Latest news and updates from the Ernie Els Group.
1. The Els Club Teluk Datai is voted World’s Best New Golf Course
It’s been a spectacular month for The Els Club Teluk Datai. First, Ernie attended the official golf course opening in the company of Her Majesty Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajjah Haminah, The Queen of Malaysia. Then Ernie received the stunning news that The Els Club Teluk Datai has been voted the World’s Best New Golf Course at the inaugural World Golf Awards, part of the World Travel Awards – known as The Oscars of the travel industry – which celebrates and rewards excellence in golf tourism, world class courses and golf destinations.
The four-time Major winner’s stunning Langkawi layout, which sits amidst a tropical rainforest stretching to the shores of the Andaman Sea, scooped the much-coveted accolade, voted upon by golf travel executives and members of the media. In further recognition of Els’ remarkable design, which has already earned the admiration of the world’s golfing media, The Els Club Teluk Datai also collected the ‘Best New Golf Course in Asia’ award, rounding off an incredible evening at Quinta do Lago, Algarve.
Upon learning of the early success for his first South East Asian creation at the glittering ceremony, a delighted Els said: “The news just keeps on getting better for The Els Club Teluk Datai, the island of Langkawi and golf in Malaysia. The Els Club Teluk Datai is such a distinct and scenic property that it is impossible not to be blown away by the stunning landscape within which it is set. We knew that we had something special when we first set foot on the site and to see what we have been able to achieve fills me with a great sense of pride. The Els Club Teluk Datai has captured my attention, as I’m sure it will with golf lovers worldwide, and I certainly plan to spend time relaxing out there. Thank you to everyone who voted and a special thanks to the Troon management team on the ground who made delivering such a world-class product possible.”
Ernie revealed that he will be in talks to bring an Asian Tour event to the Els Club Teluk Datai. “It is a special place and because of that, and its easy accessibility, I think it will be a perfect venue for an Asian Tour event,” commented Ernie. “The first of our Els Clubs, in Dubai, has been announced as host venue of next month’s inaugural Dubai Open and, as an official ambassador of the Asian Tour, it would be a thrill if we could also bring an Asian Tour event to the Els Club Teluk Datai. Already another of our courses, The Els Club Copperleaf, has hosted the European Tour’s Tshwane Open the past couple of seasons and got great reviews.
“We’ll be talking to people on the Asian Tour and seeing if we can make something happen. Our partners in this project, Destination Resort & Hotels, are fully engaged in the business of developing golf and bespoke tourism to this region, and an Asian Tour event would naturally be a real boost to that initiative. I know the tour pros would absolutely love it here. This course is unique, not least because it is bunker-free (which my great friend Gary Player might not be too pleased about!) but there are plenty of challenges on this course. It borders the fringes of a rain forest, so we’re not short of trees. Many of them are in strategic places, so you’ve got to shape shots around tree trunks and over-hanging limbs, and so forth. There’s also a stream that runs through the course. Trust me, no one who play this course is ever going to miss having bunkers.”
The Els Club Teluk Datai is playing an integral role in increasing the number of inbound golf travellers to Malaysia, as is the vision of Destination Resorts and Hotels Sdn Bhd (DRH), the company charged to grow the nation’s golf tourism offering.
Tunku Dato’ Ahmad Burhanuddin, Managing Director of DRH, commented, “Words cannot express the immense feeling of joy that we are experiencing right now with the news of The Els Club Teluk Datai being voted both the Best New Course in Asia and the Best New Course in the World at the World Golf Awards. The Datai site is a national treasure, and what Ernie Els and his design team have down with the golf course is simply amazing. The coverage we received from the grand opening just a couple of weeks ago far exceeded our expectations, with global golf media featuring the course prominently in their publications, resulting in a sharp spike in business. Our hotel property, The Datai Langkawi, that sits adjacent to the course, has been a prolific award winner for the past 20 years, and it looks like now we have a golf course that is attracting the same international attention, making Langkawi a true international golf and leisure destination.”
Both awards are a further demonstration of the building momentum and heightening interest for golf in Malaysia and The Els Club Malaysia Senior Vice President, David Townend, who received both awards on Els’ behalf, is excited about the prospect of welcoming visitors who have been intrigued by the prospect of golf on the peninsula.
