LONDON GOLF CLUB Magazine

FEBRUARY 2014

G O L F

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C L U B

M A G A Z I N E

MIKKO ILONEN

EUROPEAN TOUR PROPERTIES

IMG PRESTIGE

Volvo World Match Play Champion

Network of world class golf venues

Sky Lake Resort & Golf Club

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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CONTENTS

HEADINGS Bendinat

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Volvo World Match Play Championship

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Interview - Mikko Ilonen

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Investors in People

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Greenkeeping

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European Tour Properties

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The 2014 Ryder Cup

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IMG Prestige

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Hospitality Finder

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Fashion KJUS

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Competition Reports

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Wyder Cup

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Sevenoaks Aston Martin

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Meetings & Events

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Shepherd Neame

46

Virgin Atlantic

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David Marshall

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Members Christmas Parties

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Members Christmas Lunch

58

Coachoing

60

Recipe

62

Gardening

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

INTRODUCTION

TWO DECADES OF HISTORY The London Golf Club has built up a reputation in just 20 years and what a fantastic time we had celebrating the anniversary.

Such illustrious beginnings: golfing greats Jack, Seve and Tony gracing our fairways for the Grand Opening. Notable prominent men of the day such as Sir Denis Thatcher, Nigel Mansell CBE and Sir Sean Connery followed, enjoying the delights of ‘The Golden Bear’s’ latest creation. A few years later and we started the roll-call of well known Senior Tour players who were crowned Champion on both The International and Heritage courses. Soon to follow were the very best the European Tour had to offer, with players such as Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Justin Rose and others battling to be crowned European Open Champion.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

How could we follow this? Bring back to London one of the oldest Championships in the World, older than The European Tour itself – well that is exactly what we did with 16 of the World’s finest players battling to be crowned The 2014 World Match Play Champion on our very own International course. Volvo one of the longest standing supporters of professional golf, ensured that the 50th Anniversary of this remarkable Championship was a spectacle to behold and I know that the vast majority of our members and friends enjoyed watching the story unfold. A final with World No. 2 Henrik Stenson and eventual winner Mikko Ilonen was a fitting way to raise a glass in celebration of 20 great years at the club.

You will read later on in this edition of ‘The London’ just how Peter and his team managed to pull out all of the stops to ensure success on the course, I would also like to thank everyone else with the Team, who worked tirelessly to ensure that everything was such a resounding success – Well done.

I wish you all a great 2015 and look forward to seeing you at the club shortly.

Best wishes, Austen Gravestock, Chief Executive

I am proud to say that I was able to savour the occasion with so many of you and enjoyed every minute!

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BENDINAT Residencial Bendinat de Portocolom is an icon of integrated architecture and synonymous with quality.

Portocolom is an exceptional example of an old Mediterranean port originally dedicated to the coastal trading and fishing which remains unspoilt. A peaceful haven in an excellent location, just 10 minutes away from Felanitx, the district capital of a an agricultural region with exceptional wines and traditional craftsmanship.

Residencial Bendinat de Portocolom, just 120 metres from the sea, is an icon of integrated architecture and synonymous with quality. The first phase was a resounding success and construction of the second phase will soon commence and is due to be completed in 2014. The port of Portocolom features typical Mediterranean architecture: warm, with a consistent style, colour and warmth characteristic of the buildings from the last few centuries.

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An Area To Live In Tranquility Just a short drive away, Cala d’Or offers a vast range of cultural and sporting attractions.

Just around the corner is an excellent golf course: Vall d`Or, and further up the coast is Porto Cristo with the famous Drac caves - well worth a visit. Just 10 minutes away there is Felanitx the market town, home of the wine trade.

Portocolom is just forty minutes from Palma Airport, and only fifty minutes from the island’s capital, Palma de Mallorca; quarter of an hour from Manacor, the industrial centre of the island, and a few minutes away from Cala d’Or, a beautiful coastal area that boasts a superb marina.

Exclusive Design Residencial Bendinat de Portocolom, the first phase of which was completedin 2010, is an exclusive architectural concept developed by two prestigious architect firms CBG. Led by Georges Bretones, the successor of François Spoerry, the creator of Port Grimaud, in France, and of The Anchorage, in Mallorca (a development of the Bendinat Group) together with the Mallorcan studio EAU.

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B E N D I N AT

The development is conceived as a gated community comprising duplex apartments, flats and semi-detached houses with two to four comfortable bedrooms.

Second Phase The second phase of construction has now started and comprises two buildings of three storeys and a total of 21 residential units.

All ground floor units enjoy private gardens, and car parking is provided, with direct access to the apartments by lift.

The facades follow the style of the first phase: Mediterranean architecture blending in with the natural surroundings. Pastel facades with an emphasis on warm colours.

A Private Village Community Residencial Bendinat de Portocolom is a gated community making up an entire city block, with exclusive access for its residents from the street or directly from the underground garages to the homes.

Inside, entirely free of road traffic, luscious gardens mix with dry stone walls, a traditional Mallorcan construction, and features a solarium area around a very large swimming pool, and other smaller pools, one of which has naturally filtered water, free of chemicals.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

Incomparable Interiors Luxury and style are particularly reflected in its interiors, with their functional designs, fine material finishes and modern, sophisticated equipment with german brand kitchen appliances, air conditioning, underfloor heating and spacious bathrooms.

The interiors of the homes are very bright both as a result of their orientation and of the choice of materials selected - a special combination of wood, marble and granite in light colours.

For more details please contact Jorge Pando on +34 971 405 000, or e-mail: info@bendinat.com.

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VOLVO WORLD MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP 8

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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With a list of illustrious champions including Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Seve Ballesteros, the historic event was played on the International course, from 15th-19th October. The question now was; who would be the next player to lift the trophy?

Stenson, who had not led at any stage of his morning semi-final against George Coetzee before making a birdie on the 18th to triumph, claimed an early lead in the final with a gain on the fourth.

Stenson, still seeking his first win since the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai in November last year, refused to throw in the towel and birdied the 13th to reduce his deficit.

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But the World Number Five then bogeyed the fifth and hit his tee shot into the water on the eighth, before birdies on the tenth and 12th took Ilonen three up.

But after almost holing his chip from the back of the 14th green, the Swede could only look on as Ilonen holed from 12 feet for birdie to move three ahead again – this time with just four holes remaining.

Jonas Blixt, 15th October

On the 50th anniversary since the inaugural Championship won by legendary Arnold Palmer, Mikko Ilonen became the first Finnish player to win the title after a hard-fought victory over Number One seed Henrik Stenson.

Ilonen carded four birdies and no bogeys despite the windy conditions to win 3 & 1 and secure the first prize of €650,000 – almost double his previous biggest payday from winning the Irish Open in June.

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“

To be part of the Volvo World Match Play, especially the 50th anniversary, means a lot.

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…the golf course is great.

Stenson fought back once more with a two putt birdie on the par five 15th, but was unable to birdie either of the next two holes as Ilonen – who had beaten Joost Luiten 2&1 in the semi-finals – secured the biggest win of his career.

Luiten finished in third place after beating Coetzee in the consolation match.

Patrick Reed, 14th October

LONDON GOLF CLUB

Player

Seed

1 Seed

Quarter-Final

Semi-Final

Quarter-Final

Henrik

STENSON Thougchai

WON 2UP Henrik

JAIDEE

STENSON

Seed

Francesco

Jonas

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MOLINARI

Seed

George

Player

Seed

Jamie

8

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Semi-Final

WON 1UP

Patrick

Henrik

George

STENSON

COETZEE

BLIXT

REED George

COETZEE WON 2&1

Henrik

COETZEE

STENSON

DONALDSON

4

Patrick

Seed

REED

5

Jonas

Seed

BLIXT

12

Paul

Seed

CASEY

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MIKKO ILONEN CHAMPION Seed

DUBUISSON

Seed

Stephen

Mikko

ILONEN

GALLACHER

DUBUISSON

Seed

Shane

Mikko

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LOWRY

Seed

Pablo

LARRAZÁBAL

ILONEN WON 2UP

WON 6&5

WON 3&1

Victor

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14

Mikko

ILONEN WON 2&1

Joost

Joost

LUITEN

Graeme

Seed

McDOWELL

2

Joost

Seed

LUITEN

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LUITEN Pablo

LARRAZÁBAL

Mikko

Seed

ILONEN

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Alexander

Seed

15

LEVY

The greens are great.

The fairways are amazing condition considering the amount of rain they had and I think everybody is enjoying it out there.

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Victor

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George Coetzee, 15th October

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It’s all fun to play match play.

It’s been a good, fun week with the boys.

We all stayed in the same place.

It’s also a long, hard week and takes even more out of you because you have to be there all the time and especially when you have a lot of matches coming into the last hole, that takes that extra bit of energy out of you…

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Henrik Stenson, 19th October 12

HENRIK STENSON

MIKKO ILONEN

“I was a bit unlucky on a couple of putts but no question, Mikko didn’t make any mistakes really and when he did, he recovered well.

So all the credit to him for his fine performance this week.”

