1. A landmark day as Ernie and Liezl lead Groundbreaking Ceremony on site for The Els Center of Excellence
Ernie and Liezl Els hosted a Groundbreaking Ceremony (pictured above) on 10 March to mark the start of construction of The Els Center of Excellence in Jupiter, Florida. The Center, which will be built on 26 acres in the heart of the Limestone Creek area of Jupiter, will be a world-class facility and a leading example of what should be available to people with autism spectrum disorders across the world.
“Thank you Ernie Els for building us this Center so we can reach for the stars,” said 17-year old Spencer Schmidt, who delivered a brilliant and upbeat address on behalf of all of the students at the Renaissance Learning Academy and Center, the two schools that will combine to become The Els Center of Excellence. “As they say in South Africa, ‘Danke!’ Let’s get this show on the road!”
Ernie Els and his wife Liezl, Founders of the Els for Autism Foundation, both spoke movingly about what this project means to them and indeed the extent of its potential impact on the wider autism community.
“This is an incredibly exciting day not only for me, but also for Liezl and our children as we watch our dream of creating a world-class Center, focused on improving the lives of those impacted by autism, start to become a reality,” said Ernie. “Thank you to everyone who has helped make this happen and have supported us over the last five years; in particular, we wouldn’t be here without the help and support of the local community. We want to build and get the Center up and running as quickly as possible. So please do stay with us on our journey as we continue to raise funds to complete this unique facility that will focus on helping individuals on the autism spectrum, locally, nationally and internationally, fulfill their potential to lead positive, productive and rewarding lives.”
Ernie also praised his wife Liezl as the “driving force” behind the project. Liezl herself added: “I can’t believe our vision is finally becoming a reality. It’s going to be amazing!”
To bring the Ceremony to a close Ernie hit a ceremonial tee shot into the land that is set to be the home of the new Els Center of Excellence, before he was joined by Liezl and the other dignitaries to officially ‘break ground.’ Blue shovels, the color most commonly associated with autism as a cause, were used for the occasion.
Mason jar planters specially created by the students from both the Renaissance Learning Center and Academy were given out to guests at the end of the ceremony. Filled with earth from the land, and a mint plant, and each etched with the name and date of the event, the small planters were a fitting and symbolic way for the students to get their message across: “Thank you for helping us grow.”
About The Els Center of Excellence
Once completed, The Els Center of Excellence will provide a uniquely designed on-site educational program for 300 children on the autism spectrum ages 3-21. It will also bring together the critical components of early intervention, transition to adulthood, medical and professional services, and adult services all on one campus. At its heart will be a multi-faceted global outreach program that will make best practices in education and therapy available to children, families and autism experts both in the U.S. and internationally. The Center will integrate unique architectural components to create a learning environment specifically designed for children on the spectrum, and will include the technology, space and design components that will enable the Center to connect the international autism community with best practices and the latest information and research.
The Ceremony marks the start of construction of the Lower School and Center of Excellence Auditorium building that will be at the heart of the global outreach programs. The goal is to have these in operation by mid 2015. In the meantime, the capital campaign continues to ensure a continuous build schedule for the Upper School, the sports facilities, the medical and professional component and the adult services program.
Donations: To donate by check: make checks payable to Els for Autism and address to: Els for Autism, 3900 Military Trail, Suite 200, Jupiter, FL. 33458. To donate online visit: www.elsforautism.com
Contact: Mary Kay Willson at Els for Autism
Telephone 001 561 252 6023
Email: marykay.willson@ernieels.com
2. Rave reviews for Big Easy Bar & Grill at The Els Club Dubai
The first Big Easy Bar & Grill opened in December 2008 in Stellenbosch, the charming and historic university town in South Africa that is also home to Ernie Els Wines. The second opened earlier this year in the Clubhouse at the acclaimed Els Club Dubai and two Middle East based publications were quick to heap praise on the new establishment. HELLO! summed it up as ‘Par-Fection’, while EDGAR magazine described it as a ‘gem of a restaurant’.
The restaurant’s fusion of traditional South African cuisine with modern European and Oriental influences has proved a big hit, not just with the media but also with locals and international visitors. The surroundings and ambience reflect the Big Easy moniker – comfortable, cosy and informal – while the menu is all about sophisticated comfort and everyday dishes prepared using the finest, freshest ingredients. Standout dishes include babotie spring rolls (sweet ground beef curry with chutney) and boerewors (traditional South African sausages).
HELLO! reported that it ‘dived straight into the Big Easy Grill steak, marinated for ultimate tenderization and cooked to perfection. Served with hand-cut chips, it was the perfect remedy for a relaxing dinner out with friends, which is the exact philosophy The Big Easy promotes and something carried over by the outgoing and friendly staff’. The magazine concluded that, ‘for a casual and comfortable dining experience in breathtaking surroundings, head to the Els Club Dubai. It is an easy decision to make’.
