business of golf is unparalleled.
•••
will not be as high without him, sponsors will continue to support or waiver but as his agent and friend Mark Steinberg has stated ‘’The entirety of someone’s life is more important than just a professional career’’. ‘’What matters most is a young family that is trying to cope with difficult life issues in a secluded and caring way. Whenever Tiger may return to the game, should be on the family’s terms alone.’’ At some point in the future it is hoped that Tiger Woods will attend a golf event in Mauritius. Two key things need to happen before this can ever become a reality; most obviously Tiger needs to return to professional Golf and Mauritius needs to host an event large enough to attract him. We are all sure that this will happen one day; however, how many other countries would welcome such an occasion, most, if not all. That is the genius, the power, the support, the bank-ability of this one man brand that is Tiger Woods. Just consider the interest generated in an event in Mauritius in which Tiger Woods attended, the financial revenue that would be created by it and the worldwide media coverage that would ensue. Then you realise how big a loss golf is currently suffering.
One man, a golfer can do this in the modern world. It is almost like saying that a company cannot become too big to fail as in recent cases in the banking and corporate world. In 2008 after an eight month injury lay-off it was quoted his return to be ‘’one of the most anticipated returns in sport’’. It needed to be as during his lay-off some viewing ratings dropped as much as 50%. During the period immediately after his announcement o f infidelity in December Tigers’ approval rating dropped somewhere approaching 30%. T h i s why adverts were dropped, sponsors re-evaluated their situation, billions were potentially lost and the business of golf was reeling at the impact. It is now suggested that his 2010 return (if this is the year that it happens) will be the most anticipated return in sport. The general consensus across all media reporting is that the quicker the return then the better it is for Tiger, the sport and the industry. But consider the reason for this particular break, not an injury or a well earned rest, it is the need to repair his home life. From his own website Tigers biggest challenge is ‘’to become a better person tomorrow’’. How appropriate that may seem now than ever in his life. It is clear that the sport, the game, the sponsors, the industry that is the business of golf will continue as the business of golf. However just like the loss of a major corporation in the corporate world there is the obvious vacuum left in the absence of Tiger Woods. Viewing figures
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Swingtime exclusive
•••
SWINGTIME IN CONVERSATION WITH MR. CHRIS de BURGH:
C
hris de Burgh is a singer, songwriter and performer with a legendary 35 year career. His music and talent has captured the hearts and minds of music lovers worldwide and to this day continues to do so. SWINGTIME sat down with him in an exclusive conversation at the One and Only, St. Geran, and spoke about music, life and golf. R: I believe that you play golf?
C: I have to tell you that I am an occasional golfer. I used to play a lot of golf. I have played, I suppose for about 30 years, but the last 4 or 5 years I have been so busy and finding the time to play has been difficult. I am a member of the K Club where they have the Ryder cup and a member of Druids where they also have some major P.G.A championships. Of course, the thing about the game is that golf is a cruel mistress. I have got down to a handicap of 16, which is pretty pathetic, but if I worked harder I could drop down to 12. I don’t hit a long distance, but I’m pretty straight and I have developed my short game. I have played quite a few PROAMs and made many friends who are professional golfers like Nick Faldo and Chris O’Connor and many more. I also ran a charity golf competition for 10 years. It was to raise money for handicapped children, particularly for those in Ireland. Over the 10 years we raised about a million pounds. I stopped doing it about 8 years ago, but back then it was a considerable amount of money. We got many top people coming in to support the event including Football players, and again, I made a lot of friends.
R: When and how did you start playing golf?
C: I started playing when I was on tour in America. That would have been in the late 70’s. I had a Canadian band and we were trying to “break”. I’ve had a 35 year career, and you have to remember that those were the days before the internet, before X-Factor or Pop Idol, before digital information. So you worked your craft from the bottom up. The people who have survived, the people who I know in my business like Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel and Elton John, they all have one thing in common: we all learned our trade from the bottom up and that is what helps you with longevity. Back in the early days it was tough. I remember I was the opening act for Peter Frampton and Eddie Money. I had loads of time and my band all played a bit of golf. So we would turn up in the first town, straight from the airplane or the bus and find the
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nearest municipal golf course and play. And I have to say, I was pretty bad, but I eventually got the knack of it. In fact I really got into it. There is nothing like hitting a great shot. I remember Chris O’Connor telling me that you’re not supposed to be good at golf. But if you hit a good shot, celebrate it. If you have a bad shot, then don’t worry about it. Just move on. And that is great advice. Advice for life I think.
R: I’ve been told by many golfers what really matters is how you finish the game. I’m sure you can draw a parallel to the song writing process?
C: Absolutely. There are many hits and misses in both golf and song writing. It makes me think of the Ryder Cup of 1991 and 1993. I was invited by the P.G.A to perform at the dinner which precedes the Wednesday event. I got to meet loads of people. And the Americans particularly, were good fun with the likes of Tom Watson. I wrote a song specifically for the performance, a little made up story about how the Americans and Europeans battled, and it was called “The ballad of the Ryder Cup”. In the song, the last night before the final day, the Americans are forging ahead, and they were taken to a night club, where the flower of English womanhood basically kept them up till 6 in the morning. By the time they stood on the first Tee, they could hardly hit a shot! The game in my imagination comes down to the 18th hole. It’s a drive across the water, followed by another. Ballesteros hits his drive and his second shot goes in the bunker. Watson plays his first and with his second slightly to the right, looks like he is going to win it for America. But Ballesteros gets his sand wedge out and it goes straight into the hole for a 3. It was a very funny song, and of course when I sang it, the European team went nuts, so I had great fun. Payne Stewart, who died in that tragic plane accident, he was great fun too. He played a good harmonica; I played the piano, so I got very close to these guys.
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••• Swingtime exclusive
R: Stories like these are very indicative of the camaraderie displayed by golf. It’s a fraternity of sorts. Of course, it also has a philosophy and a code of ethics that permeates every aspect of the game, providing many lessons.
C: Indeed. I have learnt a few lessons myself talking to professional golfers. One of which is playing the hole backwards. It took me a while to understand it. You’ve got a par 5 or a par 4; you play it backwards when approaching the green. I’m sure that not all golfers play that particular way, but what impressed me about it was that you can apply it to many things in life. It’s not just about the journey getting to some place. When you want to achieve something, you work backwards and you are able to see how to get to that particular point.
R: How long have you been coming to the One and Only at St. Geran? C: I’ve been coming here for about 16 years.
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R: So this is almost like a second home?
C: Oh yes! I absolutely love it. As do my children. My 2 sons are now 21 and 19 years old and they love coming here, it’s very much a second home to them. Round about August we start talking about St. Geran and where will be for Christmas. I’ve made many good friends here too. I think it’s a stunning hotel. Marvelous actually. I don’t want to tell too many people about it, but I will. I feel like I’m a bit of an ambassador for the hotel as I’ve turned so many people on to it. I’ve played a bit of golf here too, on the 9-hole, The Gary Player course, who so famously remarked when told that he was lucky on the greens; “The harder I practice, the luckier I seem to get”. A notion that I love. I played the 9-hole with my son Mike the other day. He has a beautiful swing but with a few things he needs to correct. But by and large, with a swing like that he will make a good golfer should he pursue it. We both got sets of Callaway’s from the Pro-shop. I haven’t played for 5 months, and after I got into my rhythm I was having a great time, so I had to buy those clubs , and I tell you what I was thrilled with myself.
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Swingtime exclusive
R: Have you had those “brilliant “golfing moments that took your breath away, after rising up to the challenge?
C: Absolutely! I am challenged by the game of golf every time I go on the greens. I played a course in Madrid once. I was on an elevated section after having to carry a bunker and the green was away from me. I’d practiced this trick shot in my garden, of cutting underneath the ball, taking it really high and landing on a back spin. And, as golf does, the moment presented itself. I followed through and the ball landed virtually in the hole. I wished someone had seen that shot.
R: How does playing golf in front of a crowd compare to singing in front of a crowd?
•••
World 2003, and we were at X-Factor, An English talent show. There I met Paul McCarthy, my hero and idol. He was very charming to me. He said that he felt like he has known me for years through my music even though we haven’t met. I went to see his show which was amazing. I reflected on the book, in that he and the Beatles played more than 150 shows in Liverpool then they went to Hamburg, and then they went into the recording studio, and that is why the 1st album they recorded took one day. These days that is inconceivable, but for the adopt-Agolfers, if you put in the hard work and make the sacrifices, then maybe, just maybe you will emerge ahead of the pack.
C: It’s funny. I can play my music in front of a 150 thousand people, but playing golf in front of one person I tend to freeze up. There was this one time in Scotland, the opening of the Kings Course at Glen Eagles, a very serious occasion. Prince Andrew was there in front of me, I was playing with Jim Kelly, a football legend and there was a thousand people on the 1st tee. The first 2 guys hit the ball into the crowd and I was worried. The Scottish caddy I had handed me a 5 iron and said something I barely understood, but I gave it a good wack and the ball disappeared. I got up to the hole and there was quite a crowd waiting. There were 2 balls. One on the edge and one near the hole. I of course went to the one on the edge. To which the caddy said that’s not yours, yours is over there and pointed to the one near the hole. I said he’s got to be kidding! Needless to say I birdied on the 1st and that was a euphoric moment, particularly in front of a cheering group of people. Of course it never got as good as that again.
