Lady Golfer August 2013 Issue

LG Cover August 13 21/06/2013 15:21 Page 3

August 2013 £3.50

INSIDE ST ANDREWS Where to play and stay in the Auld Grey Toun PLUS

The Home of Golf is also home to a fine spa

GLEN OF TRANQUILITY We indulge ourselves with a golf and spa break at Gleneagles

STAR

COLUMNISTS Mickey Walker and Di Dougherty bring us insight and opinion

LEXI We speak to the American sensation as she prepares for the WBO at St Andrews ALSO IN OUR PREVIEW

n Lorena Ochoa exclusive n Hazel Irvine’s home town n Win tickets to the Open

ALSO INSIDE

Check out our latest fashion pages in association with

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LG pp 4 Ed Comm July 13 21/06/2013 11:36 Page 4

Welcome

C

HARLEY Hull’s start to her professional career shouldn’t come as any surprise but the manner in which she has hit the ground running is extraordinary.

The 17 year old only left the amateur ranks at the start of the year but is already top of the Money List and looking a good bet for the Solheim Cup. Just 12 months ago she was playing in the Curtis Cup and, even then, to cut a forgettable story short, she was not part of the original team after missing the trial at Nairn.

Hull’s results this year read; 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd and, you’ve guessed it, 2nd.

Our new US Open champion Justin Rose turned pro amidst similarly high expectations and then missed his first 21 cuts. While that sort of run was never likely to be repeated by Hull it should be remembered – and for at least another five years – how young she still is.

Unfamiliar courses, travel routines and peers take time to learn and the young English girl has taken everything beautifully in her stride.

We’re delighted to report that we’ll be working with Charley in the coming weeks to provide you with her favourite tips, along with a number of other great names from the LET, so if you are struggling with any part of your game then you can call on Britiain’s finest to help you out.

4 Lady Golfer

On the cover

August 2013 Volume 17 Issue 2 Consulting Editor Mickey Walker

St Andrews invite August 2013 £3.50

The Women’s British Open is set to return to the Home of Golf. This is where to play and stay if you’re heading there to watch... P74

Iconic experience

Editorial Director Dan Murphy Deputy Editor Mark Townsend

Where to play and stay in the Auld Grey Toun The Home of Golf is also home to a fine spa

Insight & opinion

STAR

Open preview In our look ahead to the Ricoh Women’s British Open, we speak to Lorena Ochoa, Hazel Irvine... and teenage star Lexi Thompson P17

Fashion Editor Justine Board

PLUS

We travel to 2014 Ryder Cup host Gleneagles and relish the resort’s luxury golf, spa and dining. P68

Mickey Walker on sexism in golf – and Di Dougherty’s latest celebrity chat P10/12

Staff Writers Joe Harrison James Tompkinson Joe Whitley

INSIDE ST ANDREWS

GLEN OF

Contributor Madeleine Winnett

We indulge ourselves with a golf and spa break at Gleneagles

Chief Designer Andrew Kenworthy

TRANQUILITY

COLUMNISTS Mickey Walker and Di Dougherty bring us insight and opinion

ALSO IN S CHECK OUT OU IDE R LATE FA ST SHION PAGES In asso ciation with

Designer & Webmaster Daniel Cooper Publisher Tom Irwin Sales Executive Carley Warrington

LEXI

Fashion Co-ordinator Eve Burton Finance Director WIll Shucksmith (ACA)

We speak to the American sensation as she prepares for the WBO at St Andrews ALSO IN OUR PREVIEW

n Lorena Ochoa exclusive n Hazel Irvine’s home town n Win tickets to the Open

Accounts Emma Abbott Chairman Peter Burgess

What we’ve been talking about this month

Subscriptions Tel 0113 289 3979 12 issues (incl. P&P): UK £36 Europe £42 World £52 Sports Publications Ltd, Unit 2, Arena Park, Tarn Lane, Scarcroft, Leeds LS17 9BF Tel 01132 893 979 editorial@sportspub.co.uk ISSN 1369 4790

Georgia Hall

Walk in the Park

Thank-you weather!

Congratulations to our new British Amateur champion who also had her first ever hole in one at the 17th at Machynys. The 17 year old will now play in the year’s final three Majors.

Only once in the past 27 years has a player won the first two Majors of the year.

Inbee Park might not be the sexy name that some are after but her golf is out of this world – and she is only 24!

Playing in the last few weeks has been a treat hasn’t it? A mix of wet and warm has made our favourite courses look lush and green without being too penal. Long may it continue.

Published by © Sports Publications Ltd. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, but the publishers cannot accept responsibility for omissions and errors. Readers are advised to check pricing and details of availability before making any journeys. All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of Sports Publications Ltd. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from participation in any offer, competition or advertising contained within

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

I PLAY BENROSS. Beckie Mabbutt / Handicap 11 Slinfold Golf & Country Club

YOU’RE OUR TOUR PRO

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18/04/2013 14:31

LG pp 6-7 Tweets, 5 Mins With 20/06/2013 11:28 Page 6

THE STARTER

Jessica Korda Meet the 20 year old who could be set for a Solheim Cup debut

A

lot of the girls out here are coming out really young now. A lot of the girls that I grew up with are starting to come out on Tour, and we’re kind of having some fun out here, and it’s a little different, we’re a little more outspoken, more media creative and I think just a little more open towards the fans, and it’s great. It’s great to see, and I’m just happy to be a part of it and help the game grow.

In my rookie year in 2011 my dad had some health problems, so he couldn’t come with me to Taiwan. I literally set out all by myself. I sat by myself, I ate dinner by myself, and it was really hard. But I think the girls kind of see that you are by yourself and said, ‘oh, we’re going to dinner at this time, do you want to come?’ A lot of the girls will kind of take you under their wing and help you out.

By the middle of 2012 I was completely OK. I travel with Jodi Ewart Shadoff. We room together all the time, and Michelle Wie is one of my really good friends as are Brittany Lincicome, Vicky Hurst and Sandra Gal. Just through travelling by myself and playing better and playing with the veteran pros out here that you see week in and week out, you get to know them and they get to know you and you just mesh well.

I think I have flashbacks sometimes of my dad, Petr,

6 Lady Golfer

winning the Australian Open tennis. I was there. I was in the stands. I had this purple notebook that I was drawing in and had no idea what was going on. But I do remember him like climbing up the wall and running up to me and my mom and lifting me up and saying that he won. So I definitely remember certain aspects of it, not the whole thing, though.

He tries to be just dad, but the athlete in him always wants to help, and I appreciate any help I can get from him because he knows so much. Any type of knowledge from him is really

appreciated. He tells me to have fun, just relax and smile and enjoy it because there’s only so much you can do in practice.

They kind of let me make my own mistakes and let me grow as an individual and don’t pressure me to do anything.

It was the same thing when I was turning pro; they had an ultimatum, if I didn’t make it I was going to go take my SATs and go to school.

Follow Lady Golfer: @LadyGolferMag

TOP TWEETS Exactly 7 months left of my thirties.. Should I start being depress now or..? @SophieGustafson When I read @MissNicollet tweets I read them in an Indian accent! @charleyhull 3 hours and 35 minutes to play 12 holes and 5 off them were par 3s. What a f..king joke. #speedupyoumorons @Mardilou68 (Mardi Lunn) Haven't played 36 holes in a longg time.

Man... I am sore!! @themichellewie Nothing like getting patted on the butt by a 101 year old man.

Sure hope his hand is ok. He is so cute!! @JuliInkster Me no like the us open weather... Taking the day off and I wanna watch some golf!!! @AzaharaGOLF Top 5 worst ball striking tournaments of my nine years out here.

Wow that was some ugly golf. All I can say is it is over @ThePCreamer Woke up nearly every hour bc I was worried I would miss my alarm.

Productive. @TheChristinaKim Just overheard Logan calling one of his Lego men Bobby Jones.think I've over exposed him to golf? @Kstupples

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

LG pp 6-7 Tweets, 5 Mins With 20/06/2013 11:29 Page 7

SOLHEIM CUP

COUNTDOWN

U US D K D FR U E R EL EE CO IN IV DE G J ER : F UL Y RE Y E7 3 GOLFWEAR

Charley Hull

The Solheim Cup takes place at Colorado Golf Club from Aug 13-18

How the teams Fancy going to the are shaping up Solheim Cup?

for Colorado European Points List 1 Suzann Pettersen

163

2 Carlota Ciganda

132.53

3 Catriona Matthew

125.75

4 Caroline Masson

111.50

5 Caroline Hedwall

93.25

6 Giulia Sergas

91.38

7 Pernilla Lindberg

69.21

8 Charley Hull

69.09

9 Anna Nordqvist

60.50

10 Trish Johnson

55.55

World Points List 1 Suzann Pettersen

8.24

2 Catriona Matthew

5.19

3 Azahara Munoz

3.69

4 Anna Nordqvist

3.53

5 Karine Icher

3.34

6 Beatriz Recari

3.34

7 Carlota Ciganda

3.27

8 Caroline Hedwall

3.16

9 Sandra Gal

2.24

10 Giulia Segas

2.21

USA Points List 1 Stacy Lewis

783

2 Cristie Kerr

478

3 Paula Creamer

420

4 Angela Stanford

297

5 Brittany Lincicome

230

6 Lexi Thompson

205

7 Jessica Korda

190

8 Lizette Salas

168

9 Brittany Lang

167

10 Morgan Pressel

158

11 Jennifer Johnson

153

12 Michelle Wie

151

...For women who like to play a round

It’s thrilling to watch the Solheim Cup on TV – it is the best spectacle every two years, bar none.

But why not make the trip stateside to support the European team?

There are a number of great package deals from which to choose.

A five-day package is available, offering five nights' accommodation as well as tickets for all four days of the event starting on August 14.

Those hoping for a longer stay should look into booking a nine-day package.

This deal gives you the chance to arrive a few days before the event and to enjoy a few rounds on some of the outstanding courses around Colorado.

You will also be entitled to attend a special golf clinic hosted by former European Solheim Cup captain Alison Nicholas.

Accommodation is available at a range of luxurious hotels in Denver.

For prices and further details visit europeansolheimcuptravel.com

Qualification Process The European team will consist of the leading four players from the LET standings, the next highest four players on the world rankings and then four captains' picks.

The American team will consist of the leading 10 players on their standings with two additional picks.

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*Players in bold are currently in the qualifying places

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Lady Golfer 7

LG pp 8 IJP Comp 21/06/2013 11:35 Page 8

THE STARTER

WIN AN EXCLUSIVE PLACE ON THE IJP DESIGN LADIES’ REVIEW PANEL – AND CLOTHING WORTH £600 How three lucky readers can transform their wardrobe this summer

I

JP Design has teamed up with Lady Golfer to offer three lucky readers the chance to win an exclusive place on the ‘IJP Design Ladies Review Panel’ ahead of the first ever women’s collection launch in September.

The new capsule collection for Autumn/Winter 2013 takes tried-and-tested elements from the men’s range and mixes classic pieces with a feminine twist.

The first ladies’ tartan is made up of four soft and complementary colours: Raspberry, Taupe, Ultramarine and Golf Ball White, enabling every piece to be mixed and matched to create a number of outfit combinations, so style savvy golfers can personalise looks suited to their individual tastes.

The three lucky readers will be given the opportunity to choose four outfit variations from the capsule collection to trial on the golf course, test fit and provide feedback to the IJP Design team helping to shape and inform the styles and fits for the full

8 Lady Golfer

Spring/Summer 2014 launch.

Winners can expect to receive a selection of the following: technical trousers, knits and polo shirts as well as waterproofs and accessories including belts and visors all of which are in the collection.

Competition: IJP Design will provide package options for outfit reviews and create an online feedback form.

Reviewers will be issued with the first package to sample and, on completion of the review form, will be issued the next outfit package until all four have been reviewed and feedback received.

Once the final piece of feedback has been confirmed by IJP Design the reviewer will be given a £50 voucher to spend on the launch of the spring summer 2014 collection as well as keeping the four outfits.

Enter this exclusive competition online at www.nationalclubgolfer.com/ competitions The closing date for entries is August 1

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LG pp 10 Di Meets...Gethin Jones 20/06/2013 13:57 Page 10

THE STARTER

How long have you been playing golf?

I suppose I was a bit of a latecomer. I dabbled as a kid with a second-hand half set, but started playing a lot about 10 years ago. I became a member at Celtic Manor about three years ago, I absolutely love playing there.

It is pure escapism for me, and despite being with your mates, you’re actually always playing yourself. I love that mental challenge.

How is your golf at the moment and what do you play off?

I play off 18 at the Celtic Manor Twenty Ten course, and probably 14/15 everywhere else! It’s a tough course when the wind is up! I don’t have an official handicap, which reminds me, I must sort that! I play as often as I can.

What is you aim with your golf? Single figures?

