Winter 2010/2011 ISSUE 144

TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT Junior squad formed Rules of

It’s winter - it’s time for scones! Colour and style = golf = glacéau vitaminwater® Contents

2 General Manager’s message Few would argue that golf is a colourful game where style necessary hydration that all golfers need during a four- is important. Colour and style make us happy. Colour and hour round is right there in the bottle. 3 Administration fees style make us look good. Colour and style is what makes the world an interesting place. Since October 2009, glacéau vitaminwater® has been 4 J&J instruction

adding a colourful surprise to , and a 500ml General Manager: Mr. Sam Clayton glacéau vitaminwater® provides hydration with colour bottle is now available in the following six glacéau 5 Course condition – dormant grass Discovery Bay Golf Club Limited Valley Road, Discovery Bay and so much more. Essential nutrients are combined with vitaminwater varieties: Lantau Island the taste of exotic fruits that we all enjoy, and provide a 6 Health awareness with Dr Chin Hong Kong truly refreshing and stylish drink. • glacéau vitaminwater® power-c – Tel: (852) 2987 7273 dragonfruit (c + b’s) Fax: (852) 2987 5900 7 Russian art – flowers Website: www.dbgc.hk The smooth and pleasing taste of glacéau vitaminwater® is daily appreciated by Hong Kong’s gurus of both food • glacéau vitaminwater® essential – orange-orange (c + calcium) 8 Golf excellence Published by: and fashion, which is why you will find it in Starbucks, Sportpix International California Fitness and many leading restaurants. P.O. Box 143, Tai Po • glacéau vitaminwater® energy – 10 Reciprocal club – Delhi Golf Club, India Hong Kong tropical citrus (b + guarana) Top chefs now recommend glacéau vitaminwater® as a www.sportpixgolf.com 11 Pictorial journeys – Ticket to Pyongyang compliment to many of their recipes. By matching the • glacéau vitaminwater® res–q – unique product colour and taste with specific food dishes, Publisher: Richard Castka green tea (c + green tea extract) 12 The Rules of Golf Contributors: Andrew Bertram, Dominic tailor-made mouth watering menus are created. Wall, Kathy Tse • glacéau vitaminwater® restore – Art Direction and design: Wing Lee But the fascination with glacéau vitaminwater® doesn’t 14 Golf etiquette Design consultant: Roger Tang fruit punch (b + electrolytes) Account supervisor: Hugo Lai stop with what’s in the bottle – creative labelling with 15 Local rules – Red and white stakes Production manager: Josephine Cheung humorous stories adds fun and interest to this popular • glacéau vitaminwater® xxx – product. acai-blueberry-pomegranate (triple antioxidants) 16 Ladies feature Advertising: [email protected] glacéau vitaminwater® is the ideal choice for golfers, Take to the greens with colour and style – make sure you Design & Printing: not just because of its colour and style but because the hydrate with glacéau vitaminwater® 18 Tournament results and fixtures OTM Asia and Icicle Print Management 3/F., SW, Warwick House, West Wing, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, 20 Jazz on The Green review Quarry Bay, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3641 8088 / (852) 2235 2880 21 F&B – DBGC scones Email: [email protected] / [email protected] www.icicleprint.com

The Discovery Bay Golf Club magazine is published four times a year. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Club.

Cover image - Delhi Golf Club, India Photo: Richard Castka/Sportpixgolf.com GENERAL MANAGER’S MESSAGE

