Jacqui Barry
Emirates Golf Club Senior Management
This is the one month when putting together Club Life comes around so quickly since it’s the short month of 28 days…the 31 day months certainly give me a lot of leeway even though it’s just three extra days!
February saw the Club buzzing on Valentine’s night with the ultra-romantic pairs enjoying dinner on the 8th tee box with those spectacular night views looking out to the Marina and from what I have heard nobody was disappointed with the superb food, service and romantic setting. Elsewhere in the Club all outlets were booked out - well done F & B for pulling out all the stops.
With the Desert Classic now long finished, we have the course to ourselves and in peak condition and it’s such a pleasure to be able to play it. …still so tough out of the rough even though it’s not quite as thick as it was for the Desert Classic. Enjoy it!
The weather is so variable at the moment with temperatures having been hitting the mid-thirties with a few days of severe sandstorms thrown in. Hopefully this is not the start of a very long hot summer!
This month sees the Men’s and Ladies’ Amateur Opens taking place; whilst the Men’s Open continues to attract very low handicap players from around the globe, the Ladies’ Open has been reduced to a one-day event due to lack of interest. I remember years ago there being a waiting list for this event and people came from all the Gulf states, from Africa, UK and Europe. It’s difficult to understand why there is a lack of interest in this region when, at the same time, the Men’s Open has increased in popularity.
Club matchplays are well underway and will, at this stage have reached the quarter final stages so well done to those who have got this far and good luck for the remaining rounds.
I often receive emails from past members who are on the mailing list for Club Life to thank me for my efforts and I really appreciate the feedback. It’s a good tool for past members to be able to keep in contact with the Club and what’s going on but the most common comment I hear is that there are fewer and fewer people they recognise. I think it’s more likely that the people they know just aren’t in the prizes as often as they used to be years ago! Anyway, thank you to all those who make the effort to write to me and if you know of anyone who would like to be added to the mailing list please let me know.
Our members’ annual party takes place in the next few weeks (date yet to be announced) so it will soon be time to get out the dancing shoes and enjoy an evening with your fellow members.
Enjoy your golf on our wonderful courses and don’t forget to check out all the many social events taking place next month.
Jacqui Barry
Christopher May Chief Executive Officer cmay@dubaigolf.com
Craig Haldane Director - Golf Course Maintenance chaldane@dubaigolf.com
Barney Coleman Director of Golf bcoleman@dubaigolf.com
Ganesh Mangathil In House Publishing Manager gmangathil@dubaigolf.com
Membership Services Manager
Andrew Whitelaw General Manager awhitelaw@dubaigolf.com
Andy Meech Head of Sport and Leisure ameech@dubaigolf.com
Adele Cowgill Head of Sales and Marketing acowgill@dubaigolf.com
Keith Wilkes Retail Manager kwilkes@dubaigolf.com
Stephen Deane Head Academy Professional sdeane@dubaigolf.com
Chef Max Grenard Culinary Director mgrenard@dubaigolf.com
Martin Drugan Food and Beverage Manager mdrugan@dubaigolf.com
Saeed Ahamed Financial Controller mahamed@dubaigolf.com
Haridas Palliyalil Resident Engineer hpalliyalil@dubaigolf.com
Follow Emirates Golf Club on Facebook for the latest news, views and special offers. We already have over 22,650 likes. Follow us on Twitter @emiratesgc and Instagram @emiratesgc
Andrew Matthews PGA,
Hello once again my friends…another month has just rolled by and I was so surprised when Jacqui emailed me to ask for this write-up because it feels like I did one just last week. I keep asking myself whether it is just in Dubai that the days seem to go so quickly.
I also cannot believe that my Captain’s Day is only a few weeks away, after which it will be no time until summer, not that I am wishing the time away, quite the opposite. I hope you’re all looking forward to Captain’s Day, I know I am, except for the dreaded Captain’s drive. You can’t imagine what a nervewracking experience this is and certainly not good for my stress levels!
I had in mind to invite all the beautiful lady members of our Club to participate in Captain’s Day but when I started to put everything together I realised that the numbers would not compute. I’m sure we will have a full field of
COMPETITION RESULTS
MASHREQ MEDAL
men playing and I do not want to restrict their numbers since this is, after all, a men’s day. However, I would love to see you all in the evening when I hope many of you will join us for the dinner and celebrations. Gents, please sign up early for this competition as it will be a lot of fun on the day and in the evening. I have many wonderful prizes on offer including a hole-in-one prize of a car! Don’t miss out - I am looking forward to seeing you all and having some fun on and off the course.
My dear friend and Vice-Captain, Johnny Aldridge will be leaving Dubai at the end of April to take up a new position in Louisiana, USA. Johnny has been so supportive to me all season and I am very grateful to him for all his help. It’s such a pity that he will not be able to experience his year as Captain at Emirates Golf Club as he is so passionate about the Club, the members and his golf. However, I
in association with BMW & Ruth’s Chris Steak House Friday 13th February 2015
Shewakramani wins February Mashreq Medal
A division (handicap 0-10) winner was Bipin Bhatia with a net 69 beating runner-up Salem Dasmal on a count-back. In third place with an even par net 72 was Jignesh Sangani.
