Sloe gin makers from across the world gathered at a village pub on the Kent/Sussex border to vie for the 'Sloe Gin World Champion' title on Sunday 10th December.

An annual event, hosted by The George Inn in Frant, near Tunbridge Wells, this was the 9th such competition, it attracted 36 entries from as far afield as Canada, Germany and Scotland, raising over £2,000 for charity. Over 200 people attended, most making a small donation to sample the gins.

Last year's runner-up, London-based Mother's Ruin, scooped the top prize in the commercial category, with local Anno Distillery of Marden in Kent, being awarded the silver medal.

There were also notable entries from The Lakes Sloe Gin in Cumbria, Devine Vineyards in British Columbia in Canada, Raisthorpe Manor Fine Foods of Malton, in North Yorkshire, Addingham Fruit Liqueurs in West Yorkshire, and Demijohn from Edinburgh, who were all Highly Commended.

On the winning sloe gin, judges noted: “intensely flavoured with delicious rich notes of plum and almond, balanced perfectly with the gin botanicals. It is made gin using a recipe handed down from the owner Becky Griffith's own mother. She employs an old school approach of cold infusion over a very long period of time, which is hand-made, hand filtered and hand bottled.

“We cut no corners, our sloe gin takes at least a year to become ready for sipping,” said Becky, adding, “We forage our sloes from all over Essex and the eastern fringes of the City, with the Essex sloes being particularly fine and full of flavour.”

The homemade category, which attracted more than 30 artisan entries, a record number, was won by pub regular George Shaw, a restaurant marketing consultant, who attributed the success of his winning concoction to the use of demerara, sugar, cinnamon, almonds and dried apple, measured in traditional Imperial, rather than metric, units.

“With two German contestants this year, I'm just glad it didn't come down to penalties,” said Shaw.

The runner-up was Liz Rayner from Mark Cross in East Sussex.

The four judges who awarded marks for character, sweetness, clarity and were Michael Voigt, General Manager of L'Oscar Hotel, a 5* boutique hotel opening in London in April, Alan Beauseigneur, a Master Mixologist from the luxury tea and fine food purveyor, The East India Company and Simon Brewster, Senior Private Client Manager, Buyer from Fine & Rare wine merchants and  Henrietta Green, food writer.

Commenting on the awards, judge Henrietta Green said; “It was a great day and fascinating to taste this typically British drink. The standard was interestingly high and a perfect winter's treat.”

All proceeds of the event were donated to the MS Society which supports people with Multiple Sclerosis.  One of the Sloe Gin World Championships founder, 'Merlot' Mike Matthews, who died suddenly in September this year, had suffered from Multiple Sclerosis. The 'Merlot' Mike Matthews Memorial Trophy will be now presented each year to the winner of the home-made category.

Carlisle golfer Mike Kelly put 11 years of frustration behind him to bag his first ace and join his son in the exclusive 'hole-in-one-club' after playing the popular Million Dollar Hole in One (MDHIO) competition in Portugal.

Kelly, 51, who plays off a seven handicap at Carlisle Golf Club, made his mark at Vale do Lobo's Royal Course, in the Algarve – one of MDHIO's 40 associated courses across Europe – to book his place in the grand final where competitors get the chance to shoot for a whopping $1m.

The MDHIO par-three challenge allows competitors to win a selection of golf-related prizes, from balls to pitch-mark repairers, for landing on the green.

If a competitor gets a hole-in-one they win an expenses-paid trip to the USA to play for a $1m prize if they can repeat the feat. And, from 2019, the winner also gets the choice of a trip to either the USA or Europe.

Kelly, a retired police officer who is now a British Red Cross volunteer coordinator, said: “My son Adam is 23 and had a hole-in-one when he was 12, so it's always been a goal of mine to match him. When I messaged him from Portugal, to tell him I had done it, he simply replied 'welcome to the hole-in-one club'.

“When Adam struck his hole-in-one, I was immensely proud but also very envious having never done it myself. It has taken a long time. I have been playing golf for 40 years, so it is fantastic to have finally done it. I was delighted.

“We are a competitive family. Over the years we've competed in our own Kelly Challenge competition, involving brothers and cousins – but not another hole-in-one from any of us. Adam would often remind us of that …”

Kelly was among a group of 24 golfers on the trip to play Vale do Lobo's two courses when he paid just €10 to enter the MDHIO game. His feat took place on the temporarily shortened 105-yard seventh hole on the Royal Course.

He added: “I hit it as sweet as I could; it landed six feet past the hole and slowly spun back. We all watched it go in and jumped for joy. It did cost a few bob as I was part of a large group, so there was a hefty bar bill.

“It was a great weekend, though. I have played MDHIO twice before. It is great fun and €10 well spent. You can also win prizes for landing on the green and I previously won a pair of sunglasses and a towel. I'm so pleased I paid my €10 … I mean why would you not? Imagine if you hadn't paid and you holed it!

“I'm now looking forward to the finals event in Las Vegas; yes, there's a chance to win $1m, but let's be realistic, it's taken me 40 years to get my first hole-in-one,” he smiled.

MDHIO, which has been running since 1990 in the USA and since 2000 in Europe, has steadily grown in popularity over the years with more than 50,000 people each year trying their luck at the various par-three holes at courses across Portugal, mainland Spain, Mallorca and the UK. Almost 50 golfers have achieved their ace while playing MDHIO in Europe, while more than twice that number missed out by not entering and acing the hole.

