Gv#014

Thailand Edition vol. 14

Legends Byron Nelson The 19th charm on tracks My Top ten Sam torrance Style Vacation Manhattan Night Live

Choice resorts The Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate

Cabot Cliffs

A Canadian Beauty Explored

magazine of the gm group golf vacations thailand vol.14 JANUARY-FEBRURY 2016 / 180 baht

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ON THE COVER Golf Vacations thailand Edition Vol.14 JanUaRY-fEBRUaRY 2016 caBot cliffs

Thailand Edition vol. 14

Legends Byron Nelson The 19th charm on tracks My Top ten Sam torrance Style Vacation Manhattan Night Live

Choice resorts The Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate

Cabot Cliffs

A Canadian Beauty Explored 14 6

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247+6X300

magazine of the gm group golf vacations thailand vol.14 JANUARY-FEBRURY 2016 / 180 baht

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GOLF VACATIONS THAILAND VOLUME 14 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2016 CABOT CLIFFS, CANADA

16 JOURNal Alpine Golf Club SMBC Singapore Open It’s the Details Tara Iti Golf Club Fine Gifting Living in Anvaya Cove

50 THE 19TH CHARM ON TRACkS Riding a train across safari and wildlife is golf and living at its finest.

22 lEgENdS BYRON NELSON The noble Texan with a liquid swing and the longest winning streak in history, we give you ‘Lord’ Byron.

26 COVER STORy CABOT CLIFFS Spectacularly perched and wonderfully crafted by the finest in golf design.

40 dESTiNaTiON fOCUS THE WORLD OF THE COTSWOLDS A track back in time to England’s finest moments along the most scenic country scenes.

A NEW YORk MINUTE Golf and simply being in the Big Apple is any experience multiplied tenfold.

58 my TOp TEN SAM TORRANCE A gregarious gentleman who loves life as much as golf.

64 STylE VaCaTiON MANHATTAN NIGHT LIVE Fly to the Big Apple this festive season for a truly extravagant trip.

70 CHOiCE RESORTS THE OMNI ORLANDO RESORT AT CHAMpIONSGATE A fun-filled holiday where golf and theme parks meet in play.

BYRON NELSON

CABOT CLIFFS

THE OMNI ORLANDO RESORT AT CHAMpIONSGATE

MANHATTAN NIGHT LIVE

76 ResoRt Golf AcAdemy SANDBELT COURSES negotiating the finest courses Down-under.

82 collection HOTEL & RESORT Hilton millennium bangkok mode Sathorn Hotel rarinjinda wellness Spa resort Silavadee Pool Spa resort 88 TRIP enjoy jakarta golf 90 MOVE 15th asia Superyacht rendezvous rolls royce's "Spirit of ecstasy" nymphenburg porcelain figurine 93 TIME Panerai radiomir 1940 94 GOLF Play with the great white Shark 95 moments masterCard Legends academy featuring Sir nick Faldo brooks koepka signs with nike

RARINJINDA WELLNESS SPA RESORT

98 lAst putt meet black Hat tony meechai

GM MULTIMEDIA GROUP PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED Chairman & CEO : Pakorn Pongvarapa Executive Vice President : Finance Pornjitt Pongvarapa Executive Vice President : Business Development ritnarong kulprasoot Executive Vice President : Marketing Suebwong kaewthipharat Executive Vice President : New Media PeSiLP Pongvarapa Editor-in-Chief : Suebwong kaewthipharat Managing Editor : george Somapa Executive Art Director : PrateeP Putchimtuck Photographer : Damrongrit Sathitdamrongtham Computer Artist : PraSit anakananthpun Advertising/Marketing Manager : kongwarong Somsa Advertising/Marketing Staff : SantiPat Suksinchai PemiSa khuangsirikul Proofreader : SiraYa Pongvarapa Production Manager : ratana khow General Manager : Panuwat Pongvarapa Finance Manager : wimonLak asaiphanit Accounting Manager : niCHaPa buparanond Color Separation : kanoksilp (thailand) tel. +662 215 1588 Printing : o.S. Printing House Co., Ltd. tel. +662 434 6850

SILAVADEE POOL SPA RESORT kOH SAMUI

RESORT GOLF ACADEMY SANDBELT COURSES

MEET BLACk HAT TONY MEECHAI 15TH ASIA SUPERYACHT RENDEZVOUS

Editor’s Page Top 10 RichesT GolfeRs in 2015 Although the economic situation in 2015 was rather doom and gloom, with investment costs being cut and businesses shutting down, if you're still standing strong today, don't worry. “Keep calm and play golf”, then take an admiring glance at the world of golf where famous golfers earn their huge amounts of money from their winning and endorsements.

Top 10 richest golfers in 2015

No.10 - Greg Norman $14,000,000 off-course No.9 - Ernie Els $14,689,536 ($2,189,536 on-course and $12,500,000 off-course) No.8 - Adam Scott $15,648,068 ($8,048,068 on-course and $7,600,000 offcourse) No.7 - Gary Player $16,009,625 ($9,625 on-course, $16,000,000 off-course) No.6 - Rory Mcllroy $29,608,789 ($2,608,789 on-course, $18,000,000 off-course) No.5 - Henrik Stenson $21,444,670 ($18,594,670 on-course, $2,850,000 offcourse) No.4 - Jack Niklaus $26,009,625 ($9,625 in-course, $26,000,000 off-course) No.3 - Arnold Palmer $40,000,000 off-course No.2 - Phil Mickelson $52,009,156 ($45,000,000 off-course) No.1 - Tiger Woods $83,091,508 ($12,091,508 on-course, $71,000,000 off-course)

Singapore Company: Pacom Media Pte Ltd Address: 801 Toa Payoh Lorong 7, #06-08, Wearnes Building, Singapore 319319 Tel: (65) 6323 9600 Publisher: Karen Chan Managing Editor: Benny Teo China, hong Kong & MaCau Company: Senasia Publication Group Ltd Address: Unit 832, 8/F, Metro Centre II, No. 21 Lam Hing Street, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2570 6123 Website: www.senasia.com.hk Publisher: Alan Mok Managing Editor: Alex Tam CzeCh republiC Company: Resort Media s.r.o.

Address: Škroupovo námestí 1255/9, 130 00 Prague 3, Czech Republic Tel: +420 271 773 934 Website: www.golfvacations.cz Publisher: Vera Hartmanova Managing Editor: Cenek Lorenc MalaySia Company: Big Shot Media Sdn Bhd address: 31-5, Block E1, Dataran Prima, Jalan PJU 1/42, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Tel: +603 7880 2788 publisher: Louis Foo Managing editor: Benny Teo

Thailand

Company: GM Multimedia Group Public Company Limited Address: GM Group Building, 914, Rama 5 Road, Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Thailand Tel: +662 241 8000 Website: www.gvthailand.com Website: www.gmgroup.in.th E-mail: thepooh.gvthailand@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/ golfvacationsthailand Publisher: Pakorn Pongvarapa Editor-in-chief: Suebwong Kaewthipharat

enjoy the year of the Monkey

Suebwong Kaewthipharat editor-in-chief

Source: sporteology.com

download gM group's interactive e-magazines from the app Store and standard e-magazines from online bookstores such as Truebook, dtac and bookSmile.

Journal ★ Report

dtac

dtac is committed to children and youth and be role model in business sustainability Children are the future of the nation

is a statement that is regularly used when speaking of children and youth and that inspires companies to initiate social projects.

There is, however, always a question whether those social activities deliver the highest benefit to children and youth and sustainably reflect the identity of the organization. This question leads to the Child-Friendly Business project, organized by UNICEF Thailand and Thaipat Institute to promote the shift of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities from the charity-based to the rightbased perspective.

Total Access Communication PLC or dtac is one of the 30 leading companies selected to participate in this project by UNICEF Thailand and Thaipat Institute, which aims to promoting Children’s Rights and Business Principles. Through the years, dtac has supported many initiatives that respect and support children’s rights, including the following key projects: • *1515 SMS for Family is a service that has been developed under the collaboration of dtac, UNICEF Thailand, and Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health to increase knowledge of parents on child care and development. Positive parenting during early childhood can help children grow and become quality adults, which is an integral part of sustainable development of the Thai society. The *1515 SMS service provides free SMS messages with essential mother and child care information to pregnant women and parents of newborns up to the age of 2. There are currently more than 120,000 subscribers to this service.

• dtac is the first company in Thailand to extend maternity leave to 6 months, giving female employees more time for child birth preparation and recovery. A global study shows that newborn babies develop better with positive parental care from their mothers during the first 6 months. The company offers 6-month paid maternity leave, effective January 1, 2016.

• Mr. Lars Norling, Chief Executive Officer of dtac.

• Safe Internet project aims to promote safe and constructive use of the Internet and to address the concern that 80% of Thai children and young people who use the internet have faced online threats and cyberbullying. (www.nobullying.com) dtac is the first mobile and Internet operator in Thailand that takes on the matter seriously and continuously by providing knowledge and raising awareness among children of online threats. The project targets and encourages children, young people, parents and teachers to find constructive ways of using the Internet to develop and improve the society.

Mr. Lars Norling, Chief Executive Officer, Total Access Communication PLC or dtac said, “The mission of dtac is to be a leading publicly-traded company who operates with good corporate governance.

While we are committed to providing equal Internet access to all customers through the “Internet for All” strategy, we are also dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability, especially with children and young people. The United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of Child states that every child has the rights to be protected and be developed. For dtac, children and youth are the biggest group of customers, with over 75% Internet access rate and 54.2 hours/week (almost 8 hours/day) usage time. As a leader

in the industry, we have to cultivate and raise awareness of safe and constructive Internet use and the rights and responsibilities of Digital Citizenship, as well as to promote the use of mobile technology for social and economic development of the country.” dtac is dedicated to be a role model in business sustainability and ready to support companies who value social responsibility, especially with children and youth whose power is a driving force for future business growth. If we can create value for them and society, we will be able to add sustainable value to the business as well.

• Mrs.On-uma Rerkpattanapipat, Senior Vice President – head of Communication and Sustainability division of dtac and Mr.Bijaya Rajbhandari, Representative for UNICEF Thailand presented commitment to the Children Rights and Business Principles on Child-Friendly Business in The Children Sustainability Forum: Business for the Future that organized

by UNICEF Thailand and Thaipat Institute.

contributors Lucy kubLikoWski DaviD J. Whyte

annabeL roLLey

Wai teik David’s time in New York was memorable for many reasons. One of which was to experience the Big Apple’s many and varied indigenous attractions. The other was for the surprising array of golf within the city. With teaching professional Roberto Borgatti by his side, they attempted to explore all the little nooks and crannies only to find, like Pandora’s Box, that there’s always more to uncover.

Celebrated photographer Wai Teik has done it all.

We missed him since he’s gone to China to explore a bigger market but welcome him back with open arms. The multiple award-winning lens man has placed at such ceremonies as the XTO Image Awards and The International Photography Awards 2010 in the USA as well as the Prix De La Photographie 2009 in Paris.

Usually found on a golf course in South Africa, Lucy has worked in the Golf Travel industry for almost a decade. She shares her experiences of hosting luxury golfing holidays that combine safari, sight seeing, wine tasting and other unique African experiences.

robin barWick

Robin Barwick is editor of ‘Arnold Palmer’s Guide to the Majors’ and contributing editor of Arnold Palmer’s Kingdom magazine.

An Englishman based in Kent, Robin is also a regular contributor to other leading European titles including Golf Monthly in the UK, Golf & Turismo in Italy as well as Golf Vacations internationally.

tom Peters

A long-time newspaper man with The Halifax Chronicle Herald since 1968 and now semi-retired. He has worked in sports, news, business desk as reporter and editor, and is now happily scouting new golf and travel experiences across North America for Golf Vacations magazine.

Our resident golf coach, Annabel Rolley takes us back to her hometown in Melbourne and teaches us how to play the wonderful array of golf courses there collectively known as ‘The Sandbelt’. This Leadbetter coach not only shows us ways to hit the golf ball that would make a visit there purposeful, she also unveils some interesting facts about this famous golfing grid that folks fly from all over the world to try.

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Credit: Larry Lambrecht

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Finest new Courses

The year may have come to an end but for these six, it is just the beginning of a new lease of life.

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Trump InTernaTIonal Golf lInks, aberdeen, scoTland

laGuna lanG co, faldo course, dananG, vIeTnam

pGa naTIonal, ZavIdovo, russIa

nanlIhu Golf club, haIkou, haInan Island

caboT lInks, cape breTon Island, canada

YunlInG Golf club, kunmInG, chIna

Located 45-minutes south of Haikou and adjoining the scenic Nanli Lake, this golf course has been given a complete makeover by Lee Schmidt of Schmidtcurley Design. With 11 holes bordering the lake and new, wickedly-shaped bunkers, Nanlihu is now a stern, picturesque test for its sights as well as its play.

Another links course to make the list, cabot Links is the only true Scottish links to appear in canada. Sited on cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, or aptly translated as “New Scotland”, this amazing tract consists of 200 acres of pure dunes with the ocean visible from every hole.

The first Rees Jones design golf course in Asia and co-designed by the company’s senior vice-president Greg Muirhead, Yunling is sited on the outskirts of the golfing paradise of Kunming. The 27-hole private facility is a mix of both open and wooded holes with panoramic views of Yangzonghai Lake at an elevation of 600 feet.

Donald Trump’s latest golfing layout has been touted as his finest to date.

This links course sits between two fabled courses, Royal Aberdeen and cruden Bay, and near the city of Aberdeen, is set to be the highlight of golf in northeastern Scotland.

Nick Faldo’s latest addition in this central Vietnamese resort town is set to complete a mighty trio of golf courses that will make it a bonafide golf destination.

Built as part of the new Banyan Tree integrated resort sited on 280 hectares of beautiful beachfront, expect it to be an ocean-side challenge with a hybrid links feel.

Near the residence of the Russian President and with a backdrop of the picturesque Zavidovo countryside some 130km west of Moscow, the European Golf Design’s certified “PGA National” course is distinctively heathland with fabulous pines and birchwood forests in a national park.

It is completed but officially open only in 2013.

Postcard Alpine golf & country club, Pathumthani, Thailand

advertorial

CLASSY DONALDSON CLAIMS THAILAND GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP IN STYLE

BANGKOK (13 December 2015) – Jamie Donaldson kept

his cool in the white heat of battle to claim the US$1 million Thailand Golf Championship Sunday, going seven-under par for the final round and claiming a three-stroke victory at the Asian Tour’s showcase event.

The Welshman nailed a clutch putt on the Amata Spring Country Club’s signature 17th hole, which features a floating island green, just when it looked like his lead was there for the taking.

Donaldson went hard at the hole with his putt on the par-three, the ball bounced up for a heart beat…and then it disappeared, as did the hopes of unheralded Frenchman Clement Sordet and twotime winner Lee Westwood who had clawed back Donaldson’s lead with birdies to his bogey at the previous hole.

The pair finished tied for second at 18-under par after final rounds of five-under 67 for Westwood and two-under 70 for Sordet.

“It’s been an awesome event,” said the 40-year-old Donaldson.

“The weather’s probably been the hardest thing to deal with as it’s been so hot all week. But I’ve had a great week. It’s an awesome tournament.

“It was a good job that putt on 17 was on line as if hadn’t gone in, it would have been in the drink. But it was right at the middle

of the hole all the way. I just had to hope it would stay in and it did.

“I hadn’t played great this year so it was important to come here and work hard and kick on from there. That’s as well as I can play and I’m really happy.”

The victory – the eighth of Donaldson’s career – also secured him one of four places that were up for grabs at The 145th Open Championship, to be palyed in July 2016 at Royal Troon.

He will now be joined there by Sordet, Westwood and 16-yearold Thai sensation Phachara Khongwatmai, who finished Sunday alone in sixth place at 13-under, one place behind world number 12 Sergio Garcia and European Tour Rookie of the Year An Byeong-hun who both finished on 14-under and who were already exempt for The Open.

World number four Bubba Watson, the top-ranked player in the field, produced a magic moment when acing the fifth – and the American said it would be a memory he would always cherish as he fired home a five-under 67 to finish the tournament on eightunder-par.

“It made the week pretty special,” said the American. “It was my fifth hole-in-one but the first time in competition so obviously it was nice. It got the round going. I just wish I could have held it together for a top-10 finish. But all in all it was a good day.”

For overnight leader Sorbet, who came into the Thailand Golf Championship ranked 481 – a number that will shorten considerably once the world rankings are updated Monday – the final day was a lesson in what it takes to win an event packed full of the world’s best players.

