Lgc magazine - Issue 11 - 2016

G O L F

FEBRUARY 2016

C L U B

M A G A Z I N E

EUROPEAN TOUR

DRIVING EVENT

PERFORMANCE

Double delight for McIlroy

Including Aston Martin

Improving golf through exercise

MAYFAIR STORE

43 Davies Street, Mayfair London W1K 4LU

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CONTENTS February 2016 EUROPEAN TOUR Double delight for McIlroy

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CHERVÒ Leading Italian sports and leisure apparel

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EUROPEAN TOUR PROPERTIES 18 Spanish Dramatics at Catalunya’s Q-School

WYDER CUP Mark Squire and Sean Scotcher were the 2015 Captains

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BANG & OLUFSEN 90 years celebration

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WEDDINGS & EVENTS Elegant | Unique | Exclusive

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CONSTRUCTION CUP A great day to see different companies from the Construction Industry together, in a relaxed and fun atmosphere

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PERFORMANCE Improving golf through exercise

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IMG PRESTIGE Monte Rei Golf & Country Club

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DRIVING EVENT Including Aston Martin V12 Vantage S

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MEMBERS GUEST DAY Celebration Golf & Rugby

GARDENING Autumn & Winter season

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BILLECART-SALMON 44 Give priority to quality, strive for excellence

RECIPE 30 Pan fried Fillet of Sea Bass with Saag Aloo, Curried Mussels, Green Beans and an Onion and Fennel Bhaji COMPETITION REPORTS Played over the Heritage & International courses

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COACHING Winter Golf

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VIRGIN ATLANTIC For over 30 years

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MEMBERS CHRISTMAS FAMILY LUNCH A wonderful festive afternoon

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32 MEMBERS CHRISTMAS PARTY 50 One of the most anticipated Social Events of the year

LONDON GOLF CLUB

INTRODUCTION

NEW HEADER REQUIRED Another wonderful year at the Club and an action packed ‘The London’.

Welcome to our latest edition of ‘The London’ reflecting on a fantastic 2015 at the Club, with plenty of action on and off the golf course. The front cover highlights our partnerships with some of the best luxury brands available, with key events held throughout the year a number of supercar brands, state of the art audio-visual suppliers and jewelry that would dazzle any catwalk audience.

At the time of writing this introduction the number of European Tour Properties has risen to 18, which when added to the extensive list of IMG Prestige and Jack Nicklaus courses means we offer amazing member golfing benefits throughout the World.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

Closer to home the pages reflect on the golfing excellence of those that managed to get their name on the Honours Boards for 2015 – congratulations to all. In June of this year we will host Europe’s leading Amateur Tournament, The Brabazon Trophy whose past winners include Charl Schwartzel, Sandy Lyle MBE, Sir Michael Bonallack and Gary Wolstenholme. I am sure many of you will take the time to come up to the Club to see how they fare on the Heritage.

It is always good to see so many smiling faces amidst the several social functions that took place on the run-up to and during Christmas.

2016 will see more of the enjoyable Members Guest Days and fun BBQ events, which we hope to see you at.

We will be addressing some large infrastructure projects over the coming months, with the expected impact being kept to an absolute minimum - details will be communicated in advance and your patience with these essential projects is appreciated.

I would like to close in thanking you all for your support throughout the past year, as well as the continued efforts of everyone in the team at LGC. The relaxed fun atmosphere to be found at LGC is something, in my opinion, that is rarely found within golf!

Best wishes, Austen Gravestock Chief Executive 5

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Getty Images

EUROPEAN TOUR Double delight for McIlroy.

EUROPEAN TOUR

Earth course 18th hole at the 2015 finale - The DP World Tour Championship

THE 2015 EUROPEAN TOUR SEASON Rory McIlroy ended the 2015 season as Europe’s Number One for the third time in four years but, unlike 12 months ago when he swept all before him, on this occasion the Northern Irishman was pushed all the way to the finishing line.

Just 1,613 points separated leader McIlroy and his closest Race to Dubai rival, Danny Willett, heading into the season finale, the DP World Tour Championship, held on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates – a European Tour Destination.

But in the end, despite the best efforts of Willett and his fellow Englishman Andy Sullivan, who enhanced his burgeoning reputation by matching McIlroy birdie for birdie in an enthralling final day duel, ultimately the World Number Three stamped his class at a venue which he counts amongst his favourites on The European Tour.

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Even by his elevated standards, McIlroy’s record over the Greg Norman-designed Earth Course is incredibly impressive – his form figures in seven appearances read: 1st, 2nd, 5th, 1st, 11th, 5th, 3rd.

Successive opening rounds of 68 saw him well placed heading into the weekend, and he stepped on the gas with rounds of 65 and 66 over the weekend to finish on 21 under par, one stroke clear of the indefatigable Sullivan, whose runner-up finish – allied to previous victories in the South African Open Championship, the Joburg Open and the Portugal Masters – ensured he finished a creditable eighth place in The Race to Dubai.

The victory was McIlroy’s third of the season, and his second in Dubai following his win in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in February.

His defeat of American Gary Woodland in the final of the WGC-Match Play Championship three months later moved McIlroy to the top of The Race to Dubai Rankings at the expense of Willett, who had occupied the position since winning the lucrative, season-opening Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa’s Sun City.

A second title of the season, in July’s Omega European Masters at the magnificent Crans-sur-Sierre, saw Willett close the gap on McIlroy, and as the season drew to a close, the Englishman poured the pressure on his nemesis with a dazzling display at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China.

A closing round of 62 at Sheshan International Golf Club was not quite enough to ensure a debut World Golf Championship title for Willett – instead, that accolade fell to Scotland’s Russell Knox – but it did set up a grandstand finish in Dubai, with McIlroy’s final flourish setting the seal on another superb season for the World Number Three.

With his win, McIlroy became the seventh player to be crowned Europe’s Number One in back-to-back years, and the fifth – after Colin Montgomerie (eight), Seve Ballesteros (six), Peter Oosterhuis and Sandy Lyle (both three) – to win the money list three or more times.

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EUROPEAN TOUR

Win a tournament - Hug a Tree!

So says Shane Lowry!

Matt Fitzpatrick, winner of the 2015 British Masters

Speaking after doing the ‘Dubai Double’, McIlroy said: “It means an awful lot to win this tournament again, especially because I had to play so well over the weekend to beat Andy.

Dubai has been a pretty sweet place for me, I’ve got a place here and it feels like home in some ways.

“To be European Number One for the third time in four years was a goal of mine at the start of the year. It became a bigger one when I hit the front in the middle of the year, and it was definitely a goal coming into these last few weeks.”

Other highlights of the 2015 season include a popular win for Shane Lowry in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, where the genial Irishman produced some Houdini-esque escapology to see off a world-class field and claim a first victory in America.

In the Tour’s traditional heartland of Europe, rising stars Byeong-hun An of Korea and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick both proved that age is no barrier to success with fearless displays at Wentworth and Woburn respectively.

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Contemplating the shot or the view?

Danny Willett, Omega European Masters Winner 2015

Similarly, big-hitting Belgian Thomas Pieters, seeking to follow in the footsteps of his compatriot Nico Colsaerts by qualifying for The Ryder Cup, won two titles in the space of three weeks, following up his victory in the Czech Masters with another in the KLM Open.

Factor in wins for the likes of Rickie Fowler at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and Justin Rose at the UBS Hong Kong Open, and it’s clear that the 2015 season was another vintage one on The European Tour.

Roll on 2016…

Another European Tour ‘rookie’ who claimed two titles in three weeks was Anirban Lahiri, firstly at the Malaysian Open and then on home soil in the Hero Indian Open.

