Marta masters The Ladies
Jumeirah Golf Estates are up and rolling into the new golf season, and the latest edition of The Ladies took place over the Earth course earlier this week. The 18-hole individual stableford event was claimed by Marta Balaguer with 33 points, thanks to five net birdies and a scorching back-nine run. Joo Yun Lee (30 points) had to settle for second place, but a countback meant she finished ahead of Sylvie Martin.

Jumeirah Golf Estates

Sethi cools the Fire Course
Jumeirah Golf Estates held the September OMA Emirates Medalford, with a strong field of 91 lining up on the Fire Course. It was Vidur Sethi who to the September bragging rights with his net 66 meaning a two-shot win. The Gents Division A was won by Francisco Zini with a net 68 ahead of Alan McNamara on countback. The Gents Division B winner was Ravi Khanna with a net 69. Roma Khanna claimed the Ladies Division.

Al Ain Equestrian Golf and Shooting Club

Al Ain Par 3 Series returns
Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club welcomed the new season with the return of the nine-hole Al Ain Par 3 Series as Virginia Macedo topped the Ladies Division on Net 23, one ahead of Hannah Rudling and Nina Dordevic. The Mens champ was Jaco Oostheuizen (25), as Jackson Rapsey had to settle for second spot.

Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club

Thomson wins in Sharjah
Former Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club captain Rory Thomson claimed his home clubs Monthly Stableford with 38 points, one ahead of George Liu. Sami Butt took the best Gross score on 34.

Tower Links

Andy Nisbet RAKs up the points
There was also a Monthly Stableford at Ras Al Khaimah’s Tower Links, with Andy Nisbet prevailing on 36 points, racking up five more than second-placed Craig Mainey in second spot, after he scored 31 Stableford points over the desert and parkland layout.

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While the two other par 5s at AESGC offer birdie opportunities, the 10th, in stark contrast, more than lives up to its billing as stroke index 1. Even more skilled golfers will gladly take a par here and run to the 11th. From the hole’s length, to the various bunkers in play from the tee, to second shots and regulation approaches that must avoid the large lake guarding the front and the right side of the green, there is no let-up when you arrive at the hole we dub “the Beast in the East”.

Tee shot: Finding the fairway is the first challenge as any drive finishing in the rough, or even worse, the sandy waste area, will put you on the back foot for the rest of the hole. The landing area is relatively generous but as you approach 300 yards off the tee it starts to narrow so big hitters need to keep that in mind. The right of the fairway will lead to a better angle for your second shot; anything left will prove more difficult.

Second shot: If the fairway has been found off the tee, the next task is to move your second shot down the hole as far as possible. The two strategically placed fairway bunkers will be in your mind and both need to be avoided if you want a chance of hitting the green in regulation. Hugging the left side of the fairway is the prudent play as anything right will leave you a long carry over the water.

Approach: Even after two good blows you are going to have a mid-iron into the green. Hopefully, you are on the left side of the hole to make your line to the green a safer one that doesn’t require a carry over the lake. Anything coming up short or right is going to see you reaching into your bag for another ball. Missing in
the greenside bunker is not the worse play.

Finishing off: The green is generous in size and slopes steeply from back to front. If you find yourself just off the putting surface short of the green, be positive chipping into the up slope. Conversely, if you end up over the green don’t get caught out by the speed of the green when chipping or pitching from the back, as your ball can easily run further than you had imagined.

Once on the green, you still need to keep your concentration as the subtle breaks can lead to three putts. For a long putt, concentrate on lagging it close and avoiding a card wrecker. Par here is more than acceptable. – with Kent Gray

BE AT 1 SERIES:
Tame ‘Sea View’, stroke index 1 at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
Tame the 15th, stroke index 1, at The Els Club Dubai
Tame the 5th, stroke index 1, at Tower Links Golf Club
Tame the 15th, stroke index 1, at Yas Links Abu Dhabi
Tame the 7th, stroke index 1, at Dubai Hills Golf Club
Tame the 12th, stroke index 1, at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club
Tame the 13th, stroke index 1, at Al Zorah Golf Club
Tame the 5th, stroke index 1, at Abu Dhabi Golf Club

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The UAE club announced it had won the right to host the 21st Faldo Series Grand Final from November 27-29 on Twitter via club professional Tom Buchanan.

