LadiesGolfLifestyle

LADIESGOLFLifestyle TODAY’S MAGAZINE FOR THE DISCERNING LADY GOLFER

SEPTEMBER 2020

AIG WOMEN'S OPEN

DANI HOLMQVIST

Special Feature

Image accreditation: AIG Women's Open R&A\Getty Images

LPGA TOUR PROFESSIONAL

FREJA STOCKHOLM FEATURE

Solheim Cup MEMORIES

La Cala

GOLF & SPA RESORT

Ladies Futures TOUR INSERT

Editor’s Welcome Notes Ladies Golf Lifestyle Magazine For today’s discerning lady golfers

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elcome to the first issue of our all new magazine incorporating our diverse features with new innovative editorial from the great team of contributors joining us.

We have some amazing content for the first quarter’s editorial features & interviews from lady golfers across all spectrums of the golfing world.

Editorial will include destination golf across Europe, luxury golf & spa resorts, fashion, latest trends, coverage of European Tour events, player’s interviews amongst more diverse lifestyle’s features.

In our continued commitment to support grassroots ladies golf & elite tour professional’s events, we will be announcing some great sponsorship initiatives for development golf in the Costa del Sol this winter with LET event sponsorship planned for 2020/21.

Lisa & I have a combined passion to continually evolve the magazine to be the quintessential lifestyle magazine for lady golfers.

We are looking forward to delivering a next generation publication for our valued readers.

LADIESGOLFLifestyle TODAY’S MAGAZINE FOR THE DISCERNING LADY GOLFER

Special Feature

EDITOR & FOUNDER DAVID J NICHOLSON

CONTRIBUTORS LISA NICHOLSON NATALIE TURNER

LPGA TOUR PROFESSIONAL

Image accreditation: AIG Women's Open R&A\Getty Images

David is a member of the International Travel Writers Alliance.

SEPTEMBER 2020

AIG WOMEN'S OPEN

DANI HOLMQVIST

Lisa and David

DESIGNER FREJA STOCKHOLM FEATURE

Solheim Cup MEMORIES

La Cala

TEODORA NIKOLOV

GOLF & SPA RESORT

Ladies Futures TOUR INSERT

CONTACT MEDIA@LADIESGOLFLIFESTYLE.COM HTTPS://LADIESGOLFLIFESTYLE.COM

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FEATURE

FRENCH WINES

Dominate Connoisseurs Online Sales

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BY DAVID J NICHOLSON

hen approaching the boundless topic of wine, the concept of geography is very much a leitmotif in the vast majority of the conversations around it.

Personal preferences aside, there is indeed a reason for some wine regions to be widely recognised as the most prestigious.

They’ve been recognised as such for hundreds of years now and, in this particular game, the top spot is widely agreed to belong to France.

We have had a chat with Claudio Deidda, founder of the fine wine online boutique The Beauty & The Taste, and he shared with us his views about why French wine - especially within the high-end segment - still lead the way. "Because of where I was born, when I was setting up my catalogue, I got asked recurrently whether if I focused on Italian wines only. Actually, the aim of the project has always been about delivering the most comprehensive offer about fine wine, regardless where the wines are from. However, as French wines are by far the most requested, those wines are now accounting for more than half of the catalogue".

It is very significative that France is so prominent on Claudio’s website, as that seems to be the usual pattern for any fine wine merchant in United Kingdom. In general terms, France is the biggest wine producer in the world.

However, such dominance is even more evident when looking at the high-end segment of the market, with wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne being the priority for the most important wine collectors and fine wine consumers.

One of the most unique features of France is actually its diversity between different wine regions. Bordeaux and Burgundy, not to mention Champagne, bring their own identity and often identify with their own signature grapes and winemaking techniques. Regions like Rhone and Loire follow right behind.

Bordeaux is widely renown for top class producers of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc blends, arguably the best in the world. Burgundy is home to the most expensive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the market, with winemakers from other countries actually learning how to master those grapes. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in Rhone, is a name now so common that can be almost defined as a brand itself. Sauvignon Blancs from Loire are considered the purest expression of the grape. And we don't need to spend any further words about Champagne, with its worldwide production of above 300 million bottles per year.

Claudio talked about three main pillars behind this success: climate, technique and tradition.

"In Burgundy only, under the same climate you can find hundreds of different

combinations between soils and slopes: this has an influence in the way the grapes take nutrients and sun and, ultimately, in the way a wine tastes. This specific feature makes the region an endless mosaic of different flavours even among wines from the same grape variety". Furthermore, the climates differ between the many wine regions in France: continental and oceanic are the main meso-climates - the latter more common in proximity to the coast - but peculiar combinations between both might happen, the northern region of Champagne being the most famous example.

Technique impacts the quality of French high-end wines across several stages of the production. From hand-picking during harvest season – in order not to tamper the grapes and sometimes a necessary habit because of the narrow slopes of some areas - to fermentation in small barrels, or barriques, France has led the way of winemaking mastery enforcing, in some cases, best practices into law to ensure the quality of their production.

Still, craftsmanship can be taught and learned, while climate follows its own laws and it’s very difficult, when not impossible, to control. It is then tradition where French wine culture is very challenging to catch up with. The Gauls already cultivated the vinegrape, before the Romans expanded viticulture to key regions such as Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne during their dominations. And French Benedictine monks had a key role in "protecting" the vines during the Barbarian invasions of the Middle Age, concretely allowing winemaking tradition to be preserved during turbulent years and passed on to future generations.

Generations that not only were able to carry on with tradition, but also took pride in combining heritage with the opportunities of modern technologies and best practices, including environmental-friendly approaches such as organic and biodynamic viticulture.

For more information visit http://www.thebeautyandthetaste.co.uk/

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FEATURE

POPOV WINS AIG WOMEN’S OPEN 2020

Photo Credit @Copyright R&A Official/Getty Images

A gutsy, determined & inspirational victory.

Popov proudly shows the trophy for the media after the presentation ceremony.

SPECIAL FEATURE

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BY DAVID J NICHOLSON nother fantastic Women’s major hosted in some extremely challenging conditions at the famous links course, Royal Troon in Scotland.

Laura Davies had the honour to tee off this landmark venue’s opening shot & in some very challenging winds & rain returned to the clubhouse setting the tone for the first round. Birdies were going to be at a premium!

This continued to be the tone for the first two rounds with many of the top International ranked ladies failing to make the cut including 2019 winner Hinako Shibuno.

Friday saw a new leader in Dani Holmqvist who mastered the conditions well with a solid round of 70 to be the only player in the red numbers at one under going into the weekend. Two shots clear of the field.

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Saturday was the start of what would transpire to become a fairytale story for new leader Sophie Popov.

The likeable German only qualifying 2 weeks earlier by winning the Marathon Classic & arriving the day before the 1st round! Her round of 67 included an eagle at the Par 5, 4th added by an exquisite driver shot off the fairway! This was followed by a 30ft birdie putt at the Par 3, 17th to set up her up for final round full of confidence.

2018 Champion Georgia Hall raised English hopes after 3 birdies in the first 8 holes but sadly slipped to 10 over with an eventual 74.

Leading by three shots overnight, she held her nerve to close with a final round three-under 68 to post a winning total of seven-under-par 277 and become the first German to win a women’s Major championship.

Photo Credit @Copyright R&A Official/Getty Images

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Photo Credit @Copyright R&A Official/Getty Images

An emotional Sophie Popov Interview after receiving the trophy.

Jasmine Suwannapura starting her final round Thailand’s Jasmine Suwannapura produced her bestever Major display to finish runner-up on five-under, with Minjee Lee from Australia third and the 2015 champion, Inbee Park, fourth.