B division winner (handicap 11-20) also with a net 69 was Tej Chhabra. The runner-up after a card count back was Westley Burke who signed for a net 71. In third place also with a net 71 was Fletcher Wheeler.
The lowest score of the day and winner of the Medal and C division (handicap 21-28) was Suresh Shewakramani with a four under par net 68.
The honour for lowest gross of the day belonged to Kouroche Achtari who posted a gross 74 over the tricky Majlis course.
Following the February Mashreq Medal, Salem Dasmal sits at the top of the 2015 Order of Merit with 170 points, followed by Suresh Shewakramani on 150 points with Jignesh Sangani in third place on 144 points.
We would like to thank BMW and Ruth’s Chris Steak House Dubai for their continued support of these events.
wish Johnny, Katy and the family all the best in USA and hope to see them back here visiting from time to time.
As I am writing this, the weather has changed completely with a severe sand storm outside and low visibility. Well done to those of you who carried on playing in that – I’m sure you all feel sandblasted. Glad I am inside enjoying my coffee!
Enjoy your golf during the month!
Kamal Kosta Club Captain 2014-2015
A DIVISION (HCP. 0-10)
WINNER Bipin Bhatia Net 69
RUNNER UP Salem Dasmal Net 69
THIRD Jignesh Sangani Net 72
BEST GROSS Kouroche Achtari Gross 74
B DIVISION (HCP. 11-20)
WINNER Tej Chhabra Net 69
RUNNER UP Westley Burke Net 71
THIRD Fletcher Wheeler Net 71
C DIVISION (HCP. 21-28)
WINNER Suresh Shewakramani Net68
Please be informed the following tournament dates have been changed as follows:
Emirates
Amateur Open
Thursday 5th & Friday 6th March 2015
Indian Invitation Golf Tournament
Friday 3rd April 2015
Ladies Monthly Medal April 6th course changed to Majlis. Hankook Greensomes
Friday 10th & Saturday 11th April 2015
Mixed Scramble
Friday 17th April
Mashreq Monthly Medal in Association with BMW & Ruth’s Chris Steak House Friday 24th April 2015
Suresh Shewakramani (winner) and Andy Matthews, Membership Manager.
KoHLMAN NAtioNS cUP
27th February
WINNERS Gokul Mani, Sunil Aggarwal, Aman Chopra INDIA (5) Suresh Shewakramani 84
RUNNERS-UP Ashis Nanda, Shravan Khanna INDIA (11) Pankaj Verma, Bipin Bhatia 80
THIRD William Ayers, Ashish Dave USA Aaron Banks, Rajinder Razdan 78
NEAREST THE PIN
HOLE # 4 Jetender Chopra
HOLE # 7 Kush Sama
HOLE # 11 Ashis Nanda
HOLE # 15 Aly Popat
LONGEST DRIVE USING HICKORY DRIVE
HOLE # 12 K. Lacko
PUTTING COMPETITION
WINNERS Johnny Aldridge, Peter Dedek, Mukesh Kochar
HIT MOSHE’S BOAT
HOLE # 2 Darren Cole
SPONSORS GUEST TEAM
THIRD Ali Popat, Faisal Jamal Simona Joklova, Veronica Joklova
RUNNERS-UP Alnashir Popat, Riyaz Jamal, Peter Dedek, Peter Dedek JR
WINNERS Naushad Jivraj, Hanif Somji, V. Dvorak, E. Dvorak Sr.
Make the most of your membership with an exclusive offer on Members’ Guest rates at Emirates Golf Club.
Bring your family and friends to play the championship Majlis during selected morning shotguns this Spring and receive 2 for 1 on Members’ Guest rates.
Majlis Members’ Guest rate - AED 555
• Wednesday 11th March
• Thursday 26th March
• Thursday 9th April
• Tuesday 14th April
• Thursday 16th April
• Thursday 30th April
• Wednesday 13th May
• Thursday 21st May
Offer is available on selected dates and tee times, excluding public holidays. Bookings are subject to availability.
For more information and bookings, please call + 971 4 417 9800 or email ereservations@dubaigolf.com
LADIES’
First of all I must say many congratulations to the 2015 Omega Desert Classic Champion, Rory McIlroy. I am sure all of you enjoyed watching his fantastic play. This was his second time to win our Desert Classic. When I first saw him in Dubai I thought he seemed very young but also very talented. Now he has won four Majors in the last four years, the Open Championship, the US Open, and two US PGA Championships and has become the reigning World No 1.
COMPETITION RESULTS
Veronica Elias Net 72
UP Fiona Berry Net 74
GROSS Carolyn Thompson Gross 82
B DIVISION (HCP. 15 –23)
Lynne Dickinson Net 72
UP Elise Hanson Net 72 BRONZE DIVISION (HCP. 24 –42) WINNER Sandra Chia Net 74
This Greensomes event supported by Kellogg’s Special K will now also be known as the Valentine’s Cup thanks to Lady Captain Mitsuko Emmerson who kindly donated a crystal bowl as a perpetual trophy for the winners. On course prizes were won for nearest the pin on the 2nd hole by Maura Duggan and on the 12th hole by Jacqui Barry. Veronica Elias won the longest drive of the day on the 10th hole whilst Jo Docherty won the prize on the 5th hole for the straightest drive.
