Driving Off!

The weekend saw a series of fun-filled events at Riffa Golf Club marking the temporary closure of the club, culminating in a Hawaiian-themed evening reception for all the members.

A “Farewell to Riffa Golf Club” competition for regular visitors to the club took place on Thursday morning and boasted a full field of around 50 golfers.
The Texas Scramble tournament was won by the team of Sam Kobeissi, Phil Gagnard, Jerry Renaud and Alec Daugherty with a team score of 56.40 while the 3-man team of Don Carpenter, Mike Haas and Ted Sliwinski came a close second with 56.50.
Two back-to-back members’ only competitions took place on Friday, with 7.30am and 12.00 noon shotgun starts. The overall winning team was led by club captain Peter Loubser and consisted of Barry Hobday, Rob Lane and Jason Smith who achieved a team score of 57.00.
The final event of the weekend was the annual CFC Masters competition, a social fancy dress golf tournament organised and subsequently won by former club captain Richard Duncan. This year’s theme was “desert island” with all 50 competitors obliged to dress up to be eligible to play.
The Hawaiian themed evening reception was attended by around 100 club members and their partners with Krazy Kevin providing the music and entertainment.
“I think the weekend’s fun was a fitting tribute to the end of an era and also a positive platform for looking to the future,” said the club’s general manager, Michael Braidwood.
“Members, visitors, management and staff alike are looking forward to our fantastic new golf course which is due to open next April. In the meantime, we wanted to enjoy some final fun competitions on the existing course which has served us so well for the past eight years.”
The new course, designed by golfing legend Colin Montgomerie is expected to open in April 2008 and will form the centerpiece of Riffa Views, a residential community consisting of over 900 luxury housing units in three signature estates along with commercial facilities, an international school, a mosque and many other amenities. In addition to the new 18-hole grass championship golf course, the new golf club will boast a 9-hole, par 3 academy course for beginners and lady golfers as well as a new state-of-the-art golf academy with practice facilities and a refurbished club house.