Golf Asia 2016 May

MCI (P) 120/09/2015

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CONTENTS

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FOREWORD

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C O NTR I B UTO R S

ANDY MARSHALL (Handicap 16) - Born in England in 1961, Andy has been a professional freelance travel writer for the past 20 years, During that time, he has travelled to over 50 countries including Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands Barbados, Panama and Hungary to cover a diverse range of lifestyle, travel, golf, food & wine features for various magazines around the world.

These days he regularly works with his professional photographer brother Paul particularly on golf , lifestyle and travel features. Andrew lives in a 17th century cottage on the outskirts of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire and most weekends he can be found walking the Pennines with his partner Amanda.

PAUL MARSHALL (Handicap 18) - Born in England in 1965, Paul is a professional photographer living in Stockholm with his wife, daughter and Welsh springer spaniel. He works on a freelance basis with different kinds of reportage and portraiture work for various publications in Sweden, ranging from lifestyle and golf to travel and business magazines. Internationally he works with Andy to supply quality images to illustrate their golf features from around the world.

PAUL MYERS Paul has spent almost his entire career in the media and communications industry in Australia, North America and Asia. Now based in Bangkok, he manages and part owns Asian Travel Media, the only dedicated golf tourism PR/media company in Asia/Pacific.

ATM’s clients are located throughout the region and the company is recognised as a leader in effective consumeroriented media communications.

KEN LYE is a keen golfer and currently plays off a 4 handicap. Ken loves golf and pretty much all things related to golf. He especially loves checking out new golf equipment and enjoys travelling to explore new golf courses in the region and beyond. Ken also has a keen interest in the Rules of Golf and has refereed at professional, certain major regional and local amateur events since passing the R&A Rules School in 2005.

NATASHA WONG started playing golf some 10 years ago and has developed a self-confessed lovehate relationship with the game. These days, she plays off a 9-handicap and encounters a daily battle to curb her overswing. Aside from being an ardent supporter of women’s golf, Natasha is also passionate about golf travel and photography. Armed with her camera, this amateur photographer is constantly seeking the elusive perfect golf shot…no pun intended!

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GOLFING

winning a major is unlike any other The prize money notwithstanding, winning one of golf’s majors can be a life altering experience. Hailing from Sheffield England, Danny Willett collected a cool US$1,800,000 for his efforts as he emerged champion of the 2016 Augusta Masters. A victory he so well deserved and a title that he will carry along with him whenever they announce his name on the first tee.

And here he puts it so succinctly, “I think I will just smile every time I get announced on the first tee as The Masters Champion. I will just try and enjoy the challenge of being up there and being in the limelight. You never know if it’s ever going to happen again. People have great careers and win 50 times around the world and don’t win a Major. Some people win a Major and nothing else. But if you can’t enjoy this I don’t know what you can enjoy.”

For me, one of the key takeaways of these words from the newly minted Masters Champion is to enjoy myself whenever I am out on the course, be realistic about my own capabilities and perhaps hope for my best scoring round ever, but if that does not happen don’t fret too much over it, just enjoy the company and the day out on the course.

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12 GOLF ASIA

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GOLFING TEE BOX

Willett Won't Be Content With Masters One-Off Masters champion Danny Willett is determined his first major golf title won't be his only one Danny Willett of England, the 2016 Masters champion, poses with his green jacket at his rented house. Š Andrew Redington / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP

16 GOLF ASIA

Jason Day of Australia and his caddie Colin Swatton walk up No. 7 during the final round. © Sam Greenwood/Augusta National

T

he Englishman seized on the opportunity created by long-time leader Jordan Spieth's dramatic final-round collapse at Augusta National, with his five-shot lead obliterated by a quadruple bogey on the 12th hole that effectively ended the American's hopes of back-to-back Masters titles. Willett took his chance with a final round of 67, as he became the first British winner of the Masters since Nick Faldo in 1996.

His victory rounded off a memorable couple of weeks for the 28-year-old Willett after his wife Nicole gave birth to the couple's first child, Zachariah, just 12 days before the Masters started.

"Fortunately I've now tasted the top echelons of the sport and you just want more," Willett said. "A dream of mine was to win major championships and that's what I dedicated myself to do, to work hard and gain that self belief it one day might happen and weirdly… that's exactly what did happen. I don't like to set myself goals in terms of winning X amounts of tournaments, it's more just ticking boxes of doing the right things every day."

Inevitably, much of the focus

Masters Champion Willett Breaks World Top 10 Englishman Danny Willett has broken into the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time after his dramatic victory in the Masters at Augusta. Willett was ranked outside the top 100 as recently as November 2014 but on Sunday he became the first Briton since Nick Faldo in 1996, and the first European since Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999, to win the green jacket.

since the Masters has been on Spieth's collapse rather than Willett's victory, but the new champion was unconcerned at suggestions he was not getting the credit he deserved. "I don't really mind what people think, who won or who lost. I am obviously able to sit here in the green jacket and enjoy it," he said. "Part of golf is being able to handle certain things, handle the pressure and hit the right shots at the right time. If I'd have shot 72 and Jordan did what he did it would have been a different story. I was able to put myself in a position where if anyone did make a mistake we were there to capitalise and that's we did. It's what Faldo did in '96 with (Greg) Norman, it's what happened many a time in golf tournaments around the world. That's golf, that's life."

As a result, the 28-year-old has jumped up three places from 12th to ninth in the latest rankings released on the Monday after the Maters. American Jordan Spieth surrendered his title in stunning fashion, as he became the latest man to be swallowed up by Amen Corner. He stays second behind Australian Jason Day after a quadruple bogey at the 12th at Augusta that will live long in the memory, with Rory McIlroy third.

Masters champion Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walk on to No. 2 green during the final round. © Rob Brown/Augusta National

GOLF ASIA 17

GOLFING TEE BOX World Top 20 1. Jason Day (AUS) - 12.52 average pts 2. Jordan Spieth (USA) - 11.78 3. Rory McIlroy (NIR) - 9.41 4. Bubba Watson (USA) - 8.48 5. Rickie Fowler (USA) - 7.75 6. Henrik Stenson (SWE) - 7.70 7. Adam Scott (AUS) - 7.15 8. Dustin Johnson (USA) - 6.89 9. Danny Willett (ENG) - 6.46 (+3) 10. Justin Rose (ENG) - 6.06 (-1) 11. Patrick Reed (USA) - 4.99 (-1) 12. Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) - 4.90 13. Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) - 4.75 (+1) 14. Branden Grace (RSA) - 4.53 (-1) 15. Brandt Snedeker (USA) - 4.32 (+2) 16. Sergio Garcia (ESP) - 4.31 (-1) 17. Zach Johnson (USA) - 4.11 (-1) 18. Brooks Koepka (USA) - 4.07 (+1) 19. Phil Mickelson (USA) - 3.99 (-1) 20. Charl Schwartzel (RSA) - 3.88

Patrons view the Main Score board during Round 3 at Augusta National Golf Club Š Chris Trotman/Augusta National

Willett's Masters triumph has all but guaranteed him places on both the European Ryder Cup team in September and the Great Britain side for when golf makes its Olympic debut at this year's Games in Rio. "The Olympics is going to be great

Rickie Fowler, right, Justin Thomas, center, and Masters champion Jordan Spieth celebrate Thomas' and Fowler's hole in one on No. 4 during the Par 3 Contest. Š Emily Jenkins /Augusta National

18 GOLF ASIA

fun," Willett added. "It's going to be awesome to be in and around the best athletes in the world at their allotted sports. For us with the majors and WGCs we get four chances a year at each of them, these guys get one chance every four years. It kind of puts

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GOLFING TEE BOX

LPGA player Lydia Ko tees off on the No. 9 during the Par 3 Contest. © Chris Trotman/Augusta National

it into perspective how important those few weeks are for them athletes. Just to be in and around that is going to be brilliant. And then to be on the plane to Hazeltine with Clarkey (European captain Darren Clarke) and the lads is going to be awesome. It's a dream come true."

European Showing At Masters Encourages Clarke European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke said he was delighted by the "wonderful" showing of the continent's top golfers at the Masters, not only did England's Danny Willett win the first major championship of the year, but he was one of seven Europeans in the top 15 at Augusta National.

That heartened Clarke, who will skipper the European team when they defend the Ryder Cup against the United States on American soil later this year. "It was a wonderful week from a European perspective," Clarke said of the Masters while speaking at his home club at Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland, to launch the start of a Ryder Cup trophy tour.

"With the winner Danny Willett and indeed Lee Westwood playing a lot better and Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick, there were so many Europeans up there in the top 10," said Clarke, who missed the cut at Augusta.

Masters champion Bernhard Langer of Germany tips his cap after he finished his round on No. 18 during the final round at Augusta National Golf Club. © Hunter Martin/Augusta National

20 GOLF ASIA

"So it was a very positive week for the Europeans," the former British Open champion added. Willett's victory was the first major of his career but Clarke was not surprised by his success. "He's been playing really well now for a couple of years, I am a good friend of his, I've spent a lot of time

with him and his game has just been getting better and better," said Clarke. "It's certainly no surprise whatsoever. He's performed really well, especially of late again, and from a personal point of view I was delighted to see him win."

Clarke was also pleased to see close friend Lee Westwood come joint second at Augusta. "To see him playing in the manner and fashion that I know he can is certainly very, very heartening," he said. During the Masters, Clarke met with former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, who was also sounded out by former European captain Paul McGinley. "It's a long way off before the team is finalised, a lot of big tournaments, a lot of Ryder Cup points to be played for," he said.

"There would be very few people who have had as successful a career as he has had.

He was very, very helpful. I will go over and spend a bit more time with him shortly over in Manchester; he was more than willing to help me. As a Liverpool fan it was quite difficult, but you know the man is a legend."

The 2016 Ryder Cup is being held at Hazeltine, Minnesota, from September 30th to October 2nd.

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GOLFING BUZZ

FIRST PGA TOUR VICTORY FOR HERMAN AND INOVAI TECHNOLOGY Jim Herman used a Bettinardi iNOVAi putter en route to winning the 2016 Shell Houston Open; he recorded four consecutive rounds in the 60’s to capture his first PGA Tour victory at the Golf Club of Houston in Humble, Texas. The 38-year-old ousted a world class field with his custom Bettinardi iNOVAi 1.0 putter leading the tournament in total strokes gained, placing top-five in strokes gained putting and only recording one three putt over 72 holes. “It doesn’t matter if you are a casual player or compete on Tour, great putting is the key to great golf,” says Jim Herman, “The expert team at Bettinardi has put me in a position to excel week in and week out on the greens and this win would simply not have been possible without their incredible product.” Herman officially put a Bettinardi putter into play in late 2014 resulting in his most successful seasons as a professional. Consistently regarded as one of the best putters in golf, he joins the likes of other PGA Tour winners Matt Kuchar, Darren Clarke and Brian Gay in trusting Bettinardi fine milled putters.

UK GOLFERS SPEND £4 BILLION A YEAR ON GOLF Golfers in the United Kingdom spent £4.3 billion on their sport in 2014, accounting for 14% of all consumer spending on sport, and golf paid £990 million in taxes to the government according to an independent report published by Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC). More than half of consumer spending on golf, £2.2 billion, was channelled through the UK’s near 3,000 golf clubs. Golf equipment and clothing accounted for £939 million of consumer expenditure and golf related tourism, events and accommodation a further £775m. The report, which was funded by The R&A, highlights that the golf industry in the UK employs 74,480 people with a third employed directly by golf clubs in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Golf’s Gross Value Added (GVA), the wages and profits measure of economic activity, is calculated at £2 billion or 7% of GVA attributed to all sport in the United Kingdom. After accounting for indirect and induced economic impact effects, the turnover of the UK golf industry is estimated at £10.3 billion for 2014. The report provides an analysis of golf’s regular and occasional participation base. There are an estimated 1.5 million adult golfers in the UK who play at least once a week, almost twice the regular participation rate of tennis (825,343) or badminton (825,962), and 3.9 million adult golfers who play at least once a year.

COBRA PUMA GOLF SIGNS PARTNERSHIP WITH BRYSON DECHAMBEAU Cobra Puma Golf has announced a long-term partnership with Bryson DeChambeau the 22-year-old phenom who last year became only the fifth golfer ever to win the NCAA Men’s Individual Championship and the U.S. Amateur in the same calendar year. DeChambeau, who played his first pro tournament at the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head Island, S.C., will be wearing PUMA Golf apparel, accessories and footwear during all his on-course play, incorporating his signature Hogan Driver Cap and Red, White & Blue ensemble on Sundays, a nod to his alma mater – Southern Methodist University. Additionally, he will fill his Cobra staff bag with Cobra Golf equipment during tournament play. Throughout the rest of the 2016 golf season, DeChambeau will also be rocking footwear and apparel from PUMA Golf’s Autumn, Winter ’16 collection including the new family of IGNITE footwear designed for unrivalled performance and comfort.

22 GOLF ASIA

MAKE A LASTING IMPRESSION Golfers and corporations can choose to personalise golf balls with their names as well as place a logo for corporate giveaways and they can choose to enhance the custom golf balls with custom packaging to make a lasting impression. With PackEdge by Titleist, it’s easier than ever to create a custom packaging. This template based program cuts lead-times in half from traditional printed custom packaging, and reduces the minimum order quantity and lowers custom packaging surcharges. The Titleist Pro V1 Collection features an array of distinctive packaging options featuring the tour proven Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls. Whether golfers are looking to create a special gift for their next tournament, a memorable corporate gift, or a package to commemorate a special holiday or life event, Titleist’s experienced team of packaging engineers and graphic designers will help them develop the ideal configuration for their specific needs. The 2016 line of Custom Golf Ball options are available now, send enquiries to salessg@acushnetgolf.com or with any of the Titleist authorized retailers, www.titleist.com.sg/ find-a-golf-shop.

PROFICIENCY CERTIFICATE PACKAGE AT THE BINTAN LAGOON GOLF CLUB Newbie golfers can now obtain a Proficiency Certificate at the Bintan Lagoon Golf Club (BLGC) upon completion of 10 games with the BLGC Golf Proficiency Certificate Package. They can do all this on award-wining courses in just a short ferry ride away from Singapore and Batam. Home to the Bintan Lagoon Golf Club (BLGC), Bintan Lagoon Resort showcases two world renowned, exceptionally designed championship 18-hole golf courses.

The Jack Nicklaus Sea View course and Ian Baker-Finch Woodlands course offer spectacular signature holes, fast greens, undulating fairways and scenic water hazards.

Golfers will enjoy the convenience of the direct ferry service to the Resort with a quick transfer to the Clubhouse. BLGC Golf Beginners Proficiency Package is priced at S$488.00 per person and upon completion, the golfer has an option to buy life membership at a special price of S$3500.00 (the $488 package price will be offset against this) which would enable he or she to immediately have a BLR recognized handicap with the potential to have an internationally recognized handicap once they have submitted the required minimum of 20 scorecards. For further information visit www.bintanlagoon.com/bintan-packages/ bintan-golf-packages/golf-certificate-package.

GOLF ASIA 23

GOLFING SCENE

2015 BMW Golf Cup International World Final Probably the largest international tournament series for amateur golfers STORY BY KEN LYE PHOTOS BY KEN LYE & COURTESY OF BMW

Attendee Group Photo

T

he BMW Golf Cup International has evolved into what is probably, the largest international tournament series for amateur golfers. Each country’s BMW dealers invite their golfing clientele to play in their country’s qualification tournaments for the BMW Golf Cup International World Final. The number and format of these qualification tournaments can vary in the individual countries. In Germany alone, more than 10,000 golfers compete in the qualification tournaments for the World Final.

24 GOLF ASIA

The tournament is divided into three handicap categories with the winner in each category making their way into the World Final - Men 1 (up to handicap 12), Men 2 (handicap 13 to 28) and Ladies (up to handicap 28). Having made their way into their respective country finals, the players will do further battle to win the 3 spots to represent their country at the World Final which will be played at one of a few of the most beautiful golf courses in the world.

Players who qualified for the World

Final are given the experience of playing alongside players from around the world in a tournament that is organized with an atmosphere that replicates a professional PGA event. For the first time ever at this year’s World Final, BMW introduced live scoring to add to the excitement of the event. Complete with caddies donning bibs with each player’s name, scoreboards, rules officials on hand, sponsor boards, tee box announcers, courtesy cars and all the associated perks prevalent in a professional golf tournament,

Beautiful par 3 on Montagu

there is no expense spared by BMW to create that wonderful experience for their loyal clients.

A fanfare of golf and optional activities awaited the 2015 finalists and their guests at the world renowned Fancourt Golf Resort in George, South Africa, which hosted the 2003 President’s Cup. The facility welcomed the players, their guests and media from 38 countries for the 2015 World Final. All finalists may invite one guest at the courtesy of BMW to accompany them to the World Final.

In an unforgettable week in South Africa on March 7-12, 2016 , the 2015 World Final attendees were treated to rounds of golf at each of Fancourt’s Gary Player designed courses – the Outeniqua and Montagu courses and the fabled Fancourt Links. In addition, a plethora of other nongolfing activities that were available daily awaited players and guests alike, such as test driving the entire range of BMW cars - including the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, an orientation tour of the surrounding countryside, an individual beach experience, shark cage diving, African safari experience and who can leave out… a shopping and cruise experience. With all meals and drinks included along with wonderful dinners such as an African outdoor safari dinner, an African Shebeen party night, African cuisine tasting and a black-tie gala closing dinner, attendees’ palates were well taken care of.

BMW also had fantastic sponsors for the event from the likes of Allianz, HUGO BOSS, Maui Jim, South African Airways

Monty clinic

and Titleist, but no World Final of the BMW Golf Cup International would be complete without a golfing legend present. Indeed, BMW brought in well-known European Tour player, Colin Montgomerie, for this event to honour the finalists with a golf clinic and to present the trophies at the closing black-tie gala dinner. The 8-time European Tour Player of the year, exRyder Cup Captain and World Golf Hall of Fame member was on hand sharing his experiences, his views on this year’s Ryder Cup, the future of golf, golf fitness and golfing tips with attendees.

