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FAIR WAYS IN ASHDOWN FOREST

In two weeks time 'Fair Ways in Ashdown Forest' will be published to celebrate the 125 years of Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club on 22nd December. This book tells the story of an elite Club playing on common land and how it has tried to live in harmony with Foresters, commoners, Conservators and still provide a bunkerless, top 100, national and international 36 hole venue.

It's author, Colin Strachan, gives an insight into its content....
"No other Club can list such a wide variety of members, from the men who built Tower Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge and the railways in Sussex and Kent to the axe man Dr Beeching, who closed them.
From our 1919 Captain, The Lord Chief Justice Scrutton who tried the 'Brides in the Bath' murderer,and Dracula (Sir Christopher Lee) to the angelic Christopher Robin and his father AA Milne a regular in the monthly medals.
From the man from Forest Row, Frank Lucas, who laid the first really successful transoceanic cables to USA and Australia, to another another engineer, 1st Viscount Cowdray, who discovered oil in Central America when building the Panama railway after tunnelling the East River in New York.
We lost 14% of our members who enlisted during the Great War. Our members then included the Chief of Staff at Paschendale and the Admiral who commanded the Dreadnought Fleet. We had a holder of the Victoria Cross and ten members were awarded the Military Cross. We were represented in the embryonic air battle by one of the youngest Fellows of the Royal Society who died tragically test-flying his new gyroscopic compass. He was Keith Lucas ,son of our Ladies Club founder who was on the founding Committee of the LGU.
Freddie Tait was an original member  followed by Horace Hutchinson in 1897 Horace G Hutchison wrote most of his golf books from his home overlooking the 8th fairway.
In the next two generations we had Prime Minister Harold Macmillan and a Nobel prize winner Lord Robert Cecil.... and many more fascinating stories from the High Weald. One of our Presidents was the first RAF test pilot for the Spitfire, but most will be long forgotten when one of our artisan  members, the great Abe Mitchell, born illegitimately in East Grinstead Workhouse, will still be seen standing on top of the  solid gold Ryder Cup and another, Alf Padgham, was co-professional with Jack Rowe two years before he won the Open Championship."

The limited edition leather bound at £150 has sold out in two weeks and the £55 standard is selling well  ... 'an excellent buy for Christmas' (Donald Steel)
Copies can be obtained from the Secretary at Royal Ashdown Forest.

ITALIAN PAVAN LEADS BY THREE AT HALFWAY IN CHALLENGE TOUR GRAND FINAL

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Andrea Pavan soared into a three-shot lead at the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club, thanks a six-under-par second round of 66, leaving him right on course to become the first multiple winner of the prestigious event.

The Italian entered the week as the man to catch in the race to be 

crowned European Challenge Tour Number One and, having shared 

the first round lead overnight at the splendid Al Badia Golf Club by 

InterContinental, his relentless charge to a season-ending double 

only gathered pace on day two.

Pavan started as he meant to continue, with a birdie at the first, but 

after reaching the turn in one under, it was the back nine where his 

round caught fire in the scorching Dubai heat.

A birdie at the tenth kicked things off before he picked up another shot at the par five 13^th and just as the likes of Shiv Kapur, Tyrrell 

Hatton and José-Filipe Lima began to close the gap on the 24 year 

old, he slammed it shut to finish with three consecutive birdies and 

move three clear on 12 under par.

Nobody has ever won the Challenge Tour’s finale twice and, 

having claimed the title on his home course in Italy in 2011, 

Pavan is relishing the opportunity to create history and better 

his second place finish in the Rankings two years ago.

“It would be fantastic to finish off the season in style,” he said. “But 

I have two rounds to go. I know what I need to do but I can’t 

control what the other guys do, and if someone goes low on the 

weekend then hats off to them. I just have to play my best, be right 

there towards the end, and finish it off.

“There is still a lot of golf to play, and even if someone else wins 

and I finish second I’ll still be the Number One so I’m in a great 

spot and I can’t complain.

“If I keep playing like this it is just a matter of being patient and 

waiting for the birdies to come because you get a lot of 

opportunities. But you need to play smart out here because if you 

get too aggressive and miss a few shots, you get punished.”

Kapur, meanwhile, is in need of a strong finish this week if he is to 

claim one of the 15 European Tour cards on offer at the end of the 

finale and he is right on course for a return to The Race to Dubai 

next season after a six under 66 moved him to outright second on 

nine under par.

“I knew going into China and this week that I needed a good 

finish,” said the Indian, who won the 2013 Challenge Tour 

season opener in his home country. “The focus was on trying to 

win and if you try to win or contend that will take care of 

anything else.

“I don’t think the goals will change for the weekend, I want to put 

myself in a position where I can have a chance to win and that’s all I 

want to do and we’ll look at the money list at the end of that.”

Englishman Hatton and Lima of Portugal were one shot further 

back on eight under par, having both enjoyed strong finishes to their 

rounds to mount a title push.