All photos by Getty Images

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CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AT THE LONDON GOLF CLUB Friday 2nd December MEMBERS CHRISTMAS PARTY Saturday 3rd December MEMBERS CHRISTMAS PARTY Sunday 4th December MEMBERS SUNDAY CARVERY Friday 9th December PARTY NIGHT

Saturday 10th December PARTY NIGHT Friday 16th December PARTY NIGHT Saturday 17th December PARTY NIGHT Sunday 18th December MEMBERS CHRISTMAS FAMILY LUNCH

TO BOOK PLEASE CONTACT OUR EVENTS TEAM: becky@londongolf.co.uk | www.londongolf.co.uk | 01474 875 720

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GOLF EVENTS

Booking your golf event at London Golf Club is very simple. Select one of our golf packages and/or discuss your requirements with our events team. We will help you select any additional items to make your event even more special and send you a proposal. We will then reserve your chosen date and ensure smooth running of the event on the day.

For more information please call 01474 875 752 or email golf@londongolf.co.uk

CHERVĂ’ Leading Italian sports and leisure apparel.

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CHERVÒ

FASHION The new spring/summer 2016 collection from Chervò, the leading Italian sports and leisure apparel manufacturer, expresses the brand’s true essence.

The clothing features a unique explosion of colour ensuring men and women, who wish to be dynamic while naturally retaining a hint of glamour, always have the perfect look for any time of day. The new concept and new frontier for Chervò are also reflected in our advertising campaign, with specially chosen moods featuring new, distinctive undertones inspired by the best in the world of sport, but with a surprisingly retro feel.

Photos for the new campaign were shot in the sumptuous rooms and spectacular parkland at the magnificent Palace of Venaria, near Turin. The campaign contrasts colours and time and space by setting the modern-day sports collection in the opulent interiors and exteriors at the former residence of the Royal House of Savoy.

The worlds of seventies and eighties’ street art and graffiti also come together to influence outfits with a high-impact colour palette.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

Solid-colour clothing in fluoro tones exude a bold look and go hand in hand with designs created with jungle-inspired textures, vintage optical patterns, camouflage prints for men, ‘watercolour’ prints for women, and microprints, as well as classic stripes and the must-have check.

The spring/summer 2016 collection also features some of the ‘happy goose’ 100 per cent down-free quilted jackets to keep you warm and dry on cool or rainy days.

The patented technologies that form the brand’s DNA, such as Aqua Block, Wind Lock, Sun Block and Dry Matic, are constantly being fine-tuned and updated to deliver top-flight performance, pure comfort, and lightweight, easy-care fabrics.

www.chervo.com

Chervò. Nobility on and off course.

Of course.

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PGA Catalunya’s spectacular Stadium Course

EUROPEAN TOUR PROPERTIES Spanish Dramatics at Catalunya’s Q-School.

Under the dramatic Spanish winter skies that rolled over the pristine European Tour Destination PGA Catalunya Resort, emotional scenes of unbridled joy and crushing heartbreak marked yet another edition of one of golf’s most unique and fabled tournaments - Qualifying School Final Stage. There were tears of elation and tears of devastation on a dramatic final day which ended with 27 players fulfilling their European Tour dreams and earning a berth on The 2016 Race to Dubai. For the first time in the history of golf’s great marathon, three players shared the winning prize fund – Ulrich van den Berg of South Africa, Spaniard Adrian Otaegui and the USA’s Daniel Im – with the first, second and third European Tour cards going in that respective order.

Typically for the six-round marathon at the stunning, sun-kissed Girona resort, however, much of the drama unfolded further down the leaderboard where the cut line for European Tour cards fell at seven under par, with four players climbing inside the crucial top 25 and ties, and eight suffering the crushing fate of falling out the other way.

Among the 27 to have claimed their cards were former Ryder Cup hero Edoardo Molinari, who had to endure a long and tense

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Sparkling future for Swedish teenage sensation Markus Kinhult

wait before finishing right on the mark, as well as Swedish teenage sensation Marcus Kinhult and Irishman Paul Dunne – who led The Open Championship after the third round earlier this year.

The emotion of the occasion was palpable throughout the day and the final round produced some heart-warming and life-affirming moments, most notably for Englishman Matthew Southgate – who

was diagnosed with testicular cancer in July of this year.

On top of that personal struggle, the Essex player’s two year old niece Hattie Seymour has also been battling Leukaemia and undergoing treatment at the Great Ormond Street hospital.

No wonder then, the 27 year old found it hard to talk through the tears and the emotion after he carded a two under par 70 to earn

LONDON GOLF CLUB

EUROPEAN TOUR PROPERTIES

a return to The European Tour, having bravely come through all three stages of golf’s greatest marathon. “I am over the moon,” he said.

“It’s such a tough process to come through but I stuck at it and played exactly how I wanted to play.” “What’s going on at home is very tough, but to be able to put a smile on my family’s faces, you just can’t beat that.

I’ve matured a lot through my situation, through the cards I have been dealt, but I’ve always been a fighter. To get to the top level of golf again is absolutely fantastic.”

Another emotional man at the conclusion of play was Huddersfield’s Chris Hanson.

After turning professional almost ten years ago, the 30 year old struggled to make the breakthrough to the top echelons of the professional game. After a difficult six over par final round 78, Hanson explained just how tough it has been for he and his family to continue chasing that dream, but he admitted it was all worth it after finally securing European Tour status for the first time.

“My dad passed away four years ago, he was such a lovely guy,” he said. “It’s been a really tough year at home financially too.

My youngest daughter just turned one this week, another milestone missed, but that is the sacrifice you have to make in this game.

Joint Q-School winners – Daniel Im, Ulrich Van den Berg & Adrian Otaegui

of experience on the top tier in the last two years despite his Challenge Tour status.

“I don’t know what to say. I thought I had lost it from my start today and thought I had no chance. I’ve got a card, whether it was the first card or the last card, I don’t really care, I have the opportunity to go and play for some big money.”

It was a topsy-turvy and frenetic day which was given a fittingly bizarre ending as three players were handed the trophy after all finishing on 18 under par, with the European Tour cards distributed on the countback.

For van den Berg, it was also an emotive moment as he made a return to the top tier of European golf for the first time since earning his card here in 2007, before quitting the game in his rookie season following the death of his father.

Im was the only one of the three victors who will make his debut on The European Tour as a full Member – having garnered plenty

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Otaegui, meanwhile, spent the past two seasons on The European Tour but has not yet managed to retain his card, coincidentally finishing 118th in The Race to Dubai on both occasions, but he passed the Qualifying School examination with flying colours after carding a final round 68. Molinari, the older of the famous Italian brothers who starred together in The 2010 Ryder Cup, compared his four under back nine to the one which earned him a second European Tour title at Gleneagles in 2010. The 34 year old looked to be down and out after a double bogey at the 14th, having teed off at the tenth, but he rallied to an immediate birdie at the 15th before carding the tied best score of the day on the front nine, his back nine, to register a three under par 69 and finish on the cut line of seven under.

Matthew Southgate

All photos by Getty Images

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IMG PRESTIGE Monte Rei Golf & Country Club.

IMG PRESTIGE

ABOUT MONTE REI: Set in over 1,000 acres of glorious countryside in Portugal’s unspoilt Eastern Algarve, Monte Rei Golf & Country Club is firmly established as one of the jewels in the crown of European golf. Offering breathtaking views of both the Atlantic Ocean and the dramatic Serra do Caldeirão mountains, this sophisticated luxury resort quickly became recognised as one of the premier golf complexes in continental Europe following its opening in 2007.

The centerpiece of Monte Rei’s attractions is its first Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, a par-72 championship layout stretching to 7,223 yards from the Tournament tees, water comes into play on 11 of the 18 holes.

This challenging and distinctive layout is made up of eight par 4s, five par 3s and five par 5s. Each hole is an individual design triumph, blending effortlessly into the natural canvas; from its ingeniously shaped and sculptured

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bunkers, to the attention to detail which makes every hole as remarkable as the next.

Immaculately presented, fairways and greens are bordered by several lakes while indigenous plants, native grasses and trees add definition and colour to the characterful landscape.

The standard of service is unmistakably excellent, from the bag drop and valet parking to the well-appointed pro shop and bespoke preparation of your top of the range buggy with the leading GPS technology. Intervals between tee times are a generous 12 minutes so there is always time to fully appreciate this world-class course.