That would be brilliant! But as every golfer knows you need to be practising regularly for that! I sometimes get to play a lot, but more often I struggle to get out because of work commitments. I’ve never had a lesson, so hopefully, if my family are reading this, Christmas is what, six months away...

Do you prefer inland or seaside golf?

I find links quite tough, again I think because I haven’t had a lesson. I’m not really sure of myself from 100 yards in. I’m quite Hollywood, love to get some height and (try) to land it next to the pin! That’s not always easy in wind though, obviously. I really want to play some golf in Scotland, which I’m going to sort this year. I got to play Wentworth last year, and absolutely loved that!

Were you at the Ryder Cup in 2010?

I didn’t miss a minute. It is an event that announced Newport and Wales on a global scale. The weather is talked about a lot – but I think 10 Lady Golfer

“I ONCE INTERVIEWED TOM WATSON FOR 5 LIVE FOR TWO HOURS. I COULD HAVE LISTENED FOR TWO WEEKS” TV presenter and Lynx ambassador Di Dougherty chats to fellow presenter Gethin Jones about the need for some lessons and watching the Ryder Cup in Afghanistan it only added to the drama.

The crowds were fantastic, one of the best sporting occasions I’ve ever been to! Whenever I take mates to play the Twenty Ten, we always have a crack at G-Mac’s putt on the 16th.

I’ve still not succeeded!

In 2012, I watched it all from a patrol base in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, with our wonderful troops. I was filming Remembrance Week for the BBC. A very, very special experience. Because of the time difference, I remember going to bed at 3am, and things weren’t looking good.

We were being picked up in a Merlin at 6am, by the time I next heard the news I couldn’t believe it! The comeback of all comebacks.

When were you most nervous on a golf course?

You’ll know the answer to that, Di! I was the first to tee off for Wales at the recent Celebrity Cup with 500 or 600 people watching. Wasn’t it you on the microphone encouraging everyone to start a slow clap?

Terrifying! I just tried to slow my swing down. And then I closed my eyes! It went straight.

Who is your favourite golfer?

I interviewed Tom Watson for 5 Live. I was with him for two hours; I could have listened for two weeks! I was obsessed with Seve and Woosnam as a kid.

DI TEAMS UP WITH LYNX “I became the ambassador for Lynx last year and the brand is growing from strength to strength. We all remember Ernie Els and Fred Couples winning Majors with Lynx equipment, the company are building on that heritage and are keen to remember their history in today’s market. The company also recognises the importance of the women’s Tour and is very keen to support female British golfers.

Design, style and performance are key for Lynx and their innovative ideas are clear to see in their new ranges.” lynxgolf.co.uk

n For more visit the website didougherty.com and follow her on Twitter @DiDougherty1 www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

Lynx 59009_297x210_MM_WomanGolf:Layout 1

28/3/13

09:53

Page 1

LG pp 12-13 Columnist MW 20/06/2013 13:58 Page 12

COMMENT

Mickey Walker This will be a special Ricoh – how could it be anything else at St Andrews?

T

HE Ricoh Women’s British Open is returning to St Andrews. When it was played there in 2007 for the first time, I have never seen or heard so many players talk so excitedly about a venue – ever!

There wasn’t a single player, caddy or person visiting for the championship who didn’t go and stand on the bridge over the Swilcan Burn on the 18th hole and have their picture taken.

The players were allowed in the clubhouse, locker rooms and, as is normally the case, given temporary use of all the facilities at the Royal and Ancient clubhouse.

I had a clubhouse pass that week, and can still remember the feeling of awe and reverence that I encountered when I first set foot inside the clubhouse and locker room, where the large but simple lockers had the names of past champions on them.

There is no more iconic golf course and club in the world than St Andrews.

It is synonymous with golf, the rules and the very beginnings of the great game of golf.

This year there will be many special celebrations as St Andrews turns 600 years old. A venue doesn’t get any more special than that.

The wonderful thing about St Andrews is that anyone – whether the wealthiest or poorest golfer in the world – can stand on the Swilcan Bridge and stand where the world’s greatest golfers have done so before them.

That certainly isn’t the case at most of the world’s leading golf venues.

The course itself is unique with 12 Lady Golfer

What a week Annika tackling the famed back nine

its 12 double greens and shared fairways. Like a lot of players, Lee Westwood seriously disliked the course for the first half dozen or so tournaments he played at St Andrews, but thereafter started to appreciate its challenges and design.

As well as the course, the town of St Andrews is also unique.

It is well known as a university town whose alumni include the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

A great mix of golfers from all over the world as well as university students and historians are drawn there and form an eclectic mix of visitors.

For a large town it has a village feel and, during championships, you can’t walk

a hundred yards without bumping into players, caddies and people who are involved with the event.

In 2007, it was testament to the standing which women’s golf at the highest level had reached that the R&A were prepared to host one of the – then – four Major women’s championships.

Yes, it is still very much a male-only members’ club, but given a poll among the players it would be way ahead of any other venue that they would like to play a Major championship at.

The only other course that would probably come close would be Augusta National in Georgia.

Outside of America, it would definitely be at the very top.

“ST ANDREWS IS SYNONYMOUS WITH THE VERY BEGINNINGS OF THE GAME”

Why this is a week which can change sexist attitudes Before the Women’s British Open became a Major in 2001, it was still one of the biggest championships in women’s golf.

For seven consecutive years between 1990 and 1996 the event was played exclusively at Woburn. Although Woburn is a great venue and one of my favourite places to play golf, to my mind the stand-out women’s golf championship deserved something better.

From 1998 the then sponsor – Weetabix, decided to move the championship around to some of the best and most famous links courses throughout the UK, venues synonymous with the men’s Open such as Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal Birkdale, Turnberry, Carnoustie and ultimately St Andrews. www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

LG pp 12-13 Columnist MW 20/06/2013 13:58 Page 13

High hopes Paula Creamer will be one of the fancies

Come rain or shine, the women have proved that they can cope with the extremes that our famous links courses tend to provide, and yes, just like the men, their scoring is directly affected by the weather.

No-one who attended or watched last year’s championship at Hoylake in some of the most extreme conditions ever witnessed could help but be impressed with the winner, Jiyai Shin, and how she played.

The media need good stories and controversy to sell their publications.

Golf is no stranger to hitting the headlines and sometimes for the wrong reasons. Is it right that we should be playing at golf clubs which openly don’t recognise that women golfers exist on a daily basis?

Almost certainly not, but I know from personal experience that in time things will change.

Our long history as a golfing nation has advantages and disadvantages.

The biggest disadvantage to my mind is that for centuries golf has been run www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

by men, for men, and they nowadays still outnumber women by about eight to one.

This certainly isn’t the case in younger golfing nations throughout mainland Europe.

Most golf clubs of a certain age are probably still run in a very chauvinistic manner and will be the last to change.

That doesn’t mean when the opportunity to play some of the best golf courses which are still run on that basis presents itself we shouldn’t accept the offer.

In fact, I believe that by doing so, we will gradually work away at the divisions and eventually be accepted in such clubs.

One thing is for sure, and that is that no-one would pass up the opportunity to play at St Andrews.

I can’t wait to see the world’s top women take the Old Course on again and finish up with a worthy winner.

Mickey Walker • Lady Golfer’s consulting editor captained Europe in the first four Solheim Cups. She regularly appears on Sky Sports as an expert summariser

Lady Golfer 13

LG pp 14-15 Columnist Mad Win 20/06/2013 14:33 Page 14

COMMENT

Madeleine Winnett My first-ever visit to St Andrews and game on the Old Course

M

Y first round on the Old Course at St Andrews didn’t get off to the best possible start. I had thought about the years of history, the Chariots of Fire athletes running barefoot across the sands, and even teeing off alongside Melissa Reid (it was the Ricoh WBO press day).

But what hadn’t crossed my mind was the prospect of teeing it up drunk. ‘Drunk’ may be an exaggeration but I definitely felt light-headed and decidedly odd – and through no fault of my own. I don’t drink. This isn’t because of any previous unfortunate encounters, or even any pious convictions. I just don’t like the taste of alcohol. Therefore, when I opted for what I thought was tomato soup at 11am before my historic tee off approached, I thought it was a fairly safe choice.

However, I didn’t spot that it was Bloody Mary soup laced with vodka! Seriously, who puts vodka in soup? I merely remarked that it was only just warm, had a very strong aftertaste and I didn’t like it.

Once I had been enlightened, I then downed some very tasty Danish pastries to help absorb the effects of the soup and headed for the 1st tee clutching a tortilla wrap. (It’s my belief that you can never have too much food with you on a course.)

At this point, I noted it was a tad breezy. And it got breezier.

In fact, not only did it blow my cap off on one green – which was then heroically pursued by the editor of Golf Monthly – and not only did it blow my trolley over twice, it also blew the filling out of my tortilla!

14 Lady Golfer

Eccentric Two pins on a green is confusing

I am not exaggerating. I was standing watching Mel about to tee off on one hole, and my cheese and pickle filling flew past her. I’m just grateful it passed her. Splattering one of Europe’s finest with half a Ploughman’s on her backswing wouldn’t have gone down as one of my finer moments!

However, even that wasn’t the end of my food dramas.

Taking my own advice about never having too much food on a golf course, I availed myself of the food station by the 9th green and stocked up.

It was only when I heard the others sniggering as I stood over my ball on the 10th tee that I saw two crows and a seagull on my golf bag trying to wrest my sandwiches out of

Your views Do you agree with Madeleine’s opinions? We give away a Cobra Baffler fairway wood or hybrid to the author of our Star Letter.

Email us to let us know what you think.

the pocket. I may not have attempted to chase my runaway cap, but there was no way I was giving up my sandwiches without a fight.

Unfortunately, winning the battle to prevent me from starving then ensured I hit my only abysmal drive of the day and lost my ball!

Food issues aside, it really is an experience playing St Andrews for the first time. If I hadn’t been playing with someone else who knew where they were going, I would have been absolutely lost. Fortunately, Melissa’s caddy, Olly (modesty prevents me from using his nickname!), knew all the lines and pointed out where the greens and fairways were. The fairways are so closely mown, there really isn’t any definition between them, the tees and the greens, and I can’t remember seeing any rough. There are also lots of other fairways from adjacent courses alongside, so I could have hit to any number of flags if I hadn’t been warned.

Staying on the Old Course wasn’t the only problem. Even

when I was on the right hole – such as the par-5 14th – after I had nailed my drive to what I thought was Position A, Olly told me to aim my second shot at a gorse bush in the middle of the 5th fairway in order to avoid the infamous ‘Hell Bunker’. Dubiously, I followed his advice, leaving myself with a short pitch from the perfect position, and watched everyone else get their sand wedges out!

Any time you fall out with Mel, you can caddy for me, Olly, though undoubtedly with a different nickname!

The 15th provides its own entertainment, by telling you to ‘Drive on the church steeple between the two prominent humps’ which are also named on the course planner as Miss Grainger’s bosoms! I have no idea who the infamous Miss Grainger was, but clearly she made an impression on somebody! After the golf, I was privileged to be allowed into the R&A clubhouse for a reception. The surroundings were impressive and I was fascinated by a room encased by cabinets www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

LG pp 14-15 Columnist Mad Win 20/06/2013 14:33 Page 15

dedicated to memorabilia such as original Tom Morris clubs and balls, silvercoated balls from captains’ drive ins... and kangaroo legs and beaver skins!

It was presented by the Australian Golf Union in 1950 for the lowest nett score in the spring medal, but seriously, who would want that on their mantlepiece?

The silver beaver (plus its fur) was similarly a lowestnett trophy from Canadian R&A members, which I can understand, but also think the R&A must have been grateful the Greenlanders haven’t offered to donate a trophy yet.

“Look what I have just won darling” as you drag a polar bear into the house would certainly take some beating!

So, did I enjoy my visit to St Andrews? Yes, I certainly did.

The quirkiness of the outrageous humps and hollows, the lack of awareness of where to go, the fact lots of golfers seem to be playing the same fairway as you at the same time – albeit in different directions – hitting over hotels and ladies’ bosoms, and learning to putt from 40 yards off a green, seem to be utter madness at times, and yet simultaneously comfortingly, eccentrically British – and something all golfers should do once. www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

The R&A does support women While the R&A has been having a hard time from certain sections of the media for its stance on refusing to allow women into its ranks, and its policy of playing the Open Championship on courses which don’t allow women members, I would like to point out that it certainly isn’t anti-women in its overall outlook.

In fact, far from it!

It offers extremely generous financial support to both amateur and professional ladies’ events, from the well-known Curtis Cup and Ladies’ European Tour, to the less familiar echelons of the all-Africa ladies regional events and coaching support for the Malaysian ladies junior programme.

All this amounts to over £700,000 a year – and not a kangaroo leg trophy in sight!