With so much going on, one would think that players would lose sight of the real reason why they were here at Fancourt. But not so for Team Taiwan who shot into the lead on the first day of

the World Final garnering a total of 103 combined stableford points. In their bid to retain their title were 2014 winners Team China, who were hot on Taiwan’s heels at 1 point behind with 102 stableford points. 3-peat winners (2009-2011) Team Malaysia were not far behind at 3rd place with 98 stableford points. Team Singapore, represented by Ross Tan, Maurice Tan and Shannon Ng, had a respectable first day outing with 94 points and was at Tied-6th with Australia. It was shaping up to be a close fight after the close of the first day of the 3-round World Final.

Day 2 saw movement on the leaderboard with USA rising to take second spot pushing China down a spot to 3rd place when USA brought in 104 points for a 2-day total of 195 points

Outeniqua course

GOLF ASIA 25

GOLFING SCENE

against China’s 194 points. But the day belonged to Taiwan who consolidated their top position on the leaderboard on by hauling in a total of 116 points bringing their cumulative 2-day total to 219 points, a massive 24 points ahead of second placed USA. Malaysia, with a 192 point total slipped to Tied-4th with Japan. Morocco and host country, South Africa were Tied6th with a total of 187 points. Singapore fared a little worse than Day 1 slipping to 9th place with its total of 187 points. At this point it looked almost certain that Taiwan would walk away with the top prize unless they faltered badly on the final day.

The final day saw surprising movement on the leaderboard, which caused some excitement. Japan moved up to finish in second place when they had a good day bringing in a final day total of 101 points.

USA had a dismal day of only 72 points, which saw them drop to 10th place. Like Japan, Morocco also garnered 101 points on the final day bringing their 3-day total to 288 points to pip China for the 3rd spot by 4 points when China could only muster 90 points for a 3-day total of 284 points.

Singapore meanwhile saved their best for last when they brought in 96 points to move up to 6th place with a 3-day total of 281 points. The week however, belonged to Taiwan, who swept the title with a final day score of 105 points for a grand total of 324 points, a whopping 31 points clear

Test Driving X5 Catwalk Experience

of second placed Japan who stood at a 3-day total of 293 points.

Whilst Taiwan may have dominated the team category, two of the individual categories belonged to China. In the lower handicap category of Men 1 (handicap up to 12), China’s Yuanda Jin took the top spot over Taiwan’s Yu Min Lee. Jin, a scratch player, triumphed over 7-handicap Lee in an exciting play-off. In the Men 2 category of 13-18 handicap, China again took top spot when Zhenhao Zhao pipped Morocco’s Amine El Bouhali by a mere 1 point. Singapore’s top finisher was Ross Tan at 8th place with

Monty with winning team Taiwan

26 GOLF ASIA

Maurice Tan not far behind at 12th place.

The Ladies category belonged to Taiwan with 9-handicap Hsuan Yu Chen winning by 2 points over Japan’s Emiko Ishii. Singapore’s Shannon Ng rounded up Singapore’s effort with a Tied-11th position with Thailand’s Noorat Thongdee.

BMW SIDE EVENTS BMW Test Driving & Catwalk Experience Attendees can partake in test driving the entire range of BMW car models including the i8 and X series. They may choose to drive to Zorgfontein Eco & Wildlife Reserve where they can have a Catwalk Experience. Here, they will to come face to face with the Lion, the King of the Jungle.

In a unique once in a lifetime experience, attendees may also walk with the lions on foot in their natural habitat if they so choose. Alternatively, if attendees chose to test drive the X series, they may drive to the Montagu Pass where they can put the X series through its paces around the sharp corners and steep hills accompanied with spectacular views of the surrounding area.

The pass is one of the gravel road passes built in the old days to get across the mountain range. Attendees may also visit a winery to have a short tour and sample some of the local South African wines.

Ross Tan beating African Drum

Orientation Tour & Individual Beach Experience Attendees can drive themselves or be chauffeur driven up to Outeniqua Mountain to enjoy the magnificent views over the town of George where Fancourt is located. Thereafter, they may enjoy a leisurely walk on the unspoiled and beautiful Wilderness Beach. In Herod’s Bay, which is nestled in a sheltered rocky cove, attendees can further experience more coastal walks amidst the white sand that meets the Indian Ocean whilst trying to spot dolphins and whales. They may also relax in one of the many beautiful rock pools on the white sandy beaches. On

the return, attendees will pass through the town of George to visit sights such as the slave tree, the George Museum and other places of interest.

Shark Cage Diving Those keen for an underwater experience with the sharks will drive to Mossel Bay harbor and board a vessel. The vessel will take attendees out to a spot in the Indian Ocean where they will meet the fearsome underwater predator, the sharks.

African Safari Experience Accompanied by a qualified guide in botany, forestry and history, attendees

DID YOU KNOW……

A Shebeen is Irish in origin (“Sibin” in Irish). A shebeen was originally an illegal bar or club where unpaid alcoholic drinks were sold without a license. The term has since spread far and wide, South Africa included. Now many shebeens are legal in South Africa and most often located in townships as an alternative to pubs and bars where under Apartheid, indigenous Africans were barred from entering pubs and bars. Shebeens have become an integral part of South African urban culture serving commercial beers as well as “umqombothi”, a traditional African beer.

Past Winners of the BMW Golf Cup International World Final National Team Competition 2015

Taiwan

Fancourt Golf Resort, South Africa

2014

China

New South Wales Golf Club, Australia

2013

South Africa

Blue Canyon Country Club, Thailand

2012

South Africa

Fancourt Golf Resort, South Africa

2011

Malaysia

Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore

2010

Malaysia

Blue Canyon Country Club, Thailand

2009

Malaysia

Fancourt Golf Resort, South Africa

2008

Mexico

Jockey Club, Argentina

2007

Austria

New South Wales Golf Club, Australia

2006

Canada

Fancourt Golf Resort, South Africa

2005

South Korea

Blue Canyon Country Club, Thailand

2004

Canada

New South Wales Golf Club, Australia

2003

Canada

Penha Longa Hotel & Golf Resort, Portugal

2002

Philippines

Eldorado Golf & Beach Club, Mexico

2001

South Korea

Blue Canyon Country Club, Thailand

2000

Canada

Fancourt Golf Resort, South Africa

will get to experience the African landscape that changes from lush green to semi-desert. Here they will get to see the indigenous African animals such as the zebras, giraffes, lions, rhinos, elephants and even ostriches, living in their natural habitat.

Shopping & Knysna Cruise Experience Attendees keen on shopping will be able to visit the Garden Route Shopping Mall in the town of George, where they can shop for many things including souvenirs. Alternatively, they can head down to Knysna, an hour’s drive from George, where along the way they can delight in the views of the ocean and beaches. Attendees can also sail the lagoon alongside Knysna to the Featherbed Nature Reserve whilst having fresh oysters and sparkling wine on board the yacht.

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GOLFING SCENE

Olympic Gold Medallists Franklin & Vonn Get Behind Golf US Olympic gold medallists give professional golfers a taste of what to expect PHOTOS © GABRIEL ROUX

(L-R) Sandra Gal, Missy Franklin & Feng Shanshan

W

ith little more than a couple of months until the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, United States Olympic gold medallists Missy Franklin and Lindsey Vonn have thrown their weight behind golf’s inclusion in the Games.

The pair were brimming with enthusiasm about golf being an Olympic sport as a means of growing the game globally as Franklin joined golfers Feng Shanshan, Sandra Gal, International Golf

28 GOLF ASIA

Federation Executive Director Anthony Scanlon and Olympic course designer Amy Alcott on stage at a press conference on the eve of the first major of the year, the ANA Inspiration, at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, where Vonn was also speaking at the ANA Inspiring Women in Sports Conference.

Four-time Olympic gold medallist swimmer Missy Franklin, a star of London 2012, where she won five medals in total said, “It’s amazing what

being in an Olympics can do and I think it will help golf reach so many more people, which is really the main goal of the Olympics: to inspire and reach out. For golf to be there, it’s going to be amazing for the new generation to see golf in a way they’ve never seen it before. It’s going to be so special for all these athletes, for all the hard work they’ve put in, to be able to show it on a stage like the Olympics. I’m so excited for them and excited for golf.”

Vonn, the Olympic downhill skiing champion at Vancouver 2010, where she also won a Bronze in the Super-G, was equally enthusiastic. She added, “I think the Olympics showcase any sport and to finally have golf in the Olympics again is going to be incredible, especially for women’s golf. Men’s golf is so popular everywhere but women’s golf has a lot more room to grow and I think the Olympics will be an amazing platform for that. I’m excited to see how it goes and I think the athletes are extremely excited. I’m looking forward to watching them. I’m a fan of women’s golf. It’s a growing sport and there are

a lot of stars and its fun to watch.”

Franklin shared her experiences of winning Olympic gold, before China’s Feng and Gal, from Germany, expressed their own excitement.

Franklin commented, “Standing on the podium, watching your flag go up, hearing your national anthem, and knowing that you’ve accomplished something not only for yourself but also for your team and country, it’s truly an incredible feeling to have.”

Feng said, “Listening to Missy, I’ve been visualizing how I will react if I’m in the same position. I think I will cry, not because I’m sad but I’m so happy,

not only for myself but also my country.

China is not one of the strongest countries for golf but when we see that there are more golfers in China, once the sport becomes more popular, we have a lot of people, so watch out… the Chinese are coming!”

Gal said: “I find it hard to talk about. It would be an extreme honour not only to make your country proud but also your team and showing all the work that you’ve put in. I’m excited about experiencing such a huge, world class event.”

LPGA World Golf Hall of Fame member Amy Alcott, who, together with Gil Hanse, designed the new Reserva da Marapendi course in Rio, which hosted the Olympic Test Event in early March, explained the vision for the course to be playable for all types of player, from the elite female and male players to the beginner.

“We wanted to make this a course that would put the women into the same hitting areas and hitting the same shots that the guys would play.

The front nine will probably play a little longer, a little bit tougher,” Alcott said. “The course is 7200 yards and we’re hoping that it plays firm and fast designed as a links golf course. The closing holes will be a little bit shorter and give people a chance to catch up.

The challenge was to have the bunkers in play the same way for the women as they were for the men and not to favour a certain type of player.”

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GOLFING SCENE

Emiliano Grillo of Argentina, his caddie Jose Luis Campra, Fabian Gomez of Argentina and his caddie Adrian "Coco" Monteros pose for a photo during a practice round prior to the start of the 2016 Masters Tournament. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

"Dedicated To The Perfect Drive" Mercedes-Benz, a proud Global Sponsor of the 80th Masters Tournament

F

rom April 7-10th, the world’s best players teed up at Augusta National Golf Club to contest the first Major of 2016. Demonstrating the integral role of Mercedes-Benz, Global Sponsor of the Masters Tournament, the field included brand ambassadors from across the generations; Bernhard Langer, who returned for his 33rd Masters Tournament, Martin Kaymer in action for his 9th and Rickie Fowler for the 6th time.

Langer played his 111th competitive round at Augusta National Golf Club – more than any other European golfer – he 30 GOLF ASIA

played with the wisdom and conviction that comes with being a former winner of the iconic Green Jacket. The two-time Masters Champion said: “The Masters is a fantastic tournament at a great venue and I enjoy going back each year. It is a unique place.”

“Mercedes-Benz is driven to support the world’s best tournaments as a partner.

We are proud to have ambassadors across generations playing in the 80th Masters tournament, the most prestigious golf tournament in the world,” said Dr Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing

Mercedes-Benz Cars. “The Tournament holds a unique position in the world of sport and we are delighted to partner with The Masters for the ninth year.”

Mercedes-Benz will provide all players and selected guests of Augusta National Golf Club with an exclusive vehicle service featuring the GL SUV and S-Class Convertible for the week of the Tournament. In addition, each brand ambassador will receive a second vehicle courtesy of Mercedes-Benz. Traditionally, Mercedes-Benz customers from around the world interact with the brand

ambassadors at exclusive meet & greets.

But Mercedes-Benz’s role at the 2016 Masters Tournament goes far beyond the breadth of ambassadors in the field. All customers will be given a demonstration of the S-Class Convertible, C-Class Coupé and SUVs such as the G500 during Tournament week.

Bernhard Langer (L) of Germany and Martin Kaymer of Germany walk down a fairway during a practice round prior to the start of the Masters Tournament. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Mercedes-Benz's involvement in professional golf dates back to the 1980s.

Having been an International Partner of the Masters Tournament from 2008 to 2013, Mercedes-Benz has been one of three Global Sponsors since 2014.

Thanks to its association with the PGA of America, which has existed since 2010, the brand with the Star is represented

as Official Vehicle and Official Patron at the PGA Championship, the Senior PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup. In 2011, Mercedes-Benz's involvement in golf was extended to include a partnership with The Open, the world's oldest golf tournament. Mercedes-Benz also sponsors several amateur and professional tournaments at national level.

The Augusta National Golf Course

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GOLFING SCENE

Jordan Spieth & Lydia Ko Honoured For Historic Achievements Duo makes history by becoming the youngest combined winners

Rolex Testimonees Lydia Ko and Jordan Spieth ŠScott Halleran/Getty Images

32 GOLF ASIA

ROLEX TESTIMONEE LYDIA KO ON HER WAY TO A HISTORIC WIN AT THE 2015 EVIAN Championships ©Rolex/Phil Shephard Lewis

S

pieth and Ko represent a family of Rolex Testimonees, chosen for their talent, who share the luxury watchmaker’s passion for excellence. With 40 years between them the Testimonees earned the votes of golf’s most influential commentators following tremendous individual success in 2015.

Collecting the award at the annual GWAA Awards Dinner, 22-year-old Spieth said, “Thank you so much to the Golf Writers Association of America and everyone involved in this tremendous honour. The reason tonight is so special is that you are the men and women who bring our sport to the public and without you golf wouldn't have anywhere near the impact it does. We feel that you are all here to help promote our sport, just like we are doing. We really appreciate that.”

In the award’s history only fellow Rolex Testimonee, Tiger Woods, has earned the valuable prize at a younger age. 18-year-old Ko, whose remarkable achievements in 2015 saw her become the youngest ever golfer to rise to world No. 1 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings said, “2015 was a really special year for me and to be here is an honour. Thank you to all those in the room who cover the LPGA, our Tour wouldn't be here without your interest and support.”

Exemplifying the values of innovation and accomplishment shared with the Swiss watchmaker, the two golfers join eminent Rolex Testimonees Fred

Couples, Luke Donald, Lorena Ochoa, Adam Scott, Annika Sorenstam, Yani Tseng, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods as winners of the esteemed awards.

ROLEX TESTIMONEE JORDAN SPIETH TEES OFF THE 1ST IN THE 2015 PRESIDENTS ©Rolex/Chris Turvey GOLF ASIA 33

GOLFING SCENE

Sanjay Singh of Tata Group with his colleagues and the Apexlynx Event Team

Tata Autumn Harvest Invitational Golf Tournament 2016 Held at the newly renovated Peacock Course of Delhi Golf Club

T

he Tata Autumn Harvest Invitational Golf Tournament is a unique ‘9’ Hole event conducted at the behest of Tata Services which is a part of the Tata Group, one of India’s largest multinational conglomerates.

Conceptualized and created by Apexlynx Sports & Events in 2008, the event continues to be comprehensively

34 GOLF ASIA

managed by Apexlynx for Tata Services.

Traditionally held in Autumn of each year, this year the event was delayed to await and coincide with the reopening of the newly renovated Peacock course that forms a part of the historic and prominent Delhi Golf Club.

Bringing together VIP invitees comprising of Ambassadors, Heads of Missions, Top Leaders from Government, Business,

Judiciary, Senior / Top functionaries from the Tata group of companies and some of their international business partners, the Tata Autumn Harvest Invitational Golf Tournament has achieved the distinction of being a very special and much sought after corporate golf day on New Delhi’s busy golf calendar.

Designed to provide a friendly yet competitive experience, the event is played

in a unique individual 6-4-2-0 scoring format based on each player’s internal match play score within the four ball, with prizes being awarded to all four golfers in each flight. As in the past, this year saw the event evoking a festive atmosphere with a high degree of satisfaction for each participant as witnessed by the detailed personalized attention provided to one and all before and after the golf round.

Executed and managed seamlessly to perfection by Apexlynx, the staggered teeoffs commenced at sunrise and continued

Ranjit Pachnanda putts at the 9th while RP Watal looks on

Justice Vikramajit Sen tees off at the 1st Tee

punctually and exactly on time through to the late morning. Upon completion of their 9 hole rounds in just under two hours, the players of each flight were warmly welcomed to the 19th hole Player’s lounge where they enjoyed a sumptuous freshly cooked breakfast / brunch and collected their goody bags filled to abundance with Tata Company products and other giveaways. After their scoring was done, players collected their prizes depending on their final point tally in each flight. The Tata Safari Storme SUV Hole-in-One prize remained unclaimed as no golfer achieved an ace during the invitational.

The event has seen growth from the inaugural edition having 28 golfers in 2008 to more than 115 players this year and is a very special and enjoyable one of a kind experience to be enjoyed by each invitee.

Ambassadors of Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Vietnam

Harinder Bansi waiting his turn to putt the iconic Lal Bangla monument (symbol of Delhi Golf Club) in the background

GOLF ASIA 35

GOLFING SCENE

Up To 220,000 Golf Balls Produced Daily A staggering number of Srixon golf balls produced a day in Dunlop’s factories

BY JONATHAN GAN IMAGES © SRIXON

U

p to 220,000 Srixon golf balls can be produced in a single day at Dunlop factories based in West Jawa, Jakarta, Indonesia. The golf balls consist of close to 40% of Srixon’s total golf ball production, supplied globally to over 60 countries and regions.

36 GOLF ASIA

The 4 countries in which Srixon golf balls garner the highest market shares are Japan, the UK, France and Australia. Srixon golf balls retain the number one golf ball market share in Japan, the UK and Australia. The man holding the reins behind this massive manufacturing operation is

General Manager of PT Sumi Rubber Indonesia, Rajinder Singh.