R: With all that you have achieved, success and accolades, do you have some advice for the talented youngsters in Swingtime’s AdoptA-Golfer Program?
C: Yes. I read about them in the Swingtime Magazine. In my career and I suspect it’s the same in golf, you have to be a bit like a boxer. You have to absorb the blows that come your way. You have to be able to get up again and again. It’s a career built on disappointment. Not everything will go your way every time. There will be trials and tribulations, but they have to accept that they have to learn their “trade”. Success will not necessarily come instantly, and it’s unfortunate that we live in world based on instant gratification and where everyone expects instant success. I read an interesting book recently, based on the people like Bill Gates, David Beckham and Tiger Woods. It is the writer’s contention that it takes 10 years to actually be on the brink of success. It’s hard work on the way to success, and I agree very much with that. It was just before Christmas, that I was in London with my daughter, she was an ex Miss
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• • • • •
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Benz & Partners View Issue 85
January 2010
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••• Golf competition
Standard Bank Mauritius Open The first edition of The Standard Bank Mauritius Open, held from 7 to 12 December 2009 on the West Coast of Mauritius at Tamarina Golf Course and Golf du Chateau Course and under the aegis of Sun Resorts group of hotels, was a success. This unique tournament saw the participation of 108 golfers, which included 27 local and international Professionals. The Standard Bank Mauritius Open was held over four days with a competition between Pros and Amateurs. The winners for this year’s tournament are: for the Pros, Anthony Grenier; for the Ladies, Sammy Barber; Christian Verrougstraete in the first series Amateurs Men, Gross and Net; Craig Burt in the second series Amateurs Men, Gross; Richard Robinson in the second series Armatures Men net. PGA Pros Raphaël Jacquelin, Benoît Teilleria, Philip Golding, Phil Rowe and Grégory Havret who play in the European tour and Challenge Tour gave the Open a
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dynamic edge. Amateurs were given the chance to up their game by being able to play with a different Pro each day over the course of the 4 day event. This proved to be an exciting experience for them and some great golf was played. The Pros played on Stroke Play and from the start of the competition, score cards reflected well below the Par. On the first day of competition, twelve Pros had played under Par. And at the end of the fourth day of competition, according to the official ranking, the first six Pro players all played under Par. During the competition, Frenchmen Grégory Havret and Benoît Teilleria, with a card of 67, have both established the course record at Tamarina course.
Anthony Grenier, winner of the Open, with a card of 277 over the four days of competition, was a true competitor with the following scores: 68-72-69-68, all under or Par. Ranked 103 in the European Challenge Tour and 289 on the European Tour, he was very happy of his performance against competitors who were higher ranked than him.
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Golf competition
“I am very happy about my performance during The Standard Bank Mauritius Open. We knew each other among the Pros and we often meet during international tournaments. I was very lucky to have had four consecutive nice cards during the competition. I wish to thank the organising committee for their good work and for having enabled us to play on two magnificent courses: Tamarina Golf Course and Golf du Chateau. I will gladly come back in 2010 to defend my title,” says Anthony Grenier. Sammy Barber, a 14-year old South African golfer managed to keep up with the intensive four-day competition to win the Ladies tournament. The daughter of O’Brian Barber, Tamarina Golf Manager, has won both the Gross and Net for this competition played according to the Stableford formula. Upon receiving her trophy at the Gala Award night, Sammy Barber was very moved by the atmosphere. “I thank very much David Marsh, Golf Manager of Le Touessrok, for his coaching and also David Frost, who gave me some advice for the tournament. I am very happy of having been able to win this international competition and I dedicate this success to my family,” says Sammy Barber. For Nicolas de Chalain, General Manager of La Pirogue and member of the organising committee of The Standard Bank Mauritius Open, the event was a great success. “When we were approached to organize the Mauritius Open, we knew that it would not be an easy task. But when we acknowledge the feedback from participants, the support obtained from sponsors and partners, we are confident of having been able to organize a very good golf adventure. We thank a lot out title sponsor, Standard Bank Mauritius for its support. They will be part of the event in 2010 too,” says Nicolas de Chalain.
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Anthony Grenier, Winner of the Standard Bank Mauritius Open Sammy Barber, Ladies winner
Jérôme Espitalier Noël, Manager, Corporate Affairs, of Standard Bank Mauritius, was very happy with the event. “We have been very satisfied with the organization of The Standard Bank Mauritius Open. The playing formula was very interesting with Amateurs being able to play with Pros. I thank very much the teams of Tamarina and Golf du Chateau for their support and also the team of international referees and officials from the French Golf Federation who were around to help the tournament organization team. We will be happy to participate in next year’s tournament again as title sponsor”. Special Spectators to the Open included 2 cheetahs from the nearby Casela Park who provided an exciting petting experience.
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Perspective
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Getting out of the Crisis
Mauritius can boast to be among the few countries in the world to expect an economic growth of 4.3% this year. With most highly developed countries targeting a growth of less than 2%, one is certainly tempted to ask if it is an achievable target. Finance minister, Rama Sithanen seems to say yes, but some CEO’s and conservative economists prefer to be more prudent. Central Statistical Office’s forecast of 4.3% in 2010 stands from information gathered on the key sectors of the economy and taking into consideration measures announced in the last budget. The main assumptions are based on a sugar production of around 480,000 tons, resulting in growth of 1.1% compared to 21.1% in 2009. But also on manufacturing industries to expand by around 1.7% against 0.6% last year. Within that particular sector, a growth of 1% is expected in the textile segment, assuming some forms of recovery in the economies of the country’s main markets. Construction will be certainly becoming an engine of growth in 2010. It is expected to grow at a high rate of 8 % as opposed to 3% in 2009 mainly on the back of the frontloading of some public investment projects (road, infrastructure, hospital, airport, housing, schools, etc) as mentioned in the last budget. A lot expectation are coming from the hotel industry which will register a 5 per cent growth within the current year, based on a forecast of 900,000 tourist arrivals compared to 860,000 in 2009. This performance relies on expected recovery in the country’s main markets, namely Europe, and positive effects of the holding of the world football competition in South Africa. The Tourism ministry has already worked out a marketing strategy to tap out opportunities from this world event which is to attract spectators in some of the leading hotels in Mauritius. This
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Maurice peut légitimement s’enorgueillir d’être parmi les rares pays dans le monde de pouvoir tabler sur une croissance économique de 4,3% cette année. Avec la majorité de pays développés ciblant un taux de croissance inférieur à 2%, on peut de lors s’interroger si cet objectif est réalisable. Le ministre des Finances, Rama Sithanen semble dire que oui alors que des patrons d’entreprises et autres économistes conservateurs plaident pour une prudence mesurée. Les prévisions du Bureau Central des Statistiques rendues publiques récemment et indiquant une croissance de 4,3% en 2010 découlent des données économiques enregistrées auprès des principaux secteurs économiques et des mesures prises sur le dernier exercice budgétaire. Les principales hypothèses portent sur une production sucrière de 480,000 tonnes métriques, ce dégagerait ainsi une croissance de 1,1% comparée à 21,9% en 2009. Mais aussi de l’apport du secteur manufacturier qui sera appelé à croître de 1,7% par rapport à 0.6% l’année dernière. Au sein de ce secteur, le segment textile devrait enregistrer une croissance de 1%, en s’appuyant notamment sur un début de reprise économique au niveau des principaux marchés du pays. La construction demeurera certainement un pôle de croissance cette année avec une croissance levée de 8% contre 3% en 2009. Les nouvelles ambitions de ce secteur sont à mettre sur le compte d’importants investissements publics prévus au courant de cette année , avec le démarrage de plusieurs projets d’infrastructures liés au réseau routier, à l’agrandissement de l’hôpital, à la construction de nouvelles unités de logement et à l’aménagement d’un nouveau terminal à l’aéroport international SSR , comme annoncés d’ailleurs dans le dernier budget. L’espoir est certainement permis dans le secteur
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••• Perspective will increase the country’s visibility at a time when world tourist arrivals have declined almost 7 per cent. 2010 being an electoral year, the population is expecting its fair share of the national cake. People are determined to see the fruits of the economic growth trickle down and be equally shared with the population at large. Finance minister, Rama Sithanen says that fiscal discipline should continue and that the national economy will be well managed. “We should not be complacent in the management of the economy” he says. However, if the government can claim that it has certainly scored some good marks in facing effects of the global economic crisis without much collateral securities ; however on some other fields , its performance has gone from bad to worst. The optimism of the present government does not correspond to the skepticism shown by the movers and shakers of the economy. Rogers Group’s CEO, Philippe Espitalier-Noël thinks that the economic growth rate of 4.3% in 2010 is rather ambitious as there is still an element of uncertainty in the country’s main markets. Others are of the opinion that the country will have to wait for the next semester to really feel the positive effects of the global economic growth. But some economic observers are questioning whether the country has been really hit by the recession. Is it true to say that more than 4,000 jobs have been saved by the Additional Stimulus Package? The government and private sectors institutions echo positively on this issue while others have not yet come to this conclusion. The dark point among some positive economic indicators is certainly the increase in unemployment rate which stood at 7.7% last year compared to 7.2% in 2008; the number of unemployed has reached 44,000 and will necessarily increase this year following results of SC and HSC students to be announced next month. Having the number of unemployed steadily increasing in this crucial year is not a good selling point for the ruling parties to seek a new mandate of five years.
