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THE GRAND FINAL 2007
As we boarded the aircraft for our return journey from
Malaga my comment was ‘the diet starts here’. On
reflection maybe it should, because we had just
experienced a relative feast of good living in a great
golfing location with the Grand Final of the MWP/FFI
2007 Golf Tournament and over the weekend a Rugby
World Cup Final and Grand Prix.
We had spent four days at the H10 Hotels Andalucia Plaza
in Puerto Banus, Marbella. The hotel is palatial with
marble floors, beautifully appointed rooms, relaxing
gardens, pools outdoor and in, Jacuzzi, sauna and Casino.
Our six teams of winning finalists and sponsors arrived on
Thursday and met at 7pm to make the introductions, dine
together and find out about the tee times and first course.
Although there were some familiar sponsor’s faces the
regional competitions had provided new finalists again
this year, and all were eager to enjoy two very different
golf courses.
The next morning it was warm, so polo shirts and shorts or
slacks were the dress code even though the clouds were
gathering in the mountains.
FRIDAY - Monte Mayor (18 holes, par71, 6179yds)
This is a spectacular course designed by the legendary
architect Pepe Gancendo and featuring breathtaking views
on every hole. The course meanders through a mountain
valley, with ravines and gullies, winding streams, raised
trees and plateau fairways. They say that fortune favours
the brave on this course. I believe that all our players were
pleased it was not the course for the Final, although it
made for an enjoyable day of golf with the benefit of some
cloud and a breeze to keep everyone relatively cool. To
make it more interesting there was still an element of
competition with prizes awarded later for the ‘Longest
Drive’, ‘Nearest the Pin’ and ‘Best Aggregate of Par 5s’.
THE 2007 FINALISTS
MIDLAND AEROSPACE ROTHERHAM CNC LTD
Michael Snell & Ian Tinkler Neville Barrett & Tony Barrett
BRIDGEFORTH SIMPLEFIT
Peter Clouston & Andrew Irvine Jason MacDonald & Kevin Fryer
TRELLEBORG TAMA UK
Gary Mansfield & Mark lazenby Graham Robinson & Steve Scholfield
Back at the clubhouse
there was time for
refreshments and banter
about the day’s events before
returning by coach to the
hotel.
That evening we met for dinner
and then had the choice to
watch the rugby, relax around
the hotel or stroll to the front of
Puerto Banus to view the Ferraris
and cruisers the size of bungalows.
On Saturday morning there were a
few nervous golfers getting on the
coach for the short drive along the
coast. The Tournament course was not
in the mountains so it was warm and
dry and everyone needed the extra
water in their buggies.
SATURDAY - Flamingos Golf Club
(18 holes, par72, 6456 yds)
Located about 10km from the hotel this is
one of the first courses in the area, and was
designed by Antonio Garcia Garrido. Many
of the tees are elevated offering some spectacular
views of the Mediterranean. The course is crafted in
the style of a Tuscan Garden and each hole features its
own type of tree including pines, olives, cypresses
and chestnuts. It winds through lakes and the Arroyo
Del Taraje stream. Many of the fairways are huge,
undulating expanses of green fiercely protected by
bunkers and water hazards. Totally different to Monte
Mayor and still the weather was glorious, the tees
perfect, the fairways superb and the greens fast.
By 4.30pm everyone was back and seated on the
palatial marble area with their refreshments while
the scores were totted up, then we travelled back by
coach, and changed into the Sponsor’s shirt for a
photograph before the presentation of prizes.
All prizes were warmly applauded and deservedly
won. There were also a few which reflected those
special moments ‘on tour’.
Dinner and the sports bar called shortly after. The
bar was full and our four day sporting feast came to
an end with at least one of our party delighted with
the rugby results (see opposite). You know when an
event has been successful by the camaraderie it
creates and our golf playing engineers, having
played hard, certainly seemed to be enjoying each
other’s company late into the night.
Next year it could be you. Look out for the entry
form in the magazine and online.
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