Lady Captain also donated a special prize called ‘Lucky Number 7’ and this was won by Jacqui Barry and Yana Jamieson for finishing in 7th place overall
In February EGC ladies’ section held our Valentine’s Cup for the first time. Congratulations to Naema and Martha, the first winning pair of this event. My partner Kazako and I finished second - pity but we were just one shot behind, having found the water three times! Twice is more than enough!
This March is also very active with the Ladies’ Club Championship on 1st and 2nd March and then we have the Lady Captain’s Charity day on Monday 9th March. On 23rd March we will have a competition sponsored by Special
The ladies returned after a short break to compete on the Majlis course in the February Medal supported by JW Marriot Marquis, Dubai.
In Silver A division (handicap 0-14) Veronica Elias was victorious with a consistent round signing for a level par net 72. The runner-up was Fiona Berry with a net 74.
Silver B division (handicap 15-23), which is always a closely contested category, was won by Lynne Dickinson with a net 72 by virtue of a card
with 36 points and a better back nine. The top three pairs were all awarded vouchers for their efforts. In third place with 40 points were Lynne Dickinson and Fiona Berry.
The runners-up were Lady Captain Mitsuko Emmerson and her partner Kazuko Chiba with 41 points. and the winners, with a fantastic 42 points, were Martha Wong and
K which will be three clubs and a putter (free entry).
It’s a fun competition and you need to make up your mind which three clubs you will choose and take on the course. This is a secret but I am thinking of choosing a 3 wood, 7 iron and a pitching wedge. Don’t tell anyone!
Mitsuko Emmerson Lady Captain 2014-2015
count-back. The runner-up also, with a net 72, was Elise Hanson.
In Bronze division the winner, with a net 74, was Sandra Chia.
The lowest gross score of the day outside of any of the above winners was won by Carolyn Thompson with a score of 82.
The monthly raffle was drawn by Lady Captain Mitsuko Emmerson and the lucky winner was Jayshree Gupta.
Sponsored by
Pro’s Tip of the Month
My name is Sahana Paravantavida and I am 14 years old. I go to GEMS World Academy and I have been in Dubai for almost seven months now. I hope to play golf in college and maybe take it further if my future career allows it. I have been playing golf since I was six years old in Florida, USA. I played every weekend at Doral Resort and Golf Club where I participated in many US Kids tournaments and won the Player of the Year twice when I was nine and then ten years old. Then we moved to India where there was much harder competition as I started getting more serious about my golf. In India there was so much pressure to get a good ranking and I met many girls my age who were playing golf to a high standard. The golf club in Delhi kindly sponsored a trip to Thailand to play the four-day True Vision Tournament. It was an amazing experience but also really difficult. It was the farthest I have ever travelled for golf, other than going back to the US in the summers. Once we moved to Dubai we joined Emirates Golf Club and I have played a few tournaments. I haven’t been here long but I love the golf atmosphere here and I am really excited to experience more. So far I have already met my inspiration, Rory McIlroy, and seen some incredible lady golfers. I am really enjoying the competitions and also the fantastic training and experience I am getting with the Junior Elite Squad.
SPOTLIGHT ON JUNIOR Sahanna Get Balanced Get Better
Stephen Deane
WITH PGA Golf Professional Mark Bruce
Balance is a core skill that all elite players must have in their golf swing. Tour Professionals all have different swings and body movement patterns but every player has precise balance. There are three key balance points in the body, the sternum (shirt buttons), the base of the spine (belt buckle) and the feet. You want all three areas to work together during the swing to ensure good stability, mobility and efficient power. If a player loses balance the body will compensate and try to rebalance and this will cause involuntary movements during the swing.
Sahanna has improved significantly over the past few months and has achieved a single figure handicap after some great results in major junior events including a third place gross finish and net win in the recent Nick Faldo Junior Series.
She has also graduated to the Junior Elite Squad and is improving every month.
Sahanna has worked extremely hard on improving her basic setup and, in particular, her posture. Her mechanics are improving constantly and she now is developing a consistent motion with much less manipulation of the club.
She has a good work ethic and I’m looking forward to watching her develop into a great player. If she maintains her gradual improvement she can go a long way in this game.
It begins with good posture, the correct amount of hinge from the hip to allow the chest to be directly above the hands, and the weight is positioned on the balls of the feet. This will help you use the ground to stabilise your body and create power without losing balance. (pic1)
Drill 1 - Put your feet together and try hitting some shots; this exercise will stop you from moving around and allow the body to rotate on the spot increasing a centre strike.
Drill 2 - Place the ball in front of your left foot (right handed player) and place the back leg up on its toes, this will create the feeling that you are positioned on the front leg and at impact you will have the weight 80% on the left increasing power with balance.
Many Tour Professionals use these exercises daily to improve balance and rhythm when warming up. Remember, good swing mechanics can be undone by poor balance so give these drills a try and enjoy hitting straighter, longer shots and use a small tee to help the contact.