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hôtelier qui connaîtra une certaine reprise après plusieurs mois de décroissance. Une croissance de 5% est estimée en se basant sur une projection de 900,000 arrivées touristiques par rapport à 860,000 arrivées en 2009. Cette performance est liée à une reprise dans les principaux marchés du pays, dont l’Europe et des effets positifs qu’entraînera l’organisation de la Coupe du Monde en Afrique du Sud en juin prochain. Le ministère du Tourisme a déjà élaboré une stratégie de marketing pour exploiter les opportunités touristiques de cet événement planétaire, notamment à proposant des packages pour attirer une partie des spectateurs dans les hôtels de classe du pays. Une démarche susceptible d’accroître la visibilité de Maurice comme une destination touristique de choix à un moment où les arrivées à l’échelle mondiale ont chuté de 7%. Avec les élections générales fixées cette année, la population veut avoir sa part de gâteau national. Elle est déterminée à s’assurer que les fruits de la croissance soient ramenés aux gens économiquement faibles et distribués gratuitement. Le Grand Argentier plaide en faveur de la poursuite de la discipline fiscale en vue d’assainir les finances publiques. « Il ne faut pas être complaisant sur la gestion de l’économie « dit-il. Certes, le gouvernement a marqué de points sur la gestion de la crise économique internationale et les mesures prises pour atténuer ses effets sans que l’économie puisse en subir des dommages collatéraux. Dans d’autres domaines en revanche, la performance n’a pas été à la hauteur et les indicateurs économiques sont passés au rouge. Il va sans dire que l’optimisme de l’actuelle majorité gouvernementale est loin de correspondre au scepticisme dont font preuves les capitaines de l’industrie locale. Dans une récente interview de presse, le CEO de Rogers & Co, Philippe Espitalier-Nöel trouve que l’objectif de croissance économique de 4,3% est assez ambitieux dans la mesure où le pays est toujours confronté à un manque de visibilité et que les incertitudes perdurent toujours dans certains pays considérés comme des réservoirs touristiques pour Maurice. D’autres estiment qu’il faudra attendre le deuxième semestre 2010 pour ressentir véritablement les effets positifs de la reprise croissance économique mondiale. Mais il y d’autres observateurs économiques qui s’interrogent si le pays a été véritablement touché par les effets de la récession. Est-il vrai que quelque 4,000 emplois ont été sauvegardés par l’Additional Stimulus Package ? se demandent-ils. Le gouvernement ainsi que les institutions du secteur privé affirment positivement alors que d’autres demeurent sceptiques. Le point noir, parmi les fondamentaux économiques positifs, reste forcément l’augmentation du taux de chômage qui s’élève à 7,7% l’année dernière comparé à 7,2% en 2008. Le nombre des sans-emplois a atteint 44,000 ; un chiffre qui sera appelé à augmenter le mois prochain, avec l’annonce des résultats de SC et de HSC et les étudiants qui seront à la recherche de leurs premiers emplois. Avoir un taux de chômage anormalement grandissant en cette année électorale n’est pas nécessairement un bon argumentaire politique à Alliance gouvernementale qui cherche un nouveau mandat de cinq ans.
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Interview
•••
Gerhard F. Skwaric Banker and Golfer Swingtime spent the day with Swiss banker and Partner at Benz and Partners: Mr. Gerhard F. Skwaric, and spoke to him over a round of golf at the Links Golf Course at Belle Mare Plage. In between teeing off and the drama and excitement of a high spirited game, as golf often is, Mr. Skwaric shared some of his thoughts and experience on Business and the mindset of golf. Mr. Skwaric has been in private banking for a number of years. He worked with different banks in Zurich in various sectors of the security trading business up until 1992. This was followed by working with LGT Bank in Lichtenstein in Vaduz, garnering the huge responsibility of private banking for clients from Austria to Germany. He ranks the ability to listen and being aware of the needs of clients together with experience as first and foremost in a working relationship with clients, qualities and attributes which ensure growth, success and longevity. Banking at the end of the day is about meeting and surpassing the client’s needs.
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With Benz and Partners seizing investment opportunities in Mauritius, Mr. Skwaric is a frequent visitor to the Island, and reiterated the attraction of a stable political landscape and tax rates conducive to investors. Mauritius provides the ideal platform into the Indian Ocean region. Mr. Skwaric very often has a busy work schedule, but makes time to play some golf whenever he is here. “Last year I played in the first Swingtime Corporate Golf Challenge and also the Swingtime Mauritian Open, and even won an award: ‘Nearest the pin’. These were enjoyable highlights aside from the other times I play”. Playing at the Links and Legends Golf courses always provides a challenge. But I very much enjoy that. When you play golf, you have good days and bad days. It really is a sport that is played in the mind first. There are times when I find golf more nerve-wracking than business. It forces you to be patient, calm and focused, which are excellent psychological attributes to apply to world of business. I’m constantly trying to improve my golf because of that, On the topic of golf adding value to business and business leaders, Mr. Skwaric concurred. There are quite a few partners at Benz and Partners that are regular golfers. The sport also provides excellent networking for prospective clients. You never know who you are going to meet through the game. Benz and partners once again will be a co-sponsor of the Swingtime Corporate Golf Challenge in 2010, which I am very much looking forward to.
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Interview
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Dass Thomas
Chairman of Mauritius Telecom Swingtime Magazine took great pleasure in getting to know Mr. Dass Thomas, the Chairman of Mauritius Telecom. The journey of his career has been one of determination and success. As an avid golfer our conversation with him provided some fascinating insights into the “Business of golf”.
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Swingtime Magazine s’est entretenu avec Dass Thomas, le Chairman de Mauritius Telecom. Il revient sur sa longue carrière faite de succès , de détermination et d’une volonté de réussir. Sa passion pour le golf nous a permis de cerner son « business of golf ». R: I believe that you are an avid golfer. How long have you been playing golf?
Je crois savoir que vous êtes un passionné du golf. Depuis quand pratiquez-vous ce sport?
D: I started playing golf in 1990, which came about following a visit to Sierra-Leone. I was invited to play golf over a weekend on a business trip. On my way back home from Sierra-Leone, I bought a half set and began practicing early in the morning before going to work. 20 years later, I’m still passionate about the game. My 2 sons also began playing 2 years ago and recently attained their handicaps, and play often during the school holidays. I very much enjoy playing a round with them when time permits as they have taken a keen interest in the game.
J’ai commencé à jouer du golf en 1999 après une visite à Sierra-Léone . J’étais invité à jouer au golf pendant le weekend lors de ce voyage d’affaires. De retour, j’ai acheté des équipements et j’ai commencé à m’adonner à cette activité sportive très tôt le matin avant d’aller travailler. Vingt ans après , je suis toujours un passionné . Mes deux fils ont emboîté le pas et ont commencé à jouer deux ans de cela. Récemment, ils ont été handicapés et jouent pendant les vacances scolaires. J’aime bien jouer avec eux quand le temps le permet.
R: What is your handicap? D: I began on 22 and now play 15. But there are days when you play more than 22 depending on the course etc.
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Quel est votre handicap ? J’ai commencé à 22 et je joue actuellement à 15. Mais il ya des jours quand on arrive à jouer plus de 22 et ce dépendant du parcours du golf.
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••• Interview R: I’ve been told that how one finishes a game of golf is what really matters. Taking that into consideration, can one draw any parallels between golf and the world of business? D: Absolutely. When structuring and negotiating a deal, it’s not over until the dotted line has been signed on the contract, very much like the last entry on your score card.
R: Having played golf for 20 years, is there any specific philosophy in the way you approach the game that applies to the way you approach business? D: That is very easy to answer. Golf is one of the rare games where you play against yourself. You may play in a group of people or with a competitor, but in the end it is “you” who has to master the game. You are the one who exerts control, considers all the aspects and elements in your game: like wind factors, placing the ball, avoiding bunkers, putting, playing blind etc, and finally makes all the decisions. Hence, like in business, it creates and demonstrates a strong determination to achieve something born out of the challenge to go beyond your abilities. Success in both can be distilled down to self-control, mental- discipline, focus and patience. I would say the game of golf has been integral in moulding my character, especially when it comes to patience.
On m’a expliqué que le plus important dans une partie de golf est la manière dont on la termine. En prenant cet élément en considération, peut –on dresser un parallèle entre le golf et le monde des affaires ? Absolument. Quand on structure et négocie un deal, ce n’est pas terminé d’avance aussi longtemps que la signature n’ait pas apposée sur le contrat. Ce qui est semblable à la dernière entrée sur votre score board.
Ayant pratiqué le golf pendant 20 ans, peuton dire qu’il y a une approche spécifique de la manière dont vous vous engagez dans le jeu et qui s’applique également dans le business ?
R: I have come across many people who have mentioned the issue of patience in the context of golf, particularly businessmen.