In the June-August 2009 edition of the DBGC Administration Fee Magazine we introduced junior Member Shinichi demanding - four golf clubs and four hotels in five days, Mizuno, following his participation in the international however the rewards were exhilarating as we played on For qualifying event for the Volvo Open. four wonderfully conditioned courses. Apart from the golf At that time Shinichi shared his experiences of the two-hour bus trip from Fukuoka to Kumamoto was Suspended Members playing in his first European Tour sanctioned event, one of the highlights for me, with breathtaking scenery commenting that he noticed that tournament of mountains, gorges, lush cypress forests and waterfalls professionals all have good rhythm, and that rhythm Dear Members is very important. now etched in my memory, and hoping for a return visit Dear Members We often take for granted how fortunate we are to be with the family one day soon. I would like to thank Mr. Putts of up to seven metres are looked at as birdie Members of such a wonderful Golf Club. The golf course Hoshiyama Kimitoshi and Ms. Nakamura Hiroko for opportunities for tournament pros but for Shinichi Effective January 1 2011, a Member defaulting on itself is arguably the best conditioned course in southern helping coordinate this wonderful tour. putts of only five metres were seen as birdie chances. China, and the facilities within the Club are all maintained payment of subscription fees by more than 60 days He emphasised that the next step in his improvement I would like to congratulate Mr. Jay Won on winning would be his putting. to a very high standard. The F&B menu, variety/taste and will incur an administration fee of HK$2,000. the 2010 Club Championship (72-77), the 2010 Bertie value for money are again arguably better than the other Shinichi has clearly been hard at work over the past To Jr. Memorial Trophy and the 2010 Men’s Match Play clubs in Hong Kong! The Club has recently received a 18 months as he managed to gain a playing place in Championship. This was certainly a commendable number of complimentary correspondences that should The payment system listed below is a guide for you the 2010 Hong Kong Open. Shinichi shot rounds of 73 achievement, and Mr. Won has obviously been in good serve as a reminder of just how fortunate we are. The to ensure that payment is received by the Club and 70 to miss the cut at , but he did have the form. Details of all the winners from Club events over the correspondences are noted below. satisfaction of finishing as the highest placed Hong past three months are included in this magazine. A special within the required time frame. Kong player in the field. article is also included for the recent effort of our very I would like to take this opportunity to thank the majority Shinichi completed the first two rounds of the US$2.5 own junior Member Shinichi Mizuno, who participated of members for acting on the notices regarding course 1. Statement / E-Statement million European Tour event on three over par 143, etiquette, in particular repairing divots and pitch marks. in the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open and finished as the the same score as China’s number one player, Liang st Over the past two months a notable increase in sand highest ranking Hong Kong player. 2. 1 reminder ...... (30-45 days) Wenchong. being placed in divots by members and guests alike has Finally, one last thank you to Mr. Abhinav Gorawara, who 3. 2nd reminder ...... (45-60 days) Seven professional players from Hong Kong were been very encouraging. We still need an improvement in kindly assisted us with allowing his home helper, Vimla, included in the field of 144, and Shinichi beat them all. repairing pitch marks, as well as the pace of play, and we st an Indian National, to teach the chef the art of cooking 4. 1 suspension ...... (60-90 days) hope you take notice of the new clocks on the course to true Indian curries. Vimla spent two full days in the help you gauge your time to ensure you keep up with the 5. 2nd suspension ...... (90-120 days) kitchen explaining the techniques and use of spices to pace of play. Well done create three wonderful curries. The curries will be on the 6. Debt recovery ...... (120-135 days) In this edition of the Magazine we have a new column special menu from January 1, 2011. Shinichi! authored by Richard Castka. I am sure you will enjoy his On behalf of the Management and Staff of Discovery Bay travel diary as a golf course and tournament photographer, The Club has made every effort to provide an efficient Golf Club we wish you all a belated Merry Christmas, a who has explored the most remote parts of the globe to Happy New Year and Kung Hei Fat Choy. system that allows you to make payment on time, capture amazing photos of the manicured clubs we can only dream of playing. However, I certainly don’t intend which includes EPS, PPS, Autopay authorisation, to visit North Korea for a round any time soon, which is Internet payment, and direct deposit to the DBGC something Richard has managed to do. bank account. If you have any enquires about the We recently staged a reciprocal tour to Japan with 25 payment methods, please log on our website for more members, and visited Keya Golf Club, Mizobe Country Sam Clayton details. Club and Kagoshima Kuko 36 Country Club. The tour was General Manager Please note that article 17 of the Club’s rules clearly “The overall clubhouse maintenance that the general Members do not see or notice is extremely good and rare for states: “If a Member takes leave from Hong Kong for a sporting club. The standard set in this club is equivalent to a 5-star International hotel, and I can vouch for my longer than one month he shall arrange to pay his comments as I have been in the housekeeping trade for 20 years” monthly subscription in advance”. “On behalf of my family, I would like to say just how much we enjoyed staying at and using the fantastic facilities at DBGC. We were your guests for 10 nights earlier this month and used the very comfortable facilities as our base for the family holiday in Hong Kong. To avoid suspension of playing rights and a subsequent Please pass our thanks to your staff, who were extremely friendly and hospitable. A special mention to the restaurant financial penalty please ensure that payment is staff, who I thought were outstanding and very patient with our two boys who are still learning about restaurant and received by the Club as per the information above. club etiquette! Also, to the Chef and his team, the meals we had at the restaurant were not only outstanding but great value. To have Club Management such a diverse menu and providing such high quality meals is a real talent. Whilst I was not able to find time to get on to any of the courses, from what I can see, they look in magnificent condition. Michael, your Club pro, was very kind in offering my eldest son some tips to assist with his developing game, whilst we used the practice range - we both appreciated his generosity and I look forward to seeing him at The Grange in Adelaide at some stage in the near future. Thanks again to all!

- 2 - Photo: Richard Castka/Sportpixgolf.com The J&J Golf Academy Bermuda Grass Facts Junior Golf Team By Michael Long Photo: Richard Castka/Sportpixgolf.com

Discovery Bay Golf Club has Bermuda grass greens grass. Soil temperatures above 18 degrees Celsius are

Photo: Richard Castka/Sportpixgolf.com (Tiffeagle), fairways and rough (419). Every winter the required for significant growth of rhizomes, roots and Management is inundated with Members’ concerns that stolons. Optimum soil temperature for root growth is also The J&J Junior Team kicked off in November. Our first The Academy will send out special invites to our keenest the “grass is dying”. Rest assured, the grass is in a state of around 18 degrees Celsius. after school tournament was held over holes one to five juniors. After paying a nominal fee they will receive J&J dormancy (so please reduce the emails …) on the Ruby Nine with nine youngsters participating. Team hats, shirts, ball markers etc. J&J’s goal for our While the greens might look dry due to the discolouration, Junior Team is not only to stand out in golfing prowess Bermuda grass is a warm season perennial species adapted the moisture content of the soil is constantly being but also to stand out by being polished in appearance and Taichi Kho won the premier division with an impressive to tropical and subtropical climates. It grows best under monitored. If the moisture content (over watering) is too conduct. even par score of 20 strokes. Martijn Ros placed first in extended periods of high temperatures, mild winters and high during dormancy the affects on the root zone will be division two with a score of 30 strokes. moderate to high rainfall. When average temperatures detrimental and will only lengthen the process to come J&J would like to thank the Discovery Bay Golf Club drop below 18 degrees Celsius the growth stops and the out of the dormancy period. Management and Committee, and Member Richard Van The J&J Junior Team has been in the planning stage grass begins to discolour. Protein fractions change in for quite a long time, so it was good to finally see the Den Berg and all the other parents for their keen support composition and reserve carbohydrates increase in the The great Aussie phrase, “she’ll be right mate”, could not programme take off with a competitive match. We now in making this significant step forward in the development stems and rhizomes. The roots and rhizomes of Bermuda be more true when it comes to growing grass. We know have a base of good young players who are ready to of junior golf possible. grass continue to grow for several weeks after the leaves what we are doing! take their skills to the next level. The J&J Academy will and stems stop growing. The end result is that the grass organize monthly tournaments and after school short The Academy has also received sponsorship pledges, blades lose their chlorophyll - the stuff that keeps them game training sessions to better prepare our players for which will greatly enhance the support that we will be The most critical factor during dormancy is the looking green, and results in a dormant / brownish-tan the many tournaments held in Hong Kong, China and able to give to the team including subsidising instruction recovery rate of un-repaired pitch marks, which colour. The grass will remain this way until extended abroad. and equipment. increases from 21 to 35-plus days. The best advice we warm temperatures return in the spring. can offer is that Members should repair pitch marks Leading Scores: 19 November 2010 Soil temperature, as influenced by air temperature, is also on the greens, as ultimately a well-repaired pitch Premier Division: 1,Taichi Kho 20; 2, Yannick Artigolle 26; 3, Chris Mun 27. important to the growth and development of Bermuda mark is the key to a quick recovery. Division II: 1, Martijn Ros 30; 2, Marshall Tory 28; 3, Phil Van Den Berg 32, Jay Han 32.