“We were obviously playing for the trophy as hard as we could, I came out on top and I’m very, very glad that I did. When you see some of the names on this trophy, I can’t quite believe mine is now on there alongside them.”

For more information on the World Match Play Championship go to www.imggolf.com

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These greens are outstanding considering how much rain this golf course has taken.

The surface here at The London Club are as good as any you’ll see.

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Graeme McDowell, 15th October

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...here we are at The World Match Play on this great golf course.

Jamie Donaldson, 16th October

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It’s great to be back in the U.K. We’re just on the outskirts of London at The London Club.

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Paul Casey, 14th October

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

MIKKO ILONEN This victory came on Ilonen’s debut in the Volvo World Match Play, only a few months after winning the Irish Open title.

On the 19th October 2014, Mikko Ilonen became the first Finn to win the Volvo World Match Play Championship and only third Continental European, following Seve Ballesteros and Nicolas Colsaerts.

Having had such a successful 2014 campaign with two wins this year, is there a temptation to play more on the PGA Tour in 2015?

Most events you play on Tour are Stroke play.

Did you change your preparation/strategy in any way to reflect the match play format of The Volvo World Match Play ?

It is obviously different because you are playing against one man instead of a whole field but it didn’t affect my preparation too much.

I actually went in to the week thinking of playing stroke play because if you end up with a ten‑metre putt and you have two putts to win the hole, you don’t want to start thinking about playing safe. If you play like stroke play the results are more or less what you expect and anyone can beat anyone on the day so I just tried to shoot a low score.

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...you don’t want to start thinking about playing safe.

2014 has been my best season on the European Tour to date and it’s been a goal of mine to be in the Top‑50 in the world so I can pick and choose my schedule a little bit more but I am not planning on playing full time on the PGA Tour.

I may spend a little more time over there now I am able to build my season around the big events such as the Major’s and World Golf Championships but I am committed to the European Tour.

Which Major are you most looking forward to competing in in 2015?

It is hard for me to narrow down which one I am looking forward to competing in because I am excited to play all of them for different reasons.

For a start, I have never played in all four Majors in a calendar year and have yet to play a US Masters as a pro, so that will be interesting for me.

I love links golf and have fond memories in Britain so I always enjoy the Open Championship and I had my highest Major finish last year at the US PGA Championship so I have another reason to look forward to that one.

The Masters is obviously an event which every golfer would love to play and I have only been to Augusta once in 2001 so again, gaining an invite to that through my world ranking is special to me.

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Mikko Ilonen

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

INVESTORS IN PEOPLE Investors in People awards London Golf Club rare Gold standard.

“Corporate Social Responsibility was an area in which the club rated particularly highly because of its excellent links with its local community, plus its engagement in learning and development programmes.”

London Golf Club has become the first standalone golf venue to be awarded Gold by Investors in People (IiP).

“Although many aspects of the company’s strategy are integral to the nature of a business with a responsibility for the upkeep of a beautiful site, it’s evident the business and its people go well beyond essential requirements in acting as a valuable contributor to the communities of which London Golf Club is a part.”

With only seven per cent of all organisations achieving the prestigious Gold Award, the European Tour Destination also joins an elite group of just three ‘Sport Activity’ sector businesses to have achieved the highest standard of the nationally recognised benchmark.

An assessment of London Golf Club, including 27 face-to-face interviews with staff, was undertaken by Alexandra Taskin, Investors in People specialist, who, after on finalising her report, said: “I have been involved in assessing more than 600 organisations and London Golf Club ranks among the best I’ve seen.”

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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For more information about Investors in People (IiP) visit: www.investorsinpeople.co.uk

Corporate Social Responsibility was an area in which the club rated particularly highly because of its excellent links with its local community, plus its engagement in learning and development programmes.

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Investors in People is the UK’s leading accreditation for business improvement through people management, and provides a wealth of resources for businesses to innovate, improve and grow, with a focus on good people making great business.

Commenting on the venue’s Gold Award, Austen Gravestock, London Golf Club Chief Executive, said: “By demonstrating that London Golf Club is a great place to work, we can attract the staff who meet our exacting standards for quality customer service, which ultimately ensures consumers enjoy a world class experience that encourages them to return time and time again.”

Alexandra Taskin, Investors in People specialist

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SOCIALISE

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WITH LGC

S O C I A L I S E

W I T H

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GREENKEEPING International golf course preparation for the Volvo World Match Play Championship

GREENKEEPING Having suffered the driest September since 1997, the old adage of be careful what you wish for could not of been more true as we prepared the International course for the Match Play.

The water in the reservoir disappeared quickly as we continued to irrigate fairways in September as if we were in mid-summer, to keep surfaces in tournament condition.

All we were hoping for was just a break from the dry weather and a drop of rain to freshen up the course. October came round and still no rain, well for the first week at least.

The downpours washed all the sand off bunker faces, saturated areas of fairways leaving drains over flowing. This was not the start to the tournament week we had planned.

The rain continued to disrupt our daily work schedule with a further inch falling over the rest of the week. Our well thought out work plans soon had to be adapted to meet some new challenges.

Getting bunkers back into shape being the first one, then ensuring that fairway landing areas were playable. With the soil now waterlogged, mowing practises had to change, particularly the timing of operations to take advantage of the drier spells.

Maintaining consistent green speeds was now our focus. This process would demand single, double or even triple mowing to produce speeds of 11ft on the Stimpmeter.

The course was starting to take shape with hand cutting of fairway perimeters, approaches and run offs. Everything was in full swing as we carried out precise mowing patterns to achieve crisp definition.

October the 12th (Practice Round), the day that changed everything - over the next twenty four hours two inches of rain fell.

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

GREENKEEPING

Every morning at 8am it consisted of measuring each green speed behind the first mowing operation to allow us to gain a picture of what additional operations were needed.

Pushing standing water off fairways, approaches and tees became an essential task along with sending out blowing crews who made sure everything was spotless ahead of play.

The lack of daylight hours in October coupled with the challenging weather conditions left little time for breaks during the day but team motivation remained high, with the guys enjoying the whole challenge.

Each greens preparation team consisted of one person with a Stimpmeter, two hand mowers and one roller. At any one time there were up to 10 mowers waiting for the first green speed. Throughout the event the crews were made up of a mixture of London Golf Club staff and twenty greenkeeping volunteers from other courses.

These volunteers are essential if you are going to deal effectively with the heavy demands of large events and the workload which can significantly change to meet the challenges that arise.

Most, if not all of these operations were carried out in the morning and again in the afternoon whenever the weather permitted us to do so, working around play.

Thanks to this determination and commitment from all the staff the tournament turned out to be one of great success, with accolades coming from players and media alike.

They say an army marches on its stomach‌ keeping the staff well fed during an event is a must, with bacon rolls taken out to them early morning, along with a cooked meal at lunch together with drinks and snacks through the day to keep them fuelled up.

Hosting The Volvo World Match Play Championship on The International has firmly placed the club on the map as a world class venue that has uniquely staged main tour events on both it’s championship golf courses.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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EUROPEAN TOUR PROPERTIES Race You to Dubai.

Pictures by Getty Images Jumeirah Golf Estates, part of the European Tour Properties network of world class golf venues and our first European Tour Destination in the Middle East, has all the elements for a world class golf holiday.

Just like London Golf Club, being a European Tour Destination means you can expect golf that comes with a tournament standard stamp of approval and a luxury, world class venue with five star hospitality.

And these elements are certainly in evidence EuropEan Tour propErTIES & SuB–BranD at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, home of the BranD GuIDELInES DP World Tour Championship, the season | V1 Tour Race ending finale MaY of The2009 European to Dubai, where great sporting drama is consistently created as some of the world’s best golfers go head-to-head on the Greg Norman designed Earth Course – a beautifully sculpted arena of grass, sand, palms and water that is fast becoming golf’s own theatre of dreams.

Hole 15, Earth course

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Following his dramatic eagle three finish on the par-5 18th in 2013 to claim both the DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai titles, super Swede Henrik Stenson – who is an Official Ambassador for the Jumeirah Golf Estates golf and residential community – was back a year later. In November 2014, once again producing a fire-cracker finish to set the golfing world alight.

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EUROPEAN TOUR PROPERTIES

Trailing by two shots on the back nine, Stenson fought back to successfully defend his title. The shot of his round – and the shot of the tournament – came on the 195-yard 17th hole where he fired a 5-iron to within 15 inches of the cup.

Another birdie on the 620-yard par-5 18th wrapped up the victory for the 38-year-old, although it was his Ryder Cup teammate, Rory McIlroy, who took the Race to Dubai crown. For global sports fans, watching the action unfold on TV, it was impossible to take their eyes off the action, or the strikingly beautiful surroundings of Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Ever since Lee Westwood claimed the first DP World Tour Championship title in 2009, the 36-hole venue, the first member of the European Tour Properties network in the Middle East, has emerged as a leading destination for golfers wishing to follow the fairways of The European Tour’s superstar golfers.