La réponse est très facile . Le golf est une des rares disciplines sportives qui vous permet de jouer contre vous-même. Vous pouvez jouer dans un groupe ou avec un compétiteur mais à la fin de la journée, c’est vous qui devrait exercer le contrôle et considéré tous les aspects et les éléments de ce jeu : comme le facteur vent ; le positionnement de la balle ; comment éviter les obstacles et jouer à l’aveuglette et enfin prendre toutes les décisions. De ce fait, comme dans le monde des affaires, il créée et démontre une certaine détermination pour atteindre un objectif découlant d’un défi d’aller au-delà de vos abilités. Le succès dans ces deux disciplines peut se résumer à un contrôle de soi, à la discipline mentale, à la concentration et à la patience. Je dirai aussi que le golf m’a permis de forger mon caractère plus particulièrement quand il s’agit de la patience.
D: You see, in many circumstances at work, I used to be very impatient. Golf is a game that cannot be played in 20min and skills are not acquired in a day. Since playing golf, I have learnt patience and it has been key asset in my personal and professional capacity.
J’ai croisé beaucoup de gens qui ont fait mention de la question de patience dans le contexte du golf, plus particulièrement au niveau d’hommes d’affaires ?
R: Tell us about the journey of your career thus far. D: I began in 1975 as a check-in officer at the Airport. 3 years later, 1978, I became the H.R Officer of Air Mauritius, based at the Airport. I went to university and attained my diplomas. In 1986 I moved on to an international career as head of H.R at B.A.T Mauritius. This created a wonderful opportunity for travel as many of the assignments were international, some of which were Sierra-Leone, Uganda, Papua-New guinea, Uzbekistan and finally Russia: where I spent 4 years as a Human Resources Director. In the last 6 months in Russia at B.A.T I was given the responsibility to merge Rothmans and B.A.T in 1999. Then decided to come to Mauritius and in September 1999 became the executive adviser to the Chairman and M.D of Air Mauritius instead of going to France as the H.R Director for B.A.T. Though, I returned to Mauritius mainly for family reasons.
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Dans plusieurs circonstances à la maison , j’ai éprouvé une certaine impatience . Le golf n’est pas un sport qu’on peut jouer dans 20 minutes et le savoir-faire ne peut pas être acquis dans un jour. Depuis que je m’adonne à cette discipline sportive, j’ai appris à être patient, ce qui a été un atout dans ma vie personnelle et professionnelle.
Parlez-nous professionnelle?
de
votre
carrière
J’ai débuté ma carrière professionnelle en 1975 comme un préposé du guichet d’enregistrement à l’aéroport. Trois ans après, j’étais Human Resource Officer à Air Mauritius , mais basé à l’aéroport. Par la suite, j’ai commencé à faire des études universitaires pour décrocher mes diplômes. En 1986, j’ai entrepris une carrière internationale comme le responsable de ressources humaines à la British American Tobacco de Maurice. Ce qui m’a donné l’occasion de voyager vu que mes différentes affectations étaient internationales, notamment à Sierra-Leone, en Ouganda, à Papua –Nouvelle Guinée , en Ouzbékistan et finalement en Russie où j’ai passé quatre ans comme directeur des
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Interview
R: It is interesting to note that no matter what one achieves and all the many places one has travelled to, that journey, begins from a home and a family. D: Very true. I had a dying father and it was important for my children to meet him and get to know him, to understand their roots and heritage before he passed on.
R: Ones’ roots very often shape you into the person you eventually become, and how fitting that you return to the company where you began your career, returning home in more ways than one, so to speak. D: It is apparent to me all the time that I made the right decision in returning to Mauritius, my home. All the job opportunities in the world could never replace the chance for my children to meet my father, and it proved fortuitous in my career as well. In 2000, I began consulting for D.C.M, the biggest accounting firm in Mauritius and then a few years later I was the C.E.O for Central, Eastern and Southern Africa and got to visit Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Kenya and Madagascar.
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•••
ressources humaines . Durant les derniers six mois en Russie, j’avais eu la responsabilité de conclure la fusion entre Rothmans et BAT en 1999. Par la suite, j’ai décidé de retourner à Maurice pour des raisons familiales et en Septembre 1999, j’ai été nommé le conseiller exécutif auprès du PDG d’Air Mauritius.
Il est intéressant de noter qu’en dépit de vos réalisations professionnelles et de tous les pays où vous avez exercé , cette journée commence à partir d’une maison et d’une famille ? Tout à fait. J’avais un père mourant et il était important pour les enfants de le rencontrer, le connaître pour comprendre leur héritage familial. Vos racines forgent votre personnalité et fait de vous ce qui vous être aujourd’hui. Ce qui est surprenant est que vous retournez au sein de la compagnie où vous avez débuté votre carrière professionnelle. C’était clair dans ma tête que j’ai pris la bonne décision de retourner à Maurice . Toutes les opportunités d’emplois dans le monde ne pouvaient remplacer cette chance donnée à mes enfants pour rencontrer mon père. En l’an 2000, j’ai commencé à faire du consulting chez DCDM, la plus grosse firme s’experts-comptables à Maurice . Quelques années, j’ai été promu CEO pour le bureau d’Afrique de l’ouest, de l’est et d’australe. Une affectation qui m’a permis de visiter la Tanzanie, la Zambie, le Botswana, le Kenya et Madagascar.
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••• Interview R: During those excursions, have you found any similarities with those countries and Mauritius in the context that they are all emerging economies? D: We do share certain similarities as emerging markets and as members of S.A.D.E.C. Many of those countries have been colonies and so we have similar constitutions and labour laws. Of course, at the same time we are different in many ways. Mauritius has made some major jumps in terms of development largely thanks to the versatility and initiatives of the Mauritian people. Mauritius still has a way to go, but we are on the move in many aspects. Take golf courses in Mauritius for example. There are more than 6 at international level, where as Madagascar only has 1. In Tanzania and Zambia there are only 2 or 3.
R: Mauritius has become a real nexus point between Asia, Europe and Africa. There is much development, construction and investment occurring. Together with the factor that many Business leaders play golf, in your personal capacity, has the sport afforded you opportunities for networking and business? D: Absolutely. When I was at B.A.T, I was told that the merger between British American Tobacco and Rothmans took place on a golf course in Sun City. This shows the power of golf in business. From my own experience I have met several people in the business community on the greens which have resulted in many ongoing business relationships in various fields. Many interesting conversations ranging from various business perspectives, economic insights and invaluable social networking has been done during a round of golf.
R: One also has access to people for an extended period of time, than one would have under usual circumstances. D: Correct. Time is a challenging issue. Very often, business leaders only have 15 to 20 min in the office. On the golf course you can spend 3 to 4 hours together.
R: In the last 20 years of you playing golf, have there been any particular highlights as far as tournaments you have participated in, and which courses feature foremost in your mind? D: For me, the number 1 pleasure in playing golf is Bel Om, followed by the Links. For competition the toughest is the Legends. This is a course that forces you do “course management” when you play. It is not forgiving! You really have to approach it with a serious strategy in mind. I have won a few tournaments but I would not qualify them as major. But I am looking forward to winning “The Island Cup” one day at Gymkhana.
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Pendant ces différents déplacements, avezvous noté des similarités avec ces pays et Maurice dans le contexte des économies émergeantes ? Nous partageons effectivement certaines similarités comme des marchés émergeants et membres de la SADC. Beaucoup de ces pays ont été des colonies et de ce fait ont des constitutions et des lois sur le travail similaires au nôtre. Bien-sûr, nous sommes différents à plusieurs niveaux . Il va sans dire que Maurice a fait des progrès significatifs en terme de développement grâce à la polyvalence et le sens d’initiatives de sa population. Maurice a certainement un long chemin a emprunter mais elle est sur la bonne voie. Prenons le cas des terrains de golf à Maurice. Nous y avons six aux normes internationales alors que la Grande Ile a seulement un . La Tanzanie et la Zambie ont deux ou trois.
Maurice relie aujourd’hui l’Asie, l’Europe et l’Afrique. D’importants travaux de développements et de construction y sont en cours alors que le flux d’investissements étrangers est en hausse. Vu que beaucoup de dirigeants d’entreprises jouent au golf et est-ce que cette discipline vous a donné des opportunités d’affaires et de réseaux ? Absolument. Quand j’étais à la BAT, on m’avait dit que la fusion entre Rothsmans et BAT avaient décidée sur un parcours de golf à Sun City. Ceci montre la puissance du golf dans les affaires. Pour ma part, je peux dire que j’ai eu l’occasion de rencontrer beaucoup d’hommes d’affaires sur le parcours de golf, ce qui a débouché sur la consolidation d’un réseau de contacts d’affaires dans plusieurs domaines d’activités. De plus des conversations intéressantes portant sur des perspectives économiques ont eu lieu autour du golf.
Il est vrai qu’on peut avoir accès à ces gens pour une plus période de temps ? Très juste. Le temps relève d’un défi. Bien souvent, les dirigeants d’entreprise ont seulement 15 à 20 minutes pour vous recevoir dans leur bureau. Dans un parcours de golf, on peut passer 3 à 4 heures ensemble.
Durant les 20 dernières années que vous avez pratiqué ce sport, est-ce qu’il y a eu des moments forts au niveau de vos participations à certaines compétitions ? S’il y a un choix à faire par rapport à mes plaisirs personnels c’est certainement le parcours de Bel Ombre , suivi de The Links. Au niveau de la compétition, le parcours de Legends demeure le plus difficile. C’est un terrain qui vous force à faire du « course management » quand vous jouez. Quand on est en compétition, il faut nécessairement avoir une stratégie en tête.
