Hello golfers, 

I hope this finds you well. This week's newsletter is a very brief one as I have had a hectic week here at the club as we have staged our annual Pro-Am and West Region PGA Fourball Championships. I will be sending out a more extensive catch up newsletter next week. 




On Tuesday we staged our annual Pro-Am event to proceed the West Region PGA Fourball Championships. 30 teams of amateurs teamed up with a PGA Professional to compete in a team event whilst the professionals also kept an individual card. 

The weather once again was fantastic and with the golf course in superb condition it promised to be a day of good scoring. Leading the way in the team event was Club Captain Ted Ridgewell, Doug Porter and Gary Birch with professional Nathan Gilpin they recorded an excellent 18 under par total to win on countback from the team of Vince Chalk, Steve Locke and Jim Mills with professional Murdoch McEwan. 

My team of Chris Pugh, Paul Madge and John Garford came a respectable 5th on 14 under. 

The professional individual event was won by Toby Hunt with a superb 5 under par 65. Runner up was Nathan Gilpin with a 4 under 66. I so nearly put myself in the frame as I was 4 under par stood on the 16th tee. However our famous tough last 3 holes gave me a knockout blow as I finished bogey, bogey, double bogey to sign for a level par 70. James was also left to rue a bad hole as his 7 on the 8th left him also on level par 70. 

There was a brilliant atmosphere around the clubhouse and course all day and everyone had a brilliant experience. I would like to thank each of our sponsors for supporting the event, the amateurs for putting teams in to compete and also our army of ball spotters who did a sterling job of finding balls on the 8th hole. 

I will write a report on the fourball championships in next week's newsletter. 




Pro's Day 2015 - August 1st

I have started taking entry's in to this years annual pros day which will take place on Saturday August 1st. The start sheet is in the pro shop. 

The format is better ball pairs off full handicap and is open to members and visitors. There will be nearest the pins on every hole, a putting competition, longest drives and a prize table worth £1500 with a first prize worth £600! 

Be quick to put your names down as I am expecting a full field once again. 


 

Come and improve your short game with PING

I have been lucky enough to be given a bag full of PING demo wedges and putters for the next month. We will be using them for our upcoming short game clinics but if anyone wishes to come up in their own time to try them out, they are more than welcome. We have a selection of different head styles and lengths in the putters and many different lofts and bounces in the wedges. Come in and let us advise you of what may suit your game best so that you can enjoy better golf in 2015.

As a reminder...

James and I are holding a wedge clinic on Tuesday, 23 June. The time is 6.30pm - 8.00pm and the cost is £10 per person to include a sleeve of FREE balls. The clinic is limited to just 12 people so be quick to put your name down to reserve a place as spaces are going fast. The clinic will cover the following:

Book your space here.

I am delighted to announce that we are now an official Grass Roots Golf Centre. Authorised by The Golf Foundation we have been granted this title with a view to the exciting up and coming contributions we will be making to help grow the game and introduce new people to golf. Our aims include the following:

• Build the structure of a new junior golf academy
• Run adult beginner golf lessons
• Run specific ladies beginner golf lessons

As an official Grass Roots Centre we have access to funding to allow us to successfully implement our objectives. I will keep you updated with our progress in future newsletters.

Ted and myself are looking for challengers to take us on in a series of challenge matches. The format will be pairs better ball stableford. The cost is £10 per pair but if any pairs beat us they will receive a sleeve of three balls. At the end of the series of matches the pair with the best stableford points will play alongside myself and Ted in a regional Pro-Am at no cost to the players. There is a list of dates in the changing rooms but if you would like to contact us with a date and time of your own then we will try our very best to squeeze it in to our diaries. Pairs can be made up of any combination and the matches will be played from the red and white tees. 

We look forward to playing with you.