Two birdies and one bogey were all Schultes needed to card his one-under par gross score for a four-under total (142), advancing himself into first ahead of Englishman David Lynn, who played it steady with a level-par 73 made up of two birdies and two bogeys to sit at three under (143).

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Andrew Marshall, moved up to third at two-under par (144) after a 72, closely followed by fellow Englishman, Jamie Elson, and PGA of Sweden Professional, Bjorn Pettersson, both on one under (145).

In the Team Pro-Am event Opet 2 of PGA of Sweden Professional, Joakim Rask, and amateurs, Oya Dagli, Arzu Narin and Nurten Ozturk, rose five places up the leaderboard after an excellent 93 points took them to a total of 173 points (-29).

Team Opet 3 sit three points back in second after another solid round of 86 points for a 170-point total (-26), whilst Otokar 1 advanced 10 places with 90 points to close a further three points back at 167 (-23).

For Full Round 02 Scores Visit: http://eur.pe/2017Beko

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017Beko), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#BekoClassic’, and like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

To find out more about Beko visit www.Beko.com.

Images Courtesy of Gary Edwards/VP Creative

The Swede opened with two birdies in his stunning five-under par round of 68, with a further three birdies in nine holes followed by seven regulation pars.

Just two shots behind are the European Tour’s David Lynn and PGA of Austria’s Georg Schultes, each carding three-under par 70s. Lynn managed three birdies and the rest pars, whilst Schultes made five birdies, but failed to capitalise on the par-fives with two bogeys on holes four and 15.

The PGA of Great Britain & Ireland’s Sion Bebb and PGA EuroPro Tour Member, Andrew Marshall, sit at fourth (-2, 71) and fifth (-1, 72) place respectively very much in the mix.

Team Opet 3 of Bora Arici, Mehmet Kazan, and Ismail Erdogan joined by PGA of Sweden Professional, Oscar Floren, for Round 01, got off to the best start in the Team Pro-Am event with a solid 84 points (-12).

Team Beko UK 1’s amateurs, Nuri Conker, Jonathan Copp and Judith Slater, and their Professional, Schultes, finished up the day only 1 point behind Opet 3 on 83 points (-11), whilst Teams Beko Turkey and Beko UK 2 are just one point further behind on 82 (-10).

For Full Round 01 Scores Visit: http://eur.pe/2017Beko

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017Beko), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#BekoClassic’, and like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

To find out more about Beko visit www.Beko.com.

Images Courtesy of Gary Edwards/VP Creative

I recently read the latest edition of International Golf Pro News, which featured some excellent articles on club fitting and other such contributions on how a personalised solution often saves money, time, frustration and so on.

Surely fitting cannot be confined to just products can it? What about services, can they also be fitted to meet the needs of the consumer? Of course, they can, airlines have changed to offer choice in the level of services that we want.

We can book a specific seat, choose the number of bags to take, have insurance or not. Hotels offer a choice of breakfast with the room, newspapers and late check out. Gymnasiums offer access at certain times of certain days. Internet and mobile phone providers offer different download speeds and call tariffs. The list is endless.

The goal, is for the consumer to participate to the level that meets their needs, satisfies their desire and is a comfortable fit with their priorities, lifestyle, and other commitments.

There is nothing much wrong with the sport. A simple definition could be that you take a stick and hit a ball to a target that is in, on or above the ground. People have been doing it for years and it has a fair level of challenge if we play from the most suitable distance.

In recent times golf has started to change, but for so long effectively it has said, “this is our sport, this is how you will consume it and these are the rules of that engagement.” This attitude has shaped public opinion.

It is the same as going to a shop and being told that we must adapt to size 44 shoes or a 52 jacket, “just spread your toes or puff out your chest if the size is too big, or vice versa if the size is too small”. Sure someone with size 44 feet and a 52 chest thinks that everything is perfect, you can hear them say “why doesn’t everyone shop here”? I am sure that everyone else will be less than fulfilled and may well go elsewhere to have their needs satisfied.

Could we offer consumers more choice in how they engage with the game? Certainly we have asked many non-golfers why they want to play, but have we listened to their answers and acted upon their perspectives?

A very good friend of mine, when asked what is the most important language for doing business, says without hesitation, “my customer’s language.” She is not referring to any one of the more than 6,000 mother tongues that a quick search on the internet reveals, but instead to the narrative that her customers use.

What is important to them, resonates and builds rapport? Sometimes we can know our product or service so well that we really do have something to sell, but if we do not become relatable to others, then we will likely have no-one to buy.