An emotional Popov, whose previous appearance in the AIG Women’s Open was as an amateur in 2011 & ranked 304 now has the honour of a new record jumping 280 spots in the Rolex Rankings to 24th!

Obviously very emotional & with the crippling illness

Lyme Disease nearly ending her career as it took its toll ! She was fighting back tears to say “It feels amazing.

There's a lot of hard work behind it, and a lot of struggles that I went through the last six years, I'm glad I stuck with it.

“I knew my game was in really good shape. I know anything's possible and I think I took that belief with me to every round, but I never expected this. Obviously, I was nervous the whole round and I'm just so glad I could get it done.

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Photo Credit @Copyright R&A Official/Getty Images

FEATURE

Georgia Hall brave attempt in every changing weather conditions

Leaderboard as it stood going into Sunday's final round

“I guess it is an incredible story and I think, just personally for me, that's why I broke down on the 18th hole because it's been something I couldn't have dreamed of just a week ago.”

unfortunately misses out on a five year exemption to the LPGA Tour due to her not being an LPGA Tour member, her win only will get her exemption until the end of the following season 2021.

Popov, who was caddying for her close friend Anne van Dam at the LPGA’s recent Drive On Championship, added: “The last two holes, I could take it in a little bit and I looked around and it's just so beautiful, such an amazing course. I grew up playing the Women’s Amateur, the Girls' Amateur and I honestly like the weather, except for I get really cold.

Popov wasn’t an LPGA Tour member at the time of her victory after she missed out at Q-School earlier this year by a single shot.

“Considering everything we have to deal with right now with COVID-19, the way we were taken care of was just incredible, and I want to say ‘thank you’ for that.

We've been extremely privileged.”

An emotional but magnanimous winner Sophie reflected by saying “It’s tough because I feel like I deserve the full five years of exemption from the LPGA, but at the same time, I understand the regulations and the fact that they can’t change the rules for a certain player.”

The one sad footnote to her magnificent win is she

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Photo Credit @Copyright R&A Official/Getty Images

Photo Credit @Copyright R&A Official/Getty Images

Dani Holmqvist Friday's overnight leader

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She’s not even in the US Women’s Open either as that gives out exemptions to the last five Women’s Open winners up until last year.

FEATURE

DEVELOP YOUR MENTAL GAME

by James Bargeron

Photo credit: Enable Golf Media

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t’s no secret that in order to play to our potential, we need to work with the mind as well as the body.

Michael Jordan, who plays off a handicap of 1, once said that pure athleticism will win you games in basketball, but in golf, if you don’t have a strong mind and mental game then you are going to struggle, it’s as simple as that.

He’s not the only one to think that way. Ian Poulter when questioned last year about the best skill to have in golf simply replied, ‘A really good mind and mental strength’.

However, even the guys at the very top get caught out at times, as we’ve seen over the years with several on course meltdowns such as Sergio’s bunker escapade and shoe incident. Often wish disastrous results.

Nick Dougherty, the Sky Sports reporter was once one of the top European players but struggled with the mental side of the game and his career was cut short prematurely.

Problems often occur when things don’t go according to plan and the pressure is on to keep everything together to prevent a meltdown; nerves get frayed and it can be a serious challenge. Our results all come from the quality of our thinking, our mindset, our actions and how we react to situations.

And the big thing is that the higher up the ladder we go, the greater the expectation and the greater the pressure. Being able to handle it is the key. It’s being able to perform under pressure.

How do we do that?

We have to learn to work with the mind not against it. If we don’t, we end up having this power struggle and a rollercoaster of emotions that cause all the problems.

We need to develop a quiet mind, which means less interference and turmoil going on inside our heads.

Here are some ways to help achieve that: Recognise: learn to recognise when our emotions start to change, e.g. you get anxious or angry. Often, we’re not aware of these changes which affect our performance.

Control: learn to control your emotions rather letting our emotions control you. Some think it’s being robotic but if our emotions are controlling us, then we’re the robots, as we have no choice to how we react when something happens we don’t like.

Acceptance: developing an attitude of accepting what has happened will go a long way to stop your emotions get the better of you. You can’t change what has happened, so aim to focus on what you can change moving forward, rather than the ‘what if ’s’ and ‘if only’s.

Release: develop a release trigger when you’ve hit a poor shot. If you’re still thinking about the double bogey 3 holes later, it’s stopping you from focusing on what you’re meant to be doing. A simple action such as counting to 10 or putting the putter back in the bag is a signal to the mind to forget the past and move on.

Patience: develop a habit of patience will help keep the mind calm. Rushing things is a sign of anxiety which can

lead to stress and affect performance.

Relax: There are plenty of relaxation techniques available to help improve concentration, focus and steady the nerves. These include short simple meditations, fitness routines, swimming, yoga and pilates off the course. On course, controlled breathing is a great way to stay calm. The less there is going on in the mind, the easier it is to focus on each shot.

Fun. Focus on having fun which helps ease pressure, rather than focusing on scoring well to have fun.

It’s often been suggested to work to your strengths, but if your weaknesses outweigh your strengths, especially if it’s your mental game, then you’re going to struggle.

Sergio is a great example of this, and last summer he openly admitted this was an area that needed work on to improve his game.

I’d suggest taking some time to reflect on which parts of your mental game aren’t as strong as you’d like and may be affecting your results. Be open and honest with your evaluation. Once you’ve established what needs some work, set aside time to work on and improve them as part of your routine.

'James Bargeron is a UK based performance coach and trainer, that helps optimise performance on and off the course, by developing the mindset, strategies and resilience to get to a higher level.

He can be found at www.Golfing-Minds.com or email: james@golfing-minds.com

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FEATURE

DANI HOLMQVIST

LPGA Tour Professional

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BY DAVID J NICHOLSON

fter a tough two weeks in Scotland finishing with T29 at the AIG Women's Open, we caught up with Dani back home in the USA to find out her road to the LPGA. The toughest circuit for Lady Tour Professionals. She has faced many challenges including her experience of being bitten by deadly

Q&A

Who were your early influences & inspiration to start playing golf?

- My earliest inspiration was my Grandpa, I used to hit balls with him growing up at the country house. He started playing when he was 44, got really into it and ended up winning the Senior European Championships. My dad played professional soccer in Sweden, Germany Italy & Switzerland, he actually

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spider in Australia whilst playing in a qualifying event for the ISPS Women's Australian Open. She used her tee to remove the 'redback venom' & still continued the round to card a 74.

She is very positive about her future. bribed me not to play soccer because of all the injuries so golf and tennis it was!

Can you describe the impact leaving Stockholm to continue your amateur career in the USA? - It was a big transition, but when I was in fourth grade, I decided I wanted to play college golf so I enrolled myself in an English-speaking school for sixth grade so the language barrier would be a bit easier and I think that helped me. Then playing college golf at

FEATURE the University of California Berkeley was tough and challenging but one of the best things I’ve done in life in terms of growing as a person and also getting a degree before turning professional.

Your 5th place on the Symetra Tour in 2016 was your progress to obtain the LPGA card for 2016. Can you describe your rookie year highlights?

- I think coming out to the LPGA tour is tough & it was a bit tougher than I think what I had in mind! You really are playing against the best players in the world and it’s hard to grasp what that is like before actually experiencing that.

2019 was a tough year with the persistent back injury can you explain the challenges & how you have returned stronger?

- 2019 was one of my better years on tour I was playing well and qualified to play tournaments in Asia as well as the tour final. It was a freak accident and I’m still unfortunately dealing with pain from that today, it has been a big challenge both physically and mentally to get over that. I have had to work so hard at getting stronger but also I have had to change my practice to be more efficient since I can’t practice for as long as I used to.

It was an excellent performance this week at the AIG Women's Open at Royal Troon, particularly to see you leading on the Friday! Can you describe the challenges & highlights from Scotland including your strong performance at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open?