The 23-year-old Frenchman had blitzed the course on Saturday but couldn’t find the same touch Sunday.

“It’s been an incredible first six months as a professional and great to end the year with a spot secured for The Open next year,” said Sorbet, who received the championship’s final invitation.

“I didn’t expect this. I am very happy to get an invite for this tournament. It has been a great week. It’s going to be my debut appearance in a major and I think I am just going to enjoy every moment of it.”

Westwood has an affinity with the Amata Spring layout, having lifted the trophy in 2011 and again last year. The Englishman had turned for home Sunday morning three strokes off the lead and was unable to reel in Donaldson over the back nine, despite an approach shot for his birdie on the 16th that his rival later claimed to be “one of the best shots you’ll ever see in golf.”

Still, the 42-year-old was looking to the future and the fact that he too will be lining up at The Open once again.

“It’s great to have made it into The Open,” he said. “I’ve played every one since 1995 so it’s great to keep that run going. It’s been 21 years now and I’ve not missed one, so I’m happy. I’ve played Troon quite a few times, finished fourth one year [2004] so that was pretty good. I like the golf course. It’s a traditional links course – straight out straight back and everything you want from a links course.”

Teenage sensation Phachara had the local galleries roaring their approval all day as he shot a final-round six-under 66. He had won his way into the field via last Monday’s qualifying round – and said he simply could not believe his luck.

“I didn’t expect myself to play so good,” said the Thai player.

“I was already very happy just to get a chance to play with the top stars this week. I surprised even myself to finish so well.

“I played with no expectations so I guess that was the key to playing well today. I am overwhelmed with happiness that I will be able to be included in The Open next year.”

Journal ★ Report

Alpine Golf Club

Completion of the New Look and New design club house of Alpine Golf Club, Bangkok Thailand

Needless to say we all know Alpine Golf Club is one of Thailand’s top golf courses, and one of the best in Asia. The layout and design created by one of America’s leading golf course architects, Ron Garl, (also designer of Alpine Golf Resort– Chiangmai formerly called Chiang Mai–Lampun Golf Club) was the venue for the 2000 Johnnie Walker Classic PGA tournament won by Tiger Woods and again hosted the same event in 2004.

With recent over USD 2 million dollars investment for complete renovation of club house, restaurants, coffee corner, locker rooms, and all other area, Alpine is now even more stunning and well pleased by many golfers.

The newly designed The Chalet Restaurant caters all Thai, Chinese and international with seat capacity of 100 the restaurant is fully bar equipped with cocktails and other drinks can be served.

The new look coffee corner looks cool that good for coffee and light meals while waiting or before the game begins.

Originally designed and constructed on over 700 Rais or 300 acres from flat paddy fields to a challenge and undulating course layout Alpine offers best 5 star golfing experiences for all level of golfers from the white tee box remains friendly for high handicappers while the blue sure definitely challenges the low one.

The 18 holes at Alpine golf simply put make up the most challenging golf course in Bangkok, with the superb layout this member’s only golf club (guests and visitors are welcome by arrangement of members and golf specialized tour operators) is extremely well maintained and features lightning fast greens and undulating fairways.

Large trees, bushes and shrubs flourishpawns, beach sand bunkers within the undulating parkland layout. In fact, it is hard to imagine that Alpine was originally created from flat rice paddy fields.

The course is beautifully can carefully designed which each hole carries unique name from Hole no.1 Par 4 (382 yards from blue tee) The waterfall which gives you an excellent starting hole where you will need a good driving distance to cross water to get to the fairway.

To hole no. 18 The Champion’s Challenge (365 yards from blue tee par 4) gives the absolute challenge for all level of golfers you will need to be cool and confidence to try to do a regulation on green by two where the green is well guarded by unfriendly water.

Beach Bunker is the hole number 3 (185 yards from blue tee par 3) is our favorite one where the long white sand beach and water hazard are combined in artistic way giving the Alpine the absolute challenging golf resort in town.

Alpine has excellence system in traffic management and you should definitely get it done 18 holes by little over 4 hours.

Alpine Golf Club, Bangkok Thailand Telephone 662 5773333 www.alpinegolfclub.com

Journal ★ People

SMbC SinGApoRe open

Ambitious An sights on SMBC Singapore Open.

December: Korea’s An Byeong-hun, one of the most exciting prospects in world golf, will compete in the SMBC Singapore Open early next year as he looks to build on a tremendous rookie season.

Popularly known as Ben An, the world number 28 was named the Rookie of the Year on the European Tour in 2015 after a fantastic maiden campaign that included victory in the prestigious BMW PGA Championship.

The talented 24-year-old will take on world number one Jordan Spieth, Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, Y.E. Yang from Korea and an all-star cast from the Asian Tour

and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) in the SMBC Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club from January 28 to 31, 2016.

“I have heard a lot about the Singapore Open from fellow players and cannot wait to play the tournament,” said An. “It was a memorable year for me in 2015 - I was fortunate enough to play some good golf and achieve some great results and I hope to start the new season in a similar vein.”

“The competition for the SMBC Singapore Open title will be fierce with a lot of great players in the field. Any time Jordan Spieth is in the lineup, there is a special buzz about the tournament.”

An made an instant impact in his debut season on the European Tour by lifting the prestigious BMW PGA Championship title at Wentworth in May with a record winning score of 21 under par.

Top-four finishes in three of the four Final Series events saw An finish in seventh place in The 2015 Race to Dubai earning himself the coveted Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award. He was also named the Challenge Tour Graduate of the Year.

On a foray into Asia earlier this month, An was tied fourth with Sergio Garcia in the Thailand Golf Championship at Amata Spring Country Club.

The US-based Korean first rose to prominence in 2009 when he became the youngest winner of the US Amateur Championship at the age of 17.

The SMBC Singapore Open, which is returning to the schedule after a threeyear absence, will feature the top 60 from the Asian Tour, top 60 from the JGTO, leading Singapore professionals and amateurs and invites including players from the top 50 in the world.

Journal ★ Comments

It’s the DetaIls

Longtime country club professional and accredited Fellow of the PGA on what makes a great club better.

There are hundreds of

golf establishments here in Asia, but unfortunately turning a good club into a great club, then into the very best it can be is often not the goal. But when golf clubs concentrate on the end users, the environment improves, money begins to flow and the atmosphere improves dramatically. So why are there still so many mediocre clubs?

The answer is deceptively simple. Only truly great clubs focus on the details. In fact, I can go as far as to say that after the setting up of a basic operation, details are, in fact, everything. Over the years I’ve been invited to write reviews for various clubs around the world and one thing always sticks – the attention to details.

In my opinion, there is a direct correlation between details and standards.

When standards slip, the details go right there with them. The worn name badges, sloppy and untidily dressed staff with dirty shoes, litter on the course, teemarkers and holes in the same position for too long, unwashed carts, not paying enough attention to guests and not even bothering to find out diplomatically who they are, and if they can be potential members, are but a few telltale signs.

When reviewing any club of distinction, it is perhaps the staff that reveals the heart of any establishment. It well may be challenging for a position of prominence however, the wail of staff shouting across a room at each other or who are incapable of doing the simplest of tasks without guidance, reveals in an instant that refined sophisticated training has not been forthcoming and therefore any amount of wishing for elite credibility will be fruitless.

By Brett Brasier

Working backwards from, say a member’s or guest’s perspective, we can see missing details clearly and easily. However, when only looking at the same situation from a ‘revenue’ standpoint, we usually miss them completely when ironically, that is the very thing that produces more income. For one, I’ve always been impressed with finding my name on a locker a nice and a tasteful welcome for a guest, which tells me immediately that staff and management are on the ball and working cohesively.

Pre-packed member and guest giveaways is also a way of showing a touch of class. I was really impressed at one particular club for knowing my shirt and glove sizes and preference for

balls even though it was my first visit.

Personally addressed letters to guests thanking them for their recent visit and inviting them for a game with the club professional is taking hospitality to another level and was done recently by a classy traditional club that I know of. The response was remarkable with the guest eventually becoming a member of the club. And where billing is concerned, I personally feel that if a guest has been invited to play by a member, then all guest fees for the day will be booked automatically to that member’s account. Bangkok’s Rajpruek Club (Ed: featured in this issue’s ‘Choice Resorts’) is a fine example of this practice; the guest pays for absolutely nothing, with all remittances including guest/caddie/cart fees, meals, beverages and any Pro shop purchases charged to the member.

These are examples of a few fine touches that just stand out and are not quickly forgotten. Details are the only thing that sets a professionally polished club apart from others. Successful clubs look after the details, and when these details start happening as a habit, that is when we have high standards. Quoting Greek philosopher Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Journal ★ Design

tARA iti Golf Club

A new Tom Doak course looks a winner.

aerial view of tara iti Golf Club

Sited on a 1,400-acre beachfront property some 75

minutes drive from Auckland’s central business district is the country’s newest golf course and community project. Tara Iti Golf Club, located amongst natural sand dunes north of Te Arai Point is American golf architect Tom Doak’s latest creation and possibly one of his finest and was recently opened for member play in October 2015.

The beauty of “The Forestry,” as the stretch of pristine beach some 11 kilometres long is known, is surprisingly a well-kept secret among most but surfing enthusiasts. Thus named due to its dense, non-native tree cover along the entire coast, soon you can add golfers as visitors too. Apart from the golf course, the only finished structure at Te Arai is the Tara Iti clubhouse, designed by Auckland-based Cheshire Architects.

The course itself mirrors the exceptional beauty of Doak’s other work at Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay. But where the latter is set hundreds of feet perched above a hanging cliff, this new course occupies the sandy dunescape along the beach itself, making it a prized rarity among golf courses outside of the United Kingdom – the links course.

Doak, club principals and a few special guests had the opportunity to test-drive Tara Iti during an April sneak preview and he has this to say, “Once a golf course routing is finished, we start building holes in some sort of sequence that makes sense for construction purposes, and we pretty much never walk the course in order from 1 to 18 until it’s ready to open.

“So, what I appreciated most about Tara Iti during this recent visit was the pacing and rhythm of it. What also struck me is how much it plays like a links and how fun that is. You can’t take your eye off the ball until it stops rolling, and C.J. Kreuscher (the course superintendent) has the playing surface so tight, the ball is still rolling long after you think it might stop.

“I played with everyone from a tour pro (Daniel Chopra) to 18-handicaps, and they all had smiles on their faces the whole time. And I couldn’t help but smile myself when someone would compare the place to Royal Dornoch or Cypress Point.”

Because of his track record working in the links environment, Doak was the only course architect considered for Tara Iti, according to Jim Rohrstaff, a partner at Legacy, the real estate brokerage responsible for building the course and marketing its homestead community. “It’s been instructive to see his team at work,” Rohrstaff said. “They work deliberately, not so much designing golf holes so much as identifying them in the existing landscape. This minimalism, this assuredness in the links discipline, has proved a perfect fit for our overall approach at Te Arai.”

Legacy Partners enjoy the exclusive authority to market the real estate assets of the New Zealand Land Fund (New Zealand Land Fund 2 GP Limited), which is dedicated to the prudent development of prime oceanfront, mountain and lake property throughout the North and South islands.

For more information visit www.taraiti.com, www.legacypartners.co.nz, or contact +64 9 309 3838.

By Da r ry l W e e

Journal ★ Luxury

Fine GiFtinG

Baume et Mercier Classima - the timepiece symbolising the next chapter.

Unlike birthdays, which come once a year, graduations

do not happen very often in life. But when it does come, it brings about a sense of opportunity, freedom, and hope. Such a huge milestone in life should be ushered with an unforgettable celebration coupled with an array of gifts. Whether you are graduating soon, (at whatever age you may be) or have a friend or loved one graduating, do not forget to prepare for the golden day.

A graduation gift comes in many forms; it may be an engraved fountain pen, a keepsake box, or even a time capsule. If you’re opting for the luxurious route, then perhaps even a prized timepiece will suit the occasion. Even though these gift ideas seem vastly different in nature, they all have one thing in common: they harbour an element that triggers happy memories of one’s schooling days.

Remember burning the midnight oil hours before the big exams, or the moment of fear and anxiety upon remembering about the forgotten piece of homework, or the butterflies in your stomach after falling in love? A perfect graduation gift will distil such emotions and memories into one single object, making it a prized possession for life as it signifies all the essence of your schooling days. Not only should a graduation gift embody

a recollection of the past, it should also help to point toward a bold and audacious future, and perhaps give you the strength to overcome the seemingly endless flood of hurdles.

Consider Baume et Mercier’s Classima watches, dubbed as the ‘timepiece symbolising the next chapter’ and marketed as the ideal graduation gift. A Classima watch graduation gift will effectively embody the mixture of feelings and emotions of graduating and venturing into the unknown. The Classima wristwatches, highly decorated with several jewels, speak of a sense of sheer luxury, a timely reward for all the hard work prior to graduation.

Baume et Mercier’s motto, “Accept only perfection, manufacture watches of the highest quality” can be felt through their attention to the aesthetic presentation of the Classima watches, and also the utilisation of top-tier materials in the craftsmanship of the timepieces. The Classima watches feature their signature Swiss movement within the heart of the timepiece.

The Classima watches are available in two styles, one for each gender. Each wristwatch is made with a hint of richness and distinction, and also carries with it a subtle sense of commonplace elegance, making it subtle for everyday wear and for formal gatherings.

Leave a lasting legacy behind with a graduation gift. Lasting and fond memories will be infused within the sentimental object, and many more future memories will also be imbued into it.

At the same time, mark the dawn of the new stage in life after graduation. www.baume-et-mercier.com Baume et Mercier is at Cortina Watch 2 Orchard Turn, #03-02, ION Orchard.

By MICHELLE yEE

Journal ★ Home Away

livinG in AnvAyA Cove

anvaya Cove Clubhouse

A paradise within one of the world’s most biologically diverse natural surrounds makes for a unique holiday home.

Always dreamt of getting lost in paradise but having the option of civilization not far away? Well, it’s not a dream if you can actualize it. Consisting of 7,107 islands big and small, it isn’t hard to find seclusion in the Philippines.

Anvaya Cove, located less than 3 hours from the capital of Manila, and just 30 minutes from Clark, is exactly one such place.

Built by Ayala Land over a whopping 470 hectares of naturally forested mountains of the Bataan range and set against a magical 3.5-kilometre coastline along Subic Bay, a Kevin Ramsey-designed 18-hole championship golf course, a full service country club, spa, beach club, resort homes, town houses and low-rise condominium units, it is a community that truly marries modern luxury with natural beauty.

Linked to the 180-year-old Ayala Corporation, which is the country’s oldest and among its largest conglomerates, Ayala Land carefully selected this piece of pristine, barely populated land and turned it into the endearingly charming habitat that it is today.

A sanctuary for 32 species of birds, and seven other endemic wildlife, it is a joy to wake up here and observe when say, the Pawikan or Olive Ridley sea turtle make their annual visits to nest and lay eggs at the shores of Anvaya Cove, whose Sanskrit translation refers to the word, “family”. This truly is a place where young and old alike can enjoy many moments of wonder, engage in its many activities together, and grow fondly of.

What is unique here is its adherence, almost to a fault, of every single construction to the vicissitudes of nature. Whether town houses and apartments or land plots with their own villas and bungalows, each architectural blueprint must pass through a stringent set of requirements that ensure it minimizes damage to the environment.

Even the golf course needs to be routed with the surrounds in mind rather than flagrantly cutting through land. The result is more than ideal, invoking a sense of peace that being in close proximity to nature offers and yet enjoying an exemplary layout, one that has most recently won the 2014 Best New Course in Asia Pacific at the Asian Golf Awards.

To achieve this, they follow a masterplan that has 30 percent green buffers throughout the development and 30 percent open space like parks, easements and roadways within the eight neighbourhoods that consist of Anvaya Cove.

The stately homes that are woven into the terrain, some perched atop hillcrests and offering panoramic views of the ocean, some facing the golf course, and some set within the green foliage, all with different aspects of nature as backdrop, make for a unique living experience for those who want their very own piece of paradise.

Apart from landed plots, the Seascape Ridge is a townhouse project composed of 14 quads with a total of 56 2- to 3-bedroom corner units averaging S$381,000 for a 167 sqm 2-bedroom unit. With living, dining, kitchen, den, attic and utility areas and two parking slots, each unit comes fitted with homogenous tile flooring, accented wood stone wall that blends with the natural surrounds, kitchen cabinets, solid surface countertops, and Kohler and Hansgrohe bath and kitchen fixtures. Dedicating more than 85 percent of the area to open space, it ensures that a sprawling tropical ambience is kept within this minimal impact development.

