Drive it Home: Scotland’s biggest global golf promotion
Scotland: the Home of Golf is offering its biggest ever golf promotion in 2010, with over 250 tee times throughout Scotland, the chance to play golf with Sam Torrance, win a trip to the Open Championship in its 150th anniversary year, and play the illustrious St Andrews Old Course.
From 15 – 28 February 2010, golfers can register on http://www.driveithome2010.com to win their free golf times, where they could see themselves and three of their friends playing on one of over 50 of Scotland’s top courses, from the world famous Turnberry and Royal Troon in Ayrshire to the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews and Gleneagles, home of the Ryder Cup 2014.
March sees Golf fans given the opportunity to win a golf visit to Scotland, including a day with Scotland’s Ryder Cup legend Sam Torrance; while April offers the chance to win a trip to July’s Open Championship and play the famous Old Course.
Scotland is undeniably the Home of Golf, with over 550 courses to choose from and having pioneered the game from as early as the 15 century. From the iconic courses of St Andrews and the coastal links of Aberdeenshire, Morayshire and Ayrshire, to the challenges Dalmahoy and Gleneagles, Scotland’s golf courses provide the experience of a lifetime for golfers.
Sam Torrance, VisitScotland’s golf ambassador, said, ‘The Drive It Home promotion is the perfect reason for international golfers to visit the Home of Golf in 2010. Scotland is the undisputed ‘Home of Golf’. We have the best courses in the world and facilities that are second to none and will again be firmly on the golfing map this year with the 150th anniversary of the Open Championship. Scotland has over 550 courses the length and breadth of the country, the difficulty golfers have when visiting is choosing their favourite!’
This year’s Drive it Home campaign website harnesses the support and enthusiasm of hundreds of partners across Scottish tourism, including 60 accommodation providers and travel operators. With free tee times up for grabs at over 50 of Scotland’s courses, and a range of associated discounts and deals, this year’s biggest golf push is on course to persuade even more golfers to ‘Drive It Home’.
The winners of the free four-ball will be selected in a random drawing from all eligible entries received, on March 1, 2010. By entering the prize draw, entrants fully and unconditionally agree to be bound by these rules and decisions of the judges.
265 winners will receive a free four-ball. There will be one free four-ball per winner. Winners are designated a specific golf course on which to redeem their free four-ball – this is non-transferrable. Golfers nominated to join a free four-ball are not eligible to claim a free four-ball themselves.
The four-ball prize may be redeemed at the designated Scottish Golf Course between 13th April – 30th October 2010, subject to availability.
Source: Visit Scotland
Sleep Apnea Therapy improves golf game
Men Find New Motivation for Using CPAP
Golfers who undergo treatment for sleep apnea may improve their golf game as well as their overall health, shows new research. A new study presented at CHEST 2009, the 75th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), found that golfers with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who received nasal positive airway pressure (NPAP) for their disorder improved their daytime sleepiness scores and lowered their golf handicap by as much as three strokes. Researchers suggest that the possibility of improving your golf game may be a significant motivator to improve NPAP compliance rates among golfers.
“More so than many sports, golf has a strong intellectual component, with on-course strategizing, focus, and endurance being integral components to achieving good play,” said Marc L. Benton, MD, FCCP, Atlantic Sleep and Pulmonary Associates, Madison, NJ. “OSAS can lead to daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and cognitive impairment, all side effects which can negatively impact a person’s ability to golf to the best of one’s ability.”
Dr. Benton and colleague Neil S. Friedman, RN, RPSGT, from Morristown Memorial Hospital, Madison, NJ, evaluated the impact of NPAP on the golf handicap index (HI) of 12 golfers with diagnosed moderate to severe OSA. HI was recorded upon study entry, as was the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), a validated questionnaire used to assess daytime sleepiness, and a sleep questionnaire (SQ) developed by the authors. After 20 rounds of golf while receiving NPAP treatment (approximately 3 to 5 months), the treatment group demonstrated a significant drop in average HI, 12.4 (+/- 3.5) to 11.0 (+/- 4.7). Patients in the study group also improved their ESS score, 11.8 (+/- 6.6) to 5.5 (+/- 3.6), and the SQ score, 14.3 (+/- 7.5), to 3.1 (+/- 3.1). A control group of 12 subjects demonstrated no change in HI, ESS score, or SQ score during this study.
