Phokeethra Country Club Monthly Newsletter SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2011 Welcome to the Phokeethra Country Club Monthly Newsletter. As always, I will be providing you with insights into what has been happening at the Club recently and what we have coming up. The rain has been come down in all its force over Phokeethra Country Club as of late, causing a few delays and softening up the turf; however this has not disheartened our dedicated team to work harder than ever during the dry periods to complete all jobs. Caddie Training

Caddies hard at work during English class To be a caddy may sound like an easy job...it’s not! There are many skills a caddy must possess or learn in order to become successful. As I mention every month, communication is the key to being an organised and well-prepared caddy. We have a large variety of nationalities among our golfing guests, and the language the majority of them can speak other than their own, is English. Therefore, it’s crucial that all our caddies’ English-language skills are at a good enough to communicate with golfers. We hold English classes on a daily basis where all caddies are taught and tested. Here in Cambodia, the ability to speak English well is a respected skill that not only assists local workers in the improvement and development of their jobs but gives them a lifelong asset which they can take with them wherever they go. Course Maintenance We still have a month or so to go before the end of the green season and the maintenance team are concentrating on the fine details on the course. A combination of humidity, rain and sunlight are the perfect conditions for any form of greenery to grow in a short amount of time. Therefore, our team must be constantly controlling the amount of weeds and local grasses that manage to form around the course. So this means, the difficulty of the course is also switched, with the more challenging nine to be played first and the more straightforward nine to be left for last. Coming through the first nine holes with a good to average score will be a real confidence booster; as you know, on the back nine, there are plenty of good chances to pick up some shots. Just to familiarise yourself, you can see the layout of the new course on the Scorecard below. Maintenance team hard at work on the 18th fairway Technology seems to lead the way in golf course maintenance nowadays, with a large variety of machines, chemicals and fertilizers to enhance the condition of any golf course around the world. Here at Phokeethra Country Club, we use this latest technology but still adopt the traditional process of weeding by hand to fine tune the small details. We have recently been spraying chemicals around the course to eradicate any weeds, therefore if you will be playing any time soon, please take care when handling your golf ball and not to put your hands around your face. The chemicals will not harm your skin, but as per health and safety regulations of the golf club, it is our responsibility to inform you. Membership Our membership base is growing each month, and with our new SMART Membership available, I expect it to increase more and more. If you are not a SMART Member and you are looking to play golf for a reasonable price, this is the membership for you. For only $500 you will receive a special green fee rate of $40 for a period of one year. You are able to bring guests for a discounted rate as well as enjoy other special benefits. If you are already a SMART Member and you introduce a new member, you will receive one green fee complimentary! When you have recommended 10 new members to PCC we will offer your next year’s membership free of charge. Once we have a big enough membership base, we will start hosting monthly member’s competitions with the goal of having the grand finale of the season...the Phokeethra Club Championships. So get involved and sign up to experience some good fun and good golf. Existing members, please start introducing your friends to the membership and receive some great offers! For more information, please email Ms. Yada on golf@sofitel-royal-angkor.com or call the Golf Hotline on 012 882 882. Golf Tip of the Month: Pitching How many times have you been within 50-80 yards of the green and you end up getting up and down in 4 or 5 shots? To the weekend golfer, this happens on a regular basis. Pitching is another one of those underrated shots in the game that the average golfer decides he does not need to practice. Instead he’d rather concentrate on the “fun” shots like hitting a driver as hard as possible to see if he can beat their longest drive... Does it really make a big difference to your score? In order to master this shot, pitching requires supreme feel and control. On a par 4 it can turn a potential bogey or worse into a par. On par 5’s it can lead a birdie if you are in good position after your first two shots. Either way, whatever the situation, having a sound pitching technique can knock shots off your round every single time. There are three main points that you need to think about when pitching: 1.Solid setup Of course, like all shots in golf, pitching requires a solid set up if you want to get the most out each and every opportunity. Of course, like all shots in golf, pitching requires a solid set up if you want to get the most out each and every opportunity. Grip down 1-2 inches to enable more control over the golf club. Ball position should be at the centre of your stance. Narrow your stance. You don’t need much lower body movement for this shot so bring your feet in slightly to promote more of an upper body movement. Hands must always be ahead of the club and ball. Notice where I have circled in the first image, my hands are in line with my inner left thigh. This is a good checkpoint to have before you begin the swing. IMPORTANT! Weight has to be favouring your left side. You should be looking for 60%-40% on your left side. Having your weight leaning more onto your front foot will allow you to have a more descending strike on the golf ball. Two of the most common bad shots in amateur pitching are a heavy or thin shot which is the result of poor contact on the golf ball. This tip is great to improve your ball striking when pitching and chipping. 2.Make the “L” shape Once your set up is complete its time to make the swing. Swing back until you reach the “L” shape. This is where your golf club creates the vertical line of the “L” and your left arm (right handed golfer) creates the horizontal line of the “L”. Once you reach this point the backswing should stop. If your backswing continues, the shot is no longer a pitch and becomes a full swing. You can practice in the mirror at home, or in the reflection in the window at work to make sure your arm and club create the sacred “L” shape. 3.Keep the triangle The set up is complete, the backswing is complete, and now all there is to do is the downswing and follow through. Pitching requires your arms and body to work in unison throughout the swing. One great swing thought to have for the follow through is to keep the triangle from your arms and chest in one piece until the finish. You can see in the third image where I have drawn the yellow triangle that the arms and upper body are all working together. Concentrate on these three points and I assure you, your pitching will improve in no time! Making Reservations The high season is fast approaching and we have a large number of reservations confirmed already. To avoid disappointment, please ensure you make a reservation before to play. Caddies & Buggies will be issued according to the reservations, therefore any golfers arriving without a tee time and all caddies are on the course, the golfers will be advised a tee time according to the availability. Any golfers that are late for their reservation and have not informed the club will have their reserved caddies issued to other golfers that are waiting. To make a reservation, you can call directly to our Reservation Hotline +855 12 882 882 or email to our Golf Coordinator at h3123-fo4@sofitel.com Once again, this high season is expected to be extremely busy so please make a reservation in advance to avoid disappointment. See you soon! Well that's it for this month’s edition of the Phokeethra Country Club Newsletter. I hope you enjoyed reading and if you need any more information regarding the course or you want to come and join me for a game please don't hesitate to call! I look forward to seeing you on the first tee! Jack Hedges Golf Operations Manager Phokeethra Country Club Email: golf.manager@sofitel-royal-angkor.com Mobile: +855 16 207 963