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Interview
R: For someone who comes from humble beginnings and has gone on to achieve so much in business and in your own capacity as an individual do you have some thoughts for SWINGTIME’s Adopt-AGolfer initiates? D: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way!” Whatever you do, do it with passion. Have the determination to succeed in life and all the goals you set. Believe in what you are doing. Make sacrifices. Be focused. Put your heart and mind completely into your passion.
R: There exists a drive to the democratization of golf in Mauritius, in that it should not be seen as just for tourists on holiday in Mauritius or the wealthy, and that all should have access to the world of golf. D: Perfectly right. We at the Golf Federation are working very hard together with SWINGTIME as a partner to democratize the game of golf. The Adopt-A-Golfer Program initiated by SWINGTIME is a fantastic step forward. Golf must not be seen as the game for the rich, because everyone can gain from the lessons golf can teach. It is not surprising that the best golfers used to be caddies (who have not had opportunities or access to facilities despite having amazing talent); hence, I believe something must be done on a national level, that support be given in various ways including sponsorship. There is no reason that Mauritius should not have its very own big international golf star. Golf is an Olympic sport and it would be fantastic to see a team from Mauritius that reflects its diversity and talent.
R: What is your vision for Maturities Telecom in 2010? D: Our vision remains the same. We want to be the leader in providing services, quality and innovation. We seek to continue to create attraction for business investors and deliver good service to our consumers. We also want to grow within the region, grow our profile and play a greater role.
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•••
J’ai remporté quelques tournois que je ne qualifierai pas comme étant importants. Je pense sérieusement à remporter « The Island Cup » un jour à Gymkhana.
Pour quelqu’un qui vient d’un milieu modeste et qui s’est distingué autant dans les affaires, dans le golf ou encore à titre individuel, que pensez-vous de l’initiative « Swingtime’s Adopte-AGolfer ? Quand il y a une volonté, il y a toujours un moyen de réussir. Tous ce que vous entreprenez il faut le faire avec passion. Il faut avoir la détermination de réussir dans la vie et de réaliser les objectifs fixés. Mieux encore, il faut y croire dans ce que vous faites même s’il faut faire des sacrifices.
Il y a une volonté de démocratiser le golf à Maurice dans la mesure où il ne doit pas être perçu comme un sport pour les touristes ou pour ceux qui sont mieux fortunés et qu’il doit être au contraire ouvert à tout le monde ? Vous avez raison. Au sein de la Fédération du golf, nous travaillons très dur en collaboration avec Swingtime pour démocratiser cette discipline sportive. Le programme Adopt-a Golfer initié par Swingtime est une démarche formidable qui s’inscrit dans cette logique. Le golf ne doit pas être réservé aux riches parce que tout le monde peut en tirer profit. Il n’est pas surprenant que les meilleurs golfeurs sont ceux qui n’ont pas eu l’accès à des facilités malgré qu’ils soient talentueux. De ce fait, je pense sérieusement que quelque chose doit être faite au niveau national pour soutenir ces golfeurs à travers le parrainage. Il n’y a aucune raison pour que Maurice n’ait pas sa star internationale au niveau du golf. Le golf est un sport olympique et il serait intéressant d’avoir une équipe mauricienne qui reflète la diversité du pays et le talent.
Quelle est votre vision pour Mauritius Telecom en 2010 ? Notre vision demeure la même. Nous voulons être le leader de fournisseur des services de qualité et d’innovation. Nous voulons créer des conditions en terme de logistique pour attirer des investisseurs tout en répondant aux attentes de nos clients. Parallèlement, nous avons l’ambition de croître au niveau de la région pour y jouer un meilleur rôle.
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••• Biz bits
Veranda Group Launches New Corporate Identity for Two Hotels
Nouvelle identité pour deux hôtels du groupe Veranda
Veranda Group, hotel cluster of Rogers Group, has just launched “ Heritage Resorts”a new corporate identity for two hotels in Bel Ombre, namely Le Telfair and l’Heritage, two leading hotels . The two 5 –star hotels propose two different exotic experiences : Heritage Awali invites tourists to evade into the glimpse and taste of Africa whilst Heritage le Telfair is inspired with a softened lifestyle of the past. These two resort hotels are located in the tourist zone of Bel Ombre where Rogers Group has already invested 8 billion rupees since the last six years. Rogers Group’s CEO, Philippe Espitalier-Noël says that such an investment is the biggest ever undertaken by a single private sector operation for the last ten years.
Le groupe Veranda, le pôle hôtelier du groupe Rogers, vient de lancer « Heritage Resorts » qui regroupe sous une nouvelle identité deux des hôtels gérés par le groupe à Bel Ombre. Il s’agit Le Telfair et l’Heritage qui opèrent au niveau du segment haut de gamme du groupe hôtelier. Les deux hôtels 5 étoiles offrent, selon la direction de Veranda, deux expériences mauriciennes singulières, à savoir Heritage Awali qui invite à une évasion aux subtils accents d’Afrique alors que Heritage le Telfair s’inspire d’une certaine douceur de vivre d’autrefois. Ces deux établissements hôteliers sont implantés dans la zone touristique de Bel Ombre où le groupe Rogers a déjà investi près de Rs 8 milliards en six ans, ce qui représente, selon le CEO du groupe Rogers, Philippe Espitalier-Noël, le plus gros investissement individuel du secteur privé de ces 10 dernières années.
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Biz bits
•••
AML Signs Contract with China State Construction Engineering Corporation
Le contrat du nouveau terminal à China State Construction Engineering
China State Construction Engineering Corporation has been awarded the construction contract of the new terminal by Airports of Mauritius Ltd. Construction works, estimated at 10 billion rupees, will be financed through a concessionary loan of 9 billion rupees from Chinese government whilst the Government of Mauritius will contribute to the rest. AML and Aéroport de Paris were teamed up to set up a private company in 2008 named Airport Terminal Operat ions Ltd( ATOL) to undertake the design, construction and marketing of the new terminal. The latter will be of a surface area of 57,000 m2 , of which 3,400 m 2 of space have been earmarked to house commercial activities. The terminal will have a capacity to accommodate up to 4million tourists and be equipped with 52 check- in points.
Construction Engineering Corporation( CSCEC) qui a été choisie par Airports of Mauritius pour l’exécution des travaux du nouveau terminal de Plaisance. La construction de ce nouveau terminal, estimée à 10 milliards de roupies, sera réalisée à travers un prêt concessionnaire du gouvernement chinois de 9 milliards de roupie, la différence étant assurée par l’Etat. AML et Aéroports de Paris se sont constituées en société privée en 2008 ,Airport Terminal Operations Ltd ( ATOL) pour prendre en charge la conception, la construction et l’exploitation de la nouvelle aérogare. Celle-ci sera d’une superficie de 57,000 mètres carrés, dont 3,400 m2 seront réservées à des activités commerciales. Le nouveau terminal disposera d’une capacité d’accueil de 4 millions de voyageurs par an et de 52 comptoirs d’enregistrement.
Barclays Mauritius Records Annual Profit of 1.9 Billion Rupees
Des profits de 1,9 milliards pour Barclays Maurice
Barclays Mauritius has recorded annual profit of 1.9 billion rupees in 2009, which is lower than the previous year but which is considered as being satisfactory by management given the economic environment with the effects of the global recession on the country’s economy. Barclays Mauritius’ MD, Ravin Dajee says that Maurice has registered the best financial performance of the 14 regional countries of the Emerging Markets . As for its performance in 2010, Ravin Dajee is confident that Barclays Mauritius is well positioning to register a better performance and increase its profit levels.
Barclays Maurice a enregistré des profits annuels de Rs 1,9 milliard en 2009, un résultat qui est inférieur à celui de l’année précédente mais qui est néanmoins satisfaisant , selon la direction, compte tenu de l’environnement économique international avec les effets de la récession. Selon Ravin Dajee, le Managing Director, Maurice a réalisé la meilleure performance des 14 pays de la région Emerging Markets au sein desquels le groupe Barclays est présent. Concernant les perpectives pour 2010, il est confiant que Barclays Maurice s’est bien positionné pour améliorer le niveau de profitabilité.
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Golf
•••
MCB OPEN
European Senior Tour
The 2010 European Senior Tour season was launched with the inaugural MCB OPEN at Constance Belle Mare Plage. The event ran from the 8 to the 13 December 2009, with Kevin Spurgeon, from England, becoming the first ever MCB Champion. This is his first win in a 5 year career on the senior tour. “This win really sets me up for the season, and it gives me a couple of years exemption, so it’s huge for me. It has been a great experience and the tournament has been a resounding success. The course is tough but rewards good golf, and the resort is wonderful. I’m so looking forward to coming back here and defending my title next year”, he said. Spurgeon had 5 birdies and 3 bogies in his final round 72 for a total of 210, six under par. The leading scores were: • 210 K Spurgeon (Eng) 71, 67, 72 • 211 Gordon J. Brand (Eng) 72, 70, 69 • 212 A. Franco (Par) 70, 72, 70 Modifications to the Legend Course at Constance Belle Mare Plage received positive responses from the P.G.A European Senior Tour Professionals. Notably from European Tour winner Roger Chapman, who said that the course is in the best condition it has ever been. He noted that the course has been improved both from a visual and playing perspective. Hugh Baiocchi, winner of 7 European titles and 11 on the South African Tour, designed the course 15 years ago, said that he was delighted with it and further explained that it is in an excellent condition and very pleased with the way it had matured. Gavinden Palanyandi became he first Mauritian Professional to compete on the P.G.A European Tour. He had the honour of being the first to tee off in the MCB OPEN on the Legends Course. Palanyandi began his career in golf as a caddy and has been a professional for 20 years.