- Thank you, it was two fun weeks and it’s always a challenge playing in conditions like that. The highlights

was for me to prove to myself that I can contend in a major with all the pressure that entails, but obviously the weekend wasn’t what I was hoping for, but I’ve learned a lot from it.

What are your plans & thoughts for the remainder of 2020.

- 2020 is such a strange year with what is going on with COVID-19 right now I’m just happy that we are able to play tournament golf again and have some kind of normal. I think what this year has taught me is that you kind of have to be in the presence and you can’t really plan to much ahead and just be grateful for the opportunities that you get.

What advice would you give the next generation of young lady professionals coming through?

- To follow your dreams, don’t listen to anyone saying that you can’t do it, keep on working hard and believe in yourself.

Can you give our readers an insight into how you relax & your hobbies away from Golf?

- That’s a tough one for me, I actually work really hard to get away mentally and physically from golf. I try to see friends and family spent time on the beach and I’ve just taken up fishing, which is something I’ll probably have more time to do the in off season.

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FEATURE

FREJA STOCKHOLM

bringing elegance to ladies golf apparel

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BY DAVID J NICHOLSON

lease introduce yourself, your passion for Golf & your caddying roles that you have been involved in?

I'm Erika Flinkman from Stockholm, I have a background from IT but my passion has always decoration and fashion particularly the Scandinavian style of clean & classic design.

I became passionate about golf 4 years ago & have been addicted since then. I have been involved in many projects since then and most recently I have been promoting Ladies Futures Tour which I'm very passionated about & see great potential for Swedish lady professionals.

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I have been working as a marshall just to get close to the game on tournaments, including the European Tour this has involved helping out with schedules & also caddying. Unfortunately due to Covid 19 I missed the opportunity to caddy for John Rieggers in the PGA Champions in the USA. I have a strong passion for everything with golf but mostly for all the amazing people I get to meet through golf. To build relationships and to explore different businesses.

What inspired you to launch Freja Stockholm?

- Since I've always been interested in fashion, I had

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a hard time finding female golf apparel that fulfilled my criteria in both fitting and style. Finding the clean classic design combined with a flattering and comfortable fit for all body types didn't exist.

So, I started designing my own dresses & really loved them encouraged by getting compliments from other women asking what brand I was wearing, I saved up some money & started the brand FREJA Stockholm. I have done everything on my own & I am very proud of the product. Currently, I hope to get investors so I can continue to expand the collection with all the amazing designs I already have designed.

Essentially the design look to have been created with style and comfort in mind, please share your thoughts on these factors in your design?

- Its everything to me! With a good fit that is flattering to the body & makes most women feel good about themselves, no matter what body type you have or what age you are. When you add high quality fabric and an timeless design to it, it cant go wrong. FREJA Stockholm is all about that.

Sustainability looks to be a prime factor in manufacturing, can you give our readers more insight into the decision to manufacture in Portugal?

- Yes, first and foremost I personally have never been into bright colors and patterns. Maybe it's the Scandinavian part of me talking, but thats the way it is. From that perspective I want to design clothes that are timeless so we don't add to the high consumption.

Fabrics are from 'Sensitive Fabrics' in Italy and they are working very hard with sustainability & I also collaborate with WWF which is such a great thing. I choose to have the fabric manufactured in Portugal

mainly because working conditions are good in the factory but also to reduce emissions in transport.

We are delighted that Freja Stockholm will partner with the Ladies Futures Tour supporting the development of upcoming tour professionals across Europe & Scandinavia. Can you explain your future plans to co host events in Sweden & whether designs will be available for our discerning lady golfers to see at Pro Ams & Fashion Shows that the tour & magazine are planning?

- I am very honored & humble to be a part in this as the founder of FREJA Stockholm. The upcoming year I will mainly work to develop the tour and to build my company's market share.

As a female golfer myself, I am very excited to empower female pro golfers & amateurs to help them in their carrier. I want to sponsor players with apparel & continue to build relationships with players in the tour.

Sky is the limit when I get committed investors!

Freja Stockholm Since launched in November 2019 in Dubai. See the website for current designs www. frejastockholm.com Future plans are for the brand to be available through selected Pro shops in Europe, USA & worldwide. In the longer term the plans is to have a flagship store, sponsor more tournaments & professional players.

Freja Stockholm has generously offered an exclusive discount of 20% on their first order from the website with the code "LadiesGolfLifestyle" for our discerning lady golfers.

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FEATURE

NORDIC GOLF TOUR

Photo credit: Swedish Golf Tour Skafto Open 2019 @Goran Soderqvist

Launches 2020

NORDIC GOLF TOUR

SWEDISH GOLF TOUR

TOP 3 FROM OOM RECEIVE ENTRY TO LET CREEKHOUSE OPEN AT KRISTIANSTADS GC

TOP 15 EARN PRIZE MONEY ENTRY FEES â‚Ź140

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BY DAVID J NICHOLSON

e caught up with Sofia Pettersson from the Swedish Golf Tour to discover the innovations the new tour will offer next generation lady professionals.

The Swedish Golf Tour has been running since the mid 1980s with some of the most successful male & female tour professionals coming through the development tour including Anna Nordqvist, Catriona Matthew & Henrik Stenson.

The Nordic Tour was developed as in recent times more tour professionals were looking at the USA for development opportunities in professional golf.

Sofia explained the support of the Swedish Golf Federation with a series of initiatives to encourage local & golf tourism opportunities as part of the future development of golf in Sweden.

This includes running events in city centres, regional Development Golf tourism with promotion

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of Ladies golf events amongst other initiatives.

The Nordic Tour will have events incorporated around the Swedish Golf Tour schedule with affordable entry & events planned so travelling professionals can enter more events in a structured environment that reduces travel & accommodation costs.

The Nordic Tour has recently announced that the top 3 on the order of merit, named as the ‘Road to Creekhouse Ladies Open' will automatically qualify to receive an invite to the LET Creekhouse Tour event at Kristianstads Golf Club in September 2020 Along with many of the events incorporated in the LET Access series this is a very attractive structure for young lady tour professionals to compete & develop their game at the highest level.

Ladies Golf Lifestyle Magazine is delighted to be an official media partner to the tour in 2020.

Photo credit: Swedish Golf Tour

Photo credit: Swedish Golf Tour

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Sofia went on to say, “We are very excited to launch the Nordic Golf Tour this season. It is a Nordic collaboration providing tournaments for players from all over the world. It is great to start something for our upcoming stars together with Norway, Denmark and LET Access Series. We are taking it step by step and hopefully in a few years the tour will attract great players and big crowds.”

The interview was conducted before the outbreak of the Corona virus. See the tours’ websites for changes in the schedule.

More information on the Swedish Golf Tour & Nordic Golf Tour can be found at these links below. www.nordicgolftour.se & www.swedishgolftour.se

Date

Venue

Prize fund

June Moss & Rygge 16-18 GC, Norway

July GolfUppsala 23-25 Söderby, Sweden

425000 SEK

August 6-8

Västerås GC, Sweden

35000 EUR

August 20-22

Tegelberga GC, Sweden

40000 EUR

August 28-30

Skafto GC, Sweden

60000 EUR

October 7-8

Ekerum Resort Öland, Sweden

250000 EUR

400000 EUR

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LADIES GOLF LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE SPECIAL FEATURE

LA CALA GOLF & SPA RESORT Costa del Sol, Spain

BY DAVID J NICHOLSON

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adies Golf Lifestyle Magazine was invited to visit the resort in February 2020.

There were several significant factors that influenced our visit for our readers to understand why the resort is a very attractive lifestyle choice for lady golfers to return year after year.

More than ever many nationalities are investing in a holiday or permanent home on Spain's largest golf resort.

