Don\'t stop the carnival!

The construction and real estate sectors came together at the Eurobuild CEE Golf Tournament for the ninth time at the beginning of September. Despite the cool and rainy conditions, spirits were high. Even a rainbow appeared above the Mazury Golf & Country Club in the afternoon, giving hope for better weather and an even better mood for the evening’s festivities

In late August, it was reported that an American had started a fire on a golf course in southern California with just a swing of his golf club. In a bizarre sequence of events, the ball struck a stone, igniting a blaze that consumed vegetation over an area of 5-ha! A few days later, on September 3rd, it was the emotions of golfers in Naterki near Olsztyn that were combustible – but this time it was possible to avoid a fire. This year the tournament, sponsored by specialist shopping centre developer and management company Mayland Real Estate, was won in the first handicap category (HCP 0-18) by Romuald Centkowski of Centbet. The runners up in this category were Sławomir Hruboń and Dariusz Wiatr. Monika Kasprolewicz, who scored 32 points in the tournament, defended the honour of women, as the best player among the fairer sex. In the second handicap category (HCP 18.1-36), Marcin Stefański of SM Europa was the best player, with the runners up being Piotr Maciejczyk of Mayland Real Estate and Ernest Kiruja representing Eurobuild. Those who wanted to take their first steps towards becoming the next Jack Nicklaus were able to take part in the Golf Academy, sponsored by warehouse developer Panattoni Europe. The best novice of the Academy – the winner of the ‘closest to the pin’ category – turned out to be Andrzej Ryba of the Biuro Projektów Kazimierski i Ryba architectural studio, while the longest drive belonged to Krzysztof Tekielak of Eiffage Budownictwo Mitex. Meanwhile, Janusz Trzpil of Origo Group won the Green Card Tournament, which was held for the first time. Those present who could not get enough of an adrenaline rush out of the golf could move on to the shooting range to blast a few targets, including cans filled with sand, and for a moment could imagine that they were at the O.K. Corral, and not on a golf course in the Masurian lakes after all. But in the late afternoon it wasn’t the Wild West, but Rio de Janeiro where the participants were transported to – thanks to the Afro Carnaval variety show. The Przystań restaurant in Olsztyn was filled with dancers gyrating to the Latino rhythms of the show. This followed the presentations to the winners of the tournament, who received thunderous applause from those present. The climax was a fireworks display on the picturesque shores of lake Ukiel. But even after a long day of outdoor combat, some of the contestants were still hungry for more and took part in a night golf tournament on the lakeside. A winner finally emerged, but only after scores of balls had ended up in a watery grave at the bottom of the lake. The best at chipping the balls into a basket on a jetty was Maciej Kawecki of Universe Properties Group. All we can do now, after so many memories, is to wait for next year’s tenth jubilee Eurobuild CEE Golf Tournament. (ZW)