According to the survey, which is based upon statistics compiled from local golf associations in 43 European countries, the continent’s golf markets are displaying positive signs of growth in 2016.

In fact, when taking a closer look at Europe’s golf markets, 81% of local golf associations indicated in 2016 that their level of participation had either stabilized or increased. The remaining 19% of European markets still experienced some decline, including key markets such as Scotland and Austria.

The research demonstrates that the number of registered golfers showed a slight increase, by 2% (+82,584 players), while the supply of golf courses declined by 28 courses (24 openings and 52 closures). Forty-six per cent of European countries surveyed experienced a growth in participation rates, 35% showed stability and in 19% of the countries surveyed demand declined. The research further shows that men make up 67% of the total registered golfers across Europe in 2016, and the proportion of European population who actively played golf (0.9%) has not changed since 2015.

“As we have identified a moderate level of growth in 2016,” says Andrea Sartori, Partner and KPMG Global Head of Sports, “it is important to reflect upon various creditable golf development initiatives, which have been launched in previous years with the aim of reaching new audiences and retaining existing golfers across Europe. These initiatives and the hard work of many other golf industry stakeholders, provide evidence for a consciously optimistic outlook for the game’s development. Certain markets have demonstrated exemplary performance and highlighted the opportunities a proactive and coordinated approach can achieve.”

Click Here to Download the KPMG 2017 Golf Participation Report for Europe at www.golfbenchmark.com

With Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia on the rise, ‘brain-training’ is very much in vogue among retirees and younger whippersnappers alike. As game developers have been quick to appreciate, preserving healthy cognitive function means maintaining sharpness across all the right areas, from memory and recall to problem solving and planning. There’s enough there for a bi-annual upgrade and then some.

Video games aside, there are plenty of equally as efficient but less costly ways to keep your grey matter firing on all cylinders. Here are some top tips for successful cerebral conservation:

1. Learn something new

Be it the cello, Ancient Greek or Chinese calligraphy, teaching yourself a new skill is a great way to keep the old brain cells ticking over. A recent study of retirees showed that a challenging mental activity one a week reduced the risk of dementia by 7%.

2. Get physical

Work the rest of your body while you’re at it. Research suggests that 30 minutes of exercise three times each week can reduce dementia by 40% and cognitive impairment by 60%. The secondary benefits should also be obvious.

3. Food for thought

You don’t need a PHD in nutrition to know some foods are better for the brain than others. Indulge in vegetables, nuts and fish – staples of the Mediterranean diet that promote blood-flow to the brain. Drink plenty of water and stay off the junk food!

4. Take a load off

From catching enough ‘Z’s each night to meditative techniques, giving your brain some much-needed down time is essential in reducing wear and tear. It will also help you maintain skills such as problem solving, concentration and memory. Aim for 7.5 to 8.5 hours a night for optimum brain function.

Whether happily retired or gainfully employed, whatever your age, looking after the stuff upstairs should be a top priority. The good news is that keeping your neurotransmitters nimble needn’t cost the earth and can slot fairly easily into your day-to-day lifestyle.

This content appears courtesy of Abintegro, experts in career management, transition technology & e-learning for today’s modern, mobile and technology-savvy workforce – Find out more at www.abintegro.com

Credit: Forbes; NPR.com; Time

Interview Highlights:

01:14 – Early beginnings in golf…

04:38 – Alastair’s first golf coach…

07:58 – How has the way Alastair learnt golf shaped his coaching style…

08:48 – Turning Professional…

12:58 – Working at Hintlesham Hall Golf Club in Ipswich…

16:16 – An increased in development and working as a County Golf Development Officer…

22:24 – Taking an interest in gender disparity in clubs and golf in general, creating an interest in women’s golf development…

23:54 – How did Alastair create a women’s participation-led programme…

27:37 – Barriers to developing women’s participation programmes…

29:06 – How will female participation help the industry in general?

30:32 – Learning from the stories and communities developed at ‘Park Runs’…

33:12 – What changes have you seen in golf across your career?

35:00 – What’s the main mistake golfers make when taking up the sport?

37:05 – What would you tell your 25 year old self?

38:57 – Alastair’s favourite books…

39:34 – What might surprise us about Alastair Spink?

40:21 – Alastair’s dream fourball…

Follow Alastair on Twitter at @Thegolfcoach and find out more about Love.Golf at www.love.golf.