We were first interested to find out the substantial investment by the resort to become one of the greenest golf resorts in Europe after their commitment to sustainable technology.

Over the last 18 months, La Cala has installed a state-of-the art pumping system. This modernised infrastructure is the most advanced on the Costa del Sol and ensures recycled water is used to irrigate the resort’s three championship courses. La Cala Resort was the first resort in the Costa del Sol to use only recycled water, and during dry periods

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La Cala’s three new pumping stations power the resort’s sprinkler system with a sustainable supply of water.

The first impression was a very friendly relaxed atmosphere at check in with a subtle hum of conversations by golfers either checking in or out, many expressing the fantastic condition of the courses.

After a very pleasant welcome I proceeded to my room, attention to detail was evident from the complimentary spa products, welcome fruit selection & immaculate clean room & comfortable spacious seating.

The terrace was large with good degree of privacy & stunning golf course views!

Dinner was at La Terraza with a pleasant ambiance, reasonably priced menu & extensive wine list. The waitress was very knowledgeable & attentive.

As the restaurant filled up she skilfully kept guests with a minimal wait time & friendly exchange of conversation with their orders.

LADIES GOLF LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE SPECIAL FEATURE

After a comfortable night's sleep I was treated to an excellent breakfast on the terrace with a great selection of hot and cold buffet choices.

My first meeting was with Eduardo with a comprehensive tour of the golf facilities including a knowledgeable overview of the 3 chamiponship courses, practice & academy facilities. We visited the resort's pumping station & other facilities including the full size football pitch (due to be used by the Dutch National Ladies Team the next day).

First impression was the immaculate condition and varied challenges the resort's 3 differing style golf courses available.

A quick coffee & onto the resort's property department. I was met by Nicole & immediately was

introduced to the history & future plans for the resort.

As a former International property sales agent, her passion & knowledge of the resort was second to none! I quickly felt that prospective buyers would feel at ease & see why it's reputation as a friendly community instantly comes across.

A visit to the show apartment compounded the quality associated to Taylor Wimpey reputation as a discerning builder of quality investment properties in Spain.

Nicole was passionate about the lifestyle offered for lady golfers & owners with various events for them throughout the year.

I asked her a couple of questions to offer an insight for future investors.

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LADIES GOLF LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE SPECIAL FEATURE

La Cala has an outstanding record of quality, affordable property investments built by Taylor Wimpey. What makes the properties appealing to the discerning lady golfers?

- Nicole replied ' There are a thousand reason why La Cala Resort is the perfect place to purchase a holiday home in the sun! Starting with its ideal location, between Marbella and Malaga with a 20 minute drive to Malaga Airport and settled on a hill, bordering the protected nature reserve, away from the hustle and bustle, but close enough to be part of all the coast offers.

The resort is approximately 4 million square meters being a true oasis of golf, nature and tranquility under the sun!

All homes enjoy breathtaking views, built to the highest standards with the best energy efficiency available, contemporary-style architecture, blended in perfectly with the already existing Andalusian Style properties.

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Quality, Views & Price make all new-built and existing homes an irresistible combination! To give you an example, you can acquire a south-facing 2 Bedroom Apartment on front line golf with panoramic views for only â‚Ź241.000 We offer several projects of apartments and townhouses for every taste and budget.

FBD Property & Leisure and Taylor Wimpey, two solid companies working in a joint venture to offer the maximum a golfer’s lady and her loved ones could possibly desire!

The resort celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, lead under the same ownership since the first day.

I followed up by asking? The 'Owners Privilege Card' offers outstanding increased benefits & discounts on the resort's facilities including the 3 championship golf courses & the Spa. What other member's events take place for property owners?

LADIES GOLF LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE SPECIAL FEATURE

- Nicole replied 'We organise every year a special 'property owners golf day with a competition, a prize giving cocktail receception with a fabulous dinner party afterwards, being one of the highlights amongst owners every year.

We organise throughout the year many special tournaments including our International Ladies Golf Day, Xmas & New Year’s Dinner Parties. Property Owners also enjoy a special price reduction on all events like Weddings, Baptisms, Birthday Parties, etc..

There is as well a weekly updated La Cala Social Program with Jazz nights, Paella lunches, Flamenco shows, Grill nights in our different restaurants and last but not least our super famous “What´s On – Program” with fun exercise classes carried out by our experienced and inspiring personal trainers.

Last but not least, every lady golfer will enjoy the wide range of treatments and offerings in our luxury spa, if it is a thermal circuit, a full body massage or visit at our hairdresser or only getting the newest products in our beauty-shop, the spa has something to offer for everybody, woman and men alike.'

For more information on the resort lifestyle concept of La Cala Golf Resort can be found at www.lacala.com or contact our Nicole at property@lacala.com or +34 952 669 027.

The visit was concluded by a quick walk around the well stocked Pro Shop & tranquil gardens between the Golf Resort & Hotel. Taking in the Wedding venue overlooking the golf course set with the Spa in the background.

Ladies Golf Lifestyle Magazine highly recommends a visit to experience this jewel on the Costa del Sol for our discerning lady golfers.

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FEATURE

SOLHEIM CUP MEMORIES & VOLUNTEER'S EXPERIENCE

SPECIAL REPORT

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BY DAVID J NICHOLSON

ho can forget the fantastic memories of the Solheim Cup with the dramatic European win culminating by Suzzann Petterson's approach shot & subsequent putt on the 18th green on the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles back in September. In a lot of people's opinions her chip on the 16th to match Marina Alex's birdie was equally as important!

Since then the reappointed of Catriona Matthew as Solheim Cup European Captain & the exciting news that the next European Solheim Cup will be in the Costa del Sol, Spain, we can see more great Ladies Golf Experiences coming for the fans & volunteers following this historic event.

Solheim Cup Memories from 3 of the Volunteers.

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FEATURE

Jacqueline with colleagues

JACQUELINE RADERMACHER SCHORER

Q&A

(Dutch Volunteer)

What was your reason to apply as a volunteer?

- We planned on visiting the Solheim Cup when we came across the application for volunteering. That sounded like a great plan!

Have you volunteered before?

- Yes we did, at the KLM Open.

What roles did you undertake over the event?

- I was a marshal at hole 16, in different places over the days. Tee, crossings, green.

What was the funniest moment?

- One marshal picking something up and noticing some pretty special shoes. ‘Wow, that’s great, you’ve got the exact same shoes as Caroline Hedwall, even her name on them! Awesome!’ Getting up and really looking, he found out he was talking to, of course, Caroline Hedwall...

Overall experience of the organisation of the volunteers?

- Great, from my perspective everything went really smoothly. Nice surprise were the daily 12 poundworth vouchers, which could be used to buy food, but also official merchandise. Another perk is golfing at Gleneagles for a reduced rate (60 pounds), which we will do this week.

What memories will you take from the event?

- The fantastic athmosphere, the great golf, the enthusiastic audience, the beautifull surroundings, the

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very early mornings, with deer on the road, the deer on hole 16 and 17, running like their life depended on it (as they probably thought it did), the camaraderie, in general a positive vibe throughout the week and all around the course. So nice to be a part of that!

Will you be volunteering in the future?

- We will certainly try! KLM open is very difficult to get in to if you’re not a member of a club that volunteers there, which we aren’t anymore. They are trying to get a LET tournament to Holland again, and a Challenge tour event, we might try those! Also Ryder Cup in Rome will be worth a try, we are certainly going. And who knows what else. It is certainly enjoyable!

Additional Quote from Tracey Maddison, Head of Membership Services. British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association.