This has as much to do with playing the course the European Tour professionals play – or in the words of Greg Norman,

Hole 12, Fire course

“playing the most challenging mile in golf” – as it does with the variety of luxury hotels, fine dining establishments, tax-free shopping and fantastic climate on offer in Dubai.

Prior to stepping onto the course and to help you emulate the professionals, golfers can hone their skills at the venue’s European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI).

The facility is the first of its kind in the Middle East and provides players of all abilities with a variety of instructional programmes, including player development, ladies group coaching, corporate clinics and junior master-classes, all of which use the latest in interactive, high performance video technology.

Having successfully polished your game at the practice facilities, there are two equally challenging and visually stunning courses available to you. The Earth Course, takes its inspiration from the great parklands of Europe and North America, and Fire, which, as the name suggests, provides a fiery challenge and has a strong sense of classic links play.

Henrik Stenson

After golf, you can unwind, dissect your round and enjoy the world-class hospitality on offer in the newly opened clubhouse.

This state-of-the-art facility contains a selection of notable restaurants, a fully equipped golf shop, swimming pools and an impressive terrace overlooking the 18th green.

The clubhouse is not just a welcome watering hole for visitors; it is also a hub for a growing residential community. With a confident spring in the step of Dubai’s resurgent property market, sales of luxury homes at Jumeirah Golf Estates are moving at pace with an anticipated 4,000 – 5,000 residents expected to be living here within the coming years.

The most recent addition to the venue’s residential community is the Redwood development, which consists of 75 three and four - bedroom townhouses, along with 42 five- and six- bedroom villas.

The townhouses all overlook the 11th and 12th holes of the Fire Course and offer residents shared amenities such as swimming pools, children’s play areas and BBQ facilities.

However, if you are looking for something slightly more substantial, then the villas in the community’s Redwood Avenue are available to purchase with all of the traditional luxuries that you would expect from a property of this type, along with a selection of high-spec add-ons, such as state-of-the-art audio-visual systems and custom-made Italian kitchens.

So whether visiting the vibrant city state of Dubai for a holiday, or looking to establish a home in the sun, Jumeirah Golf Estates, now one of the region’s most exciting all-round golf complexes, awaits.

For more information about Jumeirah Golf Estates, visit: www.jumeirahgolfestates.com

Spectacular new clubhouse

LONDON GOLF CLUB

For members bookings on any of the European Tour Properties please contact Leonardo Izzi on 01474 875 702 or email leonardo@londongolf.co.uk

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

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THE 2014 RYDER CUP From the Miracle at Medinah to Monarchs of the Glen!

Pictures by Getty Images One of the abiding ‘biscuit tin’ images of Scotland is that of the majestic stag, antlers thrusting skywards, imperiously surveying a landscape of rolling hills and shimmering lochs.

The famous painting by Sir Edwin Landseer from 1851 could also be taken as the perfect metaphor for an event which took place on a golf course over a century and a half later.

However, in 2014, this ‘Monarch of the Glen’ took the human form of a genial Irishman in Paul McGinley, a man who played a huge role in helping making a team of 12 professionals immortal in that special, scenic part of Perthshire which will forever be associated with The Ryder Cup. As European captain, McGinley supervised the impressive victory over the United States on the PGA Centenary Course – the eighth success for Europe in the past ten editions of golf’s thrilling biennial contest.

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A 16 ½ - 11 ½ success for Europe over Tom Watson’s United States team enabled McGinley to complete a clean sweep of Ryder Cups in which he had participated, namely three as a player, one as a vice captain and, finally, as the team leader.

From the moment he accepted the captaincy around 20 months earlier, to his decision to call on the motivational powers of Sir Alex Ferguson just 72 hours before the first tee shot, McGinley was in total control.

A real commander in chief.

There would, he insisted, be no encores, no comebacks like Frank Sinatra.

By accomplishing what he and his team set out to do, McGinley had fulfilled his life’s ambition.

Day One had dawned just ahead of the 7.35am tee time – one of the most spine-tingling experiences for any golfer, either participating or simply spectating.

Only once since the start of the new millennium has Europe experienced the bitter taste of defeat, and the team of players from Denmark, England, Germany, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Spain and Wales clearly had no intention of following in the unhappy footsteps of their 2008 predecessors.

By winning the two sets of foursomes – alternate shot, as the Americans are fond of calling it – by a thumping margin of 7-1, there was seldom a chance that McGinley’s meticulous planning might unravel.

In the event, Europe needed to produce a stirring fightback in the afternoon foursomes to establish a 5-3 lead. Wearing their blue Saltire sweaters as a badge of honour, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson forged a fine fourball partnership by winning twice on the opening day. That set the tone for an identical outcome from the eight matches on Saturday.

The advantage was now 10-6.

Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer all scored early points to set up the ‘kill’ and Welsh rookie Jamie Donaldson obliged with a 4 and 3 win over Keegan Bradley. The Ryder Cup was back in European hands.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

RYDER CUP

But even in the heady cocktail of triumph in the hours after victory had been secured, there were no cocktails of the alcoholic variety for McGinley. He left the partying to the ‘young bucks’ in the side and, instead, took stock of the moment and let the feeling of quiet satisfaction envelope him. www.rydercup.com summed up the entire night perfectly on the official website the next day:- “Last night was special,” said a surprisingly fresh-faced McGinley, back in the interview room on Monday morning for one last time as the sounds of the site deconstruction could already be heard echoing around Gleneagles.

Commander in Chief – Paul McGinley

“My wife gave me some of the best advice I’ve ever had in my life in 2002 when I holed the winning putt. She said: ‘Don’t drink too much tonight, enjoy these moments, enjoy it.

Don’t drink too much or you’ll forget about it.

Have a few drinks, of course, let’s share this, be merry, have fun, but let’s remember this.

This is what’s special.’

By Gordon Simpson, European Tour www.europeantour.com

Jamie Donaldson, scored the winning point in Europe’s 16½ - 11½ victory over America

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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IMG PRESTIGE The completed Sky Lake Resort & Golf Club situated 36km south west of the capital city of Ha Noi, Vietnam offers the visiting golfer a unique experience of golf in the north of Vietnam.

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IMG PRESTIGE

The restaurant offers an extensive menu of Asian and Western cuisines and an ample array of refreshments from local beers to quality wines.

Sky Lake Resort has been built within the beautiful surroundings of Chuong My with the captivating Van Son limestone outcrop as the backdrop to this visually stunning golf resort. Complimented with the Van Son Lake situated within the Lake Course, Sky Lake offers spectacular sights of the authentic Vietnamese countryside.

Sky Lake Resort & Golf Club was designed by renowned Korean architect Mr. Ahn Moon Hwan with more than 30 years of golf course design architecture. The resort is composed of 36 holes, the more mature of the two courses; The Lake was completed in 2012 with much acclaim having been voted “The most Challenging Golf Course in 2012/13 by the Vietnam Golf Association� it is no wonder as the course measures a bruising 7,557 yards from the tips. The use of the natural terrain and vegetation gives golfers a unique feeling of solitude, and course designer has made full use of the natural topography to create a challenging course that will test all level of golfers.

The newer of the two courses, called the Sky Course was recently opened on the 29th November, 2014 and is quite contrasting in design. The par 72 Sky Course is much gentler test of golf, offering wider fairways and exciting use of elevation.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

The Sky Lake golf shop is well equipped to ensure the expectations of our Members and visitors are catered for. Leading golf brands such as Nike, Taylor Made and Titleist Footjoy and rental clubs are available. www.skylakegolfclub.vn The fairways are sea Isle paspulum and Bermuda Champion on the greens, offering the golfers a quality playing and consistent putting surface.

As part of IMG Prestige, London Golf Club members are entitled to a preferred rate when booking golf at Sky Lake.

The signature hole is hole 15, named Dien Bien Phu which takes the its dramatic hole design from the famous 1954 battle that resulted in the departure of French influence in Indo China. The 430 yard par 4 hole 15 is designed with the landscape of Dien Bien Phu in mind. The golfer will need to traverse the steep incline to the green which is perched on the pinnacle of a hill overlooking the city of Hanoi in the distance.

The well appointed and impressive clubhouse nestles comfortably in the surrounds and offers the golfer relaxing on the clubhouse balcony a panoramic view of the Lake Course and beyond to Hanoi.

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IN FOCUS: HORSE RACING

CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP FESTIVAL Known as the thrilling climax of the jump racing season, the Cheltenham Festival features four magical days of racing where capacity crowds descend upon the racecourse to create the fabulous atmosphere that the Festival is famed for.

The Gold Cup is the most prestigious of all National Hunt events and draws racing fans from around the World to witness what is widely regarded as the ultimate test of speed and stamina of any horse - a truly momentous occasion at Cheltenham Racecourse.

