Welcome to your Golf Gazette

Schweppes continues its association with IMG and the JBWere Australian Masters

Schweppes Australia has long been associated with major Australian golf tournaments and, in conjunction with IMG Australia, we are delighted to announce our continued commitment to the JBWere Australian Masters for 2010 and 2011.

Victoria Golf Club will host the world class 2010 field, including Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia and Geoff Ogilvy. Schweppes will be the official beverage supplier.

Christopher Gilbert, Director Sales & Marketing at IMG said, "IMG is delighted to extend its long-standing partnership with Schweppes on the JBWere Masters. Our working history with Schweppes Golf and the Masters dates back over a decade, and we are pleased to be able to share in the continued success of the tournament with Schweppes".

Royal Melbourne puts on its finery for the Presidents Cup

Royal Melbourne is Australia’s oldest golf club and is recognised as one of the world's pre-eminent courses.

In 1998 it hosted the Presidents Cup, the first time it was held outside the USA. The Cup returns to Royal Melbourne in 2011 bringing with it the world’s top 24 golfers, including Tiger Woods.

Open 365 days a year and catering to 2300 members, Royal Melbourne is a large and complex business. Chief Executive Officer, Paul Rak, said he and his 50 full-time staff had been kept busy preparing the course for the big event.

“Late last year we re-seeded 14 greens with Suttons Mix Bent grass, overplanted the fairways with Legend Couch and turfed the surrounds with Fescue.”

“It’s been worth the effort though,” Paul confirms. “The fairways are developing well and after another growing season should be in first class condition.”

In 1998 the international Presidents Cup team had an outright win and Paul thinks it could happen again. “The USA team is always hard to beat but they struggled with the conditions back in 1998. I think they are capable of repeating their performance especially with Greg Norman as the captain.”

Irrespective of who wins the Cup, Schweppes is delighted to once again be supporting the club and helping to ensure this prestigious event is a success.  

According to Paul, Schweppes’ long association with Royal Melbourne was a key advantage. “I commenced my employment at Royal Melbourne in 1974 and have been associated with Schweppes ever since. I have also known (Schweppes representative) John Halliwell for many years. I choose Schweppes due to the quality of product, the service from John and the company. Schweppes have also supported golf for many years,” Paul said.

The Presidents Cup is set for play from 17-20 November next year.

Getting to know Eddie Barr

Eddie Barr, ex-pat Irish touring golf professional who now calls Brisbane home, tells us more…

How long have you been a pro? About 10 years.

How has the game changed? It’s more competitive and the players are getting stronger.

What is your favourite golf course? Royal County Down just 30 minutes from where I grew up. It’s a great part of the world.

What is your association with Schweppes? Jeff Pollock of Schweppes Queensland and fellow Irelander. We met at a golf pro-am, it was good to play with him and we could understand each other. Schweppes have always supported my golf.

If you could play anyone in the world who would it be? For entertainment, Billy Connolly. For golf, Tiger.

Who do you look up to in the golf world? I’m a huge fan of Tom Watson.

If you weren’t a golfer what would you like to do? Be a butcher. I wanted to as a kid. 

Name the Gazette competition

'The 19th' or how about 'The Albatross Times'? Do you have a great name for your new Schweppes Golf Gazette? Then email it to us before 20 August and you could win up to $500. Conditions apply.

 Conditions of Entry

1. The competition closes 5:00pm 20/08/2010 (AEST).
2. To enter, email your suggested newsletter name to  refreshyourgame@schweppes.com.au, along with your name, outlet name and address, and daytime contact number. Only one entry per person allowed.
3. Entry open to all Schweppes golf accounts.
4. Judging: 9:00am 23/08/2010 at L5/111 Cecil Street South Melbourne Victoria 3205.
5. 1 Prize: $500.00 cash. (Where more than 1 person submits the same name that is selected as the winning name, the prize will be shared amongst all people submitting that name). Judges’ decision is final.
6. Winner(s) notified by email and published in the next newsletter (October 2010).

Bonville and Schweppes – a winning combination of beauty and refreshment

Voted ‘Australia’s most beautiful golf course on the Australian mainland’ for the last 10 years by The Golf Course Guide magazine, Bonville Golf Resort is also well recognised for its food and beverage. Schweppes is delighted to be part of this winning formula. Never one to rest on his laurels, General Manager Brad Damon talks about the developments at Bonville and why they switched to Schweppes.

Tell us about Bonville and what’s going on there. Bonville is located just 10 minutes south of Coffs Harbour. It's an 18 hole resort course with accommodation, a restaurant that has won many awards for its food and beverage, and great function facilities. We're open to the public but also have members.

It’s a very exciting time at Bonville. Recently we completed an upgrade and refurbishment to our accommodation and restaurant, and we’re now finalising planning permissions for a major development phase that will see residential/tourist housing attached to the property.

Tell us about your background. I started at Bonville on opening day back in January 1992. For the first nine years I was the golf-pro, and for the last nine years I’ve been General Manager.

Bonville recently switched from CCA to Schweppes. Why? Schweppes’ current business practises align closely with where we’re going as a business. Not only do we have a good personal relationship with the Schweppes rep, who provides excellent service, but importantly for a regional course, Schweppes also bring business to us.

How is Schweppes Australia supporting your business? Schweppes run a golf day, conferences and use our accommodation when in the region.

What’s your favourite Schweppes brand? The mineral waters and mixers, but Gatorade is our biggest seller.

Yarra Bend and Schweppes – a world class team

Yarra Bend Golf Holdings is transforming popular Yarra Bend from a suburban public course into a world class, multi-faceted facility ideal for families. Schweppes is proud to be part of the journey. Yarra Bend’s General Manager, Brendan Woods, told us about his vision for Yarra Bend and his relationship with Schweppes.

Can you tell me what’s happening at Yarra Bend? Along with myself, Yarra Bend Golf Holdings is a consortium of golfing greats and good buddies Geoff Ogilvy, Stuart Appleby, Paul Sheehan, Steve Bann, Dale Lynch and ‘oarsome foursome’ Olympic gold medal rower, James Tomkins.

We took over Yarra Bend on 1 April 2010 and by the end of the year will be opening a whole new facility. With a 60 bay driving range, 36 hole mini-golf complex and new pro-shop not only will Yarra Bend be Melbourne’s first major multi-faceted golf complex, but our seven member coaching team led by international coaching stars Steve Bann and Dale Lynch, is the best coaching team anywhere in the world.

In particular, we’re really excited about our Junior Golf Program – it will be world class!

What’s your background? Mainly golf retail, but I’ve also spent some time in management of golf courses.

Yarra Bend recently switched from CCA to Schweppes. Why? Two reasons. One is my great relationship with John Halliwell. I was involved with the management of six golf courses last year, all of them Schweppes aligned. Not only is John a great bloke but his support is fantastic. The other is Paul Sheehan’s close friendship with Craig Parry, who’s been the face of Schweppes Golf for many years.

How is Schweppes Australia supporting your business?  With our furniture allocation so far we’ve got banners and barriers. We’re currently in on-going talks about future developments.

What’s your favourite Schweppes brand? Lemon Lime Gatorade. It’s our biggest seller by a long shot.