On another occasion EDGAR magazine, a luxury lifestyle magazine aimed at affluent, discerning men in the Middle East region, paid an anonymous visit to the Big Easy Bar & Grill and subsequently gave a rave review, stating that ‘The Big Easy is a gem of a restaurant…the elegant and laidback feel you would expect from a restaurant associated with a golfer as classy as Ernie Els’. EDGAR magazine went on to write, ‘If they were trying to balance an upmarket restaurant with a laidback feel, then, in our opinion, they have nailed it. The Grilled Rib-eye steak and the Lamb Rack with truffle crust were cooked to utter perfection.’ Their conclusion, The Big Easy Bar & Grill does ‘top-notch, hearty food in an elegantly welcome setting’.
For more information on The Els Club Dubai please click here.
3. Ernie launches new official website
Ernie marked his 2014 PGA Tour debut at Riviera with the launch of a new-look official website, produced in association with the group’s creative partner Noesis Design. “We felt the website was due a refresh from a visual standpoint and in that respect the guys have really aced it,” said Ernie. “It looks fantastic and it’s also very easy to navigate around, which in itself is no easy trick. It’s the perfect online platform for us in terms of promoting the Ernie Els brand, supporting our sponsors and partners, and engaging with our fans out there not only on the website but across all of the various social media platforms.”
4. Ernie’s nephew wins back-to-back on SA amateur circuit
Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation member Jovan Rebula was so inspired by his uncle Ernie’s performance in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship that it carried him to back-to-back wins on the SA Amateur circuit, starting with a one-stroke victory in the 36-hole qualifying tournament for the Sanlam SA Amateur Championship. The 16-year old led the qualifying for the country’s top amateur tournament when he followed up his first round 70 with a second round of 66 to top the leaderboard on eight under par and claim the Proudfoot Trophy.
“Watching Ernie at the tournament in America, I was really happy that he did so well,” commented Jovan. “Just watching how the professionals do it gets you in the right mindset. I just had to stay patient. I was very patient the last two days and fortunately on the last two holes both putts dropped and I’m very, very happy about that.”
Just weeks later Jovan carried that good form into the Curro SA Junior International at Langebaan Country Estate. Jovan shot rounds of 73, 66 and 73 to take the title by one shot for the boys’ title. Meanwhile, fellow EEFF member Kaleigh Telfer shot 79, 69 and 73 to clinch the girls’ title by two shots over another EEFF member, Bianca Theron, who had the consolation of a hole-in-one in the par-3 16th hole in the second round. Both winners now receive an invitation to play in the German Junior Tournament in August. “I am really looking forward to the trip to Germany,” said Jovan, “It should be a great experience!”
For more information on the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation please click here.
5. The Els Club Copperleaf hosts second Tshwane Open
The Els Club Copperleaf, an award winning Ernie Els signature design, was proud to host the European Tour’s Tshwane Open for the second year in succession. The golf course occupies a beautiful piece of land where Ernie’s late grandfather, Ernie Vermaak, grew up. “For that reason this was a very special golf course design project for me personally,” commented Ernie. “My grandfather was a wonderful character and he was responsible for first putting a golf club in my hands.”
At 7,964 yards from the tips, The Els Club Copperleaf is the longest course in European Tour history and the first European Tour course to have four par-5s all measuring over 600 yards in length. The 685-yard par-5 fourth hole is the longest in European Tour history. Thus, it was perhaps fitting that one of Europe’s acknowledged big hitters, England’s Ross Fisher, went on to claim the title with an impressive 20-under par aggregate.
It confirmed Ernie’s pre-tournament prediction that there were opportunities to go low for the in-form player. “The course is at altitude so obviously that makes a difference, especially for the big hitters, and we saw last year that the guys can make some birdies out here,” said Ernie. “The wide fairways are quite inviting, but the real challenge lies in the approach shots. These are big greens and they have quite a bit of slope so your ball can easily get swept away into the swales that surround the putting surfaces. Also, if you don’t hit to the right spots on the greens you can get some tough putts.”
Ernie goes on to add a little insight into his design philosophy at The Els Club Copperleaf, “This is a beautiful part of the world with great views of the Magaliesberg mountain range, so we always knew we could create something unique. It’s very strong, both from a visual perspective but also in terms of its environment. At Ernie Els Design we strive wherever possible to work with native species of grass and plant vegetation, which has environmental benefits and also creates a more natural look and feel in the perimeter areas of the golf course, so it can establish itself quickly and look like it belongs. It’s matured very nicely and we couldn’t be more proud of how it’s turned out.
The Els Club Copperleaf is so much more than simply a great championship golf course, though. Nestled comfortably in a country club environment, it features a superb clubhouse and world-class amenities that since the launch in 2011 have elevated the facility to a whole new level. Indeed, The Els Club Copperleaf is now recognized as one of the finest and most desirable lifestyle communities in South Africa – a place more and more people are choosing to call home.
“The new clubhouse and the facilities here are second to none,” says Ernie. “The homeowners at the estate are living out their dreams and that tells me that this is country club living at its finest. That’s exactly what we had in mind when we created The Els Club Copperleaf.”
About the Copperleaf Estate
Copperleaf is an existing residential development in Gauteng, the management of which was taken over by Investec Property in 2010. It offers incomparable country living in close proximity to the urban centres of Pretoria, Johannesburg and Centurion. The residential estate boasts numerous facilities including indoor and outdoor pools, a gym, tennis courts, mini cricket oval and accompanying pavillion, acres of walking and biking routes, a club house, café, spa and supervised children’s centre. For more information visit the website.