Madeleine Winnett • Lady Golfer’s equipment expert is a Staffordshire county player and never short of a forthright opinion on the game!

Lady Golfer 15

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LG pp 17 Ricoh Lead 20/06/2013 13:59 Page 17

2013 RICOH

WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN Your unmissable guide to the biggest event in European golf

IN OUR PREVIEW

Lorena Ochoa Course Guide Lexi Thompson Hazel Irvine

LG pp 18-21 Lexi 20/06/2013 15:18 Page 18

RICOH PREVIEW

LG pp 18-21 Lexi 20/06/2013 15:18 Page 19

LEXI LADY GOLFER MEETS...

The teenage phenomenon can’t wait to come back to Britain for the Ricoh – and hopes the weather is slightly more kind than at Hoylake.

Dan Murphy met Lexi in Orlando

Tell us about your memories of your first Open at Hoylake It was crazy. That was my first British Open so I got the full experience of British Open weather: rain and wind. It was amazing, I had full rain gear on. I ended up birdieing the last three holes, which moved me up quite a bit. Getting all those conditions, you realise how hard it is. It was amazing, it was a totally different game.

yards off the green. It’s a totally different game but I liked it, it was a challenge.

What did you learn, because presumably you had never played in conditions like that before?

No, that was definitely the worst conditions I’ve ever played in. It was crazy. I put a 2-iron in the bag so I hit a lot of 2- or 3-irons off tees, you know, just bouncing it up and putting from 30

Was it your first experience of links golf?

That was my first time. I like the challenge of having to pull shots off perfectly. You might end up in bunkers and you might not get the bounce you want but, you know, that’s golf. You definitely get that more at the British Open, with links golf, and I enjoyed it.

Did you think ‘what am I doing here’ at any point?

That definitely crossed my mind a few times! But it was great to be there. That was my first British Open, I was thrilled that I got in and I can’t wait to come back.

LG pp 18-21 Lexi 20/06/2013 15:18 Page 20

RICOH PREVIEW

All smiles Dan and Lexi chew the fat

Do you think it favours stronger players?

Yeah, it definitely brings out the ball strikers. You have to hit it straight and just let the wind take it or you have to hit the low, boring shots. It’s a shotmaker’s tournament, that’s for sure, especially with those conditions.

Was it instinctive for you or do you think it will take you a few years to master?

There’s a lot more thinking in Britain, that’s for sure.

You play in Florida and you’re just like ‘Give me the iron, I’ll land it right there.’ You just play to fly it the full distance.

So when I got to Hoylake, you had to bounce it 20 yards short and let it roll up so they are totally different shots.

You have to learn to play different shots and it’s a learning experience everywhere you go.

20 Lady Golfer

Did you have chance to do anything off the course?

I got to see the street where they had the whole Beatles memorabilia, so I got to see that. That was pretty amazing.

It was pretty cold at night so I didn’t really do too much but it was amazing, it was beautiful.

How much are you looking forward to playing the Old Course and being in the town of St Andrews?

I am, I’m really looking forward to it. When I tell people where

I’m going, they’re like ‘wow man.’ I know a few people who have played there so they say ‘You want to be aiming 50 yards left or right of the fairway to be in the middle’, I’m like ‘OK, I’ll take your word for it’, but I’m looking forward to it.

You are obviously a very strong player. Is driver the most important club?

It is, it’s a very important club in my bag. I don’t hit it too much but when I do I want to feel confident over it and

Wise advice Brother Nick also plays on tour

that’s what I do with all my Cobra clubs.

Do you hope to hit plenty of drivers at St Andrews?

It all depends on the course set-up. I like to hit driver in and out, probably around five to seven times a round. You know, it all depends on the course set-up but I use a lot of 3-woods and hybrids.

You come from a strong golfing family (Lexi’s older brother, Nick, is a PGA Tour player while Curtis is a promising amateur). Is that one of the reasons you hit the ball so hard?

Yeah, definitely some of that.

Growing up with two older brothers, I’ve always been trying to out-drive them and beat them so that’s definitely where my attitude in life has come from. But my height also helps me. I’m 5ft 11”, and training every day.

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LG pp 18-21 Lexi 20/06/2013 15:18 Page 21

THE CONT

ENDER This will b e Lexi’s se cond Women’s British Op en and her first in Scotland.

Last year she fi nished at nine over for a share of 1 7th, Jiyai Shin took the ti tle by an incredib le nine sh ots.

ABOUT

LEXI

Ricoh 2012 Conditions were far from ideal

How much length have you gained in last few years or since you first turned pro?

From when I first turned pro, I would say I have probably gained around 15 yards, I would say. Just strength-wise and equipment-wise too.

How many yards would you give your brother, Nick?

Well, he plays all the way back on the golds and I play blues and he’s still a little bit past me, probably about 15. He hits it far. Both my brothers don’t hold anything back.

LEXI’S SOLHEIM HOPES How big a priority is making the Solheim Cup team to you this year?

It is, it’s one of my main goals, that’s for sure. Representing your country is the highest honour you can get.

I played junior events and team events like the Curtis

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Cup, Junior Ryder Cup, but Solheim Cup is the highest honour. I’d probably rather be on that team than the Olympics.

Did you watch any of the last Solheim Cup? I watched a little bit of it. I actually played the Irish Open so I was on that course too so it was pretty cool to see them play there.

I only watched a little bit of it because I just won the week before so it was a little hard for me to watch.

Why do you think America just missed out?

I don’t really know exactly why but both the teams were so close just the whole week They are the best teams in the world. So it’s going to be close no matter what.

Who do you want to play with in the pairs?

I haven’t really thought about it too much but whoever I get paired up with you have to learn their games and learn how you work best with them so that’s all about team events.

Is there anyone you are particularly close with on the team to partner?

None that I’m too close with but I’ve played with the likes Stacy Lewis and Paula Creamer. But whoever we get paired up with, we’re going to make the best of it, you know, work with each other’s game and support each other.

DOB: 10/02/1995 Height: Officially 6”0 – although she claims 5”11 Best Major finishes: 2010 Evian Masters – RU; 2010 US Women’s Open – T10; 2012 Women’s British Open - T17 n Aged just 12 she qualified for the US Women’s Open n Now ranked 30 in the world, the 18 year old has three professional victories to her name, including the 2011 Dubai Ladies Masters n Posted four top 10s and earned over $600,000 in prize money last year on the LPGA n Average driving distance last year was 271 yards n Older brother Nicholas has racked up nine top-10 finishes and over $3million dollars during his eight years on the PGA Tour n Other brother Curtis is a rising star on the Louisiana State University golf team n Lexi was competing against both off the gold tees by the time she was 14

WHAT’S IN

LEXI’S BAG “Right now I still have S2 Forged irons, I’ve been using those since I turned pro. I have an Amp Cell driver, the blue version, light blue.

I have it on an 8˚ setting and neutral. And I have the S3 3-wood and Baffler hybrid.

“I love the new driver. It feels really good and you get to change it four different ways for loft setting and two different face angles.”

Do you see yourself as a fourball or foursomes player predominantly?

I like best ball. Alternate shot is quite interesting to watch.

I have played a lot of alternate shot. It’s good to have somebody with a similar game in alternate shot I think.

Lady Golfer 21

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28/05/2013 13:00

LG pp 23-25 Ochoa 21/06/2013 12:55 Page 23

RICOH PREVIEW

“It was meant to be”

Lorena Ochoa recalls her emotional victory in the first Women’s British Open at St Andrews with Mark Townsend

LG pp 23-25 Ochoa 21/06/2013 12:55 Page 24

RICOH PREVIEW

Drive time No need to hold back on the 18th

Teamwork The family pose for a special pic

T

HE script was perfect, the best player in the world winning the first women’s Major at the Home of Golf.

In April of 2007 Lorena Ochoa overtook Annika Sorenstam at the top of the world rankings but the Major victory was yet to come.

There had been championships where the Mexican had come within a whisker – Ochoa had 13 top 10s in her previous 21 efforts – but the 25 year old had still to break through.

At St Andrews the favourite opened with a six-under 67 and was never threatened thereafter, eventually winning by four shots.

Looking back now it is all the more sweet as, within three years, Ochoa had announced her retirement. Another Major had followed at the 2008 Kraft Nabisco and the World No 1 spot was still hers but she had had enough. The plan had always been to play for around 10 years and then

24 Lady Golfer

concentrate on her foundation and family.

Life is very different these days. In December 2011 she gave birth to a baby boy, Pedro, and she is now four months pregnant with a second child.

Here Lorena, in her own words, looks back on her very special and historic week.

Breaking the duck “The win was meant to be. As soon as I got to St Andrews I felt very comfortable, you either love the course and have a good vibe or you think it’s the toughest and most difficult course you have ever played. I was very lucky that I felt very positive from the moment I got there.

The practice rounds and all the way to the tournament I felt very good.

I had good breaks and played some good recoveries so the more I think about the tournament the more I think it was meant to be.

I was always 100 per cent

over shots and made a lot of good decisions. I played so well that the course was easy for me! It was one of those weeks where everything came off. If I could have picked one place to win a Major it would be at St Andrews.

The Major pressures I never worried about not having won a Major, it was more what the media was talking about. Once you are playing you cannot think ‘I have been playing for this number of years and I haven’t won a Major’. I was never that way. I was very easy on myself and I always thought it would happen when it was a good time for me.

Being a professional you realise why they call them Majors and why everyone pays so much attention to them. I was close in a couple of US Opens and made some mistakes and that makes you more focused on winning one.

You also have to be more patient because anything can

happen in the last few holes and there are some big surprises on Sundays.

Everybody feels the pressure at Majors. At normal tournaments these things don’t happen. In Majors the drama is meant to be, you just have to keep your head.

When you lose the opportunity to win a Major it stays with you until you win one.

I only felt some relief when I had put my second shot on the final green and I could then enjoy the walk.

The Road Hole We played it as a par 5 so mentally that was really helpful. I tried to take on the green a couple of times to the right-hand side and on the Sunday I had some fun by playing it left of the bunker.

Once you are feeling under pressure, and with the wind and the rain, it is very easy to mis-hit it and get into trouble but even a six was OK as it was just a bogey.

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LG pp 23-25 Ochoa 21/06/2013 12:56 Page 25

THE PAST CHAMPIO N

Lorena pla yed in seve n Opens wit h a next b est of 4th at Sun ningdale a nd Lytham. In the LPGA she had five st raight top 10s but never won.

History girl Lorena led from the first round

The opening 67

The Auld Grey Toun

It has to be one of my best rounds. I can remember hearing my name being announced on the 1st tee in front of the clubhouse and it was the most memorable shot in my career.

To take advantage of the good weather was very special. One thing you have to do when you have finished and have hit a few balls is to have a hot shower because you have been so cold for so long. It is impossible not to sleep well as you are so tired. I always wake early and I like to take things slowly and have a nice breakfast.

Then I would walk to the course and take my time getting ready. It is very nice when you get to the Old Course early as there is nobody there, when you finish it is crazy and there are so many people there but in the morning everything is empty.

The 18th green and grandstands are empty so it gives you goosebumps.

I had my family with me so we would have dinner and I remember having the banana bread pudding which I loved after my meal.

Then the Dunvegan pub was just around the corner and we would have some beer and talk with some people, they are some really fun memories.

I was saying to my friends and husband that we will have to go there on holiday, spend some time there again and play some golf.

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it at the range. Growing up in Guadalajara I had no experience of playing in the wind as it is always the same weather so I would prepare for the first few tournaments in Hawaii by going to the beach in Mexico and hit balls by the sea.

Then I started travelling and got more experience and my swing and the way I hit the ball was always good.

Playing in the wind You don’t want to hit many balls in the wind as it can mess up your swing.

When playing in the wind you should always take one or maybe two extra clubs and hit it very easy, if you try and hit it hard it will be a disaster.

Otherwise it is just normal stuff, play the ball back in your stance and keep your hands low through the shot.

The first time it will feel strange so it is worth practising

In 2004 Lorena began her own foundation to help disadvantaged children through education, sports and healthy living programmes.

Three years ago they helped open a new middle school building at La Barranca on the outskirts of Guadalajara which provided new classrooms, labs and a theatre. In the afternoons the school is open for the whole community. w.lorenaochoa.com

Golf today Right now I am four months pregnant so I am not playing much, maybe once every two weeks. I do some work with the kids and my sponsors and when the baby is born I will play some more.

I don’t see myself coming back and playing a full schedule, maybe I will play the Kraft Nabisco and my own tournament in Mexico, and maybe the Evian, but this would be in four or five years.

I miss the good things; being with my friends in great places and having the opportunity to win tournaments on Sundays.

At the same time I don’t miss many things; it can be a very hard life and can be very tough. I have a lot of admiration for today’s players and the talent and level of golf on the LPGA Tour is great and it is going in the right direction.