He said: “To come away with two highly prestigious awards gives us great confidence in what has been created and the experience we offer our domestic and international guests at the Els Club Teluk Datai. These awards were nominated and voted on by the travel operators and media which tells us they really like what they see. The island of Langkawi is one of world’s most idyllic unspoiled gems, and with the international recognition and reputation we are garnering can only enhance the appeal of the nation’s golf and resort industry, which will generate valuable tourism dollars for the economy. In a little over a year our Els Club Malaysia business model will further expand, with the opening of two sensational new properties in the southern state of Johor, with the 27-hole Els Club Desaru Coast and the 18-hole Els Club Desaru Valley in 2016. This is just the beginning of what we believe will complete an unrivalled golfing proposition in South East Asia.”
The Els Club Teluk Datai is managed and operated by Troon Golf, the global leader in upscale golf management, which oversees operations at some of world’s pre-eminent golf resorts, and owned by Destination Resorts and Hotels (DRH), an investment arm of the Malaysian Government. For more information visit www.elsclubmalaysia.com, follow @ErnieElsDesign and @TheBig_Easy.
To view images from the Els Club Teluk Datai official opening, please click here.
For more information please visit www.elsclubmalaysia.com
2. Ernie Els Wines receives 5-star award from prestigious Platter’s Guide
Platter’s Wine Guide, South Africa’s foremost and ultimate pocket guide of the country’s wines, has again lauded Ernie Els Wines and winemaker Louis Strydom with another 5-Star award at the launch of the 2015 edition. Impressively, this latest 5-star award makes it six such illustrious honours for Louis and the winery since Ernie’s wines first became available to the public in late 2002. “Louis and the team are doing such a fantastic job at the winery and it’s always gratifying to get this kind of recognition from a prestigious guide such as Platter’s,” commented Ernie.
It’s been a winning month for Ernie Els Wines. Just a few week’s previously, Louis Strydom’s ‘Ernie Els CWG 2012’ was the top performer of the wines produced for the annual Cape Winemakers Guild Auction (CWG), an association formed over three decades ago. Innovation, benchmarking and the sharing of knowledge in the pursuit of winemaking excellence are the fundamentals of this elite group of winemakers, which currently boasts a membership some 45 affiliates strong.
Top wine journalists Stephen Tanzer (Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar) and James Molesworth (Wine Spectator) rated it the highest and joint highest respectively, among this years’ CWG offerings. This is what each of them had to say:
Stephen Tanzer – 93+ Points
Bright saturated ruby. Elegant, inviting nose offers scents of raspberry, smoked meat, truffle, espresso, licorice and spices. Juicy and very intense but still a bit youthfully clenched, offering fine-grained nicely delineated flavors of cassis, exotic spices and smoky minerality. A very successful, energetic blend, with a serious spine of tannins to support a long and graceful evolution in bottle. Really spreads out on the back end without leaving any impression of heaviness. Still a baby. 14.5% alcohol; 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Shiraz and 10% Merlot.
James Molesworth – 94 Points
Features a core of boysenberry, blackberry and plum confiture flavors, studded with anise and bay notes. The finish gives way to well-tanned leather and black tea accents, showing an echo of iron. Holds ample grip in reserve. Serious juice. Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot. Best from 2016 through 2022. 50 cases made.
3. Ernie ends 2014 season still top of European Career Money List
The 2014 season saw Ernie play his 300th European Tour event and become the first golfer to smash through the €30 million mark in career earnings. He ends the season still No.1 in the all-time career earnings. Since playing in his first ever tour event as a professional, the 1991 Open de Baleares at which he won €1,115.80, Ernie has played 307 European Tour events and has made 287 cuts (an incredible 93 per cent strike rate). Of those 307 events, Ernie has finished in the top-10 on 144 occasions (a 47 per cent strike rate). In addition, Ernie still holds the all-time record for the most consecutive cuts made on the European Tour (82) registered from the 2000 Johnnie Walker Championship through to the 2007 Johnnie Walker Classic.
European Tour All-Time Career Earnings:
1. Ernie Els – €30,453,388
2. Lee Westwood – €30,364,288
3. Colin Montgomerie – €24,557,589
4. Padraig Harrington – €24,064,761
5. Rory McIlroy – £23,671,908
For the full list of all-time career money winners click here.
