Feature
day wonder with more than two thousand bedrooms, shopping mall,
multiplex, in¿ nity pool, bars, restaurants and museum, accommodating
about 5000 guests at one time. The venue of the fantastic dinner was the
Ce La Vi on the 57th À oor of the hotel, made exclusive by reserving the
entire À oor for the players, of¿ cials and guests. Besides the imaginative
and exceptional culinary delights, what was mind-boggling was the
panoramic view from the large bay windows. One could soak up
Singapore’s fabled night life, the striking night time cityscape, the cool
blend of impressive modern skyscrapers and old colonial buildings, the
shops and cafes. A memory that will live on was watching the sunset
earlier in the evening when the blazing sun was slowly being devoured
by the sea!
Tom Watson interacts with the region’s best
amateur golfers
Indian squad and Team Manager- L to R, Kshitij
Kaul, Kartik Sharma, Varun Parikh, Farzan Heerjee,
Vinay Yadav, Yuvraj Sandhu, Rayhan Thomas
strategic thinkers as well, who could understand their zones and use
their irons accurately.
The APGC - A perfect host
The organizers did not leave any stone unturned to host a perfect
tournament. The amateurs were accorded a fabulous welcome with
goody-bags ¿ lled with give-aways like T shirts, caps and badges.
The players were feted and photographed, their travel and hospitality
taken care of. A Media Centre was put up for individual interviews,
photographs and Question-Answer sessions, as the players arrived.
Everything worked to clock-wise precision.
Besides offering a truly memorable golf experience, the Players
and Of¿ cials were invited to a Welcome Reception on Wednesday
at the Sentosa Golf Club, Serapong Course. The excellent banquet
facility, served cocktails and heavy Hors D’oeuvres. It saw players
break the ice, mingle and relax- truly, a well thought-of beginning to
the Tournament. It was not only the ¿ nancial aspect, but the energy
and the enthusiasm and the commitment to make every amateur player
feel important and experience what it is to be a top professional that
was greatly appreciated. It added glitter and glamour to the event. I’ve
never seen a team right from the top to the staff work so hard to make
the players feel so much like royalty! The beautiful driving range was
even more personalised by the colourful À ags of participating nations.
The Marina Beach Sands Hotel
On Saturday the APGC organized a gala dinner, a formal jacket and
tie affair at the incredible Marina Beach Sands Hotel. It’s a modern
Same Media friends different location
46 G o l f P l u s
NOVEMBER
2018
A treat for the participating golfers on Saturday was an interaction
with Tom Watson, the living legend who has won ¿ ve British Open
Championships, two US Masters and one US Open, at the out-
door Practice Range; but to our good-fortune there was a wee bit of
lightening far away in the distant and the safety norms for typhoon
procedures are so strictly followed for the safety of players and staff
that the venue of the interaction was diverted to the Dining Area. The
players were able to get together and relish a hot delicious lunch. Tom
Watson went from table to table shaking hands and speaking to them.
He had one piece of advice for the amateur golfers- there is no short
cut to success. Borrowing from his own life, something he said to them
over and over again was “Never Give Up”. Legend has it that Tom’s
father often told him that to be a true golfer he had to win his own
national gol¿ ng event. Back in 1982 while playing the U.S. Open his
game wasn’t going well; but he managed to score and stay put in the
tournament. Then the moment of reckoning arrived. On the ¿ nal day,
on the 17th hole, a par 3 of the Pebble Beach course, the ball didn’t hit
the green but instead it settled into the thick treacherous rough. Getting
an up and down from there was almost an impossibility. But instead
Tom rose to the occasion and played arguably the most memorable
ferret of all times! A birdie 2 and with that chip he sealed the win from
the Legendary Jack Nicklaus and thus became the National Champion.
To this day it’s remembered as amongst the best chip-in shots in the
world.
Asked what would be his best advice for players, he replied “The
one thing that I can tell them is how I made myself into a good golfer.
When I decided to turn professional, I decided I would practice more
than anybody else on the Tour. I’d hit more balls than others. That I
did and it made me a better player. There were many a times when
I buckled under pressure but I learnt to deal with it. The main thing
is that you have to strive to be better and better and better.” Watson
Gala Reception at CÈ LA VI