The Sea Breeze Verandas is a walk-up condominium and the project’s signature leisure community sitting atop the highest hill 120m above sea level. It goes for about S$398,000 for a similar 2-bedder with 112sqm area. Generous verandas provide for a private outdoor respite in a 60 to 70 percent open space environment that has landscaped gardens and a swimming pool.

Open and flexible living space with full service kitchen, airconditioning units, Kohler and Hansgrohe fittings, master switch cards for lights and appliances and security cameras makes this a ready-to-move option as well. In addition, both property types come with a leasing program tie-up with the golf and sports club, allowing homeowners the flexibility of subletting whenever they are not there.

By Benny teo

Initially targeted as a luxury second-home option due to its distance from the city, it is interesting to note that many have taken to living here fulltime.

“We’ve already welcomed expats who’ve chosen to make Anvaya Cove their primary homes,” says Juan Jugo, head of Ayala Land Premier, in response to this trend. Perhaps the lure of the mountains, gentle rolling waves across white sandy beaches and a lush and well-maintained 18-hole golf course is proving to be too much to resist after all. www.ayalalandpremier.com www.anvayacove.com

Pool tower at the Beach & nature Club

310m, par 4, 11th hole

anvaya Cove the sea Breeze Verandas (Condo)

Beach & nature Club

Legends

The noble Texan with a liquid swing and the longest winning streak in history, we give you ‘Lord’ Byron.

Wo r d s by o W e n bl ac k h u r s t

On Tuesday, September 26, 2006, when ‘Lord’ Byron Nelson was found dead on the porch of his ranch, golf not only lost one of its brightest and most respected heroes, but also the last remaining link to a bygone era – a Golden Age when Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Jimmy Demaret vied with Nelson for parity on the burgeoning PGA Tour.

Born plain John Byron Nelson Jr – the ‘Lord’ would come later – on his parents’ ranch in Waxahachie, Texas on February 4, 1912, the future Hall of Famer cheated death twice in his formative years. Weighing in at 12lb 8oz, the sheer size of young Byron added near fatal complications at birth. Then, in 1922, shortly after the family relocated to Fort Worth, he contracted typhoid.

As the fever tore through his immune system, his weight dropped to 65lb, his temperature soared to 106 degrees and doctors advised his family that he was near death.

Luckily, he survived, and less than three years after fighting a disease with the might to wipe out ancient Athens and the Golden Age of Pericles, he made his first small indent on golfing history.

It’s December, 1927 and the tournament is The Glen Garden Caddy Championship. After enlisting as a caddie in 1924, Byron played his first round of golf in the same tournament that year. Though he shot an undignified 118, he was hooked, and spent the next few years observing the technique of his ‘bags’, and buried in a tattered golf book he found at Fort Worth library.

“There were four or five pages in there about Harry Vardon developing his grip,” he said earlier this year, “he talked about it real well. I sat in there quite a while and learnt how to grip it.”

Scything through the competition, he reached the final against another notable graduate of the Glen Garden caddyshack – Ben Hogan. Following a tight battle, Hogan holed out on the ninth and final hole for a score of 40, and left Byron standing over a 30ft putt to force a play-off. Showing the nerve and composure that would eventually lead to the PGA testing robot being labelled ‘Iron Byron’, he drained the putt and beat Hogan by one shot in the play-off.

Š getty images

‘He mentored Tom Watson and Ken Venturi and later befriended a young Tiger Woods’

Fast-forward to 1932 and Byron is sat on a bus heading for a tournament in Texarkana. After struggling to hold down a job in Depression-era America, he had been scratching a living in temporary work while playing intermittent amateur events.

Somewhere along the dusty highway, he made the decision to play the tournament as a professional. And after paying the five-dollar entry fee, he finished third and left the amateur ranks for good. “I had $75 in my pocket, but still no job. I knew enough, though, to realise that my next step was to go on tour in California that winter, if I could possibly get there.”

Getting there with a $500 loan from friends, it became a winter of discontent. And after failing to win a dime, January 1933 found him living back at his parents’ house, broke and unemployed. But then came two decisive breaks. First, he was offered the job of head professional at Texarkana Country Club, which paid him $60 a month. More importantly, though, it gave him vital hours to continue working on a swing that would soon become the prototype for the ‘modern’ era of golfers. The second break came in the form of a woman. In June, 1933, Byron met a young brunette named Louise Shofner at a local bible class. Louise’s father took such a shine to Byron that he lent him $650 to fund another crack at the professional circuit.

After struggling again in California and Phoenix, the tour rolled into Texas. Something about the Lone Star State must have awoken Byron and he finished second at San Antonio and Galveston. With $800 in his pocket, he returned to Fort Worth, paid off his future father-in-law, spent $100 on an engagement ring, and never looked back.

With the desperation of the early days behind him, and boasting wins in 1935 and 36, Byron arrived at Augusta National in 1937 in solid form. His swing was beginning to produce consistency over four rounds and he felt ready to make the step up. After shooting an opening 66 – which stood as the best first round until Ray Floyd carded 65 in 1976 – he found himself on Sunday lying three shots behind leader Ralph Guldahl with nine holes to play. What happened next has passed into folklore.

Trusting his swing like never before, Byron took apart the back-nine with ruthless efficiency. He covered Amen Corner in three-under, including an eagle at the

par-five 13th, strolled the rest of the course as if playing in a Sunday foursomes, and walked off the 18th with a two-shot victory. Legendary Atlanta-based sportswriter, O.B. ‘Pop’ Keeler, was so moved by the graceful arc of his swing that he compared it to reading a poem, written by Lord Byron, on the trouncing of Napoleon at The Battle of Waterloo. His headline the next day ran: ‘Lord Byron wins the Masters,’ and a legend was born.

Between this win and the beginning of the 1945 season, Byron won three more major championships. He survived a three-man 36-hole play-off to win the 1939 US Open, beat Sam Snead one-up in the 1940 US PGA and defeated his old Glen Garden sparring partner Ben Hogan over an 18-hole play-off in the 1942 Masters.

With consistency becoming standard, he collected numerous other titles throughout these years, and in a study of many other careers, these achievements would merit more than a mere footnote.

But then no other golfer, not Vardon, Nicklaus, Faldo or Woods, has achieved what Byron did in 1945.

Starting the season with a win at The Phoenix Open, he arrived at The Miami International Four-Ball on March 11 in fine fettle, and after winning the event with Harold McSpaden, he found a vein of form so deep he became entrenched in it. Following that win, he beat Sam Snead in an 18-hole play-off at The Charlotte Open.

He then won the Opens of Greensboro, Durham and Atlanta to surpass the previous ‘streak’ record of four.

Unperturbed by history, he won again at The Montreal Open, and added the Philadelphia Inquirer Invitational and Chicago Victory National Open for good measure.

With eight in the bag, he faced his biggest test yet. Until 1957 the USPGA Championship was a matchplay event, and the rigours of the format could have felled a lesser man. But by coupling form with fight, he beat Gene Sarazen 4&3, rallied from one-down with two to play against Mike Turnesa, and beat Sam Byrd 4&3 in the final after being two-down with eight to play.

And when he extended the streak to 11 with wins at the Tam O’ Shanter and Canadian Opens, it seemed that no-one could beat him.

Obviously then, someone did. Even though Byron began to close ominously during the final round of The Metropolitan Open, amateur Fred Haas Sr held him off to end the longest winning streak in PGA Tour history.

(Hogan and Woods stand closest on six, with Woods still counting after his win at The Grove in the WGC Event).

Closing that season with a win at The Glen Garden Country Club, Nelson finished with 18 wins at an average of 68.33 over 112 rounds for the most successful season in PGA Tour history. He also finished runner-up seven times, was never out of the top ten, and at one point played 19 consecutive rounds under 70. During the Seattle Open, he shot 62, 63, 68 and 66 for a total of 259 that was beaten only once in the next 44 years.

“During his streak, Byron was magical,” recalled Sam Snead some years later. “He had grooved his swing and was happy with it, so he stopped practicing. He would arrive at the course, warm up a bit, hit a dozen balls, a few putts to get comfortable with the speed of the greens, and then go shoot 65!” The season becomes even more remarkable when you consider that he was playing against himself and for his future. “What I did in ’45 was mostly a mental achievement,” he said some years later. “In those days I could drive the ball so well that I would really get bored. I just decided I was not going to hit one careless shot.

“Plus,” he added, “I had the focus of the ranch. Each drive, each iron, each chip, each putt was aimed at the goal of getting that ranch. And each win meant another cow, another acre, another ten acres, another part of that down payment.”

Though he won his first two tournaments of 1946 – and finished the season with six overall – he felt the need for a change. Tired of the road and desperate for the vast confines of his new home, Byron Nelson announced his retirement from professional golf in August 1946. He was 34.

Between 1935 and 1946, Byron won 52 times on tour, with an astonishing 32 of these wins spanning 1944-46. In an era decimated by World War II – he was excused due to his haemophilia – he seized five majors, made 113 consecutive cuts and thrilled galleries with the quality of his game.

He may not have been able to stand the grind any longer, but Byron’s love for golf meant that he continued to play sporadically. He finished second at the 1947 Masters, and played in the triumphant Ryder Cup team of the same year. The ensuing years saw him captain the victorious 1965 Ryder Cup team and become an honorary Masters Starter. And in a tribute to his 1937 win, the bridge over Rae’s Creek that carries golfers to the 13th green at Augusta is known as ‘Nelson’s Bridge.

Alwayas a keen spotter of talent, Byron mentored both Tom Watson and Ken Venturi and, later in life, he befriended a young Tiger Woods. Active to the last, he even found time to carve wooden keepsakes for the 2006 Ryder Cup team.

For all of his achievements as a golfer, his qualities as a man also assured an enduring love-affair with the American public. In 1968, he gave his name to the struggling Dallas Open. Now known as the EDS Byron Nelson Classic, and with the Lord as a more-than active

participant, the tournament has since raised $94 million for charity, and accounts for more than 10 percent of the PGA Tour’s charitable donations.

As an analyst on both CBS and ABC networks, Byron’s kindly face and warm demeanour became a welcoming sight to fans. It is a mark of his humility that he never felt the need to resort to needless criticism.

There have been a handful of sportsmen throughout history whose achievements have equalled Byron’s.

But he is surely the only one without a blemish on his character or a bad word said against him.

“I am more pleased of my reputation than of all the tournaments I won,” he said in 1993.

So when, on September 26, ‘Lord’ Byron Nelson closed his eyes for the last time, golf and humanity suffered a huge loss. His achievements need no comparison or justification, and it is an exercise in futility trying to place him in the pantheon. Not only was ‘Lord’ a prince among men, he had the most successful season in the history of professional golf.

And considering the players that have ruled since, that should be more than enough.

Cover Story

Spectacularly perched and wonderfully crafted by the finest in golf design.

BY to m p e t e r s

“A good golf course makes you want to play so badly

you hardly have the time to change your shoes,” was the famous quote by two-time Masters champion and heralded golf course designer, Ben Crenshaw. ‘Gentle Ben’, as he is commonly known, and his partner, Bill Coore, have in fact, designed such a course here in Canada. It is called, Cabot Cliffs.

Located on the western side of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, a kilometre or so from its sister course, Cabot Links, the Ron Whitman design which opened in 2012 and quickly shot to No. 42 on Golf Digest’s list of the World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, Cabot Cliffs is in that world class.

Cabot Cliffs is dramatic, spectacular, challenging, inspiring, impressive, jaw dropping, and all the adjectives you can think of. You get the picture. Coore and Crenshaw knew they had something special when they first saw the property.

“I think my first impression was that it was spectacular,” Coore said in an interview. “It was truly interesting with a lot of individual character to it. Dunes at the southern end, cliffs on the northern end and also back up into the hills. It just had a lot of variety and I guess you could say some quirky natural features that would lend themselves to a really interesting and fun course, one that would look like Cape Breton. Our best courses have very strong identities so I don’t think people will see photos of Cabot Cliffs and be wondering where it is. It has a strong Cape Breton identity,” he said.

Why does the Cliffs deserve those accolades and more? Because it has so many great physical characteristics wrapped up in a design that is not only great eye candy with the Gulf of St. Lawrence visible from every hole, but it is a design that challenges the golfer, makes you think positional play and allows you to hit every club in the bag. It rewards you for a good shot and slaps you down if you miss the mark. The rough and the large, deep bunkers can be very penalizing.

The course has some good elevation change and a number of forced carries off tees and also some forced carries into the massive, undulating greens. But a notable feature, and one that more golf course architects are starting to include, are tees beyond the forced carries so not everyone is challenged with those deep ravines and marsh areas. There are golfers who can’t hit the ball far enough to carry the hazards so the front tees eliminate that frustration and maintain pace of play.

Cabot Cliffs, an unusual combination of six pars 3s, six par 4s and six par 5s, plays to Par 72 and is 6,765 yards from the back tees. Mike Keiser, developer of Oregon’s Bandon Dunes Resort, who along with Ben Cowan-Dewar, co-owners of Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs, like the combination.

“Mike and I thought that was great. We like par 5s and par 3s and we think they are more fun to play and you can’t argue with Bill and Ben. Certainly with the holes they laid out, we were so pleased with them that the par seemed irrelevant,” said Cowan-Dewar.

The course starts out along the sand dunes and ocean before it swings inland, never losing sight of the ocean, and finishes back along the ocean and cliffs with three holes that are absolutely stunning. The 16th and 17th are actually knee knockingly tough.

The 16th, especially, will likely become one of the most photographed par 3s in the country. From the back tees, the hole plays 176 yards from cliff-to-cliff with about a 100-foot drop to the beach and ocean between the golfer and the pin. The two-tiered green is surrounded by deep pot bunkers. On a calm day it is a daunting tee shot but when the wind is blowing in any direction, it is even more stressful. And building this green was no easy feat, according to Coore.

“It was probably the single most difficult green we have ever built simply because it was so spectacular in its natural state and there was a sinkhole there,” he said. “We weren’t quite sure what to make of that so after consulting with geological experts and people who are aware of these things that occur in that part of world, we felt comfortable

enough to fill that sink hole in and not see it sink again.

We then created the green on top of where that (sink hole) was. But given the sink hole and given the spectacular and abrupt nature of that property right there, plus the elevation change, it was a challenging situation,” he said.

The 16th at Cabot Cliffs has similarities to the 16th at Cypress Point in Pebble Beach.

PGA star Matt Kuchar looked at the 16th at Cabot when he visited Nova Scotia in 2014. Joe Robinson, Cabot’s director of golf operations, told me that Kuchar thought the 16th at Cabot Cliffs “made Cypress Point look small.”

And then, there’s the 17th. For a long hitter, it is a drivable, dogleg right par 4 of 331 yards from the back and again across a deep, jagged rock-faced inlet. The question here is how much of the corner do you want to bite off?

It is an interesting question and only for the brave of heart to answer, particularly if the wind is whistling at about 50 kilometres into the face or from the left and out to sea. The more forward the tee of your choice, the less risk involved but a good drive is still required to a narrow fairway.

And finally, the 18th hole is a solid par 5 back along the dunes and the ocean on the right. Your drive is a forced carry and for the average hitter, the second shot is one to think about. About 150 yards from the green, there is another inlet that cuts across almost half of the fairway. If you stay left you are fine but if you have to hit over it, you may want to lay up.

Long hitters can get over it in two shots. Again, however, wind can be a deciding factor.

These last three holes, however, are only three of 18 holes that define Cabot Cliffs. There are no similarities, only 18 individualistic designs that give the Cabot Resort the distinction of having 36 holes of golf with the ocean visible from every hole. The individualism also pertains to these two courses, both unique in their own right.

Coore noted the differences.

“I think the most striking features (of Cabot Cliffs) are the elevation changes and the different directions some of the holes take simply because of the topography we had to work with,” said Coore. “We had the higher elevation along shore lines. Cabot Links is the classic seaside arrangement where most all holes run parallel to the ocean. Rod Whitman (Links’ designer) had to do that because he had very little room to go perpendicular to the ocean.

“As we got higher up in elevation with our property, we had the ability to go parallel to the ocean in places and perpendicular or diagonal to the ocean in other places. We had a lot more freedom of movement. I think they (the two courses) are going to be wonderful complements to each other.

They are completely different in their presentations,” he said.

And with the opening of Cabot Cliffs in July, it has made the Cabot Resort, with its two courses, a destination within a destination as Cape Breton, with its variety of courses including the venerable Highlands Links, Bell Bay, The Lakes, Le Portage, and more, already a distinctive destination as a whole.

