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Featuring the glory of Goodwood, sunglasses for ummer 2011, Golf Memorabilia, Golf in St Moritz and the all new Audi A7 TDi Quattro!
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JUNE 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 1
GLORIOUS GOODWOOD / SUNGLASSES / MEMORABILIA / MOTORING & MORE...
GOLF INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE JUNE 2011
GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 20112
If you were asked to picture a typical scene at Good-
wood then horsepower of some description proba-
bly springs to mind, either the four-legged or the
four-wheeled variety. This majestic estate set in the
sublime Sussex countryside hosts Glorious Good-
wood, the famous five-day horse race meeting every
July, bookended by the Goodwood Festival of Speed
and the Goodwood Revival, the largest ‘car culture’
events in the world and a double-whammy celebra-
tion of all things motorsport from the classic to the
modern. There are people, literally tens of thousands
of discerning people, who won’t miss these events
for all the tea in China.
Goodwood is truly one of the country’s great
stately homes. Originally a small Jacobean house
it was bought as a hunting lodge by the 1st Duke
of Richmond, son of King Charles II. Greatly ex-
tended over the years it is now worth visiting not
least to stand and stare at the art collection,
which includes breathtaking paintings by van
Dyck, Canaletto and Stubbs. That’s just the tip of
the iceberg at Goodwood, though.
“There is so much our customers can take advan-
tage of when staying here,” says Lord March.
“Whether enjoying a sumptuous private event at
Goodwood House, getting behind the wheel at the
historic Motor Circuit, taking to the skies from Good-
wood Aerodrome or enjoying the Goodwood Hotel
and its modern Health Club and Waterbeach Spa fa-
cilities, nowhere else in the world can offer such an
extraordinary and diverse range of luxury experi-
ences as you will find here.”
Fittingly for this regal location, you will also find
the Royal & Ancient game. Golf has in fact been an
attraction at Goodwood for more than a century, al-
though for much of that time it has been something
of a hidden gem. The original nine-hole course was
conceived by six Sussex gents way back in 1892. The
entrance fee and annual subscription was just one
guinea, but a lack of membership in any significant
numbers was a major problem until the sixth Duke
of Richmond’s family stepped in and saved the day.
It then thrived and in 1962 it became the Goodwood
Golf Club.
Lack of membership at Goodwood hasn’t been
a problem in its modern incarnation. A major ren-
ovation of the Downs Course in 2004 coaxed this
James Braid classic into the 21st century and de-
Golfer and motorsport enthusiast Steve Newell didn’t knowwhich way to turn at the Goodwood Festival of Speed PressDay. After a mind-altering passenger ride in Ferrari’s dazzlingnew 458 Italia, he had his senses soothed on the springy fairways of the Downs Course and spoke to Lord March about the good life at Goodwood!
Make a date at glorious Goodwood
spite the worst recession in living memory mem-
bership has since thrived thanks to the innovative
blend of traditional golf club membership and a
new Credit membership, which allows golfers to
effectively ‘play as they go’.
“In all honesty, the recession has probably helped
golf at Goodwood,” says Lord March, “as the flexible
and affordable Credit membership has given people
more value to their golf and meant that when they
haven’t been able to play due to various reasons they
haven’t been penalised with a standard golf sub-
scription. Our numbers have increased year-on-year
over the past three years, which shows that our
membership program is perceived in a very positive
light by the local golfing community.”
Lord March, who took over the running of the es-
tate from his father in 1994, has a passion for per-
fection and in all of Goodwood’s many showcase
events he skillfully blends traditional values with
modern accoutrements. The same principles have
been applied to the golfing experience. “If we were to
have golf at Goodwood,” explains Lord March, “we
wanted it to be the best, but also different and aimed
at a younger audience. I wanted golf to move on, to
take all the authenticity and history we have in our
various sports and deliver this to our golfing experi-
ence in a modern and exciting way, which is relevant
today. The Kennels, the clubhouse for our members
at Goodwood, is the physical embodiment of that.”
Very special it is, too. The elegant Georgian
façade of the Grade 1 listed Kennels clubhouse
built in 1787 for the Duke’s faithful hounds, now
houses a wonderfully stylish and contemporary
interior where members can relax and enjoy a
long lunch, supper, or homemade cake and a pot
of tea. In homage to the building’s origins, dogs
can become members, too. A collection of named
water bowls is lined up in the lobby!
“Golf at Goodwood is golf as it should be,” pro-
claims Lord March. “In other words, simple, flexible,
not in any way stuffy. Unusually and refreshingly,
there’s no dress code and, yes, we encourage mem-
bers to bring their dogs to the course and the club-
house afterwards – after all it was the Kennels!”