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••• Golf Profile: Gordon J. Brand (England) 2nd Position Gordon J. Brand has won back to back Senior Tour events in 2008, landing The De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship. He has been a consistent figure on the leader boards since turning 50 in August 2005. The former Ryder Cup Player has been a successful performer on the European Tour and has been a former referee on the Senior Tour too.
Profile: Angel Franco (Paraguay) 3rd Position Angel Franco has finished 2nd six times on the Senior Tour. He has won the Paraguay Open 6 times as well as 20 other Tournaments on the South American Tour. He was renowned as being the giant killer in the Alfred Dunhill Cup, being the only man to beat John Daly over the Old Course in 1993 and Ernie Els in 1994.
photos credits: Yahia Nazroo
Kevin Spurgeon, from England, becoming the first ever MCB Champion
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••• Golfer’s paradise
Golfing war wounds
Golfers are no more immune to sporting related injuries than those who partake in any sport and for that matter those who are simply active. It is a fact of life that injuries during activity will occur and that accidents can, and do happen when least expected. Accidents often cause injury; those accidents that occur on the golf course are likely to reflect any other accident in any other place.A random trip causing a sprain, a 'head-on' with another buggy resulting in a broken nose or a bump on the head from a misplaced shot. But what of golfing related injuries? It is right to ascertain that some sporting injuries are common across many sports and some are far more specific to certain sports - so what are the 10 most occurring golfing injuries? The most obvious and the most common golf related injury is back pain. This will not come as a surprise to any golfer. The swing in-particular puts great strain on the back and pain can be, amongst others, mechanical, disc, arthritis or stress fracture related. The second most common injury affects the elbow, soreness, pain or inflammation on either the inside or outside of the upper arm near the elbow commonly known as tennis/golf elbow. Thirdly we have shoulder pain and like the back there are many causes and effects. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome comes along fourth, a repetitive strain syndrome that affects thenerves in the hands. The thumb is affected in the fifth spot, DeQuervain's Tendinitis: an inflammation of the tendons that control the thumb. Sixth brings us knee pain and amongst the many symptoms are torn meniscus, osteoarthritis and chondromalacia. When your fingers lock up at seventh it is called 'trigger finger', this occurs when your flexor tendon sheath is inhibited. Eighth brings us Impaction syndromes of the wrist, your wrist bones are knocking together. Ninth is when the wrist tendon sheath starts moving called ECU Tendon Subluxation. Finally at ten, we have a fracture of the Hamatebone, a small It has been a long standing argument (by some) that bone in the golf is not a physically demanding sport, the list above wrist. would suggest otherwise. But as with any sport or activitythere are measures that can be appliedto help avoid injuries and minimize the risk of an accident. Take hiking for example,preparation and planning are the key to avoidlosing/injuring yourself on a mountain which can often lead to the need for a dramatic rescue by a mountain rescue team or even a helicopter. To avoid injury, preparation and planning do not feature quite so highly whilst organising a game of golf, like many sports andactivities, requires fitness and 'warm up'. General fitness in life is better for your health, beyond that if you partake in any sport or activity thebetter your fitness, the better your performance levels and the better your chances are of avoiding injury. It is known throughout the sport world that the modern super-fit participants are avoidingserious injury in incidents that would have retired their predecessors. So fitness is key, but what about warming up for a round of golf to help avoid injury? The following are recommendations from the 'Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide' by Mike Pederson www.ultimategolffitnessguide.com.
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Fit
round paradise ••• Golfer’s
Arms Circles Instructions: •Raise arms out to side •Start with small circles with your hands and gradually increase •Hands should feel light •Keep speed of movement moderate •After 15 seconds switch directions and repeat •Complete each direction twice Benefit to Golf Swing: •Warm up and increase blood flow to shoulders •Prepare shoulders for a full range of motion in swing •Allows golfer to make a fluid, easy swing on first tee •Promote relaxation and fluidity in shoulder for effortless swing
Overhead Sidebend Instructions: •Grab club just outside shoulder width •Feet shoulder width apart •Hold club extended overhead •Lean body to one side feeling stretch on opposite side •Hold for brief moment and go immediately to other side and repeat •Repeat each side 3 times each Benefit to Golf Swing: •Greatly improve range of motion of trunk on back swing and follow through •Reduce any limitation in trunk rotation, improving full back swing •Create more club head speed and power with bigger coil •Reduce stress on lower back in both extreme take away and finish
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Overhead Extension Instructions: •Grab club just outside shoulder width •Hold club over head with arms extended •Feet shoulder width apart •Bring club down to legs and raise again •Repeat movement for 15 seconds Benefit to Golf Swing: •Prepares shoulders for better top-of-backswing position •Improves functional range of motion in finish position/or follow through •Increases leverage on downswing from the top
Golf Rotations Instructions: •Place club over shoulders behind head •Grab at each end of club •Assume golf posture and rotate upper body back and through •Keep lower body quite still and feel the stretch in mid section ("core") •Repeat each side 10 times Benefit to Golf Swing: •Prepare golf specific muscles of the trunk to make an aggressive move from the first tee on •Also prepares proper sequencing of swing, while warming muscles •Will improve body movements during swing from the beginning, not sacrificing strokes of the first couple of holes
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Golfer’s paradise ••• Fit round
Modified Good Mornings Instructions: •Slightly flexed knees •Grab club and bend at hips •Let arms hang relaxed in front of legs •Stretch hamstrings and lower back by lowering club down legs •Return to starting position and repeat 15 times Benefit to Golf Swing: •Increase circulation in lumbar (lower back) area to withstand the high torque from initial swings •Allow for a more relaxed posture position throughout swing •Reduce chance of injury to lower back early in the round
Partial Squat Instructions: •Feet shoulder width apart •Place club in front of you and hold with both hands for balance •Lower body by bending at the knees not hips •Raise back up and repeat 15 times •Keep upper body very erect Benefit to Golf Swing: •Increase blood flow and circulation throughout body •Great total body warm up to allow body to make a relaxed, comfortable first swing •Increase range of motion in hips encouraging a more synchronized swing from the ground up
Side Lunge Instructions: •Hold club behind neck, looking straight ahead •Step directly out to one side feeling a little pull up inside of leg •Go directly the other direction and repeat •Stay very upright Benefit to Golf Swing: •Warm up and improve range of motion in hips and groin area •Allow a fuller back swing without tension in hips or inner thigh •Be able to stay in shot longer on follow through with shifting off the right foot (for a right handed golfer) too early
As for golf injuries how do you recognise them? How do you treat them? And what, if anything, can be done to prevent or lessen the likelihood of sustaining such an injury?In the follow up to this article we speak to a sports injury specialist to find out.
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••• Swing it! Golfing tips and strategy
BILLY NARRAINA
Thought of the month:
MAURITIUS PROFESSIONAL GOLF CHAMPION 2009 Pitching
Pitching as you know is a very important part of the game. As you are close to the green you don’t need a full shot. A pitch spends more time in the air than on the ground. Whenever you are near the green, the pitch is the best shot to take. There may be heavy rough or some uneven fringe area between the ball and the putting surface. This requires you to get the ball up in order to clear the area in question, and land on the green.
As it is easy to miss greens due to either wrong club selection or accuracy, one should practice hours and hours of short game. This is mainly for players that are not long hitters. On Long Par 5 or Par 4, a good approach will leave with a short putt to play Par. Never forget that 65% of your score is played on the short game.
The shot will be a smooth accelerating swing, and, as it has a high trajectory, use more wrist cock and hands, to create a higher flying ball flight.
Photos courtesy to Tamarina Golf Club
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Swing it!
•••
Here are a few steps to remember: • You need to reduce the playing length of the club by holding the club further down the grip, and do a shorter back swing to control the length of the shot. • Feet and hips are slightly open to the intended target. Stance is narrower than in a full shot with your weight focused on the left foot. • Play the ball in the center of the stance for normal pitches. Your hands lead the way. They start in front and remain there through impact. Short shots require commitment and a solid ball strike through the ball. • Position of the ball is very important considering that you have a different types of pitch, example: for a standard pitch, the ball will be slightly up from the center, for a low pitch, the ball is back in your stance from the center and for a high pitch, the ball position is 2 inches forward in your stance from the center.
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Trends & Tech.... Cer represents the most comprehensive brand in golf. This is not just a series of different club heads that share a logo, CER is a integrated system of components that have been designed to work in harmony for the the beginner to the mid handicap average player and on to the better player whether they are Men, Women or Juniors. Cer products carry a 5 year warranty against manufacturing defects from the date of purchase.
