Hello golfers,

I hope you are all well and have managed to enjoy the sunshine and play some golf this week. We have had a very busy week here at the Valley with the Men's Club Championship last weekend followed by our annual pro-am and PGA four ball event.

With great weather and the golf course in superb condition we could not have asked for better conditions.

This weekend sees the Dads Army trophy being contested by the men and the Teignagers sections as well as a men's section Stableford on Sunday which is sponsored by Srixon and all competitors will be given some Srixon balls to play with prior to play.

Annual Pro-am.

160 players took to the course on Tuesday to compete in our annual pro-am. On a fantastic day of weather the course played superbly and the scoring showed. The individual pros event was won by Paul Jones from Canford Magna in Dorset who shot a brilliant 5 under par 65. The winning team score was a superb 18 under par. Thank you to all those who competed and to all those who sponsored as well, your support is very much appreciated.

Men's Club Championship

Last weekend saw the staging of the Teign Valley Men's Club Championships. With trophies for handicap and scratch it is always keenly contested and usually a very tight battle for the trophies. This year it certainly was with both trophies being decided on count back. Winning the handicap trophy was Dave Shipp who recorded a 3 under par total of 137. The scratch trophy was also decided on countback with Luke Mason winning on a total of 154. Well done to all those who competed over the two days.

PGA Four Ball Event

A full field of professionals teed up in the PGA Four Ball tournament and with the course set up superbly it was likely that the scoring would be good. So this proved as a 13 under par 57 was recorded on day one. The second day was always going to interesting with pairs jostling for positions and trying to climb the leaderboard. Setting the pace with two 9 under par 61's for an 18 under par total was ex Teign Valley assistant Sean Mason and Chris Gill. This looked like being one short as Paul Hendrikson and James Ruth were 19 under with 4 to play but unfortunately for them they both bogeyed the 16th and 17th holes to finish one short and hand the title to Mason and Gill.

In his speech PGA West Region secretary praised the condition of the course, the hospitality shown by everyone at the Valley and to Simon for his on going support of the event. In principle we have agreed to stage the event again next year.

I would like to thank some unsung heroes in those members who acted as ball spotters over the 3 days. Without your support I'm sure we would have had a few frustrated golfers so thank you to all of you for giving up your time.

Nike Experience Day

On Saturday the 5th of July we are having a Nike Experience Day in conjunction with the medal. We have also added tee times for the ladies to play a Stableford and be part of the day. Nike will be sending down 2 tour technicians to help fit players in to the right equipment on both long game and short game.

There will lots of demo product to try including balls and shoes and Nike are putting up a prize table for players to play for. This is a unique experience and one that you as members should try and take full advantage of. To have the opportunity to pick the brains of guys that are top of their field at your own club doesn't happen very often so please come along and support the day. If you would like a specific appointment to be fitted on drivers, fairways, irons, putters or wedges then please contact me ASAP to guarantee your time slot. There are spaces in the competition in which you have the chance to win some superb Nike prizes. Click here to register your entry.

Pros Day

My annual Pros Day is taking place on Saturday 19th July. The format will be better ball pairs off full handicap and is open to all members and visitors. You can play in any combination i.e. 2 men or 1 lady 1 man etc. It will be Stableford scoring and there will be nearest the pin prizes on every hole! There will also be a putting competition where you can win a custom fit putter and a prize draw. As always this will be the best prize table of the year so be part of the best day of the year and sign up now in the Pro Shop.

Competition reminder

I have been asked by the men's committee to remind players about the etiquette of not turning up for competitions. Players are responsible for putting their. Own names down for competitions and are reminded that it is etiquette to let the Pro Shop know if you will not be turning up for any competition as early as possible. There have been quite a few occasions lately where players have been left on their own due to no shows from other players.

New Clubhouse Menu

We now have a New Clubhouse Menu in place. It is a full range of food and beverages at excellent prices and as one of the chief menu testers I can highly recommend it. There are a variety of options from toasted sandwiches to paninis and baguettes as well as traditional meals like curry and ham egg and chips. Please remember that non members are welcome so please feel free to bring friends and family up for a bite to eat and a drink and support your club.

The menu is brain child of both Leah and Nicola who have worked hard to give you such a great menu and I know would really appreciate the members supporting this excellent initiative.