Golfers and their pooches will get equal amounts
of joy from a walk around the Downs Course. Dra-
matic changes of elevation in the valleys and hills
provide stunning views over the Chichester Plain to-
wards the cathedral and beyond to the Isle of Wight.
It really is quite uplifting and, as I discovered, you
can hit the ball quite poorly and still have a lovely af-
ternoon. Down the road and attached to the excel-
lent Goodwood House Hotel is the Park Course, a
gentler test of golf and one that meanders through
estate woodland with tree-lined fairways and small
greens.
The Downs should be your first choice, though. It
was considered a sufficiently stern test to play host
to the inaugural English PGA Championship last
year, which is apt, as there are surely few things
GOLF AT GOODWOOD
JUNE 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 3
Golfers who take advantage of Goodwood’s innova-tive membership program not only have two finegolf courses to enjoy but also access to the stylishKennels Clubhouse (left) in addtiion to the mainclubhouse (above). In addition to the golf, motorracing, of course, is central to the Goodwood experi-ence, the Festival of Speed (July 1-3) and the Good-wood Revival (Sept 16-18) being among the mostanticipated events on the social calendar
more quintessentially English than good old Good-
wood. The English PGA returns this year and a Trilby
Tour event is on the schedule, too (Goodwood mem-
ber Chris Dyson will be out to defend his title this
year). “The Trilby Tour is a great fit with the golf at
Goodwood ethos,” says Lord March. “It makes golf
more accessible and offers an authentic, yet edgy ex-
perience to players…a chance for amateur golf en-
thusiasts to play in a professional tournament.”
Immersed as I was in this world for an all-too-
brief 24 hours, it is impossible not to be seduced by
the whole Goodwood experience. It really is an ex-
traordinary place. And the enthusiasm of Lord
March is utterly infectious. Whatever he sets his
mind to, he does so with genuine passion and a re-
freshing hands-on approach.
So, I ask before I go, would Lord March be in-
spired to take up golf? “I am leaving that to my chil-
dren…or to my retirement,” he jokes.
GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 20114
1. Golf at Goodwood, the whole experience
playing The Downs course with the stunning
views and enjoying Horse Racing and Motor
Racing – what a great day out
2. 15th Hole Cape Kidnappers, Hawkes Bay,
New Zealand – the most stunning panorama ever
3. Seve winning the Open at St Andrews in 1984
– inspirational as he holed the final putt at the
home of golf. Even now it makes me feel good
4. The halfway house on the Marquess Course,
Woburn – relaxing interval with friends,
always special
5. Enjoying the hospitality of Peter Gammon at
Trevose and being invited to share in his
personal wine collection!
6. To be at Augusta and enjoy the special
surroundings taking in the Georgia Pines,
Azalea Bushes, White Dogwood,
Pink Dogwood – golf heaven!
7. Good customer service consistently delivered
at golf clubs. Sadly few and far between in the
UK, but there are some very good ones and
they know who they are (if not, ask me, I have
a black book listing the good and the bad!)
8. The Trilby Tour, one of the most exciting
innovations to be introduced into making golf
FUN – congratulations to William Hunt
9. The golf industry, a delight to be a part of from
members of clubs, to all that make a huge con
tribution to keep the cogs moving in the indus
try – club managers, golf professionals, green-
keepers, journalists, course architects...the list
is endless. See you all in the Red and White
tent at Sandwich for the Open!
10. My John Letters Golden Goose putter,
been with me for 40 years – thanks for
being there when I needed you!
Eddie BullockCAPTAIN PGA 2011 / DIRECTOR OF GOLF, GOODWOOD
MY PERSONAL TOP 10
Goodwood Golf ClubThe Goodwood Estate, Chichester, West Sussex
Tel: +44 (0)1243 755144www.goodwood.co.uk
* The Trilby Tour will be visiting Goodwood for thefirst time this summer (July 21) - for detailswww.williamhunttrilbytour.co.uk
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
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GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 20116
TAG HEUER ‘GOLF’With lightweight stainless steel arms that wrap aroundand hug the head for a comfortable fit, these new golf-specific sunglasses from TAG Heuer filter the perfectbalance of sunlight to enhance contours and depth. Guide: £210www.tagheuer.com/eyewear
SERENGETI ‘MAESTRALE’These Maestrale sunglasses are so lightweight & comfort-able you will not realize that you have them on. Featuring ex-clusive lens technology including photochromic & polarizedproperties, spectral control, anti-reflective coating and im-pact resistance. Fantastic for sport, driving and casual wear. Guide: £149www.serengeti-eyewear.com
SUNDOG ‘ATTACK’The Melanin infused lenses developed in conjunction withEssilor lens of France represents one of the most importantadvancements in Sundog Eyewear, with significant benefitsto vision. Mela lens filtration of the visible spectrum resultsin relaxed vision without the alteration of colours, actuallyproviding for better natural colour distinction. The result isimproved vision without fatigue – especially with bright sun-light and reflection from the ground. Guide: £59.99www.sundogeyewear.co.uk
Look on the bright side!Some might say the warmest April onrecord doesn’t bode well for the summer –but here’s hoping...
