Posts Tagged ‘Fota Island Spa’

Preparing for Winter Golf

Monday, September 19th, 2011


Well it’s that time of year again when the evenings are getting shorter and the last strands of summer begin to disappear with that Autumnal chill taking prominence. Autumn gradually leads us into the winter months and often a lot of amateur golfers tend to hibernate their clubs. Depending on your location throughout the globe there comes a time every year when golf stops resembling golf. In Ireland that is usually around November time, when the ball seems to travel about 20 yards shorter than it did in August as a result of too much clothing which inhibits any swing fluidity, also, the fairways become slightly slower while the greens seem to become dead and lifeless.

The enforced hiatus from the game during the winter months can often lead to golfers dreading the ensuing March or April when they take to the fairways once again. The clubs will inevitably feel like foreign objects and it can often take two or three solid months of play to rediscover the form of the previous summer. So the old adage that practise makes perfect is even truer for a game such as golf when the skills involved need to be critically precise. The Golf Academy at Fota Island Resort is an ideal environment to hone your skills especially during the winter months with some enticing membership offers at present.

Winter golf can be a different game than the summer variety particularly when jack frost or a hint of snow begins to cover the landscape. But the cold climate should not be an excuse for you not to enjoy the game. Often there are no lines and slow play may not be an issue if there is no one on the course but you! That water hazard you had trouble carrying in the summer months may be frozen and those flies that plagued you during those long summer evenings are no where to be seen. It may not be exactly the same game you played during the summer but if you prepare correctly, it can be just as, if not more, fun and exhilarating.

Some Winter Golf Tips


In his blog, Gareth McShea provides some insightful tips for the amateur golfer when preparing for winter golf:

  • Check your golf shoes and make sure they are waterproof. If not, you might want to consider buying a new pair. When cold weather comes, it brings frost and moisture on the grass along with it. This can soak your feet which can lead to an overall feeling of discomfort. Also, ensure that you have sufficient waterproofs for the wet months ahead.

  • When dressing for the cold, put on layers of clothing, as opposed to wearing thicker items like a lined sweater. Multi layering will provide more warmth and you’ll be able to easily remove a layer if necessary. Under Armour compression garments are great for these times.

  • Always wear a hat that provides warmth for the head and protects the ears. You may not be nominated for the most fashionable person of the year award, but you’ll never have to worry about frostbite, or a headache from the cold.

  • Performance gloves are an essential piece of kit in the cold. New materials have allowed manufacturers to create pairs of gloves which are highly effective in combating the cold and wet. All of this is achieved without any compromise in feel.

  • During cold weather, the air is denser or heavier, which slows the flight of the ball and the distance it will travel. You might have to use more club than normal for a given distance. For example, a 6-iron might have to be used for a distance that would normally require a 7-iron, and so on.

  • With the ground getting softer it is important to keep the grooves on your clubs clean. Clean grooves impart backspin on the ball which in turn creates flight, so include a dry clean towel and a 3-in-1 multi-club cleaner as part of your kit.

  • Your risk of injury increases with cold stiff muscles, so keep moving. This is not the time of year for reading putts from ten different angles (there is no right time of year for that!). If possible get to the club in time to do some gentle light stretching before launching a missile off the first tee or you could partake in some spinning and core classes, enlist in a boot camp, avail of the swimming lessons or indulge in some Ashtanga yoga classes at the Fota Island Spa.



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    Posted in Fota Island Golf, Fota Island Golf Academy, Fota Island Resort, Fota Island Spa, General Information | 1 Comment »

    Introducing Lycon Hot Wax

    Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

     

    Fota Island Spa now offers advanced waxing using a new and amazing Hot Wax System for all bikini, facial and underarm treatments. The new Lycon Rosette Hot Wax and Lycojet Lavender Hot Wax aims to bring you total customer satisfaction by leaving you with that smooth flawless finish and silky feeling.

     

    This Australian Wax System has also taken Hollywood by storm and is popular with glamorous stars such as Uma, Demi, Posh and Sienna.