While Monte Rei Golf & Country Club offers a choice of stunning property styles, the building density here is one of the lowest of any comparable European development.

Located within O Miradouro Village, Monte Rei’s luxury villas exude all the comfort and charm of a private home.

The large, beautiful one to four bedroom villas, some with private pools were inspired by traditional Portuguese architecture and each have ensuite luxury bathrooms, spacious covered terraces and landscaped gardens.

They radiate quality, and feature elegant interior décor, fully-equipped kitchens and outdoor dining area.

The villas are available for holiday and short-stay rentals for up to 8 guests. The operation offers services equal to those of a five-star hotel, including: in-villa dining, hotel-style housekeeping and turndown service, luxury toiletries from Molton Brown and a dedicated concierge service.

Situated only 45 minutes from Faro Airport and 90 minutes from Seville Airport, Monte Rei is easily accessible and benefits from the Algarve’s wonderful year round climate.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

IMG PRESTIGE

EXCLUSIVE PACKAGE: MONTE REI – Exclusively for the members of London Golf Club Stay date: From the 15th of November 2015 until the 14th of March 2016 Package includes: •

3 Night´s accommodation in a luxury 1-Bedroom villa for 2 guests

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Daily breakfast at the Grill Restaurant

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2 Rounds of golf per person at Monte Rei inclusive of: shared golf cart, bottled waters and access to the practice facilities with complimentary range balls prior to play;

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Access to Veranda facilities: fully equipped gymnasium, sauna and steam bath

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Access to the private members area and facilities within the clubhouse

Price per person: 570,00€ Rate also includes: Daily cleaning service including turndown, Molton Brown toiletries, bathrobes, slippers, hair dryer, safe deposit box and legal taxes.

Each villa is fully equipped and features full air conditioning, flat screen TV + CD / DVD player in the living room.

All villas have 1 wireless telephone based on the ground floor and 1 fixed telephone in the master bedroom - all local and national calls are free of charge, including wireless internet.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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DRIVING EVENT Including Aston Martin V12 Vantage S.

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Thank you so much for inviting me to join you on the driving experience day.

What a great experience to drive an Aston Martin and a McLaren back to back especially as I had never driven either car before.

I was surprised even though the cars look very different, how similar they were to drive. I think given the choice of owning one the Aston would be my car but only just.

David P. Smith, LGC Member

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

MEMBERS DRIVING EVENT

All the Team at all the Dealerships were calm, knowledgeable and offered great encouragement to get the best from the cars on the day. Well done Guys a great time was had and I would recommend it to anyone.

Mark Boret

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The Invitation from the London Golf Club was very pleasing to receive. Seems many more things are being organised for the members of late which is great news.

The event, was well structured on a fantastic sunny day with some amazing cars. My Wife signed up to drive a Bentley GT Coupe which she really enjoyed. Although I didn’t sign up for the fantastic Bright Orange McLaren or the Maserati Ghibli that I experienced on the day. I have since bought a new Lamborghini Huracan in White from Lamborghini Sevenoaks.

They even took me to Millbrook Testing Ground to experience the Huracan in the best environment.

We are delighted to work with Lancaster, the Luxury and Supercar division of Jardine Motors Group. On Saturday 12th September London Golf Club members had the opportunity to book and test-drive an amazing selection of cars including the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S, Bentley Continental GT, Maserati Ghibli, Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Coupe and the super McLaren 650S Coupe.

Drives, from London Golf Club, last approximately 40 minutes and were accompanied by a member of the Lancaster team to ensure that LGC members got the most from their drive.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

Our official travel partner Winged Boots were also present on the day, offering a chance to a lucky member to win a two night stay at Le Hotel Majestic Barreire in Cannes, France, including a round of golf on the Old Course also in Cannes.

To register on our Members Newsletters dabatase please email Leonardo@londongolf.co.uk to ensure you receive the latest news regularly.

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GARDENING Autumn & Winter Season.

By: Chris Fifield

GARDENING As our first significant storm of the autumn approaches it seems as good a time as any to duck for cover and start putting pen to paper for this article. It’s been an unusually mild autumn so far and nice as this is it has left me chomping at the bit to prune back the herbaceous plants that are still looking blooming marvellous. By cutting back the herbaceous perennials that have finished flowering in autumn this encourages good growth for next year. It can be left until early spring to maintain some winter interest.

This can even protect the plant as a kind of organic blanket as well as providing refuge for wildlife, however more care is needed to prune correctly in the spring so as not to cut or damage any new shoots.

Plants like the delicate, profusely flowered, Guara lindheimeri, the stunning and generous blue flowers of Aster frikartii ‘Monch’ and the dazzling pinky reds of Penstemmon ‘Garnet’ are still putting on a good show until the merciless frosts of winter force the plants to retreat and hibernate for the winter.

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Until this pruning has been done it is hard to find the space to put in my 5000+ bulbs and winter bedding plants so if the seasons could just sort themselves out please and go according to my plans then all will be well.

On the subject of bulbs I have opted for some new varieties this year as always as well as

As its name suggests the six pointy petals open like a star as water lilies do. Ironically, good drainage is essential, as with most bulbs, for this attractive early riser. Look out for a few by the bag drop stands. To follow and to compliment the showy kaufmanniana I have chosen Tulipa ‘Greenstar’. With spikey, reflexing petals it’s a white and green tulip that works in any display and is a great mixer.

Daffodils are often taken for granted as being fairly commonplace but with ever increasing choice there are plenty of new species arriving to bamboozle and more than ‘keep up with the Jones’s’.

some of the firm favourites. The first newbies to be seen in the very early spring (Feb-April) will be Tulipa kaufmanniana, more commonly known as the water lily tulip.

Cyclamineus ‘Winter Waltz’ is a new striking, American- bred variety of Daffodil. It has amazing backward sweeping white petals and an elongated apricot trumpet. It looks as if it is being tested in a wind tunnel… perhaps that’s how they bred them? Get an image up on your smart phone and you’ll see what I mean. One of the plants I am most looking forward to seeing (everything crossed) is Eramurus bungeii and E. ‘White Beauty’, more commonly known as the Foxtail Lily.

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GARDENING

Flowering in June and July the small star-like buds open from the bottom up and should provide a wow factor for a couple of months.

The plant provides height and new texture to our borders whilst still in keeping with our style. Alliums are always a popular choice but it’s easy to overlook the less known varieties in favour of the commonly used purple pom-poms that are now used extensively.

Let it be said that there is nothing wrong with these ‘Purple Sensations’, however after having the good fortune to visit the Hampton Court flower show this year my eyes where opened to all sorts of new ideas. The Allium stalls really caught my eye and I was unaware of the variety out there. Alliium bulgaricum is one fresh idea with its broad, bell-shaped greenish white flowers with a dark brown/red hue on the outside (again you need the image but I do try my best).

This year, disappointingly, we did not manage any other visits to public gardens. Having my second child, Freddie, in September made for a busy year with additional ‘time off’ (ha ha!)

Sam my new recruit was fitting into his role as well as moving into a new home and before you know it here we are in 2016! I shall be making it a priority for next year to make time for more visits as it is essential for inspiration and motivation. We are fortunate that the club encourages this activity as part of our training.

Drifting momentarily back to autumn I wanted to thank everyone for their tolerance of Sam and myself performing our daily leaf blowing exercise, in the main car park.

Apologies for the awful din of our petrol backpack blowers but it is a necessary evil to keep the road surface dry and grippy as well as keeping drains clear and obviously looking tidy.

As I have mentioned in previous articles, having a diverse range of heights and types of tree canopies is important and necessary for managed woodland. Every single tree that is felled is thought about and done so for the greater good. We periodically assess trees for their condition, especially with regards to safety. We will look for deadwood over paths and areas in play, damage such as cracks and ring- barking (when the trunk or a limb is stripped 360 degrees around its circumference, often caused by squirrels gnawing at the bark). Fruiting bodies such as bracket fungus are a tell-tale sign of infection from a fungus with the visible part being the tip of the iceberg. The remainder of the fungus will often run through the tree under the bark and down into the ground. Stump grinding can help reduce the spread.