Read her full blog at https://traceymaddison. wordpress.com/2019/09/19/the-solheim-cup-apersonal-account/ 'I couldn’t finish this blog without a massive shout out to the eight female greenkeepers who volunteered, some had experience of volunteering before and some hadn’t but each of them embraced the opportunity and made the most of learning, networking and of course making new friends. Why wouldn’t they? Working in an industry where you are in the minority occasionally does have its challenges, but not this week. We were just ‘One Team’.

FEATURE

Catriona Matthew press conference confirming her appointment as next Solheim Cup Captain.

Photo Credit: Ladies European Tour

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FEATURE

Alison Oldroyd Photo Credit: Dave Cameron www.davecphoto.com

Q&A

ALISON OLDROYD (Volunteer)

What was your reason to apply as a volunteer?

- I love golf and already work for the R and A every two years helping, in a pastoral capacity, with the Junior Open, and have done for 16 years. The Solheim was relatively local for me and I’ve never experienced working on something as big and prestigious as this.

Coupled with this it gave me the chance to meet up with a couple of friends who were also volunteering and the opportunity to meet lots more people!

What roles did you undertake over the event?

- I was mainly involved with uniform and accreditation distribution over the first couple of days and then it could be anything from meeting people at entry points who needed additional support with transport, and finally, driving the adapted golf cart for those who needed some help with the distances involved between the golf course and the public transport What was the funniest moment?

- I had so many!! I had a couple of crackers tho…. We were emailed at night regarding any change of duties for the next day - which happened a lot with the need for volunteers constanting changing, so one night I received an email from Pam telling me to go to a bus meeting point for 7 am the next day - this was in Perth which was 40 mins away from where I was based in my caravan - I did question this a couple of times but no, she needed someone there...so an early start and I was at this deserted bus park in PErth in the pouring rain.

When I phoned to tell her I was there said great, I’ll be there in the buggy shortly just to check everything is OK….. all I could think of was PAm in a buggy, in the slow lane of the A9, fighting her way through the rain and wind, to check up on her volunteers - that for me, was dedication…. Turned out I was supposed to be at the bus terminal on the course!!!

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The other one was lovely - I was taking some elderly American ladies back to the exit when one of them tried to tip me!!! I pointed out that this wasn’t expected and I really couldn’t accept since I wasn’t being paid, for the whole event! They were amazed that we were all doing it for nothing, and her comment was… I come from New York….EVERYONE expects a tip!!

Overall experience of the organisation of the volunteers?

- I can only comment about Pam’s organisation but what I saw was impressive! It must be like herding hens...or whatever the expression is - there are so many permutations of she needs to work only these 2 days and is travelling with these 3 people who are only working on one of those days etc… generally, everyone I was involved with was committed to making the event go as smoothly as possible so if it meant you did more early mornings or long days than you expected, thats what you did…

What memories will you take from the event?

- Oh gosh, so many….cold, summer!, smiles, cheering, unbelievable elation when we won - I wouldnt have missed that for the world - getting home at night having driven in golf shoes and waterproofs cos I was too tired and cold to change!, having a great laugh in the caravan with my friend Chrissy who was involved with transport, meeting people I’m still in touch with and will hopefully meet up with again at other events Will you be volunteering in the future?

- Absolutely - I already volunteer at my own golf club and I’ve already got the dates in for next year and will be applying once the lists open up! I would say to anyone, don’t be shy, all of us had to start with one and this was mine - I would love to meet you and say hello at the next one!!

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SINGLES RESULTS Europe beat United States 14½ - 13½ pts Europe United States C Ciganda C Hedwall G Hall C Boutlier A Muñoz C Hull A van Dam C Masson J Ewart Shadoff S Pettersen B Law ANordqvist

beat lost to beat beat lost to halved with lost to lost to lost to beat beat beat

D Kang 1 hole N Korda 2 holes L Thompson 2 and 1 A Park 2 and 1 A Yin 2 and 1 M Khang L Salas 1 hole J Korda 3 and 2 B Altomare 5 and 4 M Alex 1 hole A McDonald 2 and 1 M Pressel 4 and 3

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FEATURE

SWEDEN'S NEXT GENERATION

Ladies Development Player

Ida Karstrom

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BY DAVID J NICHOLSON

ith the growth of Scandinavian golf 2020 sees the expansion of the Swedish Golf Tour joining Denmark & Norway to form the Nordic Golf Tour.

We caught up with Ida Karstrom during her winter schedule on the Gecko Tour on the Costa del Sol in Spain.

She started playing golf at 5 year’s old following her elder sister and supported by her father to her local golf course. Her early inspirations where Annika Sorenstam, Anna Nordqvist & Ricky Fowler.

Her amateur career has yielded success on the Swedish Junior Tour (Teen Tour) with one tour win, 2 second places & 6 third places. This lead to her being invited to the Annika Invitational with a field of 72 European Players.

In 2020 she will play her season as an amateur on the Swedish Golf Tour before considering her options whether to turn professional, gaining the

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experience competing against her professional counterparts.

Through the winter playing in the mixed field of amateur & professional men on the Gecko Tour has helped develop her game and she has made the cut to play in the final day in some 3 day WAGR events.

Having experienced this she talks about the hope for more future mixed events to help develop the game.

Finding sponsorship isn’t easy but with her father’s help she currently has a partnership with Ping, apparel support from Cross Sportswear & the help from Clean drinks. Her home Golf club at Kristianstads in Ahus also provides her with a lot of help & support.

Kristianstads Golf Club has been added to the Ladies European Tour series in 2020 with the tour returning to Sweden & further recognition of the growth in Ladies golf in Sweden.

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Ladies Golf Lifestyle Magazine is hoping to support a future ladies development professional event in Sweden in 2020 & Ida welcomes more opportunities for tour events for amateurs & young professionals ladies to have in Sweden & Europe.

at NIU (National Programme for Athletes) there was a mind coach in the programme for support

Her current tour bag she has a Ping G400 driver, 5 wood & hybrid. Her irons are Ping 1200 15P, 50, 54, 58. Wedge is a glide 3.0 & Scotty Cameron putter.

Ida recognizes the benefits for athletes & brands to work together to develop relationships & help each other to grow.

Mind coaches are increasingly featuring in the game & it’s during her time in the school programme

Away from the course Ida enjoys family time with her partner & shopping!

She is supported in her father’s structure which is to help find young female athletes’ partnerships to develop their careers.

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FEATURE

Magdalena Simmermacher

Road to the Ladies European Tour BACKGROUND. Magdalena Simmermacher, was born & lives in Argentina. She started to play golf at 4 years old, have played many other sports such as field hockey, tennis, polo, swimming, etc.

She loves to be around other people outdoors and enjoys competing in many different sports.

She dedicated herself to golf when she was 13 years old.

She comments 'Since then I have been playing, traveling, competing all year round, around all the world. Golf has its highs and lows but I also enjoyed the challenge of getting better and progressing'.

She honestly assesses her ability and determination.

'I wasn’t the type of player who comes first on every event, I did get better by practicing and by understanding the game better. By figuring out how to be better & managing to shoot low scores with constant improvement has been the key through my career, to try focus on my game, my strengths and what I can improve to be competing consistently at the highest level.'

HER JOURNEY. Brilliantly finishing 2nd at LET Q-School at La Manga & achieving her full card on the Ladies European Tour in 2020.

She reflects on her journey progressing through the levels required to reach the top level in ladies golf.

'I came to play in Europe last year and competed on the LET Access for the 2019 season. It was a new challenge for me to come to Europe because I didn’t know many people, actually just one player from Czech Republic who studied with me at Old Dominion University, but apart from her I was alone. I didn’t have status, I just sent some emails to get invitations and since I got on couple of them I decided to travel. I accepted the challenge and went for it.

Everything was new for me but it was what motivated me the most. Of course I went through my ups and downs through the season but managed to finish 17th on the Order of Merit, with 5 top 10’s and finishing tied first on the last event sadly losing in the playoff.