TAG HEUER ‘RACER’A combination of high-tech fittings and noble raw mate-rials ensure the RACER has all of the precision andperformance qualities that are the hallmark of TAGHeuer Eyewear. Available in 7 frame sizes and 6colours. Guide: £130www.tagheuer.com/eyewear
OAKLEY ‘FLAK JACKET’ (below)The ever popular Flak Jacket series features an inter-changeable lens design, so you can change your op-tics as easily as you change your club. The lensesfeature a permanent Hydrophobic™ coating that repelswater, oils and dust, the G30™ lenses actually enhanc-ing your depth perception by boosting visual contrast. Guide: £135;www.oakley.co.uk
OAKLEY ‘FAST JACKETS’ (above)A brand new edition to the Oakley range and worn by Oak-ley ambassadors Rory Mcllroy and the ever-colourful IanPoulter the Oakley Fast Jackets represent the next genera-tion of performance eyewear from one of the world’s lead-ing sports fashion brands. Available from May 2011.Guide: £190 (Polarized version £230)www.oakley.co.uk
SUNGLASSES
JUNE 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 7
CEBE ‘EYEMAX’This lightweight sports model offers a wide field of vi-sion and features rubber nose pads/temple tips andanti-fog ventilated lenses. The impact resistant 1500grey flash polycarbonate lenses promise 100% UVprotection while the flash mirror coating helps to elimi-nate any glare in bright conditions. Guide: £50www.cebe.com
8
ADIDAS ‘ADIVISTA’ (below)Engineered specifically for the needs of the golfer, thenew Advista from adidas promises easy adjustability andergonomically formed hinges for a perfect fit and wearingcomfort. With its newly developed lens, the LST™ Vario(Light Stabalising Technology), these sunglasses are de-signed to adapt to every light condition.Guide: £135www.adidas.com/eyewear
BOLLE ‘VORTEX’ (above) & ‘DRAFT’ (below)The Vortex is a new half-rim model which is lightweight,comfortable and extremely flexible. The 100% UV pro-tective B-clear lenses offer the highest optical clarity andgreat peripheral vision. The lenses are engineered formaximum impact resistance and feature a hydrophobiccoating keeping your view perspiration and dust free. TheDraft model offers the same performance in a smaller fit.Guide: £108www.bolle.com
NIKE ‘SHOW-X1’The shield lens Nike Show-X1 sunglasses promise grip,stability and comfort. They feature interchangeablelenses, adjustable temples and Nike Max Optics LensTechnology for precise vision at all angles. Ideal not onlyfor golf but many other sports. Frames available in a va-riety of colour options. Guide: £129www.golfsmith-europe.co.uk
ADIDAS ‘RETEGO’ (above)Developed with the help of adidas ambassador JustinRose, the Retego model bridges the gap between per-formance and fashion, delivering a confident look andcrystal-clear vision. The specially curved lens filters aredesigned specifically for golfers, providing a wide rangeof vision perfect for playing ‘side on’. Guide: £120www.adidas.com/eyewear
GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 20118
SPITFIRE GOLF BALLSWhat can you tell me about this box of Spitfire
golf balls, all of which are still wrapped.
Robin Foster, Glasgow
These Spitfire balls with a dimple pattern were
made during the early 1950s by the Golf Ball De-
velopments Company (GBD) in Birmingham, as
established by Albert Edward Penfold in 1927.
The Spitfire fighter plane was still a relatively
common sight in Britain’s skies and its name
continued to evoke nostalgia and emotions. And
what a great name for a golf ball, with its conno-
tations for ultimate control in the air! Although
they were low budget golf balls, GBD marketed
them as having ‘uniform accuracy’. Each ball was
wrapped in a clear plastic bag and I particularly
like the way in which the paint has yellowed, as
can just be seen here, creating a form of patina
that reflects the age of these balls.
VALUE: Although the Spitfire is not a common
ball, it is not especially commercial. When they
come to auction it is usually as single balls, with a
value per ball of £3-5. What is unusual in this case
is having a complete box of ‘wrapped’ 12 balls in
three plastic ‘Penfold’ sleeves in a near-mint box.
At auction its low estimate would be £40 and its
high estimate £80.
GASSIAT PUTTERThis putter has been in our family since the
1950s. What can you tell me about it and is it
worth anything?