Another method to kill off a large tree stump that we are trialling is the use of eco-plugs.

These are small bullet sized plugs that are inserted (at any time of year) into the trunk and when tapped- in secrete a glyphosate formula that kills most broad leafed trees as well as reducing the use of chemical compared with brushing on or spraying.

We have already cut back the willows that surround our lake edges and were becoming too dominant so we will be using the plugs for some of the larger stumps to stop their regrowth. As well as cutting down trees we do plant some from time to time.

The flowers are borne in loose umbrels of 20 – 30 in number. It will serve as another lofty addition to the border display.

A less showy but equally charming Allium falcifolium, is a relatively rare, low growing type that I have selected for some added interest in our ‘Mediterranean’ dry bed by our restaurant terrace. It has deep pink/purple, shaggy flowers in late summer and thrives in full sun and well-drained soil as with all the allium family.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

We do try to be courteous to all- comers when orchestrating a tsunami of leaves but as our facilities manager knows, do not mess with us or we will attack mercilessly.

Now that the trees are leafless we’ve already marked up a lot of woodland areas for felling and coppicing. This year we are prioritising zones near tees and greens. Reducing shade and leaf debris to these areas as well as increasing airflow will help reduce disease and improve the surfaces without doubt.

This November we will begin by planting 500 whips of native species down by our compost dump. The area has been half filled and levelled out so it is now ready to be blended in with the surrounding woodland.

These small whips will be delivered bare root and to give them the best start we will immerse each of them in a tub of Mycorrhizal dip. This is a solution that contains natural bio stimulant fungi (a bit like us having a yogurt with friendly bacteria). As well as this it contains organic fertiliser, amino acids and even some seaweed. This should encourage root growth and has already proven effective with previous gorse planting trials.

Other measures to take to ensure success is putting rabbit guard spirals on each whip.

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GARDENING

As well as this we are using bark chippings, produced in- house from our tree work, as valuable mulch. This will keep them warm in the winter and reduce evaporation in the summer as well as providing nutrients as it breaks down.

We have invested some time in this area to get things in order. Earth movers were used to reshape and we installed an all-weather track from recycled road planings. This has really helped to allow us access during the wetter months when a lot of our projects are done such as bunker renovations and hollow coring. The material needs to go somewhere, hopefully without having to waste time rescuing another stuck vehicle.

We have selected a suitable mix of native species of tree such as Oak, Field maple, Hazel, Hornbeam, Holly and Yew. I’m sure that the local ecosystem will add to these and eventually provide a naturalised area of woodland for future generations.

There are a number of new projects in the pipeline. One that is in the planning stage (I’d better get my pencil crayons out again) is to replant the sloped area set behind the buggy park. The area is in need of a makeover (as am I) and as such a high profile area it deserves some investment. Some of the car park plantings have also seen better days.

by Chris Fifield

Whilst the planting in these areas needs to be resilient there is still scope for a bit more interest and colour. As winter approaches with whispers of another potential Ice Age (same headlines every year!) we are planning to keep all our major road surfaces and walkways accessible with salt spreaders, ploughs and even snow shovels on standby to ensure that the club can keep the home fires burning.

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

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RECIPE Pan fried Fillet of Sea Bass with Saag Aloo, Curried Mussels, Green Beans and an Onion and Fennel Bhaji.

INGREDIENTS Serves a minimum of 4 people For the Sea Bass: 4 Sea Bass Fillets (160g each), scaled and pin boned 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil Sea Salt

Prepared by Michael Sargent, Head Chef

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For the Saag Aloo: 500g New Potatoes 250g Baby Spinach Leaves 1 large White Onion 2 cloves Garlic, sliced 1 Red Chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional) ½ tsp Coriander Seeds ½ tsp Black Mustard Seeds 1 tsp Garam Masala 1 tsp Ground Coriander ½ tsp Turmeric 2 tbsp Ghee

For the Curried Mussels: 500g Mussels 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil 2 Shallots, finely sliced 1 clove Garlic, crushed 1 tsp chopped fresh Ginger 1 tbsp Madras Powder Pinch of Saffron 125ml White Wine 250 ml Double Cream For the Onion and Fennel Bhaji: 2 Medium Onions, thinly sliced 1 Fennel Bulb, thinly sliced 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil 3 tbsp Gram Flour 1 tbsp Mango Chutney 1 tbsp Garam Masala 1 tsp Hot Chilli Powder 1 tsp Fennel Seeds, crushed To Finish 250g Green Beans 1 Tomato, seeds removed and diced Baby Coriander

LONDON GOLF CLUB

RECIPE

INSTRUCTIONS Begin by preparing the mussels for the broth.

Wash them in a bowl in the sink under plenty of cold running water, removing any seaweed or grit. Scrub each mussel to remove any further muddy spots or barnacles and pull out the black fibrous beard.

Discard any mussels with cracked shells or ones that remain open after being lightly tapped on a surface. Store the mussels in a bowl of clean cold water in the fridge until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 90°C or its lowest temperature setting. To make the onion and fennel bhaji mix heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan and gently sweat the onions and fennel over a low heat until soft and translucent. Remove from the heat and put aside to cool. In a mixing bowl combine the gram flour, mango chutney, garam masala, hot chilli powder and crushed fennel seeds. Toss in the cooked onion and fennel and mix until evenly coated.

Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Heat a deep fat fryer or pan of vegetable oil to 180°C. Using wet hands roll the sticky bhaji mixture in to golf ball size balls. Using a large spoon drop the balls into the fryer and cook for four to five minutes until golden, crispy and cooked through. Do this in two batches if necessary to stop the pan overcrowding and the bhajis sticking together. Place the bhajis in a dish lined with kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil and keep warm in the oven.

Season with sea salt and cracked pepper and keep warm. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes until just tender but still crisp.

Leave the cooking of the mussels and the sea bass until last to ensure it is served as fresh as possible.

For the curried mussels heat the vegetable oil in a deep sided pan and sweat the shallots with the garlic and ginger until soft. Add the madras powder and the saffron and cook for a further two minutes to coat the shallots and remove the raw flavour of the spices.

Turn the heat up to medium hot and add the wine to deglaze the pan. Drop the mussels in immediately, toss briefly to coat in the spices and place a lid on the pan to allow the mussels to steam open. Give the pan a shake from time to time. This should take 3-4 minutes.

For the sea bass, check that all scales and pin bones have been removed. Your fishmonger will do this for you. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan until it starts to smoke. Then, using a sharp knife, score the skin of the fish two or three times to prevent it curling when it hits the hot oil. Place the fish in the pan skin side down and turn the heat down to medium. Fry for 3 minutes until crispy and golden around the edges, then turn over and fry for a further 3 minutes or until cooked through.

To serve, spoon the saag aloo into the middle of the bowl and place the sea bass on top.

Spoon the curried mussels around generously and garnish with the green beans, tomato dice and baby coriander. Put the bowl of onion and fennel bhajis in the middle of the table and enjoy with extra mango chutney or mint yoghurt for dipping.

Once the mussels are opened, remove from the sauce and set aside. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened. Add the cream to the curried broth and boil for 2 minutes until reduced and thickened slightly. Then turn the heat back down to low and put the mussels back into the cream sauce to re-warm gently.

For the saag aloo place the potatoes in a pan of lightly salted water and bring to a boil.

Simmer for a further 10 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a sauce of pan and fry the onions with the garlic and chilli (if using) until starting to caramelise. At this point add the coriander seeds, mustard seeds, garam masala, ground coriander and turmeric and cook for a further 2 minutes. Drain the cooked potatoes from the pan of water and add to the onions and spices. Mix together, crushing the potatoes a little at the same time and stir through the spinach leaves until just wilted from the heat of the potatoes.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

31

COMPETITION REPORTS

PRESIDENT’S CUP

FOUNDER’S TROPHY

SENIOR SALVER

Heritage & International

Heritage

International

The President’s Cup was held over two weekends in the middle of September, as 26 players fought it out over both the International and Heritage courses.