Three of the Elite Juniors represented the Emirates Golf Club Scratch League team in their match against Sharjah, played on the Faldo course on 31st January. Well done to Matthew Baxter, Aaron Smith and Zubin Chandra, we hope to see you in the team more often next season!
SVA GOLF TOUR 2015 The Emirates Golf Trophy
Tuesday 10th February 2015 Majlis Course
SVA is a Swiss based company who also have offices here in Dubai. The SVA golf tour was set up to promote and connect areas, tourist facilities, authorities and players alike. The Emirates Trophy was played for the first time this year on the Majlis course and the winner will be heading to the international final, which will take place in Lugano (Switzerland) during autumn 2015 where they will join all of the other qualifiers from around the world.
Winner: Tej Chhabra PTS 38
Runner Up: Soumaya Salem PTS 37
Top Two Scratch Scores: Johnny Aldridge PTS 79
Rajinder Razdan PTS 81
Best Female Score: Christiane Sprunck PTS 36
NEAREST THE PIN HOLE # 4 Fredrik Schauman
PRIZES:
Winner: in addition to the trophy, the winner was invited to play the international final, which will take place in Lugano, Switzerland, 28th October - 1st November 2015 and the prize includes one flight for the winner.
Runner-up: in addition to the trophy, the runner-up received three nights accommodation in the Hotel Palacio Estoril, Portugal for two people and one green fee per person Nearest the pin: Two nights accommodation for two people in Switzerland for the Special Olympics
RULES bY RHYS RECENT RULINGS AT THE CLUB...
Over the past few weeks I have enjoyed several conversations with members discussing and clarifying certain scenarios that have caused some confusion. Here in this article I will explain two rulings that have caused debate on the fairways of Emirates Golf Club lately.
1. Cart Paths
When cart paths are artificially made they are deemed under the rules of golf to be an immovable obstruction (rule 24-2). As always, the player has the option to play the ball as it lies. However, the player may also take relief without penalty if the ball lies on the cart path or when the cart path interferes with the player’s stance or the area of their intended swing. The player should begin this process by firstly finding the nearest point of relief.
PLEASE NOTE:
• It is NOT correct to simply divide the cart path in half and drop on the side that the ball lies.
• The nearest point of relief may be different for a right or left handed golfer.
• The rule states the NEAREST point of relief and not the NICEST point of relief.
Taking the last point into consideration the nearest point of relief may not be desirable if there is interference from a bush or a hazard etc. In this case the player may choose to play the ball as it lies or deem the ball unplayable (rule 28)
How to find the nearest point of relief?
To do so correctly the player should:
1. Leave the ball where it lies and simulate a stance on either side of the path at the nearest position that avoids any interference from the path, including their stance.
2. From that address position, put a tee in the ground at the spot where it is estimated that the ball would lie and then repeat on the other side.
3. Measure the distance between each tee and the ball that lies on the path. The tee that lies closest to the ball is the correct side to drop.
For a demonstration video please visit here: http://usga-rules. com/NPR/
The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When the ball is dropped within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the immovable obstruction and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.
In this case, B1 is closer to A than B2, therefore B1 is the nearest point of relief and the ball must be dropped within one club length of B1.
2. Ball in Water Hazard...Fact or Fiction???
This topic has been raised by a few members over the past few weeks. There seems to be a belief that if a ball is struck towards a water hazard and then not found, it can be automatically ASSUMED that the ball is in the water and they can proceed under rule 26-1. The rule states pretty much the opposite. It must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the water hazard.
Here is the key message: In the absence of knowledge or virtual certainty that the ball is in the hazard, a ball that cannot be found must be considered lost somewhere other than in the water hazard and the player must proceed under the lost ball rule (27-1).
Knowledge and Virtual Certainty Explained:
Knowledge may be gained that a ball is in a water hazard in a number of ways:
• By the player or his caddie or other members of the match who may actually observe the ball disappear into the water hazard.
• Any other reliable witnesses, including a marshall, an observer, spectators or other outside agencies.
• It is important that all readily accessible information from the above be considered.
Virtual certainty means that, although the ball has not been found, when all readily available information is considered, the conclusion that there is nowhere that the ball could be except in the water hazard would be justified.
In determining whether virtual certainty exists, some of the relevant factors in the area of the water hazard to be considered include topography, turf conditions, grass heights, visibility, weather conditions and the proximity of trees, bushes and abnormal ground conditions.
If and when there is any doubt on how to proceed, the player’s integrity should lead them to make the correct decision based on all of the above factors.
If you have any rules queries that you would like to discuss over the coming weeks then please do not hesitate to ask on your next visit to the club or simply email your query to rjames@dubaigolf.com.
MAKE tHE MoSt of YoUR
REciPRocAL
For all full golf members here at Emirates Golf Club, don’t forget about the reciprocal golf programme that we have with a number of top courses throughout the world. Whether you’re going on holiday or visiting family and friends, take advantage of the member’s guest green fee rate when playing at the following golf courses.