The annual final is held at a host of top venues in the USA and Europe, where finalists enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip and the chance to shoot for $1m, with this year's showdown held at the prestigious Golf & Spa Resort Grand Tirolia Kitzbühel, in Austria, which was attended by former England and Newcastle United football ace Alan Shearer.

MDHIO also offered golfers another chance to scoop $1m this year, after teaming up with American Golf. The retailer ran a simulator challenge at participating stores across the country with anyone who netted an ace – or the 10 nearest to the pin – going through to a final shootout at the Belfry.

Eric de Turckheim's French Nivelt-Muratet 54 Teasing Machine is the overall winner of the 2017 RORC Transatlantic Race. Whilst many of the record 23 yacht fleet are still racing, none of them can better Teasing Machine's corrected time under IRC. Teasing Machine is the smallest yacht to win the RORC Transatlantic Trophy which has been previously won by yachts in the Maxi Class.

"To win the RORC Transatlantic Race is just fantastic," commented Eric de Turckheim. "It is not just a personal achievement to win my first ever transatlantic race because it has been such a massive team effort. Teasing Machine was only taking part in its second offshore race and to build a team to that performance level within four months has required a huge commitment from everyone, but especially Laurent Pages."

Teasing Machine tactician Laurent Pagès and Navigator Jean-Luc Nélias form a formidable partnership. The Frenchman took the same roles for skipper Franck Cammas, winning the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race, and Nélias won this year's Transat Jacques Vabre on Sodebo Ultim with Thomas Colville, smashing the race record.

RORC Chief Executive Eddie Warden Owen was very pleased with the result and the race: "It has been no easy task for the Teasing Machine team to win this race and they have been pushed hard by a number of very competitive boats. Eric and his team showed their determination and expertise, setting a strong pace from day one and never letting up. This race marks the start of the 2018 RORC Season's Points Championship and Teasing Machine has set the standard required for the rest of the fleet who have their eyes on this prestigious prize."

If more proof were needed that the Rockies are in great shape, the Lake Louise Audi FIS Ski World Cup reached a positive snow control with FIS confirming the men's downhill and super-G races on November 25 and 26, 2017. The ladies will follow on December 1st.

Early season visitors will also be able to enjoy the Banff Craft Beer Festival which takes place November 23 - 25, 2017 in the Cave & Basin. Visitors to Marmot will have to wait until February 2nd when the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge will host the first ever Craft Beer and Barley Summit.

Jasper in January runs this year from January 13th-28th at which time there are deals on lift tickets and lots of extra activities such as fun races, a Dark Sky snowshoe and live entertainment.

Heritage Golf Club won the title of "Best Indian Ocean Golf Course" for the fourth consecutive year (2014,2015,2016,2017) at the 2017 World Golf Awards. This award highlights the constant efforts and hard work of the teams to stay on top. Whether it's management, course maintenance, Club House or the Academy, Heritage Golf Club is a course that is constantly questioning itself and which seeks to innovate in order to offer an ever improving experience to its clientele.

A pledge of quality and excellence that allows Heritage Resorts to organize and host the third edition of the prestigious AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, the world's first tournament jointly sanctioned by the European, Sunshine and Asian tours, at Heritage Golf Club. Appointment

World Golf Awards, excellence in golf tourism

The World Golf Awards ceremony celebrates and rewards excellence in golf tourism, including international standard courses and golf destinations. The goal is also to help improve and enrich the golfers' experience in order to stimulate the international market. The 2017 World Golf Awards focused on the 130 major countries that are shaping the future of this dynamic industry.

Votes were cast by professionals working in the golf travel and tourism industry, including senior executives, tour operators, travel agencies and media professionals. The public also has the right to vote. Votes are cast on a first past the post system to ensure impartiality and independence and are submitted online on the World Golf Awards website. The winners of each national category face the winners from other countries before the international winners are announced.

Boasting extensive five-star facilities and a world-class golfing pedigree, Spain's La Manga Club has everything needed for a luxury golf getaway, and guests can take advantage of outstanding value when booking a stay-and-play break this winter. Boasting extensive five-star facilities and a world-class golfing pedigree, Spain's La Manga Club has everything needed for a luxury golf getaway, and guests can take advantage of outstanding value when booking a stay-and-play break this winter.

Recently granted royal status and awarded the title 'Real Golf La Manga Club' in recognition of its key role in promoting Spanish golf, the Murcian resort is synonymous with golfers across Europe for its golfing excellence and is offering a choice of three, five and seven-night packages over the coming months.

Featuring three 18-hole golf courses, a nine-hole academy course and outstanding practice facilities, La Manga Club also offers an average of more than 300 days' sunshine a year and is the perfect solution for players eager to escape the clutches of winter.

Bookable until March 31, 2018, the eye-catching breaks include the opportunity to play all three of the resort's renowned 18-hole courses – the North, South and West, all ranked inside Spain's top 40.

Bed-and-breakfast accommodation is available in either La Manga Club's five-star Hotel Principe Felipe or four-star Las Lomas Village, while guests keen to hone their golfing techniques before taking to the course can do so at La Manga Club's recently-opened Golf Training Centre.