- 4 - - 5 - HEALTH AWARENESS R U S S I A N A R T

The World’s Best Driver?

Some time ago I was having yum-cha at Hong Kong Golf joking. He handed me his gold and diamond encrusted is an art project co-organised by King’s Gallery and Discovery Bay Golf Club. The project Club before an afternoon game, as a friend who is also a driver and I teed up my Pro-V1 on a simple wooden tee DISCOVER regular patient invited me for a game. peg. I went through my pre-shot routine once more and was initiated in April 2008, when a selection of Russian oil paintings and prints were displayed at DBGC. carefully let it rip. Some 300 yards later it was still going. My friend had also invited a Dubai-based business partner I have never hit a golf ball that far in my life - 350 yards, and his wife. The husband (I shall call him “D-man”) was in but OB! The lost ball and penalty stroke were well worth his early 50’s, overweight and had a packet of cigarettes in it! I handed the piece of jewelry back to D-man. “Great his shirt pocket. He excitedly talked about the new driver power Waverly, why can’t I do that?” he had bought in Dubai, describing it as “the world’s best driver”, and one that had cost him $30,000 dollars. We spent the rest of the round talking golf and in particular muscle and joint health. I educated D-man on the My friend then added: “That’s $30,000 US dollars”, and I importance of good muscle function, flexibility and fitness almost choked on my char siu bao! Forty minutes before as being prerequisite to the delivery of a well executed tee-off I excused myself from the banquet and went out to golf shot. I also was very diplomatic in acknowledging his do my customary warm up of stretching, practice on the good taste in the best golfing equipment, at the same time range and also on the putting green. as reminding him that the hardware is only as good as the My playing partners finally emerged from the restaurant health and skill of its owner. just five minutes before our tee time and we headed off to At the end of the round D-man understood why he had a the first tee. “Don’t these guys need to warm up?” I thought restricted three quarter swing instead of a full swing. He Fig.1 Fig.2 Fig.3 to myself. Maybe the new driver was technologically so thanked me for my professional advice on how to regain a advanced that a warm up was redundant. full swing through stretching and deep massage, and was At the first tee my friend insisted that I go first. I was surprised at my frank advice that if he did not change his The artist depicts the plants and demonstrates his mature already feeling a little nervous because I hadn’t played for diet and lifestyle he may be the next victim of a heart Good Harvests artistic technique. The leaves produce a fine colour a few months, and to make matters worse the Dubai couple attack. change, woven in a rich layer with blue and green, and also create an atmosphere of quiet mystery. Violet blue had matching monogrammed LV golf bags. Anyway, I Still-life paintings - an exhibition It was a great day out and it made me appreciate the old cloth placed on the horizontal texture of the wooden went through my pre-shot routine and launched my drive Chinese proverb that “Health is Wealth”. Diamonds may by Arkadi Zrazhevski platform produces a more unique composition. some 230 yards down the fairway and into the light rough. be forever, but looking after our health and wellbeing will Arkadi Zrazheski was born in 1962 and graduated from Phew! Next went my friend, who smashed a beautiful In Fig.2, the layout is a simple and elegant bouquet to automatically improve our golf game, even without the Moscow State University of Culture and Arts in 1988. Since drive 280 yards into the middle of the fairway – a perfect promote the main colour and description of the objects. help of the world’s best driver. And we 1992, Zrazheski has participated in a group exhibition, shot. The visitors looked on and were relaxed and calm as The painter selected the flowers in different shapes to might just live a longer and happier and since 2003 he has organised 14 solo exhibitions in if we were all out for a Sunday stroll or a picnic. observe and present their unique beauty. Three-colour life as a result. Moscow and other cities. branches of impatiens walleriana, yellow chrysanthemum, D-man pulled the driver from his LV bag and took off the Cheers to healthy purple asters and fresh tomatoes all have different matching LV head cover to reveal a diamond encrusted In 1993 Zrazheski was invited to become a member golfing, characters but are placed on the canvas in harmony. oversized head on a gold shaft – pure bling! My initial of the Creative Union of Artists of Russia. In 2002, he Waverly joined the International Art Fund and was selected as the In Fig.3, Zrazheski used a different approach to capture “Honoured Worker of Culture”. He was also the author of the charm of maple leaves in a bland environment. The “30 one-man exhibitions”. classical containers and table cloth with flower pattern thought was that the guy were delicately depicted to bring out the joyful colors must have shares in De Beers. He then Zrazhevski uses a wide range of subjects in his canvas. of Russian folk art. Leaves and fruits in gold and purple pulled out a golden tee and, believe it or Besides pictures of antiquarian utensils he also paints implied it was a season of good harvest. not, a golden golf ball. festive and lyric still life works with flowers, landscapes, nature and recognisable architectural monuments. Fine About King’s Gallery He addressed the ball with no pre-shot routine and then tastes and a decorative sense of atmosphere are the King’s Gallery Limited was established in 2006 and is “bang”, off shoots the ball with the sound of a canon - qualities inherent to the canvases of Arkadi Zrazhevsky. one of the most innovative galleries in Hong Kong. They landing only 150 yards in front of us, and just past the pioneered the practice of collecting paintings from a ladies tee. “Great shot,” I yelled. D-man stared right into Zrazheski’s works can be found in museums, galleries, promising group of Russian artists and carry one of the my eyes while retrieving his golden tee and yelled out banks and private collections in Russia, France, Serbia, DR. WAVERLY CHIN largest collections of contemporary Russian oil paintings “YEAAAAAS!” as he pumped his fist like Tiger Woods. “ England, Israel, Mosambique, Iran, South Korea, USA, in Asia. Russian paintings vary greatly in styles and genres. B. APP. SC. (CHIRO) R.M.I.T. AUS. Thanks, Waverly! - that’s the longest drive I’ve ever hit.” I Austria, Germany and Taiwan. Painting styles can range from Realism to Abstractionism, shyly replied with a half grin, “Awesome, mate!” Impressionism to Futurism. Each painting should give a New Zealander Dr. Chin plays to a Flowers (Fig.1), the overall colour of the painting is light, new impression of the mysterious world of Russian art. On the next hole D-man asked if I would like to try his handicap of 15 and has been practicing to let the wild berries stand out. The fruits are numerous in Hong Kong for almost 20 years. He is driver. I told him that my golf insurance only covered with flourishing foliage. Branches stretch to the quartet damage under HK$5,000, and he laughed, thinking I was a registered Chiropractor and founder of Diagnostic MyoTherapy™. with movement and vitality. www.kingsgalleryhk.com