Mike Keiser, a successful Chicago businessman, was instrumental in keeping the “destination” concept alive when Cowan-Dewar was looking at land. Cowan-Dewar, a Toronto businessman who operated a tour company that took golfers to the best courses around the world, said his first visit to the site was December 2004.

“I came back in January 2005 with Rod (Whitman). In March of 2005 I chatted with Mike for the first time who was in the middle of opening a course in Australia and his third course in Oregon. But what Mike said to me in March of ‘O-five’ was you got to acquire more land because you will want more courses, and if you don’t have the land now you won’t be able to afford to buy it later. So, really that was a great piece of advice and we actually did get an option for the land for the second course back then.

“Once it became clear that we would get the first course, it sort of became clear the second course, if we were successful, would be critical to have to become a true destination,” said Cowan-Dewar.

Keiser and Cowan-Dewar aren’t finished yet. At the Cliffs’ site, a new clubhouse will be built plus a Par 3 course. A driving range and practice facilities are under construction.

You’ll hardly have time to change your shoes. www.cabotlinks.com

The Interview Series

The ever-indefatigable German defying time itself.

BY Be n n Y t e o I m ag e s co u rt e s Y o f m e r c e d e s - Be n z

Woodfield Country Club is an archetypal Floridian, gated community.

It is 40 miles north of downtown Miami in Boca Raton, and four blocks west of Highland Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. It is a residential golf resort defined by carefully mown edges, elegant water fountains and orderly rows of palm trees, and it has been home to Bernhard Langer and his family for 20 years. The German golfer’s American wife, Vikki, is a local.

Twenty years in Boca, and now 30 years since Langer became a major champion for the first time in winning the 1985 Masters. But time flies when you are having fun.

“It is hard to believe the 1985 Masters was that long ago,” starts Langer, now 58, as he sits at a cards table in one of the spacious lounges in the clubhouse at Woodfield. “I know one thing,” he says, “30 years ago I would never have thought I would still be playing competitive golf at 58!”

And this is a man who is nothing if not still competitive. He turned 50 in 2007 and has since collected 25 senior titles around the world, including three senior majors to add to his Green Jackets in 1985 and 1993. In seven full seasons on the Champions Tour in the United States, Langer has led the money list six times, and he is bidding for his seventh this year.

Langer is a golfer renowned for his consistency, his straight driving and unerring irons, for his work ethic, thorough preparation and his attention to detail. As a golfer who has suffered from putting yips on more than one occasion and as one of the first tour golfers to resort to a broom-handle putter, he is not known for his putting prowess. And so it may surprise you to learn that back in that 1985 Masters, over 72 holes, the 27-year-old Langer recorded just a single three-putt on the lightning fast bent-grass greens of Augusta National.

Putting of that consistency at the Masters is usually worth its weight in green wool and brass buttons, and in that week, Langer won by two strokes from Seve Ballesteros, Curtis Strange and Raymond Floyd.

Langer made a much less remarkable debut amongst those same towering pines three years earlier, in 1982, when the polar opposite of a putting performance sent the curly-haired rookie heading the wrong way down Magnolia Lane on the Friday afternoon.

“When I first played at Augusta, I had 11 three-putts in 36 holes,” recalls Langer with surprising clarity for a statistic that was recorded 33 years ago. “That could have become 22 three-putts if I had played four rounds!”

Management of those Augusta greens can’t be achieved in a crash course.

“I had to putt better on those greens, and just as importantly, I had to figure out where to hit my second shots into the greens. I learned that lesson the hard way,” adds Langer, who putted with a conventional blade in 1985, with regular length shaft, but with a cross-handed grip. The combination cracked Augusta’s code. “Just one three-putt was a huge improvement.

I holed out well from six feet and in and that was key.”

The Masters is famed for its exciting finishes, as the players navigate around the most famous back nine in golf, with Amen Corner its beating heart. Another final flourish was duly enacted in 1985.

OPENING SPREAD ON PREVIOUS PAGE: Langer/2014 Masters.

RIGHT PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Langer/ gullwing; Augusta locker; Langer putting on his Green Jacket; Langer and Kaymer at the 2014 Masters; Langer at the clubhouse at the 2013 Masters; Langer with a caddie

“As I came off the ninth, I saw on the leaderboard that Curtis was four shots ahead,” recalls Langer, who partnered Ballesteros, with Floyd and Strange behind in the final pairing. “I had played the front nine in even par but I had lost ground by two shots. So I approached the 10th tee thinking I did not care if it meant I finished 30th, I was going to play as aggressively as possible and go for every flag.”

While Strange stalled, Langer accelerated. He targeted the back-right pin position on 12, knocked his ball close and marched off with a two. More birdies flew in at the 13th, 15th and 17th, while Strange found water with his second shots at both 13 and 15.

“I was five under par from the 10th to the 17th,” says Langer. “I went from four behind at the turn to two in front in the space of eight holes.”

A pair of 68s was the lowest weekend return in the field, and saw Langer – dressed from top to bottom in pillar-box red – slip his arms into the Green Jacket.

“Someone quipped that I looked like a Christmas tree,” he adds.

Twice the Masters champion, with 92 professional victories over a span of 40 years, Langer was a Ryder Cup golfer 10 times, and peerless captain of the European team when they won by a record margin at Oakland Hills in 2004. Not bad for a golfer who was told to think of a different career at the age of 14.

Langer grew up in Anhausen, Germany, where in the late sixties and early seventies golf was not so much a fringe sport, but virtually off the chart altogether. Like so many great players over the generations, Langer was attracted to the game as a child by the opportunity to make pocket money as a caddie, at nearby Augsburg Golf Club. His older brother Erwin showed him the ropes, and then by taking advantage of opportunities to hit some balls when the course was quiet, Langer quickly became hooked.

“I had to putt better on those greens, and just as importantly, I had to figure out where to hit my second shots into the greens.

I learned that lesson the hard way,” adds Langer, who putted with a conventional blade in 1985, with regular length shaft, but with a cross-handed grip. The combination cracked Augusta’s code.

“Just one three-putt was a huge improvement.

I holed out well from six feet and in and that was key.”

“It is amazing to be in the same room as so many legends and some of the greatest players ever to have played the game,” says Langer. “Everybody is thrilled to be in that room. Bubba [Watson] said this year that he still had to pinch himself about being in that room, and he has won the Masters twice now. That is the same feeling that a lot of us have.

So aged 14, when Langer sat across a table from a careers advisor, he asked the man how he could pursue a career as a golf professional. There were hardly any German professionals at this time, let alone role models to follow on tour. The advisor said to Langer: “I have never heard of that [profession],” and walked into the next room to see if the office had any information on being a golf pro. A few minutes later the advisor returned and said to Langer, “There is no such thing.

Find something else to do.”

Thankfully, Langer’s stubborn streak convinced him not to take this advice. He rapidly became Germany’s greatest golfer, and his country’s first golfer to play in the Ryder Cup and to win a major.

Three decades after his first Masters triumph, Langer should not have the shot distance to contend at an elongated Augusta any more. He missed the cut at Augusta in 2015 although in 2014 he finished in a tie for eighth, and stayed in contention deep into the final round. As a past champion Langer receives an invitation to the Masters automatically, and he has no intention of declining yet.

“I have thought about it,” he reflects, “but I am not at that point yet. I remember in 2009, when Gary Player was playing his last Masters, and he came into the locker room after his first round and said, ‘Bernhard, I think I am retiring too soon. I shot 78 today and I think I could still make the cut!’”

Player – who completed 164 rounds in the Masters, more than any other golfer - shot 83 in the second round in 2009 to miss the cut.

“When you are shooting scores in the 80s and there is very little hope of making the cut, I think then it is time to pack it in and just enjoy the tournament, without getting in the way of the younger players,” says Langer.

“I don’t know when that will be for me, but the golf course is amazingly long now, compared to what it used to be.

“I played a practice round with Gary and Jack Nicklaus a few years back, and I asked Jack what clubs he used to hit into the greens when he was on top of his game. He told me he never hit more than an eight iron into the greens. It was all wedges and short irons into

LEFT PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Langer at the 2013 Masters interview; Langer at the 2014 Masters; Langer at the 2014 Senior Open.

the par fours. Today on this golf course I am wearing out my 3-iron, 4-iron and my number two hybrid. On the par 3, fourth this year I took a three-wood to hit 240 yards.”

Another priceless perk of being a Masters champion is being invited to the Champions’ Dinner, which is held on the Tuesday evening prior to each Masters tournament, and at which the defending champion sets the menu. Only past champions and the Augusta National chairman – currently Billy Payne – sit at the long table.

“It is amazing to be in the same room as so many legends and some of the greatest players ever to have played the game,” says Langer. “Everybody is thrilled to be in that room. Bubba [Watson] said this year that he still had to pinch himself about being in that room, and he has won the Masters twice now. That is the same feeling that a lot of us have.

“That is the only night of the year that I get autographs, and it’s not just me, we all do it. We get those yellow Masters pin flags and we get everybody’s signature – there are about 30 of us – and the flags go for some very nice charity auction prizes. I have seen such a flag go for as much as $18,000. It is a funny scene, because we all get together to have a drink before the dinner, and everybody is chasing each other down asking for their signatures, like little kids.

“It is wonderful when we sit at that long table, and we just tell stories, and listen to stories about the history of Augusta and the tournament, and this year we honoured Arnold Palmer. He is the greatest role model in sports, as simple as that. No one can even touch him.

He would stop for anybody, shake their hand, look them in the eye and sign an autograph, and it is incredible how he remembers names.”

A statistic you might not know: while Player accumulated 164 rounds played in the Masters, in 32 Masters appearances Langer has played 110 tournament rounds; more than any other European ever to tee up in the Masters. And to think that his career advise was to look elsewhere.

Destination Focus

A track back in time to England’s finest moments along the most scenic country scenes.

By C h r i s Fo l l e y

Of England's many attractions, the Cotswolds is arguably the most quintessentially English of all. It's the largest of 40 “Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty” in England and Wales, part of a grouping of sites earmarked for conservation in recognition of their national importance. When you get there, you’ll know why.

The collection of chocolate-box villages largely made up of houses built of distinctive Cotswolds stone and surrounded by rolling green hills transports one instantly to another, older time. All this just an hour or so out of London, either by motorway or First Great Western train services out of London Paddington.

The villages come in such whimsical names as Chipping Camden, Moreton-on-the-Marsh, Stow-on-theWold and Broadway, and you get to see England at its most traditional. Barbour jackets, tweeds, wellingtons and shooting sticks rule here, and affluence is very much in the air. It is more expensive to live in the past apparently.

Upon this backdrop, it is rather astonishing that it is still a bit of an unknown site to golfers. Of course, there aren’t any of England's great courses anywhere near here, which seems like a missed opportunity, but as in every such situation, the truth lies somewhere between - there are good courses here, you just have to know where to find them.

Top of the Cotswolds list has to be Broadway, a 6,228-yarder at a club which has been operating since 1895, set some 850 feet above sea level and towering over the village of the same name. Indeed, the village known as the “Jewel of the Cotswolds”, is arguably the most visited of all around these parts. Its beautifully manicured high street dotted with Tudor-beamed pubs such as the Lygon Arms, dating to 1532, and numerous boutique cafes and galleries, Broadway was once a staging post on the main highwayman's route between Worcester and London and a base for both Charles I and Cromwell at various stages during the English Civil War. Step up to the first tee at Broadway and you face a curious start, as you must allow players walking up the 18th fairway to cross your line before you hit your first drive. Then it's time to get out the long wood to avoid the

OPENING IMAGE FROM PREVIOUS PAGE: Minchinhampton, Avening Course - 10th Hole.

RIGHT PAGE MAIN PICTURE: Minchinhampton, Old Course - 11th Hole.

BOTTOM IMAGES - FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Dormy House - Infinity Pool; Dormy House - Blue Lounge; Dormy House - Frontage; Minchinhampton, Cherington Course.

first of a number of old stone walls on the course, this one sticking out from your left. Once negotiated you have a reasonably straightforward chip onto a green for par. It's a 498-yard par 5. Stone walls come into play again on the third, where the path to the fairway 50 or so yards in front of the tee box cuts through a long low wall. Drive to the right and you are stuck behind trees, making par a difficult option.

The signature hole is the 177-yard fifth, a par three designed by Dr. Alister MacKenzie of Augusta fame in the 1920s, with a green reached via a 100ft drop from the tee. Pinpoint accuracy is therefore required. It's the same on many other holes as this is not a long course. To your right are spectacular views of Broadway village, the Vale of Evesham and the Black Mountains in the distance you are not that far from the Welsh border.

The front nine, with many sloped fairways and a variety of holes, is certainly more interesting than the back. It is only at the 409-yard part 4 ninth that fairways start to open up - your correspondent somehow managed to find the only tiny bunker on a huge expanse that leads to a raised green bearing left on the way back to the clubhouse. After that, most holes require long, straight drives to give you a relatively straightforward chip onto the green. The exception is the 13th, an uphill 180-yard par 3 with a pylon hanging over the fairway - hit the wire and you get a free shot. The par 4 368-yard 14th returns to straight drives but your tee shot is blind - once you have passed the marker pole the fairway dips down, with those stunning Vale of Evesham views ahead of you once more. You can actually finish your round with the 16th, stroke index 2 on your card and requiring you to tackle a dogleg right after a drive that needs to be accurate to the yard. You end up back at the clubhouse here, before you go out and in again for holes 17 and 18. Odd routing but one that is actually pretty interesting as well.

Away from the course it makes sense to set base at the Dormy House Hotel, one of Cotswolds' favourite luxury retreats. A 17th-century farmhouse given a modern makeover and just a 5-minute walk from the first tee, Dormy House, differing from what its name

Its beautifully manicured high street dotted with Tudor-beamed pubs such as the Lygon Arms, dating to 1532, and numerous boutique cafes and galleries, Broadway was once a staging post on the main highwayman's route between Worcester and London and a base for both Charles I and Cromwell at various stages during the English Civil War.

The real trump card of the Dormy House Hotel, however, has to be its spa, a fantastic place to unwind or even get a much needed treatment to soothe your aching body after your round. There is a 16-metre indoor infinity edged pool, with candles dotted along the edges, while there are also two saunas - one offers hot juniper, the other mild lavender - a steam room and an outdoors hydrotherapy pool.

suggests, is not a dormitory. A part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World chain, this used to be the clubhouse for the golf course and is now transformed into a fivestar, 38-bedroom boutique hotel (including 10 suites) with an award-winning spa. The owners of the Dormy, the Sorensens, are Danish so the style is a mix of sleek Scandinavian minimalism and Cotswold stone. Bedrooms are a mix of white, grey and beige, with plenty of modern trappings - use of a Samsung tablet, designer dimmer switches, Nespresso machine and HD television. And being a spa, plenty of soothing bathroom products from Temple Spa. Your dining experience can either be Michelin-starred in the Garden Room restaurant or more casual in the pub-like Potting Shed. Whatever your choice, you can expect plenty of local produce - the Cotswolds is famous for its game, so venison sausages for breakfast followed by pheasant for dinner, washed down by, for example, a New Zealand Pinot noir (the list is extensive) is most appealing. If you prefer your pheasant to be alive rather than on your plate, don't despair - you'll see plenty of them strolling around the fairways at the golf club.

The real trump card of the Dormy House Hotel, however, has to be its spa, a fantastic place to unwind or even get a much needed treatment to soothe your aching body after your round. There is a 16-metre indoor infinity edged pool, with candles dotted along the edges, while there are also two saunas - one offers hot juniper, the other mild lavender - a steam room and an outdoors hydrotherapy pool. Not everything is all necessarily clean and healthy, though - the Full Dormy is as good a full English breakfast as you'll get, and perfect fuel for your round.

On the same estate you will find Foxhill Manor, a Grade II listed Arts and Crafts country house which has recently been turned into a private Manor House hotel with just eight rooms and suites. While likely to be popular as a wedding venue, it is also a good alternative to the Dormy should that be full. The manor also offers a regular shuttle service to Dormy House should you wish to use the spa or dine there, though you also have the option of the chef at the manor cooking a bespoke meal for you.

Back to the golf, and alternative rounds to Broadway are at Evesham and, further afield, Minchinhampton.

Evesham is a market town just 15 minutes’ drive from Broadway, and its course certainly makes good use of the space constrains - there are only nine greens but 18 tees, making the front nine quite different from the back. Its signature hole is the par 5 fifth (also effectively the 14th) which runs along the banks of the River Avon.