PLATINUM SUITE PACKAGE • Club Badge providing access to the exclusive Club Enclosure and Tattersalls • Morning coffee and pastries • Champagne reception • Full complimentary bar • Four course silver service luncheon • Guest celebrity tipster • Tote betting facilities and race cards • Traditional afternoon tea • Plasma screens showing racing coverage • Reserved parking • Event management in attendance • Official event documentation The officially appointed Platinum Suite is ideal for smaller groups offering a fantastic hospitality experience at Cheltenham Racecourse. Alternatively there is the option to have exclusive use of a glass fronted box for up to 120 guests. Boxes offer private balcony views along with event management in attendance.

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

LONDON GOLF CLUB

ROYAL ASCOT 2015

EPSOM DERBY 2015

A ROYAL AFFAIR

ENTERTAIN IN LUXURY

Drawing in hundreds of thousands of racegoers each year from all over the world, Royal Ascot is the showpiece event on the horse racing calendar for privileged VIP guests during the flat racing season.

A day out at the Investec Epsom Derby 2015 is guaranteed to impress even the most discerning guests, allowing you to relax and enjoy fabulous food, wine and entertainment.

The much anticipated arrival of Her Majesty the Queen in her horse drawn carriage sets the tone for a tremendous few days of tradition and entertainment at Ascot Racecourse.

As a VIP guest you will be able to enjoy excellent views trackside as the horses round the final turn and thunder down the famous Tattenham Straight towards the winning post.

HOSPITALITY AT ASCOT RACECOURSE

HOSPITALITY AT EPSOM RACECOURSE

Royal Ascot hospitality packages include a champagne reception and a luxury four course luncheon along with the best panoramic trackside views. Guests are able to enjoy an inclusive complimentary bar throughout the event and finish their day with a traditional afternoon tea.

Entertain guests with the finest Investec Derby hospitality and enjoy a drinks reception, a luxury three course meal as standard and exclusive balcony viewing. Epsom Racecourse offers you and your guests a variety of hospitality options for next year’s Investec Derby.

With a huge variety of packages to choose from at Royal Ascot there’s something for groups of all sizes.

Options include a table for two in the trackside restaurant or the exclusive use of a private box for up to 80 guests that include a private balcony overlooking the finish line.

Brand new for 2015 is The Winning Post, ideal for Ladies’ Day, offering a professional mixologist and music throughout for the ultimate ladies day out.

For a fine dining experience, Chez Roux at Blue Riband is the perfect setting ideal for tables of 10 offering superb food in the heart of the racecourse.

Find out more about our VIP packages and discover exclusive London Golf Club members’ benefits today:

The Home of Corporate Hospitality LONDON GOLF CLUB

LONDON GOLF CLUB

0870 392 3855 londongolf@hospitalityfinder.co.uk www.hospitalityfinder.co.uk 21

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FASHION On the green, concentration is a key condition. A golfer’s apparel should provide unrestricted freedom of movement and feature functions to enhance the play. KJUS develops golf-wear under this premise. The aim is to equip ambitious sportspeople with the most innovative garments possible.

For full focus on the next swing.

KJUS Y-Tech CUT: FEEL FREE AS YOU TEE At KJUS, people are absolute experts when it comes to unrestricted freedom of movement. As passionate golfers, they know that details can determine your game. KJUS optimized the seam lines of its polo shirts and jackets with an invention called the Y-Tech Cut. We asked one of their dedicated designers, Bendicht Daumueller, about this special technique, how the idea arose and what makes this tiny seeming seam detail so special.

Could you please explain briefly: What is the Y-Tech Cut and what makes it stand out from standard cuttings?

The basic idea derives from the traditional “raglan” cutting of sleeves. We have been inspired by this, because it avoids seams around your shoulders – an area, where you need maximum freedom of movement when playing golf. At the same time, you can carry your golf bag without getting pressure marks on your skin as there is seam.

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In short, we applied the advantages of the raglan sleeve and found a more sophisticated way of creating the perfect golf sleeve. The cut follows the natural body form and therefore has a much better fit.

And lookwise: What is special about it?

Our Y-Tech Cut makes a shirt look like a classical, clean polo at the front with a standard set-in sleeve, yet without the disturbing seam lines. That’s because you have the Y at the back. In other words: It features the raglan-advantages, without its slightly unsubtle style.

What’s the feedback on the Y-Tech Cut? When you’ve put on one of our polo shirts or jackets once, you don’t want anything else anymore.

About KJUS Originating from an idea by Olympic ski champion Lasse Kjus and the Swiss entrepreneur Didi Serena, the KJUS brand stands for sportswear made of innovative, high-performance material with a distinctive, clean design. The award-winning ski-, golf- and active-collections are developed by passionate sports experts and tested by professional athletes.

The company revolutionized the market with its extremely stretchable high-tech garments, setting new standards of excellence along the way. The products are designed to enable sports people to fully focus on the experience. www.kjus.com

Our golfers at KJUS and also our athletes say that it really makes a difference. It gives you an elevated feeling of freedom when you tee off or swing your golf club on the green.

And not only that: The jacket always stays in place, no matter how sweeping your swing.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

747 MIRAGE

ENGINEERS OF EMOTIONS

w w w. f ra u s ch e rb oa ts .com O h l s d orf, Au s tria www.facebook.com/frauscherboats

engineers of emotions

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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COMPETITION REPORTS

PRESIDENT’S CUP REPORT

FOUNDER’S TROPHY

(International & Heritage)

(Heritage)

The President’s Cup was played over two Saturdays with Round One on 13th September and Round two on the 20th September.

On this occasion 40 players competed for the Founders’ Trophy on Saturday 27th September over the beautiful Heritage course.

The Stableford competition could not have been held in better conditions as the early Autumn sunshine and still conditions made for an ideal scoring day.

The first round saw an impressive Roger Southam open up with 45 points which gave him a six shot lead over the chasing pack which included Kieron O’Shaughnessy with a very impressive 39 points, Kai Midgley with 38, Paul O’Connor with 37 and Charlie Parker on 36.

The chasing pack tried to put the pressure on Roger with some very impressive scoring around the notoriously harder scoring, Heritage course. Charlie Parker had the best round of the day with 41 points.

Roger held his nerve and despite being cut a good few shots from the first round, he managed an equally impressive 37 points off of his new handicap and saw him blow the field away and win by five points.

AUTUMN CUP 2014 playing for the John Kelly Memorial Bowl

And so it proved as all the prize-winners returned scores under their handicaps.

The best score of the day and the winner of the Founders Trophy was Comac Hicks with and extremely impressive 42 points which saw him to victory by 3 points.

(Heritage) Even if the weather was not ideal for golf, on Saturday 4th October and a quality field of 34 competitors competed for the Autumn Cup. The Autumn Cup is a strokeplay competition and due to the horrible weather we only saw 1 competitor return a score under par!

With an incredible score of nett 68 and winner by an impressive 4 shots was Dave Perry.

Runner-up was Billy Smy whose 39 points off 5 handicap just saw him miss out on the trophy. Graham Kerr rounded out the top 3 also with an excellent score of 39 points off 5 handicap whilst Jan Pretorius and Nick York claimed the final prize spots.

Second and Third, and Forth and Fifth places were all decide on countback with Mark Maidment finishing in 5th, just in front of him on countback was Sean Scotcher both with a score of nett 75. Finishing in 3rd and showing good form to finish the season was Kieron O’Shaughnessy but he was edged out by Bill Smy who was 2nd with both scoring very impressive level par rounds of nett 72.

FOUNDER’S TROPHY

AUTUMN CUP

PRESIDENT’S CUP 1st

Roger Southam

45 + 37 = 82pts

1st

Cormac Hicks

42 pts

1st

Dave Perry

Nett 68

2nd

Charlie Parker

36 + 41 = 77pts

2nd

Billy Smy

39 pts

2nd

Billy Smy

Nett 72*

Kieron O’Shaughnessy 39 + 36 = 75pts

3rd

Graham Kerr

39 pts

3rd

Kieron O’Shaughnessy

Nett 72*

3rd 4th

Kai Midgley

38 + 35 = 73pts

4th

Jan Pretorius

37 pts

4th

Sean Scotcher

Nett 75*

5th

Paul O’Connor

37 + 35 = 72pts

5th

Nick York

37 pts

5th

Mark Maidment

Nett 75*

* on countback 34

LONDON GOLF CLUB

THE LONDON GOLF CLUB APP

The scorecard functionality allows up to 4 players with different scoring formats and the possibility to share the results via social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

If you are new to any of our two golf courses, a 3D flythrough is available for the 36 holes so players can have access to all kind of information before they tee-off.

The London Golf Club App also provides dynamic directions from wherever you are to the home of the 2014 Volvo World Match Play and it provides users up to date weather information for the Club’s geographical location.

Great functionality especially the Course Guide and Scorecard capability, I regularly use the app to check the Weather forecast and book tee times. User interface layout and flow are helpful, responsive and simple to use, almost everything you need to know about LGC are captured within the mobile App.

“

Ray Stock, LGC Member

“

“

Quite simply the information it provides; the simplicity of its navigation and a course guide at your finger tip!

“

The London Golf Club App is one of the most innovative and useful Apps in sport. It is beautifully presented, has a number of helpful features, and adds value to members and users of the London Golf Club.