- 6 - - 7 - G O L F E X C E L L E N C E Importance to scoring Considerations for the elite amateur

• Through ball technology it is possible to select the ball • All elite level players must have a plan for dealing that allows a player to make potentially compensation- with peer pressure/the need to keep up with others. free golf swings. Many young elite players succumb to the temptation to change equipment regularly – “it worked for him/ • Consistency in ball striking has been enhanced by the her”. consistency of ball construction and manufacturer • Manufacturer’s representatives appear at all major Technology quality control, while cover materials have reduced amateur tournaments and are charged with assisting the “side spin” deviation characteristics of the current “their” players and enticing more of the “opposition” and ball. players to change their equipment. • Equipment technology has significantly reduced injury • Elite players are not complete in their education at rates and through proper matching with strength and international level if their knowledge of equipment Equipment physical size of player it is now possible to select options and trends is not contemporary – they also better ball options for specific weather and course need to fully understand what is right for them. conditions. Considerations for the touring professional Golf specific measures • Sponsorship relationships can sometimes place a player in a position of using “non-competitive” equipment. How do we know our equipment is properly matched? • With appropriate knowledge and foresight players can more effectively resist approaches from manufacturer’s • Launch monitors – computer aided “coaches eyes” representatives or at least know what they need for that provide exact information about initial velocity, their game. take off line and trajectory, and also spin rates. • There is a perception that the elite players get the best • Coach observations about the effects of centre face equipment, and to quote Mr Eastwood, “a man’s gotta strike and divot patterns. know his limitations” – players are best counselled to put together equipment that is best matched for • Lie board testing. them, and then to work on their total package rather • Frequency matching of shafts. than spend time worrying about not having the latest driver. Technology vs. technique In this edition of the Discovery Bay Golf Club Magazine we would like to introduce to you What do you need to know? the fifth extract from the book “Golf Excellence”. The author is Dominic Wall, with the key There is considerable debate in the game about whether a During your growth as a golfer on your journey to becoming player should be counselled to “buy a game” rather than contributor for this edition being Andrew Bertram, who at the time of publication was the an elite player you will go through a number of sets of clubs invest in the time to develop a technique that produces including different irons, woods, wedges and putters. head professional at Yarra Yarra Golf Club, located in Melbourne’s famous Sandbelt. The sixth the same degree of control. It is highly likely that most of the clubs were customised extract (Spring 2011 edition) of the book will continue on from this very interesting chapter. Given the wide range of research and development across to suit you and your game. It is more likely that none of the many equipment manufacturers, issues arise about your clubs have ever been completely suited to you and “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”- T. S. Elliot manufacturer vs. playability – for example Tiger Woods your swing. played a Nike driver through 2002 and the first half of Why is it so important to have your clubs customised 2003, only to eventually return to what he thought was a and what difference can it make? The correct shaft and better performing (but not manufacturer endorsed) Titleist loft in your driver can mean an extra 25 – 30 yards off driver – elite players with manufacturer preferences do Golf equipment matching the tee with more accuracy as well. An incorrectly fitting not necessarily play with the correct equipment. driver can mean fairways missed and a reduced chance of There are some interesting ideas regarding golf equipment, ranging from traditionalists who want to stay with equipment performing to the best of your ability. used by the stars of their youth through players who blame missed putts on their now discarded putter, through to The issue of technology vs. technique (vs. strength and An ill fitting iron will eventually lead to swing faults as players who believe they are not competitive unless they are using the absolute latest release. conditioning programmes) can be best seen in the recent trend of players attempting to “buy” extra distance you adjust your game to be able to hit the ball where you Club technology is changing rapidly. Manufacturers compete aggressively to claim the title of longest driver, best-balanced through the new high coefficient of restitution drivers want it to go, and at the very least this will hold back your putter, least twisting shaft, etc. Elite players are paid large endorsement fees to use equipment, and sales graphs show (“spring faced”). development as a player if not stunt it completely. significant “blips” when named players perform well – everybody wants to play what he/she used last week.

Despite the daunting range of shapes, size, materials and costs there is still a culture of “playing with bargains” rather than being properly fitted with equipment. Elite players are now assessed on computer-aided “launch monitors” to achieve optimum equipment matching.

Then there is the golf ball. All golf ball manufacturers want to have the “most played ball”. The player is faced with a choice of trajectories, spin rates, cover compounds, landing characteristics, core materials, initial velocities, etc., etc. Systematic matching of ball and club to swing and strength / flexibility is still not the norm. Photos: Richard Castka/Sportpixgolf.com

- 8 - - 9 - RECIPROCAL CLUB PICTORIAL JOURNEYS

Historic golf Ticket to Pyongyang at its finest Pyongyang Golf Club Mount Myohyang