A 20 year veteran in the golf ball manufacturing business, Rajinder explained that Indonesia was selected as a strategic production centre for Srixon golf balls following the massive earthquake in Kobe, Japan in 1995 which

devastated much of Sumitomo Rubber Group’s rubber production facilities.

Rajinder had addressed reporters during a press conference held after a tour of one of the factories in West Jawa.

Today, West Jawa is home to 2 of the major factories that produce up to 40% of Srixon’s golf balls. The first plant, GB Plant 1 has been operational since April 1998 while the 2nd plant GB Plant 2 began operational back in April 2012. The 2 plants house a total of 308 employees consisting of 4 groups working 3 shifts a day. The 2 plants have a combined build-up area of 1,1040 square meters.

Ranjinder added that the employees are routinely sent to the company’s headquarters in Japan to receive training on their respective jobs. The local plants also periodically invite supervisors from Japan to ensure that continuous training is given to the employees. The plant produces 4 main types of golf balls which range from 1 piece soft balls to full fledged 4 piece golf balls. The 3 and 4 piece golf balls are considered high performance balls.

“Our entire R&D for golf balls is conducted in Japan. If a new product is developed, the new specs would be sent here for trials with some of the products

evaluated here and some of the products evaluated in Japan,” said Ranjinder.

The golf balls are made out of synthetic rubbers and resin material, which are imported from Japan and calcium carbonate, which is sourced locally in Indonesia. Ranjinder adds that for the 2 piece balls generally ionomer resin is used whereas for urethane is used for the 3 and 4 piece balls.

“In terms of cost, 3 and 4 piece balls are generally 2 to 3 times more expensive than 2 piece balls but there is little difference between 1 and 2 piece balls,” Ranjinder explained. In terms of product quality control, the golf balls undergo a 5-stage quality control process, which involves material quality inspection, core ball manufacturing, ball moulding, coating and a final inspection.

Each golf ball produced by Srixon is electronically inspected by for diameter, weight compression, and durability. The golf balls also undergo visual inspection by staff members in terms of appearance.

Among the proprietary technology for golf balls that are unique to Srixon are the Energetic Gradient Growth (E.G.G) Core, Spin Skin coating, unique dimple patterns and an ultra thin cover.

In 2015, Srixon golf balls achieved a total of 86 victories in global tours and were used by notable PGA players like Graeme McDowell, Keegan Bradley and Hideki Matsuyama.

GOLF ASIA 37

GOLFING GEARGUIDE

The No.1 Ball At The Masters Once again the numbers tell the story for Titleist IMAGES © AFP & TITLEIST

with 13% and more than all competitors combined. Titleist also tied as the top choice among players in the hybrid category with 11. Titleist was also the top choice in the irons category with 22 sets in play. Vokey Design Wedges also topped the approach; sand and lob wedge category and Scotty Cameron putters were the top choice in the putter category.

Here’s what some players have to say about choosing a Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball in pursuit of Masters glory.

Jordan Spieth “For me, I’ve been playing this golf ball and it’s been improved year-in & year-out.

I know what’s going to happen with this

T

here is something that seems eternal about Augusta, yet it's only been 85 years since Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie first broke ground at Augusta National, turning a former indigo farm and plant nursery into a masterpiece of golf architecture. Yet it is this hallowed tournament that holds such prestige, elegance and a kind of subdued glamour that separates the Augusta Masters from other majors in the golfing calendar.

At the Masters, 60% of players in the 89-player field trusted a Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball for their success, more than four times the nearest competitor 38 GOLF ASIA

Jordan Spieth

golf ball when I am over the shot. All I am worried about is the swing that’s needed in order to produce it. When you get up there and you see the pitch mark, you can realize that it did what you thought it would do and now I would need to make the putt.”

Rickie Fowler “I think the Titleist golf ball for me, it’s what I know, it’s what I’ve played my whole life. It’s the only piece of equipment we use every shot and you want to have the control of the golf ball from tee to green. Hitting shots like this, hitting the trajectory I want, and seeing the ball react how I visualized it before, it’s why I love the game. It’s why I keep coming back.”

Bubba Watson

Adam Scott “The golf ball has to have the versatility as well. Its got to be able to hit the high soft one that comes down dead. Its got to hit a low checker and in this case, its got to hit a high soft one with spin, out of the rough. I know the golf ball is going to do its job so it’s just up to me to do my job.”

Bubba Watson “Well for me, I’ve only played Titleist.

Since I was 12 years old, I can always trust it and know that it’s going to draw when I want it to draw. I know it’s going to grab on the green, and then spin to the side, just like it has always done for years.

When your golf ball is doing the right things, that’s your best chance to shoot low scores.”

Designed for all golfers seeking to shoot lower scores, the Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls deliver exceptional distance with consistent flight, more short

game control and even softer feel from a patented urethane elastomer cover formulation, and long lasting durability.

Comparatively, Pro V1 has a softer feel, slightly more long game spin and a penetrating trajectory for a shallower angle of descent for more roll. Pro V1x offers a slightly firmer feel, lower long game spin and launches higher with a steeper angle of descent.

“Golfers often ask us what sets Pro V1 and Pro V1x apart from other golf balls.

You can’t just point to one or two things.

The difference is everything,” said Bill Morgan, Senior Vice President, Titleist Golf Ball R&D. “We have more people with more experience designing and making golf balls, the largest intellectual property portfolio and the most sophisticated precision manufacturing processes. The Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls are the culmination of all that knowledge and all of that technology.”

GOLF ASIA 39

GOLFING GEARGUIDE

Forgiveness Meets Fast The new Callaway XR16 drivers, engineered in tandem with Boeing

F

or the new XR16 drivers, Callaway worked with the experts at Boeing to redefine what’s possible and to push the limits of ball speed and aerodynamics. It is through this collaboration that Callaway has engineered their most forgiving shape ever, with a completely re-engineered face and Boeing made it fast with a reengineered Speed Step Crown.

XR16 Driver The new XR16 driver has a high-speed head and lower drag in the crown to add ball speed. It’s extremely forgiving due to the larger shape for more MOI, a stretched out crown with a bigger footprint, and a Centre of Gravity that’s lower and deeper. For more ball speed all across the face, Callaway added a next generation R*MOTO face that’s lighter and up to 19% thinner. Golfers can also choose from a wide selection of no-upcharge shaft options to match their swing speeds.

40 GOLF ASIA A

Features - Aerodynamic Head Shape And A Speed Step Crown Working with the aerodynamics experts at Boeing to reach a completely new threshold of ball speed, Callaway made this a high head speed design with low drag, and did it by pinpointing the size and placement of a re-engineered Speed Step Crown to save weight and add more ball speed. XR16 is designed to set the standard in aerodynamics for fast speed and more distance.

- Extreme Forgiveness The XR16 driver is extremely forgiving, with a larger shape for MOI that

stretched out the crown with a bigger footprint, and put within a Centre of Gravity that’s lower and deeper. All this forgiveness leads to more ball speed at every impact location, which can add more distance for all golfers.

- Even More Ball Speed With A Faster Face The XR16 driver’s next generation R*MOTO Face Technology is up to 19% thinner and the body is lighter too, which leads to more ball speed across the face. This saved weight is then redistributed in the clubhead for even more MOI. When you combine the faster face with the extreme forgiveness in this driver, you can pick up a lot of ball speed, whether you hit it dead centre, off the heel, or off the toe.

- Choose Your Shaft The XR16 comes stock with a Fujikura Speeder Evolution 565 Shaft, and Callaway has premium no-upcharge shafts to fit different swing speeds.

XR16 Pro Driver For the new XR16 Pro driver, Callaway also worked with the aerodynamics experts at Boeing to redefine the limits of ball speeds in a deeper face. To make it faster, they have put in the distance technology from a completely re-engineered face and a lighter Speed Step Crown, and Boeing helped make

Callaway’s most ost aerodynamic head shape. Adding all that together with lower spin and a more neutral CG bias into a 450cc head for a remarkably fast and forgiving driver for players who already get a lot of distance off the tee.

Features - Distance From Speed and Aerodynamics Callaway has made the XR16 Pro driver a high head speed design with low drag in a 450cc head, they did it by pinpointing the size and placement nt of a re-engineered shape and a lighter er Speed Step Crown to save weight and add more ball speed. Add to thatt a lower spin and a more neutral CG bias, the XR16 Pro driver is built for the distance and workability that better er players desire.

- Forgiveness For Better Players The XR16 Pro driver has the forgiveness that better players can use se to their advantage, and that’s what happens when you add MOI, provide a bigger footprint, and put in a Centre of Gravity that’s lower and deeper. All this is forgiveness leads to more ball speed at every impact location, which can add more distance for all golfers.

- Even More Ball Speed With A Faster Face ce With a next generation R*MOTO Face e

Technology that’s lighter and thinner to deliver more ball speed across the face, combined with the forgiveness in this driver, golfers can pick up a lot of ball speed, whether they hit it dead centre, off the heel, or off the toe.

- Choose Your Shaft The XR16 Pro driver comes stock with a Tour Proven Fujikura Evolution II TS 665 Shaft, and golfers can choose from a great selection of shaft options to find the one that fits their swing speeds.

GOLF ASIA 41

GOLFING GEARGUIDE

Power Tools The first verdict on the brand new 2016 drivers from Callaway, Cobra, TaylorMade and Nike WORDS SIMON DADDOW PICTURES TOM CRITCHELL, HOWARD BOYLAN

I

f you’re in the market for a new driver this year, there are some sensational options out there.

Callaway, TaylorMade, Nike and Cobra all have brand new models for 2016, featuring hotter faces, more adjustability and clever aerodynamics to help us all hit it further. With all these models in pro shops now, we wanted to put them to the test to help you make a better decision if you’re in the market for one.

42 GOLF ASIA

The testers © Y~ h w i{ |{ w at The Belfry and gear expert. Pro, 115mph swing speed. © i Zwzz [ { [z D Plays off 10, with a 90mph average swing speed.

How we did it We asked the leading driver manufacturers to send us their latest HFGL z{ x ~ Y~ h w w z i Zwzz = {y D X ~ ~ ~ } w \ { }~ i ]YH launch monitor. As well as ball data, we measured where shots were hit on the face to analyse the effect mishits had on spin and carry distance. By scouring all this data, and pulling together all our comments and opinion, we decided if each driver was doing what the manufacturer claims – and how each could perform for you.

GOLF ASIA 43

GOLFING

BEHIND THE NUMBERS

GEARGUIDE

20 YARDS

Callaway XR 16 O Lofts: 9º / 10.5º / 13.5º O i y ~w| P \ w i {{z{ [ KLK O Adjustable hosel: Yes O How much loft change: -1/+2º O Contact: www.callawaygolf.com

A 20-yard carry distance drop off with XR 16 is half that of the Alpha 816 – meaning the XR is more forgiving on off-centre hits.

9 MM Ho the XR How R 16 compares tto…

9mm out of the toe and 7mm above centre produced Chris’ longest drive of the day... with the Alpha 816.

118 MPH

The tech Forgiveness meets fast technology.

Callaway have worked with experts at Boeing to create a high-speed head design with low drag to help you increase club and ball speeds. Callaway say a next-generation hCceje |wy{ w z x }}{ | ~{wz y {w { ce_ | { { wy yw D Our verdict Aerodynamics play an increasingly important role in driver design, and by partnering with Boeing, Callaway has tapped into some { { { {D Z { wzz { speed? Well, our pro generated his joint ~ }~{ y x {{z ~ ~{ nh GLB xwy } up the aero story. We also really like the speedstep crown, which focuses attention at address, and with an excellent retention of ball speed between good and bad drives (at ~ }~ w z } {{z ? ~{ nh {z w very stable and forgiving driver.

Callaway Great Big Bertha j~{ nh {z}{z x ¢ { w z of carry, which is nothing. e yw { }~ whether adjustability is more x{ {¢y w }w { ~w ~{ { w {{z | ~{ nhD As used by...

Zw m {

207 RPM

XR’s 207rpm less spin than GBB means 5 yards’ carry distance gain. 300rpm less and we’d be looking at Alpha 816 distances.

Callaway Alpha 816 Chris hit his joint longest drive (302 yards) with the Alpha, but big drop-offs on mishits mean the Alpha is not the most forgiving – nor is it designed to be.

The bottom line X { z } {{z ~ | } { { w {w { } ~ | ~{ nh GLD _ z wy C ~{Cx w z performance makes it an excellent choice for lots of club golfers, and it’s very competitively priced.

44 GOLF ASIA

This club speed (with the XR 16) is joint fastest on test. It’s an improvement of 2.2mph over GBB, suggesting the XR’s aerodynamics work.

1.6 MPH 1.6mph slower club speed on Chris’ longest carrying drive compared to his average XR speed proves importance of impact efficiency.

BEHIND THE NUMBERS

300 TaylorMade M2

YARDS This was Chris’ longest single carry with the M2; 298 yards his longest single carry with the M1.

O Lofts: 9.5º / 10.5º / HL O i y ~w| P \ w f O Adjustable hosel: Yes O How much loft change: +/- 2º O Contact: www.taylormadegolf.com

14.1 DEGREES Launch angle. Chris hit his longest carry off his highest-launching drive with the M2, proving TaylorMade’s ‘hit it high, hit it further’ theory works.

2 YARDS Two yards of carry distance difference comparing the longest M1 weight setting (back and neutral bias) to the M2.

The tech “Maximum distance with forgiveness”, says TaylorMade. The multi-material head has a carbon crown to free up {|¢y { { }~ B ~ y~ {w { } {{ ~wz { { }~ yw { y {w { ce_B so less loss of ball speed on off-centre hits. A {z{ } {z i {{z f y { x{~ z ~{ |wy{ meant to boost ball speeds further.

Our verdict There’s no doubting the M2, like the M1, looks cracking at address; we’d say it’s one of the best-looking drivers on the market.

Chris carried three drives over 290 yards so there’s obviously plenty of power under the hood, too. Comparing the M2 to the M1 is too close to call on data alone. There’s z{ ¢ { w z | yw B x cH { forgiving than M1; that has tracks which take up weight, whereas all the M2’s discretionary mass is taken up creating forgiveness, which helps maintain ball speeds when you miss the centre.

How the M2 compares to…

3 MPH The ball speed gain (on average) with M1’s weight in back position over mid or forward positions.

As used by... ` h {

TaylorMade M1 Chris hit one shot with the M1 2.2cm off the toe, but it had the highest ball speed.

This is thanks to the shot bias weight being aligned with the impact, which for {w Y] yw hugely important on offcentre hits.

18 YARDS The loss of carry distance with the M1’s weight in its forward position. But thanks to its low-spinning flight it ran 32 yards on landing.

The bottom line Both M drivers have stood up incredibly well in our testing. The choice between M1 and M2 comes down to how much forgiveness you want and how much you’re willing to pay for adjustability.

GOLF ASIA 45

GOLFING

BEHIND THE NUMBERS

GEARGUIDE

165

Nike Vapor Fly

MPH

O Lofts: Flex Loft from 8.5º-12.5º O i y ~w| P chY j{ { Ya X { KF O Adjustable hosel: Yes O How much loft change: 15 settings from 8.5º-12.5º O Contact: www.nike.com/golf

165mph Chris Ryan’s fastest ball speed with the Vapor drivers came with the Vapor Flex 440.

221 RPM

Ho How ow the Vapor Fly compares to…

221rpm is the amount of spin difference Chris saw switching Nike’s FlexFlight weight on the Flex 440 from forward to back.

12.7 DEGREES The tech Nike’s cavity-back design spreads weight to the toe and heel for increased forgiveness.

Flybeam technology and internal strengthening creates a more stable head, while a deeper and thinner compression channel means more of the head is engaged in the flexing process at impact, directing more energy to the ball.

Our verdict j~{ lw \ w { } z z { D _ ~w { is fantastic, it sounds good and feels really strong and hot. We also really like the lack of an alignment aid on the crown and the clean look it gives at address. Nike are out on their own when it comes to driver colours (there’s been red, green and blue), but ideas in golf are changing and this Volt/blue will appeal w D _ } { w| { w zw = { }D _| z = z ~{ x { y > { = x{ honest, some will love it and some will hate it), this is the best driver Nike has ever made.

Chris’ longest carry came from his highestlaunching drive with the Fly. Nike Vapor Fly Pro You can see why Nike pros | \ f D _ w w { less and carried a smidgen further. This might not be the case for all as it depends on the fitting of the shaft to your swing.

As used by... h cy_

Fly Pro’s 0.6mph dropoff between good and bad shots means excellent consistency, the lowest of both testers on any driver.

18.9 MM Nike Vapor Flex 440 Two-tone body will divide opinion, but it highlights how over 60% of the head is created } d {= hpd w { w D e test pro hit this further than Nike’s other two drivers.

The bottom line A very sturdy driver. Nike’s internal strengthening has improved feel and sound over last year’s models.

A seriously good driver which stands up well against the stiffest of competition.

46 GOLF ASIA

0.6 MPH

18.9mm from the toe and 0.8mm from the heel were the impact locations for both testers’ longest drives with the Fly, proving you get excellent ball speed retention across the face.

BEHIND THE NUMBERS

302 Cobra F6+

YARDS

O Lofts: 9º-12º O i y ~w| P cw X wy j { LK cJ O Adjustable hosel: Yes O How much loft change: 8 settings from 9º-12º (3 draw settings) O Contact: www.cobragolf.com

Chris’ joint longest single driver carry (shared with Callaway Alpha) on the F6+.

2 MPH How the th he Cobra F6+ compares to…

Ball speed was 2mph quicker with weight at the front of the F6’s track. But there’s also more ballspeed drop-off on misstrikes so it’s more forgiving with weight at the back.

408 RPM Average backspin difference switching the sole weight from front to back.

The tech The most adjustable driver Cobra has ever made. A carbon ¢x { y w z { }~ wy {w get an 18g weight in the sole that can be positioned to tune the centre of gravity to }w {D W i {{z Y~w { w z ~{ face and a variable thickness structure increase and maintain ball speeds.