Hard work does pay off, but we have to be mentally prepared for when our A game comes out, to know how to handle it. It was a great experience for me, so I decided to play the final stage of Q-School for 2020.

My goal was to get my full LET card, but it’s a long tournament and you need a lot of determination and perseverance to handle the situation for 5 rounds on 2 different courses. I think if you remain calm and concentrated on what you can handle and what’s in your power to do, things and results will come, you just have to trust yourself!'

She is currently in South Africa & begins her rookie year on the LET at the co sanctioned Investec South Africa Open with great optimism, we will be following her journey & wish her every success.

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FEATURE

ALICE HEWSON

Next Generation Ladies European Tour Professional

Exclusive Interview

BY DAVID J NICHOLSON

A

lice is a rising star of the Ladies European Tour scene & very popular amongst the fans & players.

Coming from a very successful amateur career at Clemson University breaking numerous records for The Clemson Tigers golf team & a credible 10th at the inaugural Augusta National National Women's

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Amateur Tournament, she was heading for an exciting future as a tour professional.

During this lockdown period she was very accommodating to discuss her career to date.

I asked her the following questions, for our readership to understand more about Alice.

FEATURE

Q&A

Who were your early influences, role models & your initial interest in golf?

- I started playing golf at my local golf club, Berkhamsted golf club, with my dad, as he was a member there. Berkhamsted used to put on really good junior lessons in groups, and so that’s where my passion for the game really started. We went over basics all the way from putting to long game and even rules classes so I had a well rounded start to the game.

I was really lucky in the fact that Georgia Hall and Bronte Law were both part of the England golf set up at a similar time that I was, so I’ve had the opportunity to practice and compete with both of them. It has been a really cool experience to watch them develop from England golf set up through to being successful at professional events and even stars in the Solheim cup. They pave for a great way for all girls within England golf to see truly what is possible.

Your Henry Cooper Junior Masters experience?

- Although, I didn’t play my best golf at the Henry Cooper junior Masters it was a really great experience.

The event is just going from strength to strength every year, and it’s great to see so many junior ladies participating each year in the event.

Your motivation to move & play in the USA? - When I was about 14 or 15, it became apparent that moving to the USA for university was going to be the best option for me. The facilities, the coaches and the technology that the universities over there have to offer, just didn't compare to what I felt I

could have available in the UK. My experience at Clemson University was second to none, and it has really helped shape me as a person and as a player. I had to learn how to take control over my own game and juggle doing an accounting degree with high-level golf.

The importance of Berkhamsted GC support?

- I can’t stress enough how important the help has been that I have received from Berkhamsted Golf Club. They have always supported me, from the age of seven when I first became a member, and continue to do so.

The ladies section have travelled all over; they come over to Ireland and America to watch me compete in the Curtis Cup events. Lots of members came up to Woburn to support me at my first AIG British Women’s Open, which made the event even more special. So many members have been so generous since I turned pro and have made contributions to the costs of funding my season.

The success you have enjoyed at the European team championships & the benefits of team events?

- Team events are some of the best events of the season. It's special being able to travel the world with a group of girls I love spending time with is always good fun.

We had some success both in Iceland and in Portugal, and I was actually the only player to be on both of those teams, but both weeks were definitely a highlight of my amateur career.

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FEATURE

You made history by becoming the first Englishwoman to play at Augusta National what was the experience like?

- Playing at Augusta National is an incredible experience, and to be in the first year of the competition made it even more special. It really was a huge step in women’s golf, especially the Amatuer game, to have women play at Augusta National. I have never seen a golf course in such immaculate condition, there wasn’t a single blade of grass out of place. I had no idea that greens could even get that fast.

The highlight of my tournament was on the 15th hole when I holed a putt from off the back of the green. The grandstands by the 15th &16th green erupted as the putt went in!

LET Q School, your experience & support through the tournament?

- I really enjoyed my time at La Manga for the LET Q Tour school, but it was definitely a challenge in two weeks. I was very lucky in the fact that a family friend lived in La Manga and so I was able to stay with them. I had a local Caddy for the first week who is very knowledgeable and had experience caddying on the tour before. He really helped me to get a feel for the golf courses and be better prepared for the second week when he was unable to Caddy.

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FEATURE During the final round there weren’t too many scoreboards out so I had no idea whether I thought I was placed. Later as I was playing, I could see that I was in the top five, but I couldn’t see how close the next player was.

My 18th hole was a little bit interesting, I decided to go for the green in two, However, I missed the green quite far to the right. I found myself having to go under a tree and over a bunker to a tight right pin. Luckily I was able to hit the green and two putt for my par. As it turns out, I had a few shots to play with.

To achieve the success in South Africa on your rookie start what was your feeling before & after the 7ft putt on the 18th?

- I really enjoyed playing in South Africa, and to come away with a win was more than I could’ve ever expected. Going into the last day I was a few shots behind the leaders, so I knew I just had to play my own game.

After the 15th hole, I caught glimpse of a scoreboard and saw that I was in the lead. I literally had to take a second to shake my body and calm down before going on to the next hole as I was so nervous.

Coming up the 18th I didn’t hit my best drive and find myself in some trees, but luckily I was able to see a gap. I actually executed my chip too well, going through the trees in front of me but staying too high and hitting the next set of trees.

Finding myself 65 yards away from the hole was not ideal, but I stuck to my processes and executed my pitch shot well.

I had no idea that the group behind it all bogeyed the 17th hole, and both players in my group had finished at four under; I knew that my putt was to stay ahead of both of them. I had putted pretty well all day, my Caddy was really good at helping me read the greens. We work together and picked a line that I was really happy with, and all I had to do was start it online. Everything after the putt was a bit of a whirlwind, from coming off the green straight into scoring, straight out to interviews and then to the prize-giving!

Aspirations for 2020/21?

- Continue to be successful on the Ladies European tour, as well as trying to earn my status to be on the LPGA. Interests & hobbies away from golf?

- I like to do yoga and spinning but also love to unwind watching a movie.

Alice has also previously been a national level swimmer, showing her committed competitive side!

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FEATURE

Introducing Hannah Bowen

PGA Professional from Wales

BY DAVID J NICHOLSON

H

annah has just finished Pre Qualifying for the AIG Woman's British Open & although she didn't qualify remains determined to reach the highest level in Ladies Golf.

As well as being a respected coach, she has recently started modeling in her spare time to subsidise her costs to travel & enter tournaments.

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She epitomises the dedication of a modern young lady professional determined to empower the ladies game with a positive outlook & keen to enhance the evolving fashion now becoming available to them.

We will be following her journey through the magazine & providing opportunities to her for more events in the winter in the Costa del Sol.

Q&A

FEATURE

Hobbies & ladies professionals that have inspired you?

- I am so busy with being a golf professional it becomes difficult to fit in extra hobbies. Being a professional there are so many different roles you have to be, you have to fit in time to do them all and be the heart of the golf club from a salesperson, player, coach, club-fitter and much more.

I have a job as a model in my spare time to help earn money to help pay for travelling for golf tournaments, and I love it because I get to dress up and be girly and have my makeup and hair done.

When I do have any spare time I do anything that will help me in my golf, so I currently have personal training in the gym to help gain strength. I also do a balance class to help with flexibility and a Twerk class to help with general fitness.

Really probably one of my only lady golfer inspirations was Catriona Matthew, although growing up I didn’t watch a lot of golf, even now it’s not the choice of TV especially if I had to chose between that and Love Island ha ha.

I really want to always be my own inspiration, and hopefully inspire others one day. I want to look at what my goals are and the person I want to be in 10 years time and be inspired to be that person. It’s about looking at myself and being proud and happy with what I have achieved and never comparing my accomplishments with anyone else’s.