     

    Lycon boasts a list of the finest natural ingredients, resins and aromatherapy oils which allow it to deliver superior performance, removing stubborn and short hair from as short as 1mm. This innovative wax contains various essential oils which nurture and sooth the skin, making it suitable for the most sensitive skin types. Unlike other waxes the Lycon wax requires a low temperature. This low temperature and pliable wax promises to give you a nurturing and skin conditioning treatment.  One last but striking benefit is that Lycon wax can be re-applied on just waxed areas instantly, without causing you any discomfort or skin irritation.

     

     

    Lycon has been featured on Xpose, The Afternoon Show, Off The Rails, Image, Ireland AM, Irish Times, Sunday Independent as well as Marie Claire, Bazar, OK and GQ.

     

     To view our Waxing Treatments please click here

     

    For further information or booking call us on +353 (0)21  476 3131 or E-mail us at spa@fotaisland.ie

     

     

     

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    Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn,

    Friday, September 3rd, 2010

    As sad and all as it is I am afraid we have to bid a fond farewell to our 2010 summer and welcome the autumn months.

    What a summer it has been here at Fota Island Resort. Our Summer Kids Camps finished on Saturday, 28th of August. The camps were a great success with a wide variety of activities available from swimming, golfing, and nature trails and of course the Marquee proved a great success especially on those rainy days.

    During the summer 2010 we launched the brand new spinning academy. The spinning classes proved a great success so therefore are now available 5 days a week, classes are available both morning and evening times.

    Monday @ 7pm

    Tuesday @ 7am, 7pm & 8pm

    Wednesday @ 7pm

    Thursday @ 7pm

    Friday @7am

    Classes run for 45minutes. Booking is essential; please contact 021 467 3131 to ensure your place.

    Throughout the month of August we held a very successful Open week which commenced on the 9th of August and finished up on 13th of August. It proved to be a great success for all who participated. We had a variety of competitions available throughout the week, from Seniors Team of 4 Event to Open Singles. The sun shinned bright for the week which in turn helped filling the golf course each and every day.

    The summer months saw the launch of the Irish Examiner Intersociety competition at Fota Island Golf Club. The first qualifying round took place on July 20th. Apart from one wet day the event has proven a great success. We are patiently awaiting the final to see what lucky team wins the golf trip for 12 for three nights to Fregate, Provence, France including accommodation and flights. The last qualifying round is only around the corner so we don’t have long to wait.

    On the 19th of August we hosted a launch night in our Spa. We welcomed Kerstin Florian product to the Spa. Expert Daniella spoke on the benefits of this product but also advised those who attended on how to turn your very own bathroom into a Spa. A great night was had by all. We uploaded a few images onto our Facebook page which can be found on the following link http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cork/Fota-Island-Resort/247995778863

    Throughout the summer months we have been busy planning our Wedding Showcase which is due to take place on Sunday, 26th of September 2010, from 11am- 7pm. This showcase runs slightly longer than previous years due to the fact that Women’s Mini Marathon takes place on the same day. We are offering a special warm up session with our fitness instructor Karen Baker along with complimentary coach transfer to the starting line and back to the resort for those interested in attending both. We hope the Wedding Showcase is a great success as it was in previous years.

    Summer months generally ring the sound of Wedding bells and it most certainly did here at Fota Island Resort. Every weekend and indeed some week days saw the rolling out of the red carpet to welcome our newly weds. Each wedding brought an air of excitement to the hotel and of course romance. We were delighted that all our bride and grooms choose us as the place to celebrate the happiest days of their lives with close family and friends.

    As we say goodbye to the summer we welcome the autumn months with open arms. We are busy planning an organizing a variety of activities throughout the Resort. Firstly our Open day on Thursday 9th of September in the Golf Club along with our Wedding Showcase, and of course Our Pro Am qualifier taking place on Wednesday 29th & Thursday 30th of September. Boot camps have become an increasingly popular way to keep fit this summer. Boot camp classes continue to take place at Fota Island Resort this autumn. Our next 6 week course commences on Monday September 30th. Classes run on Monday and Wednesday, 6:15pm. Early and mid morning classes are also available at 7am and 10.30 am respectively. The cost for boot camp is €60 for members and €100 for non members. For more information please contact the Spa on 021 467 3131.