Our verdict F6+ is a serious bit of kit – when did you last see a driver with a single 18g movable { }~ U _ = w | w ~w z{ { w x } difference between settings. Chris hit his longest average carry for all clubs tested with the F6+ (297 yards) with its weight in the | w z D i z y~w }{ z{ { z } ~{ { ~{ { { }~ yw {zD _ = louder at the back (higher launch), more muted and solid at the front. The adjustable hosel offers a range of lofts from one head and they offer white, black and blue crowns.

Cobra F6 F6 and F6+ are very different clubs. F6 has a titanium crown where the F6+ is carbon, which means less sole weight to play with and a noticeable difference in performance.

As used by... h y { \ {

6.3 MM 6.3mm + 12.8mm out of the toe were the impact positions for both testers’ longest drives with the F6+.

6.83 YARDS Cobra King Ltd We liked the look and performance. But with the F6+’s lower price and top performance, it’s hard to recommend it above such stiff y { B { { | h y { does game it.

6.83 + 13.19 yards the amount of carry distance lost in high spin settings with both the F6 and F6+. This shows how important the ability to control spin (through weighting) is no matter what your club speed.

The bottom line Cobra is having a renaissance, and offering three drivers in 2016 that have really impressed us so far. The F6+ shows their ideas and { } {{ } { { { w { ¢ Cy w ¤ w z z{ { ~{ y {D GOLF ASIA 47

GOLFING GEARGUIDE

8 Ways To Buy Your Best Driver Handy buying advice we learned during our test

1

Don’t buy a driver on distance alone i = w { w}{ } {{z (90mph) saw a difference of just seven yards between his longest and shortest z { ~ w GJ z { { {zD i say one driver is longer than another based on these results is ridiculous.

Yes, that number rises when you look at Chris’ 112mph swing, where misses mean bigger drop-offs, but you’d be much better off looking at other factors – forgiveness, shaft type, adjustability – that could help your game, instead of just buying because one has gone a couple of yards further.

2

Counterbalanced shafts are worth a look Fair play to manufacturers who have introduced counterbalanced shafts.

They’re particularly effective at average swing speeds, which is most of us. e { x { { ~{ ~{ B ~ i w y w x{ {¢ } | f }= W w ~w| D

3

Matching CG location to your impact position means more ball speed _ = { ~ } w |wy { w { shouting about yet, but a couple have mentioned how aligning the centre of gravity of your driver with your impact position improves energy transfer and y {w { xw {{zD e { z{ y{ supports this, and it makes real sense.

Hitting in line with the centre of gravity means the head rotates less around

48 GOLF ASIA

its axis, and less rotation has to mean more energy is preserved.

4

Hit it off the toe for more distance A lot of our longest drives came from { { Q w w } |wy{ ~{ { moving the fastest. This means you may not get the perfect long drive from plum centre.

That said, we also saw a few decent hits from the low heel, which supports Cobra’s claim of shaping the sweetspot to perform from high-toe to low-heel.

5

If you don’t have speed you need launch; if you don’t have launch you need speed i z { { }~B x = ~{ basis for driver fitting. Basically, if you’re lucky enough to hit it high you don’t need extra speed to achieve your optimum carry distance. But if you have difficulty getting shots airborne, you need extra launch (loft, weight positioning, shaft flex and profile) if you’re to achieve your maximum carry.

6

There’s no harm in getting speed for free Ping’s engineers refer to aerodynamics as “getting speed for free”. And this part of driver design is only going to get more prevalent.

i y~ {y~ ~w z { testing, and it offers the opportunity to wring out a few extra yards of performance without any trade offs.

7

Don’t forget dispersion and consistency We’ve not included lots of data regarding dispersion as the information is only relevant to the individual tester. Just because we hit a particular driver into a

20-yard dispersion circle doesn’t mean B D ex ~{ z a new driver you need to pay attention to dispersion as it’s absolutely key when it comes to hitting fairways.

8

Get fitted We say it constantly, but still we come wy | } |{ ~ z = }{ ¢ {z | a driver. Trust us, with so much tech now on offer you really will miss a trick if you don’t get a big dog tuned to your own game.

GOLF ASIA 49

GOLFING PROFILE

A Fresh New Take Sheren Yong, Senior Club Manager of Kota Permai Golf & Country Club

P

rogressing from a Sales Manager in the Golf Membership Sales Division within the Berjaya Group, Sheren Yong also possesses a vast experience in sales and marketing. She joined Gamuda Land as Club Manager of Jade Hills Resort Club in 2009, fastforwarding to the present; Sheren is the new Senior Club Manager of Kota Permai Golf & Country Club (KPGCC).

She shares with us her hopes and expectations in her new capacity.

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GA: It is mentioned that this role came unexpectedly for you. Could you please elaborate on why this was unexpected?

SY: I never expect to be offered to take on this role as I have minimum experience in golf operations. KPGCC is Gamuda’s agship club with a high benchmark and I am really blessed to be selected for this role.

GA: You have a strong background in sales and marketing. How does

this help in your new role as Senior Club Manager?

SY: I am committed and have strong determination to achieve the target goal set. These are valuable values instilled in me aside with tactful interpersonal skills.

GA: What do you expect to be different managing KPGCC as compared to the other clubs/golf courses you have managed in the past?

SY: Managing recreation clubs in the

past as compared to now managing a golf club I would expect a more hectic schedule in handling golf and corporate events as well as familiarising myself with the course maintenance programmes, although the course maintenance is well taken care by our golf course maintenance team as evident by the excellent course conditions.

GA: What's a day in the life of you and your team like?

SY: Apart from attending meetings, I will be going around the club, getting to know the team members and club members, building rapport and strengthening bonds.

GA: What are the challenges of management you face? Most fulfilling aspects of the job?

SY: KPGCC is blessed with a strong cohesive team. I do not face much challenges and with the team’s support I am confident we are able to sail through any obstacles and challenges.

The working environment and the Club’s recognition in the industry are the most fulfilling aspects of the job. I hope to be able to continue with the successes and break through to emerge as the top golf club in the Asia Pacific region.

GA: What are your future plans for KPGCC? SY: The main focus will definitely be on customer services and to elevate the customer satisfaction levels as well as maintaining the course at a prestigious standard which will position KPGCC as the sought after venue for an exceptional golf experience. The team is driven to achieve more awards and accolades even hoping to place KPGCC on the international golfing map.

will be carried out as scheduled without any short cuts and undue delays. Our dedicated golf course team always performs beyond the normal maintenance, they execute comprehensive maintenance and upgrading on the course such as landscape enhancement, maintaining the tee boxes and maintaining the green speed. These not so little details are what sets KPGCC apart from other golf courses.

GA: In what ways do you find KPGCC lacking and how do you plan to fix this?

SY: The club is on the right track and moving forward, we will continue to enhance to meet the high expectations of our members and customers.

GA: What initiatives do you hope to implement to ensure high customer satisfaction among members and higher membership registration?

SY: We plan and custom tailor training programmes for our teams to enhance the level of services.

It is our commitment to provide a remarkable and pleasant experience to our customers. The club has a good membership base and we strive to maintain good relationships with our members and are always thankful for their support. We have allocated a substantial budget for a major renovation at our Golfers Wing, which in anticipation will increase the value of the club’s membership numbers; in addition we are also working on loyalty programs to reward our valued members.

GA: Congratulations on the accolades for Top 10 Courses in Malaysia. What does KPGCC do that sets this high standard? How does the maintenance in KPGCC set it apart from other golf courses?

SY: Thank you. The accolades achieved had set a high benchmark for us to maintain the quality standard of our greens. All planned programs

GA: KPGCC is known to have a full calendar of events on its courses.

What are some upcoming events and what can players look forward to at these events?

SY: There have been good collaborations established with event promoters for major corporate events. Upcoming events will be the BMW, Prudential and Mercedes tournaments. There has been strong indication from the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) that KPGCC is one of the shortlisted venue hosts for the upcoming Malaysian Open. The players may look forward to a challenging course layout and fast green speeds at these events, and not forgetting the full support of the highly committed team at KPGCC. GOLF ASIA 51

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SOUTH AFRICA

Fancourt Clubhouse from Montagu Course 54 GOLF ASIA

The Ideal South African Experience A palatial golfing resort and estate that many have heard of but perhaps not yet made the trip to visit

BY KEN LYE PHOTOS BY KEN LYE & COURTESY OF FANCOURT GOLF RESORT & THE MANOR HOUSE AT FANCOURT

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Manor House Exterior

A

mere 5 minutes drive from the airport in the city of George, situated at the South East corner of South Africa, is a property that hosted the 2003 Presidents Cup that had the legendary Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as captains of the American and International teams. It is the renowned Fancourt.

The origins of Fancourt can be traced back to the 19th century where it all started with the construction of The Manor House back in 1859. The Manor House was originally built and owned

by Henry Fancourt White, the engineer who supervised the construction of the Montagu Pass stretching from the city of George over the Outeniqua mountain range to the town of Oudtshoorn. The 56 GOLF ASIA

Manor House today is a South African National Monument and is one of the two fabulous accommodation options for guests visiting Fancourt, the other being the 115-room 5-star Fancourt Hotel.

Now transformed into a 5-star boutique hotel, the small and intimate yet intensely stylish Manor House is the crown of the Fancourt estate. With 18 beautiful, individually decorated suites, the hotel radiates immense charm fusing old world traditions with new-world style that combines modern sophistication with its original wooden finishing. Exquisitely furnished with old style furniture akin to the original 19th century era blended with modern trappings, the Manor House somehow naturally exudes a sense of romance for guests staying in

the hotel. With wonderful vistas of the Outeniqua Mountain range and lovely gardens on the Manor House grounds lending themselves to romantic walks, it is not hard to see why. In fact, it is likely all this that brought The Manor House the accolade of “Africa’s Best Romantic Boutique Hotel”, awarded by The World Boutique Hotel Awards in October 2015.

Transformed into a luxury golfing resort destination in 1989 by present owner Dr Hasso Plattner, the German billionaire co-founder of software company SAP AG, the resort offers three award-winning golf courses and a host of other facilities in addition to its two 5-star accommodation options.

Fancourt’s three golf courses were designed by the South African golf

Outeniqua course H4 with a stunning backdrop

Monets - view of Outeniqua Mountains

legend, Gary Player. All three courses, Outeniqua, Montagu and The Links, are ranked in the Top 20 courses in South Africa with The Links ranked as No.1.

In fact, The Links is ranked inside the Top 50 in the world by many observers.

Not only did Fancourt host the 2003 Presidents Cup, it also hosted the 2005 South African Open and 2012 Volvo Golf Champions on the European Tour.

Opened for play in the 1990s, the Outeniqua and Montagu courses offer a playing experience most golfers would be familiar with, whilst The Links course offers players a taste of the Scottish links golf experience.

The hallmark of the Outeniqua course is its visual diversity. With several lakes framed against the Outeniqua mountain GOLF ASIA 57

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SOUTH AFRICA range and forests, the course makes for great visual candy. An example of this greets players as they stand on the tee box of the par 3 4th. Touted as its signature hole set amidst the blue sky, one can’t help but marvel at the majestic view of the 4th green that sits over the lake with the Outeniqua mountain range in the backdrop.

Notable here are the many wide generous fairways set in between numerous small valleys and woodlands that define the Outeniqua course.

A par 72 at 6,312m from the back tees, the course has several short holes (the par 4 1st, 5th and 10th holes) that make it tempting to try to get as close as possible to the green or even drive it.

But with their many bunkers and water hazards lurking, these holes provide a good risk-reward challenge.

The Montagu course, at the centre of Fancourt, lies on rolling fairways and is more of a parkland course where tight

17th at Montagu

58 GOLF ASIA

tree lined drives are more of a norm than at the Outeniqua course. Being tighter and much longer at 6,714m from the back tees, this par 72 course is regarded as the more demanding and challenging of the two non-links courses.

With faster green speeds, and greens that are defended by numerous greenside bunkers, this course puts a real premium on the correct placement of approach shots, especially on some of the large greens prevalent on the course. The fairway bunkers at Montagu are also more penal with higher lips that necessitate more lay ups once entered into.

As you arrive at the par 3 17th hole tee box, a thought might cross your mind that this hole looks familiar. A large green across water awaits with two bunkers at the back and another short of the green.

Anything short on the left or right of this middle bunker could roll back down into the water. Gazing at this from the tee box whilst admiring the floral landscape

behind the green, one will suddenly realize that this hole is reminiscent of the par 3 12th - the “Golden Bell” at Augusta’s “Amen Corner”.

It would seem to us that the courses here at Fancourt, ascend in difficulty from the Outeniqua course up to the ultimate challenge at Fancourt’s championship course, The Links. Guests should perhaps start their golfing jaunt at Fancourt with the Outeniqua course, followed by the Montagu and then The Links.

But before tackling the fabled Links course at Fancourt, guests perhaps may want to try out Fancourt Hotel’s recently refurbished spa. Spa lovers especially will find the new spa the perfect place to unwind and get loose for their next golfing round. Through its wide range of spa treatments and the spa’s special features such as its Roman bath and Tepidarium, guests will be assured of a truly relaxing experience. The Tepidarium is a heated room that houses contoured heated

“With 18 beautiful, individually decorated suites, the hotel radiates immense charm fusing old world traditions with newworld style that combines modern sophistication with its original wooden finishing.�

Manor House Montagu Bar GOLF ASIA 59

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Finishing hole at The Links

Spa Roman Bath

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“The Links golf course, inspired by the famous links courses of Scotland, is set in a lush surrounding countryside with the majestic Outeniqua Mountains in the background.”

couches that gradually elevate the body’s temperature to improve circulation and promote deep relaxation. It is said that this enables the body to unwind and de-stress as the gentle warmth permeates through the skin and deep into the muscle. At the same time, essential oils are released into the air, treating guests to a heat therapy session coupled with an aromatherapy experience. With its floor to ceiling glass windows and spectacular views of the Outeniqua mountain range, the spa’s Roman Bath is guaranteed to provide guests the perfect spot for relaxation.

Guests may also choose to try out the spa’s signature Roma Stone Placement Massage. The Roma Stone Placement massage is designed around the healing properties of the basalt rock hot stone, which is said to aid relaxation and tissue revival. Muscle pain and joint stiffness are repaired by the stone’s heat, enabling blood flow and the passing of oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body.

In addition, there are other facilities at the spa available such as the sauna,

plunge pool, Jacuzzi, steam room and a dedicated manicure and pedicure room that overlooks the 18th hole of the Outeniqua course. On hand also is a local physiotherapist cum specialist in aquatic bodywork therapy techniques to provide hydrotherapy services within the spa.

Refreshed from a visit to the spa, one is perhaps more ready to take on the toughest course of the three courses at Fancourt, The Links. The Links stands at a massive 6,930m from the back tees and 6,477m for the middle tees. For ladies, fear not however, the course is very manageable at 5,205m from the ladies tees.

The Links golf course, inspired by the famous links courses of Scotland, is set in a lush surrounding countryside with the majestic Outeniqua Mountains in the background. Transformed from an old airfield, it features undulating, windswept terrain with a dune-style landscape that characterises the first faux links in South Africa. Player used cool-season grasses to promote bounce-and-roll on the topsy-turvy undulating fairways and has

beautifully done up the course to replicate the Scottish feel.

Whilst almost 7,000m in length, the course didn’t seem that long as we found the bounce and roll of the fairways helped on most holes. If one managed the trajectory well on the drives, one could still get some roll even on the headwind holes. All in all, we found the course to be a fair and playable design.

That having said, the right shots have to be played and the right spots on the fairways have to be hit. Too wild and one could find themselves mimicking a goat frolicking amongst the grassy mounds.

If you find yourself in the thick fescue rough and bushes, there is little chance of you finding your ball. Even finding the fairway may be penal if you do not account for roll when you miss your target spot. There are deep high-lipped fairway and greenside bunkers lurking to catch your errant rolling ball. It is little wonder why one fairway bunker is named, “The Coffin”.

In fact, at The Links, each hole is well GOLF ASIA 61

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The Links - Calamity sign

The Links - Teeing off at Calamity

named for their character. Starting off seems easy enough with a wide fairway to hit on the sharp 362m dogleg right par 4, “On Ye Go”. But as we come to the 3rd hole, “Calamity”, a 429m par 4, things start to get exciting. Indeed, with a green fronted by a burn that is hard to get to with the headwind, calamity indeed awaits for the errant golfer. Not long after this, we run into the 312m par 4 6th, the “Five Penny Piece”. The green here is probably the smallest on the course and is made to look even smaller with the thick fescue cove surrounding the green!

And what of a 440m par 4 into strong headwind with another small green flanked by bunkers and wetlands? “Sheer Murrrder”! Yes, that’s its name, aptly named for the hardest hole on the course.

The greens here at The Links are a good mix. One will find large undulating greens amongst small, long, thin, wide and shallow greens, all mostly protected 62 GOLF ASIA

by thick fescue and bushes. With the wind in play on most holes, it is a real challenge to not miss the green. The green speed here is the fastest of all three courses at Fancourt. As I watched my ball rocket past the hole and almost off the first green, my caddy remarked, “Oh, it’s not that fast today, just 11 (on the Stimpmeter)”! One wonders what qualifies as fast at The Links!

As we near the end of our round, we realized no two holes are alike at The Links. Indeed, as you come to the par 3 17th, one would think that what else could the Black Knight create for a par 3 on this landscape? Named “Prayer”, this hole demands exactly that of you if you are not confident of hitting into the wind onto a narrow green. Guarded by a burn in front and around to the left of the green, it makes for a tricky tee shot.

Anything hit short to the right will find a bunker making for a very testy up and

The Links - Coffin Bunker

down on this raised green. Miss it long at the back and you will be hard pressed to find your ball amongst the fescue and bushes. The par 5 18th - “Near The Dram”, is a wonderful finishing hole where one will require a forced carry tee shot uphill onto the fairway. Playing uphill all the way to the Links clubhouse, the tailwind could help one get on in two just in time for that reward of a dram of warm single malt at the bar.