“As any golfer knows, when your ability to think clearly or make good decisions is compromised, the likelihood of playing your best is greatly diminished,” said Dr. Benton. “Through treatment with NPAP, we can improve many cognitive metrics, such as attention span, memory, decision-making abilities, and frustration management, which may, in turn, positively affect a person’s golf game.”
Results of the study also showed that the best golfers, defined as HI <12, had the biggest improvements in their game. Within this group, the average HI dropped from 9.2 (+/- 2.9) to 6.3 (+/- 3.0); the SQ score from 10.8 (+/- 1.9), to 2.8 (+/- 2.6).
“The biggest handicap improvements occurred in the lower handicap, often older golfers. This group typically would be expected to trend in the opposite direction due to age-related deterioration in strength and endurance,” said Mr. Friedman. “The drop in handicap among the better golfers probably reflected that the major limiting factor was not golf skill but cognitive compromise that improved when the sleep apnea was treated.”
Dr. Benton estimates that there are 1 to 3 million regular golfers (regular defined as 10 or more rounds per year) who have OSA, and most are undiagnosed or untreated. However, even when proper treatment is offered, it is only effective if it is used regularly. In men, studies have reported compliance rates as low as 40 percent. Patients cite many reasons for noncompliance with NPAP, including discomfort, inconvenience, cost, noise, or embarrassment. In the current study, nearly all patients in the treatment group had a compliance rate of above 90 percent.
“Providers typically attempt to maximize compliance with NPAP by promoting its medical benefits or warning patients of the risks involved in not being treated, but this approach does not always work,” said Dr. Benton. “In the case of this study, the possibility of improving one’s ability to play golf appears to have been a significant motivation to improve treatment compliance.”
“Compliance with CPAP therapy is an ongoing issue in the treatment of patients with sleep apnea,” said Kalpalatha Guntupalli, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. “Finding new and more effective ways to increase CPAP compliance based on individual motivations is definitely encouraged.”
Source: American College of Chest Physicians
Golf at the End of the World
‘Las Brisas’ in Chile offer premium golf from the Andes to the Pacific
The prestige of a first-rate golf course open year round transcends the borders of Chile and South America — High-end homes and mountain and seaside scenery surround two international-standard golf courses
The alliance between the “Las Brisas de Chicureo” and “Las Brisas de Santo Domingo” real-estate projects has led to an exclusive golf course in Chile. Unique in South America, it allows golfing from the Andes to the Pacific, blending the best natural scenery, culinary, viticultural, and property attributes.
With the beginning of an internationalization process that is already renowned beyond national borders, both real-estate complexes — associated with illustrious Chilean businessman Eduardo Fernandez Leon — joined forces in a single sports concept, with majestic golf courses, sports infrastructure, social areas, an elegant club house, and an unmatched selection of property alternatives. Both projects were conceived with an impressive golf course as the backbone, and designed by the celebrated U.S. company Gage Davis.
The route includes the challenge of golfing against the imposing scenery of the Andes, the chance to visit some of Chile’s largest vineyards, enjoying seafood and local cuisine, and finally improving your handicap with the backdrop of a beautiful sunset on the Pacific Ocean. All this within less than 130 km. Simply unbeatable!
Seduced by the weather, economic stability, price convenience, and standard of living of this region at the end of the world, a significant number of foreigners are considering Chile as a place to vacation and even settle down. The safety, construction quality, convenient prices, and fine sports infrastructure of these complexes are more than convincing arguments. Although close to Santiago, both complexes enjoy superb scenery and unexplored areas.
The golf course at Las Brisas de Chicureo (http://www.lasbrisas.cl/), near Santiago, has over 180 hectares of native forest and fauna, 36 holes, intense green elevations, and undulating fairways, reaching a semi-desert trail of hawthorn, bunkers, and striking ravines.
On the coast (on the way to Rapel V Region), Las Brisas de Santo Domingo (http://www.golflasbrisas.cl/) offers 27 holes of great natural beauty and the intense Pacific Ocean in the background, plus a crystal clear 2.2 hectare pond hidden between the seaside and the woods.
Source: Las Brisas de Santo Domingo; Las Brisas de Chicureo