Fantastic news for all here @aesgc we can’t wait to host the grand final. @EGFuaegolf @WorldwideGolf @GolfDigestME https://t.co/A1ige7HHuX

— Tom Buchanan (@tompro66) August 17, 2017

It followed a similar tweet from the Faldo Series PR team:

The 21st Faldo Series Grand Final will take place at @aesgc in UAE on November 27-29 https://t.co/oidD0YcSkf … @NickFaldo006

— Faldo Series (@FaldoSeries) August 17, 2017

More than 70 juniors from Europe, the Middle East and South America, plus five winners from the 2017 Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, will contest the three day tournament at AEGSC, 90 minutes east of the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.

The event will carry World Amateur Golf Ranking status and Faldo will invite the champion in each age-category (three boys and two girls) to compete in the 2018 Asia Grand Final at his Faldo Design course in Vietnam, Laguna Lang Co, in March. The six-time major champion will also arrange for the overall male and female champion to play in a professional tour event.

‘I’m absolutely delighted the Faldo Series Grand Final will be hosted at Al Ain.,” Faldo said in a statement.

“Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club have proved to be terrific hosts of the Faldo Series Middle East Championship in the past five years with the players enjoying both the hospitality and golf immensely. The Series continues to kick on after 21 years and we expect the Grand Final to be the highest quality yet.

“The region is vital to growing golf globally and I’m certain the Grand Final will be a huge success.”

Faldo created the Faldo Series (open to players aged 12 to 21) in 1996 to pay back to a sport that has given him so much and  help identify and nurture the next generation of champions. The series has grown to 40 tournaments in 30-plus countries.

Past winners include Major champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng, plus tour winners Nick Dougherty, Oliver Fisher, Marc Warren, John Parry, Rashid Khan, Melissa Reid, Florentyna Parker and Carly Booth.

AESGC Chairman and Executive Council Member, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is understandably thrilled by Faldo’s decision to bring the final to Al Ain.

“As the Chairman of the club it is my great pride that Faldo Series Grand Final will form part of AESGC’s milestone. May this competition develop friendship among participants as each strives towards excellence as a golfer and may your passion for golf kindle our younger generation’s desire to engage in sports,” he said.

Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club has undertaken major redevelopment with the redesign of its front nine.

AESGC has undergone a major reconstruction in the past year with the front nine redesigned and modernised.

In a statement, AESGC said it had “placed junior golf at the heart of its vision with spectacular practice facilities and Academy course for all standards”.

It has hosted the Middle East leg of the Faldo Series for five years.

Josh Hill played some terrific golf to win the Faldo Series Middle East Championship by 4 shots @aesgc https://t.co/rntA3PDeln @NickFaldo006

— Faldo Series (@FaldoSeries) March 31, 2017

Shots from the final rd of the 2017 @FaldoSeries Middle East Championship supported by EGF at @aesgc Congrats to the winners! @GChappellPGA pic.twitter.com/ersnvw0fv0

— Emirates Golf Fed. (@EGFuaegolf) March 31, 2017

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Tackling an underrated course, high tech shooting range and the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class in Abu Dhabi’s second city
By Robbie Greenfield

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Sore hips, trembling hands and a score of 107. Yes, I could easily be describing one of my recent rounds of golf, but for once I was quietly smug about shooting more than 100. After all, this was the Al Ain Shooting Club rifle range and the targets did seem impossibly far away.

“Could be better. Acceptable if you’re a beginner,” was the verdict from Captain Atef Seoudy, a man who has shot for his country in not one, but two Olympic Games. It seemed that in this instance, 107 was equally as inept in shooting as it is in golf, which left me wondering whether it was time I gave up on target sports that require a steady hand and unwavering concentration.

At least Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club’s PGA professional Tom Buchanan was enjoying himself. The Scot posted a final score of 10-under  par in the MENA Tour Championship to qualify for this month’s Dubai Open, but I still think his one-sided victory in our clay pigeon shootout produced a wider grin of satisfaction.

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