Minchinhampton is at the other end of the Cotswolds, due southwest and much nearer to Bath and Gloucester and perhaps a 45-minute drive from Broadway. There are three courses here, including a par 71, 6,433-yard links course called Cherington, which has hosted qualifying tournaments for the Open Championship and held the Mid Amateur Championship. Minchinhampton is yet another very attractive Cotswolds town, full of honey

LEFT PAGE - Broadway, 4th Hole.

BELOW: Clubhouse at The Grove.

coloured stone houses and a 17th century Market House.

Green fees for visitors are £50 for 18 holes on weekdays, though in the summer £20 represents superb value after 4pm.

Then there is Heythrop Park Resort in Chipping Norton - this is an altogether more corporate affair, with both a four-star Crowne Plaza hotel and a De Vere on site and conference facilities. The Bainbridge golf course here was redesigned in 2009 by Tom MacKenzie – it is now a 7,088-yard par 72 featuring lakes, streams and plenty of woodland. Its signature hole is Archers Bridge, the 6th, where you must steer clear of a large expanse of water on the left to reach the green. It is a 314-yard par 4 and one which you won’t soon forget, much like the rest of the surreal world of the Cotswolds.

Stay and Play at the CotSwoldS • dormyhouse.co.uk, 01386 85271. Rooms from £190 a night B&B. Dormy House guests can play 18 holes at Broadway GC for £40 midweek, £50 at weekends and bank holidays.

• heythroppark.co.uk, 01608 673488. Stay and Play on a Sunday for £99 per person, includes three-course set meal, overnight four-star accommodation and full English breakfast and two rounds of golf.

• eveshamgolfclub.co.uk, 01386 860395. Day rates from £30, 18 holes from £25.

Destination Focus

Golf and simply being in the Big Apple is any experience multiplied tenfold.

The Trump OrganizaTiOn

S to ry & P i c t u r e S by Dav i D a n D e wa n w h y t e S P e c i a l t h a n k S to r o be rto b o r g at t i, fo r h i S t i m e a n D co m Pa n y.

Golf in New York City? You’ve got to be kidding me? How do golfers ‘find the fairway’ in a concrete jungle? New York City is better known for its yellow cabs than caddies and sand traps and bagels than birdies.

Nevertheless, one can be pleasantly surprised to learn just how much golf there is on offer near, in, or around the Big Apple. So, sit back, relax and discover golf - with a New York twist.

We woke up to one of the best views ever. Manhattan’s bejewelled skyscrapers sparkling in the early morning light, the Flat Iron Building in the middle distance standing out like a piece of antiquity amidst the glittering obelisks. Last night, we celebrated our arrival with a Porterhouse Steak in the shadow of the Empire State Building. Then we strolled the streets, any thought of jet lag dismissed in the face of the sheer adrenaline this town imbues. We caught the tail end of a jazz-rock concert in Madison Square Park, joined in an impromptu Salsa Party in Bryant Park, then arrived at the beating heart of Western capitalism, Times Square, and it was everything we thought it would be. Jam-packed with vendors, performers and thronging tourists illuminated by hypnotic neon signs turning night into high-def, high octane day, this is New York and there is nothing ordinary about the city.

A New York minute is an instant. Or as Johnny Carson once said, “It’s the interval between a Manhattan traffic light turning green and the guy behind you honking his horn.” It is surely one of the coolest places on earth, but how do you play golf here? Is there another living, breathing patch of grass besides Central Park?

Apparently, there is, according to our resident pro and New Yorker Roberto Borgatti, who also informs us that, “if you come to New York, you need to look good.

Trust me, people here just do!”

Take a walk down Madison or Fifth Avenue and you soon get the picture with beautiful people, or people beautifully dressed in constant motion across all sides of the streets. So, we decided we needed to do what we can to fit in, Scotsmen notwithstanding. Our first stop was the ultra smart neighbourhood of SoHo and headed directly to Spring Street where our favourite golfing apparel, J. Lindeberg has a store. ‘J.L.’, as it is known, is big into golf but their street style is equally sharp as well. We need a solid ensemble to take on the NYC nightlife, and we’re pretty sure we’ll find something here.

Whenever you visit America, it is imperative to go shopping for golf equipment. The very latest, widest range and best of all, most value for money options are all here. And at the New York Golf Centre, one of the most extensive golf shops in the planet set in the very heart of Manhattan, that is where you’ll get more bang for your buck, literally. These guys love the game as much as we do and will build you a set finely tuned to your swing via their state-of-the-art Trackman Fitting Centre. They are not bound to one brand like most company-centric fitting centres are, so you really will find the perfect set.

Through a rigorous fitting session, they will match the brand, model and specification of head, shaft and grip with your swing.

righT page - CLOCKWiSe FrOm TOp LeFT: Lower manhattan; roberto Borgatti and David J. Whyte in manhattan; new York golf Centre; entrance at new York golf Centre; Split rock golf Course, pelham park; grand Central Terminal; roberto at the park.

All fitted up and looking exceedingly sharp, it was high time to take to the fairways. And to do so, Roberto took us underground. “You really don’t want to drive in New York if you can help it,” says our trusted guide.

“You can take a cab or jump into an Uber but the best way to get to golf here is on the subway.” Really? Lugging a set of 14 in golf togs in a train isn’t something we usually do but apparently, it’s acceptable here and later, we were glad for it. The No. 1 train in Midtown took us to its terminal in the Bronx. From the subway station, it is a leisurely walk across Van Cortlandt Park to the golf course. No traffic, no time wasting and a pleasant warmup to boot.

Founded in 1895, Van Cortlandt Park is the oldest public golf course in the USA. Known by locals as “Vanny”, it is an oasis of natural beauty amidst an urban sprawl. For the cost of a mere $40 green fee and a subway token ($2.50 or $5.00 depending on what time you travel), it is a fantastic day out. Van Cortlandt Park is surrounded by the city but somehow set apart from it. Through the years, celebrities such as Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Joe Lewis and the Three Stooges have all savoured Van Cortlandt’s green sanctity. The course plays over rolling terrain, tree-lined parkland with a few lakes to negotiate and in great condition in spite of its huge popularity.

Definitely well worth seeking out.

There are several public, city-owned golf courses around New York, easily accessed and very reasonably priced. Situated just north of the Bronx in Pelham Bay Park is the city’s largest and only 36-hole facility called Pelham Bay and Split Rock Golf Course. We played the Split Rock Course reputed to be the more challenging and were delighted with its quality and varied challenges.

An older style parkland course with tree-lined fairways that are quite tight in spots, it is actually testing and low handicap players will find plenty to keep them entertained. Once again, green fees are surprisingly reasonable at $75 including lunch and a cart. The food and service in the bar was more than acceptable and we were delighted with the clubhouse design, recently refurbished but preserving its art deco style.

Outside of golf, we went out on the town pretty much every night and thanks to our fantastic guide, encountered a host of entertaining and unique experiences. Take for instance the Secret Library, a cool chillout joint for the ‘with-it’ to enjoy music, prose and poetry reading as well as an apartment full of fabulous books. Another night, we attended the Opera - not at the Met on Broadway but in the inimitable Caffe Taci at Papillon Bistro & Bar on 54th Street.

This really is the most eclectic dinner venue imaginable consisting of an appetizing spread accompanied by live Opera performances, which was already an interesting experience in itself but one to be made more so when Roberto decidedly took to the stage and gave us a rendition of the ‘Toreador Song’ from the opera, Carmen. As well as being the world’s savviest golf coach, Roberto Borgatti is a trained opera singer and knows how to deliver an aria as sharply as an 8-iron to green.

If you’ve never been to New York, there are a few tourist sights you really must tick off. Ascending the Empire State Building is one, and worth every one of its 102 floors. Go early (8am) to avoid the queues or at sundown to catch the sunset, but be prepared for crowds then. The Statue of Liberty is another, but you’ll have to navigate long queues to get on to the ferries. Again, go early to avoid them. There are two types of tickets, one that lets you on to the island only and the other to climb the Statue. Contrary to popular belief, the Ellis Island portion of this trip is probably the more interesting as Ellis Island was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States from 1892 until 1954, representing the nation’s busiest immigrant station in those days.

Apart from these two, dwell in such subtleties as High Line Park, a 1.5-mile-long repurposed portion of the West Side Railway Line on the Lower West Side of Manhattan that has been turned into one of the world’s longest gardens. It runs from the Meatpacking District through Chelsea to the northern edge of the West Side Yard; a green and leafy escape providing a unique view of New York as well as a good stretch of the legs.

Another iconic space that is free to visit is Grand Central Terminal. People often refer to it as ‘Grand Central Station’, but this is technically not correct.

750,000 people pass through Grand Central Terminal every day, with over a million during the holidays.

The station is one of the world’s most notable BeauxArts landmarks and has been used in immeasurable numbers of movies over the years. While soaking in the atmosphere, try finding a spot like Café Grumpy at Grand Central Food Court and watching the hordes go by over a hot cuppa coffee and delectable pastries.

The best way to get around and see the sights of New York is on a bike. CitiBike is a bike-sharing system throughout Manhattan where you simply hop on, ride it to where you want to go, park it in one of the many CitiBike stations and grab another when you’re ready to head home. You might feel initially daunted by the traffic but it’s actually very manageable on designated bike paths.

CitiBike sells 24-Hour and 7-Day passes and stations are available throughout the city.

But if you get tired of the concrete, how about a day at the beach? It’s not the sort of thing you associate with the Big Apple but they are perhaps its best-kept secret. Quiet, clean beaches where you can escape the crowds and soak up some sun, we chose to drive down Fort Tilden Beach on the other side of Brooklyn but there are several spots along this coast, easily reachable by train or car.

Getting back to golf, a complex you will all have heard of is Bethpage. Home to five championship courses including the world-renowned Black Course, site of US Open in 2002 and 2009, it is located in Farmingdale in the middle of Long Island. Bethpage is a mecca of public golf and referred to as the “People’s Country Club.” The legendary Black Course designed by A. W. Tillinghast opened in 1936 and is consistently ranked as one of the Top 10 Public Courses in the USA. Tillinghast was hired to design and oversee construction of the Black, Red and

LeFT page - CLOCKWiSe FrOm TOp LeFT: Bethpage Black, 4th hole; roberto Borgatti and David J. Whyte at Sky golf Center; new York golf Center park avenue; pound ridge, 16th hole; pound ridge, 5th hole; Trump Ferry point.

Blue courses and modify the Lenox Hills Course which became the Green. The Yellow Course was designed by Alfred Tull and opened in 1958.

You can get a game on any of the five courses with one proviso - if you want an early tee time on the Black (and lots of people do) you might have to spend the night in the car. Tickets are dished out at 4.30am on a ‘first-car-inline’ basis and you get on the course in that order. The fee for out-of-state golfers is $150. But keep in mind, you can just as easily arrive later in the morning and get a tee time for the afternoon so it’s not that difficult. The Red is the next more popular course followed by the Blue, Green and Yellow and these are all easy to get on and considerably cheaper than the Black.

As well as running for presidency, Donald Trump keeps himself busy by building or buying golf courses.

‘The Donald’ loves his golf and having interviewed him for the opening of his new Trump International Course in Aberdeen, Scotland, I suspect from the golfer’s point of view at least, he’d make an interesting head-of-state but that is all I am commenting on politics. His latest golfing venture is Trump Ferry Point overlooking the East River with the Manhattan skyline as backdrop. Once a landfill site, the course is contorted and cajoled into rolling links with rippling fairways, fescue mounds and gorgeous, billowing greens constantly accompanied by a breeze. It is still a bit raw but we reckon it will settle into an excellent venue over the next couple of years.

Widening the landscape slightly, an hour or so out of the city will bring in a host of easily accessible and highly rewarding golf. Pound Ridge is a public course, open to all, owned and operated by Kenneth Wang, brother of Vera Wang, the famous American fashion designer who has designed wedding gowns for most of the rich and famous. Kenneth hired Pete Dye to fashion his outstanding high-end resort course that would be the talk of any catwalk.

Set in scenic Westchester County, the rhythmic motions of Pound Ridge and its charming setting bring a real zest to your game. Easily one of the best new public course in the New York area, Pound Ridge stretches to 7,171 yards from the back tees, effortlessly laced through 172 tree-lined acres. Kenneth Wang and Pete Dye have created a sensation that is well worth the trip up to Westchester. Add it to your spring, summer or fall collection.

New York truly is one of the most exciting places to visit on earth. I don’t think you’d ever get bored or tired of it. We certainly fell in love with it. And what is really appealing is the sense that you can find a New York just for you. All you need to do is discover it for yourself, the places, people, sights and what works for you. Add onto that the opportunity to play some great golf and I think it’s as good as it can get. Whether you’re here on business or on vacation, pack a set of clubs - or rent them - and bite off a great big, green chunk of the Big Apple.

The 19th Anyone who has ever visited South Africa will know that the country is blessed with a beauty and magic all of its own. But to experience it on a Rovos Rail train, the country comes to life in a way I could never have imagined. While impeccable service, mouth watering food and a seemingly endless supply of the finest wine would be the highlights of many a holiday, these aspects form just a small part of the Rovos Golf Safari experience.

There is much to talk about specific to the golf element of this incredible safari trip, but let’s start with the Rovos experience. The brainchild of a South African businessman, Rohan Vos, the Rovos story began with the purchase of a number of train carriages at an auction in 1985. Vos’s intention was to restore these coaches and hitch them to South African Railways train for trips with family and friends. After struggles with the South African Transport Services administration, a locomotive was purchased so that he could pull his own coaches. This idea slowly morphed into the first ever commercial Rovos Rail Journey in 1989, when four paying passengers, close friends and selective members of the press set off on a four day journey across the country.

Years of financial and emotional stress followed, but slowly the Rovos fleet and reputation grew into the thriving family business it has become today.

There are now seven Rovos Rail adventures, ranging from a two-night trip from Pretoria to Cape Town, to a 15-day journey from Cape Town to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

Riding a train across safari and wildlife is golf and living at its finest.

By Pau l O ’H ag a n a n d lu c y K u Bl i KO w s K i

MAIN IMAGE: Rovos Rail Adventure.

IMAGES BELOW - FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Spectacular rail descent down the Montagu Pass into George; Lounge service at Rovos Rail; Deluxe Double at Rovos Rail.

My own South African adventure was a trip that would provide entertainment, relaxation and excitement in equal measure. The Out of Africa Golf Safari starts with an eight-night train trip stopping off at some of the best golf courses and safari spots in South Africa. It begins from the Rovos Rail’s very own station in Pretoria, before heading east to Kruger National Park, then south towards Durban and snaking its way along the coast into Cape Town.

Excursions are planned for golfers and non-golfers alike, including game drives, sightseeing, and wine tasting. The cost of the trip includes all golf, excursions, food and all drinks on board. The trip culminates with a further three nights in Cape Town at a five-star hotel, which is on a full board basis with all excursions included.

From the moment we arrive at the Rovos Station, there is an atmosphere unlike anything I have ever experienced – a real sense of stepping back in time into a world of charming elegance and unadulterated pleasure. On arrival, we were offered champagne and canapés and a chance to relax whilst our luggage was placed on board the train into our suite. We were introduced to our hostess, just one of a team of incredibly friendly, yet unobtrusive staff, and then we were taken to our suite, which was far roomier than I had imagined.

Every Rovos suite has a bedroom and en suite bathroom, which allows for the luxury of lying on the bed during the day, soaking up the beauty of the South African landscape as the train rolled on through. Our butler was on hand to assist us with unpacking and orientate us with the features of our suite. We took a moment to sip on another glass of champagne and text smug photos to our friends and family back home.

Every breakfast, lunch and dinner served on board is an experience in itself with the food truly outstanding.

The variety and tastes on offer would grace the finest dining experience but the fact that it is all prepared on board a train makes it all the more impressive. Dinner in particular offers an opportunity to dress up and indulge.

The choice of wines is outstanding, with two sommeliers on board to cater to the palate of the most discerning connoisseur. Any downtime on board can be as sociable as you wish, or as private as you desire with your room and quiet carriages for relaxation and contemplation.

The stunning observation car at the back of the train not only provides the best views of the countryside, but also acts as the social hub of the train. Before the trip we were intrigued to discover who the typical Rovos passenger might be, but we soon realise that this typical traveller does not exist. There were couples, friends and single passengers made up of all sorts of background and penchants combining for some very invigorating and interesting discourse throughout the journey.