For foodies, Fancourt offers a number of dining options. Having opened its new concept restaurant and deli, Monet’s, in September 2015, guests may have a choice of romantic dinners or al fresco dining in a setting that overlooks the fairways of the Outeniqua course and the Outeniqua mountains. With its wide selection of Methode Cap Classique

Aerial view of Fancourt GOLF ASIA 63

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SOUTH AFRICA sparkling wines and Champagne, bubbly connoisseurs will find much to enjoy with favourites like Moët & Chandon, Verve Clicquot, and Ponsardin. The restaurant’s must-have signature dish is the freerange chicken breast fillet with sautéed artichoke, black olives, cherry tomato, anchovy butter and rocket.

Classic European cuisine meets interior artistry at Henry Whites – the gastronomic flagship of Fancourt’s Manor House. Named after one of Fancourt’s original owners, this restaurant offers classic dining with an inclination towards seafood dishes as well as an extensive tasting menu of signature dishes.

With its traditional Italian menu, Fancourt’s La Cantina restaurant treats

guests to an authentic Mediterranean culinary experience ranging from homemade pastas to succulent steaks.

Its extensive menu also includes other meats, fish and its decadent dessert favourite, the Tiramisu. With a woodfired pizza oven, La Cantina serves what guests believe to be the tastiest, thincrusted pizzas in town.

A meal will not be complete at either of these restaurants without a bottle from their coveted selection of award-winning wines and boutique wines. Ranging from some of South Africa’s finest wine estates such as Diemersdal, Tokara, Waterford, Pecanstream, Klein Steenberg and Buitenverwachting to vintage classics and traditional favourites, one will be spoilt for

choice. On hand also are signature wines from golfing champions Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Louis Oosthuizen.

Rounding up the eating options at Fancourt, the Club Lounge is a good choice for a simple meal with some American club style food from a large selection of cocktail snacks, clubhouse steaks and burgers. Golfers may sit outdoors nursing their beers and watch golfers finish up on the 18th green of the Montagu course. One may even choose to venture out to the area around Fancourt for a meal where a visit to Transkaroo Restaurant may be appealing to try their blue cheese snails or lamb’s neck.

The enchanting natural backdrop that the property is located on is perfect for

“Fancourt’s La Cantina restaurant treats guests to an authentic Mediterranean culinary experience ranging from homemade pastas to succulent steaks.”

La Cantina Restaurant

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The Links Clubhouse

Fancourt Luxury room overlooking warm up area

Manor House lounge

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SOUTH AFRICA idyllic walks, cycling and a host of other activities. Located in George, about 2 hours flight away from Johannesburg, Fancourt lies on part of the captivating Garden Route region. The Garden Route is a popular 400km scenic stretch of the South Eastern coast of South Africa.

It’s famous for its verdant ecologically diverse greenery, the numerous lagoons and lakes dotted along the coastline, and panoramic views of the scenic beaches bounded by the Indian Ocean. The route includes towns such as Mossel Bay, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and Nature's Valley, with George as the Garden Route’s largest city and main administrative centre.

The region’s diverse activity offerings include horse riding, wineries, skydiving, mountain biking, hiking trails, and breath-taking beaches with

Garden Route Coastline 66 GOLF ASIA

Knysna Sunset cruise

Fancourt Montagu Street, Blanco George, 6529, South Africa T: +27 44 804 0000 E: hotel@fancourt.co.za W: www.fancourt.com or https:// bookings.fancourt.com/fancourt/book/ Getting There Fly on any international airline direct to Johannesburg (approx 11 hrs) and then transfer to either a domestic budget airline (e.g. Comair / www.kulula. com) or a domestic airline alliance member to George (approx 2 hours from Johannesburg) E.g. Singapore Airlines flies direct to Johannesburg and as a member of Star Alliance, South Africa Airways will fly Singapore Airlines passengers to George.

Sea Kayaking

Whale watching

Ziplining

an abundance of sunshine. There are organic food markets, craft villages, safari experiences, ocean and forest adventure activities - like sailing, shark cage diving, whale and dolphin watching, fishing, and the world’s highest bridge bungee jump. Guests won’t have to venture too far from Fancourt to the neighbouring Mossel Bay, Herolds Bay or Knysna for some of these experiences.

With its proximity to the Garden Route, three wonderful golf courses offering a varied playing experience, lovely accommodation options and all the diverse activities available at and around Fancourt, this member of The Leading Hotels of the World, is the perfect base to have one’s ideal South African experience.

Knysna Oysters

Golfers should note however that The Links is a private Club, but limited tee times are available for guests staying at the Fancourt Hotel or The Manor House. Also note that the Montagu course will be closed for renovations from the end of April 2016 and is expected to open again for play in midSeptember 2016.

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10PM (HK/MY/SG) | 9PM (BKK/JKT/PH) SAME DAY TELECAST AS THE U.S.

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SINGAPORE

An Oldie But Still A Goodie Singapore’s grand dame, Raffles Country Club’s Palm Course STORY BY KEN LYE PHOTOS COURTESY OF RAFFLES COUNTRY CLUB Stamford Foyer GOLF ASIA 69

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SINGAPORE A beautiful backdrop at Palm Course

Palm Course

M

any golfers in Singapore would be familiar with Raffles Country Club’s Palm Course.

Indeed, there have been stories told of one’s escapades on the challenging layout of the Robert Trent Jones Jr. design, in particular on the tough par 3 12th and the demanding 18th finishing hole.

The par 3 12th hole, though ranked as the easiest hole on the course due to its short length at a mere 125m from the blue tees, is by no means a picnic. With wind usually in play, club selection and a crisp tee shot is required to find this

70 GOLF ASIA

narrow green surrounded by water on all sides. Anything less than ideal could find a very watery death. Also hitting the wrong part of the green could see a 3-putt over the hump that dissects the green in half. This was indeed the case where one player in a tournament was 3-under at the turn and took a 9 on this hole (or was it a 10?). One tends to lose count after seeing your playing partner’s third ball go swimming! If this is anything to go by and the holes were to be named, this hole could be aptly named “Score Wrecker”.

If you have conquered the tricky

tee shot on the index 2 par 4 18th hole bounded by OB on the right and a water hazard on the left, don’t get to celebrating just yet. This 375m hole from the blue tee provides some exciting drama on the approach to the wide green. With OB lurking behind for a shot that is too adrenaline charged and water short right and around the green, your cold brew will have to wait. Plenty of focus and good ball striking is needed to walk off with a par on this closing hole, especially if the pin is tucked to the right of the green. Bailing out to the left to avoid

the water will see a bunker waiting to catch you. Once in there, a perilous bunker shot awaits that feeds downhill away from you towards the water hazard. Even if you do find the green in two, your green reading skills will be put to the test to find the right line to the hole.

Apart from these two tricky holes, the course provides many more holes with enough challenges for golfers of all skill levels. It is precisely this that saw the Palm Course host the now defunct Asian PGA Championship in 1997 and 1998.

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Fast forward to 2016, where the Palm Course is 31 years old this year, the successor to the Asian PGA, the Asian Tour, chose the Palm Course to host its Asian Development Tour’s (“ADT”) season opening Player’s Championship on January 20-23.

The ADT is the secondary tour to the main Asian Tour. Functioning like the US PGA’s Web.Com Tour, the ADT provides seasoned and budding professionals a platform to hone their skills for the main tour. The ADT Players Championship is the first tournament after the Asian Tour Q-School and just before the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s Singapore Open (“SMBC Open”).

Raffles Country Club (“RCC”) Captain Patrick Low spoke on hosting the event, “The Club agreed to the request to host the ADT event as this event provided an opportunity to the golf professionals to earn points necessary to qualify for the SMBC Open, which took place shortly after the ADT Players Championship. It was

Palm Hole 18

72 GOLF ASIA

Clubhouse terrace

also a great training ground and warmup game for those who have already qualified for the SMBC Open. Besides, by hosting the event, the Club gained exposure in the partnership with ADT and it also benefitted the Club staff in that it gave them the experience to handle large events of this scale.�

RCC had 8 weeks to prepare for the Players Championship and since the course had not undergone a makeover or major renovation since first opening in 1985, Christine Chungbhivat, RCC’s Course Superintendent, had a challenging task to prepare the course for the event. “Since June 2015, there has been interim golf course improvement works on the Palm course. This includes on-going tee box renovations, improvement of green turf quality, localized drainage improvement, landscape improvement and water quality improvement.

The interim improvement works came timely particularly on the tee box renovations, which allowed the

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Palm Course golfer

black tee to be in play. Green turf was prepared to provide fast and consistent speeds. Palm Course green speed on a normal day plays 8.5 to 9 ft but for the ADT we got it up to 9.5 to 10 ft.

The Asian Tour required a Tournament-standard play set-up on tees and greens with multiple layers cut on the fairways, semi-rough and rough. Rough height was increased from 35mm to 60mm, we re-defined the play areas and narrowed the fairways adding to the challenge for the professionals,” said Chungbhivat.

Adding to that on the rains prevalent in January, Chungbhivat explained that, “(We) Prioritised work on sensitive play areas such as greens, tees and landing zones. Pre-planned localized drainage improvement works paid off in some areas.”

Chungbhivat and RCC’s work did not go unnoticed with the professional field at the Players Championship.

Suradit Yongcharoenchai of Thailand who played in the ADT event said that, “Its been a rainy week but the golf club has done well in ensuring that the course is in good shape for play.”

When asked on the challenge and layout of the Palm Course which played about 6,200m from the black tees for the event, the eventual winner of the ADT Players Championship, Itthipat Buranatanyarat or “Boom” from Thailand had nothing but praise for the course, “The course set-up is very good. I love the layout here. This is an 74 GOLF ASIA

Palm course hole 12

“The Asian Tour required a Tournamentstandard play set-up on tees and greens with multiple layers cut on the fairways, semi-rough and rough”

GOLF ASIA 75

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SINGAPORE old golf course but I think the golf club has done a great job in preparing the course for the tournament.”

One of Singapore’s top professionals, Koh Dengshan shared, “The Palm Course layout has provided a challenging test to all the players of the region. The 18th hole is a great risk/reward-finishing hole especially with the pin tucked at the back right corner. Although the Palm Course is over 30 years old, the layout is still challenging and makes golfers think their way around it. It is comparable to all the other top Robert Trent Jones’ layouts in the world. The fact that there are a lot of water hazards on this course makes it challenging and the beautiful scenery of the back nine and

Amazing views abound at the Raffles Country Club

76 GOLF ASIA

the lake makes it always very calming to play a round there.”

Dengshan’s sentiments were aptly summed up by 341 World-ranked and Singapore’s top golfer Mardan Mamat, “I think we have a very good championship course. It was challenging. I like it because of the layout.”

RCC’s land lease expires in November 2028, a good 12 years away. Could there be plans to redevelop the Palm Course to take it to the next level? Captain Patrick Low shared, “At this point in time, there is no news that there will be a renewal. And at the moment there are no plans to redevelop Palm Course as we are awaiting news from URA on the infrastructure studies, which will be

released at the end of 2016.”

So despite its age and no firm plans yet to redevelop it, it would seem that the Palm Course still holds some allure and has remained relevant in today’s tournament golf scene. Will there be more such tournaments at the Palm Course in the future? Well, the professionals certainly hope so.

Mardan Mamat expressed, “I hope there will be more of it to come.”

“It is a nice feeling to play a big and prestigious event in Singapore. It is also a great opportunity for all the Singapore players to compete and this would not have been possible without the gracious support of RCC and the sponsors of the ADT event,” added Dengshan.

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From discounts on green fees, golf apparel, equipment, to shopping and dining KLSPNO[Z `V\ JHU SVVR MVY^HYK [V H OVZ[ VM L_JP[PUN WYVTV[PVUZ ZPTWS` I` Ă…HZOPUN `V\Y Golf Asia privilege card. For more discounts and privileges, log on to www.golfasia.sg

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without prior notice. t 7BMJE UJM TU %FD Novena Square #03-03/13/14/15 Singapore. Tel: 65/6252-5822 or SMS 65/9456-9533 Heartland Mall #02-133/135 Singapore. Tel: 65/6282-7388 or SMS 65/8181-7388 520 Toa Payoh Central #01-54 Singapore. Tel: 65/6258-9388 or SMS 65/8181-9388

t 10% off regular priced items. t Additional 5% off sales items. tAbove promotion is applicable at the

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GOLF COURSES IN MALAYSIA HORIZON HILLS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

t15% discount on Green Fee for weekdays (except for Malaysia & Singapore Public Holiday) tTerms & Conditions apply. tProof of membership card upon registration. tBooking shall be done 7 days in advance. tNo.1, Jalan Eka, Horizon Hills, 79100, Nusajaya, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia. t Tel: +607/232-3166 Fax: +607/232-3919 Email: general@hhgcc.com.my Website: www.hhgcc.com.my

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HEALTH & BEAUTY D’SKIN t &OWJSPONFOUBM $POUSPM 'BDJBM (90 mins) at $39 (u.p. $158) t "QQPJOUNFOU JT SFRVJSFE t 'PS mSTU UJNF USJBM DVTUPNFS POMZ Valid for customers 21 years old & above. t 5IF DPNQBOZ SFTFSWFT UIF SJHIU to amend any terms and conditions

body massage (60 mins) + Full body dry polish (20 mins) / or Ear Candling (20 mins) + Tea & Dessert of the day (usual price $269). t By appointment booking only For New Customers 23 years old & above. t Valid for Singaporean, SPRs, and holders of EP, SP, DP and WP. t NRIC & Membership card must be presented upon redemption. t Family members of Wheels Asia subscriber are welcome. t Jean Yip Group reserves the right to amend any terms and conditions without prior notice. t Valid till 31st March 2016. t Redeemable at Jean Yip Loft, 307 New Bridge Road (Outram Park MRT Station Exit H) Tel: 65/6325-7307 / 6634-5162 and quote ‘Golf Asia VIP Retreat $60’

LIFESPA t $IPJDF PG POF TQB USFBU BU OFUU Skin ReďŹ ner Facial Treatment (U.P. $200, 60 mins) or Deep Tissue Body Massage (U.P. $160, 60 mins) t 7BMJE GPS DVTUPNFST BHFE BCPWF Singaporeans, PRs or E-Pass holders who are ďŹ rst time customers of LifeSpa. t 1SFTFOU /3*$ PS & 1BTT VQPO arrival for veriďŹ cation. t "QQPJOUNFOU JT SFRVJSFE BOE RVPUF "Golf Asia 2016 Promotion". t 1MFBTF BSSJWF NJOT CFGPSF scheduled appointment to avoid reduced treatment time. t 7BMJE UJM TU %FD 111 Somerset Road (Somerset MRT) #02-05 TripleOne Somerset, Singapore.

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t 3FDFJWF B DPNQMJNFOUBSZ UVNNZ trim worth $148. t "QQPJOUNFOU JT SFRVJSFE t 'PS mSTU UJNF USJBM DVTUPNFS POMZ 7BMJE for customers 21 years old & above. t 5IF DPNQBOZ SFTFSWFT UIF SJHIU UP amend any terms and conditions without prior notice. t 7BMJE UJM TU %FD Novena Square #03-37/38 Singapore.

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GOLF ASIA 83

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LUXE BASELWORLD SPECIAL

Rolex In addition to its latest creations from the Oyster and Cellini collections, Rolex’s redefined Superlative Chronometer certification also took centre stage at Baselworld this year

W

hile Rolex has introduced multiple new models at Baselworld 2016, two in particular stand out – the flagship Cosmograph Daytona in 904L steel and black ceramic monobloc Cerachrom bezel, and an all-new Oyster Perpetual Air-King relaunched in a 40mm case with aviation-inspired dial. For the ladies, Rolex’s expertise in gem-setting is showcased through the extravagantly new 39mm diamond-set Oyster Perpetual Pearlmaster, while the classic Cellini collection sees new versions of its Time, Date and Dual Time models in a variety of new dials and colours.

Most markedly, this year sees all Rolex watches covered by a green seal representing the new Superlative Chronometer certification, a measure of quality that was developed by the brand in 2015 which guarantees superlative performance in terms of precision, power reserve, waterproofness, and self-winding.

At the moment, the precision of a Rolex Superlative Chronometer after casing

86 GOLF ASIA

reads at −/+2 seconds per day, which is more than twice that required of an official chronometer. An exclusive designation that testifies the watches’ completion of vigorous testing for criteria that exceed current watchmaking norms and standards, the Superlative Chronometer status is coupled with an international five-year guarantee.

Cosmograph Daytona

OYSTER PERPETUAL Cosmograph Daytona Rolex’s new Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona in 904L steel with patented monobloc Cerachrom bezel is one of the most stunning pieces in this year’s collection. Already renowned as an icon and one of the best chronographs in the world, the new Daytona has been outfitted with a monobloc Cerachrom bezel in black ceramic, reminiscent of the 1965 model that was fitted with a black Plexiglas bezel insert but with a whole range of advantages: it is corrosion-resistant, virtually scratch-proof, and its colour is unaffected by UV exposure.

The monobloc Cerachrom bezel has been crafted from a single piece of ceramic, which holds the crystal firmly in place, thus ensuring waterproofness.

The timepiece is equipped with calibre 4130, a self-winding mechanical chronograph movement developed and manufactured entirely by Rolex.

Its architecture, a composite of Rolex technology, was completely re-engineered – the number of components in the chronograph function has been significantly reduced, thereby enhancing reliability. The mechanism’s column wheel and vertical clutch allow for an instantaneous start, thus ensuring extreme precision. The oscillator, the true heart of the watch, has a blue Parachrom hairspring that is insensitive to magnetic fields, thus offering great stability in the face of temperature variations and remains up to 10 times more precise than a traditional hairspring in case of shocks.