Helen Ryan. Coin, Malaga, Spain
This wooden headed putter was originally
known as ‘The Chantilly Putter’, named for the
town in France that was home to its inventor, the
Marquis de Chasseloup-Loubat. It was first used
in 1911 but came to prominence during the
1912 French Open.
Golf Illustrated reviewed the putter in its Octo-
ber 1913 issue thus: ‘It certainly is a weird, not
to say, uncouth looking instrument. The head is
very large and nearly square in formation and
the face is shallow. The top of the shaft is not
round, but flat-sided and there is an extra thick-
ness at the top for the use of the left hand.’
Jean L. Gassiat (1883-1946), a 29 year-old
French golf professional based in Chantilly won
the 1912 French Open using the Chantilly putter,
beating Harry Vardon by a stroke. Soon after this
victory the putter became known as the ‘Jean
Gassiat’ putter. It was an overnight success and
everyone wanted the putter with its ‘Grand
Piano’ styled head.
The majority of the early Model L.C.L. Jean
Gassiat putters were made by W.M. Winton
under the British Design Registration Number
627,732. Other licensed manufacturers were
Slazenger, the Walter Hagen Company and – as
in the case of this putter – William Gibson of
Kinghorn.
Most Gassiat putters that I have seen have a
straight hickory shaft with a pistol grip (i.e. not
round but flat sided) at the top of the shaft. Our
reader’s Gassiat putter is unusual because it has
a shaft made from Danga wood and it has a rib-
pad grip, making the handle capable of being
moulded to the palm of the individual’s hand.
William Gibson was an advocate of Danga wood,
an expensive import from Africa and normally
only used for quality clubs.
VALUE: Considering that the Gassiat putter was
such a popular addition to the golf bag and was
being produced up until the early 1930s, I often
wonder why so few ever come to auction. A good
condition putter with the more common pistol
grip would fetch between £300 and £400. Our
reader’s putter is rarer still and, as such, would
most likely exceed £500.
LONGHURST LETTERPlease find attached a copy of a handwritten let-
ter dated 21st August 1977 that I received from
Henry Longhurst. Is this something that might be
of value and, if so, would you have an idea as to
what that value might be?
Alan Harding, Bourg Des Comptes, France
Our reader had written to Mr. Longhurst asking
him about comments that he made in a book
about the rigours of being a golf professional in
This issue, our auction-room expert Kevin McGimpsey highlights five of the most interesting andcollectible items to have caught his eye from your recent postings (and please keep them coming!)
(Right): The Spitfire ballwas a popular 1950smodel from GBD, thedimple pattern promis-ing ‘Uniform Accuracy’! (Below): A licensedmanufacturer of thewooden headed Gas-siat putter, club-makerWilliam Gibson madethis particular model –notable for the fact thatit is fitted with a shaftfashioned from Dangawood, an expensiveAfrican import used onpremium clubs. Thisone would fetch around£500.
What are these worth?
MEMORABILIA
9
earlier years and whether he still agreed with
them, in the light of the expansion of golf in
later years. Longhurst’s short and succinct reply
reveals not only great penmanship but his failing
health at the time:
Lost the use of a lung and am rather feeble, so
not too much. I certainly think that first the motor
car, then television, have caused the so called
‘golf explosion’. The pro’s are unbelievably lucky
by comparison with when I came in. So glad you
liked the book. Good pictures anyway! Henry
Longhurst.
Henry Carpenter Longhurst (1909-1978) was a
renowned British golf writer and radio/television
commentator. During a family holiday in 1920 in
Devon he had first taken to golf playing on a
three-hole course on a common. A natural
sportsman, he quickly became hooked and
within eight years had become Captain of the
Cambridge University Golf Club.
Longhurst started writing for a monthly golf
magazine called Tee Topics and came to the at-
tention of the editor of the Sunday Times who
invited him to contribute to the sporting page.
He then became the golf correspondent of the
Sunday Times, and retained that position for 40
years. From the late 1950s to the mid 1970s he
was also the BBC Television’s senior golf com-
mentator.
Some notable Longhurst sayings over the
years include:
“If you call on God to improve the results of a
shot while it is still in motion, you are using ‘an
outside agency’ and subject to appropriate
penalties under the rules of golf.”
“They say ‘practice makes perfect.’ Of course,
it doesn’t. For the vast majority of golfers it
merely consolidates imperfection.”
VALUE: Henry Longhurst wrote several golfing
books, great to read even today but they tend to
perform poorly when sold at auction. However
there is something rather novel in owning one of
his signed letters but I wouldn’t expect it to sur-
pass £100 at auction.
BRONZE PLAQUEI found this recently in a junk shop. It was in a
pretty distressed wooden frame and was filthy. I
bought it for £40 because of the golf factor. I
can’t find out anything about it...