It’s not every day that you get an A late afternoon sun bathed the city Il-sung, including a bullet-proof car email from North Korea, so the one as we drove in from the airport where given by Josef Stalin. that dropped into my inbox early last children laughed and chased each year piqued my curiosity. The first other as they played football and tag The huge building was constructed to and obvious question was, how did in the city streets. look like a traditional Korean temple they get my email address? and has the most incredibly stunning Continuing the series of the land it occupied to The golf course is located next to a views from a roof terrace at the rear. introducing reciprocal the municipality of Delhi Having visited the country four years huge lake in an incredibly beautiful The location could easily have been clubs that Discovery Bay in order to finance its earlier on an FCC golf trip I had location in the foothills of a small in Switzerland. Golf Club Members can operations. forgotten that I had given my “guide” mountain range. The layout is good Within a few hundred metres stood my business card. On that visit I was but the fairway grass is longer than enjoy, we would like to 1,000-year-old temples, most of not allowed to take in professional golfers would normally expect, partly take this opportunity to Today, however, the club is which survived allied bombing during camera equipment and had to buy because the course sees only around introduce Delhi Golf Club. a favourite meeting point the Korean War, but some of which the best quality point-and-fire camera 20 rounds per week, mostly from the We have received many for Delhi’s wealthy elite, had to be re-built. then available. diplomatic corps. compliments from DBGC Members visiting this club, but it still plays host to high-level tournaments, including This was a memorable trip and one however one word of advice is that you need to ensure the . The sole purpose of my visit was to I would love to repeat, as I also you talk to someone who has either played the course or play and to photograph the one and stayed at a hot spring resort in a knows of the local traditions / culture prior to heading to In keeping with the fascinating history of the city of Delhi, only 18-hole course in the country. I mountainous area where I breathed the golf course is laid out on a part of India’s rich history. India. had seen pictures of it in a magazine the cleanest air I ever have in my 20 The course was located on land formerly occupied by the and desperately wanted to take my years of living in Asia. Delhi Golf Club is home to one of the oldest golf courses estate of Lodhi rulers, and so it is liberally sprinkled with own photographs of it. in the Asia region. The club was originally founded in the ancient tombs and monuments, many of which act as We “discovered” a brand new theme 1920’s and known as the Lodhi Club, and is located in the striking backdrops to several tees and greens. On the day we were supposed to play park on the final night of my stay, heart of the teeming capital city of 22 million souls. our itinerary was changed because a which looked like a mini Ocean Park. ladies’ tournament had been hastily While taking in the unexpected sights The ancient structures are not the only thing that makes a Off-course facilities include an open-air swimming pool, arranged by professional South Korean I visited the course three times a local reporter approached and round at Delhi Golf course seem like a walk back through health club and fitness centre, a pro shop and a restaurant players. When we turned up two days through the week to carry out the asked me what I thought of it. When colonial history. Colourful peacocks strut the fairways and bar. The club also has a nine-hole B course, used later the course was shrouded in photography work, which resulted I asked my guide why the reporter while partridge scurry around in the nearby bush. In fact primarily by beginners. cloud. Mission unaccomplished! in very good images, so much so that was interviewing me, the guide told each and every hole on the Lodhi Course has been named the 18th hole is featured on my 2011 me that I was the very first westerner after a local variety of bird. I responded positively to the email, The course, which is generally flat in nature and excellent international golf calendar. to set foot in the park, which had which basically said that the tourism opened that day! for walking, was originally laid out by the colonial British, In 1977 the 6,972-yard par 72 golf course was redesigned department would like my help in The sinking of a South Korean warship who integrated existing Mughal structures and tombs Richard Castka is a freelance by five-time British Open champion , and promoting the course as a “sports had occurred only weeks prior to my into the layout, most of which is cut through dense golf course and tournament in 1982 it received a major honour when chosen to host destination”, as it was felt that sports arrival and a trip to the DMZ revealed vegetation. troops in full battle dress, which photographer. He has lived in Hong the first ever golf tournament at the Asian Games. tourism would be beneficial to the DPRK. certainly got the attention of my Kong since 1990, and is the only The dense vegetation lines each and every hole, so golfers guides. photographer in the Asia-Pacific Thomson’s re-design paid tribute to the original course with an in-built slice or hook usually have a torrid time As such, a visit was arranged for region to hold full photographic looking for golf balls at Delhi Golf Club. architecture and was sensitive to the historical nature of the first week of June last year and I then spent a couple of days at Mount accreditation to the PGA European the layout. As such the course the members and visitors I flew to Pyongyang from Beijing to Myohyang where the International Tour. Richard is also a member of The club has undergone many changes during its colourful play today is more or less the same course that their be warmly welcomed by my guide of Friendship Exhibition is located. This the Laureus Sports Awards Media history, and at one point in time had to sell a third of forefathers played way back in time. four years earlier plus another couple is a museum that houses the tens of Selection Panel and a member of the of colleagues. thousands of gifts bestowed on Kim Golf Travel Writers Association. Photo: Richard Castka/Sportpixgolf.com Photos: Richard Castka/Sportpixgolf.com

- 10 - - 11 - THE RULES OF GOLF The Referee did not accept the argument and told Frost that such play was not reasonable. It was the official’s judgement that had the road not been there, Frost would not have used a stance that would place his left foot on the road. With the final pairing waiting on the tee, time ticked away as confirmation of the official’s decision was requested over the radio. It was deemed final, and Frost played the ball as it lay. His shot from this awkward lie came to rest on the road, from where he was then granted relief under Rule 24-2.

In such a situation, the Rules official must consider how the player would attempt the shot if the obstruction in question were not present. In a stroke-play situation such as this one, the Rules are there to protect the field and prevent an unfair advantage of one player over all the others.

INCIDENTS When the Committee declares an obstruction on an integral part of the golf course, it eliminates any argument Justin Leonard because there is no free relief. The most famous example of this is on the Road Hole at the Old Course in St Andrews. When a ball lies on the road immediately to the right of the green, it must be played as it lies. As the name of the hole suggests, the road has always been the most important element of the 17th hole and to allow relief would eliminate one of its essential obstacles. Thus, it is an integral part of the golf course.