Air-King A tribute to the brand’s long-standing aeronautical heritage and a nod to the original Rolex Oyster that was first introduced during the golden age of aviation in the 1930s, the new Oyster Perpetual Air-King features the “Air-King” name in the same lettering that was first designed specifically for the model in the 1950s, a blast from the past reinvented with new

shine. Record-setting English aviator and one of the pioneers of long-distance flights Charles Douglas Barnard once said of the Oyster: “The peculiar qualities of this Rolex watch render it eminently suitable for flying purposes and I propose to use it on all my long-distance flights in the future”.

The 2016 model features a distinctive black dial with a combination of large 3, 6 and 9 numerals marking the hours and a prominent minutes scale for navigational time readings. Equipped with a calibre 3131, a self-winding mechanical movement, the Air-King’s architecture and manufacturing quality make it singularly precise and reliable; it has been equipped with a Rolex overcoil, ensuring regularity in any position, while the escapement features a paramagnetic escape wheel made from a nickelphosphorus alloy for greater resistance against magnetism. The waterproof Oyster case also provides optimum protection for the Air-King’s high-precision movement

and is also fitted with a shield to protect against magnetic fields, a signature of pilots’ watches of the past.

Datejust 41, Yacht-Master 40 & Lady-Datejust 28 Rolesor, specifically Everose Rolesor, has been given greater prominence at this year’s Baselworld collection with the release of three new models that feature this iconic material. A combination of gold and steel, Rolesor has been a signature feature of the brand since 1933. One material, noble and precious, prized for its lustre and stability, while the other, known for its strength, reliability and resistance, have both come together to create an elegant yet robust material. While Rolesor is available in either 18k yellow or Everose gold, the latter is a patented pink gold alloy that is exclusive to Rolex.

The new generation of the classic Oyster Perpetual Datejust has been updated with

Air-King

GOLF ASIA 87

LUXE BASELWORLD SPECIAL a 41mm case and new Rolex calibre 3235, a new-generation movement that is at the forefront of watchmaking. Awarded with 14 patents, this movement is a consummate demonstration of Rolex’s expertise in terms of precision, power reserve, reliability, and resistance to shocks and magnetism. The calibre 3235 is equipped with a self-winding module via a Perpetual rotor, while the new barrel architecture and escapement’s efficiency have extended the power reserve to a superior 70 hours. Its feminine counterpart, the Lady-Datejust, has also been updated to feature a redesigned case enlarged to 28mm, and a mechanical movement, calibre 2236, which has been equipped with the Rolex-patented Syloxi hairspring in silicon.

Also for the first time ever, the emblematic Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master has been released in Everose Rolesor with chocolate dial. Sleek, sporty, and distinguished, this enigmatic model is equally at home whether you’re on the high seas or in an elegant yacht club. The winding crown, fitted with the Triplock triple waterproofness system and protected by a crown guard that is an integral part of the middle case, screws down securely against the case, offering watertight security akin to a submarine’s hatch. The Yacht-Master is outfitted with a self-winding calibre 3135 that offers a power reserve of approximately 48 hours.

Pearlmaster 39 Truly a statement piece, the Oyster Perpetual Pearlmaster 39 is a treasure of watchmaking perfection and sophisticated gem-setting. Carefully scrutinised by Rolex’s own gemmology laboratory, the diamonds that make it to the Pearlmaster 39 have gone through rigorous assessment to ensure that only the most brilliant are used for the most intense radiance. In addition to the intrinsic quality of the stones, several criteria contribute to the reputation of Rolex gem-setting: the precise alignment of the height of the gems, their orientation and position, the robustness, the regularity and aesthetics of the setting, as well as the finishing of the stones.

As beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside, the new Pearlmaster 39 has also been outfitted with the patented calibre 3235, a next-generation marvel 88 GOLF ASIA

Datejust 41

Yacht-Master 40 Lady-Datejust 28

Pearlmaster 39

Explorer

in watchmaking that is supremely antimagnetic, precise, and efficient. Two versions of the Pearlmaster 39 are available: 18k pink gold diamond-paved dial with Roman numeral markers, or sunray-finished aubergine dial with Arabic markers.

Explorer On 29 May 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first to summit Everest, a remarkable feat that served to reinforce the reputation of the Oyster watches that accompanied the expedition. The first Oyster Perpetual Explorer, launched in 1953 in the wake of the successful ascent of the world’s highest mountain, soon skyrocketed to iconic status.

Now outfitted with an entirely luminescent Chromalight display for enhanced legibility, the new Oyster Perpetual Explorer is singular performance on the wrist, emblematic of Rolex’s history of equipping numerous Himalayan expeditions.

Designed for the avid explorer, this timepiece is equipped with the self-winding calibre 3132 whose oscillator is held firmly in place by a height-adjustable

traversing bridge and is fitted between high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers.

Together, both these features provide 50 percent greater resistance to shocks. For added security, the Explorer has also been fitted with a solid-link Oyster bracelet with Oystershock safety clasp that prevents accidental opening.

CELLINI Day, Date & Dual Time Redesigned with various coloured dials

Day

Date

and strap options, the new versions of the Rolex Cellini Time, Cellini Date, and Cellini Dual Time now feature 39mm cases in either 18k white or Everose gold, and extension of the Cellini collection’s classically elegant and traditional aesthetic. The new Cellini Time features a redesigned white lacquer dial and 12 elongated appliqué hour markers, the new Cellini Date features a blue dial and strap, while the Cellini Dual time features a brown dial and strap.

Dual Time GOLF ASIA 89

LUXE BASELWORLD SPECIAL

Tudor The Heritage Black Bay collection sees the most significant growth this year, crowned by a newly developed in-house mechanical movement

B

aselworld 2016 sees a significant expansion of the Heritage Black Bay family, as well as modern reinterpretations of two classic dress models. Each collection bears its distinctive personality while encompassing the quintessential aesthetic codes that contributed to the reputation of Tudor’s historic divers’ and elegant dress watches.

Heritage Black Bay

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HERITAGE BLACK BAY Indubitably one of the brand’s most iconic models, the Heritage Black Bay is a celebration of Tudor’s 60year heritage of diving watches – its particularly prominent winding crown is a reference of the famous 1958 Big Crown, while the characteristic “snowflake” hands have been taken from the watches that were used by t French National Navy in the 1970s. the First presented in 2012, the Heritage Black Bay has been updated for 2016 with a brand new mechanical movement that has been

fully developed, manufactured, and assembled in-house by Tudor, the MT5602 in which the “MT” stands for “Mouvement TUDOR”. With excellent precision and prove robustness, the COSC-certified MT5602 offers a 70hour power reserve, the movement regulated by a variable inertia oscillator with silicon balance spring held in place by a traversing bridge – a guarantee of its robustness.

The new 2016 model comes with a reworked steel bracelet that now features rivet heads and a stepped construction. In addition to a metal bracelet, the Heritage Black Bay is also available in aged leather strap and folding clasp, and each model is always supplied with an extra strap in matching fabric made in the traditional Jacquard method. Three versions are available: the original in burgundy bezel, the “Midnight Blue” with ice-cold face and blue bezel, and the “Black” with its famous red triangle reminiscent of Tudor models in the 1950s.

The collection also grows with three new additions: the Heritage Black Bay Bronze, Heritage Black Bay Dark, and Heritage Black Bay 36, each possessing a distinctive personality that encompasses the watchmaker’s spectacular technical expertise.

The Heritage Black Bay Bronze is a new arrival that was inspired by history – the use of bronze in its 43mm case is an aesthetic reference to the use of the metal in historic ships and diving equipment. The choice of this highperformance aluminium-bronze alloy guarantees the development of a subtle and unique patina that matches its wearer’s lifestyle and habits.

Beautifully sleek and mysterious, the Heritage Black Bay Dark has been crafted entirely in black steel, and sports an identifying red triangle on the rotatable bezel. This 41mm model has been finished with a black PVDtreated coating, originally developed

by NASA for its extreme durability and inertness.

A petite option for more slender wrists, the Heritage Black Bay 36 opens the collection up to a whole new range of wearers that appreciate the model’s sporty ruggedness and elegant aesthetic. Featuring a 36mm case, the smooth steel bezel and black dial can be complemented with either a beige leather strap or an urban camouflage fabric.

Style Fluted Bezel

Heritage Advisor

HERITAGE ADVISOR A reinterpretation of the brand’s 1957 classic, this year’s Heritage Advisor features a cognac-coloured dial and strap. The case, made from titanium, has been enlarged from 34mm to 42mm in line with modern tastes.

The Heritage Advisor’s dial design is particularly intricate, with no less than five distinct elements, including an opaline centre, sunburn satin finish on the dial, counter-circular calendar,

and sandblasted outer flange and alarm power-reserve indicator disc, the various finishes contrasting to created a textural richness.

The movement has been equipped with a special alarm module, developed in-house by Tudor, which boasts perfectly clear and consistent sound. An additional unique feature of the Heritage Advisor is that its strap options include one in black silk edged in satin, reminiscent of tuxedo trousers.

STYLE Featuring retro-chic touches inspired by the aesthetic codes of the 50s, 60s and 70s, the Tudor Style line is a contemporary take on the classic wristwatch, and has been marked by its distinctive double bezel and dauphine hands. Newly available in a steel or 18k gold fluted bezel and baton hands, and case sizes of 28, 34, 38 and 41mm, the Style line also welcomes two new dial colours in blue and burgundy sunray. The dials have been painstakingly lacquered to provide a luminescent depth of colour. Exclusively on a 28mm model, the choice of dials is completed with an option in mother-of-pearl with diamonds at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock.

GOLF ASIA 91

LUXE BASELWORLD SPECIAL

OMEGA Once again pushing the boundaries of what is possible, OMEGA introduced 6 new movements and 46 models carrying the Master Chronometer rating at Baselworld 2016

T

he Master Chronometer revolution continues well into 2016 with a tidal wave of innovative new movements and product designs from OMEGA. Signalling a new standard in watchmaking, OMEGA’s official certification from the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) for the Master Chronometer represented a major milestone in the watchmaker’s pursuit of the utmost in precision, performance, and magnetic resistance.

Master Chronometer Revolution Continues

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Following on the heels of last year’s Globemaster breakthrough, OMEGA has introduced six new movements this year: the Annual Calendar movement (8922 / 8923), the first Master Chronometer Chronograph movements in the form of the Ocean Chronograph (9900 / 9901) and Speedmaster Moonphase (9904 / 9905), the Planet Ocean 600M (8800 / 8801), the Master Chronometer with small seconds feature (8704 / 8705),

and the Master Chronometer with GMT addition (8906).

GLOBEMASTER The Globemaster Master Chronometer Annual Calendar is an evolution of last year’s groundbreaking model, its case diameter increase from 39mm to 41mm and the polished hour and minute hands blued and facetted, coated with Super-Luminova for a captivating aesthetic under changing

light. Completing the colour theme, the OMEGA logo, Constellation star, indices, and leather strap are all blue, the polished fluted bezel crafted from scratchproof tungsten carbide.

The timepiece has been fitted with the new OMEGA Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8922, while the Master Chronometer certification card that accompanies the timepiece proves that the watch has passed the eight intensive tests established by the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS).

SEAMASTER 2016 heralds massive changes for the Planet Ocean Master Chronometer Collection, both inside and out. In addition to all-new movements – for the first time all Planet Ocean watches have become Master Chronometers – the collection also features new sizes, thinner cases, fresh designs, and exciting innovative materials, including 18K Sedna gold, Liquidmetal, rubber and ceramic.

Globemaster Annual Calendar

Seamaster Aqua Terra Good Planet

Powered by the exceptional Master Chronometer 9900 movement, the Seamaster Planet Ocean 45.5mm Chronograph features a beautifully polished blue ceramic dial and dazzling 18K Sedna gold and steel case. The timepiece also has a unique alveol design on the screw-in caseback.

Seamaster Planet Ocean 39.5mm

S Sea Se master Seamaster Planet Pla P llaan anet Ocean collection c

Sporty and striking, the Seamaster Planet Ocean 43.5mm Auto features a unique bezel, but the true innovation lies in its use of rubber blended with ceramic, with orange rubber covering the first 15 minutes. Liquidmetal numbers and scales have then been used for the diving and minute scales, making them stand out against he black ceramic dial. This timepiece is powered by the Master Chronometer 8900 movement, and is completed by a black leather strap with black and orange rubber underside.

The world’s premier polished biceramic black and white bezel ring makes its debut on the Seamaster Planet Ocean 43.50mm GMT, the bidirectional rotating bezel separating day and night with numerals and scaling in contrasting colours.

Regardless of night or day, the watch keeps perfect timing thanks to its revolutionary movement: the Master Chronometer 8906.

Highlighting two of Switzerland’s most luxurious icons, the Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Master Chronometer “Chocolate” is truly at the forefront of craftsmanship and style, its luscious brown body housing GOLF ASIA 93

LUXE BASELWORLD SPECIAL

Speedmaster Moonphase

the new calibre 8801, which is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback with its oscillating weight crafted from 18K Sedna gold. Even though this is the first time that 18K Sedna gold has been used for the Planet Ocean collection, the material extends to the case, hands and indices, and foldover clasp on the strap for this particular timepiece. Keeping up with modern style, this ladies model sports a 94 GOLF ASIA

Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon “Meteorite”

masculine 39.5mm case, while hightech brown ceramic has been used for the bezel and dial.

Taking its name from OMEGA’s partnership with the GoodPlanet Foundation, the Aqua Terra “GoodPlanet” features ocean-inspired colours to complement its grade 5 titanium build and lacquered white dial; unlike other Aqua Terra models, this timepiece does not feature the

typical teak design. In the 43.00mm model, the dial features a GMT 24hour display with a red tipped GMT hand, a date window at the 6 o’clock position, and is powered by OMEGA’s Master Co-Axial Calibre 8605. For the 38.50mm model, powered by the Master Co-Axial Calibre 8500 instead, the date window is placed at the 3 o’clock position instead.

Both timepieces feature an engraved

“GOODPLANET FOUNDATION” on its reverse in varnished blue, and come presented in a special bamboo box for the ultimate collector’s item.

SPEEDMASTER The new Speedmaster Master Chronometer Chronograph Moonphase captures the lunar cycle in high resolution. The Speedmaster’s highly accurate mechanism only requires adjustment after 10 years, and while the hands are classic, the internal workings are a giant leap forward – housed within its stunning sun-brushed blue dial is the revolutionary new 9904 movement made up of 368 components, marking a new era in watchmaking. Another Speedmaster first, Liquidmetal has been used on the tachymeter scale, and a closer look reveals rhodium-plated circles on the subdials.

Created from a real piece of space, the 44.24mm Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon “Meteorite” is an exceptional melding of extra-terrestrial stone and 18K Sedna gold (so named after the distant red planet Sedna), a true inspiration of many celestial elements. The exceptional meteorite dial is framed by a special 18K Sedna gold bezel that has been additionally layered with a silicon nitride bezel ring – harder and lighter than ceramic, this is a significant breakthrough for the future of OMEGA’s watchmaking.

As for the dial itself, it was fashioned from slices of the Gibeon meteorite that fell in

Constellation Small Seconds

Speedmaster CK 2998

prehistoric times in Namibia. The OMEGA Co-Axial calibre 9300 continues to sit at the watch’s heart.

Now updated in blue, the Speedmaster “CK2998” Limited Edition is a refreshed interpretation of the first CK2998 that was released in 1959, one of the most sought-after vintage Speedmasters in the world today. This new edition retains many of the original’s iconic features, such as the Alpha hands, symmetrical case and dark bezel, but has been updated with new-generation technology and stunning design.

Examples of this include a SuperLumiNova coasted tachymeter and blue leather strap lined with beige stitching.

For the chronograph seconds hand, the “lollipop” style has been reintroduced, a link to the original model.

Only 2,998 of this limited edition model are available, each etched with its unique edition number on the caseback, together with an embossed Seahorse medallion, OMEGA logo and “SPEEDMASTER” name. While most of the other Baselworld 2016 models sport new Master Chronometer movements, this particular model stays true to its heritage, and is driven by the Calibre 1861, the same movement that was used in the very first “Moonwatch”.

CONSTELLATION One of the first ladies’ timepieces to have reached this standard of mechanical sophistication, the Constellation Master Chronometer Small Seconds is a major achievement for the brand in terms of refinement and compactness of movement.

The sapphire crystal caseback enables viewing of the new Master Chronometer calibre 8704, while the 18k red gold and mother-of-pearl dial lend simple yet elegant warmth to the design. Four diamonds at the 9 o’clock position subtly mark the small seconds feature, an indication of the discrete yet significant extension of the timepiece’s mechanical prowess.

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LUXE TIMEPIECES BLANCPAIN’S MÉTIERS D’ART STUDIO PRESENTS: THE GREAT WAVE

Inspired by the motion of the sea comes the latest Métiers d’Art creation that replicates an iconic Hokusai image. The Great Wave uses Mexican silver obsidian, a semi-transparent volcanic rock speckled with silver wisps in a mysterious black colour. The gemstone serves as a base for The Great Wave appliqué in white gold using Japanese rokusho patina.

The complex method involves several phases, such as affixing the image on a Shakudo (gold and copper alloy) base before being coated with a unique patina achieved by immersing it into a bath of rokusho salts. The Shakudo is polished thereafter to intensify the impression of a huge billowing wave. In terms of technicality, Blancpain has modified its renowned hand-wound 13R0 calibre into a 13R3A movement. The movement is equipped with three series-coupled mainspring barrels that successively wind and unwind. The second barrel serves as a relay for the first and is in turn wound by the third barrel. For its finishing touch, The Great Wave is double-stepped cased in platinum with a bespoke calfskin strap in storm gray, making it ideal to wear for any occasion.

CHOPARD IMPERIALE JOAILLERIE

Get through stormy weather with hope in the form of an extraordinary rainbow with Chopard’s Imperiale Joaillerie. The jewellery masterpiece contains 581 baguette-cut sapphires totalling 47.98 carats in subtly graded shades covering the entire colour spectrum from majestic purple to anise green and an entire galaxy of blues, reds and yellows. These chromatic variations create a firework-like burst that immediately catches the eye. But the Imperiale Joaillerie is more than just watch with pretty colours. The Chopard 01.03-C calibre that powers the watch beats at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a barrel ensuring a 60-hour power reserve and the reliability, performance and precision of this mechanical self-winding movement.