Find out more about the Confederation of Professional Golf Golf Development Team at http://eur.pe/GolfDevelopmentTeam

Campbell earned his Major victory at the 2005 US Open at Pinehurst finishing two shots ahead of Tiger Woods having qualified at the European Sectional event at Walton Heath, England, at the beginning of the week.

2011 Open Champion, Clarke, returns to the Pro-Am after a year’s absence in which he captained Team Europe at the 2016 Ryder Cup matches at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

Joining Campbell and Clarke making up the 26-team field are a whole host of Professionals from across Europe with a combined 54 Major, European Tour, Challenge Tour and PGA Tour wins between them.

2017 Aegean Airlines Pro-Am winner, Peter Gustafsson (PGA of Spain), and 2016 Mercedes-Benz International Pro-Am winner, Georg Schultes (PGA of Austria), will both play for the first time.

2013 Portugal Masters and 2004 KLM Open winner, David Lynn, returns to the Beko Classic making a total of 25 European Tour wins amongst the field to go along with the combined 23 Challenge Tour, two majors, and four PGA Tour wins.

2017 World Club Pro-Am winner, Garry Houston, joins the Professional field hot off the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland’s historic victory in the PGA Cup against the PGA of America in which he helped secure a record 16 points for Team GB&I, the most scored against the US since the event began in 1973.

Raymond Russell (PGA of GB&I) is the only returning champion in this year’s Pro-Am and will look to replicate his 2010 victory, whilst fellow Beko Classic regular, Sion Bebb, will no doubt be trying to use his recent PGA of GB&I Welsh National PGA Championship victory as a springboard to a successful performance this year.

Bjorn Pettersson, Oscar Floren, Joakim Rask, and Jesper Kennegard make up a strong PGA of Sweden contingent. PGA of GB&I Professionals Chris Gane and Lloyd Kennedy join the field, alongside the PGA of Spain’s Álvaro Salto.

For More Information Visit: http://eur.pe/2017Beko

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017Beko), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#BekoClassic’, and like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

To find out more about Beko visit www.Beko.com.

Images Courtesy of Reuters Media Express

The agreement will see the Association promote the latest addition to GolfBox’s software suite, ProPlanner, a complete business suite designed specifically for PGA Professionals that gives a complete overview of their administration.

The proven GolfBox Tournament software will also be promoted and used at all of the Association’s Championships and Sanctioned Events making use of the infrastructure and live scoring that serves over 20 major partners in golf, including their native PGA of Denmark, nearby neighbours the PGA of Sweden, and also with the PGA of Germany and their Pro Golf Tour events.

Christian Færgemann, CEO of GolfBox, said, “For several reasons, we are very proud of our new partnership with the Confederation of Professional Golf. First of all, we at GolfBox are pleased to be working with the Confederation of Professional Golf, from managing all PGA of Europe’s tournaments, to offering ProPlanner for its members. On a strategic level we hope this agreement will open up for more work with those national associations.

“Specifically for ProPlanner, we see this approval by the Confederation of Professional Golf as a great opportunity to get closer to all club professionals in Europe, we will be delighted to help their businesses grow by providing this proven software. Our trademark has always been, high-level service and reliable solutions, and still is.”

Chief Executive of the Confederation of Professional Golf, Ian Randell, added: “This partnership with GolfBox comes after an in-depth review of our tournament requirements and clearly the proven package that GolfBox has developed meets all of our needs and then some.

“The ProPlanner software is something that has the potential to make PGA Professionals’ lives easier and their work more efficient by bringing together a range of services in one easy to use suite. We are looking forward to working with the GolfBox team to enhance our tournament operations, promote their products, and ensure a mutually beneficial partnership.”

GolfBox’s ProPlanner software offers a complete flexible overview of lesson booking and diary management, online payments and financial reporting, database management and more in a responsive online environment that integrates with existing websites.

Since 2004 the GolfBox Tournament software has provided administrative management for over 400,000 tournaments around the world, allowing administrators online payments and entries, administrative and reporting capabilities, live mobile scoring and website and TV integrations.

For more information on GolfBox visit www.GolfBox.net

The venue of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, will host the official practice round and first round of the tournament, whilst the Gary Player-designed Saadiyat Beach Golf Club will be the setting for the second and final rounds in the four-person team event.

PGA Professionals will compete for a prize fund of up to AED 110,000, whilst also competing with their three amateur teammates in the best two from four nett Pro-Am event.

Competitors will stay at the nearby ‘The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa’ and will be treated to various event amenities and off-course events including a welcome reception and post-tournament dinner and prize presentation.