Although the itinerary may seem full at first glance, the balance between personal time and off-train activities is just right. Early starts are to be expected to get the most out of game drives, but they are followed by afternoons chilling on board as the train makes its way through the varied and beautiful landscapes. We were lucky enough

to see all of the ‘Big 5’ of lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino during the game drives, as well as a host of other animals. Along with multiple safari opportunities, the Drakensberg Mountains, the cruise on the Knysna Lagoon and the Garden Route are just some of the highlights, with even more to look forward to in Cape Town itself.

GOlF IN ThE SAFARI

LEFT PAGE - COUNTER CLCOKWISE FROM TOP: 15th hole; Cleared wetland; Aerial shot of Durban Country Club; Giraffes; Lion; Cheetah.

The trip does a great job of showcasing the fantastic variety of golf on offer in South Africa and includes a round on the two top-ranked courses in the country amongst the five rounds that will be played. Leopard Creek, the first course we played is still one the highlight of my golfing history to date. A breathtaking experience, it is usually the strict preserve of members and their guests. Set on the border of the Kruger National Park, it is not surprising that the memorable layout serves up regular sightings of crocodile and hippo among other wildlife. The finishing hole is a par 5 to an intimidating island green, overlooked by the clubhouse terrace. No heroics needed here but to lay up and use a wedge to land your ball firmly on the putting surface, or see it disappear over the edge.

Outside of leopard Creek, the other great course to play is Fancourt links on the Garden Route, arguably the number one course in the country. Made famous as the only site where the President’s Cup has been declared a draw, it was only after three extra play-off holes with the night hastening its approach that Tiger Woods and Ernie Els shook hands and agreed to share the honours. No such drama for our group as we carefully plot our way through the magnificent but demanding surroundings.

A walking-only golf course, the eagle-eyed caddies come useful as the punishing, knee-deep rough swallows up errant tee shots. Thankfully, any frustration over poor play is quickly forgotten the ambience of this stunning course framed by the nearby Outeniqua Mountains takes the mind away.

Durban Country Club is another to regularly host the world’s best players. It offers a different but equally enjoyable challenge. Situated between the Indian Ocean and Durban city, the course mixes undulating fairways with lush vegetation to create brilliant variety.

A coach follows the train for the entire journey and your clubs are ready and waiting on arrival at every golf course. A PGA professional travels on board the train organising the pairings and setting up informal competitions. he will be on hand to give some tips and ensure that the golf runs completely stress-free.

ARRIVING AT CAPE TOWN

Soon, the trip is almost coming to an end with the final night onboard tinged with a little sadness. As Cape Town dawns nearer, the feeling is bittersweet and one of stepping out of a time machine and into another adventure. Before we get there however, there is one final stop for brandy tasting at one of the many vineyards that pepper the landscape of the Western Cape; that auburn

The Out of Africa Golf Safari starts with an eight-night train trip stopping off at some of the best golf courses and safari spots in South Africa.

It begins from the Rovos Rail’s very own station in Pretoria, before heading east to Kruger National Park, then south towards Durban and snaking its way along the coast into Cape Town.

liquid emitting a warm glow when we settle back down to our final lunch on our beloved Rovos train.

As seamless as it began, we disembark the train.

After some heartfelt goodbyes, we were whisked away to the luxurious Table Bay hotel in Cape Town. Set on the quayside of the V&A Waterfront and with its al fresco restaurants and world class shopping, there is no better location in the city than this. In the morning, a huge breakfast spread awaits us. Three hours would not have been enough time to sample all of the items on offer, but we were excited to join our fellow travellers for another of the trip’s highlights.

Just a short drive from the hotel is the heliport where we got into private helicopters for a sightseeing trip along the coast. Passing close to Table Mountain we had magnificent views of the city, Robben Island and then on to the Cape of Good Hope. The flight then doubled back taking us out towards the mountains and the famous Cape Winelands of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek.

We finally landed at the Boschendal Wine Estate, which couldn’t have been more perfect. here, we sample vintage after fruity vintage before proceeding for a sumptuous lunch. As we cast our gazes outwards, the breathtaking views of mountain ranges in every direction, its lower slopes ribbed with vines as far as the eye could see.

C’est la vie.

Out Of AfricA trAvel & GOlf are offering this very special 11-day private charter of the Rovos Rail train leaving on the 16th May 2016 from Johannesburg.

The luxury golfing safari is limited to just 36 guests, with flights departing from Singapore and Hong Kong. The full itinerary can be viewed at www.outofafricatravel.com. Or, for a brochure and further information, contact info@ outofafricatravel.co.uk or call +65 919 412 56/ +65 6227 7911. The cost is SGD$16,288 per person sharing (excluding flight costs). There is an early bird saving of SGD$500 for the first 12 bookings.

A ‘NAKED’ DINNER AffAIR

LEFT PAGE - TOP TO BOTTOM: Leopard Creek; Ernie Els' Oubaai Club; Capetown Waterfront.

The penultimate night we were invited to dress up in our finest, and the ladies were intriguingly told come ‘naked’. Upon further explanation, we discover that it is less risqué than suggested as the term meant ‘devoid of any jewellery’. The gentler gender among us gladly obliged and we soon arrive at the showrooms of Jewel Africa, where a gala dinner is prepared. But before we could sit down, our hosts invited the ladies to pick any of the jewellery from the store that they liked, to wear for the duration of the dinner. Whilst husbands looked on with trepidation and a calming glass of champagne, the ladies transformed into hollywood starlets bedecked with diamonds, Tanzanites and other precious stones. Great fun was had and a few plots were hatched over how to convince the men to part with their cash.

The final day was very relaxed with a morning ascent of Table Mountain by cable car and then an east afternoon strolling across the V&A Waterfront. Some of the golfers decided to hop over to a local golf superstore to check it out. The prices in South Africa are very competitive and with an additional 14% VAT discount that can be claimed at the airport, it makes it criminal not to buy a new set of irons or woods!

The final supper was hosted by one of Cape Town’s top chefs, and we dined on local seafood accompanied by wines from the area we had visited the day before.

Talk was of birdies, bogeys, leopards and lions, and while it seemed like everyone had a different highlight from the trip, it is for certain all and sundry enjoyed every last bit of it. Why? Because there can be no better way to experience the beauty of South Africa than on board a Rovos train, where the service, food and drink are of the highest quality, all delivered on a train brimming with charm, style and unrivalled character. The ability to combine this with some of the finest golf courses in the country and a few nights in the picturesque city of Cape Town makes for unforgettable memories. Perhaps it’s time to plan your own?

Out of Africa Travel & Golf Ltd www.outofafricatravel.com • Tel +65 919 412 56

My Top Ten

Sam torrance

A gregarious gentleman who loves life as much as golf.

By r o Bi n B a r w i c k

I led them to the water, and they drank

copiously.” These are the words for which Sam Torrance is best known, and within european borders, the words for which he is best loved. That was how Torrance encapsulated his role as captain of the european team in the 2002 Ryder cup at The belfry, speaking in the press conference after europe had clinched an unexpected victory over what had looked an indomitable american team.

Until that 2002 Ryder cup, Scotland’s Torrance had been best known for sinking the putt that won the 1985 Ryder cup for europe, also at The Belfry. That was Europe’s first Ryder Cup success since 1957, and it heralded a european renaissance in the trans-atlantic competition, with Torrance joined by a european ‘big Five’ of Seve ballesteros, Nick Faldo, bernhard langer, Sandy lyle and Ian Woosnam.

Now 62, Torrance still plays on the european Seniors Tour, although with a current generation of senior golfers led by langer and colin Montgomerie – of whom Torrance is 10 years older – Torrance gains greater satisfaction from commentating on the game for the bbc than he does from competing.

Torrance is a professional from what has become a by-gone era. he left school when he was 13, turned professional at 16, became assistant professional at Sunningdale and joined the european Tour at 19. between 1972 and 2010 he played in 706 european Tour events, a tour record that may never be broken. he won 21 times on the european Tour and played on eight Ryder cup teams. a maverick by nature, Torrance has always enjoyed the gambling and socialising around golf almost as much as the game itself, leaving him as surprised as he was honoured to be appointed Ryder cup captain. he proved an inspired choice. liked and respected by his players, Torrance fuelled unstinting team spirit throughout the 2002 european team, and that year’s success laid the foundations for a new era of european dominance. Since then, Europe has won five the subsequent six Ryder cups. europe has produced a string of exceptional Ryder cup captains – Tony Jacklin, bernhard langer and Paul McGinley are certainly among them - but according to Torrance’s close friend and former Ryder cup teammate David Feherty, Torrance is “the greatest captain the Ryder cup has ever seen”.

Upon this luminary backdrop, what might his favourite courses be? Unsurprisingly, they are almost all in the United Kingdom, save a few.

Pebble beach, USa

Pebble beach vies with augusta National as the most famous of american golf courses. Perched on california’s Monterey Peninsula, it has become synonymous with the U.S. Open, hosting the championship five times since 1972.

“For me, Pebble beach represents the best of american golf, and it is very different from most of the courses you find on the PGA Tour. The Monterey Peninsula is a gorgeous setting and with those breezes coming in off the Pacific the course is a great golfing test.”

SUNNINGDale (OlD & NeW), eNGlaND Sunningdale remains Torrance’s home club today, as it has been for most of his life, and it is widely regarded as Britain’s finest heathland golf venue.

“I can’t choose between the two courses, Old and New. The New course is a better course in many ways but the Old is the famous one and it is also magnificent. Both Sunningdale courses are at the top of my list.”

OlD cOURSe, ST aNDReWS, ScOTlaND

The Old course at St andrews, the ‘home of golf’, staged The Open for the 29th time this year. Torrance played in five Opens on the Old Course.

“There is no course with more atmosphere and history. It is a very special place and it is unique in many ways, such as how the 18th hole comes into the town. The Old course is extraordinary.”

lOch lOMOND, ScOTlaND Once home to the Scottish Open, loch lomond, located to the northwest of Glasgow, is the star turn of Tom Weiskopf’s flourishing design career.

“Everything about Loch Lomond is magnificent. You couldn’t hope for a more idyllic parkland golf setting, with a backdrop of the Scottish highlands.”

The bRabazON, ThE BELfRY, eNGlaND Built on land that was once a flat potato field in england’s West Midlands, The belfry’s brabazon course may always remain the only course to stage the Ryder cup four times.

“I love this golf course, not just because of the Ryder Cup, but I have loved it since I first played it in the 1970s, and I have more memories on that golf course than on any other. I have always felt a great affinity for The belfry, both for the hotel and the course, which is a fine test of golf.”

OlD heaD GOlF lINKS, IRelaND Sitting on a diamond-shaped promontory that reaches out for two miles from the southern coastline of Ireland, it is hard to believe Old head only opened in 1997.

“This golf course is out of this world. One american visitor signed in the book there that it is Pebble beach on steroids, and he’s right. It is an extraordinary golf course, and you can see the sea on every hole. building it was an incredible achievement.”

WeSTeRN GaIleS, ScOTlaND

Originally laid out

by Willie Park, the great golfing rival to Old Tom Morris in the mid 19th century, Western Gailes lies on a narrow stretch of linksland between a railway and the sea.

“Western Gailes is just up the road from Royal Troon and it is a classic, old gem. It is not as famous as the Open courses, but as a links challenge it is every bit as good as any of them, believe me.”

ROYAL MelbOURNe, aUSTRalIa an east course designed by alex Russell and West course by alister Mackenzie both contribute to a composite course when pro events come to town. Nick Faldo so admired the bunkering that he videoed it for his own design reference.

“It is a great golf course and I won one of the biggest titles of my career there, the australian PGa championship in 1980, so it is even more special in my book. My name joined some greats on that trophy, including Gary Player, Kel Nagle, Peter Thomson, bruce Devlin and hale Irwin, while players like Greg Norman and Seve ballesteros won it after me. That is some company.”

ROYAL bIRKDale, eNGlaND although Royal birkdale was established in 1889, the existing course was not built until 1922, and the club hosted The Open for the first time in 1954. Eight more Open championships at birkdale have followed. “birkdale is a brilliant links course, and while it is beautiful to look at, with all those dunes framing the holes, it is also one of the fairest links courses, with less odd bounces than some Open courses, and that is why a lot of the players enjoy it when the Open goes there.”

aIlSa cOURSe, TRUMP TuRnBERRY ReSORT, ScOTlaND Turnberry hosted the first of its four Open championships in 1977, and now under the ownership of american tycoon Donald Trump, ambitious changes are planned to update the ailsa course.

“The ailsa course at Turnberry, on which some of the most famous Opens have been played, is a fantastic golf course with the most stunning scenery of any Open golf course. I was up there recently and the changes Trump is making to the course will be amazing. The course has needed these changes for years.”

Style Vacation

Fly to the Big Apple this festive season for a truly extravagant trip. p h oto g r a p h e r: wa i t e i k S t yl i S t: j e r o m e awaS t h i

by be n n y t e o

JIVAGO (Left) DIOR HOMME tuxedo: suit jacket, vest, pants, bowtie.

THEO (Centre) SALVATORE FERRAGAMO lace peplum blouse and skirt, black leather belt.

JUSTIN (Right) HUGO BOSS set of suit jacket, suit pants, black cotton shirt, tie and pocket square.

From Hudson River to the west and the East River on the east, Downtown, Midtown and Upper Manhattan all have an allure that charms the visitor from the moment they arrive on the JFK International.

No other metropolis in the world compares to New York City, the epicenter of sophisticated cosmopolitan living. With its illustrious social scene, the finest in dining, style, arts and entertainment, New York offers limitless lifestyle choices.

But on this hedonistic night of utter and complete indulgence, three friends roam the streets of New York’s most vibrant district and paint it a devilishly deep red.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: JUSTIN (Right): DIOR HOMME plait suit jacket, vest, pants, white cotton shirt, black satin bow tie JIVAGO (Left): DIOR HOMME tuxedo: suit jacket, vest, pants, bow tie, patent shoes.

MAJESTY from TRANSVIEW Golf Club JUSTIN: BALLY Velvet suit jacket, black suit pants DIOR HOMME white cotton shirt, black satin bowtie MAJESTY from TRANSVIEW Golf Club THEO: SALVATORE FERRAGAMO silk long dress SWAROVSKI crystal necklace JIVAGO: J LINDEBERG navy suit jacket, black suit pants, printed shirt HUGO BOSS tie

THEO (Left) ALICE&OLIVIA jewelled jumpsuit SWAROVSKI necklace SALVATORE FERRAGAMO gold sandal heels JIVAGO (Centre) HUGO BOSS navy suit tie DIOR HOMME patent shoes JUSTIN (Right) HUGO BOSS suit jacket and black jeans, black cotton shirt DIOR HOMME bow tie BALLY velvet slip-ons

From powder rooms to rowdy bars, whisky shots to champagne flutes, the appeasement of the spirits, in both senses of the word, will not end until the first ray of wintry sunlight appears along Times Square, the streets evidenced with debris from the party before.

And then, only then, will our traveling friends come to rest, aptly in the comfort of their extravagant suites at the historic Roosevelt Hotel.

PhotograPhy: Wai teik StyliSt: Jerome awasthi Styling aSSiStance: Jamie tey & Derek Jou MakeuP anD hair: rick yang MoDelS: Jivago, Justin, theo from ave Special thanks to the Black Swan and the Powder room for the use of their premises.

Choice Resorts

A fun-filled holiday where golf and theme parks meet in play.

By Dav i D J. W h y t e

Only a half hour from downtown Orlando and around 10 minutes drive from DisneyWorld, the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate is a Four Diamond facility close enough to the attractions yet a world apart in terms of distraction. This is the place to come and relax after you’ve had your day out at Disney.

Orlando is one of the easier places in the world to get to. Flights are available from almost every main airport on the planet. Orlando is after all the No. 1 travel destination in the world, or so the locals would have you believe. At ChampionsGate, you are only an hour from either the Atlantic or Gulf beaches. Even closer is Disneyworld, which can be reached in just 15 minutes (or about 6 miles).

It is hard to appreciate just how busy Florida gets in the peak weeks of winter. Immediately after New Year is quiet, but it soon picks up and runs hot until the end of March. Spring break at the end of March is a popular time when schools and colleges let out for a two or three-week period and everyone heads for the sun.

When you do come however, it will prove to be as fun as you can make it out to be for young and old alike.

As you pass through the imposing imperial gateway and palm tree-lined boulevard, the Mediterranean-style Omni Orlando Resort rises majestically in front of you in stark contrast to the 1,200 acres of natural wetlands that surround it. The Four Diamond Omni Orlando Resort is one of the Orlando area’s premier lodging facilities. Accommodations include 720 guest rooms and suites as well as two- and three-bedroom villas equipped with modern convenience and luxury amenities.