At the 2005 Singapore Masters, the eventual winner, Nick Nick Dougherty Dougherty, benefited from a ruling at the 16th hole on the final day, while leading the tournament by a single stroke from . Since 1744, the basic tenets of the Rules of Golf have In choosing to take relief from an immovable obstruction, Dougherty’s tee-shot was pulled to the left and it appeared been to play the course as you find it, the ball as it lies the ball must be dropped in a place that avoids interference to have come to rest in a bunker with a large, sleepered and, if you are unsure of the proper procedure, to do by the immovable obstruction. Full relief must be taken. face made out of thick wooden planks. However, the what is fair. Harry Bradshaw held true to this spirit at the Payne Stewart learned this lesson in 1993 during the PGA Definition of “Bunker” in the Rules of Golf provides that 1949 Open Championship. Having shot a stunning first Tour’s annual stop in San Diego. any grass- covered ground bordering or within a bunker round 68 over Royal St George’s, Bradshaw was tied with is not part of the bunker and what had happened was that In taking relief from a cart path, Stewart dropped his ball Roberto De Vicenzo one stroke behind Jimmy Adams. the player’s ball had run through the bunker and come to in a place where, after taking his stance, the heel of his However, playing the 5th hole during the second round, rest on grass-covered ground just in front of the sleepers. Bradshaw’s ball rolled into a discarded beer bottle from right shoe was still on the cart path from which he was which the neck had been broken. taking relief. The television broadcast showed the breach The sleepers themselves were immovable obstructions clearly and Stewart was penalised two strokes for not and, if Dougherty’s ball had been in the bunker, his only Rather than requesting a ruling for the relief to which he taking complete relief from the immovable obstruction. options would have been to take relief in the bunker without penalty or drop outside the bunker, back on a was entitled, Bradshaw determined on his own that he The Exception to Rule 24-2 states clearly that a player line with the flagstick, under penalty of one stroke (Rule must play the ball as it lay. He took out his sand wedge may not obtain relief under this Rule if interference 24-2b (ii)). As it was, with the ball lying just outside the and made a swing, which shattered the bottle and moved would only occur through the use of an abnormal stance, the ball slightly forward. He took a double bogey six. bunker, Rule 24-2b (i) allowed Dougherty to ascertain swing or direction of play. This is one of the situations in his nearest point of relief from the sleepers outside the the Rules where a Referee’s judgement is called upon, as bunker and then drop within one club-length of that spot The result of his playing out of this movable obstruction David Frost learned during the final round of the 1999 not nearer to the hole. The drop put him in a much more was that Bradshaw ultimately tied Bobby Locke of South Open Championship at Carnoustie. favourable position, as sometimes occurs in free-relief Africa at 283. In the resulting 36-hole play-off, Locke situations, and he then played a superb shot to within scored 136 to Bradshaw’s 147, to win the first of Locke’s Playing with Justin Leonard in the penultimate group, three feet of the hole. four Open Championship tournaments. Frost’s drive at the second hole was a low hook into the high rough. Near the area where he would stand to play Dougherty commented, “I enjoyed a bit of good fortune Under Rule 24-1, because Bradshaw’s ball was in a the ball was a road. Frost argued to the attending Rules with the drop, but the shot I played then was the most movable obstruction, the ball could have been lifted and official that in order to play the ball, which was below his important of my career so far. I hit a class shot that cleaned without penalty, the bottle removed and the ball feet, he would have to widen his stance to such an extent pitched exactly where I wanted and the ball rolled close to dropped as near as possible to the spot directly under the that he would be standing on the road and, therefore, he the hole. I felt that shot gave me a valuable psychological place where the ball lay when it was in the bottle. was entitled to relief from an immovable obstruction. edge, with Monty breathing down my neck.” Photos: Richard Castka/Sportpixgolf.com Colin Montgomerie - 12 - - 13 - GOLF ETIQUETTE

Red and Can you see white stakes the group in front? What do I do?

Direction of play (for right handed player)

P2 x Measurement required to No? defermine nearest point of relief

B1

Dustin Johnson was penalised two shots after grounding Picture #1 shows the nearest point of relief for B1 is P2 his club in a bunker at the 2010 US PGA Championship (see Illustration #1). Any ball that is found on the grass due to his negligence of not understanding or making slope is to be measured to accurately to determine the himself fully aware of the local rules of Whistling Straights nearest point of relief; the nearest point of relief when Golf Club. This oversight ultimately cost him the right to measured could actually be higher up the slope and if this Prevent compete in a play off. is the case you would be better playing the ball as it lies or in some cases relief will be to the fairway side of the Unfortunately not many golfers read the local rules prior path. Slow Play! to teeing off. You need to ensure that you understand the local rules of any club that you visit prior to teeing off and The term “nearest point of relief” in Rules 24-2 and 25-1 the need to understand your own club’s local rules should in the case of a right-handed player Illustration #1 be given the utmost priority.

• Maintain your pace of play with the Club’s guidelines of 4 hours and 15 minutes for 18 holes. RED / WHITE stakes indicate cart path boundaries. • Monitor the pace of play time cards in golf carts. If the ball lies anywhere within the staked area, on the cart path, or in such a place that the cart path • Do not judge your pace on the group behind, look to the group in front and keep up. interferes with the normal stance or swing of the player, he may: • Slow play offenders who are officially warned by the club with three subsequent warnings within a 12-month period will be banned from playing or reserving tee times for a period of i) Play the ball as it lies or, ONE CALENDAR MONTH. During this time, the Member will not be permitted to enter Club ii) Lift the ball without penalty and drop it within one competitions. club length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole.

- 14 - - 15 - LADIES FEATURE

Another successful year for DBGC Ladies!

It’s been a fantastic quarter with beautiful golfing weather. We¹ve had many exciting and enjoyable tournaments, many of which have been held on our regular Thursday Ladies’ Days. I would like to share our joy with you all by putting more photos than words on these pages. So, camera rolling!

Rebecca Leung DBGC Ladies Captain

Championship Trophy 2010 Results

Division I Mrs. Roberta Tan (Winner) Ms. Rebecca Leung (1st Runner up)

Division II Mrs. Elizabeth Lam (Winner) Mrs. Peggie Yu (1st Runner up)

Division I & II Best Gross Ms. Barrie Law

Left to right. Ms. Rebecca Leung, Mrs. Elizabeth Lam, Ms. Barrie Law, Mrs. Roberta Tan, Mrs. Peggie Yu.