40 players competed for the Founder’s Trophy this year on the beautiful Heritage course. It was a blustery early autumn day which made scoring tough for the majority of the field.

The Senior Salver, played on the 10th of October, with a turnout of 29 Players.

The over 50’s took to the International course and the scoring proved that age is merely a number.

The best score of the day and the winner of the Founder’s Trophy was Martin Sterling, with and extremely impressive 42 points which saw him to victory by 3 points, the same winning score and margin as last year’s Founder’s.

Andrew Charles Webley, Peter Ruffoni and David Perry all scored 36 points; Dave Perry took 5th place however through having a better back 9 of a fantastic 21 points.

Mike Hart pipped Trevor Allen to 3rd also on countback.

On the following week, everyone was chasing down Darren at the top. Chris Davidge 38 points, Jan Pretorius and Michael Hart 37 points, all made it but Darren produced a steady round of 34 points to hold on and take victory by only 3 points.

Runner-up was Andrew Ilsley whose 39 points saw him just miss out on the trophy.

Stephen Friend rounded out the Top 3 also with an excellent score of 37 points off a handicap of 9 whilst Craig Dean and Chris Davidge, claimed the final prize spots.

Peter Townsend had a great round of 40 points but fell 1 short unfortunately.

The winner at the end of the day, was Kai Midgley with a tremendous round of 41

PRESIDENT’S CUP

FOUNDER’S TROPHY

The scoring proved tougher than usual around the International with a lot of scores in the high 20’s and low 30’s. However Darren Bruce blew the field away on Round 1 with a magnificent 41 points scorecard and he went into the 2nd round leading Roberto Veiga by 5 points.

points - a round of 5 Bogeys and 13 Birdies.

SENIOR SALVER

1st

Darren Bruce (18)

75 pts

1st

Martin Sterling (12)

42 pts

1st

Kai Midgley (10)

41 pts

2nd

Chris Davidge (17)

72 pts

2nd

Andrew Ilsley (20)

39 pts

2nd

Peter Townsend (19)

40 pts

3rd

Jan Pretorius (5)

70 pts

3rd

Stephen Friend (9)

37 pts

3rd

Mike Hart (13)

38 pts

4th

Michael Hart (9)

69 pts

4th

Craig Dean (15)

36 pts

4th

Trevor Allen (17)

38 pts

5th

Nick York (13)

68 pts

5th

Chris Davidge (16)

35 pts

5th

David Perry (17)

36 pts

By George Moss 32

LONDON GOLF CLUB

COMPETITION REPORTS

AUTUMN CUP

GREENSOME STABLEFORD

5-CLUB CHALLENGE

Heritage

International

International

The 17th October provided difficult

The Greensome Stableford was to be played

With winter well under way now there

conditions for the 32 Competitors taking

on The International on the 7th of November

was a great turnout of 30 competitors for

part in the Strokeplay Autumn Cup 2015.

originally. However torrential range and high

the 5 Club Challenge being played on the

The tough conditions reflected the scoring

winds forced play to be suspended and the

International Course.

in which only 2 players broke par.

competition to be rescheduled for the 28th.

Those two players were Ryan Dalton,

22 teams were fortunate with the weather

to 45mph making it extremely difficult for

who was pipped to 1st place on countback,

at the second time of asking as the sun shined

the golfers. This was shown in the scoring

and Malcolm Brightwell. Malcolm had a better

through most of the day. This led to some

as many struggled to break the 36pts mark.

back 9 by 1 to take the trophy.

very good scoring, which saw the top 5 all

It was a cold day that saw winds gusting up

finish below their handicaps. Stephen friend

However there were two stand out rounds,

The rest of the top was rounded of by

and Martin Sterling finished 5th with a solid

Lakhbir Heer playing off a handicap of 20 had

3 players all at level par. Kai Midgley had

37 points, while Kai Midgley and David Perry

a fantastic score of 41 points unfortunately

the best back 9 out of the 3, with Jan Pretorius

went 1 better with 38 points to finish 4th.

could only take 2nd place though as David

taking 4th and Andrei Zelenov completing the top 5.

Perry went one better with 42 points to take Mike Hart and Nicholas McKnight were

the trophy!

pipped to 2nd place on countback by the better back 9 of Cormac Hicks and Jason Maloney both teams with a fantastic 39 points.

The winners this year were the father son pairing of Philip and Alfred Ainsworth who managed 40 points, a great victory having only recently joined the Golf Club.

AUTUMN CUP

GREENSOME STABLEFORD

5 CLUB CHALLENGE

1st

Malcolm Brightwell (15)

70 nett

1st

Alfred Ainsworth & Phillip Ainsworth

40 pts

1st

David Perry (18)

42 pts

2nd

Ryan Dalton (4)

70 nett

2nd

Cormac Hicks & Jason Maloney

39 pts

2nd

Lakhbir Heer (20)

41 pts

3rd

Kai Midgley (9)

72 nett

3rd

Mike Hart & Nicholas McKnight

39 pts

3rd

Lee Baillie (16)

35 pts

4th

Jan Pretorius (5)

72 nett

4th

Kai Midgley & David Perry

38 pts

4th

Andrei Zelenov (13)

34 pts

5th

Andrei Zelenov (13)

72 nett

5th

Stephen Friend & Martin Sterling

37 pts

5th

James Beadle (20)

32 pts

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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WYDER CUP Mark Squire and Sean Scotcher were the 2015 Captains.

INTRO

TEAM SCOTCHER

As usual the day started early at London Golf Club, with a Full English Breakfast being served to both teams in The Long Bar. The third edition of the competition was once again split onto both of our courses with the morning round played over the International, where players met our Golf Course Marshall David for some instructions before teeing-off.

Phil Robinson Martin Dowie David Perry Ryan Dalton Darren Bruce Stephen Dalton Sean Scotcher Jamie Scotcher Daren Johnson Peter Ruffoni Kai Midgley Martin Sterling

We look forward to seeing everybody back at the Club next year – we are sure it will be a exciting day once again.

“

Once again the Wyder Cup was played in the true spirit of the game, with both teams eager to win. Team Squire battled well all day and showed great determination to snatch victory by a 1/2 point. With my team showing character and being gracious in this narrowest of defeats.

Sean Scotcher, Captain of Team Scotcher

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“

After lunch when the afternoon round began, the teams started to show that thanks to some very good golf played on the Heritage course the final result would be close. Without the pressure of winning in the previous year and revalidating the title, Team Squire slowly began to show that they wanted to change things around in 2015 and this is exactly what happened: for only ½ point they won and were crowned 2015 Wyder Cup Champions.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

TEAM SQUIRE Mark Squire Scott Sumner Mike Hart Harry Wallis Dave Wallis Harry Fairbairn Nick Stansfield Michael Atkin Steve Middleton Sean Monks Nigel Fairbairn Richard Anderson

Mark Squire, Captain of Team Squire

LONDON GOLF CLUB

“

“

After the humbling of the previous year we were determined to make a better showing this year! We took a 4-2 lead out of the four balls however Sean’s team soon turned the tables and we looked certain to maintain our losing run.

Come the time cometh the men!

Charles Thome and Steve Middleton both came from 5 down to bring home an unlikely win and a merry evening!

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BANG & OLUFSEN 90 years celebration.

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BANG & OLUFSEN

LONDON GOLF CLUB’S PARTNER, BEOSHOP GROUP CELEBRATES 90 YEARS OF BANG & OLUFSEN IN STYLE The Kent-based Beoshop group – the largest independently-owned group of Bang & Olufsen retailers in the UK – gave customers even more reason to celebrate in the run up to Christmas with an exclusive event that commemorated 90 years of the iconic audio-visual brand.

Hosted at the London Golf Club, on the evening of 19th November, the exclusive VIP evening was attended by over 200 of the group’s customers and LGC’s members.