I particularly like the scoring sheets, for both Stroke and Stableford scoring, and the hole-by-hole course guide, where you can place shots on screen.

It is a truly magnificent tool.

“

“

Available for free download on both AppStore and Google Play, the London Golf Club App uses HTML5 technology and offers a whole range of functionalities.

Marshall Bailey, LGC Member

Jason Maloney, LGC Member

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

COMPETITION REPORTS

SENIOR SALVER

GREENSOME STABLEFORD

5 CLUB CHALLENGE

(Heritage)

(Heritage)

(International)

This year’s Senior Salver winner was Malcolm Collins who now has his name on the trophy and the Honours Board twice. With a great score of 35 points in difficult conditions he edged out the runner up Trevor Allen on countback. Because of the Volvo World Match Play preparation, this year’s competition was played over the Heritage course, on the 11th October.

The Greensome Stableford adds a bit of fun for the end of the season and was played over the Heritage course on Saturday 1st November as 21 pairs competed for the Trophy. The format, which involves both players teeing-off before choosing the best and playing alternate shots from there on is always popular.

On Saturday 6th December, the 5 club challenge was held as the last major competition of the year. With Christmas around the corner and the New Year fast approaching, the weather was still superb with the sun beaming down on a frosty course.

3rd place went to last year’s runner up Kai Midgley with 33 points and he edged out David Casey and Martin Sterling on countback.

Once again competition day was blessed with bright sunshine and the players certainly took advantage of this as some great scores were returned, most notably from the winners Jamie and Sean Scotcher who posted 42 points to win by a single point.

Second place was the team of Roberto Veiga and Tony Varral who were unlucky to be second with a massive 41 points. 3rd and 4th place was decide on countback with Darren Johnson and Paul O’Connor edging out Simon Bowden and David Walker both with 39 points. Making up the top 5 was the pairing of Kai Midgley and David Perry with 38 points.

SENIOR SALVER 1st

Malcolm Collins

Defeating Lee on countback was Malcolm Collins on 38 points. Finally winning by two points was Nigel Fairburn who shot a fantastic 40 points on the day to claim 1st place and the trophy. With the competitors only using 5 clubs these high scores were not only impressive but also a little eyes opening for some.

GREENSOME STABLEFORD 35pts

1st Jamie Scotcher & Sean Scotcher

Nett 42

2nd

Trevor Allen

35pts

2nd

3rd

Kai Midgley

33pts

3rd Daren Johnson & Paul O’Connor

Nett 39

4th

David Casey

33pts

4th

Simon Bowden & David Walker

Nett 39

5th

Martin Sterling

33pts

5th

Kai Midgley & David Perry

Nett 38

LONDON GOLF CLUB

There were some brilliant scores at the top of the leader board with 38 points picking up 3rd place which was scored by Lee Knight.

Tony Varrall & Roberto Veiga

Nett 41

5-CLUB CHALLANGE 1st

Nigel Fairbairn

40pts

2nd

Malcolm Collins

38pts

3rd

Lee Knight

38pts

4th

Michael Hart

37pts

5th

Dominic Scotton

37pts

6th

Charlie Parker

37pts

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COMPETITION REPORTS

ORDER OF MERIT 2014

SUMMER SINGLES MATCH PLAY

(International & Heritage)

(Heritage & International)

The 2014 Order of Merit was won by Ryan Dalton. He showed us some fantastic form with a couple of wins along with a number of high finishes.

Ryan played 11 events with his highlight being his win in the in the Chairman’s Trophy.

He won the Order of Merit by an impressive 28 points but was pushed hard right to the end by Charlie Parker who has now been Runner up for a fifth year in a row.

ORDER OF MERIT 2014

Another successful year for the Members Match Play this year and it was great to see the final played close to the Volvo World Match Play Championship event.

This year’s final saw Cormac Hicks take on Mike Hart.

It was to be a thrilling end to a long Match Play campaign with Mike, chipping in on the 18th to force the final to extra holes where Mike prevailed to win.

SUMMER SINGLES MATCH PLAY

1st

Ryan Dalton

245pts

2nd

Charlie Parker

213pts

3rd

Jan Pretorius

147pts

4th

Kieron O’Shaughnessy

139pts

5th

Scott York

132pts

SUMMER PAIRS MATCH PLAY (Heritage & International) This year’s Members Pairs Match Play proved to be the year of the Father and Son team, with 3 out of the 4 final pairs being a father and son combination.

The finalist however saw last year’s runners up Lee Knight and Mike Hart make their way back to the final, trying to take it one step further this year.

Unfortunately for them they came up against a father and son duo that had been blowing opponents away. Dominic and Philip Scotton would prove too strong and became 2014 Pairs Match Play Champions with a 2 and 1 win in the final.

SUMMER PAIRS MATCH PLAY

WINNER

Mike Hart

WINNER

Dominic Scotton & Phillip Scotton

FINAL

Cormac Hicks vs Mike Hart

FINAL

Michael Hart & Lee Knight vs Dominic Scotton & Phillip Scotton

SEMIFINALS

Dominic Scotton vs Cormac Hicks Mark Squire vs Mike Hart

SEMIFINALS

Daniel Casey & David Casey vs Michael Hart & Lee Knight Dominic Scotton & Phillip Scotton vs Nick York & Scott York

* on countback 38

LONDON GOLF CLUB

GOLF EVENTS London Golf Club prides itself on being one of the best venues in England at which to host a corporate golf event.

From the moment your guests enter our gates and drive the mile to the Clubhouse they will know they are heading for a day to remember.

golf@londongolf.co.uk | www.londongolf.co.uk | 01474 875 752

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WYDER CUP 2014 On the 6th of September, the second edition of the Wyder Cup took place on both Heritage and International courses. This year, Jamie Scotcher and Nigel Fairbairn were the Captains leading the teams.

During the morning session, Team Scotcher started to express that this could be their day as Jamie’s players were showing some really strong golf over the first 18 holes only losing one of the matches.

With everything to play for in the afternoon singles, this was the last chance to Team Fairbairn to claw back the deficit.

The International course, which was already being prepared for the Volvo World Match Play, was the perfect scene for Team Scotcher to be crowned Champions of the 2014 Wyder Cup.

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Team Fairbairn Nigel Fairbairn Lee Knight Michael Hart Mike McMahon Carl Palmer Dave Wallis Harry Wallis Nick Stansfield

Mark Squire Scott Sumner Billy Smy Gary Smy Steve Middleton Charles Thornes Daryl Carter Harry Fairbairn

Team Scotcher Jamie Scotcher Steve Dalton Kai Midgley Darren Johnson Martin Dowie Stephen Friend

Peter Ruffoni Ryan Dalton Sean Scotcher Martin Sterling Dave Perry Spencer Gordon

“

To be named as team captain this year was a great honour and following on from Capt. Stephen Dalton win last year, expectations were high.

The day was played in great spirt with high hope of victory from both teams and even if Team Scotcher won, the true winner was Medway Magic Charity as we raised a total £1000.00 on the day.

“

The draw took place in the morning when both teams enjoyed a Full English breakfast in The Long Bar, before teeing-off on the Heritage course and starting the most waited competition of the year.

Jamie Scotcher

LONDON GOLF CLUB

“

As Captain I was very proud of our team, we had 19 players who all participated at some point during the day.

It was a great day and night out with our wife and partners.

Unfortunately we were beaten by a better team who played some amazing golf during the day.

However we will regroup under the Captaincy of Lee Knight and come back fitting fight for next years battle. The losing team also donated £1000 to a local charity so all for a good cause too.

MAGIC Medway Autism Group and Information Centre This year’s chosen charity for the Wyder Cup was MAGIC – Medway Autism Group and Information Centre. Formed in 2006 by parents who wanted children with autism to have equal opportunities, MAGIC has over 550 families who are members and who rely on their services which includes youth clubs, activity days and respite services.

The charity has over 40 volunteers and helpers who give their time freely to help those, as they are not able to provide the services without external funding support.

For more information please visit www.medway-magic.org

“

Nigel Fairbairn

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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SEVENOAKS ASTON MARTIN 2014 represented a 10 year relationship between Lancaster Sevenoaks and the London Golf Club.

During our 10 year relationship with London Golf we have held many events at the Club, including product launches, dedicated drive days and of course, Golf Days. In addition to our events we also have supported various activities over the years such as Ladies Drive/ Golf Day (two years running), Diamonds and DBS’s, plus product placements at various golf tournaments.

The London Golf Club have also been very supportive in our own dealership based events joining in on our Big Boys Toys’ event and The Finer Things. Over the years we have both benefited by the connection by introducing members to our brand and we in return have introduced our Aston Martin owners to the Club.

Fair to say both parties have enjoyed working together and will continue promoting and supporting each other for the future.

“

Great experience and thrill to drive such prestige cars, great insight of what goes on to produce one of these cars.

Fully recommended for the petrol heads amongst you.

