Our man at the Avantha Masters takes you behind the scenes at The European Tour's first visit to India since 2008.
Leela....got me on my knees, Leela
There are luxury hotels and then there are luxurious, luxuriating luxury hotels and one is happy to report that this week’s Official Hotel on The European Tour is in the latter category. The Leela Kempinsky in Gurgaon is the kind of place where you expect to bump into Royalty, Presidents and movie stars, the kind of hotel that you dream about. Everything about the Leela makes you feel special, from the warmth of the friendly staff to the impeccable rooms and world-class cuisine. If you are ever visiting Delhi and need a place to stay, get yourself a room at the Leela. You can check it out at the following link....http://www.theleela.com/hotel-gurgaon.html
Emily joins the caddie ranks
Oh to be a golfers wife eh? Days in the spa when your husband is at the course, five star hotels and a life of luxury all the way.....That may be the case for some but certainly not this week for the woman that makes an honest man of David Howell. The career path of young Mrs Emily Howell has certainly been varied. Once a member of The European Tour’s Communications Department, Emily Doughty (as she was so named at the time) quickly realised that a job at Tour Communications is only for the deranged and made a sharp exit to Buckingham Palace of all places to become the Personal Assistant to Queen Elizabeth II’s Private Secretary. After a royal few years in the company of the Queen and some other rather important folk, Emily married her most important person, Mr Howell, before going further than most wives would ever dare by picking up the clubs and taking to the fairways of the DLF Golf and Country Club. It does beg the question though: What is the highest paying job of the three? Well, I couldn’t possibly comment on the salaries on offer at Buckingham Palace or for that matter, Howell Enterprises, but I can guarantee you one thing – she was paid the least when she worked for The Tour’s Communications team....
Finchy and friends’ freak shots....
Never backwards about coming forwards, the brilliantly entertaining Richard Finch took time out of his day to seek out A Slice of the Action to inform us of some strange goings on at the DLF Golf and Country Club on Thursday after his opening round. Finchy is always good value, so when he volunteers you a story you know it’s going to be a good one. Over to you Mr Finch..... “We had a weird round of golf today,” revealed the Englishman after his first round. “I hit my second shot from 99 yards on 15, it landed straight in the hole, and I mean straight in, it didn’t touch the sides, jumped 20 feet up in the air, rolled off the front of the green from where I three putted. It didn’t make one mark on the hole, no damage, nothing, just straight in and out. Thanks very much. Then we were coming down the fourth (having started the first round on the tenth tee) and Anthony Kang can’t find his ball on the fairway where it landed. We start asking the marshalls where it is and one guy is pointing us over towards the rough. Anthony is sure that where the guy is pointing is nowhere near where his ball should be but he takes a look, only to find this huge crow trying to pick up his ball, pecking away at it! It was unbelievable. Thankfully he could replace his ball but it was pretty freaky.” Freaky indeed Finchy....
Curry heaven...
As a lover of Indian food, I was the first person in the Communications Department to volunteer for the trip to India for the Avantha Masters and I have to say that I have not been disappointed by the quality and diversity of the food on offer in this amazing country. Before heading to India, I have to admit that I was warned of the infamous Delhi Belly that has brought many a foreign visitor to this wonderful city to their knees. Well dear readers, perhaps it is my cast iron Glaswegian stomach, or the fact that there is so much beautiful spice in the local food that it kills any hint of bacteria, I am happy to report that as long as you have curry three times a day, then you keep the belly at bay!