Hatton finished with three birdies to card a five under par 67 while 

Lima posted an eagle at the par five last hole to sign for a six under 

66.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2x72)

132 A Pavan (Ita) 66 66,

135 S Kapur (Ind) 69 66,

136 T Hatton (Eng) 69 67, J Lima  (Por) 70 66,

138 N Elvira  (Esp) 70 68, J Guerrier  (Fra) 69 69, O Wilson (Eng) 71 67, S Tiley (Eng) 73 65, W Besseling  (Ned) 70 68, R Davies (Wal) 69 69, J McLeary  (Sco) 68 70, J Carlsson (Swe) 68 70,

139 A McArthur  (Sco) 70 69,

140 E Dubois (Fra) 68 72, T Nørret (Den) 71 69, D Stewart (Sco) 72 68, S Manley (Wal) 73 67,

141 T Sluiter  (Ned) 70 71, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 71 70,

142 S Kim (SKor) 73 69, A Gee  (Eng) 73 69,

143 J Elson  (Eng) 72 71, N Lemke (Swe) 70 73, B Ritthammer (Ger) 74 69, J Dantorp (Swe) 70 73, B Paolini (USA) 66 77,

144 R Kakko  (Fin) 73 71, D Gaunt (Aus) 72 72, J Fahrbring (Swe) 73 71, V Riu  (Fra) 72 72,

145 S Walker (Eng) 77 68, J Huldahl (Den) 73 72, B An (Kor) 74 71

146 L Kennedy  (Eng) 68 78, P Archer (Eng) 74 72, M Crespi  (Ita) 73 73

147 A Otaegui  (Esp) 69 78

148 D Frittelli (RSA) 72 76, R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 76 72,

149 D Huizing (Ned) 76 73,

150 L Bjerregaard  (Den) 73 77, D Im (USA) 74 76, F Calmels  (Fra) 72 78

151 A Domingo (Esp) 77 74

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

GARY PLAYER STILL GOING STRONG AT 78

FROM THE SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE

GARY PLAYER: "Wonderful career

and life."  
Today will be a double birthday celebration for South African golf icon Gary Player as he not only turns 78, but also celebrates his 60^th anniversary as a professional golfer in 2013, writes Michael Vlismas.
Winner of 9 Majors, 9 Senior Majors, 165 tournaments worldwide, and a Grand Slam champion at the age of 29, Player will celebrate his birthday by adding to his over 25 million kilometers traveled and flying to China where he will help to raise money for AIDS orphans through the Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola in Shanghai.
“I’ve always said that I felt my talent was on loan to me from God and that I must do the best with what I had been given,” said Player. “Similarly, we are loaned only so much time in our lives and it is up to us to use this time as best we can. I can think of no better way to do this than in service to my fellow man.” 
The Black Knight, who continues to demonstrate that age is just a number, regularly breaks his age on the golf course. Owner of a professional career that ranks as one of the finest in the history of golf, Player fondly recalls the journey he has taken over the past 60 years.
“I’ll never forget playing in my first Open Championship in St Andrews in 1955. My golf club in South Africa had to take up a collection to fund my ticket to Britain. 
"I took the train from London to St Andrews, and I remember climbing off at Leuchars Station. I just stood there for a moment. It was like the realisation had finally dawned on me. I was here, at the home of golf, to play the greatest and oldest of the Majors.”
“I’ve had a wonderful career, and I’m blessed to still be having a wonderful life,” reflects Player. “When I played my last competitive Major, I walked away with no regrets. When you’ve feasted at a table for as long as I have, you can have no regrets.”
Still as driven and focused as ever, Player is now concentrating his efforts on the charitable activities of The Player Foundation, which is celebrating its 30^th anniversary of raising money to support underprivileged children. 
When he is not helping to create a brighter future for those in need, Player makes a point to spread his passion for health and wellness  by educating young people around the world about fitness, healthy living and good lifestyle choices. 
“Focusing on fitness and my health early on in my career has allowed me to still be going strong at the age of 78. I am fit, I am healthy, and as long as I remain so, I will continue to travel and educate as many young people as I can.”
 

DUSTIN JOHNSON'S 63 PUTS HIM FIVE CLEAR IN SHANGHAI

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Big-hitting American Dustin Johnson gave a driving masterclass with course record-equalling  nine under par 63 at Sheshan International Golf Club to open up a five stroke lead at the halfway stage of the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
Johnson posted ten birdies – including six in the first seven holes – against one bogey, tying the course record shared by Daisuke Maruyama, Rory McIlroy, Ernie Els (all 2009), Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer (both 2011).

At 12 under par 132, the Ryder Cup player is five shots clear of compatriots Bubba Watson (69), Boo Weekley (67) and first round leader Rory McIlroy, who carded three birdies before the turn followed by three bogeys on the back nine in a level par round of 72.

  “I'm definitely happy where I'm at,” said Johnson. “I’ve played really well the last two days - I've really driven the ball well.
“For me, that's a big key. I drove it well today and I hit a lot of good iron shots, and I think it's tough to get it really close to these holes, but I made a lot of nice ten-15 footers today.”
Asked about his plan for the weekend, given his healthy advantage, Johnson added: “I don't tend to play defensively.
“I just play my game and I play pretty aggressive. That's my game, so tomorrow I'm going to go out and try to do the same thing I did today. I didn't play really aggressive today, I just took what the golf course gave me and just tried to hit quality golf shots to give myself looks at birdies.”