“

LANCASTER & LONDON GOLF CLUB

Harry Benning, LGC Member

ASTON MARTIN EXPERIENCE DAY Each year selected customers are invited to a Lancaster Aston Martin Experience day which is held at Aston Martin’s state-of-the-art factory in Gaydon, Warwickshire.

Because of the exclusivity of this event there are only two dates set throughout the year.

The day begins with a tour with a factory based specialist who will personally escort the guests through the various areas, including the paint shop, interior trim and assembly area. The tour is concluded in the Quality Inspection unit where every car is meticulously checked before its final dispatch and is awarded it’s ‘Wings’.

Then the fun begins with road drives in the current range of Aston Martin cars.

Accompanied by a member of the Aston Martin trained instructor team, guests are guided through the features & benefits of each car.

Finishing off with a superb Buffet lunch and a time to chat with members of the Aston Martin team.

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

LONDON GOLF CLUB partner with

McCANN BESPOKE TAILORING McCann bespoke tailoring provides a luxury bespoke tailoring service to leading businessmen, professionals and sports personalities from all over the world.

Our clients include a wealth of senior professional people from business, sports and the media.

Ambassadors include Sir Ian Botham, Stuart Broad and Mark Hughes to name but a few.

We are the official tailoring supplier to Middlesex CCC, Hampshire CCC and most recently QPR football club where we supply the players with a specially designed bespoke suit, shirt and tie to be worn at all the home and away matches during the season by players, management and support staff.

At McCann’s, we provide a personal consultation to help you pick the perfect garment. Whether it’s a cloth, style or fit, a McCann master tailoring will guide you in the right direction to ensure you end up with a finished product you are happy with. www.mccannbespoke.com

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SEVENOAKS ASTON MARTIN

ABOUT SEVENOAKS ASTON MARTIN Lancaster Sevenoaks have been an official Main dealer for Aston Martin in the county of Kent since 1989. Part of the prestigious Jardine Motor Group, we have two Aston Martin franchises within our dealer group.

During the past 25 years we have built and maintained strong relationships with our customers, something we are extremely proud of.

We have an experienced and enthusiastic Sales team who are on hand to ensure we find the right car for you, whether that be advice on choosing a new vehicle specification or introducing you to our selection of Pre-owned Approved Aston Martins.

The car of your dreams may only be a call away. We offer tailor made funding packages to suit your individual requirements and have a dedicated Business Manager to take you through the various options available.

Factory trained technicians will look after your Aston Martin at service times and should you require any parts our Aftersales department carries a comphrensive range of genuine Aston Martin parts and lifestyle accessories from the luxurious ‘Collection’.

Here at Lancaster Sevenoaks we are passionate and fervent about the Brand and our dealership and always try to go that ‘extra mile, to deliver the best possible customer experience.

Special note: “we would like to thank Lucia Jenkins, Marketing Manager at Lancaster Sevenoaks, for all her support in the past ten years.”

For more information please visit www.jardinemotors.co.uk/astonmartin or call 01732 456777

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

MEETINGS AND EVENTS The perfect setting for your corporate event

MEETINGS AND EVENTS The London Golf Club offers the perfect setting for your corporate event. A stone’s throw from the M20 and M25 we are a well situated central hub for your clients and guests to meet. We pride ourselves on our flexibility and ability to cater for a wide range of events offering a selection of rooms available to hire 7 days a week. Situated on our first floor these offer privacy combined with the stunning views over the 18th green Heritage.

As a member you will benefit from a 50% discount on all room hire rates.

The Henry Cooper room with its oak panelled walls, teamed with sofas and a balcony overlooking the main entrance offers a grand and opulent setting making it the perfect choice for a board meeting for up 26 guests or an intimate dining room if entertaining is your preferred choice.

The Heritage and International suites can be combined to create a larger space for up to 140 people or booked separately.

Air conditioning and access to a large outside terrace area make these rooms the perfect choice for all types of business meetings and private lunches.

The Banqueting Room is an impressive room adjoining our Long Bar. It offers stunning views over the lakes and two championship courses. Ideal for fine dining or most recently, combined with our Long Bar area, very popular for conferences and seminars for up to 140 people. Air conditioned, with a PA system and a wooden dance floor this room is also a popular choice for parties.

MEMBERS SOCIAL EVENTS On the first Sunday of every month we host our ever popular Sunday Lunch.

Exclusive to members, we offer a superb 3 course meal served in the ambient Banqueting Room. Children are welcome, making it the perfect way to spend the afternoon with friends and family.

Tables must be pre booked.

Throughout the year we host a number of events such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Eater lunches, Summer BBQ and Summer Ball concluding with our famous Christmas events.

For more information on the hiring of our function rooms or any of our social events please contact Jemma on 01474 875720 or email jemma@londongolf.co.uk

The Long Bar and Outside Terrace area provide panoramic views over the lakes and courses. A perfect backdrop for social gatherings and parties. Combined with the Banqueting Room this area can cater for an event with numbers up to 250.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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SHEPHERD NEAME The brewery is based in the heart of hop country, in the medieval market town of Faversham in Kent.

BRITAIN’S OLDEST BREWER Shepherd Neame can trace its origins back to the early 1500s, thanks to new research.

History and provenance are always key differentiators in brewing and the much-coveted position as Britain’s oldest has been oft-debated.

Records show that in 1573 brewer John Castlocke II was living at 18 Court Street, and they also confirm the site has been a brewery ever since, from which Shepherd Neame is descended, with the Shepherd and Neame families joining in the 18th and 19th centuries respectively.

There is also evidence a brewery was operating on the site in 1507, but the brewery is yet to prove continuity between this date and 1573.

The fifth-generation independent family business produces Kentish ales of such renown that they are afforded Protected Geographical Indication from the EU. This protection means Shepherd Neame is the only UK brewer allowed to call its beer true Kentish ale.

A comparatively low-level of sweetness, versus peppery hoppy notes is typical of this unique style of regional beer.

It is even celebrated each harvest, with green hop ale, featuring fresh hops with zesty aromas and esters which are usually lost during the drying process.

The brewery is based in the heart of hop country, in the medieval market town of Faversham in Kent. Its ales use 95% Kentish hops, which are combined with the finest malted barley and chalk filtered mineral water from an artesian well deep beneath the brewery. The ales are also brewed in the UK’s last remaining solid oak mash tuns.

Quality is something that never goes out of style and Shepherd Neame beers have won in excess of 40 brewing awards since 2008.

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In addition to traditional favourites such as Spitfire and Bishops Finger, the brewery also produces modern beers, such as the Whitstable Bay Collection, Japanese lager Asahi and leading US craft beer Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Experimental brews have also taken hold in recent years, with beer featuring chilli, chocolate, mulling spices and rare hop varieties from the National Hop Collection.

Finally, historic beer recipes are making a comeback and the brewer’s Classic Collection includes many famed styles such as India Pale Ale, Mild, Porter and Double Stout.

The brewery operates 347 pubs and hotels across London and the South East, including 299 tenanted pubs and 48 managed pubs and hotels.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

SHEPHERD NEAME

The estate includes urban, rural and coastal pubs and characterful boutique hotels, with 500 bedrooms across the estate.

Shepherd Neame brews more than 70 million pints annually and exports 20% of its output to 35 countries worldwide.

A Royal Warrant Holder to HRH Prince of Wales, the business provides more than 4,500 jobs in the UK. It has pioneered sustainable brewing, with a water consumption-to-output ratio of 3:1 – thanks to a water recovery system – and 97% recycling of raw materials in the brewhouse.

A selection of Shepherd Neame beers are available at London Golf Club and online at www.shepherdneame.co.uk/shop

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

uncompromising. kjus.com

LONDON GOLF CLUB

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VIRGIN ATLANTIC New 787s are taking to the skies.

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

VIRGIN ATLANTIC NEW 787S ARE TAKING TO THE SKIES We’re delighted to say that the first of the Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 fleet has arrived.

The 787s, also known as ‘Dreamliners’, are set to revolutionise the airline, with an incredible onboard experience and more sustainable, safer and efficient aircraft.

Birthday Girl, Virgin Atlantic’s first 787, has been flying between London Heathrow and Boston from 28 October 2014.

And over the following months, the first few 787s will start flying from Heathrow to their East Coast destinations Washington, Newark and New York. Which will help make transatlantic travel even easier, offering you total convenience and connectivity.

And if sleep’s a priority, you can choose to ‘Grab and Go,’ with a quick breakfast bite from the bar before landing.

Premium Economy We’re offering even more space, comfort and freedom in Premium Economy.

Passengers can stretch their legs in the room created by the new, comfier leather seat. Or take a stroll to the ‘Wander Wall,’ our new social space, to grab a snack or drink.

Economy We’ve always made sure our Economy cabins offer plenty of those little touches that make the journey fun. And now our focus for 787 is the seat. We’ve chosen Recaro’s best award winning longhaul Economy seat, which innovatively creates more living space and comfort.

Here’s how: Inside our 787s Whichever cabin you travel in, you’ll enjoy WiFi access and the latest version of our award winning inflight entertainment system.

Plus interior design and dynamic mood lighting that give a feeling of space and light.