I had a timeline in my head and I was able to stick to that. I think that’s why I was able to do what I did.

Lady Golfer 25

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LG pp 27-28 Irvine 20/06/2013 14:36 Page 27

RICOH PREVIEW

HAZEL IRVINE LADY GOLFER MEETS...

The BBC Sport presenter explains to Mark Townsend what makes St Andrews such a special place

What role has the Auld Grey Toun played in your life?

I was born there and lived there for my first four years. I was born at the Craigtoun Maternity hospital which became an old folks’ home and has now become part of the Duke’s Course. I have actually played there so it is quite surreal playing at where you were born.

We then moved to near Helensburgh on the west coast. I studied History of Art and English and went on to study honours in History.

I have lots of associations and a huge number of memories, both personal and professional. Round every corner there are floods of memories from my student days and I still think the university is the best place you can study; there is an intimacy about the place as well as a real cosmopolitan and town

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and gown feel. Some memories are just plain daft and some are quite stressful – for example when you walk past the old lecture hall where you sat your finals.

More than that, I was heavily associated with golf, I played for the university and helped to stage the golf holiday programme in the summer time which was a thrill.

How much has it changed?

All the pubs have been through various incarnations so a number have changed but the Balaka curry house never changes and the Victoria Café is still there. We used to go to the Niblick pub and would run down for last orders from the halls of residence.

I used to stay in the Hamilton Hall, which is next to the R&A clubhouse and has now been taken over by Herb Kohler, so the Dunvegan pub was always

a big one as it was so nearby.

I was on the top floor in room 90 so I had a fantastic view of the 1st and 18th and every morning I used to come striding out with my best friend Anne in the lead up to our finals, march down the side of the 1st fairway and across Granny Clark’s Wynd and straight back up to the library.

To then work there in a professional sense must be particularly exciting for you?

What was a massive thrill was to have our production studio, we call it the Silver Bullet, right next to the putting green and I was able to present the programme when Lorena Ochoa won it in 2007 and, for so many reasons, it was just so lovely.

I remember sitting up there in room 90 and looking down and wishing I was a part of the golf and now I was.

What is your favourite course?

I love the Old Course but I always preferred the New, a lot of the fairways were lined with the gorse and there was this amazing sea of yellow. It was a beautifully serene place to be and there was a little more shelter. We had an exemption system in the first couple of years where if you did reasonably well in your studies you didn’t have to sit your exams at the end of the year.

So my rationale was that if I worked my guts out I could play golf in the last term.

The student rates were something like £35 to play all five courses so it was incredible and you could skip out after all the tee times had gone and play the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 16th, 17th and 18th and imagine yourself taking the imaginary applause of the imaginary crowds. It is a magical place to be.

Lady Golfer 27

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RICOH PREVIEW

What does your role entail when the coverage begins?

If we are live I will have written my opening script and generally my role is to pitch in with leaderboards and go out and speak to players. At the Women’s Open we tend to get a little bit closer to the holding area for the players so I can speak to them face to face. A lot of the time I am lobbying like crazy to try and get the players into the studio as you get a different kind of interview as they are naturally more relaxed, they are sitting down with a drink and it’s warm and you can explore a little bit more than just their round. And hopefully it’s illuminating for them as well.

Who do you particularly enjoy speaking with?

There are some really engaging personalities in the ladies’ game; Yani Tseng is a particularly charming individual and is great fun, they are all very media savvy.

It’s always a pleasure to see Catriona Matthew, sometimes

28 Lady Golfer

she brings the girls in and her husband Graeme is lovely and is such a quiet driving force.

Presumably Catriona’s win would be up there with your favourite moments in golf?

Her win at Lytham has to be among my favourite memories in sport, she was one of my first ever interviews on Scottish television in 1987. I was this junior reporter and Stirling University had just started their golf scholarships and Catriona was one of those. ‘Beany’ is not one of the most effusive people in an interview, she is perfectly charming of course, so there was me trying to do an interview with both of us as nervous as the other. We got through it and then all these years later to be standing behind the 18th at Lytham and seeing her win was extraordinary. Being a mother myself and to come from 11 weeks and win after giving birth was incredible.

It’s also really exciting to see some of these youngsters coming through like Charley

Hull and Holly Clyburn and I’m really looking forward to meeting them.

I’ve met Lydia Ko a couple of times and she is a remarkably mature person. I’ve seen Carly Booth since she was about nine so it is really rewarding to see these players come through and makes you feel quite old at times!

Do the nerves get any less?

It manifests itself in different

I try to keep a watching brief on all the main tours and then it is a question of getting all my ducks in a row. I like to do all my own research, I am reasonably anal and I like to leave myself enough time to know at least something about everybody. So at any given time if I see a name ping up on the leaderboard I can impart some information that will hopefully illuminate the championship.

ways, over the years you learn that you will get a bit twitchy as the event approaches. You evolve a process of preparation and as long as you have completed that then you will be OK. It is like studying for an exam, if you haven’t done the work then it will always be a bit of a kick scramble. Because I have done the work I feel more relaxed and then I can enjoy it and that excitement and anticipation is channelled into adrenaline and you can then channel those nerves into something that is constructive.

I’ve done a lot of work with UK Sport and it is interesting to hear how athletes prepare for events and, while I will never be as talented as them, there are some similarities in what we kind of go through in terms of nerves and preparation.

You can only do your best, it is live television, which is the thrill and the terror of it, and there is nothing I would rather be doing than watching the Open Championship or Women’s British Open.

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LG pp 31 Boyd 20/06/2013 14:04 Page 31

RICOH PREVIEW

Cornish

cream Leading English amateur Sarah-Jane Boyd on making her WBO debut and a fondness for Ben Hogan.

By Mark Townsend

EUR THE AMAherT place at

ed Boyd claim os with a tw St Andrew ritish B e th in stroke win t oke Play a Ladies’ Str 2. She 1 0 2 in rk a Shandon P h the Englis also won y a M in r u Amate this year.

What will your preparations consist of for St Andrews?

I will be there in June for the St Rule Trophy (Boyd tied for 9th) and will have three rounds on the Old Course so that will help to familiarise things.

I know it can change dramatically with the wind.

If it’s calm it can play relatively easy but it also has the pot bunkers so you really have to map your way round the course.

I watched a lot of the 2007 Women’s British Open and I remember Tiger not going in a bunker one of the times he won so that is obviously key.

What is your links experience?

I play at Truro which is a short parkland course but I’m an honorary member at Trevose so that is linksy and can get windy.

I have played at St Enodoc a lot of times as well. I adapt quite easily to the challenges of links golf and I tend to do

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OK in the wind but I’ll still need to practise a few shots.

I have a solid all-round game, my long game has improved a lot this year and it is a question of continuing to tidy things up around and on the greens.

How much of a surprise was it to win the British Stroke Play last year?

I had had a good year and won my county championship (for a fourth time) and the South West Ladies so it wasn’t like I hadn’t won.

I had a good first round and was leading after that so I thought to myself that there was no reason why I couldn’t keep going.

I wasn’t too nervous and tried to enjoy it as much as possible. It certainly gives you an adrenaline rush playing the last three holes but, looking back, I’d love to do it all again and you want more and more of it.

Were you aware of the scores on the last few holes?

The first time I asked for an update on the situation was at the 14th and I was two behind Amy Boulden and she was two holes ahead of me.

Then I asked on the 17th

We have a training session every month with England Golf for three days and you get some great coaching. It is brilliant to help make friends and feel more comfortable around everyone.

I have got three older brothers who play and my coach Nigel Bicknell has worked with seven internationals. I wasn’t close to the Curtis Cup, the year before I was top 50 in England, now I am in the top 10. As for turning pro I will do that when I feel ready to compete on tour.

fairway, where I had a 3-wood into a green with a ditch in front so I didn’t know whether to go for it or not. I was then two ahead and so laid up.

On the tee at the 18th I thought I had one shot to play with but going up the hole I found out that she had made bogey and I made a par.

How did you originally get into the game?

I started at 13 and I was off five when I was 15. I don’t come from a very wealthy family so I support myself and I think that has helped me.

Ben Hogan was my hero because of his work ethic; he hit the ball every 20 seconds in practice and nowadays it would be Tiger Woods. Hogan was also my father’s favourite.

I practise six hours every day.

I left school at 18 after A Levels and got some good grades and I now work evening shifts at the golf club so I can earn some extra money.

Lady Golfer 31

LG pp 32 Ricoh Comp 20/06/2013 14:05 Page 32

RICOH PREVIEW

WIN A PENTAX CAMERA AND TICKETS FOR THE 2013 RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN We’ve teamed up with the championship organisers to offer lucky readers the chance to win TWO Pentax cameras, TWO VIP tickets for Saturday and TWO season tickets

T

HE Ricoh Women’s British Open is the oldest women’s Major played outside America and boasts the most international field, with the 2012 field containing players from 28 different nations – including 18 of the world’s top 20.

For only the second time in the tournament’s history, the Old Course plays host to this year’s championship, which is held from August 1 to 4.

Jiyai Shin from South Korea will be looking to defend her title and win her third Ricoh Women’s British Open Championship.

Whether you want to see World No 1 Inbee Park, European No 1 Suzann Pettersen, American stars Stacy Lewis and Paula Creamer, two-time winners Yani Tseng and Shin or home favourite and the 2009

32 Lady Golfer

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LG pp 36-37 Lydia Hall ISPS 20/06/2013 14:06 Page 36

LYDIA HALL

Hall of Fame

E

NGLAND’S only LET event launches an exciting summer of golf. Called the British Masters in its inaugural year, the event is now known as the European Masters.

Last year Wales’ Lydia Hall emerged triumphant by a single shot over America’s Beth Allen, thanks mainly to an opening 66 over the stunning parkland course which was designed by the former Ryder Cup captain John Jacobs.

For Hall it was her first win in five years of trying.

This year, with the British Open the following week, precious Solheim Cup points on the line and another bumper field guaranteed, it promises to be another thriller.

36 Lady Golfer

Your win came quite out of the blue last year. How confident were you?

I had the strangest feeling at The Buckinghamshire as I had a really good feeling about the week from the moment I pulled up in the car park.

The practice round was good and then I got a text from Lee Griffiths, who had worked with Mel Reid for a few years.

My coach John Peters from Southerndown and I had talked about Lee caddying for me so it was a perfect match.

He built my confidence up quite a lot and was a huge help coming down the stretch.

I tend to drive well and the greens were so good it made things much easier; that might not be one of my best suits.

How did you cope with the inevitable nerves?

I was fine during the course of the first two days. But going into the last round I made a birdie at the 2nd and I was pretty nervous and excited from that point.

At the 11th I made a birdie and I got to the tee and it didn’t really suit my eye with trees down the left because I like to fade the ball.

I straight pulled it and made a double bogey – so that was a bit of a disaster and then I followed that with a bogey at the next.

The crucial shot came at the next, the par-5 14th, where I hit an enormous drive and made a birdie to get back into contention.

The 17th is renowned as a good birdie chance but also caught out quite a few?

Beth Allen was one clear and made a triple in front of me.

My strategy all week was to hit the driver and we stuck to that.

I made par with three putts from distance.

I hadn’t played a shot from the fairway all week and there were only five paces to play with so the more difficult shot was from the fairway and quite a few of my nearest challengers dropped shots there. My thinking was that as long as you made the carry you were fine.

What were you like playing the 18th hole?

I had a 7-iron and I was so www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

LG pp 36-37 Lydia Hall ISPS 20/06/2013 14:06 Page 37

Lydia Hall reflects on her breakthrough win at The Buckinghamshire last year. With Mark Townsend Lydia and Lynx “I saw the advert on Sky Sports and was looking for sponsors so I emailed them and went and had a meeting. We got on really well and I am really looking forward to using the clubs.”

For more information on the ladies’ Elegance, Tigress and Crystal ranges visit www.lynxgolf.co.uk or follow on Twitter @LynxGolfUK

ISPS HANDA LADIES EUROPEAN MASTERS The Buckinghamshire GC July 26-28 For ticket information visit ladieseuropeanmasters.com

nervous but I managed to hit the green. Unfortunately I missed a three-footer but still won by one.

How did you celebrate?

I had a dinner at my golf club, Southerndown, with family and friends and people who have supported me. So there were about 25 of us which was lovely.

In terms of finance, there must have been a large element of relief?

At the start of the season I had to cherry pick events and missed Australia and then missed the first couple of cuts. So I didn’t have the greatest start to the year but it took so much financial www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

pressure off me – so, yes.

Everyone now says you must be doing well with sponsors but that’s not really the case with the women’s game.

In the past my coach qualified for the Welsh Open and he said he had several calls from manufacturers asking him to play the driver and that was for just one week of the year.

Sometimes it is hard to get everything balanced when you are totally looking after yourself.