Great clothing ranges in store

Looking at the weather we could be looking at donning our summer wardrobe over the next week. This is the perfect time to treat yourself to a new golfing shirt for summer. We have some great shirts in stock in a wide range of colours, styles and sizes so we have something for everybody.

Pop in and get dressed for success this summer.

FREE Hybrid Offer

We are currently running a promotion with Callaway golf which allows any customer purchasing a X 2 Hot driver to receive a matching X2 Hot Hybrid for FREE!! How good a deal is that!!

Book your fitting with us now! Click here to request your fitting.

New teaching aid

Working with pupils on a multitude of faults just got easier here at the Valley. I have just had delivery of a Swingperfector. This is a great new teaching aid which allows me to work with pupils on correcting various swing faults. It's key use is based around swing plane and helping the pupil to swing in the desired plane in order to get them striking the ball more consistently and with increased direction.

It also has many other uses though and can help with weight transfer, loss of height in the swing and posture issues to name but a few. I will be using the new tool up in the studio to assist me with my coaching so why not book a session now and get the benefit from the Swingperfector.

Callaway now in stock

We have the new Callaway product in to the pro shop. Their new range of X2 Hot and Big Bertha clubs are fantastic performing clubs and we will be holding demo product in stock for you to be fitted with.

To book your Callaway fitting now contact the pro shop.

Know how far you hit the ball

Many golfers I play with have no idea of what yardage they have left in to any green. Their club selection is based upon guess work which they may get away with it to an extent as they become familiar with their own course but when they go elsewhere they struggle to get their club selection right.

A GPS watch is the perfect way to get a accurate yardage on every shot you play. It displays a yardage to the front, middle and back of any green thus giving you the opportunity to select the correct club needed to cover the required distance. The Skycaddie GPS watch is a fantastic product and is in stock in the pro shop. We have a demo watch available for you to take to the course and try.

Find your numbers

Working in conjunction with a GPS device it is vital that you know how far you hit each club. Using our GC2 launch monitor we can help you to understand how far you hit each club. We can help you perform a gap test which works out the average carry and total distance you hit each of your clubs vital information for the golf course. An example of this would be your GPS device showing 132 yards to go and you knowing your 8 iron goes 135 would be a pretty good club selection.

To book your fitting please contact the pro shop.

This years initiatives

This year we are giving you lots of exciting initiatives to be part of. These include the following :

10 yard challenge 
Shoe trade-in 
Bag trade-in 
Glove trade-in 
Short game assessments 
Demo days 
Ball fitting days 
Group coaching clinics 
And many more

These are there for every one to join in on so keep reading your newsletter each week to find out further information and for confirmation of dates.

We will trade in your old irons

As the new golfing season approaches many of you will be thinking about treating yourselves to some new irons. Please remember that as your PGA Club Professional I am the most qualified person to help you find the correct set of irons for you. With the aid of our GC2 launch monitor I can give you the ultimate custom fit experience to make sure that we are fitting you correctly for your new clubs. We will look at elements such as shaft length and flex, grip size, lie angle and lofts to try to get the most out of your game. The bonus for you as the customer is that all this comes FREE if you make a purchase on what you have been fitted for. We also offer a FREE 3 month check up so we can make sure that you are totally happy with your purchase. To help with the cost of your new clubs we offer a trade in on your old clubs. The price we offer depends on the age and condition of the clubs but we are more than happy to discuss this with you.

So if you've been thinking of treating yourself then now is a great time to pop in to the pro shop and talk to us about a custom fitting.

Our GC2 Launch Monitor and Simulator

As your PGA Professional I pride myself in giving you the best service possible. When it comes to coaching and custom fitting I have the perfect tool to help you get the most out of your sessions. The GC2 simulator and launch monitor is the market leader when it comes to club and ball data, both crucial when coaching and fitting. By looking at stats like club head speed, launch angle and spin rates I can help suggest technique improvements as well as fit you with any club to best suit your game. We are lucky to have such a great tool at our disposal and it's simple but effective results make it clear for any golfer to see what has happened.

Please contact me at the pro shop to book a fitting or a lesson using the GC2. 

In an age where social media is a big part of our lives I can keep you up to date with what is going on in and around the club and pro shop. Follow me on Facebook at Darren Everett Pro Golf and in twitter @dceverettpgapro There will opportunities to access great deals and win prizes via social media this season so follow me now and find out.