Results Millennium Trophy 2010

Division A Mrs. Chomploen Nikkel (Winner) Mrs. Sayo White (1st Runner up)

Division B Mrs. Monica Yung (Winner) Mrs. Julian Leung (1st Runner up)

Division A & B Best Gross Ms. Barrie Law

Left to right. Ms. Rebecca Leung, Mrs. Chomploen Nikkel, Mrs. Sayo White, Mrs. Monica Yung, Ms. Barrie Law, Mrs. Julian Leung.

- 16 - - 17 - SCHEDULE & RESULTS

Ladies’ Division Upcoming Events Winner Mrs. Betty Chung 78 Pts. 36 Holes Best Gross Mrs. Rungnapa Winchester 59 Pts. JANUARY 2011 Venue Runner Up Mrs. Sally Kim 77 Pts. 8 Mizuno Two-Ball Better Ball Stableford DBGC 1st Day Best Net Ms. Candy Lai 42 Pts. 9 Ladies’ Match-play - qualifying round DBGC 2nd Day Best Net Mrs. Yasuyo Nagatomi 41 Pts. 15 Inter-Club match - Teddy Valley Golf & Resort DBGC 16 Ladies’ Match-play – quarter final DBGC Men’s Match Play Competition 2010 20 Ladies’ Inter-Club Match (away) SOCC Winner Mr. Jay Won 22 Ladies’ Match-play – semi final DBGC Mr. Jay Won Club & Junior Championship 2010 - 27-28 November 23 MacGregor Bogey Competition DBGC Club Championship 29 Ladies’ Match-play – final DBGC Winner Mr. Jay Won 149 FEBRUARY 2011 Runner up Mr. B. W. Park 156 (won on countback) 3 – 5 Montrose Fine Wines Hong Kong Close Amateur 36-Hole Best Net Mr. William Chung 146 Net (won on countback) & Mid Amateur Championships 2011 HKGC 1st Day Best Gross Mr. Oscar Ho 78 (won on countback) 12 – 13 HKGA Inter-Club Championship (away) HKGC 2nd Day Best Gross Mr. Matajiro Nagatomi 78 23 – 25 The Hong Kong Ladies Close Amateur and The Hong Kong Ladies Mid Amateur Championships 2011 DBGC Junior Championship 24 Ladies Day Pairs Match-play - qualifying round DBGC Winner Mr. S. G. Kim 150 Mr. S. G. Kim Runner up Mr. B. R. Kim 158 MARCH 2011 36 Holes Best Net Mr. S. K. Leong 143 Net 3 Ladies Day Pairs Match-play – first round DBGC 1st Day Best Gross Mr. D. S. Koh 78 10 Carl Goldsmith Trophy (home) DBGC 2nd Day Best Gross Mr. B. H. Kang 78 15 Ladies’ Inter-Club Match (away) HKGC 24 Lady Captain’s Cup DBGC Chairman’s Cup 2010 - 4-5 December Winner Mr. D. S. Koh 141 Net Runner up Mr. Kimitoshi Hoshiyama 142 Net 36 Holes Best Net Mr. Stephen Ahmoye 150 Competition Results 1st Day Best Net Mr. Oscar Ho 68 Net Inter-Club Challenge - DBGC vs CWBG&CC, 1st and 2nd round - 9-10 2nd Day Best Net Mr. Jamo Lo 69 Net (won on countback) Mr. D. S. Koh October 2010 1st Round 2nd Round Discovery Bay Golf Club 4.5 points 1.5 points Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club 3.5 points 6.5 points Total Discovery Bay Golf Club 6 points Extremely Poor Visibility Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club 10 points S.O.D HKC Cup - 16 October 2010 The winter season is quickly approaching and we can only hope we do not see a repeat of the foggy conditions we endured Team Winner Hong Kong/China Team 331 points for the first five months of 2010. For the record we had 52 days of visibility below 150 yards during that period. Team Best Gross Korea Team 138 points Individual Best Gross Mr. Shinichi Mizuno 37 points Playing golf on foggy days is entirely a Member’s own decision, and is also at your own risk; the Club will not be held Individual Best Net Mr. Robert Peng 41 points liable for any injuries incurred in such conditions. Common sense must prevail, and if you cannot see further than the Team 1st Runner up Rest of the World Team 312 points distance you can hit the golf ball then you should ask yourself the question: “do I really need to play today”? Team 2nd Runner Up Korea Team 306 points Team 3rd Runner Up Japan Team 293 points If you decide to venture out into the “great white mist” please understand that the pace of play is not an issue on foggy Team 4th Runner Up U.K. Team 291 points days; in actual fact the pace of play is the least of our worries! You need to be Sensible, Observant and Diligent, (S.O.D) James Hui Cup - 31st October 2010 in all aspects of golf etiquette and follow the guidelines as listed below. Winner Mr. William Chung 66 Net Tips on safe play 1st Runner Up Mr. Y. H. Chin 70 Net 2nd Runner Up Mr. Motonobu Yanai 71 Net • Whenever in the location of a bell, please ring to notify the group behind Best Gross Mr. Y. S. Kim 73 that you are out of range.

Bertie To Jr. Memorial (Men’s Match Play Qualifying Round) • When exiting a green, announce in a loud and clear voice, clearly identifying Winner Mr. Jay Won 70 the green number and course you have just completed play on.

Anniversary Cup 2010 – 20th - 21st November • When leaving a landing zone, announce in a loud and clear voice, and clearly Men’s Division identify the hole number and course you have completed play on. Winner Mr. K. S. Lee 79 Pts. 36 Holes Best Gross Mr. B. W. Park 63 Pts. • If you are not sure of the whereabouts of the group in front, please request Runner Up Mr. S. G. Kim 71 Pts. in a loud and clear voice, “have you cleared the green”? 1st Day Best Net Mr. M. Yanai 36 Pts. 2nd Day Best Net Mr. S. H. Lee 40 Pts. Safety must always take priority over the speed of play

- 18 - - 19 - The Chef’s Scones

The long awaited return of the traditional English scone has arrived. The Club Management views the Chef’s winter special as a traditional delicacy and one that should not be devoured throughout the year.