There are so many sports that take priority and they get all the exposure and it is difficult to compete with them.

How has a change in your

fitness regime helped you make some strides forward?

I used to do some Pilates and personal training with someone in Cardiff but in the last year I got together with the former Welsh scrum-half Gareth Cooper and he has brought things on a huge amount.

I see him for an hour on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and do classes in between.

I do circuits with lots of weights and power and explosive work through my lower body and resistance work for my upper body.

Otherwise it is a lot of cardiovascular work like spinning classes. It is hard work but worth it.

Lady Golfer 37

Masters Promo Open 20/06/2013 14:17 Page 2

Golfer NATIONAL

CLUB

GO TO THE

2014 MASTERS Enjoy a week at Augusta that you will never forget

Ever fancied going to the Masters at Augusta but didn't think it was possible?

Well, think again. We can arrange the whole trip for you – from flights and accommodation to those all-important entry badges.

This trip of a lifetime could be the perfect way to celebrate everything from a 50th birthday to your wedding anniversary. It could even be the stag do to end all stag dos, and all you have to do is make your way to the airport.

We have devised a selection of superb Masters hospitality packages for 2014 that are brilliant value for money.

With prices starting at just £2,295 per person, you could watch Adam Scott defend his Green Jacket for less money than five nights in a posh London hotel.

Where will I stay?

Columbia – a town an hour away from Augusta. At the event, your base will be the 1018 Club, 400 yards from Magnolia Lane.

Are flights included?

No, due to the diverse needs of our guests. We can book your flights if you need us to.

Which airports can I fly from?

The two most popular are Manchester and Heathrow.

How long is the flight?

From Manchester, the flight to Philadelphia is eight hours. Then there is a 70-minute hop to Columbia.

How much golf can I watch?

The decision is yours - our packages range from one day at the course to four but we can accommodate any request.

Can I play golf when I'm there?

Of course - let us know at the time of booking and we’ll organise it for you.

How much is it going to cost me?

Prices start from £2,295 per person. We require half of the money up front.

How much spending money will I need?

Once you are out there, drinks and food are free in the hospitality area so, in theory, you don’t have to spend a penny more.

Call 01132 893 979 email masters@sportspub.co.uk or visit

www.nationalclubgolfer.com/masters 2 AUGUST 2013 | www.nationalclubgolfer.com

Masters Promo Open 20/06/2013 14:17 Page 3

THE JUNIPER TOUR £2,295per person*

Arriving on Friday this tour includes viewing of the alwaysexciting final round, transport to and from the course, three nights' accommodation in the Marriott Hotel, and full hospitality at our exclusive venue at Northwood.

What the price includes: • A pass to see the final round of the 2014 Masters • Transport to and from Augusta • Three nights four-star hotel accommodation • Hospitality at the 1018 Club • Golf on Saturday can be arranged • Full itinerary and event documentation *based on twin sharing, flights not included

THE MAGNOLIA TOUR £3,695per person*

You will arrive on Thursday for the first of your four nights' accommodation at the Marriott Hotel, Columbia. The Magnolia package includes viewing of the tournament on Friday and Sunday with the option of playing golf on the Saturday. What the price includes: • Live action Friday and Sunday at the Masters • Transport to and from Augusta • Four nights four-star hotel accommodation • Hospitality at the 1018 Club • Golf on Saturday can be arranged • Full itinerary and event documentation *based on twin sharing, flights not included

THE REDBUD TOUR £4,995per person*

THE HOLLY TOUR £6,695per person*

You will arrive on the Tuesday April for six nights' accommodation and three days at Augusta.

Golf on Thursday and Saturday at top quality local courses is included. What the price includes: • Live golf on Wednesday, Friday & Sunday at the Masters • Transport to and from Augusta • Six nights of four-star hotel accommodation • Hospitality at the 1018 Club • Golf on Thursday at Woodcreek GC with transfers • Golf on Saturday at Hounds Lake with transfers • Full itinerary and event documentation *based on twin sharing, flights not included

The golf enthusiast's dream package. You will arrive on the Monday and stay at the Sheraton Hotel for seven nights, viewing the golf on four days and playing on Tuesday where many of the players live and practice during Masters week.

What the price includes: • Live golf on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday • Transport to and from Augusta • Seven nights of four-star hotel accommodation • Hospitality at the 1018 Club • Golf on Tuesday and Thursday, with transfers • Full itinerary and event documentation *based on twin sharing, flights not included www.nationalclubgolfer.com | AUGUST 2013 3

LG pp 40 Equipment Directory Ads 20/06/2013 12:01 Page 40

EQUIPMENT DIRECTORY

40 Lady Golfer

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

LG pp 41 Lead to Equipment 20/06/2013 14:48 Page 41

YOUR GEAR The latest club reviews I New equipment I Fashion I Style tips I Electric trolleys I Pull trolleys

BENROSS RAISE THE BAR WITH NEW WATERPROOFS The XTEX range is available in three smart colourways and really looks the part You know them best for their highperformance, low-price equipment, but Benross are launching an assault on the outerwear market, and their new XTEX jacket is a great start.

Utilising a two-way stretch fabric that

comes with a two-year waterproof guarantee, this lightweight jacket boasts plenty of style as well as functionality.

Indeed, it has an athletic fit so won’t get in the way while swinging, and its large pockets have welded zips, thus keeping

your valuables, glove, ball or tee dry as a bone.

There are three colour options and the jacket comes in five sizes – from 8-16.

Expect to pay just £99.99. www.benrossgolf.com

Colour One The first option is the traditional black with purple flashes down the sleeves and zip

Colour Three The final option is the mainly purple garment, with black trims.

We rather like it!

Colour Two The striking white colour will surely be popular with the younger market

LG pp 42 Equipment Directory Ads 21/06/2013 13:32 Page 42

EQUIPMENT DIRECTORY

Once you step off the plane, we take care of everything; from airport transfer to hotel accommodations to tee-off time, ensuring that there are no disappointments or unpleasant surprises to ruin your holiday!

www.golfturkey.com

GREY OWL GOLF

Let us organise your bespoke golfing break FRANCE • BELGIUM • SPAIN • ITALY Contact Bill Anslow Tel: 01206 841994 • Fax: 01206 841995 Email: bill@greyowlgolf.com • Web: www.greyowlgolf.com Champs de Bataille - France

42 Lady Golfer

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

LG pp 43 Equipment 20/06/2013 14:49 Page 43

EQUIPMENT

ONTEST Madeleine Winnett and two readers run the rule over the latest gear

WILSON STAFF D-100 IRONS SRP: £359 (5–SW)

GOLFBUDDY Voice + Watch I enjoyed this rangefinder when it could be worn on your hat or belt, but it is so much better now it can be worn on your wrist. I love laser rangefinders as well, but for sheer ease of use and instant feedback without having to extract anything from a pouch, this takes some beating!

Just look at your wrist, and you can instantly see the distances to the front, middle and back of the green – or press the button and ‘the voice’ will tell you!

She also tells you what hole you are on when you arrive at the next tee automatically, but this can be muted. You can even view the green shape or measure how far you have hit the ball – and when not playing, it functions as a 24hour digital watch. SRP £159

MADELEINE Handicap: 4 They aren’t my favourite colour, but the styling still looks very good. The thick top line and undercut cavity do make them look distinctly like gameimprover irons, but that is their job! I think they will improve your game because I found them to be extremely forgiving – especially on off-centre shots.

They are light and flexible and they feel effortless to hit, offering consistent shots at a great height. I love the squidgy grip!

MANDY AMBERT Handicap: 13 The clubs are attractively coloured in green and white and the clubhead is weighted perfectly, so, for those with a slow swing, the balance of the club is ideal. The shaft is longer by design and the grip for me is the best I’ve used. Personally, I didn’t gain much length but in using the 8-iron to chip and allowing the club to do the work it is definitely superior.

BRENDA CHATTERJEE

SURPRIZE SHOP Lunch and Snack Bag Keeping food in the pockets of your golf bag is a real nuisance. I have often had to chase an erroneous sandwich through a myriad balls and tees, so I am delighted by this 25cm x 25cm neoprene bag, complete with carabiner to attach it to the outside of my golf bag.

Lunch is now immediately accessible!

Very bright, attractive design, plus it has a detachable strap which makes it great to double up as an every day shoulder bag – and it’s even machine washable!

SRP: £7.99 www.surprizeshop.co.uk

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

Handicap: 35 I tested the clubs on a day that was wet and heavy. My handicap is high so consistency is not my strong point. The clubs were pleasing to the eye, grip was comfortable too. I compared them to my own clubs and found that the distance was equal, height attained not so good but on occasion when the contact was spot on they felt very comfortable. The shaft was fairly rigid but all in all satisfactory.

Lady Golfer 43

Golf GameBook 24/7 Challenge Play with GameBook and WIN great prizes!

FREE TO DOWNLOAD. FREE TO USE.

es!

What is Golf GameBook 24/7 Challenge?

WI

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The biggest golf contest ever organized for British golfers. Sign up to GameBook and use the app or online service for scoring and you can win great prizes.

Competition time: 1.7.2013–15.9.2013.

Download our free award winning app

What is GameBook?

Free mobile scorecard and the largest community in golf. Connect with your golfing buddies to share all your experiences on and off the golf course.

Enjoy live scoring and follow your friends play anywhere in the world.

Read more about Golf GameBook 24/7 Challenge:

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LG pp 45 Lead to Instruction 20/06/2013 14:49 Page 45

YOUR GAME Hit it further and straighter I Hole more putts I Short game I Golf psychology I Course management

TOUR TIPS: What you can learn from Michelle Wie

Analysis by Sandy Smith.

Sandy is Carly Booth's coach, a PGA Fellow Professional and the head pro at Ladybank in Fife.

For more www.sandysmithgolf.com or Twitter @sandysmithgolf

1) It looks like Michelle is trying to incorporate some important elements into her putting, by taking them to a level that is more extreme than most would be able to cope with. Firstly she is using a cack-handed threefingered overlap grip, to take any excessive wrist motion out of play

2) Her spine angle is almost parallel to the ground – this will allow her shoulders to rock the putter head up and down the target line in a straight line, ensuring a straight stroke. This works great with a face-balanced putter.

This spine angle also more easily allows her chin and forehead to be parallel to the ground. This, for Michelle, is a great way of ensuring that when she looks up at the hole from over the ball she can sight the target properly and not use what is called eye gaze. Sighting the hole with central vision, as she will be doing, is a priority for good putting results.

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

Lady Golfer 45

LG pp 46-47 Hinton Instruction 20/06/2013 16:46 Page 46

INSTRUCTION

LOB SATISFACTION

F

INDING your ball stuck behind a bunker is a shot a lot of golfers fear unnecessarily. Being able to play a successful lob shot is the key to playing over bunkers and other obstacles with confidence.

46 Lady Golfer

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

LG pp 46-47 Hinton Instruction 20/06/2013 16:47 Page 47

Sally Hinton is a PGA professional at Close House just outside Newcastle. There are two courses, a very modern academy and an exquisite hotel and Courtyard rooms. www.closehouse.co.uk

The biggest mistake I see is players leaning back in an attempt to scoop the ball. This usually results in either a thinned shot over the green, or a fat shot into the bunker.

Choose your most lofted club. You should grip down the club to give you more control.

Play your weight more on the front foot (about 60-70%). The stance should be slightly open

with the front foot withdrawn to clear the leading hip out of the way. Finally, check your hand position is in line with the ball to help promote keeping the club lofted at impact.

It’s important to commit to making a big swing as the ball is going to have a lot of height and not much distance. Make sure you keep the weight more on the front foot to help

promote hitting down at the ball. It’s crucial that the club hits the ground under the ball to impart backspin and get the height along with a soft landing.

LIJA offer golf, tennis and active apparel but golf is where it all began in 1997. Each season they offer a beautiful selection of signature and staple pieces to provide a modern spin on tradition.

Clothes featured: Black Climate Pant £79.99 Zip Front Jacket in Virtual £79.99 Turtle Neck Base Layer in White £44.99 www.lijastyle.com

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

Lady Golfer 47

LET 21/06/2013 10:36 Page 1

LG pp 49 Columnist JS 20/06/2013 15:29 Page 49

COMMENT CHI POWER GOLF: ADVANCED PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES

Jayne Storey The ancient practice of mindfulness

G

OLF’S mental game is traditionally trained independently of the swing – almost as a separate part of the game – and is aided by the use of sports psychology and, in particular, by a branch of psychology known as NLP or Neuro Linguistic Programming.

Typically NLP involves helping the golfer manage their mental state by reframing negative thoughts and it encourages better performance through the use of positive inner dialogue; very useful as motivational tools.

However, experience shows us that when a golfer is actually playing their best golf, (known as playing ‘in the zone’) the internal chatter stops altogether as he or she becomes completely immersed in what they’re doing, to the point that they stop reflecting on their performance and start to trust their instincts and abilities.