The night offered visitors a unique insight into the illustrious history of Bang & Olufsen and the opportunity to sample the latest products from the esteemed brand.

To provide customers with an unprecedented and personal demonstration experience, the Beoshop group split the luxurious venue into three zones – heritage, multiroom, and PLAY.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

Displaying the limited edition Love Affair Collection of flagship, rose golden-finished products that Bang & Olufsen produced to mark its 90th birthday, the heritage zone celebrated the legendary audio-visual manufacturer’s history.

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BANG & OLUFSEN

Those who visited the heritage zone also enjoyed a talk from the Beoshop group on the many achievements and milestones of Bang & Olufsen.

The multiroom zone showcased BeoLink Multiroom – the innovative, intelligent system that unites people’s compatible new or existing Bang & Olufsen products into one wireless system, while the PLAY area was dedicated to the ever-increasing range of fun and portable B&O PLAY products that include wireless headphones and advanced digital audio systems.

Customers also enjoyed champagne, hors d’oeuvres and the chance to win a selection of prizes in the Beoshop group’s complimentary casino chip draw. On being welcomed to the event, guests were each given a casino chip with the recipients of specially marked chips winning a prize – the top prize being a specially engraved Bang & Olufsen Beotime.

Paul Blake, Managing Director of the Beoshop group that has official Bang & Olufsen retailers in Bexleyheath, Bromley, Cambridge, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells, said: “I’d like to thank all of our customers who joined us for what was a very special night in an amazing setting.” www.beoshop.co.uk

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

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CONSTRUCTION CUP A great day to see different companies from the Construction Industry together, in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.

On Tuesday 13th October the International course hosted the first edition of the London Golf Club Construction Cup. Is there a better place for members who are involved in the Industry to be, other than at the Golf Course? On arrival, all team members were served a Full English breakfast at The Restaurant room, before warming up on the driving range and getting ready for the competition.

Before the Prize presentation, a spectacular three-course meal was served, closing a day that we are sure all participants are looking forward to repeat next year with even more teams and attractions.

As usual our Director of Golf, Paul, greeted everyone in the buggy park where all the rules for the day were presented.

Right after our Golf Services team lead each team to the respective tee before the shot gun start on the International.

We also had a special Beat the Pro Challenge platform over the 8th tee - sponsored by Trad Scaffolding Group - where all players tried to beat our PGA Professional Lee Waggott.

At the Challenge ÂŁ1000 was collected and later given to the Demelza Charity House.

40

There was also a draw for a voucher for 3 nights at Hotel Jardin Tecina in Canary Islands, including breakfast and 2 Rounds of Golf for 2 people which was eventually won by our Member Steve Talbot, from Overbury.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

CONSTRUCTION CUP

Scott Fixer, Defluo Ltd.

“

“

It was a fantastically well organised and attended day with a great opportunity to meet like-minded people within the construction industry.

The condition of the course was incredible and we will most definitely be returning next year!

Sponsored by Trad Scaffolding Group

CONSTRUCTION CUP

COMPANY

TEAM LEADERS

RESULTS

1st Place

Tunnel Craft

Cormac Hicks JP Bradley S. Flatley J. Welsh

91 points

Defluo Plumbing

S. Fixer J. Kelly C. Carr G. Cherry

83 points

3rd Place

UK Gunite

D. Johnson G. Parker C. Parker K. Midgley

82 points (better back 9)

Nearest to the Pin 4th Hole

Martin Leather

-

-

Nearest to the Pin 14th Hole

Tim Millford

-

-

Nearest to the Pin 12th Hole

Jim Welsh

-

-

Nearest to the Pin 17th Hole

John Green

-

-

2nd Place

LONDON GOLF CLUB

Sponsored by Trad Scaffolding Group

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MEMBERS GUEST DAY Celebrating Golf & Rugby.

Friday 18th September was the day of the third Members Guest Day of 2015.

Organised in a different format, members and guests arrived for breakfast at 11am and teed-off on the Heritage course, in a shotgun format, at 1pm. Friday being the day of the first match of the Rugby World Cup, all those present had the opportunity to watch England versus Fiji in The Restaurant in one of the many Plasma TV’s setup around the room.

To celebrate the Rugby World Cup, our Chefs prepared both for breakfast and for the barbecue at the end of the day, a great selection of dishes celebrating the different nations participating on the World Cup. Having our partners Hospitality Finder sponsoring the day was a great pleasure, and the winning team received 4 x places, with hospitality, inside an Executive Box for a top tier England International fixture at Twickenham Stadium.

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NEAREST TO THE PIN HOLE

PLAYER

3rd Hole

Randolph Payne

7th Hole

Josh Kenny

11th Hole

S. Van der Burgh

17th Hole

Josh Kenny

FINAL RESULTS PLACE

TEAM

SCORE

1st

Team Jan Pretorius

-8

2nd

Team Dave Morgan

-7

3rd

Team Mark O’Shaughnessy

-6

LONDON GOLF CLUB

M E M B E R S G U E S T D AY

“

“

Golf on the Heritage, Rugby World Cup on screens everywhere, three course meal, washed down with Asahi & Wine. An amazing team.

What more can anyone want?

Definitely coming back next year.

Scott Sumner, LGC Member

With over 30 years of experience in the field we are proud to be official providers of major Rugby, Horse Racing, Motorsport, Tennis, Football, Cricket and Golf events plus many more events around the United Kingdom and overseas. Our proven pedigree in the industry have given us time to evolve our corporate hospitality packages to make them perfectly suited to our clients wishes. Hospitality Finder is a well-established name in the hospitality industry and with our ever-expanding client base we are one of the market leaders in corporate entertainment. We know when booking hospitality you look for a reputable company so you can rest assured you’re booking is in safe hands and our reputation stands out as one of the best in the business. Hospitality Finder welcome clients who wish to customise their event and our team will endeavour to help clients customise all aspects of the corporate experience. From individual guest name cards right through to displaying company branding, we are open to your ideas on how to make the event your own. www.corporatehospitality.com

Jan Pretorius, LGC Member

LONDON GOLF CLUB

“

“

We had a fantastic day which off course was complemented by claiming first prize. The course was, as per usual, in pristine condition and my guests from Sundridge Park Golf Club had a great day - I’m sure they will be back for the next Guest Day.

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BILLECART-SALMON Give priority to quality, strive for excellence.

BILLECART-SALMON

Cellars

HISTORY OF THE CHAMPAGNE HOUSE Le chai

In 1818, Nicolas François Billecart and his spouse Elisabeth Salmon founded their Champagne House in Mareuil-Sur-Aÿ where the Billecart family has been established since the 17th Century. Since the early 19th Century six generations have succeeded each other at the family home in the heart of the Champagne Region each living by the same motto: “Give priority to quality, strive for excellence”.

A FAMILY HERITAGE

La Famille

BETWEEN TRADITION AND MODERNITY

La Maison

A PASSIONATE FOUNDER Two of the House’s vintage cuvées have since been named in honour of the two founders.

The Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart was created in 1964, with the Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé following in 1988. Current vintages include the Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart 2002 which was recently joined by the Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé 2006, released at the end of 2015.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

The House of BILLECART-SALMON has preserved ancestral vinification methods handed down from generation to generation which are constantly being perfected.

As part of the ever present quest to maintain the quality of their champagnes, in the fifties the House established the technique of chilling the must combined with the use of stainless steel tanks for a longer fermentation at a lower temperature. As a result, the wines conserve their freshness over time and the aromas intensify, allowing the BILLECART-SALMON champagnes to deliver the same quality and excellence that has come to be expected.

The bottles themselves are then laid to rest in the original chalk cellars dating back from the 17th and 19th centuries.

Continuing this perpetual quest for excellence, a new chai was built in 2010 to hold more than 450 oak barrels to skillfully enhance the vinification of the vintage wines.

Today, the family perpetuates its legend thanks to François and Antoine Roland-Billecart, representing the sixth generation of the family, who lead this independent House in conjunction with their father, Jean Roland-Billecart.