• Albatross Golf Resort, Czech Republic
• Banyan Golf Club, Thailand
cLUb bENEfitS
• Centurion Club, Hemel Hempstead, UK
• Close House Hotel & Golf, England, UK
• DLF Golf & Country Club, Gurgaon, India
• Hong Kong Golf Club, Hong Kong
• Laguna National Golf & Country Club, Singapore
• London Golf Club, UK
• Mission Hills Golf Club, Guangdong Province, China
• Münchener Golf Club e.V., Germany
• Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club, Victoria, Australia
Spotlight on …
Centurion Club
Centurion Club is situated in the picturesque rolling Hertfordshire countryside close to the Roman city of St Albans and just half an hour’s drive from the city of London. Centurion Club boasts a stunning 18 hole Championship golf course; each hole is unique and at 7,200 yards from the back tees, it will challenge the very best golfers, both in terms of their playing ability as well as their strategic approach to the game, whilst the five teeing grounds of varying lengths will allow golfers of all abilities to enjoy this wonderful course. In addition, members can enjoy the 5-star service and facilities the club has to offer which allow guests to enjoy unrivalled quality both on and off the course.
Members of Emirates Golf Club can experience Centurion at the member’s guest rate of £80 + VAT. For more information, please visit http://www.centurionclub.co.uk/
• Saujana Golf & Country Club, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• The Heritage Golf Club, Mauritius
Tee time reservations need to be made in advance through Membership Services. and your valid 2015 membership card must be produced at the reciprocal club when playing golf.
Mission Hills Golf Club, Guangdong Province, China
London Golf Club
Banyan Golf Club, Thailand
Spike Bar at the Dubai World Cup
28th March 2015 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Dubai World Cup. This exciting day in international horse racing, dubbed ‘the world’s richest day in racing’ with prize money of over US $29,250 million is a must on your social calendar.
This year Spike Bar will be there too! Visit the Apron Views area of the Meydan Grandstand to enjoy a host of familiar favourites from the Spike Bar menu, along with a selection of refreshments. Emirates Golf Club members can enjoy their usual members discount!
Pick out your finest clothes and enjoy a day at the races! For ticket information, please visit www.dubaiworldcup.com
The course to financial security needn’t be a difficult one. It just requires a sense of direction, some expert guidance and the kind of investment solutions that offer a simpler way to save. Why not tee-off today ? Ask your financial adviser about our range of fl exible and portable products designed for your medium to long-term savings and investment needs.
Investments may fall as well as rise in value and you may not get back what you put in.
BIRDS OF THE EMIRATES Egyptian Goose
Scientific Name: Alopochen aegyptiaca
Shot: Emirates Golf Club (Faldo Course)
Date shot: January 2015
Wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_goose
Description:
The Egyptian Goose is a member of the family of birds called Anatidae. Although native to Africa and the Nile Valley, these birds are now often seen across Europe and the UAE. They were considered sacred by ancient Egyptians and also appear in many hieroglyphics. The scientific name Alopochen is based on the Greek (‘alopex’) and (‘chen’) which means ‘foxgoose’, referring to the brown colouration of its back. These birds are good swimmers but they possess a slow and heavy flying style. Both male and female are identical with the male being slightly larger in size. The voices and vocalisations of the sexes differ, the male having a hoarse, subdued duck-like quack which seldom sounds unless it is aroused. The female has a far noisier raucous quack that frequently sounds in aggression and almost incessantly at the slightest disturbance when tending her young. Egyptian Geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses, and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. They are mostly seen to pair for life and then care for their young until the offspring are old enough to take care of themselves.
At Emirates Golf Club, the birds can be seen in pairs on the Faldo course and also close to the water features near the main entrance as you drive into the Club. Owing to their large size and unique plumage, the birds are hard to miss and can be seen in the Club around the winter months of the year.
Photo Courtesy: Akhil Menon, golf in DuBAi
The February tournament calendar produced winners in the Chairman’s Cup and the Camel Trophy - congratulations to Anand Lakhiani and Sandra Chia respectively.
The Kohlman Nations Cup supported by Imperial Bank didn’t fail to live up to its reputation as one of the premier events on the members’ calendar with 132 competitors taking to the Majlis fairways. Thank you for your support of this event and to Past Captain Moshe Kohli for his continued support of our Club.
You may already be aware that there are some substantial changes to the tournament calendar; for those of you who haven’t seen the updates please view the key changes below:
• Emirates Amateur Open
Thursday 5th & Friday 6th March 2015
• Indian Invitation Golf Tournament
Friday 3rd April 2015
• Hankook Greensomes
Friday 10th & Saturday 11th April 2015
• Mixed Scramble
Friday 17th April
• Mashreq Monthly Medal in Association with BMW & Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Friday 24th April 2015
During February we tried a new tee sheet configuration prior to a corporate day shotgun start in the afternoon. The theory behind this was to provide more options to members in terms of start time prior to a 13.00 tournament. In the past a 13.00 shotgun start had been preceded by an 08.00 shotgun. This offers little flexibility to members for a game in the morning and it is also more enjoyable to commence your round from the 1st or 10th tee. The tees were open from 06.40 to 08.20. I appreciate those members who played the front nine in under 1 hour 45 minutes were delayed on the second nine. I would be interested to hear your feedback if you prefer the 08.00 shotgun option to a twotee start?
Why all the shotguns?