PGA Professionals’ entry is free when accompanied by a team of three amateurs and amateur entries are AED 7,500 (approx. €1740*) per amateur (Team AED 22,500 (approx. €5220*)) and include:

• Full use of practice facilities over the 4 days including unlimited range balls
• 1 practice round and 54 hole tournament play
• Welcome reception
• Tournament Welcome Pack
• Post-round lunch after Round 01 & 02
• Tournament dinner post-final round
• 5 nights in The Westin Hotel Abu Dhabi inc. breakfast (based on a shared twin room)

For full details visit the Confederation of Professional Golf Tournament Hub Page at http://eur.pe/2018TroonAbuDhabi, and for registration and further enquiries please contact Matt Waters at mwaters@sbgolfclub.ae.

For More Information and to Enter Visit http://eur.pe/2018TroonAbuDhabi

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For more information about the 2018 Troon Golf Abu Dhabi Pro-Am, visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2018TroonAbuDhabi), follow @PGAsofEurope and search #TroonAbuDhabi on Twitter, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

To find out more about Abu Dhabi Golf Club visit www.adgolfclub.com, and to find out more about Saadiyat Beach Golf Club visit www.sbgolfclub.ae.

*Approximate equivalent – prices are set in AED with payments being taken in AED.

The pair will run in excess of a marathon for seven days, while taking on various golfing challenges each day in their rest breaks, including the British Speedgolf Open, and a GolfSixes, culminating in a final round of 18 holes at Le Golf National’s famous course upon reaching their final destination.

The run coincides with the Year to Go celebrations as Europe and USA prepare to lock horns in the 42^nd Ryder Cup, one of the world’s greatest sporting contests, and will raise money for “Golf In Society”, enabling people with dementia to continue to play the game.

Dr Murray, a brand ambassador for Merrell UK is no stranger to long distance challenges having famously once ran 4300km from far north Scotland to the Sahara desert. However the 36 year old who also works as a Sports and Exercise Medicine consultant with the University of Edinburgh, and the European Tour Golf is recovering from a recent hospital admission with viral meningitis in mid August, and knows it won’t be easy.

“We will be racking up about 50,000 to 60,000 steps per day, eating about 5000 calories and will be on the move golfing and running most of each day,” Dr Murray said.

“We want to highlight that exercise in the great outdoors is the best thing you can do for your health. Going from being a couch potato to walking, running, or playing golf regularly can add seven years to life, it can improve health and on average make you happier. We’re urging everyone to get outside and get walking, running, golfing, or any other activity you enjoy.”

Paul Dunstan, Ryder Cup Operations Director with the European Tour added, “I’m not entirely sure what I’ve let myself in for, I enjoy running as well as golf but ask me at the end of the seven days how I feel about them! However, the main aim of the challenge is to promote the many benefits of not just golf and running, but exercise in general and having an active lifestyle, as well as funding for Golf In Society, if we can achieve these two objectives the sore legs we’ll have at the end will be worth it.“

The pair hope to raise £5000 for Golf In Society, improving the lives of persons with Dementia and Parkinson’s disease by supporting them to continue playing golf, offering additional benefits to their carers. They can be supported at this link www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/GolfAndMentalHealth.

Golf In Society are pioneering dementia friendly golf, aimed at improving the lives of people living with dementia by introducing/ reacquainting them to golf. golfinsociety.com/2015/11/10/uks-first-dementia-friendly-golf-club-launches-in-lincon/

Kelly Global Workforce Index – August 2014 (230,000 people across 31 countries participated)

• 57% people agree that career development discussions are beneficial in terms of the opportunity to acquire new skills
• Only 38% had these discussions with their employer in the past year
• Only 29% are satisfied with the career development resources provided by their employer

With global employment trends changing all the time, the need to keep and develop staff should be at the top of an organisations agenda.

Whether the organisation is a school, SME, Not for Profit or Corporate, many seem frightened to invest in the career management of their staff, they think staff will be unsettled, leave, or want more than they can offer. Some work very well with their staff, helping them manage their careers and reap the reward. The reality is that staff who feel valued and invested in are more likely to stay with an organisation and be motivated to work harder.