After opening with a superb 65 on Thursday and birdies on the sixth, seventh and eighth holes in round two, McIlroy faltered on the way in, dropping a shot on the 11^th for the second consecutive day then bogeying the 15^th, before finding the water on the 18^th to concede  another shot.

Having seen his tee shot leak right and finish a yard from the water on the last, the undeterred 24 year old went for the green in two at the par five but only succeeded in finding the lake.
After taking a drop, McIlroy fired a spectacular fourth to ten feet, but missed the putt for a third bogey of the day and level par 72.

“It was disappointing and frustrating today,” said McIlroy.  “Obviously I played nicely the front nine and then started to hit a lot of sloppy shots on the back.  I missed the last six greens in a row and missed seven greens on the back nine, so there is a bit of work needed on the range this afternoon.”

Despite his obvious frustrations, the former World Number One remained optimistic about his chances of capturing his first victory of 2013.

“I'm in a decent position going into the weekend, and still have a great chance at winning this tournament,” he said.

Six European Tour members are a shot further back in tied fifth place on six under par, with defending champion Ian Poulter (67) joined by last week’s BMW Masters winner Gonzalo  Fernandez-Castaño (71), Sergio Garcia (68), Ernie Els (69), Tommy Fleetwood (70) and Graeme McDowell (69).

SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 144 (2x72) Yardage: 7,266
132 Dustin JOHNSON (USA) 69-63.

137 Bubba WATSON (USA) 68-69, Boo WEEKLEY (USA) 70-67, Rory MCILROY (NIR) 65-72.

138 Tommy FLEETWOOD (ENG) 68-70, Sergio GARCIA (ESP) 70-68, Gonzalo FDEZ-CASTANO (ESP) 67-71, Ernie ELS (RSA) 69-69, Graeme MCDOWELL (NIR) 69-69, Ian POULTER (ENG) 71-67.

139 Jin JEONG (SKOR) 70-69, LIANG Wen-chong (CHN) 72-67, Phil MICKELSON (USA) 71-68, Justin ROSE (ENG) 68-71, Keegan BRADLEY (USA) 71-68, Graham DELAET (CAN) 71-68, Jordan SPIETH (USA) 68-71.

140 Billy HORSCHEL (USA) 71-69, Louis OOSTHUIZEN (RSA) 70-70, Jason DUFNER (USA) 73-67, Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 69-71, Mark BROWN (NZL) 72-68.

141 Mikko ILONEN (FIN) 72-69, Luke DONALD (ENG) 70-71, Francesco MOLINARI (ITA) 72-69, Jamie DONALDSON (WAL) 67-74.

142 Matteo MANASSERO (ITA) 72-70, Chris WOOD (ENG) 71-71, Paul CASEY (ENG) 69-73, Ken DUKE (USA) 70-72.

143 Kevin STREELMAN (USA) 70-73, Peter HANSON (SWE) 70-73, Gregory BOURDY (FRA) 75-68, Brian GAY (USA) 71-72, LI Hao Tong (CHN) 72-71, Scott HEND (AUS) 69-74, Derek ERNST (USA) 71-72.

144 David LYNN (ENG) 74-70, Rickie FOWLER (USA) 74-70, Darren FICHARDT (RSA) 70-74, Bill HAAS (USA) 72-72, Martin KAYMER (GER) 70-74, Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 76-68, Peter UIHLEIN (USA) 71-73, Ryan MOORE (USA) 70-74, Bo VAN PELT (USA) 77-67, Lee WESTWOOD (ENG) 71-73, HUANG WenYi (CHN) 70-74.

145 Hiroyuki FUJITA (JPN) 75-70, Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) 73-72, Jonas BLIXT (SWE) 70-75, Michael HENDRY (NZL) 72-73, Scott PIERCY (USA) 72-73, Jaco VAN ZYL (RSA) 72-73.

146 D A POINTS (USA) 72-74, Stephen GALLACHER (SCO) 73-73, Michael THOMPSON (USA) 74-72, Thomas BJORN (DEN) 74-72, Jimmy WALKER (USA) 73-73.

147 John MERRICK (USA) 72-75, Richard STERNE (RSA) 74-73, Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 69-78, David HOWELL (ENG) 72-75, Brandt SNEDEKER (USA) 73-74.

148 Daniel POPOVIC (AUS) 77-71, Branden GRACE (RSA) 77-71.

149 WU Ashun (CHN) 74-75, Nick WATNEY (USA) 75-74, BAEK Seuk-hyun (KOR) 81-68.

150 Henrik STENSON (SWE) 74-76.

151 Raphael JACQUELIN (FRA) 81-70, Miguel Angel JIMENEZ (ESP) 75-76, HU Mu (CHN) 76-75.

152 Brett RUMFORD (AUS) 75-77, George COETZEE (RSA) 75-77.

153 Ryo ISHIKAWA (JPN) 81-72.

160 HUANG Ming-Jie (CHN) 83-77.