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••• Profie by Asian tours
BHULLAR EYES ANOTHER MAGICAL SEASON ON ASIAN TOUR ABOUT GAGANJEET BHULLAR Country: Date Of Birth: Residence: Family: Turned Pro:
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India April 27, 1988 Kapurthala, India Single 2006
www.swingtimegolf.co.za
Profile by Asian tours
Sentosa, January 14: India’s rising star Gaganjeet Bhullar is gearing up for another magical year when he launches his campaign at the season-opening Asian Tour International in Bangkok next month. The 21-year talent is still pinching himself after enjoying a dream season where he won once, finished runner-up three times, made his Major debut and came in a high sixth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit with over US$300,000 in winnings. His goals for 2010 are relatively straight forward – emulate last year’s success in Asia and test his game abroad. “Last year was a dream year and I feel really pumped up about the new season ahead. I’ll be playing in our first event and I hope to get a good start. My aim is to keep improving every year, keep working hard and the results will come,” said Bhullar. “The Asian Tour has helped a lot. I’ve learned a lot and I’m fortunate that it has given me a lot - name and fame. Through the exposure, I’ve gained in experience and every year, play is getting tougher on the Asian Tour. But in the end, it makes me a better player.” Bhullar expects competition to be stiff in 2010, especially with new regulations pertaining to the clubface grooves being enforced for the new season. He is also keen to Monday-qualify for US PGA Tour events. “I’m looking to perform well and maintain a level consistency in the new season. I’m looking forward to the Asian Tour International. I’m quite confident although I’m sure 2010 will be a hard year. I want to play in every event and will also try to get some tournament play in Europe. “Last year, I struck the ball the best that I have in two years. But in mid-season, when I was enjoying a good patch, I putted really well. I didn’t have a single three putt in seven or eight straight tournaments as I kept making those six foot putts. “But with the new regulations in play regarding the grooves, it’ll be important to improve on my short game. We need to be sharper around the greens as the new wedges are not spinning much. Everyone has to work harder to check the ball or spin the ball on the greens,” he said. A former Indian amateur number one where he won the team silver at the Asian Games in Doha, Bhullar’s rise in the professional ranks has been spectacular. He came close to winning in his rookie season in 2007, losing to Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines who shot a birdie, eagle in the last two holes to win the Indonesia President Invitational. In 2008, Bhullar produced a heroic closing round of 64 at the penultimate event of the season to secure the last Tour card by a mere US$681. He then put together three straight top-10s early last season before breaking through at the Indonesia President Invitational for his maiden title. He also finished runner-up in India, Brunei and Macau. “My mental game was one of the key factors that helped me last season. My coach taught me a few mental things and I worked on it and the confidence level just went up. I’ve also worked with my yoga trainer to improve on my concentration on the golf course and it helped me to focus better. I’ll keep doing these things which have worked out well for me,” he said.
www.swingtimegolf.co.za
•••
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Big-hitting Gaganjeet enjoyed a spectacular season in 2009, winning his maiden title on the Asian Tour and followed that up with three other second place finishes. In addition he also made his Major debut at the British Open at Turnberry. One of India’s rising stars, Gaganjeet won the Indonesia President Invitational in style to erase the bitter memories of losing the same tournament two years prior when Filipino Juvic Pagunsan pipped him with a stunning birdie, eagle finish. Gaganjeet produced a dramatic but nervous finish during the end of the 2008 season to seal his full card on the Asian Tour. In the penultimate event, the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open, the young Indian fired a final round 64 to finish tied 11th and pipped Adam Groom to the 65th spot on the Order of Merit, the final place for a full card by a mere US$681. He also enjoyed a tied fifth finish at the SAIL Open in India and was a model of consistency towards the end of the year with only one missed cut in 10 events. In 2009, Gaganjeet finished second in the SAIL Open in India, Brunei Open and Macau Open. He sweetened his year by qualifying for his maiden major at the British Open when he finished in the top-four of the International Final Qualifying in Singapore. After a fairly successful amateur career, Gaganjeet enjoyed a good rookie season on the Asian Tour in 2007. He was India’s number one amateur in 2004 and 2006 and claimed a silver medal in the team event at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha. He also won the World Junior Masters Championship in 2005.
PERSONAL: Gaganjeet picked up golf at the age of four from his father H.S Bhullar. Grew up at Kapurthala Golf Club, in a city located north of India. Enjoys listening to Indian hip-hop and jazz music.
ASIAN TOUR VICTORY: (1) 2009 Indonesia President Invitational.
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••• Asian tours
SINGH MOVES INTO 50TH PLACE IN WORLD RANKINGS
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Sentosa, January 7: Two-time Asian Tour number one Jeev Milkha Singh will start the New Year in 50th place on the Official World Golf Ranking, a jump of nine spots from where he ended in 2009 and with his sights firmly on the US Masters in April. The Indian star was one of the main beneficiaries of new regulations coming into effect in the first week of the new year. And it will give him great incentive to stay in the elite bracket by the end of March to guarantee a fourth appearance in the year’s opening Major at Augusta National, as well as the other Majors and World Golf Championships events. With the introduction of a maximum divisor in the way the world rankings are tabulated, Singh’s divisor was adjusted from 66 to the maximum of 60 this week, which meant an increase in his average ranking points. As he has playing rights on the US PGA Tour this year, the Indian star, who was ranked as high as 34th in the world, will have every opportunity to further improve his rankings with strong performances. A total of 17 Asian Tour members, including Singh’s fellow honorary members Vijay Singh of Fiji and Korean duo K.J. Choi and Yang Yong-eun, are ranked in the world’s top-200 in the first official rankings of the year. Vijay is 26th in the world, followed by Yang, best remembered for slaying Tiger Woods to become Asia’s first Major champion at the US PGA Championship last year, who is in 31st place. Thai standout Thongchai Jaidee, who claimed an unprecedented third Asian Tour Order of Merit triumph last season, will begin the year in 60th position and he will also be gunning to break into the top-50 as well.
•••
concerns that players might be penalised for playing a significant number of tournaments because their divisor is much higher as a result. At a time when Tours and sponsors alike are looking for players to enter more events, the Board agreed that the introduction of a “Maximum Divisor” over the two-year ranking period would alleviate this situation. This divisor will be for a player’s last 52 events – the current average number of events played by the world’s top 200 players over the two-year ranking cycle. By using the “Last-52” events, a player who exceeds the maximum divisor will retain his current ranking points and only lose his earlier degraded points and retain a divisor of 52. Rather than delay the application of the rule for a twoyear period, as has been the case with other changes, the Board agreed to implement the new system in stages, beginning January 2010. This process is aimed to avoid any significant changes in a player’s ranking prior to any Official World Golf Ranking eligibility cut-off date for a Major Championship or World Golf Championship. The current “Minimum Divisor” of 40 events over the two-year ranking period will remain unchanged. Following is the exact language regarding the Maximum Divisor measure: Starting on Week No.1 2010 (week ending January 3) a Maximum Divisor will be introduced represented by a “Player’s last 60 events”, followed by a reduction of the number of events every six months until finally on Week 1 2012 (week ending January 8) with a Maximum Divisor of the “Player’s last 52 events”.
It has been a Masters tradition over the years for Augusta National to invite the reigning Asian Tour number one but Thongchai, who won twice last season and only missed two cuts in 29 starts across the globe, is not resting on his laurels. Other Asian Tour players ranked in the top-100 include Japan’s Hiroyuki Fujita (64th), China’s Liang Wen-chong (82nd), who finished second behind Thongchai in the Merit list last year, Choi (88th), Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand (90th) and Australian Scott Strange (92nd). In July last year, the Governing Board of the Official World Golf Ranking approved a measure to introduce a “Maximum Divisor” into the World Ranking system. The Maximum Divisor is designed to diminish current
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Fair Acres Hotel 2010 Holiday Package
Enjoy a Summer holiday at Fair Acres Hotel, in Knysna. We have designed an aordable family package for you. Beautiful Beaches Restaurants Walks & Hikes and more. With the views of Knysna, the Heads and the sunset, what could be better than a well deserved holiday in the heart of the Garden Route in sunny South Africa? Suites available at ₏70.00 / R980.00 per room per night. Book for 3 nights and stay the 4th night absolutely free. Rates quoted include a Full English breakfast.