Upper Class When it’s time for rest or sleep, passengers can settle into a refreshed version of our original, popular Upper Class Suite.

The redesigned bar is now even more of a social space where you can dine as a four with friends or experience new services like wine tasting.

LONDON GOLF CLUB

Innovations on our 787s Virgin Atlantic’s787s will give you our best ever experience of inflight service and comfort, with a range of innovations and new technologies.

The best view Enjoy an amazing view. The electronically dimmable cabin windows are the biggest on any commercial aircraft. And they’re designed so that wherever passengers sit, they can see the horizon.

Dynamic mood lighting The dynamic onboard mood lighting adjusts to the destination time zone, helping you to arrive feeling less jet lagged.

A breath of fresh air The cabin air is cleaner, with higher humidity and lower cabinaltitude, making the air feel more comfortable. For a more refreshing, less tiring journey.

A smoother ride Smoother Ride Technology senses turbulence and makes small adjustments to the flight systems to reduce it. Reducing the chance of motion sickness.

Onboard WiFi All our 787s have WiFi throughout, allowing you to stay connected during your time in the air.

More reliable Our 787s are super reliable because they include as much electrical architecture as possible and have fewer moving parts.

Advanced Aircraft Health Monitoring (AHM) also means we can check how they’re performing, even when they’re flying.

More sustainable Compared with our similar sized legacy aircraft, our 787s are much more fuel efficient, which helps reduce CO2 emissions. They’re also quieter, with a 60% smaller noise footprint.

For more information please contact www.destinationsport.co.uk or phone 01737 771613 or visit the Members Area of the website for your 10% Members Discount www.virgin-atlantic.co.uk

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DAVID MARSHALL Beautiful, bespoke

In the heart of London, a team of goldsmiths led by luxury British jeweller David Marshall is carefully handcrafting exquisite jewellery cascading with diamonds and the finest gemstones, from colourful sapphires and rare jade to Tahitian pearls. With countless years’ experience between them, David and his team of skilled goldsmiths turn precious metals and gemstones into red carpet creations, one-of-a-kind engagement rings, luxury jewellery collections and modern-day heirlooms.

BEAUTIFUL, BESPOKE David Marshall is renowned for his ability to make private clients’ dreams a reality, investing time and love into each creation that passes through his hands. One such design is a bespoke, 11.70cts fancy-shaped diamond bracelet recently brought to life

by David. Together with his team of goldsmiths, he took the piece from detailed watercolour sketch to an elegant and alluring design.

The creation of this special bracelet features in an exclusive behind-the-scenes video at David Marshall London’s atelier, stills of which can be seen here. David carefully selects the scintillating pink and white diamonds for the bracelet, with the video showcasing the intricate process of handcrafting the design.

Each platinum setting is tailored-made to perfectly clasp the 11 D-colour fancy-shaped heart, oval, trilliant, cushion and pear-shaped diamonds. One-by-one, the diamonds are hand-set in platinum, with almost 200 shimmering pink diamonds set into 18ct rose gold halos, embracing each diamond.

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Every component of this bespoke bracelet is a work of art; even the links between the diamonds are inspired by the David Marshall London emblem, which itself is reminiscent of a four-petal flower. The bracelet’s heart-shaped diamond clasp is a luxurious final flourish, glittering with two halos of pink diamonds. This precious piece is finally presented by David himself, who carefully places it in an elegant leather box, wrapped and topped with a ribbon.

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I look for inspiration in lots of different places – nature, architecture and ancient myths are just a few examples

“

David Marshall London has built a reputation as one of Britain’s premier jewellery designers, creating truly exceptional jewellery for over 30 years. As a London Golf Club exclusive, we discover more about this Mayfair jeweller’s bespoke fine jewellery.

David Marshall

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D AV I D M A R S H A L L

MADE WITH LOVE “I’ve been creating collections and bespoke jewellery for over 30 years – it’s what I’ve always loved. Every single piece of jewellery that leaves my workshop has had a lot of time and love lavished on it,” David Marshall says of his luxurious designs.

“We worked very closely with a couple celebrating a special wedding anniversary to create the striking, fancy-shaped diamond bracelet that features in the video.

David Marshall London’s focus on the personal touch is what makes our jewellery so exceptional; the result is always truly meaningful.”

Alongside its bespoke service, David Marshall London creates a number of fine jewellery collections boasting the same level of British jewellery craftsmanship. Such collections include Beach Rocks, a vibrant collection of daring coloured gemstone pieces inspired by the Côte d’Azur, and the Feather Collection, which recreates the beautiful curve of swans’ wings in diamonds, while evoking the winged goddesses of ancient Greece.

“I look for inspiration in lots of different places – nature, architecture and ancient myths are just a few examples” David explains.

“By bringing together familiar elements with a contemporary vision, my jewellery designs make deep emotional connections.”

For more information and bespoke enquires visit www.davidmarshalllondon.com or contact 020 7495 6378.

Visit the David Marshall London boutique at 43 Davies Street, Mayfair, London W1K 4LU

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MEMBERS CHRISTMAS PARTY 1920s Flappers and Dappers evenings at the London Golf Club

CHRISTMAS PARTY Known as one of the best social events of the year, the Members Christmas Parties took place on 5th and 6th of December.

London Golf Club epitomises quality and 5-star service at every occasion and the Members Parties were no exception, as always these evenings were a great opportunity for members and guests to celebrate the festive period.

The thrilling evening started with some festive drinks and canapĂŠs in the Great Hall, including some time to pose for a picture with our professional photographers. This was followed by a delicious four course dinner taking on a tantalising 1920s twist, prepared by our Head Chef Michael Sargent and his team.

After dinner all members and guests enjoyed a selection of alluring cocktails in the Long Bar whilst dancing the night away to the sound of the ever popular Adam Chandler and his swing band.

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

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

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LONDON GOLF CLUB

LONDON GOLF CLUB partner with BLAKES HOTEL Blakes is the inspirational creation of world renowned designer Anouska Hempel as the world’s first luxury boutique hotel. Located in the leafy Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Blakes is justly famous for its stunning design, elegance and dedicated service. Its uncompromising stand on privacy has made it the London base for film stars, musicians and all the top designers, earning its reputation as The “Couture” Hotel.

Sympathetically converted from a collection of period Victorian town houses, Blakes is now established and recognized as totally unique and has revolutionized and influenced the concept of the small luxury hotel worldwide.

For more information please call Talana Bestall on 0207 2444 314 or email talana@blakeshotels.com www.blakeshotels.com

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MEMBERS CHRISTMAS LUNCH Festive afternoon for family and friends

CHRISTMAS LUNCH The annual Members Christmas Lunch was hosted on Sunday 14th December, specially organised for our members and guests to enjoy a wonderful festive afternoon.

After a delicious meal with a selection of our finest festive dishes, Ms Claus and her Elf began the festivities with games and creative activities preparing for the arrival of Father Christmas.

Once the special guest arrived, children eagerly awaited the unveiling of their presents from Father Christmas whilst having pictures taken to capture the special moment.

Entertaining our Members through the festive season is one of our favourite things to do at the London Golf Club and we look forward to entertaining Members and their guests next year with another fun filled Christmas full of parties that will again surpass expectations!

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CHRISTMAS LUNCH

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COACHING Focusing on the fundamentals.

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COACHING

By Paul Stuart, Director of Golf 1. SETUP My grip and setup are my first power keys. Notice that my spine is angled away from the target, with my left shoulder higher than my right. This puts me in position to sweep the ball off the tee for more carry. It also encourages me to drive my weight toward the ball at impact. I have a neutral grip, which means I see only two knuckles on my left hand at address, and on my right hand the crease formed by my thumb and forefinger points halfway between my chin and right shoulder.

These positions allow me to confidently accelerate through impact into a balanced finish.

2. GETTING THINGS GOING Starting my backswing, I like to visualize the clubhead on the outside rail of a set of rail road tracks and my hands above the inside rail. I trace a path along those tracks as long as I can, keeping my right arm straight. This creates a wide swing arc.

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The wider the arc, the more power I can generate. I also try to keep my lower body stable, so I can create a nice, tight body coil. I don’t want my right knee and hip to drift away from the target; that ruins the coil.

3. MOVING BACK TO THE BALL I like hitting draws and fades because it helps me understand how to hit it straight—you have to know both sides to learn the middle. A straight shot will give you extra distance, because it stays in the short grass.

One key to hitting a straight drive is to keep the clubhead from lagging too far behind your body as you swing down. Feel as if your body, arms and club are moving to the ball together.

That’s why my arms are so close to my body here: They’re working as a unit, and that helps me square the clubface to my target and hit it straight.

4. THE FINISH Remember that wide swing arc I created in the backswing by keeping my right arm straight for as long as I could? Now look at my right arm in the follow-through.

Same thing, it’s fully extending toward the target. My neutral grip allows me to freely release the club as I swing through the ball.

I think it’s a great feeling for you to copy. I’ve seen way too many amateurs quitting on the swing as soon as the club contacts the ball. Commit to the shot and your finish!