All of them continue to write the fine pages of the House and to pass down their love for champagne for future generations.

THE “CHAMPAGNE OF THE MILLENNIUM” In June 1999, the 1959 vintage was chosen “Champagne of the Millennium” by a committee of experts at a blind tasting involving 150 vintages from the most illustrious champagne producers, organized in Stockholm by Richard Juhlin, a great champagne specialist. The 1961 vintage, for its part, came second.

Overall, BILLECART-SALMON incarnates a style of champagne spirit. If described in three words they would be finesse, balance and elegance.

For more information on the House of Champagne BILLECART-SALMON, visit www.champagne-billecart.com.

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COACHING Winter Golf.

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

COACHING

The great thing about golf is the constant challenge it presents, one of which is adapting to different playing conditions. Winter golf presents its own unique set of circumstances with ground conditions impacting significantly on how the golf ball reacts with the clubface and the generally wet playing surfaces.

Below I have outlined the small adjustments I make when facing certain situations on the course when the conditions are less than ideal.

PLAYING FROM THE ROUGH When faced with a shot in wet rough it is imperative to strike the ball as cleanly as possible. Water between the club face and ball will reduce the distance you hit it.

To combat this consider clubbing up to give you the confidence to power through the rough.

Ensure the ball is edging towards the middle of your stance and grip down the club.

We are aiming for a steep angle of attack – these adjustments will encourage this in your back swing.

Steep angle of Attack Hinge your wrists early for a steep backswing, and then focus on coming down firmly on the back of the ball. This will minimize the interference from the wet rough between the clubface and the ball to promote the clean strike we are aiming for.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

47

COACHING

BUNKER PLAY

Lob Wedge

Step Swing

Club selection: Check the bounce on your sand wedge (see insert) you can see the roll is higher than on your lob wedge. Having the bigger bounce can lead to the club skidding on the wet sand resulting in a thinned shot.

By changing your selection to a lob wedge you can reduce your chances of this happening.

Aim to strike the sand as close to the ball as possible (no more than an inch behind the ball).

Trust the shallow bounce on your lob wedge will glide under the ball – go ahead and make your regular swing into a full follow through.

CHIPPING

1

2

1

2

The greens generally playe slower and softer

Rather than reaching for the trusty sand

in the winter resulting in many chip shots

wedge, consider using a flatter faced club such

coming up short.

as a 9 iron to get the ball rolling.

Check spin is our enemy on these shots

Setup to the ball with it positioned a little further

as we aim to get the ball rolling towards

forward in your stance as opposed to the more

the hole.

traditional “middle of the stance” setup...

Look to reduce your wrist action when

This will reduce the amount of backspin

playing this shot especially in the take away.

on the shot resulting in the ball chasing up the green towards to the flag.

Keep the wrists passive to promote a more shallow angle of attack as you strike the ball.

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V I R G I N AT L A N T I C

VIRGIN ATLANTIC For over 30 years, Virgin Atlantic has been the longhaul airline for people who want flying to be a thrill. Every year, it flies over six million of those people to top business and leisure destinations around the world.

Step onboard and you’ll experience a unique spirit and sense of adventure brought to you through friendly, intuitive service.

Along with plenty of innovative touches that make your journey feel really special. So whether you’re travelling for work or pleasure, with Virgin Atlantic your journey’s a springboard to grab life and ‘let it fly.’

UPPER CLASS Be effortlessly whisked to the airport in your chauffeur car* and within minutes** you can be unwinding or working in our incredible Clubhouse***. Onboard, enjoy imaginatively designed dishes and fine wines. Settle into your seriously comfortable Upper Class Suite to work or relax. Then enjoy an undisturbed night’s sleep in your fully flat bed.

PREMIUM ECONOMY Start the smoothest of journeys with priority check in and boarding. Sip a welcome drink in our dedicated cabin. And stretch out in your wide leather seat with 38in (over 96cm) seat pitch, while the inseat power keeps your laptop going. Then enjoy a great choice of dishes from the premium menu, finished off perfectly with a liqueur, if you like.

ECONOMY Check in quickly online or on your mobile.

Onboard, settle into your comfy seat with 31in (over 78cm) seat pitch. Enjoy your tasty meal choice and complimentary drinks.

Then unwind with over 300 hours of award winning entertainment. On night flights, get some rest for the next working day with the help of your Relax Pack.

* Chauffeur driven car service available at most destinations with selected Upper Class fares (J, C, D & I class). Mileage restrictions apply. ** Timings based on using Upper Class Wing at London Heathrow *** Lounge facilities vary at each destination.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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MEMBERS CHRISTMAS PARTY One of the most anticipated Social Events of the year.

London Golf Club is synonymous of 5-star service at every occasion and the Members Christmas Parties are no exception, as the events are a great opportunity for members to enjoy wonderful evenings with their guests. Â Celebrated on both Friday 11th and Saturday 12th December, the drinks reception took place at The Great Hall where our professional photographer was ready to shoot some great group pictures that will be remembered forever.

After dinner all members and guests enjoyed a selection of cocktails in The Long Bar whilst dancing the night away. Â For more information on our Social Christmas Events please contact Becky Lander on 01474 875 720 or email Becky@londongolf.co.uk

Each group was then individually directed to their reserved table to enjoy a delicious four course dinner, including Butter Poached Lobster, Lobster Cream, Seaweed and Caviar; Hot Smoked Whiskey Salmon with Horseradish Celeriac Remoulade, Beetroot Puree, Salmon Caviar and Baby Watercress; Duo of Herb Crust Lamb Cutlet and Pressed Shoulder with Pomme Puree, Baby Winter Vegetables and a Redcurrant Jus, Dark Chocolate Delice with Pistachio Puree, Raspberry, White Chocolate and Pistachio Crumb and a Raspberry Tuile as menu options.

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

M E M B E R S C H R I S T M A S PA R T Y

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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M E M B E R S C H R I S T M A S PA R T Y

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

FEEL LIKE A WINNER BEFORE YOU TEE OFF WHATEVER YOUR SPORT WE’LL CARRY YOUR EQUIPMENT FOR FREE virginatlantic.com/sports

Your sports equipment baggage must not exceed 23kg in weight. Additional restrictions specific to certain sports equipment apply – please see virginatlantic.com/sportsequipment for more details.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

53

MEMBERS CHRISTMAS FAMILY LUNCH A wonderful festive afternoon.

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

M E M B E R S C H R I S T M A S FA M I LY L U N C H

Hosted on Sunday 20th December, our Christmas Family Lunch was a great opportunity for Members to bring their families and guests to enjoy the Club facilities for an unforgettable afternoon.

Our Chefs prepared a delicious menu with some of the finest festive dishes including a Starter option of Earl grey Smoked Duck with Apricot Chutney and Glazed Figs or the Chicken and Ham Hock Terrine with Shallot Marmalade and Toasted Ciabatta.

For the Main Meal, one of the top options was the Roast Supreme of Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing, Chateau Potatoes, Buttered Brussel Sprouts, Roast Parsnip, Carrot Puree and Turkey Jus. The Desserts options went from Blackforest Cheesecake with White Chocolate Shavings to Vanilla Ice Cream, Christmas pudding and Caramel Sundae with a Brandy Snap or Citrus Pannacotta with Orange, Rhubarb and a Lemon Tuile.

Ms Claus and her Elfs began the festivities with games and creative activities preparing for the arrival of Father Christmas, who at The Great Hall, distributed presents to all the children present closing an unforgettable and happy afternoon.

For more information on our Social Christmas Events please contact Becky Lander on 01474 875 720 or email Becky@londongolf.co.uk

“

Had a wonderful Christmas dinner at the Club with family and friends, everyone had a great time. Food, drink and service were excellent and will definitely be doing it again next year.

“

Jerry Hansford, LGC Member

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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M E M B E R S C H R I S T M A S FA M I L Y L U N C H

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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IN A WORLD WHERE...

