Rory’s on the rise
Irish star Rory McIlroy has moved into second spot on the official world rankings, displacing Lee Westwood. Englishman Luke Donald still has a commanding lead at the top of the stats sheet while American Phil Mickelson’s run of recent form has seen him jump back into the top ten.
Australia’s Jason Day and Adam Scott remain in seventh and eighth respectively. Jarrod Lyle’s fourth place finish in the Northern Trust Open has seen him jump more than 100 spots from 357 to 235.
World Rankings
1. Luke Donald
2. Rory McIroy
3. Lee Westwood
4. Martin Kaymer
5. Steve Stricker
6. Webb Simpson
7. Jason Day
8. Adam Scott
9. Phil Mickelson
10. Dustin Johnson
Don’t forget!!
Make sure you get your entry into our ‘Play with the Stars’ promotion.
Thanks to our friends at Hilton Queenstown and Air New Zealand, one lucky winner will get to compete in the Pro-Am at the New Zealand PGA tournament at the end of March.
This is a money-can’t-buy experience that you will remember for the rest of your life. You’ll fly to Queenstown, stay at the beautiful Hilton on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and get to play in an event full of celebrities and professional golfers from Australia and New Zealand.
To enter, simply click on the banner above. Good luck!
Who’s the best?
It’s the question that divides golfing households around the country: what is the best course in Australia?
In the January issue of Golf Vacations, British Open winner Ian Baker-Finch weighs into the debate, selecting his top 10 courses in Australia. Will it be Kingston Heath? Will it be Royal Melbourne? Or will IBF pick a dark horse as the best track in the country?
Talking of great courses, we look at three of the very best in New Zealand, along with features on golf in such far-flung places as the Dominican Republic, Cambodia and Ireland. Back home, we list 11 top Stay & Play destinations in Victoria.
And what better way to start the New Year than by winning a golf holiday? We’re giving away a fantastic experience in Hamilton Island, one of the most luxurious holiday destinations in Australia. Also in the latest issue, your final chance to enter our fabulous competition to win a brand new set of Mizuno clubs and bag, worth AU$2,000. Enter online right now for both competitions by clicking the links above.
Great prizes, great features, great photos. Make sure you’ve got a copy of Golf Vacations this summer.
FIRST LOOK
Here’s a sneak peak at Callaway’s new EPIC campaign which is set in Las Vegas and features crazy golf stunts from the Callaway pros on some of the most famous locations - Bellagio fountain, Mirage volcano, Luxor hotel etc. This is the first campaign under new creative director Justin Timberlake, and marks a very different and exciting approach from Callaway.
Play Pebble Beach
If you watched the AT&T Pro-Am last weekend and dreamt of playing this iconic course, Adelaide-based travel company Golf Explorer has two packages to get you to California.
There’s a five-night package that includes accommodation at The Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach Resort with breakfast, four rounds of golf (including a round at Pebble Beach) and five days car rental. The package costs from AU$3,995 per person.
The 12-night California Road Trip package includes five rounds of golf, accommodation in Pebble Beach, the Napa Valley and San Francisco, and 12 days car rental. It starts at AU$5,195 per person.
For more information, visit golfexplorer.com.au
Good cause
Support a good cause when the Leukaemia Foundation Golf Classic takes place at Royal Melbourne on April 2. Sponsorship packages are available so why not join a variety of Australia's leading businesses in this premier corporate golf event?
The Leukaemia Foundation is the only national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the care and cure of patients and families living with leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and related blood disorders. The money raised will go towards funding free patient services as well as cutting-edge research into cures.
For more information, contact Meaghan Bush on (03) 9949 5803 or e-mail mbush@leukaemia.org.au
One for the ladies The inaugural Sanctuary Cove Ladies Golf Classic will be held at The Pines and The Palms courses between March 11 and March 13.
The three-day event will not only provide players of all levels with the opportunity to enjoy golf in a social, no-pressure environment, but allow competitors, sponsors and supporters to raise funds towards the Adam Scott Foundation. Money raised at the event will support the foundation’s current project to build a Youth Centre in Labrador.
Day one will be a fun foursome event, followed by two days of 18-hole competitions. No ladies golfing event would be complete without a little glamour so Sanctuary Cove will be hosting a meet and greet, including a fashion parade and entertainment as well as an official dinner and presentation barbeque. Café St Tropez will be awarding a AU$50,000 diamond for a hole-in-one, while an impressive diamond studded golf putter, proudly created by Calleija Jewellers, will be presented to the 36-hole champion.
Entry fee for the three-day event is AU$330 per person and bookings must be made by February 14.
Fun in Fiji
The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa is stylishly designed to reflect Fiji’s rich cultural heritage and local style. It is further complimented with the finest resort facilities, including the award-winning Heavenly Spa by Westin, a championship golf course, five swimming pools, complimentary non-motorised watersports and a host of other activities.
Golf Explorer is offering a new Stay & Play package that offers great value for money. Stay six-nights at the Westin Denarau and play as much golf as you want for just AU$599 per person (available for new bookings only).
This price is only available for travel until March 31, 2012 and includes private return airport to hotel transfers and free room upgrade.
Ocean’s Twelve
The Ocean Dunes Golf Club in Phan Thiet, Vietnam has extended anniversary celebrations into 2012 with an attractive new stay-and-play package.
The ‘Golf Package’ starts from US$75 per person and includes 18 holes on the celebrated Nick Faldo-designed course, caddie fee, a twin-share room and breakfast. This deal is valid until March 31 and booking is subject to availability.
"With our golf package, Ocean Dunes makes this experience available to anyone, through the Tet Holiday and beyond, whether they arrive from Shanghai, Singapore, Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City,” said General Manager Glenn Cassells.