You’ve got to keep it going, keep your speed up to the finish, if you want to really crunch the ball.

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4 KEYS TO DISTANCE Watching The Volvo World Match Play close up really highlighted to me firsthand how far the top Tour Professionals drive the golf ball. Yes they are now physically strong and yes they have the latest equipment but they also possess several swing characteristics we can all learn from.

First tip: Swinging harder is not the best way to drive it further. Instead, focus on the fundamentals, such as grip, setup and making solid contact on the clubface, and you’ll be in a much better position to launch the ball and maximise your distance. The following 4 keys will help you achieve this:

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RECIPE Rosemary Roasted Monkfish with Chorizo, Peas and Asparagus, Char-grilled Courgettes and Warm Lemon Gel.

Prepared by Lewis Duggan, Sous Chef

INSTRUCTIONS

INGREDIENTS

When buying a whole monkfish tail your fishmonger will usually remove the pinkish membrane, but if not you will need to pull this away otherwise it will shrink around the flesh.

Serves 4 For the Monkfish: 1 whole Monkfish Tail 200g Chorizo Sausage 6 sprigs fresh Rosemary 5oml Olive Oil 25g Butter Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper For the Warm Lemon Gel 2g Agar Agar 300ml Lemon Juice Zest of one Lemon Pinch Salt 1 tbsp Sugar

For the Pea Puree: 1 Garlic Clove 150ml Ham Stock 200g Frozen Peas 50g Unsalted Butter Salt For the Asparagus and Courgettes: 16 Asparagus Spears 2 Yellow Courgettes Small knob of Butter Olive Oil Salt and Pepper

Once you have trimmed the monkfish, place the whole tail in a large bowl or container with the rosemary and olive oil.

Cover and leave to marinade for up to 6 hours.

Tip: Alternatively, you could buy whole monkfish tail with the bone in.

Cooking the tail on the bone will keep the fish moist and full of flavour.

Preheat the oven to 180째C/360F/Gas 4.

To Finish Extra Virgin Olive Oil

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RECIPE

Begin with the lemon gel. The key ingredient here is agar agar, a gelling agent extracted from red algae which has some interesting properties. It is a flavourless, vegetarian ingredient used to stabilise foams and make intensely flavoured and heat resistant jellies.

In a small saucepan add the agar agar powder to the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and sugar and whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to the boil and then remove from the heat.

Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a small container, discarding the zest and then place the container in the fridge to set to a firm brittle jelly.

Once set, the jelly can be agitated to form a thick puree known as a fluid gel. This can be done easily using a stick blender or liquidiser.

If required use a little lemon juice to adjust the thickness of the gel.

The gel can now be heated to a maximum of 80째C without melting.

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For the pea puree, finely slice the garlic and put in a saucepan with the ham stock.

Bring to the boil then add the peas and cook for 3 minutes retaining the bright green colour of the peas.

Meanwhile, prepare the asparagus allowing 3 spears per person. Cut off the woody ends off the spears and blanch in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Refresh immediately in iced water to retain the colour and texture.

Blend the mixture in a liquidiser until smooth adding the salt and butter as you go. Set aside.

Shave the remaining asparagus spears thinly with a mandolin and plunge these into a separate bowl of iced water to crisp and curl. When ready to serve, heat a grill pan until very hot. Slice the courgettes into thin strips, season with salt, pepper and a little olive oil, and char quickly on the grill pan.

To cook the monkfish, remove it from the marinade and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat the rosemary oil in a wide pan and fry the monkfish tail on all sides until golden.

Add the rosemary sprigs, chorizo and the butter and baste the fish thoroughly before transferring the pan to the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Once cooked through, rest the monkfish for 15 minutes.

Tip: As the chorizo cooks in the pan it releases its smoky oil which you can use to baste the fish during cooking.

Shallow fry the blanched asparagus in a little butter, until starting to colour, then gently reheat the pea puree and lemon gel.

Carve the monkfish and chorizo sausage and serve a few slices on a bed of pea puree with the asparagus and charred courgette.

Toss the raw asparagus in a little extra virgin olive oil and garnish each plate.

Spoon the lemon gel around the plate sparingly.

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GARDENING “...favourite days of the year are the dry frosty, early mornings.”

GREAT SUMMER 2014 Well what a year 2014 has been. We actually had a summer this year. I can recollect having to hand water my lawns on multiple occasions as well as putting out set sprinklers on the larger lawns to keep them acceptably green.

As you may have noticed towards the end of summer we had a significant section of wall rebuilt near to the spike bar patio.

Although initially it meant digging up and losing a large strip of existing plants and a certain amount of mess and disruption, we saw it as an opportunity to enhance and improve a prominent area of the gardens.

Always thinking ahead, we also decided that whilst the rebuild was taking place it would be prudent to install some irrigation pipe and connections so that we can, add automatic irrigation to the lawns and beds and avoid disrupting the new planting in the future.

It would be a sin not to mention the small matter of the Volvo World Matchplay Championship that took place here in October. Despite summer taking a well-earned break and receiving some significant rainfall prior to the event, the International course held up well.

The vast amount of drainage work that was undertaken on some of the wetter fairways earlier in the year certainly paid dividends.

The Volvo-Blue and complimentary colour schemes introduced near the restaurant and events area of the gardens worked really well.

Plants such as Aster Frikartii Monch’ were continuing to flower as well as the previously mentioned Gaura lindheimeri putting on an excellent show. It is rewarding to see the whole area maturing nicely since its recent renovation. Please check it out next summer and enjoy!

The planting needed to be sympathetic to its neighbouring cousins whilst appearing contemporary and fresh-faced for the future.

The area is exposed and south facing with, currently no irrigation and a solid chalk subsoil.

This means plant selection is key.

We cloned plants from the surrounding beds such as Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ (Zebra grass), Choisya ‘Aztec Pearl’ and Stipa tennuisima to stitch in. Then we introduced exciting additions such as the successful Gaura lindheimeri (Magic wand plant), Kniphoifia ‘Tawny King’ (a type of red hot poker) and my personal favourite, Echinacea ‘White Swan’.

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Pyrus Chanticleer

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SIMPLY UNFORGETABLE

WEDDINGS At London Golf Club we know how important it is to host this special day in the ideal setting.

To request a brochure please call 01474 875720, email weddings@londongolf.co.uk or visit www.londongolf.co.uk

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GARDENING

We have already planned a significant amount of woodland management for this winter.

In addition there are many areas of Ulex europaeus (Gorse) that need to be cut back periodically to rejuvenate the older, leggy stems that would eventually go bare and are more than likely to succumb to the crosswinds.

Another area that needs work is the copse of trees behind 14th international green.

Aside from improving it aesthetically the 15th tee especially would benefit from increased sunlight and airflow.

Mahonia x ‘Media Charity’

Winter is a time when the gardens seemingly hibernate and there is a challenge to help keep them visually engaging. I tend to view it simply as an opportunity for less appreciated or obvious species to steal the show.

Key structures such as our formal Taxus baccata (Yew) and Buxus (Box) hedges frame the gardens and keep a sense of order.

Ornamental trees such as Pyrus ‘Chanticleer (ornamental pear) and Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip tree) still have an impact after losing their leaves with their skeletal structures. The Pyrus is an excellent choice for an urban garden, it has a compact growth pattern and holds its foliage for a good way into November / December as well as sprouting new leaves early in spring!

Evergreens such as Mahonia x ‘Media Charity’ put on a dazzling show of green and yellow.

Ilex aquifolium (Holly) displays its fruits and even hardy herbs such as Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) provide texture and fragrance. Some of the real show-offs during these sometimes bleak months are often the simplest. The rising flames of Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’ (Dogwood) reveal themselves from beneath their blanket of golden leaves.

A good taller variety of this is Cornus ‘Cardinal’ which we have trialled opposite the security gate. The tall, golden seed heads of Stipa gigantea hold their own and look particularly effective on a frosty morning set against an orange sunrise. There are benefits to getting up really early.

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Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’

Actually my personal favourite days of the year are the dry frosty, early mornings. There is a certain calm and splendour worthy of a pause…

I try to make a point of reminding myself how lucky I am to be working in such a setting.

I’m sure 2015 will be an equally diverse, successful and enjoyable year.

There will be many other projects to get our teeth into throughout the whole spectrum of landscaping and gardening in 2015…

Have to leave it at that as we’ve got concreting to do. Onwards and upwards!

Some of you may have noticed that we have already made a start on areas of the bag drop gardens by ridding them of tired and expired plants. The area by the bag stands is due to be replanted early 2015.

The other area opposite will be left and planted up with bulbs and bedding for a season so that we can make a concerted effort to knock the ground elder next year before replanting with a fresh palette of shrubs, herbaceous plants, ornamental grasses, bulbs and bedding for 2016.

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Arrive ready for business.

Not ready to drop.

With our famous onboard bar, fine dining and one of the longest fully flat beds in the sky, you’re guaranteed to land ready for takeoff.

For more information and the latest fares, please visit www.destinationgolf.co.uk or call 01737 771613

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