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...THE FINEST DETAILS MATTER

London Golf Club have created membership options designed to compliment your needs.

We offer a full range of individual membership options in addition to a choice of corporate and social memberships that will see you taking full advantage of our facilities in a way that suits you.

Corporate Membership is available to corporate bodies, companies and partnerships. Two Basic combinations of Corporate Membership exist, Silver (5 Day) and Gold (7 Day), to offer flexible Membership solutions to companies of varying size and requirements.

Members can enjoy reciprocal playing rights at preferential rates at some of the best golf courses in the world including The European Tour Properties (Jumeirah Golf Estates, home to the DP World Tour Championship – the season-ending finale of The European Tour’s Race to Dubai; Le Golf National, Host Venue for The 2018 Ryder Cup, or Quinta do Lago in Portugal plus many others) or IMG Prestige Clubs (Finca Cortesin in Spain, Yas Links in Abu Dhabi, Monte Rei in Portugal and others).

Just 20 miles from Canary Wharf, London Golf Club can provide you with a comfortable and enjoyable experience on and off the golf course.

There isn’t a better Club of which to be a member. For more information please contact us on 01474 875 752 or email golf@londongolf.co.uk

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WEDDINGS AND EVENTS Elegant | Unique | Exclusive

MAKING YOUR DAY EXTRAORDINARY At the London Golf Club we understand that no matter the event, it is a unique and special occasion for you. We provide an excellent level of service, from the minute you enquire, during the planning stages and throughout the event. Just 25 miles away from Central London, and set in the heart of 700 acres The London Golf Club is the perfect, tranquil setting to enjoy your event. With nearby hotels, ample parking, 5 different event rooms

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in varying sizes, and the latest audio-visual technology, The London Golf Club can help bring your event to life.

WEDDINGS At The London Golf Club we pride ourselves on our unrivalled level of service that we offer on all aspects of your wedding.

Our picturesque venue has the ‘wow factor’ right from the start. With our impressive 1 mile drive way showing views to our stunning club house, it welcomes your guests

with luxury and charm. With breath taking views over 2 championship courses, it is the perfect backdrop for photos both inside and outside of the clubhouse.

The dining experience that we offer is simply unparalleled, and we can offer you a vast choice of menu options to cater for your preferences.

The London Golf Club is licensed for Civil Marriage and Civil Partnership ceremonies, allowing all aspects of your special day to be held under one roof.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

EVENTS

PARTIES

MEETINGS & CONFERENCES

MEMBERS SUNDAY LUNCH

The London Golf Club offers the perfect space for your celebration: equipped with a wooden dance floor, buffet area, plenty of space for a DJ, and stunning décor, the Banqueting Room is ideal for parties or dining experiences.

London Golf Club Members receive 50% off room hire charges for any meetings that are booked with us. With an assortment of meeting rooms that are equipped with the latest audio-visual technology, and complimentary wireless internet connection, The London Golf Club is an unmatched venue to host your meetings and conferences. Totalling at 5 different rooms in varying sizes, please see below table showing maximum room capacities.

Every first Sunday of every month, we host a sumptuous 3 course Sunday Lunch at £20 per adult, exclusively for our members.

We pride ourselves on our ability to think outside of the box, and offer whatever service is desired, with our list of preferred suppliers, we can assist in finding the perfect entertainment for your event.

Guests arrive and enjoy a drink in our Long Bar that has panoramic views of our two breath taking championship courses, before entering the Banqueting Room to spend the afternoon with friends and family.

All tables and time slots must be pre booked.

ROOM

BANQUETING ROOM

LONG BAR

HERITAGE SUITE 1 OR 2

HERITAGE SUIT 1 AND 2

INTERNATIONAL SUIT 1 OR 2

INTERNATIONAL SUIT 1 AND 2

HENRY COOPER ROOM

Theatre

170

-

45

90

26

52

40

Classroom

80

-

30

60

12

24

24

Banquet

132

-

35

70

12

24

40

Reception

200

150

50

100

20

40

60

Boardroom

-

-

18

36

12

22

2

If you would like more information or have any questions on weddings, meetings and events please contact Becky Lander on becky@londongolf.co.uk or 01474 850 720.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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PERFORMANCE Improving golf through exercise.

PERFORMANCE

TRAIN TO IMPROVE YOUR GOLF PERFORMANCE EXERCISES FROM EUROPEAN TOUR PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE The European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI) allows golfers of all abilities to practice, learn and improve using tools developed by the European Tour’s medical and performance specialists with input from European Tour players and their coaches.

This knowledge is shared with all golfers at ETPIs at European Tour Destinations Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort ***** and Jumeirah Golf Estates and through Twitter on @ETPI_Physiounit.

The modern golf swing is a highly powerful yet coordinated and balanced athletic movement.

Elastic energy is stored during the backswing via the coiling of the trunk against the resistance created by the legs. This energy is released as the club is accelerated rapidly towards impact followed by a deceleration phase through to the end of the swing.

Great muscular effort is involved and in general stronger individuals will be able to generate more force throughout this process.

Elite golfers work hard to increase their strength, which can transfer into greater club head speed and driving distance.

A stronger golfer will also use less muscular effort to propel the ball the same distance as an untrained golfer, thereby reducing potential for injury.

To work at strength development for golf, try these 3 exercises, which can easily be progressed once correct form has been obtained:

1) DEEP SQUAT • Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder

width apart • Allow feet to turn out slightly but not more than “10 to 2” position • Clasp hands into chest (these can be pushed forward during the squat to maintain balance if required) • Keeping trunk upright, descend into full squat trying to position hips below knees (breaking parallel) • Ensure that back does not “give” into flexing with bottom curling underneath • Work at keeping knees aligned over feet • Push up hard to return to standing position This exercise can be progressed using a bar across the back of shoulders (back squat) or overhead (overhead squat). In addition, weight can be added in a progressive manner to increase the challenge.

The squat is a combined mobility and strength exercise. Good mobility is required in the ankles, knees, hips and thoracic spine, which mimics the demands of the golf swing.

Returning to standing is termed a “triple extension” movement, as ankles, knees and hips extend requiring strength in calves, quads and gluts. This ability to extend by pushing up from the ground is part of the mechanism of force production in the downswing.

SUGGESTED REPETITIONS Each exercise: 3 sets of 5 repetitions / 1 minute rest in between each set - Repeat daily.

If exercises are progressed to include additional weight, alternate days would be advised to allow for sufficient recovery.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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PERFORMANCE

2) HIP HINGE • Stand with feet shoulder width apart • Keep feet pointing straight forward • “Break” at the hip and push hips backwards with knees extended • Allow trunk to work forwards but maintain spine angle

throughout so that movement is limited to hips • A stretch should be felt in the hamstrings at the end of the

backward movement • To return to standing, contract gluts hard to push hips forwards • Be careful not to overextend spine or knees at the end phase

This exercise can be progressed by holding a weight to the chest or in each hand.

The hip hinge is another combined mobility and strength exercise.

Mobility is required in hamstrings and gluts as the hips hinge, which powerfully loads those muscles. Good glut strength is required to extend the hips on return to the standing position.

This mimics the forcible extension of both hips in the downswing leading to generation of club head speed.

2) PUSH PRESS • Stand with feet as in exercise 1 • Place pole behind neck with hands slightly

wider than shoulder width apart • Stand tall keeping shoulders squeezed back • Dip into a shallow knee bend then forcibly push pole overhead while returning to standing position • Slowly lower pole back into start position This exercise can be progressed by adding weight to the pole or using a suitable heavier object.

The push press involves extension of the thoracic spine and develops power in the shoulders (rhomboids, deltoid, trapezius, rotator cuff, triceps). Thoracic mobility is key for a good turn in the backswing and good strength in the shoulders which is needed to transfer energy stored in the backswing to club head speed.

We would like to thank Rob Hillman , European Tour Physio Unit Director & Jean Jacques Rivet, Head of Biomechanic & Sport Performance, ETPI, for supporting the London Golf Club magazine.

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

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