The fascinating calibre can be viewed in all its luminous, multi-coloured splendour through an exhibition case back.

CHANEL BOY·FRIEND

With style stereotypes being increasingly blurred, CHANEL has introduced the BOY·FRIEND watch, a timepiece with masculine allure just for women. The octagonal shape of the watch brings to mind the emblematic and iconic Première watch, which was a tribute to the legendary N˚5 bottle and to Place Vendôme. The masculine features of the BOY·FRIEND watch also reflect the styling choices and elements from the wardrobe of Mademoiselle Chanel, who bent gender stereotypes and changed the idea of what it means to be feminine in a patriarchal society. The BOY·FRIEND watch comes in four styles: TWEED, STEEL, PAVED, and ARTY DIAMONDS in various sizes. ARTY DIAMONDS also come in three variations of Sans Titre 1, 2 or 3 in numbered and limited edition 18 pieces for each variation.

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HYT H1 GHOST

In one of the most ambitious projects in watch making ever, HYT has designed a watch around the elusive light and dark nature of ghosts. In a play of duality, the H1 Ghost, released as a series of just 50 pieces, features an all-black, completely opaque black fluid in continuous battle against a transparent one. Keeping them apart is the repulsion force of the molecules in each fluid. The hours are indicated by the black liquid released from a flexible reservoir compressed by a piston. As the hours go by, the black liquid advances to indicate the time. At 1800 hours, the coloured liquid goes back to its original position and goes backwards. As the opaque liquid does not emit or reflect any light, it is invisible come night time. However, so that the H1 Ghost can be read in the dark, a Super-LumiNova developed by HYT illuminates the capillary from underneath.

EDOX SAUBER F1 CHRONORALLY LIMITED EDITION

As a premium partner of the Sauber F1 Team, Edox has introduced the new Edoc Sauber F1 Chronorally Limited Edition ahead of 2016 FIA Formula One Championship. The watch has been carefully crafted for the fastest drivers in the world and is built to function with split-second accuracy amid high g-forces at high-speed turns during a race. The watch mimics the dashboards of F1 racing vehicles with its gunmetal indexes on a black carbon dial. As a functional watch for the race, oversized push buttons positioned on the side of the watch give drivers easy access even through thick driving gloves. The tyre-imprinted rubber strap also provides a perfect fit over the Sauver F1 driver’s race suit. On the case back is a special Sauber F1 Team engraving to underpin the watch’s motorsports roots. The Edox Sauber F1 Chronorally Limited Edition is limited to 555 pieces worldwide.

HERMÈS ARCEAU TIGRE

The works of French naturalist painter Robert Dallet inspired the portrait of a focused tiger on this Hermès piece. The process of manufacturing this watch starts with the stamping process, followed by milling, tapping and drilling operations to get the case ready. Once completed, the dial undergoes an art form never before seen in watch making: Émail Ombrant (shaded enamel). Derived from lithopanes, the technique uses light to reveal a raised depiction of a tiger. On the white gold plate, engravers use gravers and rubber polishing blocks to shape the animal’s head. Then, enamel specialists apply thin layers of tinted translucent enamel before successive firings generate an optical illusion expressed through a subtle gradation of shades on the watch’s face. The Arceau Tigre is limited to a numbered series of 12 pieces worldwide.

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LUXE TIMEPIECES

IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN PORTOFINO AUTOMATIC MOON PHASE 37 EDITION

To celebrate the Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony in Berlin, IWC Schaffhausen has launched the Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Edition “Laureus Sport for Good Foundation”. This watch marks the tenth special edition to be launched as part of IWC Schaffhausen’s commitment to the foundation. The case back of the watch features an engraving of the winning design from last year’s IWC children’s drawing competition, which features girls and boy playing with a ball. The drawing is by 16-year-old Eleni Partakki from Cyprus who is a participant of PeacePlayers International Cyprus, a project that encourages children living in divided Cyprus to play together. The dial and moon phase display feature the unmistakable Laureus blue, with hour indices complemented by 12 diamonds and a blue alligator leather strap. Driving the timepiece is the automatic 35800-calibre movement with a power reserve of 42 hours.

PATEK PHILIPPE WORLD TIME REF. 5230

The World Time watch is one of the most popular complications by Patek Philippe and the Swiss watch maker is now presenting the new World Time Ref. 5230 to replace all current models. The changes are a reflection on the world’s time zones, such as zones that are now defined by new place names. The aesthetics of the watch has also been updated. Changes were applied to the winglet-style lugs and the narrow, smoothly polished bezel that modernises the watch apart from its predecessors. The watch also sports a new pierced hour hand and a minute hand that features a lozenge-shaped contour. The hands show the local time in the zone whose city name is positioned at 12 o’clock with the readings of the other 23 time zones provided by the 24-hour ring. The precise rate of the watch and its World Time functions are guaranteed by the Patek Philippe manufacture calibre 240 HU. Despite its elaborate time-zone automatic winding mechanisms, it is a mere 3.88mm thick.

ULYSSE NARDIN DIVER CHRONOGRAPH HAMMERHEAD SHARK

A quintessential marine instrument, the Diver Chronograph Hammerhead Shark features self-winding manufacture chronograph calibre UN-150 with silicium escapement and balance spring, a first for the entire Diver collection. The nauticalstyle watch sports a deep blue dial with a signature hammerhead shark motif, chosen for its famed supreme navigational precision and sharp sensory accuracy due to the shape of its expanded head. Regal red accents the most notable elements on the watch face, including the luminous indexes, watch hands and lone shark. Completing the nautical theme are the bezel with characteristic wave pattern and azure rotor with shark decoration visible through the open, sapphire crystal case back. The rugged watch will be any yachtsman or diving enthusiast’s best companion when out in the water with its 48-hour power reserve, screw-locked crown, pushers, solid lugs and unidirectional turning bezel on an oversized 44mm case.

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URWERK UR-210 CLOU DE PARIS

ULYSSE NARDIN GRAND DECK MARINE TOURBILLON

In a proud nod to its maritime roots, the Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon incorporates elements of a ship’s deck. On the dial is handcrafted wood marquetry that evokes a ship’s sun-soaked teak deck, while time display uses a boom pulled by super strong nanowires connected to four pulleys secured with blue star-shaped screws to indicate the minutes. Working like the halyard cord that is used to hoist the sails of a ship, the wire pulls the blue-aluminium boom across a graduated arc before jumping back once an hour. The hours are displayed in the centre on two concentric disks that turn in real time. Running the watch is the Manufacture’s Calibre UN-630, a 60-second flying tourbillon with manual winding movement. A double-barrel design devotes one to the time-telling mechanism and a second to supply power to the complication.

In a first for a wristwatch, the URWERK UR210 Clou de Paris highlights and monitors the symbiotic relationship between man and his mechanical watch. At the 11 o’clock position is a world-first complication that indicates winding efficiency over the last two hours. When stationary, the indicator moves towards the red zone to indicate that the watch is running on stored energy. Once in movement, the indicator points towards the green zone to show that the watch is being replenished with new energy. Armed with this new information, wearers can now manipulate the winding efficiency selector at the back of the watch to gain energy, engage rotor damping or stop the automatic winding system completely. On the front of the dial is an oversized 3D retrograde minute hand that traverses an arc of 120˚ in a 60-minute journey that jumps back to the starting point within less than 0.1 of a second.

VACHERON CONSTANTIN PATRIMONY PERPETUAL CALENDAR COLLECTION EXCELLENCE PLATINE

The Patrimony collection draws inspiration from the elegance of the 1950s. The new Patrimony Perpetual Calendar is crafted in 950 platinum case, as is the dial, which also features a finely grained sandblasted dial. The slightly convex external zone is adorned with a circular “pearl” minute-track and 18k white gold hour markers, while the calendar pointers are in blued steel. Rounding up the look is a saddle-finish dark blue alligator leather strap hand-stitched with silk and 950 platinum threads. The stellar complication is powered by the legendary Calibre 1120 QP, an ultra-thin mechanical self-winding movement that drives the hands, moon phases and perpetual calendar without requiring any corrections until 1 March 2100.

Unlike other watch calendars that require manual corrections every month, the perpetual calendar takes into account the leap year cycle.

Admire the intricate components of the Calibre 1120 QP through the sapphire back.

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LUXE TIMEPIECES GIRARD PERREGAUX CAT’S EYE 35 MM WHITE GOLD CASE, DIAMOND BEZEL AND PAVÉ DIAL

SPRING SPLENDOUR Embracing the bright and invigorating energy of spring with these diamante timepieces for the ladies out there

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BLANCPAIN WOMEN LADYBIRD ULTRAPLATE IN 18K WHITE GOLD CASE WHITE MOTHEROF-PEARL DIAL SET WITH RUBIES AND DIAMONDS

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LUXE TIMEPIECES CHOPARD L’HEURE DU DIAMANT TIMEPIECE IN WHITE GOLD SET WITH 7.79 CARATS OF AMETHYSTS, GARNETS, PERIDOTS, TOPAZ, RHODOLITES AND CITRINES

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HERMÈS SLIM D'HERMÈS PM, STEEL CASE SET WITH DIAMONDS

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BOTTEGA VENETA leather goods

ARMANI EXCHANGE bagpack

GIRARDPERREGAUX “Chamber of Wonders”

LOUIS VUITTON Spring Summer 2016

Asian Domination Designers infuse Asia’s rich visual vocabulary into their works BOTTEGA VENETA Multicoloured scarf

BALLY Heimberg all-white sneakers

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LUXE GROOMING

Price Points We’ve picked out a couple of skincare sets to suit every budget need, from luxury to drugstore brands

CLINIQUE FOR MEN

LANEIGE HOMME

Grooming is meant to be simple and straightforward. Clinique has translated this message into the latest charcoal skincare range, made specifically for men. Launched in 2015, the series features Charcoal Face Wash, UV Defense SPF 50/PA++++ and the Sonic System Deep Cleaning Brush – meant for effective cleansing and preparation for a comfortable shave. The gentle sonic action also helps the skin look energized and revitalized.

Ageing comes without telltale sign, and offers no mercy to skin types of different gender and ages. Therefore, it is important to combat the signs of ageing at a younger age. Try the new Laneige Homme Dual Action Power Fitting Cream for a light yet formula like no others. The cream combines both Power Fitting Technology and Dual Action Water to help nourish the skin and protect it against harmful UV rays that will accelerate skin breakage and ageing. Not only does it hydrate, top notes of Citrus Fruity Floral Musk will also help to refresh the user and prepare him for the day ahead. Other products include the Mousse Cleanser and Energy Skin Refiner.

BIODERMA HYDRABIO

SHISEIDO MEN

Hydration is a priority in everyday’s skincare regimen to keep skin feeling soft, smooth and radiant. To meet hydration needs, Bioderma’s latest three new-generation moisturizers will help to retain youthfulness and beauty within the skin. For a light and refreshing gel-like formula, try the Bioderma Hydrabio Gel-Crème that includes salicylic acid to smooth out and refine skin texture, exuding a natural radiance and glow. It also contains Vitamin E to help protect the skin against oxidative stress. Other products in the range include the Bioderma Hydrabio Perfecteur SPF 30 and Bioderma Hydrabio Crème.

Today’s modern men experiences more stressors and influx of information, as a result, skin damage is prone to happen more frequently and excessive sebum production comes with increasing age. To combat the stress, the all new Hydro Master Gel is designed to resolve multiple skin concerns by providing high moisture retention for the skin. The refreshing and moisturing gel is a non-stick formula, leaving users feeling instantly moisturized and fresh at the same time.

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LUXE POSH NOSH

Whitegrass Riding the Modern Australian wave is Whitegrass, the newest fine-dining establishment to grace CHIJMES after its recent facelift. The kitchen is helmed by chef-owner Sam Aisbett – Whitegrass is Aisbett’s first independent foray into the scene after cutting his teeth at Tetsuya and earning his stripes at Quay, both in Sydney. Only tasting menus are available here, and you have your pick of either five or eight courses. Particularly outstanding was the slow cooked Mangalica pork with abalone in a seaweed and pork broth, the velvety pork jowl melting delightfully into the sweet-and-salty broth; well-balanced by the acidity from the fermented cabbage and verdant notes from the fiddlehead fern. If you decide on the eight-course menu, the dessert is an absolute indulgence of rich Valrhona chocolate, crowned with flakes of gold.

#01-26/27 Chijmes, 30 Victoria St, Singapore 187996 Tel: +65 6837 0402; whitegrass.com.sg

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LUXE LIVING

Ralph Lauren Home The equestrian-inspired style synonymous with the Ralph Lauren brand has now been epitomised by their latest collection of timeless home wares. Whether on the lookout for a statement club chair or some smooth leather-crafted desk accessories to complete your well-appointed home ofďŹ ce, the Spring selection of lifestyle accessories is an ode to the rich traditions of the polo heritageâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;iconic equestrian touches such as bridles and stirrups can be seen throughout the collection, while unique pieces such as the Carthage Table Lamp were inspired by vintage infantry helmets. For a truly unique gift or special addition to your home, the Garrett Crystal Barware Suite is crated from 24-percent leaded crystal and designed with an etched signature polo pony motif; The Polo Bar in New York City serves classic cocktails exclusively in Garrett double old-fashioned glasses.

Ralph Lauren Home is available at Proof Living, #04-16, ION Orchard, Singapore.

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LUXE GADGETS HARTMANN Roll steady through crowded airports, on uneven tarmac and to exotic locales with the new 7R Master collection from Hartmann. Made with quality fine aluminium, the 7R Master collection is well suited for the frequent traveller who requires high durability and protection in a lightweight suitcase. Luxurious details, such as the leather-look strip piping around the edge and deluxe integrated tan leather handles make the 7R Master suitcases stand out in a crowd. More than 250 individual processes are needed to create one of these suitcases and require precise, manual skill by master artisans. The 7R Master comes in two colours, a classic Quartz and contemporary Rose Gold. For more information, visit hartmann.com

NAKAMICHI Renowned Japanese audio company Nakamichi wows audiophiles once again with the recently launched myMeiryo Bluetooth speaker, its latest wireless stereo speaker. At just 260g in weight, the portable rounded speaker is compact and can be carried around easily in a bag. And although small, the myMeiryo packs a punch in audio quality with high clarity so listeners can pick up every audio nuance as though listening through earphones. Its powerful battery allows for wireless transmission to work up to 10m away and for three hours of non-stop music enjoyment. It is also compatible with any mobile phone or smart device with Bluetooth or microSD/TF cards of up to 16GB for an endless music playlist. Available in Gold and Silver, the Nakamichi myMeiryo will be the perfect minimalist addition to any room. For more information, visit www.facebook. com/NakamichiSingapore.

APPLE A beloved iPhone model has been upgraded with the new iPhone SE. The iPhone SE follows the same aluminium hard case with four-inch display of an iPhone 5s but in four metallic finishes: space gray, silver, gold and rose gold. In terms of performance, the iPhone SE offers the same 64-bit A9 chip offered in iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, which means faster processing, longer battery life, faster wireless, 12-megapixel iSight camera, and Touch ID with Apple Pay. Its core runs on the latest iOS 9 that brings more intelligence to iPhone SE with proactive assistance, powerful search, improved Siri features and Night Shift feature that automatically adjusts display colours in the dark. The world’s most popular camera also receives an upgrade in the iPhone SE. The iSight camera features Focus Pixel technology for fast focusing, advanced noise reduction, local tone mapping, and better face detection. In addition, Live Photos has been included so users can capture moments in motion and relive unforgettable memories with sound; otherwise shoot HD videos with support for 4K at a resolution of 3840 x 2160.

For more information, visit apple.com.

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APPLE Actively manage your own medical conditions with Apple’s newest software framework, CareKit. iPhone apps using CareKit make it easier for individuals to keep track of care plans and monitor symptoms and medication. Information recorded can also be shared with doctors, nurses and other caregivers, giving users a more active role in their health, and ultimately, better insight into looking after themselves. With CareKit’s release comes four modules designed by Apple: Care Card for individuals to track care plans and action items, Symptom and Measurement Tracker to easily document symptoms or help with monitoring temperatures, Insight Dashboard to map symptoms against action items in Care Card, and Connect to make it easy to share and communicate health information with healthcare professionals.

Developers for health and wellness apps are already excited to build these modules into apps that will surely benefit patients with Parkinson’s and diabetes, as well as monitor post-surgery and post-natal progress. For more information, visit www.apple.com/carekit.

SONY The brand new wearable WS413 Walkman is a rugged music player that is salt water and dustproof and will allow wearers to enjoy audio accompaniment in a wider variety of conditions and sports, be it a swim in the ocean, a hike up a snowy mountain or just a leisurely walk by the beach. The WS413 Walkman comes equipped with both everyday earbuds and specially designed waterproof earbuds that are covered with a thin film that prevents water from getting in without compromising on comfort.

Additionally, there is an internal terminal that resists any accumulation of foreign particles and is highly corrosionresist. A rustproof coating on the surface of the front case also ensures the WS413 Walkman is protected inside and out. Safely take it to the beach as the unique sealed structure equalises compression ratios, ensuring it stays dustproof in a variety of environments. Extreme weather is also no match for the WS413 Walkman; the supported temperature feature can be used to its full potential from -5˚C to 45˚C. A remarkable new feature is the new Ambient Sound mode. Choose to stay in touch with inbuilt microphones that pick up voices and noises around you to keep you in conversation without having to remove the device or lower the volume. For more information, visit www.sony.com.sg.

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LUXE AUTOS

The Audi A8 L Extended One-off six-seater Audi limousine took almost a year to develop

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udi has gone to even greater lengths to deliver all of the familiar trappings associated with its ďŹ&#x201A;agship A8 L model in an entirely unique format of considerable proportions. At the special request of a European customer, the premium brand has created the Audi A8 L extended, a built-to-order model measuring 6.36 metres in length and with a wheelbase of 4.22 metres. The A8

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L extended affords exquisite comfort for passengers occupying all of its six seats.