This state of immersion can also be described as ‘mindfulness’ or acceptance; the non-judgemental focus of one’s attention on the experience that occurs in the present moment.

THE EASTERN APPROACH Mindfulness is a spiritual or psychological faculty that has its roots in the teaching of the Buddha 2,500 years ago. The Buddha advocated that one should establish mindfulness in one’s day-to-day life, detaching from negative thoughts and feelings and maintaining as much as possible a calm awareness of one’s body, mind and emotions. www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

Quiet mind Stopping the internal chatter will really help

Today, this practice is being employed in Western psychology to alleviate a variety of mental and physical conditions and ailments.

Research over the last 20 years has also centred around the effects of mindfulness in sports performance in general, and golf in particular.

A European University Study shows that the characteristics of mindfulness and acceptance have been linked to optimal performance, in particular seeing elite golfers enhance their national ranking and recreational golfers significantly improving their performance.

The long-established foundational practices of chipower GOLF are shown to be parallel to the four main areas of research that have been

tried, tested and proven effective. They include: (a) the focus on and awareness of breathing and bodily sensations; (b) the focus on and awareness of movements; (c) mindfulness and acceptance of thoughts and emotions in a non-judgmental way; and (d) mindfulness, awareness and commitment to one’s actions.

RESULTS In addition to various forms of mindfulness meditation (such as ‘watching the breath’), there are exercises that develop awareness throughout the day using designated environmental cues, to make mindfulness continuous.

Examples include the hourly chimes of clocks, red lights at traffic junctions and crossing

the threshold of doors.

Mindfulness itself can take the form of simply remembering to watch three successive breaths using these environmental cues as triggers.

Once you’ve established this as a regular habit in your everyday life, you can adopt the same approach in your golf game, taking three successive breaths while you walk to the ball, take your clubs from the bag and settle yourself into the address position.

Jayne Storey For more information about personal and group tuition, Skype programmes, video downloads and free monthly newsletter, please contact Jayne Storey on 07986 447 250 or visit www.chipowergolf.com

Lady Golfer 49

NCG Academies 21/06/2013 15:10 Page 2

PLAY | LEARN | ENJOY

WINTER GOLF ACADEMIES Golfer NATIONAL

By

CLUB

T R A V E L

Escape the cold this winter and join us for a week of playing and teaching at fabulous 5-star Penina in the Algarve.

transform your game; for the social golfer they are great fun weeks, with the added benefit that you leave a better golfer.

Our teaching weeks have something for everyone: for the better player it is the ideal way to get your game in shape for the new season; for the higher handicapper it could be the week you make the changes to

We organise informal competitions with great prizes – and our unique handicap system ensures everyone has a chance of winning. Think a ski trip for golf, in better weather – 10 hours of tuition, five rounds, a 5-star

resort and a great climate when winter is gripping the UK! Our head teaching professional Richard Ellis leads the weeks, and is supported by a team of top PGA professionals. Richard is one of the top teaching pros in the UK. He has gained hands-on experience from working with some of the best-known coaches and players in the game.

Call +44(0) 1753 754355 or Email golfpro@golfbreaks.com or visit www.golfbreaks.com/pga-pro for more information

NCG Academies 21/06/2013 15:10 Page 3

TRIP DATES

“

I was nervous about coming but we had a great fun, learned a lot and I can't wait to come back!

– Olivia Brown, Novice with no handicap

”

“

I would highly recommend these trips. It is individually tailored and you get lots of attention from the three pros – Nigel Hall, 17 Handicap

November: Saturday 15th - Thursday 21st December: Saturday 14th - Thursday 19th January: Saturday 18th - Thursday 24th February: Saturday 15th - Thursday 21st March: Saturday 15th - Thursday 21st

”

“

I am hitting it great! Highly recommended as an intensive week to get your game in shape – Johnny Marsh, 6 Handicap

”

WHAT’S INCLUDED 5 nights’ B&B at 5* Penina 4 rounds of golf 2 hours’ coaching per day Complimentary transfers Complimentary range balls

From

per person without coaching

£649 per person £749 with coaching From

* Based on twin or double sharing & exclusive of flights

Golfer NATIONAL

CLUB

& We’ve partnered with Golfbreaks.com to deliver these weeks. Golfbreaks.com are the largest golf travel company in Europe and as a member of ABTA & IAGTO, you can be safe in the knowledge that you are travelling with a recognised and respected industry leader.

Golfbreaks.com are also ATOL bonded and can book flights for these trips.

T R A V E L

LG pp 52-53 Fashion 20/06/2013 11:29 Page 52

Lady Golfer Fashion

B EYOND THE PALE

LG pp 52-53 Fashion 20/06/2013 11:30 Page 53

In association with

Capri Pleat Collar Top, £65.00, St Tropez Skort, £69.00 Pret a Golf, (Pretagolf.com)

LG pp 54-56 Fashion 20/06/2013 11:30 Page 54

Lady Golfer Fashion

LG pp 54-56 Fashion 20/06/2013 11:31 Page 55

Left – Bali Cowl Neck Jersey Top, £59.00, Pret a Golf Above –Nour Classic golf knit, £90, J. Lindeberg, Abbie Polo, £15, ProQuip (proquipgolf.com) Dri-FIT golf hat, £18, Golf Trousers, £65, both Nike, (nike.com)

In association with

LG pp 54-56 Fashion 20/06/2013 11:31 Page 56

Lady Golfer Fashion

Check Pedal Pushers, £59.99, Sleeveless Sweater, £49.99, Crystal Trim Polo £44.99, Green Lamb (greenlamb.com)

In association with

draycote

whitefie

H O T E L

G O L F

from

ÂŁ49 CALL: 01788 521800 www.whitefieldsgolfclub.co.uk Bed, Breakfast & Two Rounds Golf. Please quote ref: NCG1 to receive free range balls on your stay.

Draycote Hotel & Whitefields Golf Course and Club, London Road, Thurlaston, Nr. Rugby, Warwickshire CV23 9LF Tel: 01788 521800 Fax: 01788 521695 Email: davidmills@draycotehotel.co.uk Terms & conditions apply. Subject to availability.

J945 Lady Golfer Adv3.indd 1

14/05/2013 09:13

C O

LG pp 58-60 Fashion 21/06/2013 11:07 Page 58

Lady Golfer Fashion

Lisbon Lace Sleeve Jersey Top, £69.00, Paris City Short, £75.00, both Pret a Golf. Icon Belt, £25.00, Lija, (lijastyle.com)

LG pp 58-60 Fashion 21/06/2013 11:08 Page 59

In association with

Zahra Pullover, £69.99, Rohnisch, (rohnisch.com). Pivot Capri Pant, (just seen), £65, Lija. Val Big Pony Polo, £100, Ralph Lauren (www.ralphlauren.co.uk)

GOLFGARB – YOUR BEST ONLINE EXPERIENCE If you’re anything like us, finding stylish ladies golfwear can be a bit like finding a ball in the rough, especially when shopping online.

GolfGarb.co.uk is the secret weapon in superior golf style - not only do they stock all the latest looks from the labels you love (including Ping and Daily Sports) but their easy-to-use site includes clear photographs and detailed info about colour, fabric and fit. They also

offer free UK delivery, a wide range of sizes and a 30 day return policy. Best of all, if you prefer to go retro and deal with an actual human, you can ring them up, pick their brains and place an order, as their friendly, knowledgeable team are always happy to help.

For further information contact www.golfgarb.co.uk or call 01225 745 758.

LG pp 58-60 Fashion 21/06/2013 11:08 Page 60

Lady Golfer Fashion

In association with

Tartan Trousers, £99.95, Classic Polo, £37.95, Crest V Sweater, £49.95. All by IJP Design (ijpdesign.com/wearthetrouserswomen) Shoes from left - Golf Street Shoes, in Concrete and Candy, £105, Ecco (shopeeu.ecco.com), Women’s Royal Tee Golf Shoes, £75, Puma (shop.puma.co.uk). Golf Street Shoes, in Imperial Purple, £105, Ecco Hair and Make-Up: Dani Haigh, Gurdeep Kaur Digpal, Olivia Anderson All Images: Getty - Shot on Location at Rudding Park, Harrogate, North Yorkshire (www.ruddingpark.co.uk) With Special thanks to: James Whitaker, head professional at Moor Allerton (www.jkgolf.co.uk), and Brenda Moore at Rudding Park for their kind assistance.

Short game secrets with

Great day out for the golf girls!

B

ecky rewerton

Becky teams up with AimPoint’s Jamie Donaldson, to share key tour player methods.

In a small group setting, learn to read greens & play a professional short game.

3-time tour winner & Solheim Cup player 22nd July • Brocket Hall www.poodle.eu

£250 pp full day package, 10am-4pm To register, contact: alison@tourgolfpass.com

Exclusive Poodle trunkshow to follow: wear your new skills in style

Lady Golfer’s readers have a special invite to our Brocket Hall GC trunkshow.

Bring a friend & your copy of Lady Golfer Magazine, and you’ll both receive an extra £5 off each item’s exceptional trunkshow prices.

golf just

got sexier

Brocket Hall Golf Club Welwyn, Hertfordshire Poodle trunkshow •Piano Lounge •22nd July •2pm-8pm

LG pp 62-63 Fashion Shops 21/06/2013 16:33 Page 62

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To cater for the growing number of female golfers we recently introduced a ‘store within a store concept’ in seven of our newer outlets, which are exclusively dedicated to the lady golfer.

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Lady Golfer 67

LG pp 68-69 Gleneagles 21/06/2013 12:59 Page 68

Lady Golfer Spas

Gleneagles:

A land for all seasons Justine Board indulges in the relaxed splendour of next year’s Ryder Cup venue

T

HE finest parcel of land in the world I have ever been given to work with", was how Jack Nicklaus described the 850 acres of Perthshire countryside, home to the Gleneagles Hotel. The parcel he was given was the old Glendevon Course, which in the early 1990s he moulded and morphed into the Monarch, which in turn abdicated to make way for the PGA Centenary Course.

Gleneagles is the venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup, when Scotland's hills and glens – haunted by the bloody spectre of partisan battles past – will ring again with chants of a more modern clan warfare; U-S-A U-S-A against the European olés.

The Gleneagles Hotel has a reputation that precedes it, built on a 90-year history of hosting society's elite; part Jay Gatsby, part Bobby Jones, with a dash of Sean Connery –

68 Lady Golfer

wryly drinking a single malt under a mounted stag's head.

Or at least that is the perceived idea of Gleneagles – an Art Deco behemoth, a golfing theme park for wealthy Americans, embodying their rose-tinted ideas about the Scottish golfing estate.

The reality is somewhat different, and far more subtle.

Gleneagles was built specifically as a golf resort and that heritage is inescapable – the long driveway takes you past the clubhouse, the golf academy, ordered rows of golf buggies like sentries and THAT view from the 1st tee on the King's Course. The hotel building itself is impressive in size and stature, but is also austere and a little foreboding.

The solid grey walls, stone balustrades and tall rows of jutting chimneys seem braced against the elements and together with the neatly tended, Capability Brown

designed gardens lend something of an institutional air, but what I found instead was a relaxed and warmly hospitable welcome.

I'd arrived with my husband around midday and slap bang into peak check-out time which gave me an excellent opportunity for some sly, sidelong observation of my fellow guests. The mix was broad, from young families and couples both young and old, to multi-generational groups which yes, included Americans armed with golf clubs – all charming to a fault. And although the surroundings are grand and formal – think dark wood panelling, cathedral high ceilings and plushly piled carpets – the staff were relaxed and quick to smile, cloaking a ruthless efficiency with charm and grace.

I had worried that the air at Gleneagles would be too rarefied and the corridors too hushed, but the balance is

spot on. It's the sort of place where kids are welcomed and indulged, but also where you can dress in your finery, dine at a two Michelin starred restaurant and feel like the laird of the manor.

The jewel in the crown is the Espa Life spa. One of only two such spas in the UK (the other is housed in the Corinthia Hotel in London). Espa Life is at the cutting edge of the spa and wellness industry and alongside traditional spa facilities offers an expansive range of treatments and therapies to combat the ills of modern, hectic lives, plus completely immersive Lifestyle Programmes which recognise the need for more in-depth analysis and longer-term treatment of specific issues such as stress, fatigue, weight loss and fertility. The team includes naturopaths, osteopaths, physiotherapists, personal trainers, herbalists, acupuncturists and colon-

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LG pp 68-69 Gleneagles 21/06/2013 12:59 Page 69

hydrotherapists. This is the place to come if you need a complete body MOT, to tackle a chronic complaint or simply want to move towards a healthier lifestyle.

