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Dear All
Eleven players took part in the Chez Carlos Annual Trip to the 5 star Montecastillo Hotel & Golf Resort at Jerez la Fontera. The outing was a great success at which members enjoyed superb golfing facilities, après golf craic, fine cuisine and fun partying. Such was the fun that members celebrated Siobhan’s birthday twice – on two separate days.
The golf was played on two of the best courses in Spain – Montecastillo, designed by Jack Niclaus, hosted the Volvo Masters five times. It is a fair test of golf for players of all levels of ability, built on the rolling Andalucían terrain but with everything clearly visible to players. Two rounds were played at Montecastillo.
One round was played at the equally impressive and stunning Arcos Gardens course. This course was built by Landmark Golf who are responsible for such world golf masterpieces as Kiawah Island. The fairways are wide and forgiving but still require accuracy as you approach beautiful contoured true and fast greens. There are very good practice facilities at Arcos Gardens including free pyramids of balls.
There were some very impressive on course performances – Daniela played all 3 competition rounds – her first ever 18 hole competitions. Her swing is one worth watching and there is no doubt that she will feature prominently in future Chez Carlos outings. Another dark horse was Annie Densham, who hit the ball consistently well but struggled a little on the contoured greens. We look forward to seeing her more often. But the undoubted star of the trip was another lady – Helena Burke who carried Jim around the first day’s team competition and then won in her own right on the following two days, taking the top prize of 2 nights for 2 people at a 4/5* Resort/Hotel with golf. The consolation prizes were greatly appreciated and included green fees at S. Lourenco, Laranjal, Salgados, Alamos and Quinta do Vale.
Certainly a Chez Carlos Annual Trip not to be missed.

Last Saturday , the Society participated in a Pestana Vale da Pinta Tournament

The tournament was played on a stableford system white tees for mens and red tees for the Ladies.
There where around hundred players participating and the course was in excellent conditions despite the rain that was felt, although hampered competition somehow.

However the results were very positive, two players ended with 39 points and third place with 37 points . The first place on the tiebreak came to our member Carlos Ferreira. A birdie on the fifth hole made the difference, is last hole as a shot gun start was on the 6 th . He did play of 12 hcp .

Vale da Pinta became a talisman, to Carlos Ferreira because beyond the first place , he had also the best prize of a tombola , a 2 night stay at the Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel in London, for 2 people , and three weeks ago , on that same golf course became first on a PGA competiton , and won a trip to the Azores .
For Carlos Ferreira was undoubtedly a happy day.