Simon Bates, Hemel Hempstead
The scene shows a rather pensive King Charles I
in 1642 who has stopped his game of golf to
read a letter that tells him that the Irish Catholic
gentry had launched a coup and that hostilities
had begun. The scene is taken from an 1875
painting by Sir John Gilbert (1817-1897), a much
respected artist, illustrator and engraver. We
know that the links in question were at Leith a
municipal burgh to the north of Edinburgh; not
an eighteen hole course then but five holes
which each player went round twice in a game.
The bronze relief plaque, measuring 7½ x 5
inches is an exact replica of Gilbert’s painting.
Charles I is seen centre stage with the letter; the
messenger is on his knees and the King’s playing
partners can be see looking on. Two caddies
have between them at least ten long-nose woods
and irons; the King has dropped a wood onto the
fairway and in
the dis-
tance two
other
golfers
are ‘chas-
ing’ after
their feather
golf balls. Even
having received such
bad news, Charles I has
enough character to continue his
game.
I don’t know who made the plaque but it
would have been mass-produced in the 1920s
as a purely decorative object, presented in a
dark oak frame, ready for hanging.
VALUE: These plaques always sell well at
auction and are sought after by not only
golf but military historians and Royal
memorabilia collectors. I would expect
a sale figure of £400-plus.
GOOSE-NECK IRONWhat can you tell me about this rather unusual
iron – was it designed to look like this?
Terry Lambert, West Ham, London
The iron club had developed with the introduc-
tion of the harder gutta-percha ball in the 1850s
and soon there were available specific clubs for
certain shots. Those of us who have a tendency to
shank may take some solace from the fact that
golfers have been cursed with that shot since the
early days of the game. And in the early 1890s,
two inventors decided to do something about it!
Francis Archibald Fairlie patented the first of
the so-called ‘anti-shank’ iron clubs (#6,681) in
1891. In 1894, a second was marketed as the
‘G.F. Smith Patent’.
The idea behind the club was to produce an
iron with no neck area between the blade and
hosel (a miss-struck shot can come off the shank
or neck of the hosel). Smith's hosel was bent in
goose-neck fashion so the blade edge was lined
up under the shaft.
Be aware that the face of this Smith Niblick is
smooth; it was only in the early 1900s that the
club maker or club professional (in this case
William Marshall of Onwentsia, Chicago) would
make markings on the face to help to get the ball
into the air. The clover mark denotes the actual
maker of this club, Spence & Gourlay, a club
making firm that operated out of St. Andrews.
VALUE: The market for unusual and patent
clubs made at the end of the 19th and be-
ginning of the 20th Centuries remains
healthy. However anti-shank irons such
as this Smith Niblick are relatively
common, so it would sell at auction
for between £50 and £100.
Do you have an item of golfing memorabilia you would like Kevin to appraise? If so, send
your letter and best possible photographs to Kevin McGimpsey at this address:
PO BOX 120, Deeside, Flintshire, N. Wales. Alterna-tively, email him with with jpegs:[email protected]
(Left): A hand-written notefrom the doyenof British golfbroadcastingand journalismHenryLonghurst;(right): Thisbronze showsa pensive KingCharles in1642.(Below):
JUNE 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM
FOR THE SEASONED TRAVELING GOLFER,
transport sets the tone for the trip, so when I ar-
rived at St Moritz railway station to find a chauf-
feur-driven Rolls Royce waiting to whisk me up
to Badrutt’s Palace Hotel – all of 800 yards away –
I knew right away that this was no ordinary golf-
ing weekend.
I had flown into Zurich a few hours earlier and
taken a train for the two-hour journey south. In
my experience, rail travel and golf bags can be a
tricky combination, but, this being Switzerland, it
all went like clockwork.
Six thousand feet up, St Moritz is the latest
Alpine skiing destination to make a pitch for the
lucrative summer golfing market. Their boast
that ‘golf balls fly higher at altitude’ obviously
needed verification, so I had accepted an invita-
tion to play in the hotel’s annual competition for
heavy hitters.
Founded by a committee of Brits in 1893,
Samedan is the oldest course in Switzerland and
one of the first clubs to be recognized in conti-
nental Europe. With the famous Cresta Run, cre-
ated by thrill-seeking English tobogganists in
1884, just above the town, and two Winter
Olympic Games in the mid-twentieth century, St
Moritz has an impressive sporting pedigree.
GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 201110
ST MORITZ SAMEDAN – SWITZERLAND’S OLDEST COURSE
High on St MoritzSt Moritz might be thecelebrity skiers’ favourite, butcan its two courses rival itsCresta Run and many pistes?Peter Swain hits the slopes
Courses in Switzerland are
playable from June through to
September, and if you time it
right the colourful Alpine
blooms will be out in force
TRAVEL / SWITZERLAND
JUNE 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 11
High on St Moritz
The Engadin valley in southeast Switzerland is
where the Gnomes of Zurich come to play. I al-
ways thought the country had three official
tongues – French, German and Italian – but here
they speak a fourth, Ramansch, a sort of modern
Latin. But in any language, money talks. St Moritz
has more jewelry and fur shops than you can
shake a cocktail stick at.
The night before battle commenced, I hunkered
down with my hosts in the Palace bar, where cigar
smoking is not only permitted but positively en-
couraged. Very civilized. The unashamedly old-
school five-star hotel is perched high above the
lake with stunning 360 degree views of snow-cov-
ered peaks, even in high summer.
Next morning revealed the 6,800-yard course to
be the flattest piece of land for miles around,
which is doubtless why it was built here in the
first place. The main hazards are not the hills but
the pleasantly burbling alpine brooks and lakes
that inundate the 18 holes. Unfortunately, on tour-
nament day, they were being topped up by torren-
tial Celtic Manor Ryder Cup-style rain, so a second,
clubhouse breakfast was the order of the day.
One of the great pleasures of playing in a lo-
cale as civilized as St Moritz is the range of com-
pany the roving golfer encounters. There were
Swiss, Germans, Italians, French, Americans and
myself, united by a slightly unhealthy obsession
with golf, and all speaking English. While the pro
shop did a roaring trade in wet-weather gear, we
fortified ourselves with hot chocolate, croissant
and expansive talk.
When we eventually started, most of the pistes
down which skiers hurtled in the 1928 and 1948
Games were shrouded in low cloud. No matter:
even though the fairways were in good shape and
the old-fashioned greens flat and true, staying out
of the water hazards needed full concentration.
Judging a course while playing in steady rain is
not easy, but with plenty of doglegs around fir
trees, and water everywhere, Samedan is a tough
challenge from the tips, if a tad easier from the
rather generous ladies tees. A couple of the par-
fours are reachable for longer drivers, which
brings us to the main question: do the balls in
fact fly further at 6,000 feet? In heavy rain, er, no.
More research in clearer weather was called for.
St Moritz is a relatively conservative if very
stylish resort. After we dried out, we repaired to
the hotel’s farmhouse restaurant next door,
Chesa Veglia, for something hot and cheesy, then
on to the town’s famed sybaritic hot spot, Drac-
ula, where the celebrity après-ski crowd hang out
in the season.
There are two courses in the Engadin. The newer
one is 10 miles down the valley at Zuoz. Built in
2003 and referred to as the ‘youngster’, with a
slightly lower green fee than its august neighbour, I
played it in glorious sunshine the following day,
and actually preferred it. When golfing in the Alps, I
want dramatic elevation changes on the course, and
the Madulain track has them in spades.
Hilly without being over the top – think St Mellion
with Eidelweiss rather than gorse – the front nine is
no more than a gentle ascent to base camp. A snack
at the halfway house is recommended because the
real crampon work is all on the back nine.
The tee at the 15th is up such a steep path, a
local life insurance company, clearly familiar with
the actuarial odds, has helpfully supplied a
buggy just to get players up and down without
too many heart attacks. At sea level, you might
not break sweat, but in the thinner air, I was re-
duced to a panting wreck. (Note to self: maybe
cut down on the cigars.)
And yes, the balls do indeed fly further at
6,000 feet – difficult to put an exact figure on it,
but maybe as much as 10%. If a humble mid-
handicapper can reach a 400-yard par-four with a
drive and a pitching wedge, something’s going
on. Of course, my slice became even more deadly,
but attacking greens with shorter irons is always
helpful. It was a blast.
There are, of course, other scenic Alpine
courses, but these have to be two of the most
spectacular in the region. If you like a choice of
challenging set-ups, mountain climbing and good
company with a touch of flat-out luxury and a
good nightlife, St Moritz is tough to beat.
The courses are open from May or June to Sep-
tember and, given the short season, are in ex-
traordinarily good condition. Badrutt’s Palace is
one opulent option but there are plenty of
cheaper alternatives.
Suffice it to say, I didn’t win, which meant the
prize of a £10,000 Chopard watch went, surprise,
surprise, to a Zurich banker. Luckily, Mrs Swain
likes Swiss chocolates.
GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 201112
FACT BOX
Return flights with Swiss Air: from £112
Train, Zurich St Moritz return: £75
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel
3 nights B&B: £447 per person
based on two sharing
Green Fees: average £50
www.badruttspalace.com
Engadin Golf Packages
3 nights B&B at a cheaper local hotel
3 green fees, £285 all up (without travel)
www.engadin-golfhotels.ch
Two hours south of Zurich, St Moritiz may be an
unlikely golfing destination, but with views like this
what are you waiting for? Situated in the Engadin
Valley, Samedan (above & right) is Switzerland’s
oldest course. A newer course, Zuoz right), 10
miles away, shares in the Alpine theme and – if
anything – is the more interesting test of golf with
a number of serious elevation changes
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INTRODUCING THE NEW ALLSRIXON Z-STAR GOLF BALL
So, accepting the fact that it provided
us with yet another Bank Holiday op-
portunity to jam soil under the finger-
nails and bellow at the kids, how was
it for you?
At the time of writing, the Royal Wedding is
still a week away. But, by the time you read this,
the pomp, circumstance and Kleenex will have all
been packed away until it’s Harry’s turn, and the
only thing fascinating about the myriad fascina-
tors inevitably on display remains the question of
how it’s humanly possible to spend so much on a
scant fistful of feathers that resembles nothing so
much as a freshly shot crow.
Giggling in church is utterly addictive, and the
opportunity to have a seriously good belly laugh
over the hats has always been the best thing
about attending a wedding. Let’s hope the friends
of the Windsors did not disappoint.
One of the more fascinating aspects to the
build-up, however, has been the incendiary grump
of one particular national newspaper at the news
that one of those friends, Audi’s head of public
relations in the UK, secured himself a berth at the
wedding breakfast.
Somewhat disingenuously sidestepping the
fact that having spent a small fortune over the
years in sponsoring their annual charity polo
matches and a slightly larger fortune in donations
to said charities Audi’s PR boss has inevitably be-
come quite matey with the Princes, what ruffled
the feathers of this particularly right wing branch
of the Fourth Estate appears to be the news that
most of the royal family currently biff about in
Audis and that, though they do pay for them,
they receive – gasp – a discount. Outrageous…
Same as it ever was; Audi has long pandered to
celebrities and VIPs with favourable lease or pur-
chase terms and there’s absolutely no doubt that
the resultant ‘halo’ effect has much to do with the
company’s UK sales currently going through the
roof. Man Does Job, shock, horror…
Indeed, one can only speculate as to just how
hard the likes of luxury rivals BMW, Mercedes and
Jaguar (anyone remember Jaguar?) are now kick-
ing themselves that, when it comes to putting
noteworthy bums on seats, Audi appears to have
cornered the market. Because, let’s face, if you’re
a premium segment car manufacturer these days,
you really do need an edge…
After decades of carefully crafted Ultimate
Driving Machine marketing, BMW opted for the
‘radical design’ route under Wisconsin wun-
derkind Chris Bangle, who baffled all and sundry
with talk of ‘paradigm shifts’ whilst describing
creased bodywork as ‘flame surfacing’ and (best
of all) daytime running lights as ‘optical wave
guides’.
With most of the results now resembling up-
turned, clinker-built boats with interiors exuding
more than a whiff of the brash American, this ap-
proach has not found universal favour. Such re-
mains the power of the brand, however, that it
doesn’t seem to matter to most blue and white
propeller aspirants, who’ll still buy anything thus
badged that’ll take polish.
BMW’s argument that ‘something had to
change’ appears to cut no ice with Mercedes,
which, rather, has simply focused on putting back
a deal of the money they so blatantly sucked out
of the build process a few years back, to remark-
ably good effect.
Jaguar, meanwhile, under designer Ian Callum,
has proved immensely successful at melding the
startlingly new with enough styling tradition to
both attract a new, younger breed and keep its
ageing, diehard customer base happy, and seems
now to lack only a marketing budget the size of
Audi in the UK.
All of which leaves Audi very much in the driv-
ing seat with cars which – despite the unnecessar-
ily brash Big Grille which still reminds me of an
inflatable doll wearing chrome lipstick – remain
relatively discreet and ideally anonymous in com-
parison to most of the competition. Let’s face it, a
second glance is the last thing any royal would
wish for when out and about incognito…
Now, accepting that the happy couple will have
GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 201114
AUDI A7 3.0 TDI Quattro SE S-tronic
With a marketing strategy that has seen the ultimate in productplacement, Audi has elevated its status in the world of luxury refinedmotoring. And in the delectable shape of the A7 Quattro it boasts oneof the finest saloons a lot of money can buy, as Gi’s correspondentAnthony Ffrench-Constant reports
Audi excels in the art of discretion
been cramped by ceremony into relying on horse-
power of a somewhat more traditional nature,
Audi’s only opportunity to shine on the day itself
must have come in the guise of the going away
car. And with new models currently thicker on
the ground that ticks on a sheepdog, the newly-
weds will have hardly been hampered by choice.