4. #GameON Autism Clinics successfully launched in South Africa
In 2013 The Els for Autism Golf Challenge in the US established the #GameON Autism Golf Program – clinics focusing on life skill development, healthy eating and lifestyles. Endorsed by The PGA of America and The First Tee, the schedule dovetails with that of the Golf Challenge and operates in conjunction with the Let’s Move program. The program has now been introduced to South Africa, with Glendower Golf Club hosting the first #GameON clinic on 30 October. Ernie’s friend Gavan Levenson, a former winner on the European Tour and PGA Master Professional and highly respected golf coach, and his team helped out on the day.
Ernie spoke in glowing terms about the #GameON program while attending one of the clinics at the recent Golf Challenge Grand Finale in Las Vegas. “It was wonderful seeing the amazing feedback from the kids and the smiles on their faces,” commented Ernie. “This is great for golf and great for kids on the spectrum to be able to be active and have fun. The team has created an excellent and adaptable curriculum and program, which allows us to have a real impact on kids’ lives in whatever city we take the #GameON clinics to. It is infectious to see how much fun everyone has.”
The #GameON clinic at Glendower Golf Club was attended by 14 children who are part of the Ernie Els Centre for Autism program. Each clinic is typically one hour in duration and includes 30 minutes of golf, 15 minutes of bodily/kinesthetic activity and a 15-minute healthy refreshment break. All the children, and the parents, had an amazing and fun-filled day and many parents expressed pride in how their wonderful children succeeded in playing golf.
The whole team at Els for Autism South Africa would like to extend their gratitude to Glendower Golf Club for hosting this first #GameON event and to the coaches, who assisted the children on the day. A big thank you also to SNAGSA for the equipment, Youngman Attorneys for the food, and ECE Steels for the trophies. For more images and information on the #GameON clinics please see: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.393274100827817.1073741829.276669145821647&type=3
5. The Els Club Dubai to host 2014 Asian Tour’s Dubai Open
It was recently announced that the inaugural Dubai Open Golf Championship is to be held from 18-21 December at the magnificent Els Club Dubai (pictured below), a course designed by Ernie Els. The tournament, promoted by golf in DUBAi will be the first professional tour event staged at the course. Dubai Sports City President Khalid Al Zarooni said, “The fact this prestigious event at The Els Club has been confirmed is recognition of the quality of the facility, both on and off the course. The Els Club is world-class, there is no doubt about that, and now the world will get the chance to see that through the hosting of the Dubai Open.”
Ernie said, “Obviously it’s a thrill for us that The Els Club Dubai has been selected as the venue for this new tournament, the third course in the Ernie Els Design portfolio to host professional tour events. We really couldn’t be more proud of this golf course. Since it opened as our flagship for The Els Club brand, it has become a favourite among local and international golfers. The presentation of the playing surface and overall conditioning of the course make The Els Club a go-to destination for locals, top professional golfers and also tourists visiting Dubai. I am sure everyone will savour the experience of playing the course. It’s a challenging test, for sure, but it also offers good scoring opportunities for the golfer who is on his game. I’m certain it will be a great week and I send my best wishes to everyone involved.”
The Els Club is managed by Troon Golf, which manages courses in more than 29 countries and 34 States in the US. A spokesman for Troon Golf said, “This is fantastic news and a perfect fit for Troon Golf. We manage courses throughout the Asia region, in China, India, Malaysia, the Maldives and South Korea and so this additional link with the region through the hosting of the Dubai Open is a further enhancement of that connection. We take pride in providing the finest playing surfaces, incredible guest service, unmatched amenities and exquisite dining at some of the leading luxury golf courses in the world and The Els Club at Dubai Sports City is an outstanding example of what we do.”
The Els Club forms part of the exclusive golf course villa community of Victory Heights. It is part of the extraordinary Dubai Sports City, the world’s only integrated sports city, featuring world-class sporting facilities and a variety of world-renowned sports academies. Memberships of The Els Club are still available by contacting Francisco David at franciscod@elsclubdubai.com. Corporate membership includes unlimited use of the boardroom and conference facilities.
For more information please contact
Dubai Sports City
Brian Murgatroyd
brianm@dsc.ae
The Els Club Dubai
Thomas Murdoch
ThomasM@elsclubdubai.com
Ernie Els Design
Thomas Rubi
thomas.rubi@ernieels.com