Audi has further requests for the custom product already.

Experts invested almost a year in developing and building the exceptionally long luxury saloon. The result was an exclusive one-off specimen that meets the high standards of the production model in every domain. The major challenges

concerned the safety and rigidity of the extra-large body, as well as the styling of the silhouette. The representative XXL saloon in discreet moonlight blue, metallic offers 1.09 metres more wheelbase and overall length than the Audi A8.

To maintain a harmonious roofline, the entire body from the A-pillar back has been reworked. The experts embedded a 2.40-metre glass panel in the roof skin

â&#x20AC;&#x153;0 to 62 mph in 7.1 secondsâ&#x20AC;?

to enhance the sense of spaciousness.

All passengers face the direction of travel in the Audi A8 L extended. The six seats are upholstered in extra-supple Valcona leather, in the colour velvet beige. Rows two and three feature electrically adjustable individual seats.

The third row has a continuous centre

console, a Rear Seat Entertainment display and a cool box.

The vehicle is powered by a 3.0 TFSI engine developing 310 PS, and delivers up to 440 Nm of torque. This propels the saloon from 0 to 62 mph in 7.1 seconds and up to an electronically governed top speed of 155 mph. An

eight-speed tiptronic transfers engine power to the Quattro permanent allwheel drive system. The 19 inch wheels in 15 spoke design conceal the brake system of the Audi S8, which assures outstanding deceleration of the over six-metre-long luxury saloon, with its unladen weight of 2,418 kilograms.

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LUXE SCENE

Contemporary Lounge For Art Basel Fair 2016 Audemars Piguet unveils their latest lounge with a VIP party

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wiss Haute Horlogerie brand Audemars Piguet kicked off 2016 with an exclusive VIP party, unveiling their latest lounge for Art Basel’s 2016 shows in Hong Kong.

The party was graced by 600 guests, including renowned actress Sandra

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Ng, an avid Audemars Piguet fan who personally owns several watches, including the Royal Oak 37mm selfwinding with diamond bezel.

Olivier Audemars, Audemars Piguet’s Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors, welcomed guests to the event. “As a

proud global Associate Partner of Art Basel, we are very excited to be here to introduce these new designs. Since 2013, Audemars Piguet has presented innovative lounge concepts in the Collectors Lounge at all three Art Basel shows, inviting designers and artists to

creatively interpret Audemars Piguet’s home in the Vallée de Joux. This year, we are thrilled to present a new concept

by Sebastian Errazuriz, which takes inspiration from ice formations and the beautiful snowy winters there,” he said.

Guests were bedazzled by the interactive water-based installation, drawing on the theme of water and ice. Cocktails were also served in an ice bar, in line with Errazuriz’s new ice cycle design. At Art Basel in Hong Kong, Audemars Piguet also introduced Sun Xun as the second artist for the Audemars Piguet Art Commission. As one of China’s most talented budding

artists, his work combines painting, woodcuts, traditional Chinese ink and charcoal drawings to create stop-motion animated films. Sun Xun will be working alongside the second guest curator of the Audemars Piguet Art Commission, Ruijun Shen, on a major new work that will be unveiled at Art Basel in Miami Beach 2016.

The Art Projects of Audemars Piguet 2013-2015, a 115-page book summarising the company’s growth and commitment towards contemporary art, was also released during the Art Basel in Hong Kong. The richly illustrated volume includes texts, interviews and documentations about Audemars Piguet’s manifold partnerships in the visual art world. The brand strongly believes in promoting artistry and innovation.

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LUXE SCENE

Austrian Race Pilot Slaloms Through Wind Farm Hannes Arch’s fans were treated to an extraordinary show days before the Red Bull Race World Championship 2016

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he passionate race pilot is setting new milestones in his career. Just a few kilometres from Spielberg in Austria, Hannes Arch’s fulfilled a long-held ambition at one of the world’s highest wind farms, measuring at 1,900 metres above sea level, slaloming through the 14 wind turbines of the Tauern Wind Farm in

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Oberzeiring (Styria, Austria).

Gazing on the Tauern Wind Farm in his Styrian homeland, the native of Trofaiach had often played with the idea of attempting a slalom flight in Oberzeiring: “If, as a Red Bull Air Race pilot, you have such a wind farm on your front door and fly past it, it’s no wonder that you also want to fly through

it at some point! Respect is also of utmost importance, and without my experience as a Red Bull Air Race pilot I would never have given the idea of flying through them a second thought.”

After completing his flight at speeds of over 300 km/h and stresses approximating 6 G, the Styrian was emphatic: “I don’t know if a pilot has ever

done anything comparable. Regardless, I am super happy that I was privileged to have such an experience.” The Austrian continued: “One of the greatest challenges in comparison to the Red Bull Air Race is having to adapt far more to the natural conditions. In the middle of the mountains, you are rising and falling. You can’t fly as close to the obstacles, which increases the radius, and, at around 300 km/h, things can get a bit tight. Every second, you have to be perfectly clear in your mind that you have wind turbines in front of you and need to know precisely what you are going to do next. Though it has nothing to do with the Red Bull Air Race, it’s every bit as much fun, with the added benefit that it’s not about the time you clock. Things will get really serious again at the next race in Spielberg!”

With official permission from both the local authorities and the wind farm’s management, and after intensive preparations, Hannes Arch

finally powered his way between the 60 metres-high wind turbines in the Niedere Tauern Mountains. He loves his home region, the mountains and flying, and all these elements blend together seamlessly in the premiere of the “Wind Farm Rally” in Oberzeiring. For the Styrian local, the flight was a perfect change of pace to clear his mind for the upcoming big race. Expectations of his fans and the atmosphere at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg are real motivating factors for Arch. The next stop of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in Spielberg on 23-24 April will be his chance to thrill his fans.

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LUXE SCENE

RIMOWA Collaborates With National Geographic Discover the charm of Japan in RIMOWAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new catalogue 2016/2017

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xemplifying 115 years of rich heritage, RIMOWA represents both tradition and modernity through its consistent efforts in achieving revolutionary innovation, similar to Japan. This April, RIMOWA partners with National Geographic to release its latest catalogue for 2016/2017, shot by photographer Michael Yamashita. The new catalogue highlights the harmony between RIMOWAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innovative collections and several distinctive personalities and

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locations in Japan, blending tradition and modernity in an unparalleled manner.

National Geographic reporter, Sonja Blaschke, will be uncovering the character and charms of Japan. The stunning images of the catalogue offer a glimpse of the age-old geisha tradition in Ishibe Alley and serenity of Kyoto where traditional inns and teahouses have stood the test of time. The catalogue also introduces famed personalities such as Takeshi Kitano, Japan’s distinguished

comedian and director and Jotaro Saito, Japan’s esteemed kimono designer who restored the kimono to the limelight of catwalks. His collections are a permanent feature of Tokyo Fashion Week, deviating from the solemn impressions of Japanese ceremonies and folklore.

The history of the RIMOWA catalogues can be traced back to 1990. Catalogues from recent years have featured countries such as Canada, India, Cuba, Australia and Brazil, highlighting the vibrancy of

the culture within each country. For the first time, RIMOWA will be releasing a Product Details supplement alongside the main catalogue, serving as the perfect coffee table book to entertain and inspire conversations on unique travel moments.

In line with the launch of the new catalogue in April, all three RIMOWA stores in Singapore will incorporate Japanese-inspired elements for guests to immerse themselves in the balance of modernity and tradition of Japan.

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LUXE SCENE

Michelle Rodriguez Puts The Fastest Jaguar To Test Fast and Furious star drives new 200mph Jaguar F-TYPE SVR 118 GOLF ASIA

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aguar has released its latest and fastest model, the Jaguar F-TYPE SVR, and it has been put to test by Fast and Furious star Michelle Rodriguez at the wheel. The actress pushed the car to its limits and raced down a closed highway in the Nevada desert, home to the world’s fastest road race, the Silver State Classic Challenge, at 201mph – a personal top speed. The new model was designed by Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations to be lighter, quicker, faster and more powerful while remaining day-to-day usage, making it

the ultimate performance vehicle.

Michelle Rodriguez said: “Driving this car was insane! I’ve now broken my personal speed record in the beautiful Jaguar F-TYPE SVR. Reaching 201mph felt amazing - the car drove really smoothly, all my corrections were minimal, I was super focused, and it really reacted in all the right ways. I don’t think I’d ever go this fast without a professional driver seated next to me, but oh man, it was an incredible feeling.”

“I’ve always wondered what it was like to travel faster than my top speed of 140mph and, outside of the Autobahn, it’s impossible for me to do it safely anywhere else and safety is most important to me. It was refreshing to be able to take myself beyond my limitations, going that fast is a big responsibility but the experience in this car was more graceful than anything I’ve felt before.”

John Edwards, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations, said: “Building upon the award-winning F-TYPE was a challenging objective. Everything in terms of handling, design, sound and performance had to be taken to a new level, and is what the new F-TYPE SVR delivers. It is a 200mph all-weather supercar, but above all one that is designed to be driven every day.”

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LUXE SCENE

Luxury Watches And Wheels Galore Sisma Auto and The Hour Glass host a special showcase

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istinguished guests were invited to a special showcase of watches and wheels at The Hour Glass boutique in The Gardens Mall. The esteemed organisers, The Hour Glass and Sisma Auto, hosted the special occasion to bring together people of similar interest and passion for both cars and watches. It was

a true indulgence for the guests as they experienced a diverse range of horology and automotives.

The evening’s highlight for Sisma Auto was the new 2016 Range Rover Evoque, the new Land Rover Discovery Sport, one of the most versatile compact SUVs in the world and the new Jaguar XE, sports saloon

redefined. On a separate note, the event also helped introduce The Hour Glass boutique in The Gardens Mall to these special guests as it recently opened its doors. Watch connoisseurs will be pleased to find their familiar luxury brands: Audemars Piguet, Cartier, GirardPerregaux, IWC, Jaeger LeCoultre and Panerai in an elegant yet eclectic setting.

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Vintage Revelry With British Airways Supermodel David Gandy dons vintage 1920s pilot outfit

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ritish Airways celebrated their 80th anniversary of flying to Hong Kong in great style. A VIP gala and unique heritage fashion photoshoot was planned to commemorate the event.

Supermodel David Gandy wore a vintage 1920s sheepskin flying jacket, while supermodels Imogen Waterhouse and Lizzy Jagger donned vintage cabin crew attire for a shoot against Hong Kong’s iconic skyline.

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celebrations included renowned actor David Hasselhoff, singer-songwriter Jessie Ware and two-Michelin star chef Tom Aikens. Jessie performed an exclusive live set for more than 250 distinguished guests, including worldfamous entrepreneur Sir David Tang.

Meanwhile, chief Tom Aikens served up a fusion of British and Hong Kong cuisine and cocktails.

Willie Walsh, CEO of British Airways’ parent company IAG, also attended the

event and spoke of the airline’s joy. He said: “Thank you to everyone who has helped us achieve this milestone. This is a very proud moment as we reflect on our heritage as the pioneers of Hong Kong civil aviation.”

The HK80 exhibition will be open for the public to visit for free from 6 May until 30 June. It is located in the MC³@702 Creative Space, Level 7 of the Jockey Club Tower, The University of Hong Kong.

Canon Raises Funds For Singapore Cancer Society Canon Singapore is the presenting sponsor of the Blue Man Group show run in Singapore

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anon embarks on their fourth consecutive year of fund-raising activities for the Singapore Cancer Society (SCS). This year, they are the presenting sponsor of the Blue Man Group show run in Singapore. Blue Man Group combines elements such as comedy, theatre, rock and dance in their lively performances.

“At Canon, our kyoseiphilosophy – living and working together in

harmony for the common good - is very much in sync with the positive and vibrant energy of the Blue Man Group and we are delighted to be a part of their first-ever performance in Singapore and Southeast Asia,’’ said Mr. KensakuKonishi, President and CEO of Canon Singapore. “We hope that the audience will take the time to support a good cause through their donations at the Canon’s public photo booth.”

Canon managed a public photo booth for theatre-goers at the MasterCard Sands Theatre during the entire run of the Blue Man Group show from 29 March to 24 April 2016. All proceeds from the donation will go towards funding SCS Public Education community outreach programmes, SCS Multi-Service Centre at Bishan, SCS Hospice Care Services and SCS Rehabilitation Centre services.

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LUXE SCENE

Land Rover And BORN Reveal Unique Installation French sculptor Richard Orlinski reveals his outstanding installation

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and Rover has revealed a unique collaboration with renowned French sculptor Richard Orlinski, an art installation using a full-size Range Rover Evoque Convertible wireframe created by Land Rover and a wild animal sculpture, created by Orlinski. He is best known for this giant sculptures, and he created this particular piece in his Parisian studio before shipping it over to the slopes of the ski resort Courchevel.

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The resin gorilla that appears to be driving the Evoque Convertible was chosen for its relation to humans but also its relative ‘perfection’. As Orlinski explains, “I wanted to have one of my favourite sculptures driving the car. We chose King Kong the gorilla, which is seen as one of my emblems, because he is the animal who is the closest to a human and therefore the one we can all identify with. He is the animal that has

the qualities of a human, but not our faults. He’s got our strength and perhaps our intelligence. He’s all we’d like to be… he’s the perfect human in a way. So that’s why he’s driving the wireframe.”

The installation will remain on site in the French Alps for the remainder of the ski season. It is also part of a three month celebration of design and creative talent, as well as the launch of the BORN AWARDS this year.

Mercedes-Benz Collection 2016 Accessories for high expectations

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David Rusell

ercedes-Benz Collection recently released its 2016 catalogue, consisting of approximately 540 high-quality products, presented in a handy 21 x 27 cm format. There are 11 categories of products, some of which include elegant stainless steel key chains, HUGO BOSS sports attire, durable luggage from Samsonite and Swiss made watches. The products of the Driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice Collection from MAYBACH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ICONS OF LUXURY will also be included in the catalogue for the first time. Similarly to the MercedesMaybach S-Class, the collection sets a new standard for luxury products. The collection includes travel and business bags, each black with a beige lining and beige top-stitching on handles and along zipper.

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LUXE SCENE

Swarovski Presents Sundew Installation By Elaine Yan Art Central 2016 sees work of art by acclaimed British Chinese Designer Elaine

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rom 23 to 26 March 2016, visitors were able to catch a glimpse of the Sundew Installation at Hong Kong’s Central Habourfront. This unique work of art is a spectacular kinetic crystal installation, conceptualised

by British Chinese Designer Elaine Yan Ling Ng. Elaine is renowned for her unique approach to design, encompassing textiles, electronics, biomimicry and interiors to create a highly interactive presentation. This particular work was inspired by nature, craft and technology, particularly a carnivorous plant that attracts its prey with scent and light.

Nadja Swarovski, Member of the Swarovski Executive Board, commented: “We are delighted to bring Elaine Yan Ling Ng’s ‘Sundew’ to Asia for the first time. This mesmerising installation debuted at Design Miami/Basel in June 2015 for the inaugural Swarovski Designers of the Future Award. Swarovski is committed to supporting emerging talent across the various creative industries and it is our pleasure to present Elaine’s work at the second edition of Art Central and to participate in this vibrant celebration of contemporary art and culture.”

Elaine Yan Ling Ng also said, “After visiting Swarovski’s head office in Wattens, Austria, I now regard crystal as an ingredient for making new material, texture and surfaces and for this project, it’s exciting to be combining craft and technology to explore new functions.”

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The Raffles Stories Resident Historian of Raffles Hotel Singapore marks his 44th year of service

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eslie Danker, the resident historian of Raffles Hotel Singapore, marks his 44th year with the hotel. To commemorate the occasion, he has coproduced and narrated 12 short videos on various aspects of Raffles Singapore, titled The Raffles Stories.

Danker joined the hotel in 1972 as a maintenance supervisor and later on rose through the ranks to become a Resident Historian, a walking encyclopaedia, ready for a hotel tour anytime with his beloved guests.

The video series will feature a collection of anecdotes and archival imagery. All of which are completed by a fun and light-hearted soundtrack that sets the tone back to the Jazz Age of the 1920s.

“When I first joined Raffles Singapore in 1972, I never imagined I would stay for 44

years,” admitted Danker. “But I have and it has been a vastly rewarding experience. I hope the audience will enjoy The Raffles Stories that I helped put together. The hotel opened its doors almost 130 years ago and has collected countless anecdotes, so it was challenging to select 12 of my favourite to share. But choose I did and now, I invite you to join me in turning the page and revisiting these precious memories created within its walls.”

“As Leslie, our treasured and unique Resident Historian, marks this impressive and major milestone in his career, it is a perfect time to launch The Raffles Stories. His contribution to the preservation of the history of Raffles Singapore has been invaluable and we all thank him very sincerely for his 44 years of service with us,” said Simon Hirst, General Manager, Raffles Hotel Singapore.

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LUXE INSPIRATION MB&F Starfleet Machine Black Badger Creativity comes from a multitude of sources, but for ‘Black Badger’ founder James Thompson the fount of his creativity was rage – a rebellious fire was lit when he felt brushed aside as a student by what he perceived as an unfair administrative decision. Like MB&F, Thompson is an outsider doing his utmost to buck the system using luminescent material. Thompson mills threedimensional objects from solid light!

For the Performance Art collection, Thompson has reinterpreted MB&F’s Starfleet Machine, MB&F’s first table clock, which was created with L’Epée 1839. Thompson added his exclusive lume under the external ring running around the Starfleet Machine movement, to the inside of the spaceship's landing legs, and the indication domes and hands. The Black Badger touch ensures that Starfleet Machine looks just as good by night as it does by day. While it may look like a model spaceship, Starfleet Machine Black Badger is actually a high precision clock with a 40-day power reserve that was created by L’Epée 1839 from a design by MB&F. Starfleet Machine Black Badger is a limited edition of 3 x 18 pieces in palladium-plated brass, with lume in Radar Green, Phantom Blue, or Purple Reign.

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