The other feedback I have received frequently lately is concerning the number of shotgun starts particularly on weekends. As mentioned above if we have a corporate tournament on a weekday afternoon or a members’ tournament on a Friday afternoon, the normal procedure is to allocate an 08.00 shotgun in the morning.
For Majlis shotgun starts on the weekends there are two main reasons as below:
1) Unlike a British summer for example, we are restricted in Dubai in terms of daylight hours. From the beginning of November (when the Majlis is also walking only) to the end of March the sunset times in Dubai are 17.38 to 18.35.
Staging a shotgun start configuration allows 26 groups in the morning and the same in the afternoon, totaling 208 golfers on the course finishing 18 holes. If the tee-sheet were to be tee times from 6.40 onwards at tenminute intervals, (between November to February) the latest one could tee off at approximately 13.30 and still complete 18 holes. The maximum number of players accommodated between 6.40 to 13.30 is 168 players. Therefore 40 more members can complete an 18-hole game with the shotgun pattern. Obviously as we move through to April and May the daylight hours do stretch out so it would make sense to have more tee time set-ups in the latter half of the season.
2) The online booking process is very competitive with a large number of members online ten days prior at 06.00. The system is much more effective and efficient on a shotgun set up. Obviously only two tee time options compared to 40 plus facilitates this. Kind regards,
Barney Coleman Director of Golf, Emirates Golf Club
We are excited that Le Classique has been shortlisted for the Time Out Dubai’s 2015 restaurant awards in the ‘Best French’ category.
Thank you all for your continued support!
Dear Members,
Ihope you are all continuing with your exercise routines and that you are enjoying the facilities we have to offer at Fit Lab. If you have fallen out of the habit of going to the gym, here are a few motivational points to think about.
Motivation
We all, at times, get out of the habit of going to the gym, whether due to sickness, travel or busy family or social life. Once in the habit of working out, it becomes part of your daily/weekly routine but after a prolonged break it can be difficult to get into that mindset again.
So how do you get motivated to start again?
Keep a record: by keeping a record of your workouts, you will start seeing where you are improving in terms of weights or distance/ speed of cardio workouts. Recording simple numbers such as the number of pushups, sit-ups or speed you can run can help you see that the exercise is making you stronger and faster. Seeing it in black and white can drive you to improve.
Mark your calendar: tick the calendar on the days you go to the gym which benefits by showing how long it has been since you were last there. Keeping a steady number of ticks on your calendar is an easy way to motivate yourself.
Work out with a partner: the benefit of this is that you improve by pushing and encouraging each other. In addition, if you know that your partner is expecting you at the gym, it will certainly push you to turn up.
Make it fun: if you don’t enjoy gym workouts, there are many other possibilities, especially at Fit Lab where we have a number of different and fun classes, including Zumba, TRX and boxing, all of which will improve your fitness without doing workouts you don’t enjoy.
Timing is important: don’t put exercise time in a place where it will easily be pushed aside by something more important. First thing in the morning, before or straight after work are often times to consider.
Start easy: trying to run ten miles in your first workout back after a break may over-exert you and deter you from going back. Start with light work-outs and build up slowly.
Of course, you could arrange a work-out with any of our personal trainers who will motivate you and help to set you on the right road to fitness.
Healthy Regards
Andy Meech Head of Sport & Leisure
you signed up for
Emirates Golf Club
Enjoy running the Faldo Course and Jebel Ali Race Course on Friday 20th March, starting at 06.15 Register on http://www.premieronline.com/
SENSASIA URBAN SPA CELEBRATES WOMEN AND ADORES MUMS THIS MARCH
March is a month devoted to women, and nobody is celebrating sisterhood more than SensAsia Urban Spa!
First up is International Women’s Day on Sunday March 8, which is when every lady through the SensAsia Urban Spa door will ‘Go Upper Class’ completely free of charge. Part of the SensAsia Enhancement menu and usually charged at 65dhs per treatment, this indulgent upgrade to any massage means oil is swapped for super-luxe, heated cocoa butter, offering a rich, decadent treat for the skin.
Mother’s Day is always a big deal at SensAsia, and this year’s savings will put a smile on every female face.
MOTHER’S DAY SPECIALS AT SENSASIA URBAN SPA
Available at all locations throughout March
ADORE MUMS 60 min / 399 dhs (valid until April 30)
The gift of an all-organic Eve Lom Ultimate Cleanse Facial, with its international cult following, and endorsements from a host of celebrities including Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. On the SensAsia Urban Spa menu at 540dhs at any other time of year, Adore Mums costs just 399dhs throughout March.
540
MY MUM & I 105 min / 799 dhs OR 1,499 dhs for TWO (valid until December 31)
My Mum & I is the ultimate SensAsia combo. Including any Elemis Anti-Ageing facial, plus a 45-minute Rapid Rub intensive back massage, this is a seriously rejuvenating and stress-relieving experience, best taken together.
All Mother’s Day gift treatments are packaged as bespoke ‘You’ve Got SensAsia’ vouchers, as pictured above.