Opening: The Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate.

ClOCkwise FROM TOP leFT: The Omni Orlando Resort exterior at night; National COurse - 5th hole; international Course; Golf Course common area with servers; Firepit.

It is a busy resort for the fact that it is sidled next to DisneyWorld. But for those who enjoy its relaxed ambience and sophisticated amenities, it is a slice of heaven on theme park earth.

A 15-acre recreational area surrounding the hotel provides everything you might need for a rejuvenating getaway. There is a quiet adult pool with eight private cabanas where guests can preen and be pampered whilst being served fresh fruit smoothies or beverages from the mini refrigerator. There’s also complimentary WiFi and television. Adjacent to the adult pool is the meditation garden, the ideal place for a romantic stroll enjoying the evening’s magnificently stellar display.

If you, like most who visit DisneyWorld, do bring the family, the 850-foot lazy river will be the main attraction where kids of all ages can float at leisure through a myriad of tunnels, gentle rapids and hidden canyons. Similarly the Family Pool allows kids to cool off under dancing water fountains and a 30-foot spilling water tower. For the ultimate thrill, kids can race to the top of the 125-foot corkscrew waterslide and let gravity do the rest.

If a fun round of golf with the family appeals, the 9-hole, par-3 Champions 9 course is ideal for beginners or those working on their short game. Champions 9 features Callaway golf clubs and balls for rental and sale and is lit for entertaining nighttime play.

There are excellent spa treatments available at Mokara on the lower ground floor of the hotel’s main building. Ranked No. 8 on Conde Nast Traveler’s list of ‘Top Spa Hotels in North America’, Mokara Spa offers a restorative experience in a serene, relaxing atmosphere.

With seven restaurants to choose from in and around the property, dining is a highlight thanks in large part to their executive chef, Robert Ash, who has guided Omni Orlando’s cuisine to an international level. Robert is a 20-year veteran who trained at L’Ecole Du Grand Chocolat in France and the International School of Confectionary Art in Maryland. He was Executive Chef of Milwaukee’s historic Preferred Hotel, The Pfister, as well as Executive Chef/Director of Food and Beverage at the Intercontinental Milwaukee and Executive Outlet Chef at the esteemed Wynn Resort in Las Vegas, rated Five-Star by Forbes and Five Diamond by AAA. He also worked for three-star Michelin Chef Jean Louis Palladin at Napa Restaurant in the Rio Suites Hotel of Las Vegas.

THE GOLF COuRSES

Apart from the famous World Headquarters of the David Leadbetter Academy, (Ed: full story two issues back) there are two courses available at ChampionsGate - the National and International, both designed by Greg Norman.

Norman describes The International as an Australian links. I’m fairly cynical of anything purporting to be ‘a links’ especially when it’s 50 miles from the coast, in this case Cape Canaveral in one direction and Tampa and Clearwater in the other. But you can sense what The Great White Shark was aiming at, pushing the sand up around the greens and bunkers to give it a windswept, seaside feel. And this golf course is certainly affected by wind. With no trees or rises to break it up, players will be surprised how influential the breezes can be on this flat Florida track.

FROM leFT TO RiGhT: ChampionsGate - the National Course 16th hole ; David leadbetter Academy.

The unconfined, open fairways are dressed in bermuda grass with paspalum surrounding the green complexes. This makes the greens slick and slippery when it comes to hitting and holding, a fact you finally register by around the fifth hole when your ball once again skitters off the back. Bump-and-run soon becomes the go-to approach shot and I found this the most entertaining aspect of the course. Off the tee, the fairways are fairly generous and forgiving, with bunkers not predominant until you draw nearer to the greens. Norman just loves to test your short game.

Like its parent, The International comes with two sets of sharp teeth to bite the player - the near constant wind being one, and those tight, raised, rapid greens that laugh off your normal Florida high-flying approach shots. So, be warned.

The National is a complete contrast, a walk in the park almost. There are no homes or condos crowding the fairways, which is quite rare for a Florida course, and you get the feeling that you are back out there with nature with no sign of theme parks, interstate highways or bustling crowds here.

Diametrically opposed to its sister course, The National is formed by parallel fairways with big bunkers that are interspaced with a lot of native trees to make up a traditional Florida parkland layout. The fairways sweep back and forth among clever doglegs and scenic water hazards. Water comes into play on many holes, but are there for more aesthetic rather than testing purposes.

Few forced carries means that this layout can easily be maneuvered by thoughtful play. The delightfully framed holes are punctuated with smaller greens, not like the International’s upturned saucers and far more receptive.

The par-4 fifth is typical of the type of golf required here. At just 323 yards from the black tees (311 from the blues), long-hitters are tempted to make a bid for the green in one. However, there is trouble on all sides – wetlands that you have to carry that run down the entire left side of this left dogleg left, and large bunkers on the right with ball-gobbling trees still further right. Hit a safe hybrid or long iron and let the big hitters go for it. They’re taking a serious risk and will frequently fail.

The National Course has a great finish. The par-3, 14th is a short but intimidating shot over wetlands that are fed dozens of golf balls on a daily basis. While No. 16 is short, seventeen is a magnificently long par 5. This difficult dogleg left measures 636 yards from the back and follows a lake all the way to the green. Making par here requires hitting three spectacularly good shots. This is a hole and a half you might say. So is the finishing hole, a 451-yard par 4 dogleg around a lake. Bunkers to the left, and water right of the green make the long approach visually intimidating and a real test to finish the round.

That said, the consensus is that the National Course is the easier of the two and that is largely true especially if you find wide-open, constantly windy courses a challenge, as opposed to tree-lined parkland courses. www.omnihotels.com

Resort Golf Academy

Negotiating the finest courses Down-Under.

By A n n A Be l R o l l e y

It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that I have the opportunity to write about my favourite region of golf courses in the world, and they are located in my very own backyard in Victoria, Australia. The actual location of the sand belt area is southeast of Melbourne’s CBD and each course is approximately 10-15km radius apart. I understand Australia is a long way from most parts of the globe but if you do manage to get there, these magnificent courses will not disappoint.

The sand belt courses are naturally gifted with the charming ruggedness that Australian landscape possesses. The sheer beauty of these courses make for a photographer’s dream come true with unique features of firm fairways and natural undulations lined by lengthy heath grass and native Australian bushes. The sandy base below the couch grass fairways and bent-grass greens makes for ideal golfing conditions and instant drainage perfect for year round golf.

The origins of the sand belt region are equally interesting as they are to play. Although the first ball was struck in Tasmania and the first club established in New South Wales, Australia’s golf spiritual home is at the sand belt in Victoria. The history of the game is inextricably tied not only to the state of Victoria but also to the 1891 birth of Australia’s greatest golf course, Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

The discovery of the Sandringham site inspired other clubs to seek out similar sandy golfing grounds and the sand belt region was born. What is quite incredible to fathom is the quality of these golf courses regardless of their prestige. Some of the lesser known courses in the sand belt region that are comparable to the quality of Royal Melbourne, Victoria and Kingston Heath are Commonwealth Golf Club, Huntingdale and Metropolitan. Even courses like Southern GC and Woodlands GC are in tip top condition and are strong, testing layouts to boot.

Annabel Rolley

By the mid 1920’s, other clubs had established themselves within the sand belt and subsequently developed into arguably the finest and most recognisable golf region in the world.

I had the privilege and honour of working at Royal Melbourne as a teaching professional in 2012. It was an amazing experience and I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to play not only Royal Melbourne on a daily basis but many other sand belt courses as well. Playing the stunning firm and fast courses is a treat for players of all levels. The typical sand belt layout consists of slender, sloped fairways and deceptively contoured greens that can be lightning fast.

If you haven’t ventured down to Australia to experience the sublime sand belt courses I suggest you put it on your list of things to do with high priority.

There are some distinct shots, strategies and techniques you will need to draw on when playing the beautiful courses Down Under. Follow my advice and you will have great success on Australia’s finest courses.

Good luck and good golfing!

PREVIOUS PAGE OPENING PICTURE: The fairway of the eighth hole at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

THIS PAGE - COUNTER CLOCKWISE FROM EXTREME LEFT: Kingston Heath, Hole 15 Par 3; Royal Melbourne Golf Club; Victoria Golf Club, Hole 18; Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Hole 5 Par 3.

INSET: Annabel Rolley.

1

HyBRID oFF THE TEE:

Many of the holes are shorter and because the turf is so firm the ball releases a long way when it hits the ground. you will have to adjust to hitting hybrids off the tee on many Par 4s.

- Think of hybrid as an iron and hit down on the ball.

- Ball position slightly ahead of middle - Weight distribution is even - Swing around central point of body - Keep head as stable as possible - Cover the ball with your chest at impact just like an iron

3

SloW AND SMooTH PUTTING ACTIoN:

- The smoother the stroke the less the ball will bounce and the truer the roll will be - Think of a pendulum to create smooth rhythm - Count 1-2-3 to slow down the stroke - Keep everything as still as possible including head and lower body - Wait for the ball to drop - Hold finish position to encourage acceleration

2

loW BAll FlIGHT:

Conditions can be variable in Melbourne. It is commonly referred to as the city with four seasons in a day. When it gets windy it really poses a challenge for golfers particularly because of the firmness of the fairways. you must learn how to keep the ball lower and out of the wind.

- Weight distribution favouring the lead side – 60/40 - Hands slightly ahead at set up position to de-loft the clubface - Ball middle to back of stance - Cover the ball with upper body - Chasing the follow through down the line

PlAy THE HolE BACKWARDS STRATEGy:

4

“V” SHAPE BUNKER SHoT:

The bunkers of the sand belt region are simply magnificent. They have very fine sand that is hardpan and beautifully textured. Employ the correct technique and getting out of these hazards is no problem at all.

- Weight distribution favouring lead side 60/40 distribution - Employ a severe wrist mechanism to create a 90-degree hinge from hand to forearm. This will pick the club up steeply.

- Return the club on the same steep angle of attack - Feel like you stick the club into the ground half an inch behind the ball - Continue rotation with upper body - Finish with belly button facing the target - Acceleration through the shot is key

- Consider the pin position and where the best entry shot to that pin will be - Consider which club will produce the correct trajectory to get the ball to finish close to that pin - Keep in mind how much or little a club will release – roll out is important with sand belt courses - Take that distance and figure out the difference between that number and the total yardage of the hole. This number is approximately what you need to hit from the tee. For example, the pin is tucked front left and a wedge is the club that will produce a high ball flight for the ball to stop fast enough.

100 yards is my wedge distance and the hole is 300 yards, therefore I will hit 5-wood off the tee as it is my 200-yard club.

Hotel & Resort

Hilton Bangkok

Experience your fresh perspective on life at the Millennium Hilton Bangkok with its stunning river view.

An Oasis in the city, this landmark riverside hotel rises over

Chao Phraya River with stunning views from every room. With multi award-winning dining and spa facilities, this hotel is wellconnected by river, skytrain and road.

All 533 guest rooms are fully connected with high-speed internet access and feature modern decor and beautiful river views.

Upgrade to an executive room for a rain shower and whirlpool in the bathroom or to a suite for luxury space, panoramic river and city views and access to the hotel's exclusive Executive Lounge.

Keep up with work in the hote's Business Center, or book a meeting

room to hold a meeting for between 20 and 700 guests. Host a conference, wedding or other large events in the Grand Ballroom, which seats up to 700 guests and is elegantly decorated.

Explore the local area and embark upon one of the hotel’s sightseeing tours, or simply relax in the outdoor infinity pool and lounge on the sun deck. Keep fit in the gym with cardio machines and weights, or unwind in the sauna.

Step into the world of relaxation at eforea. The spa at Hilton offers a range of indoor and outdoor spaces and facilities, set over two floors. Each of the 12 single or couple treatment rooms

overlooks a picturesque private garden or pond. Select a unique treatment journey, designed to leave you feeling completely rejuvenated. Treatments offered include massages, facials, scrubs, full body treatments, hydrotherapy and beauty treatments Spend some time in one of the hotel's eight food and drink venues. Savor tapas-style Thai cuisine in Maya, authentic Chinese cuisine in Yuan, international buffet in Flow, or fine wine and imported beef in PRIME. Enjoy specialty cocktails and smoothies at The Beach, or listen to gentle live jazz in the Three Sixty Lounge on the 32nd floor, which offers the most magnificent views that the city has to offer.

The hotel provides complimentary shuttle boat service from hotel pier to BTS Taksin skytrain station, River City Shopping Complex, and the relatively new and popular Asiatique The Riverfront night market. It is also very close to Bangkok's cultural attractions like The Temple of Dawn, Grand Palace and the flower market.

123 Charoennakorn Road, Bang Lamphu Lang, Khlong San, Bangkok Tel. 02 442 2000 www.hilton.com

Hotel & Resort

Mode SatHorn Hotel your new play and Stay place in Bangkok Located right in the heart of Bangkok on Sathorn Road with BTS Surasak station just a few steps away, Mode Sathorn Hotel offers a stay made to the liking of modern cosmopolitan travellers. You will be surrounded by chic shopping centres, public transportation, entertainment venues, restaurants and some of the city's most popular cultural landmarks.

Mode Sathorn Hotel, with 201 fashion inspired rooms, offers you immaculate business services, the pleasurable Borisud Pure Spa, incredible views from The Rooftop bar on the 38th floor and a mouth-watering dining experience with Thai specialties, daily buffet breakfast and delicious cocktails and tapas.

Start your day energetically with a mouth-watering buffet breakfast at The Sathorn, located on the 10th floor of the hotel. Enjoy fresh produces and cooking shows from 06.00 – 10.30am.

Borisud Pure Spa, a magical area where you can get yourself pampered and relax body and mind with the most modern and fine spa therapies and treatments. Services include massages, facials,

body scrubs and body wraps. The spa is equipped with a sauna and Jacuzzi as well. All health and body treatments are based on the use of natural products free from chemicals which guarantee you the rejuvenation of mind, body and soul.

The Hotel also has a heated outdoor swimming pool and bar with fully equipped gym on the same level as the spa. Sip on a cocktail as you chill out in the rooftop pool and gaze out at the spectacular city skyline, illuminated by the glittering sunshine, sorbet sunset in the evening or the technicolor towers by night.

An ideal hotel for business and leisure trips for couples, families as well as golfers, the hotel also owns the Royal Lakeside Golf Club, a newly refurbished 18 standard holes, par 72 located at the mouth of Bangpakong River.

144 North Sathorn Road, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok Tel. 02 623 4555 www.modesathorn.com

rarinJinda wellneSS Spa reSort A true paradise in Chiang Mai. Housed in a 140-year-old antique Thai teak wood home in the Wat Ket Community, RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort is ideally situated near the historical Ping River and overlooking the majestic Doi Suthep Mountain within the heart of Chiang Mai city.

The boutique resort, only 10 minutes walk to the Night Bazaar and 15 minutes from the airport, offers four categories of 35 luxurious deluxe and suite rooms, embellished and decorated with modern furniture and stylish antiques. All rooms are decked with private verandas and ceiling fans overlooking the swimming pool with Doi Suthep Mountain and Ping River views.

Facilities include free Wi-Fi Internet access, well-equipped wellness spa, fitness and yoga studio, outdoor swimming pool and the resort's trendy riverfront restaurant, Deck1 Exotic Scene & Cuisine.

RarinJinda Wellness Spa is one of Thailand's leading wellness spas with expertised therapists and latest spa technologies. It offers clients wellness, good health and luxurious pampering in a spa sanctuary. Facilities include state-ofthe-art indoor heated hydrotherapy pool, Vichy shower, hydrotherapy tub, whirlpool with chromotherapy, rainforest steam and sauna. Alternative medicine specialist and nurses are also available on premise to provide consultation and guidance.

Also available at RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort is a small to medium-sized fully-equipped conference room, located in the 140-year-old teak wood home, with a capacity of 40 to 50 seats. An ideal location for corporate gatherings that want to diverge from the traditional business meetings.

1, 14 Charoenraj Road, Wat Kate, Mueang, Chiang Mai Tel. 053 247 000, 053 303 030 www.rarinjinda.com

Hotel & Resort

Silavadee pool Spa reSort koH SaMui Silavadee is destined to be the most exclusive luxury

hideaway resort on Koh Samui. Located on Laem Nan Beach, between Chaweng and Lamai beach, where the most beautiful rocks amazingly lay down, Silavadee got its original name which means “beautiful rock” in Thai. Silavadee is located on the secluded hill, overlooking the Gulf of Siam at the Southeast coast of the island. The resort’s breathtaking picturesque also emerges behind the concept of “back to nature”, integrated in the design, interiors and furniture used in the resort.

