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May 2013 / Issue 221
Darren Clarke and his agent Chubby Chandler
Amateur golfers looking to discover what it takes to win a Major, and gain an insight into the life of one of European golf’s most colourful characters, should consider booking tickets for an exclusive evening being hosted by former Open champion Darren Clarke later this month. The hero of Royal St George’s will be on hand with his close friend and manager, Andrew Chandler, to give an exclusive insight into life as a global golfing superstar at a charity night at the May Fair Hotel in London on May 24. One of the European Tour’s biggest stars over the last two decades, the 44-year-old Northern Irishman has enjoyed worldwide success since turning professional in 1990, including 22 wins worldwide and five successive Ryder Cup appearances from 1997-2006, while he finally ended his search for a Major by winning the Open Championship at Royal St George’s two years ago. And joining him to swap stories about life on tour at the ‘Out of Bounds’ evening will be Chandler, the mastermind behind ISM – one of the world’s biggest sports agencies – which has played an integral role in the successful playing careers of the likes of Clarke, Lee Westwood and South African Major winners Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.
Stoke Park to host CLARKE TO REVEAL James Bond Golf Day MAJOR SECRETS Tickets for the event, which will be hosted by talkSPORT’s Georgie Bingham, cost £125 per person, and also include a champagne drinks reception, canapés and entrance to the exclusive Mayfair Bar after the question-and-answer session. For tickets for the ‘Out of Bounds evening with Darren Clarke and Chubby Chandler’, call 0207 336 5346 or visit www.yourgolftravel.com/darren-clarkeout-of-bounds. Clarke became Your Golf Travel’s new global ambassador at the end of last year and has fronted a major four-month national advertising campaign for the company across the Sky TV network since January. YGT has also teamed up with Tourism Ireland to offer one lucky golfer and three of their friends an amazing trip to Royal Portrush to play golf with Clarke. The lucky winners will enjoy return flights to Belfast over the weekend of June 24-25, with 18 holes of golf with Darren on the Dunluce Links, followed by dinner and drinks and overnight accommodation. The winner of the day’s tournament will also be invited to attend the 2014 Ryder Cup as Darren’s special guest. To enter the prize draw, simply register at http://darrenclarke.yourgolftravel.com. Entries close on May 31, 2013.
Fans of all things Bond are being invited to take part in the official James Bond Golf Day, which is being hosted at Stoke Park Golf Club in Buckinghamshire on June 28. As the setting for arguably the most iconic golf match in cinematic history featuring Sean Connery’s Bond, and Gert Fröbe’s Auric Goldfinger, and not forgetting Oddjob’s flying hat, Stoke Park has partnered with EON Productions to host the Bond-themed golf day, with profits from the day donated to the charity Spinal Research. Like Bond and Goldfinger, golfers will have the opportunity to compete on Stoke Park’s legendary 1908 Championship golf course, indulge in award-winning head chef Chris Wheeler’s exquisite cuisine, and dance into the night with live music in the ballroom. Stuart Collier, Director of Golf at Stoke Park, said: “Next year will be 50 years since Goldfinger was released in the cinemas, and at Stoke Park we are very proud of our Bond heritage. We have had two Bond films shot here, and in 1997 scenes from Tomorrow Never Dies were also filmed in our ballroom. The idea behind the golf day was to celebrate that heritage, and to create something truly unique and authentic.” Whilst the 25 teams compete on the golf course, noncompetitors will be able to enjoy Stoke Park’s spa, gym, tennis clinics, golf clinics, and rides in Aston Martins, before changing into black tie for the evening’s entertainment. To enter a team call 01753 717171 or email events@ stokepark.com. “No Mr Bond, I expect you to die!”
News in Brief HIDE WINS AT PRINCE’S Frinton assistant Tom Hide produced a level par 72 to win the Essex PGA Pro-Am at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent in chilly conditions. Hide, runnerup in the Essex Open in 2006, beat Steve Richardson (Garon Park) by one shot with Jason Levermore third at two over par.
FAREWELL PADDY Paddy McIlvenny, one of the stalwarts of Sussex golf, died last month aged 88. A member of The Dyke Golf Club in Brighton, he served as County Captain from 1972-74 and was vice-president of the Sussex Golf Union. Born in Belfast, Paddy was a gifted sportsman, and played football for Brighton & Hove Albion, among several other clubs, before his talents as a golfer came to the fore.
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