The spa itself is a beautifully tranquil space of muted opulence, with bronze tiles, dark wood and flickering Arabic lanterns, where you feel cocooned from the outside world. Male and female "heat experiences" are separate, coming together at the slate clad vitality pool with its sadistic massage fountains. I saw hardly another soul during my time here despite the hotel being full, testimony to an excellent management team.

The treatment menu is extensive; tailored facials, massages, exfoliations, plus Ayurvedic treatments, including reflexology, reiki and the four-handed Purva Karma massage for the ultimate in ambidextrous relaxation.

I have shoulders stiffer than

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the single malts so chose one of the Signature Treatments called The Source, an epic two hour body overhaul involving reflexology, full body exfoliation and deep tissue massage, using locally-sourced ingredients from the rivers and hills of Perthshire. At £180 it's an investment but you will leave feeling like a new person – ask for Sarah who is also trained in Ayurvedic therapies and reiki, and has magic in her fingers.

Gleneagles is also in the middle of a multi-million pound refurbishment of The Club. After the renovation – both phases will be finished by November – it will house an indoor pool, a children's pool, a gym plus, if the artist's impression is anything to go by, a glorious outdoor pool worth braving sub-zero temperatures for.

For families there is no excuse for idleness with a world famous Shooting and Fishing school, Equestrian

Centre, the British School of Falconry, Gundog School, offroad 4x4 driving, cycle hire and courses in wildlife photography. There are also jogging routes around the grounds, including a scenic 5km wooded track around the King's Course where I nearly ran into a velvet-antlered deer among the silver birches.

We ate dinner in Deseo, the most informal of the restaurants. It's a big airy space and is the relaxed option and ideal for families who might otherwise feel constrained in the more formal restaurants. Food is very good

FACTFILE Gleneagles is a world-famous five-star luxury hotel as well as an award-winning spa and golf resort. Next year the PGA Centenary Course will play host to the Ryder Cup while the King’s and Queen’s courses are also sensational in their own right. www.gleneagles.com

though, and considered (they have a "breed book" which lets you choose the breed of cow your steak comes from).

We retired to the Art Deco bar for a nightcap; something about the place makes you feel you should, if only to feel a small part of its long history and rub shoulders with the ghosts of Hope and Crosby.

We stayed in The Braid House, the 59-room wing. Our room was classically modern, cool and spacious, but the showstopper was the knock out view from the balcony over the Ochil hills, stunning at any time of day but breathtaking at dawn or dusk.

Gleneagles is an iconic, historical gem, staying true to its heritage yet remaining cutting edge. It is glamourous and classy without being stuffy, an expansive estate that still feels intimate, a golf resort, a wellness retreat, family activity centre, romantic escape. A thoroughly modern classic.

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LG pp 70-71 Bonnie Spas 21/06/2013 14:28 Page 70

Lady Golfer Spas

Relax with the pros

PRACTICALLY A PRO at Fairmont St Andrews Fairmont St Andrews is hard to fault. A 520acre estate on the Scottish coast, it is famous as a golfer’s paradise.

You don’t need me to tell you that, but it’s always nice to know that a destination is continuing to uphold its reputation with accolades such as European Golf Resort of the Year 2012 from IAGTO and Golf Resort of the Year 2011 from Golf Tourism Scotland.

The spa itself is inspired by the natural surroundings thanks to its position on the cliff tops, fused with elements of Celtic lore. There are 12 treatment rooms, so naturally it makes sense that this forms the basis of your spa experience of locally themed treatments using the appropriately named, Pure Lochside, products. Whether you choose to spend your day on or off the course however, it is best completed with a slice of homemade Dundee cake as part of the 70 Lady Golfer

hotel’s afternoon tea – all very much deserved for players and observers alike.

Recommended package: Ultimate Spa Special from £209.50 per person. One night’s, bed and breakfast, four hours of spa treatments on the day of arrival or day of departure, and full use of the spa facilities.

Recommended package: Sunday Spa from £175 per person One night’s bed and breakfast, one 55minute treatment or one round of golf, and full use of the leisure facilities.

CLASSIC SPORTSMANSHIP at Gleneagles

The Green Hotel is a family friendly destination with two golf courses enjoying views of Loch Leven and the West Lomond Hills. However, in addition, the extensive grounds, surrounded by 5000 acres of Perthshire countryside, also provide facilities for curling, fishing, tennis, cycle hire, and hiking on the Loch Leven Heritage Trail. All that being said, perhaps the nicest way to spend time outside here, if the weather permits, is to have an alfresco breakfast at the Boathouse Bistro, also overlooking the loch.

Recommended package: One Night Simple Break from £65 per person.

There are so many reasons to love Gleneagles. To start with, it is set in 850 acres of land, a large proportion of which is devoted to the three spectacular golf courses.

The outdoor activities are not limited to golf however, with fishing, falconry, horse riding and shooting available on site.

The hotel’s widely-respected spa is overseen by resident Naturopath, Louise Westra, who specialises in tailoring visits to address specific health concerns, the natural way on the ESPA Life retreats.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES at The Green Hotel & Leisure Resort

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LG pp 70-71 Bonnie Spas 21/06/2013 14:29 Page 71

With the Ricoh coming home to St Andrews, it’s the perfect chance to combine watching the stars with a relaxing holiday, says Bonnie Friend Gleneagles

Blythswood Square Spa

Includes dinner, bed and breakfast, a bottle of wine in your room, 10% off treatments and use of facilities.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE at Duchally Country Estate Duchally Country Estate is well situated to provide something for every member of the family, on the understanding that golf might not be the favoured pastime of everyone.

It consists of 55 contemporary lodges across the estate which sleep six to eight guests. There are also a few rooms in the main building that are contrastingly traditional in their design. The sight lends itself to the exploration of the natural surroundings, with highland safaris giving you a glimpse of Red Deer and Golden Eagles in the nearby vicinity, and discounts are available to hotel guests.

There is a leisure centre, with pools, saunas, steam rooms and so forth, as well as a children’s pool – all of which have www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

the accessible and family-friendly vibe of a leisure venue rather than a dedicated spa, but treatments are overseen by resident therapist, Brenda, whose repertoire of personalised therapies spans full body treatments and massages, facials, brow and lash treatments, manicures, pedicures and Siennax spray tanning.

Recommended package: Two-night Lodge Break from £46.33 per person – includes two nights’ self-catering accommodation in a lodge and full use of the facilities. Based on six sharing.

CITY ESCAPE at Blythswood Square Spa A city isn’t the usual destination for time to recuperate, but after all the excitement of the four days observing what’s happening on the course, a few days treating those sore muscles with the expert help of the therapists at Blythswood Square Hotel, just over an hour away in Glasgow, could be

exactly what you are looking for.

Once the clubhouse for The Royal Scottish Automobile Club (RSAC), while the outside of the hotel has the appearance of a Georgian terrace, inside it is extremely modern and reminiscent of the set of Moulin Rouge; quirky, ostentatious and every inch the boutique hotel.

The spa continues that theme by being dark and seductive, with huge treatment rooms, a hydro pool, and a complete thermal suite. There isn’t a gym but then you have probably seen or participated in enough activity for one week by then.

Recommended package: Weekend Spa Deluxe Taster from £185 per person. One night’s bed and breakfast, one 55-minute spa treatment, and full use of the facilities n Bonnie Friend is the editor of Spabreaks.com.

All packages available from the website www.spabreaks.com or by calling 0800 043 6600

Lady Golfer 71

LG pp 72 County Champions Ads 21/06/2013 16:56 Page 72

COUNTY CHAMPIONS

72 Lady Golfer

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LG pp 73 County Champions 20/06/2013 16:48 Page 73

PLAY AWAY

County Champions Two fabulous courses perfectly set up to make your next ladies’ away day a memorable one

Close House, Northumberland Play-and-stay at this up-and-coming north-east venue

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About legendary architect Harry Colt.

Located eight miles from It has also already been voted Newcastle, Close House is a as one of the top 100 courses bright new club in the in England.

C HA MP Y Northumberland The Filly Course T I N countryside. boasts undulating, T C It is also the USGA specification A T N CO 582 255 perfect greens and is 1 6 6 1 0 t: .co.uk destination for perfect for those closehouse HT p: NE15 0 corporate and enjoying 36 holes. society golfers thanks to its two Top Hole courses, welcoming Few forget the 18th on the clubhouse and stunning 35Colt Course. The 323-yard par bedroom hotel.

4 features a fairway bunker as well as sand and water The Course hazards beside the green.

Both courses at Close House have just been redesigned by Card Wrecker Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood.

The par-4 8th hole on the Colt Opened in 2011, the par-71 layout has the power to ruin Westwood Colt Course your round. Measuring 399 measures just over 5,100 yards yards, it also boasts a downhill and features several design approach to a well-protected features borrowed from green.

CHAMP

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Stapleford Park, Leics Enjoy a break at this luxurious Midlands venue

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As well as offering one of the Top Hole region's top courses, the club There are several memorable boasts a luxurious hotel in holes but the risk-reward 4th addition to a wide C H A stands out.

TY M choice of sports, Measuring 493 UN leisure and fine yards, the par 5 CONTACT dining. features a tree in t: 01572 787 000 the middle of the stapleford park.com The Course fairway and a p: LE14 2 EF Designed by tough drive to a renowned architect dogleg fairway.

Donald Steel, the 5,852-yard, par-73 layout Card Wrecker features rolling greens, The Stroke Index one 11th is generous fairways and more than capable of denting strategically-placed bunkers. your card. Watch out for outThe River Eye also comes into of-bounds down the left and play on four holes and makes bunkers to the right at this 472for some stern tests. yard par 5.

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Lady Golfer 73

LG pp 74-75 Open Play & Stay 20/06/2013 16:48 Page 74

ST ANDREWS

Where to play & stay

at the Open

With the Women’s British Open returning to St Andrews there are plenty of ways to make your trip even more memorable

PITCARLIE HOLIDAY APARTMENTS Located just 19 miles from St Andrews and set within the grounds of a 16th Century castle is the historic site at Pitcarlie, which is home to five luxury self-catering holiday apartments.

Nestled in 120 acres of woodland, the site boasts outstanding scenery and contains a private swimming pool. The history of Pitcarlie is entwined with the Home of Golf, as former proprietor Robert Cathcart was also a St Andrews captain.

BALLUMBIE CASTLE This is a new course located near Dundee and set in 150 acres of mature countryside.

74 Lady Golfer

The course is set up in such a way that position from the tee is far more important than distance, with the driver staying in the bag for more than half the holes.

Ballumbie Castle’s location makes it an ideal spot to visit when venturing to Scotland’s east coast – just a 30-minute drive from St Andrews and 20 minutes from Carnoustie.

KING JAMES VI Founded in 1858 and redesigned by Old Tom Morris in 1897 to coincide with a move to Moncrieffe Island, the King James VI GC is the only inland island course in the UK as well as one of the country’s oldest surviving clubs.

Located in Perth, this is a truly

unique and historic course which should not be missed on a visit to the area.

The course is less than an hour away from St Andrews by car.

MONIFIETH Based in a region which is synonymous with the game, golf has had a home in Monifieth for longer than you might expect, as records trace the game back as far as 1639 in the seaside town.

The jewel in the crown at Monifieth is undoubtedly the Medal Course, and the course’s pedigree has been consistently rewarded through selection as an Open qualifying venue whenever the championship is held at the nearby Carnoustie.

BEST WESTERN SCORES If you are looking for a hotel which is in close proximity to the Old Course then the Best Western Scores is ideal – located just yards from the 1st tee and close to many other of St Andrews’ historic monuments and courses. The hotel occupies two traditional Victorian townhouses which date back to 1864, and

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

LG pp 74-75 Open Play & Stay 20/06/2013 16:49 Page 75

Getaways Monifieth and the Old Course

Idyllic The beauty of magical Murrayshall

contains 36 rooms which boast views of either West Sands beach or the hotel’s landscaped gardens.

DRUMOIG GOLF AND HOTEL Conveniently located between Carnoustie and St Andrews is Drumoig, which boasts its own championship course and hotel. Its location makes

Drumoig an ideal base when visiting the two historic courses as well experiencing the range of courses that the Fife and Angus regions have to offer.

The course at Drumoig is excellent, boasting natural water hazards and set in 250 acres of Fife countryside. The hotel has 29 en-suite bedrooms with a further five luxury rooms.

MURRAYSHALL HOTEL AND GOLF Murrayshall House has stood in its 350-acre Perthshire estate for over 300 years, and now boasts 41 bedrooms including 16 suites and two outstanding courses. The Murrayshall championship course is the venue’s premier layout and is

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

a long course with wider fairways which set up perfectly for the longer hitters.

By contrast, the Lynedoch course is shorter and tighter, with more emphasis on strategy and ball placement.

Both courses have attracted national and international events in recent years.