“Managing human capital is a misnomer. Humans are ‘beings’. We want to be known and valued for who we are, and our aspirations and ambitions recognised and seen as important. It’s a missed opportunity for an employer not to attend to these needs and thereby reap the productivity gains that accrue from more motivated, loyal employees”

(Talent, Careers and Organisations, What Next? Corporate Research Forum)

The value an organisation can reap when investing in their staff:

• Staff are more settled and less distracted as they have plans for their future
• Organisations can plan their future if they know what their staff want and plan to do
  • Demographics
  • Succession planning
  • Recruitment
  • In house development of staff
• An organisation planning what will happen with regards to its staff must be more cost effective
• Fewer surprises
• Less need for interim, agency or contract staff
• Better ongoing communication between staff and employer
• Staff more likely to say if they are looking for a new role
• Organisation able to deliver a more structured handover if they know a member of staff 
is/wants to leave
• Employers who cannot afford financial rewards/bonuses, can support the development and 
career management of staff, which can be a cost-effective reward process.

The ability to manage your career and future is a life skill, if organisations don’t invest in their staff to give them these skills, how can they then pass on these skills to the people who work for them and to the next generation who they might educate and/or influence.

There are many processes for managing careers and these can be integrated into a workplace environment, below is a cycle often used to develop process that works within different organisations, depending on what is needed and required by the organisation and their staff.

Often employees find it easier to have these conversations with someone external first.

“My volunteers felt better placed to plan an effective conversation with their manager once they’d been coached, which is a win-win for the organisation”

(T Delamare, An action research study on the barriers facing women developing their careers and how they can be supported using a coaching framework. MA Dissertation, Oxford Brookes University, 2016)

“Internally focused workplace development opportunities are likely to ensure that a particular employer realises investment in development for the organisation. Yet, the worker might not have the skills transferable to other organisations. This is in contrast with the premise of the type of ‘deal’ where enhancement of employability is the key value derived from the employment relationship by the worker. Instead, they may be receiving only the development that is relevant to their current employer, without the promise of job security.”

(CIPD – Attitudes to Employability and Talent, Sept 2016)

Confederation of Professional Golf Corporate Partner, Peter Millar, awarded a yearlong apparel contract to Miller furthering their support of the European game.

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Miller managed to successfully convert his lead and dominant play at Pravets Golf & Spa Resort in Bulgaria in October to take the Championship honours, the first prize of €10,000 and the Peter Millar contract.

“After winning the Championship it was great to receive a Peter Millar apparel contract for 2017,” explained Miller. “The high quality clothing is both great looking and great fitting! I really love the clothing and I have had many compliments from members at our club. Thanks again to Peter Millar for the support and I am looking forward to a great 2017 season!”

“We’re pleased to be giving a clothing contract to the very worthy winner, Ralph,” said Managing Director Peter Millar International, Mark Hilton. “He will wear the latest Peter Millar designs from both Crown and Crown Sport collections over the coming year and we look forward to working with, and supporting, him throughout that time.”

Sign-up for the exclusive Peter Millar member offer at http://eur.pe/PGA-Peter-Millar-Offer.

For more information on Peter Millar visit www.petermillar.co.uk.

This article originally featured in International Golf Pro News. Visit the IGPN Page to find out more and subscribe for free.

Find somewhere to conduct your job search that is free from distractions and then do the following, roughly in this order:

1. Make yourself a realistic job hunting schedule and stick to it

A routine will stop you wasting your day and make your job search as efficient as possible.

2. Sort your CV out

Rework the format so that pertinent skills leap out at you ; create different versions for different roles; use key words often that are in the job descriptions.

3. Create a cover letter template

Convey your fit for the role and how much you want the job; make different versions with wording relevant to each role/employer.

4. Search both large and niche job boards

It’ll give you the biggest variety of job listings. Take advantage of alerts to find out about jobs as soon as they are posted.

5. Organise and professionalise

Ensure your voicemail message and email address are professional; get a list ready of references with relevant details and contact information; create folders for all your files and emails.

6. Use Social Media

Follow specific companies to find out about job openings and the culture of the company; try to track down your interviewers.

7. Check your online presence

Google yourself and check for any inappropriate or inaccurate information; remove or correct anything that would be difficult to explain in an interview.

8. Make good use of LinkedIn

Check for inconsistencies between your CV and your profile; join professional groups; ask for recommendations from your managers; check to see if you’re connected to someone in the industry or the organisations you’re applying to.

9. Prepare for your interview

Research the industry and company; find out about the type of interview you’ll be facing; be able to talk about your skills and back them up with evidence; practise answers to all types of interview questions.

There will be challenges so don’t give up, think positively and manage your own expectations.

This content appears courtesy of Abintegro, experts in career management, transition technology & e-learning for today’s modern, mobile and technology-savvy workforce – Find out more at www.abintegro.com

Credit: Glassdoor; abintegro