Silavadee comprises 44 pool villas and 36 deluxe rooms. There is a variety of pool villas, which are Tropical Pool Villa, Ocean View Pool Villa, Panoramic Pool Villa, Ocean Front Pool Villa and Ocean Front Pool Villa Suite while there are also Jacuzzi Deluxe, Deluxe Balcony and Ocean View Jacuzzi Deluxe for deluxe rooms. The restaurant, “The Height”, is located on the hillside with panoramic sea view, serving Thai cuisine with the premium selection of wines. “Wine & Cigar Lounge” offers refreshments, cocktails and snacks altogether with the selections of cigars with an open air seating with panoramic stunning ocean view. “Sun Moon Star” is a dream dining and relaxing location and all with the same breathtaking view and elegant, exciting and romantic atmosphere.

Romantically indulge in the endlessly scenic Gulf of Thailand where you can relax and be spoiled for your holiday experiences with international delights.

Silavadee also offers the ultimate relaxation with “Silavadee Wellness Spa” with the mixtures of Asian traditions and specialized therapy techniques consisting of 5 treatment villas. Silavadee enhances the stay with abundant facilities, such as, free WiFi Internet, laundry service, in-room dining and an infinity-edged swimming pool with aqua jet-massage beds. Fun activities like kayaking and snorkeling are also complimentary.

Silavadee also provides daily shuttle service to Lamai and Chaweng beach. Airport-transfer is offered upon request. It takes approximately 30 minutes from Samui International Airport to arrive here and only approximately 15 minutes to Chaweng beach and 5 minutes to Lamai beach with the contacts of other services around the island.

www.silavadeeresort.com

Collection

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Move

15th annual asia superyacht rendezvous-sailing luxuriated

This unique and exclusive three day Luxury Yachting show case held every December in Phuket, and this year again from 16-18 December in Phuket Thailand.

This year the Rendezvous was hosted again by the international award-winning Kata Rocks, located in one of the most picturesque areas of Phuket. Positioned next to Kata Noi Beach.

The Asia Super yacht Rendezvous Sailing for Success and Luxuriated.

It’s full steam ahead for the Asia super yacht rendezvous as a splendid and eclectic fleet of Yachts line up to drop anchor in the inviting emerald waters of the Andaman sea; at Kata Rocks Resort Kata Bay, Phuket, Thailand.

This is Asia Largest at sea invitation only gathering of super yachts worldwide tailor made for their owner’s guests and VIPS where the true fun and excitement of Luxury Yacht ownership is celebrated. http://www.asia-superyacht-rendezvous.com/

Trip

ENJOY JAKARTA GOLF

Capital of Indonesia, Jakarta offers one of the greatest

combinations of city and golf experiences that you are ever likely to find in any place in the world. Jakarta has simply the best caddy service in the world and around 20 world-class golf courses to choose from. All are easily accessible from your city hotel, whether you choose to golf in town or in the highlands. Courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Greg Norman, Robert Trent Jr. and many other great named golf course architects are matched by comfortably appointed clubhouses serving great food and offering fantastic service.

Jakarta has simply the best caddies in the world! Highly trained with naturally welcoming personalities, the caddy services in Jakarta are some of the best in the world. You can request caddies who can communicate in English, Korean, Japanese and Chinese.

At all golf clubs in Jakarta, every visitor has one caddy, which gives you the freedom to ride in the golf car or walk the golf course between shots.

All of golf clubs in Jakarta also have VIP Suites in their Clubhouses that can also be rented by visitors. At some golf courses, like Bogor Raya, where we played you can check in directly through the VIP entrance and exit directly onto the golf course without going into the main clubhouse building. Most golf courses also have meeting rooms of different sizes to accommodate your after golf needs. These services and amenities are all to make your golf trip and travel experience extra special.

Some of the world’s legendary golf course architects have designed golf courses in Jakarta. You will be able to play on golf courses created by Jack Nicklaus (BSD, Emeralda), Gary Player (Sentul Highlands), Arnold Palmer (Emeralda), Greg Norman (Riverside Golf Club Cibubur), Nick Faldo (Jababeka Golf & Country Club), and world renowned architects Robert Trent Jones, Jr. (PIK, Pondok Indah) and Graham Marsh (Klub Golf Bogor Raya, and many others who are well respected golf course designers.

Wherever you stay, you won’t have far to travel to find a golf course, with a number of golf experiences within the city,We checked in JS Luwansa Hotel & Convention centerhttp://www. jsluwansa.com a very nice hotel right in the heart of city of Jakarta the hotel seems to have number of golfers and knew well how to handle us.

The hotel has great breakfast and nice pool to relax after day of golf as well as close to shopping malls and great restaurants.

Royale Jakarta Golf Clubhttp://www.royalejakarta.com is wellknown for hosting the Indonesian Masters and lies within the city limits approximately 20 min from down town the course has 3 of wonderful 9 hole-courses, north, south and west.

Klub Bogor Rayahttp://bogorraya.co.id/kgbr/ is one of the must visit golf course in Jakarta where visitor should aim to play at least one course in the Bogor highlands area, where Klub Bogor Raya is the nearest which can be reached in 45 minutes from the city The course maintenance is superb and stunning in layout with wonderful locker rooms and club house facilities.

The club house is the one of the most fascinating with a very large facility and concept of heritage cultural village in traditional Indonesia way of life and the 18 holes par 71 golf course is designed by famous Australian golf course architect Graham V. Marsh.

(PIK Golf) Pantai Indah Kapuk is a Robert Trent Jones Jr. a sea concept design golf course with hiding in difficulties and 18 holes here will truly bring out your best.http://www.damaiindahgolf.com Pane of the world -class golf course of Da designed with the “Golf Wonderful Indonesia” From the moment we arrived at the Jakarta International Airport to the minute we completed the security check to depart, the many kind and generous team of Merry Kwan of “Golf Wonderful Indonesia” were delivering the very best service given out of the kind nature of their heart to make us all feel so welcome – like family.

We shall return! http://www.golfwonderfulindonesia.com/, http://www.jakarta-tourism.go.id

Collection

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Move

Rolls Royce and GeRmany’s Renowned nymphenbuRG poRcelain manufactuReR Launch One-Off Feng Shui “Spirit of Ecstasy” Porcelain Figurines in Thailand.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bangkok by Millionaire Auto Sales and Services (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Master Group Corporation (Asia) (MGC-Asia), in collaboration with Germany’s renowned Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg, recently launched a one-off special edition of Rolls-Royce’s “Spirit of Ecstasy” made from Nymphenburg porcelain in the form of five figurines each intricately decorated with Feng Shui symbols of the five elements of earth, metal, wood and fire in the same colour as the floral design.

Feng Shui is the centuries-old art of tranquility and the harmonization of man with his environment. The “Spirit of Ecstasy” represents the unmatched

bonnet ornament on Rolls-Royce cars.

It is in the form of a woman leaning forwards with her arms outstretched behind and above her. Billowing cloth runs from her arms to her back, resembling wings.

The five Feng Shui “Spirit of Ecstasy” masterpieces portray not only wealth, prosperity and good fortune but also the shared understanding and values of Rolls-Royce and Nymphenburg’s of aesthetics, luxury and elegance.

Only future Rolls-Royce owners will be able to admire such priceless Feng Shui “Spirit of Ecstasy” Nymphenburg masterpieces from here on at the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bangkok Showroom at Siam Paragon.

For more information, kindly contact Neo Target Co., Ltd. Tel. 02 631 2290-5

Collection

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Time

RadiomiR 1940 3 days automatic acciaio _42mm

Officine Panerai presents a new Radiomir 1940 with a 42-mm case and

the inhouse P.4000 automatic movement, with its off-centred micro rotor.

It is the first model of the Radiomir 1940 collction to have the white dial.

The design and the main characteristics of the new Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic came directly from the 1940s but their modernity is such that the watch has an absolutely contemporary style. Subtle, light, distinguished by its essential lines and maximum clarity of reading and setting, it is a sports watch adapted to every situation.

For the first time in a watch in Radiomir 1940 collection, the dial of the new Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic is offered in white. Its graphic design maximises the dial’s clarity and legibility, with the large black figures corresponding to the hour markers and the small seconds dial at nine o’clock, a characteristic of Panerai watches of the 1940s.

The cushion case, in AISI 316L stainless steel with a polished finish, is 42 mm in diameter and only 10.93 mm thick. Its shape and proportions are those of vintage Panerai examples but the standard of its materials, finish and ergonomics have been updated and perfected to meet the highest standards of contemporary high quality sports watchmaking. The crown too is of steel with a polished finish and the OP logo in relief, and it is connected to the mechanism which stops the balance as the time is adjusted, for perfect synchronisation of the watch.

On the back of the Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic is a round window with a sapphire crystal through which the automatic P.4000 movement, entirely made in the Officine Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel, can be admired. The structure of the calibre is particularly rugged and reliable, with a wide brushed-finish plate covering the greater part of the mechanism, and the full balance bridge with twin supports which carries the balance, oscillating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour.

The most fascinating element for the enthusiasts of high quality watchmaking is certainly the off-centred oscillating weight, set within the movement and thus making it possible for the calibre to be only 3.95 mm thick. Made of tungsten, the rotor oscillates in both directions and it is connected to the two spring barrels in series which store a power reserve of up to three days, the new minimum standard for the power reserve of Panerai watches fitted with Manufacture movements.

The new Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic (PAM00655) is water-resistant to 10 bar (a depth of about 100 metres) and it is supplied with a natural, untreated leather strap, with contrasting stitching.

Collection

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Golf

play with the GReat white shaRk The only Greg Norman designed golf course in Thailand.

Famously designed by

'The Great White Shark' Greg Norman, an Australian professional golfer who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 golfer in the 1980s and 1990s.

Conveniently located on Bangna-Trad km. 14 just 30 minutes from central Bangkok and 15 minutes from Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thana City Golf now boasts a fully renovated clubhouse and sport complex.

The 6,966 yard par 72 layout is situated within the Thana City residential and lifestyle community and features Tifdwarf bermuda greens, zoysia fairways, strategically-placed bunkers as well as natural lakes and streams. Excellent drainage allows for play throughout the year.

World-class practice facilities include a 350-yard 30-bay range with grass hitting areas and short-game practice. Certified British PGA, Australian PGA and Thai professionals are on hand to provide lessons.

Thana City has featured some of the world’s best professional golfers playing in globally televised tournaments such as the Thailand Open, Johnnie Walker Skins and the Kosaido Ladies Open.

Now fully equipped with state-of-the-art sport club, driving range, coffee shop and newly renovated clubhouse and restaurants, Thana City will definitely make your visit memorable.

Thana City Golf & Sports Club 100/2 Bangna-Trad Highway KM 14, Banchalong, Bangplee, Samut Prakan Tel. 02 336 1968-71 www.thanacitygolf.com

Moments

Mastercard legends acadeMy featuring sir nick faldo Thailand's first-ever MasterCard Legends Academy

BANGKOK, Thailand - 11 November 2015, Le Meridien Suvarnabhumi,

Bangkok Golf Resort & Spa were honored to have partnered with MasterCard to bring the Legends Golf Academy to Bangkok and are especially thrilled to have Sir Nick Faldo, a 6-time Major champion, 9-time PGA TOUR速 winner, and 30-time European Tour winner here at the resort, enjoying the hospitality of the hotel and being part of this unique event.

Since the launch of the hotel in November 2014 and acquisition by Starwood in 2005, Le Meridien Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok Golf Resort & Spa has been gaining popularity both in the minds of the travelers as well as the travel trade industry and has gradually emerged as a preferred choice for business, leisure, meeting, wedding and golfing guests. The Hotel is proud to be the first Le Meridien hotel in Asia Pacific situated amidst a golf course as well as the first five-star hotel situated on a golf course in Bangkok.

Le Meridien Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok Golf Resort & Spa 789 Bangna-Trad Road (KM. 10.5) Bangpleeyai, Bangplee, Samut Prakan 10540 Tel. 02 118 7777 lemeridiensuvarnabhumi.com

Moments

Brooks koePka signs WitH nike, Joining tony finau & 12 neW atHletes Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau, along with 12 new athletes from around the globe, join the Nike Golf roster.

Koepka, who is ranked 16th in the Official World Golf Rankings, turned pro in 2012. The 25-year-old is a three-time All American who competed at Florida State University before joining the Challenge Tour in Europe, where he won four events.

On the 2015 PGA Tour, Koepka was a top-ten finisher in driving distance, won the Phoenix open title and finished T-5 at the PGA Championship.

“Nike is an iconic brand,” Koepka says. “All these great, legendary athletes, such as Kobe Bryant, seem to be with Nike. I’m lucky enough to represent the best company in the world. I’m excited with what Nike will do in the future for the game of golf [and] I know that this partnership will help me achieve my personal goals.”

Finau, meanwhile, turned pro in 2007, upon graduation from high school, where he also exceled at basketball. At 6’4” he is among golf’s tallest players and his cousin is Jordan Brand athlete Jabari Parker. In 2014, after competing on the web. com Tour, Finau earned his PGA Tour card for the 2014-15 seasons. The all-around athlete is currently ranked number two in average driving distance on the tour and finished T-14 and T-10 in the 2015 U.S. Open and PGA Championship, respectively.

“The best athletes in the world play for Nike and I'm glad to add my name to that list,” Finau affirms. “I look forward to striving for greatness as a lot of Nike athletes have. I know innovation is a big part of Nike and changing the mold, changing the game — that's what drew me to the Swoosh.”

The Last Putt A PGA of America qualified teaching professional, Tony Meechai is among Asia’s best-known and most high-profiled golfing instructors.

What makes this acclaimed Thai-American teacher stand out from the crowd is his commitment to making golf fun for his students. He has conducted golf schools throughout America and Asia and is known for teaching golf using the simple mantra of “Golf is fun and simple to learn.”

George Somapa, Editor of Golf Vacations Thailand recently caught up with Black Hat Tony Meechai at the Legends Golf Academy held at Summit Windmill Golf Club in Bangkok, Thailand. Meechai was sideby-side with 6-time Major Champion Sir Nick Faldo.

GV: What was it like growing up in the United States?

TM: I was lucky and still lucky to have grown up in Red Bud, Illinois – an hour from St. Louis, Missouri. It’s called the Midwest region. Everyone in my area played golf because the golf course in town was opened to the public. I guess that is where I really worked on my golf game. My dad taught me, but he was very busy. The best lesson he ever gave me was that if I practiced, I had to practice harder than everyone else.

And, that if I did, the game would take me to many places around the world! He was right. I went to Chaminade College Prep which is a dormitory program and our first year, the team won the State Championship. That was a big deal because it opened up my eyes that golf can really bring you to many new places in the country. We got to travel a lot. I was grateful to attend the prestigious PGA Golf Management Program at New Mexico State University, after which I started my professional golf career at Cog Hill Golf Club in Chicago.

GV: You've been back to Thailand now since 1998.

What would you like to share with our readers about the experience?

TM: In 1998, I relocated to Springfield Royal Country Club in Hua

Hin, Thailand, where we set up and ran the successful Heartland Golf Schools, which grew to over 20 locations and had over 400 teaching pros spreading the good news of golf. That was a learning experience!

My mandate has always been to grow the game of golf in Thailand and I think I’ve been partly responsible for a lot of the growth in Thailand.

GV: The Black Hat – Where did that come from?

TM: Would you believe that Greg Norman inspired me when I was

only 15 years old! My dad and uncle brought me to Grand Cypress, Florida and I met Greg Norman in the locker room and then spent some time on the range. I couldn’t believe it. He gave me pointers on my grip and best of all, told me he wore the straw hat because of sun protection and it provided full shade coverage for the face. Guess what? That made a lot of sense. And, I've been wearing it since.

What people don’t realize is that I like baseball caps so much, but I only like to wear a St. Louis Cardinals (baseball) or St. Louis Blues (hockey) cap.

GV: What’s your future prediction? Any final thoughts and outlook on life you want to share?

TM: Well, no one can predict the future, but like I share with my

students, you have to try your best everyday and in everything you do.

Spending time with family should always be someone’s first priority.

Personally, I am working on ways to get my daughter, Aimee, to play golf. I teach all these young kids, but for some reason, she just won’t play yet. She’s told me recently if she gets new clubs, she will think about it! Ha! I hope so! Besides that, I just want to keep preaching that golf is fun and simple to learn. It really is. The Black Hat Golf Tips have proven to help so many golfers improve their game!

By George Somapa

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