The DBGC scone recipe is now in its third year, and critics have given the thumbs up to the recipe in previous years. The recipe was developed through a trial and error method (back of house) until we Jazz on the Green were happy with what we had created and would ensure consistency. The scones of DBGC have been compared to those at one Hong Kong’s finest hotels, a hotel that has long set the benchmark for Devonshire The Golf Club ventured into unknown territory in late was inspired by the cream teas (which include scones). According to this group of October by holding the first jazz event of its kind in rising full moon above Devonshire cream tea critics the DBGC scones have now actually the glittering lights Discovery Bay, an event probably unique to Hong Kong. raised the benchmark even further. of Hong Kong, and Jazz on the Green tickets sold out after only 10 days of played for more than If you are new to the Club or for some reason have missed the previous promotion and had an audience of 300 confirmed three 70 minutes to keep weeks in advance. the audience warm three years of scones and cream after a game of golf, be sure to call into from the prevailing the spike bar while on the ninth tee to place your order, as the freshly The event was always going to be a test of organisational elements. The body baked scones will take 20-25 minutes to prepare. This will ensure the skills for all departments at DBGC - the logistics of supplying heat generated by Chris and his electric style of Latin music scones are fresh out of the oven and on the table for you to enjoy after food and beverage, a sound system, transportation and ensured that no one would suffer from hypothermia! other infrastructure to a remote part of the golf course a cold day on the golf course! Despite the weather the night was a great success and we would prove to be a challenge. received many compliments in the days that followed, all For the Members that do not know what a scone is, this Scottish In the end the organisation was the least of our concerns, with praise for a wonderful evening. QUICK BREAD is said to have taken its name from the Stone of Destiny as an uncharacteristic cold front blew in four days prior Well done for putting on a great night on Friday. All the (or Scone), the place where Scottish kings were once crowned. The to the event. On the night a force 5 gale howled and arrangements worked great, the venue and food were original triangular-shaped scone was made with oats and then griddle- temperatures hovered around 13-14 degrees Celsius, outstanding and the bands very good. Judging by the baked. Today’s versions are more often flour-based and baked in an causing havoc for the bands, as sheet music blew away success of the night I am sure this will be the first of during the performances. This resulted in the bands’ using many! oven. They come in various shapes, including triangles, round, square every ounce of energy and experience to “jam” their way and even diamond. Once again, well done. through the frigid predicament they found themselves in. Thank you for organizing a fantastic Jazz on the Green DBGC scones are treated as a winter special, and are only served The first artiste to perform on the night was the delightful last Friday. We had a lovely time, good food - loved the between the months of December and March. They come with lashings Jennifer Palor. With her impressive blend of refreshing and cheese platter, great wine, wonderful bands (all different), of cream, butter and jam to make for a perfect afternoon tea. unconventional jazz, mixed together with a modern urban dancing, sitting on beautiful grass overlooking fantastic feel, Jennifer created her very own distinctive sound and views. Staff were very friendly and attentive. I’m looking Don’t miss out captured the attention of the audience as they settled in forward to next year already. One of my best evenings this for the cold night. The one-hour set was long enough for year. Jennifer, as the cold winds for this young Filipina beauty Thank you for a wonderful evening. Jazz on the Green was were all a bit too much to bare. The guests were only just excellent last night and I hope you do more of these events warming to her as she hastily departed for another show in the future. in Hong Kong (no doubt in the warmth of a Jazz bar). Dear All in the Golf Club, We were a group of approx. The second band, Allen Young Blood and Jazbalaya, played 25-30 people who attended the “Jazz On The Green” jazz in its true sense, even as the wind blew the sheet music arrangement you had last Friday, and we actually through the backdrop of pine trees. This resulted in Allen just wanted to let you know that we had an absolutely and the band using every part of their musical repertoire fantastic evening! The location with the amazing view was to put together a jam session to which the music critics in outstanding! The bands were great (especially the last the audience gave a thunderous round of applause at the band that played dance music so we could keep ourselves end of the one-hour set. warm) and so were your food and drinks arrangement (fresh and delicate) and the friendly and service-minded When Allen finished his set the scheduled 45-minute staff! So – please make it an annual happening as you can break between bands was filled by Chris Polanco & Azucar be sure of full support from a lot of happy D.B.’ers! Latina Band taking the stage to keep the restless audience Just to let you know, it was fabulous but freezing. Hope at ease, as the wind was now at force 6 and the temperature you are going to do it again, its just what DB needs. Maybe dropped even further. The change in plan worked well, earlier in the year? as Chris used all his energy and dynamism to hypnotize the audience in to a frenzy on the dance floor. The band Cheers and well done.

- 20 - - 21 - The humble lawn mower and its rightful place in golf

Jack Nicklaus proffered that modern mowers have not much different today than it was over 150 years ago. revolutionised golf more than any other facet or gadget of the game. How so, one may ask? Near the turn of the last century steam-driven mowers were all the rage, but small petrol engine mowers began Oh, the greens. Drive for show, put for dough. We’ve to dominate by the 20th century. Baskets to catch grass all heard that, and felt it wobble our wallets on the odd clippings, rollers to smooth turf and brushes to perk up occasion too. grass immediately prior to cutting became commonplace during this time. Originally, slashers sheared our treasured green islands while horse-drawn slashers attacked the fairways with With the advent of the modern reel mower, today we can vigour and abandon. The stimpmeter may have had decide to cut a green at 1/16th of an inch with a carbon trouble sitting level on the old greens let alone roll the old hardened steel tournament cutting bed knife using a ‘guttie’ eleven feet on a dry day. 14-blade reel sweeping up the tips of grass onto the bed knife at an astonishing 16,800 revolutions a minute. The lawn mower was invented in 1830 by Edwin Beard Budding, an engineer from the town of Stroud in central But what does all this mean to the golfer? Smooth surfaces England. Budding got the idea after seeing a machine and fair play - it’s as simple as that. As much as can be cutting cloth in a local textile mill. With some adaptation possible, today’s golfers have the best chance ever of a fair to move the cutter rather than move the cloth, the humble playing surface. Will that help your golf? Yes, but just as lawn mower was born. In principle, the cylinder mower is much as it helps your opponent!