Hello golfers, 

I trust this finds you well and your golf game is in good shape. Well the weather is still holding firm in the main which has helped get plenty of golfers out on the course. We are starting to wind down 2015 which has been a very good year here at the club. I am going to do a brief review of the year in next week's newsletter so be sure to take a look. 


 

Darren Bingham won the Pro Shop Roll-Up last weekend as his excellent 39 points pipped Simon Madge by one point. Chris also returned an under par round of 37 points.

A good sized field took part in the annual Hoggmanay Trophy. Bob Read was the fully-deserved winner as he returned a superb 42 points to claim the trophy. Bob was hoping for some double delight as he predicted his beloved Southampton would knock my beloved Liverpool out of the Capital Cup...At least you won the golf, Bob!

 

There are a few events upcoming for everyone to get behind and support. This Saturday we have the annual Festive Day. This is a team event with all teams teeing off in a shotgun start at 10am. We have a superb 24 teams playing so we will double up teams to start on certain tees. 

Following the presentation of Festive Day, we have the presentation of the main board trophies for the season. It would be much appreciated if of many of you as possible will attend to support all the winners regardless of whether you have won a trophy or not. 

We then we have the Club AGM next Wednesday, 9 December at 7pm. This is where the outgoing Captains review their year and pass over the reins to their successors. It is also where new committee members get voted in. It would be great to see as many of you there as possible to support the AGM.
 

 

I have just returned from a short break to Dublin with Leah. I have been before to watch the Ryder Cup but didn't get to see any of what is a fantastic city. This time, however, I made up for it by exploring what the Irish had to offer and I have to say I absolutely loved every minute of it! From its history to the incredibly friendly hospitality wherever we went, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and somewhere I would highly recommend.

I also would seriously recommend the homemade Guinness Stew on offer, wow it was amazing!

They are currently working on a extending the tram system which will run directly through the centre of the city offering a very impressive transport system. It's a great place for walking out and seeing the sights and the atmosphere is very cosmopolitan plus welcoming and safe. The Irish accent and sense of humour is also infectious and only helped to make the experience that much better.


 

Prior to my trip to Dublin, Simon, Greenkeeper Chris and I spent three hours going around the course looking at course improvements moving forward. We feel as though the work that has been done in recent years has definitely helped both the playability of the course and also enhanced drainage. We looked at various things like paths and access points as well as tweaks to bunkers and drainage. We have put together a programme that will see the work gradually carried out over the next few months and will keep you updated with the progress.


 

We have had some great feedback from one of our members, David, whose wife took advantage of Christmas shopping with us last year:

"Without question my wife will be in to do her Christmas shopping with you again this year. Last year you made her experience of getting me my golfing Christmas presents so enjoyable and stress free that she sang your praises for weeks. Being able to walk in and feel so welcome and for you to have the knowledge of exactly what I wanted was priceless and the free mince pie topped it off! We will certainly be telling all our friends to shop locally with you, too."

We would like to help your family and friends buy you the golfing gifts you would love this Christmas. Non-members are always welcome at the club so please feel free to send them up to buy any gifts you have suggested. We are keeping a book of present requests so all you need to do is let us know exactly the item you want someone to buy you and we will write it in our request book. You then tell your friends or family what it is you would like and then they can come in to the shop and purchase it as we will have a record of exactly what you want. This is perfect if that friend or family member is a non-golfer as this can sometimes be quite confusing or awkward for them when they come in to shop.


 

This year's pro shop Christmas Draw is well under way with lots of you coming in to buy your tickets. At £2 a ticket you have the chance to win some superb prizes. The full list of prizes will be announced next week and the draw itself will take place at the Captains' Drive-In at the beginning of January.

We are holding a special Christmas shopping weekend on Saturday, 12 December and Sunday, 13 December. This is a great time for your family and friends to come up and save some money whilst buying you the Christmas present you really want. There will be some great savings and offers and we will be offering FREE mince pies and mulled wine for all our shoppers. We also have the bonus of everyone spending £50 or more on Christmas shopping being entered in to our prize draw.

Lots of our customers are already taking advantage of the brilliant new promotion we have on Motocaddy Lithium trolleys. You will receive £50 cashback from Motocaddy when you purchase a Motocaddy electric trolley with a Lithium battery. If you have been thinking of purchasing lithium then this is a no brainer! For more information about this superb offer please come and speak to the pro shop team.

 

Christmas coaching offers 

We have just put together some superb coaching packages that will make ideal Christmas gifts. These include the amazing unlimited 12 month coaching package. This package is unique and will be limited to the first 10 customers to sign-up. You will receive a full year of unlimited golf coaching which will cover all aspects of the game including playing lessons, lesson reports, gap testing, ball fittings and FREE use of the superb Game Golf Unit. This is an incredible offer and if utilised correctly has a value of over £1300 however the first 10 customers can purchase this for an incredible £499! If you want to take your game to a whole new level then be quick as this will be very popular. Get in touch here.


  

The low wedge chip shot 

This week we will look at a shot I like myself however it does take some practice and knowing the right technique to execute correctly. When around the green at this time of year I like to use a 50 or 54 degree but adjust playing the chip shot so it goes very low. With a specially designed wedge, it ensures plenty of 'grip' from the specific grooves, instant feedback of the right technique and a sharper blade to cut through muddy ground. 

To play this the idea is to place the ball in the middle of the stance, weight just favouring the left side and hands leading the clubhead. A small swing is used ensuring the handle stays in front of the club at all times - a relatively brisk tempo with the club just moving across the ball and left through impact. The real test is to keep the hands leading and not try and 'scoop' the ball up. 

This is an excellent addition to the short game and one that with the right advice and tuition can be added to many games this winter.


Coaching deal - 5 x 45 minute lessons for £99 
Juniors - Sat 5 Dec - No junior coaching; Sat 12 Dec - Junior Christmas Party Starting at 10:.30am.