R&A take Referees' School to Malaysia

FROM THE R&A WEBSITE

This month Glenmarie Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will host the first R&A Referees School to be held in Asia and only the third held away from St Andrews.

Representing The R&A at the three-day programme will be:

Alan Holmes, Chairman, Rules of Golf Committee.

David Wybar, Deputy Chairman.

Grant Moir, Director – Rules of Golf.

Kevin Barker, Assistant Director – Rules.

Sixty golf referees from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Chinese Taipei, China, the Philippines, Hong Kong, India and Thailand will stay in Kuala Lumpur for the duration of the School, chosen as the venue in recognition of the Malaysian Golf Association’s past hosting of numerous R&A Rules Schools and of the large number of active referees in Malaysia.

The purpose of the School is to help the delegates, who will already have a good knowledge of the Rules, to improve their refereeing technique through a programme involving the detailed study of the technique of top officials through the analysis of televised Rules incidents, practical demonstrations of the Rules, role-play sessions during which the students will deliver rulings to the R&A instructors, and, finally, the completion of a written exam.

“This Referees School represents an important milestone in the development of golf in Asia,” commented R&A Director – Rules of Golf, Grant Moir, ahead of the trip.

“Although we have welcomed many Asians to our Referees Schools in St Andrews, it is a long and expensive journey for them to make, so it is great to take the School on the road, knowing that there are plenty of accomplished officials from the region who wish to participate."

“We see this as the logical progression from the many Rules Schools that we have previously run in Malaysia,” added Alan Holmes, Chairman of the Rules of Golf Committee.

“Those Schools have provided the basic knowledge of the Rules, and the next step for officials is to work on ways to improve their refereeing techniques, which will enable them to officiate at the highest levels of the game.”

Following the Referees School, The R&A Rules team will head to Thailand and the Philippines for two more Rules Schools before returning to St Andrews.

Jimenez hopes it's fourth time

lucky for him in

Abu Dhabi Championship

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez is looking to make it fourth time lucky in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club from January 15-18.
“I’ve come close to winning the Falcon Trophy before but I intend to finally get my name on it in 2009,” said the 15 times winner on the European Tour.
Following his tied fifth finish at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in 2006, Jiménez came close to National Course glory in 2007 when he finished joint second at 16-under par, just one shot behind England’s Paul Casey who is also confirmed for the championship’s fourth edition.
“It’s not easy to win because all the top Tour players like starting their season in Abu Dhabi – the climate is great and it really is the perfect place to hone your game after the winter off-season,” added Miguel.
The amiable Spaniard has had an eventful 2008, finishing in the top 10 in two of the year’s Majors, the Masters Tournament and US Open. He also tasted success in the Omega Hong Kong Open and BMW PGA Championship, the latter securing his place in Nick Faldo’s European Ryder Cup Team.
However, if the 44-year-old Spaniard they used to call "The Mechanic" is to launch his 2009 season with a maiden Abu Dhabi win, he’ll need to be on peak form to conquer a world-class field.
As well as his Ryder Cup team-mates, world No 2 Sergio Garcia, triple Major winner Padraig Harrington, world No 8 Henrik Stenson and world No 26 Ian Poulter, reigning Masters champion Trevor Immelman, also stand in Jiménez’s way.

We want YOU to enjoy the fun
and the sun at next month's
Hacienda del Alamo
Winter Golf Festival

This is the month for finalising your flights to Spain, booking your accommodation AND entering the Hacienda del Alamo Winter Golf Festival - four competitions over six days (February 12 to 17) and a free practice round as well - at the five-star golf resort not far away from Murcia Airport in south-east Spain.
You do not have to play in every event to qualify for a free practice round.
The practice facilities at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort, by the way, are also five-star if you are serious about reducing your handicap in 2009.
All the competitions are open to lady professionals and lady and girl amateurs of all ages. And men and boys are also able to play in the two weekend Festival events, the St Valentine's Day pro-am on the Saturday and the Costa Calida pairs on the Sunday.
E-mail Festival Organiser Colin Farquharson - Colin@scottishgolfview.com - if you have any questions or want more details.
John Green of Hacienda Golf Properties is the man to handle your inquiries about short-term rental of accommodation at Hacienda del Alamo. E-mail him at
johngreen@hdagolfproperties.com


+The Festival is a non-profitmaking enterprise, supported by Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort, Glenmuir, Stewart Spence, owner of The Marcliffe Hotel & Spa (Aberdeen), Hacienda Golf Properites and an oil company who do not wish any publicity for their generosity.

Masters course is too long for me
now, says Tom Watson

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Tom Watson admits he is contemplating sitting out the US Masters in future after struggling in recent years.
As a two-time champion, the 59-year-old American is guaranteed a place in the Augusta field but has made the cut just once in his last 10 attempts.
He said: "The course is too long for me. I don't know how much longer I'll play that course and miss the cut by two or three shots every year."
Meanwhile, Paul Casey expects Colin Montgomerie to bounce back in 2009 after a relatively disappointing campaign this year.
The Scot dropped 64 places to 121st in the world rankings, and also failed to make the European Ryder Cup team, but Surrey-based Casey insists there is more to come from the 45-year-old.
Casey said: "Monty is Monty. He is never less than good value, and he has got so much going for him."
+Scroll down to read Jock MacVicar's story in the Scottish Daily Express that Montgomerie is making £5million a year without much success on the golf course. Colin is laughing all the way to the bank.