EDITORʻS NOTES: For more information, location details for each individual spa and a full SensAsia treatment menu, visit www.sensasiaspas.com. [telephone numbers are at the top of this page]
For more information about SensAsia Urban Spa, plus images, reviews and interviews, please contact Sarah Walker-Dufton at Media Maven. Email: sarah@mediamavenuae.com or call +971 56 609 3878
David Baines Physiotherapist
David has a Masters degree in physiotherapy from Leeds University and a Sports Science degree from Greenwich London University.
He has always had a strong passion for sports and has previously trained and competed himself at both regional and national levels in athletics, judo and Wudang tai chi. He has experience working with recreational and elite level athletes and has provided fitness training and physiotherapy rehabilitation to successfully treat athletes from a wide variety of sports, in particular track sprinting. David’s physiotherapy assessment and treatment is an integrated approach that looks at the problem as a whole and draws from his unique sporting background. This enables him to provide individualised rehabilitation to athletes of all levels.
To make an appointment, please call 055 372 4670
MEET THE Spike Bar Kitchen TEAM
About SensAsia Urban Spa: SensAsia Urban Spa is the largest independent spa chain in the UAE, celebrating a sparkling 10 years of providing unique pamper havens to the masses of spa-ites in the Middle East. With its uber-chic day spa locations, located in premium city spots, SensAsia offers a sensory journey through blissfully indulgent experiences – stemming from Balinese grace, Japanese elegance and Thai tradition. It all began with The Village, Jumeirah, where founder Salina Handa created the ultimate sanctuary for health and wellness-savvy ‘Jumeirah Janes’ back in 2004. The SensAsia family then spread to Emirates Golf Club and Palm Jumeirah, and most recently the Downtown Dubai hub of Souk Al Manzil. www.sensasiaspas.com sensasiaspas SensAsia sensasia_urban_spa #SensAsiais10
Top L-R: Sudeep Madiyam, Selwyn Rodrigues, Dilip D’Costa, Periyanayagam Lourdusamy, Kum Raj Ghale, Eugene D’rozario, Rohan Siriwardane
Bottom L-R: Clayton Miranda, Edwin Masih, Arnel Codia, Ahsan Khan
An AimPoint seminar was held at Emirates Golf Club on Sunday 7th February to teach members the green read secret used by the world’s top golf professionals. World expert Jamie Donaldson, along with Emirates Golf Club’s Stephen Deane and Alastair Brown taught the group to learn how to read every putt they will ever face on the green.
WHAt’S cooKiNG
Since joining Emirates Golf Club a little over a year ago there have been two items that our members and guests seem to always rave about, and these are both from our pastry shop. Chef Samir, who leads our pastry team, has been with the Club for almost 24 years and his experience is a valuable asset to our kitchen. Our pastry department is quite busy in that they have to prepare desserts for all our outlets as well as banquets and functions around the Club.
What are these two popular desserts you may ask? Well, the first is pavlova and the second is our dark chocolate mousse. On their own they are very tasty but when combined you get the best of both worlds. Please find below the recipes of these two signature desserts from our pastry shop which I hope you will enjoy making and serving.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF CHEF JEFFREY BROTHERS
Directions
Pavlova
Servings
6
200
1. In a stainless steel bowl warm egg white and sugar over a water bath.
2. Whip mixture to soft peaks. Add vinegar and corn starch; continue beating until meringue is firm and shiny.
3. Place the meringue in a piping bag with a star piping tip. Pipe the meringue into desired shapes.
4. In a pre-heated oven, bake meringue at 100 degrees Celsius for approximately 45 – 60 minutes.
Directions
1. Bring the milk to a simmer and add chocolate. Stir till the chocolate is melted and emulsified. Let cool.
2. Whip cream to medium peaks and fold in 1/3 at a time.
3. This can be served in two ways. Set into individual or one large serving dish, or let set, place into a piping bag and pipe.
To Finish Strawberries or any desired berries Mint leaves
DAtES foR YoUR DiARY
FAMOUS ISLAND GREENS
The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course
The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course in Idaho, USA ranks among the best in the world and one of the most unusual for its famous floating 14th hole, a man-made island that changes location. The most unique feature of the green is its ability to be computer controlled to a different distance from the tee each day. At approximately 15,000 square feet, the island, although intimidating, is a deceptively large target. Golfers take a maximum of two attempts to land safely on the island before taking a drop on the green if necessary. To finish the hole the ‘Putter’ boat, an electric powered shuttle, transfers golfers to and from the island green. As you depart from the island, the boat captain will leave you with a personalised Certificate of Achievement, commemorating the completion of this most memorable golf hole.
TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach
Designed by Pete Dye, the par-3, 132-yard 17th of TPC Sawgrass, known simply as the ‘Island Green’ is one of the most intimidating holes on the PGA tour. In addition to being almost entirely surrounded by water, the undulating green has earned the badge of ruining rounds for many of the best golfers on the tour (In 2007, a record 50 shots fell into the water in one round).
Apple Tree Golf Course
Over the past decade, the Apple Tree Golf Course has quickly become one of the premier golf experiences. Carved from the rolling terrain of 100 year-old orchards in Yakima, Washington, Apple Tree’s signature par 3 17th features the world-famous Apple Island Green. Designed by John Steidel, the par-3 17th has an island green shaped like an apple with a sand trap for a ‘leaf’ and a bridge for the ‘stem’. It has been named ‘Best Par Three’ by the Seattle Times and ‘One of Washington’s Top 18 Holes’.