How did you get into golf?

- As a youngster I was a joiner, I would be part of all sorts of clubs from football to book club. I wasn’t the most naturally gifted at sport, but when I tried golf I noticed I had a bit more of a natural ability for it. The beauty of the game is no matter what ability you are, because of the handicap system anyone can compete. It also helped me being a self paced individual sport, you can work hard and learn it.

Your early experience?

- When I started playing golf I was a member of a local course called ‘Royal’ Glynneath and I loved it there!

Everyone was supportive and laid back and made it easy for me to love golf. One lady from that club Evelyn her name was, I have to thank for all her help with taking me out to play and getting me my first ever handicap at 14 years old.

However sadly as I was getting a little older the ladies section was sadly dying out, which meant I had to move to another club called Neath. This club was still a very old fashioned club and hadn’t moved forward with the times and ways to make golf more appealing for youngsters. So being a young female golfer my time there was made a tad more difficult. Even now working in the golf industry it’s still very evident that golf is still a male dominated sport, although I’m doing everything I can to change that!

My parents and sisters were incredibly supportive with driving me to tournaments and taking me to practice, even driving me to work when I had my first professional job. I couldn’t be more thankful to them. I remember when I qualified for the Junior European Open my sister Sam came with me and really did everything she could to help me play well (that even involved being a Human

Buckeroo when our golf buggy broke down). My dad was really amazing when growing up, he didn’t play golf in fact no one in my family did, but he took an interest in the game because I was playing it. He gave up lots of free time to take me to the local golf club for practice and tournament all over the country. I remember he used to work a night shift, take me to a tournament, walk the 4 hour round with me, have a little nap before the prize presentation, then go and work another night shift. My mam didn’t drive so she didn’t make it to many of my

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FEATURE tournaments but when she was there she was always extremely supportive, it was lovely to have her on my bag. She always got me prepared for the tournament and helped with picking what to wear for the event. She’s like my fashion guru! While doing my PGA training to become a fully qualified professional I did have ups and downs and occasionally I lacked confidence but my boss Lewis and my work college Lloyd had faith in me and supported me all the way. I loved every event I entered I meet so many incredible people. I had the honour to caddy for Mrs Brown’s Boys star Jenny Gibney, throughout my whole career she has been so supportive by following my progress, so it’s a fantastic feeling to know I made another friend for life.

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First tournament experience?

- My first ever tournament experience was a 9 hole competition in a section called South Wales Girls. I had so much fun although I was very nervous I won the event that day.

My first ever big Amateur tournament experience was when I qualified tor the Junior European Open in Spain.

That tournament really was the tournament which made me sure I wanted to one day turn pro. I’m actually going to be at the Event this year as a volunteer to make sure the girls are all ok during the event, and give them any advice I can that can hopefully help.

I have played so many professional tournaments over the last four years I can’t even remember my first event, but I love every event I enter (even when the travelling there doesn’t go to plan) and relish the opportunity to do well. I haven’t yet won a ladies event, but I have been close and I feel my game is in good nick, so I feel a win coming on. Every dog has it’s day, so I just have to sit back and keep plodding along and hopefully soon it will be my day!

Do you feel that more tournaments should be available for young female professionals?

- I would love these to be more events, and cheaper events to enter. We have an annual WPGA meeting every year and discuss the same things about wanting more events, with a bigger prize fund, however with the lack of sponsors it looks most unlikely.

When you look ladies professional golf in comparison to men’s it’s evident that it’s still a man's world we live in, although lady golfers all over the world are trying our best to change the perception of the game.

Current plans?

- I don’t know what the future holds, but I have a lot of plans and dreams that I would love to do.

I love playing and have open Pre-qualifying in July, so I look forward to playing in that. I have around 4 WPGA events left to play, but I am currently 5th in the OOM, if I stay top 6 I will get into a big LETAS tour event called the PGA Cup. But with so many events left anything could happen, wish me luck!

I would love to run my own coaching clinics, I teach loads at my current club from beginners to elite players, from 4 years old to 80 years old. I am also an Ambassador for the golf union of Wales, and a fully qualified inclusive coach. Working with children and adults who have a variety of disabilities can be challenging, but the most rewarding work I do.

I do corporate events for a company called European Golf Challenge and they specialise in bringing a unique, modern and fun approach to golf events. They offer a 'Beat the Pro' ladies challenge. Plus a complimentary Chaka Travel Hole in One Challenge where you can win a 5* holiday to Mauritius.

I love fashion and so would love to be involved with designing a golf brand or adding to golf brands that already exist. If you can imagine being a full time player I know what is practical for golf, but I also want it to be stylish.

I love talking also so if I got the opportunity I’d love to be a commentator for sports, golf in particular.

Would you welcome more brand support for young professionals ie equipment, Under Armour apparel etc & have you received support from any brands?

- 100%, sponsorship and brand endorsement is so important. I haven’t signed a contract for sponsorship with any companies although I would jump at the chance to. However being a fully qualified PGA professional I do get equipment with a % off trade discount. I was incredibly lucky that our callaway brand rep gave me my Stroke Lab putter for free this year and I love it! It’s definitely improving my putting. I have also had money off trade for my ping driver and Ping & Titleist irons, I have our local reps to thank.

I feel it’s important to feel like you look good on the course, so by looking good and feeling good, you should hopefully play good too! Clothing wise, I have received clothing off Loudmouth Golf and I love how quirky and different their style is. I have also been lucky enough to get some underarmour gear given to me by our local rep, which I love wearing. I am also so excited for some good weather so I can get some Sweet Sandals golf sandals out because they are so fun and flirty and can really help improve my embarrassing golf tan! So we are striking a deal to help promote their gear. As part of European Golf Challenge we have received very generous clothing from Cross sportswear and I absolutely love their stuff especially the pink bomber jacket, it has to be my favourite.

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Photography Chloe Mary Photography https:// chloemaryphotography.co.uk Jewellery Sam Ryde www.samryde.co.uk Make Up Sarah Water Aesthetics Instagram @sarahwateraesthics

FEATURE How has lockdown effected your Pro schedule for 2020 & what was your involvement in the World's Biggest Golf Lesson?

- This year has been the strangest for my pro schedule, at this moment we are in the waiting game. Different tours have currently made their own choices so far as to what is happening for the reminder of the season, some competitions have been rescheduled and some cancelled. At this moment it is hard to work out what the schedule holds. Before all the schedule changes I paid ÂŁ5 for a wall calendar, I spent hours making plans for the season, working out which tournaments I had committed myself to entering and wanting to play, unfortunately I think that could have been a waste of ÂŁ5. Who knows what the season holds, but as long as we come out of this safe then it doesn't matter.

Maybe it is a good thing that tournaments haven't yet resumed with 9 weeks of no practice I can't imagine the scoring being something desired. I an just happy that the golf courses in Wales have now opened, although there are many restrictions, we have to play alone, we can only play one ball (unless we need to play a provisional), we can only play 3 times a week and not consecutively, we can only arrive 20 minutes before our tee time and we have to leave as soon as we finish our round. All of these restrictions are making playing very odd, but nonetheless it is still really good to get out on the course.

I have never been so excited to play, I have felt like a child going to Disneyland.

Something I noticed throughout the whole of lockdown is that challenges on social media have become a massive part of society to help keep up morale. I was already volunteering as a street champion and putting together my own challenge channel on Instagram, when a WPGA golf pro contacted me to take part in the Worlds Biggest Golf Challenge. At first I wasn't sure whether to take part. I am very new to social media and the whole live or video lessons and I have always had a dislike for generic tips as I don't believe these work for everyone, but I could see that this scheme was worth taking part in and as a member of the PGA I did feel it was our duty to. The Worlds Biggest Golf Lesson was founded by and was the idea of Paul Ring, of Sharpshooters Junior Golf, and Gavin Grenville-Wood, of Leadbetter Kids Golf, trying to get Professional Golfers all over the world to coach a putting lesson for between 15-30 minutes all at the same time via Instagram live (5th May 2pm Great Britain time) in the hopes on beating a world record, and raising money for World charities.