    This is only a taster of what we are planning for the autumn months and of course the winter months so keep an eye on our blog and Facebook page to be sure you don’t miss out. :)

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    A Tasty Midweek Treat – Lemon Cake Recipe

    Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

    I think its time to tickle everyones taste buds with this fabulous recipe I got off our chef Philippe. I cant wait to go home and make it myself. I have attached a picture too but some how i don’t think i will get the presentation quiet as good as Philippe. Enjoy and please do let me know how everyone got on making this Lemon Cake.

    Ingredients:
    -250g Butter ( Room Temperature) unsalted
    -250g Castor Sugar
    -2tsp finely grated lemon zest
    -1tsp vanilla essence
    -4 eggs
    -250g Flour

    Method:
    1) Line the bottom of a baking tin with baking paper
    2)Beat soft butter and Castor sugar at high speed until light and fluffy
    3) Reduce speed of mixture to normal pace and add 1 egg at a time until mixed in, then add the next and so on, and also add in lemon zest with vanilla essence
    4)Sift the flour and fold into creamed mixture and spread evenly in the prepared tin
    5)Bake at 175 degrees for 40 minutes
    6)DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR DURING BAKING AS THIS WILL RELEASE ALL THE AIR THUS YOUR CAKE WILL NOT RISE

    7)Insert knife into cake to make sure fully cooked. If the knife comes out clean its ready, if wet turn the heat down to 150 degrees and continue cooking for 10 minutes.

    Sit back relax and put the kettle on for a nice cup of tea and enjoy.. :)

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    Spinning has arrived at Fota Island Resort

    Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

    We here at Fota Island Resort are thrilled to announce the launch of our new spinning classes.What exactly is spinning you may ask? Well I am here to explain the new class that will have you in tip top shape this summer. Spinning is a popular group class. According to Ivillage health.com Spinning is an aerobic exercise that takes place on a specially designed stationary bicycle called a spinning bike. As you pedal, motivating music plays and the instructor talks you through a visualization of an outdoor cycling workout.During the class you vary your pace — sometimes pedaling as fast as you can, other times cranking up the tension and pedaling slowly from a standing position. This helps you to focus inwardly and work on your mind as well as your body Spinning helps to increase ones lower body and cardiovascular fitness.Spinning takes place at Fota Island Resort Golf academy every Tuesday morning at 7am & 7pm and Wednesday evening at 7pm sharp. Our spinning classes last for 45mins. To participate in our classes one must bring a towel and plenty of water (you will need it after this intense workout). The cost per class is €8 for non members and €5 for members. Pre booking is essential to reserve your place on our spinning bikes please call the spa on 021 467 3131

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    Posted in Fota Island Dining, Fota Island Golf, Fota Island Hotel, Fota Island Lodges, Fota Island Spa, General Information | No Comments »

    Nicolas favourite treatments at Fota Island Spa

    Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

    Nicola Kinnerk has given us a few of her preferred treatments which whe would recommend to anyone thinking of coming along. (more…)

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    Etiquette for the Spa! If your not so sure whats ok or not

    Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

    Fota Island Spa Etiquette
    If you’ve never been to a Spa before, don’t let that stop you! I know some people can be nervous or worry about not knowing procedures or decorum so to help with this we have prepared the following information for you. It’s nothing you wouldn’t already have known but sometimes we just need to see it in front of us to put us at ease. (more…)

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    Skin Toning with the team at Fota Island Spa

    Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

    January is a month all about detoxifying the body, losing weight and toning. With this in mind the girls in Fota Island Spa have come up with a selection of products from the Mama Mio range to help out in this area.

    A lot of celebrities are big fans of the Mama Mio brand. Those in the know include Jenifer Lopez, Tori Spelling, Christine Aguilera, Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Kirsten Dunst and Stella McCartney, who all love using them.

    (more…)

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