SNIPPETS 19th Hole
Hole-in-One
Michael McGinley
The past week will surely live long in the memory of Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club member, Michael McGinley. Michael, a resident of Dubai who plays off a handicap of plus one, originally hails from Ireland and is making headlines with some world class accuracy on Dubai’s notoriously tough Par 3s. All golfers dream of a Hole-in-One, and many never achieve it. However, Michael achieved something last month that even fewer golfers can lay claim to. He made not only one, or two, but three Holes-in-One over a six-day period in Dubai, a feat that has probably never been achieved previously in the United Arab Emirates, and perhaps not anywhere else in the world!
The first of Michael’s Hole-in-Ones came on Thursday 12th February, when he hit a superb shot with his 4-iron to ace the challenging par 3, 4th hole on the Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth course, an amazing achievement in itself. This was followed up on Friday 13th, obviously not unlucky for some, when he struck another beautiful shot with his 9-iron into the par 3, 5th hole at his home course, Dubai Creek, only to see the ball drop straight in for his second ace in as many days. The hat trick was completed on Tuesday 17th February, again at Dubai Creek when his magic 9-iron struck again to ace the 8th hole at Dubai Creek.
lad from St Andrews
Peter Stewart, assistant to Craig, was at the Federer -Youznhy match at Dubai Tennis stadium last week. When questioned on whether he needed a sweater, our hardy Scot replied, “Never, I’m from St Andrews so this is not cold at all.” Half an hour later he jumped at the chance of sharing a Pashmina and was feeling so grateful to the stranger sitting next to him!
Hole-in-One Viv Caley Majlis 4th 5th January 2015
Hole-in-One Eddie Wick Majlis 11th 30th December 2014
The
Chris and Rosemary Turlik
Ghaleb Farha with Roger Federer last month in Dubai
Sandstorm
Welcome Mieko who Japan of Anne-Britt Paul are
Welcome back to Mieko Coombs who was visiting from Japan after an absence of seven years and to Anne-Britt and Paul Mercer who are now living in Spain.
Jacqui Barry, Jenny Ayres, Tom Barry, Mieko Coombs, Philip Dundas
Patriotic Players
At a guess, I would say Darren Cole Is British!!
Meanwhile Fran Cole has a colour co-ordinated driver and shirt!
Tom Barry follows the trend with his patriotic Irish bag as well as Johnny Aldridge going with an ‘all-American’ look.
We had a guest who recently contacted us with a letter from Adrian Flaherty, the then Director of Golf at Emirates Golf Club dated 3rd April 2000. He had been visiting Dubai and had raised a complaint regarding an incident that took place on the Majlis course a month earlier. Within the letter Adrian offered them the opportunity to return for a complimentary round. In January this year (15 years!) later the guest contacted us with a copy of the letter saying he was coming to Dubai with his wife and asked to take the offer of the complimentary golf round. We did honour the request and they did come back and play the course after 15 years. They mentioned that, “The course was in great condition with the greens firm and fast - what a treat! Thank you so much for honouring the promise of fifteen years ago. We will be singing the praises of Emirates Golf Club back in England. By the way, the surrounding area is completely unrecognisable from fifteen years agowow!“
Another winning quiz team in February was the team ‘Party Fears 4’ Teams ‘Blissfully Ignorant’ and ‘Tea Leaves’ finishing runners-up!
Congratulations to Team Kernow who won the recent Quiz Night in the Spike Bar. Well done to teams Tea Leaves and Quizimodo who were runners up!
at Emirates Golf Club Celebrate
Mother’s Day Weekend at M’s
Friday 13th and Saturday 14th March 2015
Treat your Mum to a special Mother’s Day weekend brunch at M’s restaurant between 12 noon and 3pm. Enjoy our International brunch buffet including a live carvery, pasta station, starter and dessert buffet and plenty of children’s entertainment. All Mums receive a celebratory box of chocolates and bouquet of flowers.
AED 160 inclusive of food and soft beverages
AED 300 inclusive of food and selected beverages
AED 360 inclusive of food and sparkling beverages
AED 45 per child (5 – 12 years old)
Children under 5 dine for free
*Members discount applies
Mothering Sunday at Le Classique
Sunday 15th March 2015
All Mums enjoy a 25% discount when dining from the À La Carte menu during lunch and dinner.
For reservations, please call+971 4 417 9999 or email emiratesdining@dubaigolf.com www. dubaigolf.com
A Gourmet Mother’s Day at Le Classique
Saturday 14th March 2015
All Mums in a booking of three or more dine for free during our special Mother’s Day Gourmet Brunch, served between 12 noon and 3pm. Mums enjoy a celebratory glass of bubbly on arrival, along with the endless starter and dessert buffets, unlimited a la carte main course menu and live jazz. Children are welcome on this day.
Food only AED 215 per member, AED 245 per member’s guest, AED 265 per guest
Food and selected grape AED 375 per member, AED 395 per member’s guest, AED 435 per guest
Food and bubbly AED 460 per member, AED 480 per member’s guest, AED 525 per guest
Children (5 – 12 years old) AED 75