The NHS for the UK because the staff and volunteers are doing amazing work right now in caring for COVID-19 patients, the Niagara Health Foundation for Canada, the direct relief for the USA and other world charities. You will be pleased to know that the record was smashed by having 578 coaches all over the world who coached a

total of 50,113 pupils (244 of those were mine), and beat the target of donations to charity by raising over ÂŁ10,000. I am very happy I took part in such a good cause. I wanted to reach out to as many of my followers as possible some of which don't play golf by making my lessons basic and to focus on the fundamentals and making it as accessible as possible for everyone to take part.

I am a qualified inclusive coach and love working with those who need inclusive coaching to help them to take part in a sport they may otherwise not have been given the opportunity to play. That was the inspiration for my drawings I created during my live, to be able to connect with those with hearing impairments, so they could still take part in my lesson as I don't currently know how to sign BSL, but I am looking into learning how to do so.

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FEATURE

Lockdown Tips with Alice Davis

PGA Professional at Parkstone Golf Club, Dorset

BY DAVID J NICHOLSON

Q&A W

Alice Davis, PGA Professional, sponsored by Harlequin Homes and member of the Taylormade Ladies Advisory Board

ho influenced you to start playing golf and early inspirations?

When I was 6, my parents wanted my younger brother to try golf and I insisted I wanted to try as well. I loved the sport right from the start, taking part in group lessons and mini golf tours in the local area.

Growing up my inspirations were Michelle Wie and Paula Creamer. Michelle Wie inspired me because when she was growing up she was playing in Men’s Tour events

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and pushing the boundaries of men’s and women’s golf.

Paula Creamer aka The Pink Panther was more of a fashion inspiration. I have always been a big lover of pink, so always loved watching her style on the course.

During lockdown you have launched some great home videos for your ladies to continue their interest, what are your future plans?

I have loved creating the home videos to keep my

FEATURE pupils and the members at Parkstone Golf Club engaged through my Alice Davis Golf Coaching Facebook page during lockdown and give them some simple drills that they can practice in their houses or gardens. Parkstone Golf Club is such a friendly, tight-knit community, so it has been great to communicate with them during this difficult time. Golf is now restarting, however there will still be some who are vulnerable and self isolating, so I will continue with tips for them whilst getting back to teaching and keep them updated with developments at the golf club.

How do you think the new guidelines will impact your teaching techniques and group lessons?

Teaching whilst maintaining a 2m distance has been difficult so far because as a pro you are used to helping the pupil into positions by holding their club, lending them training aids and show videos. We have to be creative with drills using the pupils’ own equipment, demonstrations and explanations to assist the pupil. I always send videos to the pupils after the lesson with a few notes. This will be vital at the moment for them to see the different in their swing. It is a shame that group lessons are still temporarily on hold, but many are making the most of one-to-one lessons to keep up with their golf. Parkstone Golf Club has been open to the pupil during lockdown, so they have been walking the course a lot and are keen to get out there.

Lockdown has been a great opportunity to practice some simple drills that you can work on at home or when you are back on your own practice facility. As we all know, short game is a key area of the game and is often left unpractised. This can be because people don’t know how to practice in a fun and effective way. Below you will find some drills and tips to help you practice effectively.

Confused about Club Selection?

Many golfers have one go-to club for chipping or are confused about which club to use when. There is a simple way to work it out.

When chipping we always want to aim to land the ball on the front of the green. This is because the front of the green is usually the first safe place to land the ball.

When you look at the total distance between your ball and the pin, what approximate percentage is the distance to the front of the green?

7 iron – 25% of the time in the air, 75% of the time rolling 9 iron – 50% of the time in the air, 50% of the time rolling Sand wedge – 75% of the time in the air, 25% of the time rolling.

In this picture, the front of the green is 50% of the way (the towel), so this would be a 9 iron chip.

There are factors that could affect the club selection such as speed of the green, slopes and strike.

During lockdown you can practice with a variety of clubs and distances. Pick your start and finish point and lay out items to mark 25%, 50% and 75%.

“Landing Zone” drill Hitting the Land Zone We now know we want to aim to land the ball at the front of the green and let the loft of the club determine the amount of roll. The next challenge it to actually land it where you choose. In this simple drill, set yourself a “landing zone” where the ball should bounce which is appropriate for the club you have selected.

It is always good to track your own development, so set yourself a challenge. Hit 10 shots and see how many you hit in the “landing zone”. Make sure you do this will all your chipping clubs, as you never know when you may need them. If one club is particularly weak, you know which should be your focus in practice.

Make the most of the practice time you have at the moment. To make things fun and to add a competitive edge, compete against a friend to see who can land the ball closest to a target or finish closest to the hole. The competitive element will replicate the pressure you may feel when on the course.

9 iron chip and run, landing the ball on the front of the green

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DESTINATION FEATURE

Franciacorte Golf Club Brescia, Italy

The Wine Golf Club

T

BY DAVID J NICHOLSON

his scenic golf course is just one hour East of Milan situated in between the UNESCO listed cities of Brescia & Bergamo.

Franciacorte is a region synonymous in cultural significance & fine wine production.

Situated south of Lake Iseo on the botanic hills approximately 185 metres above sea level the scenery is truly breathtaking.

Franciacorte is one of 4 courses in the collaboration in the region known as ‘The Historical Italian Golf Clubs’ which make this an ever growing popular destination for the discerning lady golfers.

The golf club was inaugurated in 1986 with three 9 hole golf courses designed by Pete Dye & Marco Croze named in keeping with the wine heritage, Brut, Saten & Rosé.

The courses are perfectly conceived, technically

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demanding, requiring accuracy & distance control complimented by quick greens, strategically placed bunkers as well it's natural water hazards .

It's breathtaking scenery from the small forests, lake Iseo & surrounding vineyards make this a truly unique experience.

The region’s wine heritage dates back to the 16th century although records show the 1st bottle was produced in 1961 at the largest of the wineries, Guido Berlucchi.

Over 1000 hectares produce the quality Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc creating Italy’s premier sparkling wine.

Awarded DOCG Status, the highest level of Italian wine classification, it makes wine tasting experiences after golf an essential part of the visit!

DESTINATION FEATURE l Culture & group experiences are in abundance in this historic region to compliment this unique golf experience l Bergamo is truly spectacular with the old higher city complimented by a visit to the bustling modern lower city or Citta Basa, as it's known locally. l A visit to the highly acclaimed, Accademia Carrara museum & art gallery with the masterpiece by Andrea Mantega is another recommended visit. l Other recommendations are an excursion to the Island of Loreto taking in the classical outdoor concert, or cooking classes at Trattoria del Gallo in Rovato, a historic trattoria in the heart of Franciacorte. l Retail therapy at the Fashion outlet Village of Rodengo Saiano is popular with international brands & exclusive boutiques. l Lake Iseo offers another insight into the regions history with the home of the ‘Riva’ luxury speedboat sadly the last production was in1996. l Built on the shores of lake Iseo, the design of Pietro, Serafrim & Carlos Riva, this iconic speedboat lives on to feel that breathtaking moment speeding across the lake in the Riva Aquarama. l Or relax on the historical traditional sailing boat, sipping a cocktail & watching the beautiful sunsets. l No visit is complete without visiting the impressive Dispensa Pane e Vini, a fine dining restaurant, wine bar, modern osteria & enoteca to enjoy the finest local cuisine and award winning wines.

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