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Astrology Golfer’s paradise
•••
ARJUN CHAKRABORTY’s GOLFERS PREDICTIONS
STEVE STRICKER
Dear friends, I know the Tiger story is getting more unpleasant each day and some common people may find the developments funny or amusing too. But, I am sure no true golf-lover is happy about this. But let us try to lighten our heavy hearts by looking to a different positive direction this time. Let us try to freshen up our golfing minds speculating about another fantastic player who is performing like a champion. Steve Stricker is almost 43, but he is definitely reminding us the value of experience and maturity. His overall performance in 2009 has been stunning although he has been a disappointment in the Majors. Now, let us see from astrological point of view what 2010 has in stock for him. Will he continue with his good form? Will he win any Major which he did not last year? Or, will he fail to deliver the goods this year? He definitely deserves attention and an article from our side. I feel pleased to find and disclose that he will have another fine year on the field. Yes, 2010 will be as good as 2009 for Steve Stricker. He is in a fairly aggressive form of mind. Although the first 2 or 3 tournaments may not go according to his liking, quite quickly after that he will find his touch and start firing. From around mid February Steve will start impressing us all on the field again after last year. In 2010 he must concentrate harder on the Majors. His energy level both mental and physical seems to be a bit unstable which means he can perform brilliantly and disappointingly at frequent intervals. It can make his performance erratic. He must work more on his concentration to keep it more steady and stable. Otherwise, once again the Majors will be out of his reach. So, the planetary indications are positive and encouraging for Steve, but again the Majors for him are under thick clouds of doubt. He finished in the leaderboard last year in the Masters. Once again, this is the Major which will offer the best chances for him. Hopefully he will use the opportunity even better this time. Coming back a little bit to the Tiger issue, we will observe the developments keenly. I believe Tiger still has the chance to save both his marriage and his golfing career although the whole of 2010 will be quite tough for him. Looking forward to a wonderful 2010 on and off the field, Yours truly, Prof. Arjun Chakraborty. For your personal astrological consultations, chakrabortyarjun@yahoo.co.in or +91 9836492521 (Cell)
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Constance Le Prince Maurice enjoys an idyllic location on the north-east coast of Mauritius. It is situated on 60 hectares of private land which is completely unspoilt, sheltered from the prevailing winds and ensuring maximum privacy for its guests. A natural fish reserve situated in the western part of the hotel adds to the uniqueness and natural beauty of the location. Ranked as one of the bets hotels in the WORLD, it includes 12 senior suites, 76 junior suites and 1 Princely suite, with 3 restaurants and bars including the unique floating restaurant of the island. Includes Le Spa de Constance with Guerlain Spa.
T: (230)402 3636 info@princemaurice.com www.princemaurice.com
••• Swingtime in Russia
St. Petersburg Saint-Petersburg is often called the Northern Capital of Russia. It is the fourth largest megalopolis of Europe. Its geopolitical, intellectual, economical, cultural and historical advantages are unique. The economy of St. Petersburg has developed rapidly over the past 10 years. Increase of investment appeal in Saint-Petersburg derives from a score of reasons. Firstly, Saint-Petersburg is a pioneer in the field of direct investments. Secondly, the city takes an active part in international exhibitions; this is an excellent way to look attractive in the international market. Thirdly, Government’s decision-making process has become transparent. The fourth, it is the first city which launched open auctions for land plots rights. St. Petersburg is an important cargo and tourist port of Russia. Hundreds of cargo ships and cruise liners pass through St. Petersburg during each navigation season. St. Petersburg became an outlet to the Baltic Sea in the early 18th century. For centuries, this location was considered ruinous: devastating floods, abominable winds, mosquitoes. Thus, Peter the Great’s decision to create a new Russian capital on the swamp seemed (and, in fact, was) entirely absurd. Genius, however, is its capability of overcoming circumstance.
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Санкт-Петербург часто называют Северной Столицей России. Это четвертый по величине мегаполис в Европе. Его геополитическое, интеллектуальное, экономическое, культурное и историческое преимущества уникальны. Экономика Санкт-Петербурга стремительно развивалась за последние 10 лет. В последние годы происходит несомненный рост инвестиционной привлекательности Санкт-Петербурга. Для этого есть ряд причин. Во-первых, Петербург - один из немногих российских субъектов, освоивших работу с прямыми инвестициями, стратегическими инвестпроектами. Вовторых, город активно участвует в международных выставках и ярмарках, проводит имиджевые мероприятия, что позволяет ему достойно выглядеть на мировом рынке. В-третьих, процесс принятия решений властными структурами стал значительно динамичнее и прозрачнее. В-четвертых, город стал лидером в освоении новых схем работы с инвесторами — продажи земли на открытых аукционах, государственно-частных партнерств. По замыслу Петра I Санкт-Петербург стал выходом в Балтийское море и является морским и речным портом. Каждую навигацию сотни грузовых и пассажирских судов проходят через Санкт-Петербург.
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Swingtime in Russia
St. Petersburg is the most northerly of the large cities in the world, and the largest of northerly cities. It stands on the 60th parallel, which passes through Greenland, Alaska (the town of Achorage), Magadan and the capital of Norway, Oslo. That’s why one of the greatest tourist attractions here is the White Nights, an astonishing time between May and July when it’s still fairly light on the streets at midnight and the city almost ceases to sleep. The famous music festival”Stars of the White Nights” takes place in St. Petersburg during that period. It’s the main event of the summer and takes place in the legendary Mariinsky (Kirov) Theatre. St. Petersburg is a popular place for various artistic, music, economic exhibitions and forums. St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is an annual event since 1997. It is called the “Russian Davos”. This forum represents the main economic summit of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The idea behind this event first appeared when the Commonwealth of Independent States members realized the loss of advantages they had suffered due to breakage of the common free market zone. Therefore Saint-Petersburg Forum has become a new organizational form of integration for the CIS members. The Forum and its activity gave a powerful impulse to the reestablishment of once broken economic relations and establishing of new connections. Another famous forum is an International Investment Forum PROEstate. It is the largest B2B event in the property market in Russia. So, the strategic target of the city Government is to turn Saint-Petersburg into the city with European living standards. Framework for dynamic development of economy is created in the city: tax privileges for business organizations, engaged in capital investments; terms of Government guarantee are defined, land fee system was amended to promote the rational land use and transfer land to the market commodity. On average the land ransom value for structure’s owners is reduced free times. Correct fiscal policy and low level of debt provide steady growth of Saint-Petersburg under international rating scale. Last year rating of Saint-Petersburg was raised by international agencies twice. And for the first time it became equal to Moscow’s. In addition, the city’s rating was awarded an investment status. Thus Saint-Petersburg officially has become investment attraction area that indicates the height of financial solvency. The fact that large international companies have come to Saint-Petersburg presents it as a center for the leaders of Russian business and indicates a new scale in the list of attraction areas of Europe.
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Место это столетиями считалось гиблым: опустошительные наводнения, мерзкий ветер, комары. Поэтому решение Петра основать на топкой болотистой местности новую российскую столицу казалось (да и было) совершенным абсурдом. Но гений побеждает обстоятельства. Санкт-Петербург – самый северный из крупных городов мира и самый крупный из северных городов: 60-я параллель, на которой он стоит, проходит через Гренландию, Аляску (город Анкоридж), Магадан и столицу Норвегии Осло. Поэтому один из главных туристических манков здесь – белые ночи, удивительное время с мая по июль, когда даже в полночь на улице довольно светло и город почти не спит. Известный музыкальный фестиваль «Звезды белых ночей» проходит в этот период в Санкт-Петербурге. Это главное культурное событие лета проходит в Мариинском театре. Помимо музыкальных и художественных фестивалей в Санкт-Петербурге проходят экономические выставки и форумы. Самый известный это Международный Экономический Форум, который уже более десятилетия проводится на берегах Невы. Форум носит неофициальное название «Русского Давоса» и является главным саммитом между Россией и СНГ. В Санкт-Петербурге также проводится Международный инвестиционный форум PROEstate – крупнейшее мероприятие по недвижимости в Центральной и Восточной Европе. Организаторами является Гильдия управляющих и девелоперов, Правительство Санкт-Петербурга, Министерство регионального развития и Министерство экономического развития РФ. Таким образом, стратегической целью развития Петербурга является превращение в «открытый европейский город» — с высоким уровнем качества жизни и гражданского развития. Для достижения такого статуса у Петербурга есть все основания – город обладает выдающимися геополитическими, интеллектуальными, экономическими преимуществами, а также уникальным культурно-историческим наследием. В городе создана крепкая основа для динамичного развития экономики: введены налоговые льготы для компаний, осуществляющих капитальные вложения, внесены изменения в систему земельных платежей с целью создания условий для рационального использования земель, определены условия предоставления государственных гарантий города, широкое распространение получили целевые программы и т д. Грамотная бюджетная политика и низкий уровень долга обеспечивают неуклонный рост рейтингов СанктПетербурга — ведущие мировые рейтинговые агентства официально подтвердили переход Санкт-Петербурга в зону инвестиционной привлекательности и высокой финансовой стабильности.
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DIRECTORY
ADOPT-A-GOLFER - SWINGTIME MAURITIUS TEL: (230) 213 33 99 admin@marketinfodirect.com www.swingtimegolf.co.za
ARJUN CHAKRABORTY (Astrologer) chakrabortyarjun@yahoo.co.in
Benz & Partners LTD
Talstrasse 58, 8022 Zurich info@benzpartner.ch www.benzpartner.ch Tel. 043 344 73 70 Fax 043 344 73 76
FAIR ACRES HOTEL
Tel: +27 (0)44 302 2000 Fax: +27 (0)44 302 2001 reservations@fairacreshotel.com 4 Bosbou Street, Thesen’s Hill, Knysna, 6571 South Africa
FASHION PAGE - EMOTIONS GOLF EVENTS LTD Royal Road, Avenue Bois de Corail Tamarin, Mauritius Tel./Fax: (230) 483 62 82 Mob: (230) 711 16 00 Email: info@emotionsgolf.com Website: www.emotionsgolf.com
SWINGTIME CORPORATE GOLF CHALLENGE TEL: (230) 213 33 99 info@swingtimegolf.co.za www.swingtimegolf.co.za
TOSKI GOLF CLUBS
TEL: (230) 213 33 99 admin@marketinfodirect.com Correction for previous issue
Photograph includes Mrs. Nalini Sooredoo, Mrs. Meryse Sunglee, Ginger Delacretaz: At the Swingtime Mauritian Open 2009.
Golfer’s paradise
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