Easily the classiest small car around at the mo-
ment (amazing what a difference a simple lick of
contrasting paint to the roofline makes); the A1
might make an appropriately parsimonious state-
ment. However, though a recent slog to Newcastle
revealed it to be surprisingly comfortable over a
long haul, I doubt the A1 would boast the luggage
capacity appropriate to a freshly shackled bride.
Besides which, given the persistent insistence of
the sat’ nav’ in the specimen I drove that the Tyne
be crossed via the wholly pedestrian Millennium
bridge, the risk of first night marriage consumma-
tion failure is, perhaps, too great.
The most recent addition to the Audi fleet and
seven years in the making, the largely flawless
A6’s only failing is that it seeks to appeal to the
broadest possible customer spectrum by being so
utterly anonymous that it is, frankly, almost too
anonymous. A perfectly decent drive albeit, it’s
far more of a technological tour de force than any-
thing of a thrill to helm, having rifled the A8’s on-
board equipment parts bin so rigorously that the
only reason to now buy the latter is a requirement
for greater cabin space.
So with Prince Charles already ensconced in an
A8, and the disappointing A5 Sportback serving
as proof that even Audi can, on occasion, find it-
self with sand in the Vaseline, my prediction is
that it was an A7 in which the newlyweds finally
slunk away from Buck House.
Its looks marred only by the size of that front
grille, the A7 is the best looking car Audi has pro-
duced since the entirely handsome A5, and is no-
tably gorgeous when viewed from anywhere
astern. On board, all is exactly where you left it in
your last Audi, which means it’s extremely well
screwed together, good looking, ergonomically ex-
cellent and properly comfortable. The only glitch
being the propensity for a pale beige coloured
parcel shelf to reflect so strongly in the steeply
raked rear screen that you absolutely cannot see
out by day…
As with the more recent A6, technology is all
important, and the A7 may be loaded to the gun-
wales with diverse multimedia interface systems
which, with such goodies as the inclusion of web
links to Google, will turn the car into little short of
a fully-functioning mobile office. Personally, I can
think of little worse than escaping the office to go
for a drive in a car which doubles as an office, but
many will surely find such a facility invaluable.
Audi does tend to overload its press cars with
toys; in the case of the 3.0 TDI Quattro SE S tronic
I drove, to the tune of some £25,775 over the
basic asking price of £47,200. You pays yer
money….
A head-up display which fills the base of the
windscreen with information such as speed and
navigation instructions annoyed me terribly until
I discovered how to switch it off. At which point I
missed it so much I promptly reinstated it. Sug-
gesting that you can, however, have too much of a
good thing, a fiddly seat massage control system
proved even more annoying, relentlessly pum-
melling my already perfectly comfortable
anatomy every time I tried to merely adjust the
lumbar support.
Most expensive by far of the options fitted was
a Bang & Olufsen sound system which demands a
wallet-fleecing £6300 for the privilege of watching
the tweeters ooze ICBM-like from the dash top
every time you start the car. Granted, the sound is
wonderful, but no more so than the far less pricey
Mark Levinson systems of Lexus fame.
If, as is now often averred, we’re becoming in-
creasingly more interested in on-board ‘infotain-
ment’ than we are the actual driving experience,
then it’s high time many of these expensive op-
tions were fitted as standard in premium models
such as this. And, buying an A7, I’d be particularly
miffed to discover that the £590 delivery and
number plate charge includes only ‘half a tank of
fuel’. Now that’s just petty.
With 367 lb.ft of torque summoning 62mph in
just 6.3 seconds, it goes without saying that
Audi’s silky 3.0 V6 turbodiesel provides pretty
much all the thrust you could ever wish for, and
the 7-speed automatic transmission is slush per-
sonified. However, despite the fitted option of
adaptive suspension, the straight line ride is too
tough to be deemed appropriate to a cabin which
aspires to these high levels of comfort.
Protestations of over tough ride quality remain
the norm in the case of most Audi’s, and the com-
pany seems reluctant to pander to (presumably
largely British) requests to soften their approach
on this front. A pity, since it often mars the in-
creasingly sublime Audi experience.
Still, if leaving the Palace in an A7 constitutes
the bumpiest ride the royal marriage will suffer,
then all bodes well for their future.
MOTORING
JUNE 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 15
While the over-sized front grill may irk the occa-sional motoring journo’, you can do nothing butdrool over the rear view of the A7. Onboard, it’spure Audi, the ergonomically excellent cabin con-cealing every conceivable technology – at a heftyprice should you lean on the frills and extras
...the A7 is the best lookingcar Audi has producedsince the entirely handsomeA5, and is notably gorgeouswhen viewed from any-where astern. On board, allis exactly where you left itin your last Audi, whichmeans it’s extremely wellscrewed together and prop-erly comfortable...