ROYAL HOTEL FIFE Located just 30 minutes away from both St Andrews and Edinburgh, the Royal Fife Hotel in Kirkcaldy offers both a luxurious and comfortable place to relax on a visit to Fife.

The hotel has linked up with various local courses to offer an array of golf break packages, which are perfect for those looking to play a few

rounds when visiting St Andrews for the Women’s Open. The inhouse restaurant seats 120 and offers a range of traditional and modern dishes.

THE CALEDONIAN HOTEL Nestled at the end of the high street in the small coastal town of Leven is The Caledonian Hotel – a contemporary and stylish place to stay on a visit to the east coast of Scotland.

Located 20 minutes from St Andrews, the hotel offers a range of golf break packages for both individuals and groups along with individual dinner, bed and breakfast offers.

The area is blessed with an array of excellent local courses which can be enjoyed.

Lady Golfer 75

LG pp 76-77 Open Ads 21/06/2013 13:08 Page 76

OPEN PLAY & STAY DIRECTORY BEST WESTERN

Scores Hotel ST ANDREWS The closest hotel to the first tee of the Old Course and the Royal & Ancient Clubhouse with stunning views over St Andrews West Sands beach.

WINTER GOLF PACKAGES 2013 - From £330pp* 3 nights Dinner Bed and Breakfast & 3 rounds of Golf including the Old Course 3 DAY UNLIMITED GOLF PACKAGES 2013 - From £210pp* 3 nights Bed and Breakfast Unlimited play on the New, Eden, Jubilee, Strathtyrum and Castle Course * Sharing Traditional Double or Twin, subject to availability. Terms and Conditions apply

76 The Scores | St Andrews | KY16 9BB | www.bw-scoreshotel.co.uk T: 01334 472451 | F: 01334 473947 | E: reception@scoreshotel.co.uk

DRUMOIG GOLF

HOTEL

Conveniently situated only 10 mins from Dundee Station, near Gleneagles for the Ryder Cup 2014, Drumoig Golf Hotel is the perfect base to experience the wide range of golf courses available in Fife and Angus.

PLAY & STAY PACKAGES Any 1 Night B&B includes 2 rounds of golf - £75pp 2 Nights B&B (Sun - Thur) includes 1 rounds of golf - £85pp 2 Nights B&B (Fri & Sat) includes 1 rounds of golf - £95pp

Ballumbie Castle Golf Club

Old Quarry Road, off Ballumbie Road, Dundee DD4 0SY

Low Price Membership Deals Available for Ladies, Gents and Junior Golf

Contact us for your Ryder Cup accommodation

Golf Packages

Tel: 01382 541800 | Email: reception@drumoiggolfhotel.com

for Societies, Pubs, Outings, Corporate Events etc Function Suite available

www.drumoiggolfhotel.com Drumoig Golf Hotel, Forgan Drive, Drumoig KY16 0DW

Tel: 01382 730026 | www.ballumbiegolf.com

Visit Scotlands Sweet Spot GOLF BREAK From £99.00 per person Dinner, bed, breakfast and 18 holes

2 NIGHT GOLF BREAK From £160 per person 2 nights bed, breakfast and 36 holes (quote LG when making your reservations)

Situated in its own 360 acres of Perthshire countryside, Murrayshall is a four star country house hotel. With two fabulous golf courses, set in mature woodland you wont need to stray far to enjoy great golf, and a choice of dining in the Clubhouse or Old Masters Restaurant. With 50 golf courses within an hours drive including Carnoustie, St Andrews and Gleneagles, Murrayshall is the perfect base for your Scottish Golf Break.

Visit www.murrayshall.co.uk or Tel: 01738551171 • Email: sales@murrayshall.co.uk Murrayshall House Hotel & Golf Courses | Scone | Perthshire | PH2 7PH

76 Lady Golfer

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LG pp 76-77 Open Ads 21/06/2013 13:08 Page 77

King James VI Golf Club

13 fantastic golf courses within 10 miles

WOMEN’S BRITISH

OPEN WEEK SPECIAL! Lady golfers quoting this advert will receive a special green fee of £15 during the week of the competition.

VARIOUS OTHER SPECIAL OFFERS ALSO AVAILABLE For more information contact us on

SPECIAL GOLFERS PACKAGE 2 nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast plus 2 rounds of golf for 2 people sharing from £139pp

T: 01592 654112 E: info @royalhotelfife.co.uk www.royalhotelfife.co.uk

01738 632460 enquiries@kingjamesvi.com

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GOLF LINKS Here at Monifieth Golf Links we offer you a fantastic golfing day out within 30 minutes from St. Andrews and 2 hours of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen Airports.

Home to two superb 18 hole courses offering golf at all levels, the Medal course has been used as an Open Qualifying venue along with hosting many other Scottish Amateur championships and National Competitions.

GREEN FEES Medal course: Weekday £55 • Weekend £65 Ashludie course: Weekday £25 • Weekend £30

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A round on each course plus full day'

The Caledonian Hotel Located in the coastal town of Leven, 45 minutes from Edinburgh, 20 mins from St Andrews, situated close to the end of the High Street.

We offer a fresh varied food menu and great range of food and drinks promotions daily. We have a number of packages available, including Golf Packages and Dinner B&B packages.

Our stylish hotel offers free wifi throughout.

Contact us for more information: Email- Caledonianhotel.leven@belhavenpubs.net Phone- 01333 424 101 • Fax- 01333 421 241

PITCAIRLIE HOLIDAY APARTMENTS

A unique venue to stay whilst golfing in the Kingdom of Fife, Scotland Set within 120 acres estate of woods, streams, parklands and lakes, Pitcairlie is a stunning 16th Century Castle within reach of 44 golf courses located in Auchtermuchty, Fife. It is only 10 minutes from Ladybank Golf Club and 40 minutes from St. Andrews, and ideal base to stay for visiting the home of golf plus 44 other golf courses nearby.

There are 5 luxury self catering holiday apartments within the mansion and original lodge house, all with use of our heated swimming pool and sauna.

You can also find us on facebook

For more information contact the Secretary on 01382 535553 or email secretary@monifiethlinks.com

www.monifiethgolf.co.uk

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

For bookings or more information please contact us on 01137 828464 / 07831 646157 or email reservations@pitcairlie-leisure.co.uk

Lady Golfer 77

LG pp 78-79 Club Golf Ads 21/06/2013 13:40 Page 78

COURSE DIRECTORY Near Wareham

Macclesfield Golf Club

5 Star British Tourist Board Venue

GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Established 1889

The Cotswold Edge GOLF CLUB Upper Rushmire, Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire GL12 7PT

FREE GOLF

GOLD AW ARD

5 STAR ccccc COMMENDED LUXURY LOG HOMES & GOLF LODGE HOTEL Close to Poole & Bournemouth • 27 Holes of Championship Golf • Dinner, Bed, Breakfast & Free Golf from £69.75pppn

12 Luxury Detached Log Homes to rent.

Min 2night, sleeps 8, sauna, log stoves.

You won’t be disappointed!

CALL TODAY 01929 472 244

Green Fees: £18 per round weekdays and £23 per round weekends Handicap certificates not required

Delightful views, friendly atmosphere, challenging course VISITORS AND SOCIETIES WELCOME Secretary: Estelle Johnson t: 01453 844167 f: 01453 845120 Professional: R Hibbitt t: 01453 844398 cotswoldedge@freenetname.co.uk

WIRRAL LADIES GOLF CLUB A HIDDEN GOLFING GEM

Memberships Now Available (Joining Fee Suspended)

7 Day £808 • 6 Day £720 • Intermediate 19-29 £410 Corporate/Sponsorship Memberships also available Excellent Value Society packages

For Details Contact: Bob Littlewood 01625 423227 or E Mail: secretary@maccgolfclub.co.uk

BRORA GOLF CLUB A “James Braid” Traditional Links Course

“ Brora is one of the finest natural links courses I have had the pleasure of playing” – Peter Thomson CBE

A compact 18 hole heathland course perfect for a half day outing - closest course to Liverpool centre Visitor rates from £20, societies welcome Membership special offers available - ladies, men & juniors

www.wirral-ladies-golf-club.co.uk • Tel 0151 652 1255

78 Lady Golfer

For further information please contact the secretary Tel: +44 (0) 1408 621417 Fax: +44 (0) 1408 622157 Email: secretary@broragolf.co.uk Website: www.broragolf.co.uk Brora Golf Club, Brora, Sutherland KW9 6QS

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

LG pp 78-79 Club Golf Ads 21/06/2013 13:40 Page 79

BOWOOD PARK HOTEL

2 Day Golf Break to include: 1 Nights Bed & Breakfast • 1, Three Course Evening meal • 2 Rounds of Golf October: £105pp June – September: £115pp

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“I have just one word to describe Bowood Park Hotel and Golf Club and its facilities – Superb!

This Cornish cracker is a must visit!”

John E. Morgan – Former PGA and European Tour Star

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RESIDENTIAL GOLF BREAKS 2013 2012

Available midweek or weekends

3 Day Golf Break to include: 2 Nights Bed & Breakfast • 2, Three Course Evening Meals • 3 Rounds of Golf October: £164pp June – September: £175pp

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Available midweek or weekends

4 Day Golf Break to include: 3 Nights Bed & Breakfast • 3, Three Course Evening Meals • 4 Rounds of Golf October: £218pp June – September inclusive: £240pp Available midweek or weekends • All package tariffs above are based on 2 people sharing a twin/double room.

• Single room upgrades incur a supplement of 50% of the per person package price.

Additional golf break benefits in 2013: Organiser FREE OF CHARGE for groups of 16 and above

• Superior room upgrades incur a supplement of £10 per person per night.

• Buggy hire is available at £22 per round or £33 per day.

Advanced booking is advisable.

BOOKING HOTLINE

01840 213017 Bowood Park Hotel & Golf Club, Lanteglos, Camelford, Cornwall PL32 9RF For further information please visit us at www.bowood-park.co.uk or contact us at golf@bowood-park.co.uk or 01840 213017

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

Follow us on

@bowoodparkgolf

Lady Golfer 79

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LG pp 82 Columnist CK 20/06/2013 16:50 Page 82

COMMENT

Claire Kane Celebrating some weird and wonderful prizes

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HE prizes awarded at ladies’ golfing events are often in a class of their own. Take for instance the traditional raffle, where many a fiver has been exchanged for a few colourful strips of tickets and the chance to win re-gifted smellies, a set of non-descript coasters or, generally, a cheap bottle of plonk.

I’m sure some of these offerings have been circulating between golf clubs for years, if not decades.

When it comes to competitions, I appreciate it isn’t just about winning. Having said that, there’s something exciting about walking into a golf club seeing a well laid out prize table, beaming with beautiful objects, or white envelopes, knowing they contain an acceptable voucher for the pro shop or the opportunity to indulge in somewhere like M&S. Over the years I’ve seen some unusual prizes but one of the most amusing has to be when a spritely lady in her 80s was presented with a glamorous baby doll negligée set. I doubt whether the skimpy two-piece became a regular part of her night attire but it

1st place...

How my prize might look one day

82 Lady Golfer

Silk load No sign of my white cotton numbers

has to be one golf trophy she’ll never forget and, judging by the laughter in the room, neither will others.

Talking of nightwear, I once played in a team with a good score and recall great anticipation as we tried to work out which of the nighties on display we’d won.

Would it be the full-length broderie anglaise model, which as one of our team aptly described as the style Mrs Rochester wore as she floated across the ramparts in the Jane Eyre film, or the slinky, alluring lace and faux silk option.

Sadly we won the utilitarian, white cotton version but as receipts had been thoughtfully slipped inside, we nipped off to the nearest store to swop them for more suitable items.

Even in mixed competitions,

I’ve ended up receiving some odd prizes. My golfing partner and I once won a greensomes competition where he was presented with a new bag, which he later swapped for a rescue club in the pro shop, whilst I ended up with a useful (not) cutglass crystal set to store my sugar and bonbons, and not a receipt in sight!

My most challenging win was when our team returned to the clubhouse having had an excellent round in a Bowmaker, to be greeted with a prize table full of foliage, resembling a garden centre.

As the results were announced and the plants diminished, we discovered we

had each won an olive tree.

Ironically, one of us lived in a top-floor flat but the most immediate challenge was transportation, as two of us had travelled together in my little Mini.

We spent ages in the car park, trying to squeeze two people, two golf bags, two bulky electric trolleys and two lengthy olive trees into my car.

I still remember laughing all the way home with an olive branch in one ear and a three wood jammed in the back of my neck.

‘A SPRITELY LADY IN HER 80S WAS PRESENTED WITH A BABY DOLL NEGLIGEE’

Claire Kane Claire is a freelance journalist, a keen golfer and someone who doesn’t take herself, or her golf, too seriously. Follow her tales on twitter @golfsnippets

www.ladygolferonline.co.uk

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