Over the past weekend, a memorable Captain’s Day unfolded at Jumeirah Golf Estates, curated by both Jonathan Hall, the Men’s Captain 2023, and Evelyn Downham, the Ladies Captain 2023. This unique event was set as a format of a pairs scramble where each player hits their shot, and the best shot is chosen until the ball is holed. The captivating setting allowed each captain to craft their ‘own course’ for the day: Evelyn’s course encompassed the front nine of the Fire course and the back nine of the Earth course, while Jonathan’s circuit intertwined the front nine of Earth and the back nine of Fire. Both courses were artfully equipped with activations and refill stations, strategically positioned across the courses.
Before the commencement of play, Jonathan and Evelyn orchestrated a vibrant array of activations across the driving range and putting green. The driving range buzzed with energy as players engaged in a thrilling longest drive contest, while the putting green hosted a riveting 168ft putting competition. These engaging contests not only offered players the chance to win exciting prizes but also provided an avenue to contribute to the Junior Colleague Fund.
Overall:
Emerging victorious in the overall competition was the formidable duo of Adam Hodgkins and Martin Stewart, with a remarkable total of net -12. Their outstanding performance featured two net eagles, notably achieving one on the challenging 3rd hole on Earth and another on the 17th on Fire. They would eventually be victorious by one stroke over second place.
Evelyn’s Course:
Claiming victory on Evelyn Downham’s meticulously crafted course were James Finnigan and Marc Beattie, securing an impressive score of -10. Their stellar performance was punctuated by tallying 7 net birdies and an impressive 2 net eagles.
Securing the runners-up position in a thrilling countback finish at -9 were the duo of Paul McGee and Joshua Clarke. Their exceptional performance throughout the courses culminated in a tie, ultimately claiming second place via countback. Unfortunately for Tom Neale and Ben Wise, a costly bogey on the 18th hole of Earth proved decisive in the countback, narrowly missing out on the runners-up position.
On Course Competitions:
There was a wide variety of on course competitions taking place across Evelyn’s course. Russ Wilson displayed precision, securing the Nearest the Pin (NTP) on Hole 2 of Fire, sponsored by Black & White. Adam James showcased accuracy, claiming victory in the NTP contest on Hole 8 of Fire, sponsored by Fairway Homes. Alex Daniel demonstrated remarkable skill, triumphing in the NTP challenge on the 17th of Earth, sponsored by Mezzanine & The Black Sheep. In the ladies’ category, Tanya Harrison exhibited impressive power, winning the Longest Drive sponsored by iServiceAnyCar & Pacific Prime with a remarkable 240-yard drive.
Jonathan’s Course:
Securing victory on Jonathan’s course was the dynamic duo of Alan McNamara and Ian McInerney, with an impressive score of net -11 under par. Their round was marked by an astounding tally of 12 net birdies, on Jonathan Hall’s combined course.
Securing an impressive second place, winning on countback was Thomas Purdy and JJ O’Toole with a score of -10. Their round was highlighted by a solid display of golf, accumulating 10 net birdies without any bogeys, showcasing their consistent and strategic play.
Third place in the competition were David Bainbridge and Tom Stephenson, showcasing remarkable skill and determination. Despite playing off scratch, their exceptional round stood out with an impressive tally of 11 gross birdies.
On Course Competitions:
The day was enriched with on-course competitions across Jonathan’s course. Ronan Keating showcased precision, securing the Nearest the Pin (NTP) on Hole 4 of Earth, sponsored by Black & White. Mark Schoombie exhibited accuracy, clinching the NTP on Hole 6 of Earth, sponsored by Fairway Homes. David Hadley displayed exceptional skill, triumphing in the NTP on the 14th of Fire, sponsored by Mezzanine & The Black Sheep. Finally, Ollie Henderson showcased remarkable power, winning the Longest Drive sponsored by iServiceAnyCar & Pacific Prime with an impressive 333-yard drive.
Longest Putt Competition:
The day’s excitement soared with the highly anticipated ‘Longest Putt competition’, where David Bainbridge emerged triumphant, claiming the grand prize. The competition unfolded before the round, involving each player taking 5 strokes towards a flag positioned 168ft away. The top 5 closest to the flag advanced into a thrilling final showdown. Ultimately, David Bainbridge showcased exceptional putting finesse, securing victory in the final round and walking away with the coveted prize—a brand new golf residential buggy courtesy of our sponsors ‘The Buggy Guy’ by Mike Murray.
During the prize presentation Franco Botha (Director of Golf) thanked the captains and all the sponsors for the fantastic day. “I would like to send a big thank you to our amazing captains Jonny and Evelyn for a fantastic year! Furthermore I would like to thank all the sponsors, iServiceAnyCar, Pacific Prime, Mezzanine, The Black Sheep, Fairway Homes, Black & White & The Buggy Guy as without your support today wouldn’t have been possible”.
Jumeirah Golf Estates About Us:
Jumeirah Golf Estates is a world-class residential golf destination offering luxury homes and leisure facilities amidst two internationally-acclaimed championship golf courses, creating an unmatched lifestyle experience in the heart of Dubai. Set across 1,119 hectares of lush green landscape, the development is an unrivalled destination offering attractive investment opportunities and world-class amenities. With 1800 family homes, Jumeirah Golf Estates currently comprises 16 unique communities, which overlook two of the world’s finest golf courses, Earth and Fire. Each individually designed villa, apartment and townhouse is more than a residence; it is an ideal home in its own right. As host of the annual DP World Tour Championship until 2031 and home to the DP World Golf Performance Centre and the Tommy Fleetwood Academy. Jumeirah Golf Estates rivals the best golfing destinations in the world.
