Pro's Sweep 

Thanks to all who took part in Saturday's second Sweep before the start of our Winter Eclectic next Saturday. There was a great turnout and some good weather returned some fantastic scoring! Pete Rodger came out on top this week with an astonishing 90 (25) nett 65 to win by three clear shots from a very tight, low-handicapped pack. Sean Brown, Joe Smith, Grant McNab and Stephen Rogerson all returning 68s and 69 scratch.


 

Pro Shop Draw 

With virtually all the squares for our Draw having been taken, we drew the numbers on Monday for the limited edition Callaway Tour bag. I can happily announce that the lucky winner of this terrific bag and headcover set was Fraser Green, thanks to all who entered and keep your eyes peeled for our next fantastic offer coming very soon!


ProQuip Lined Sweaters

We now have in stock the new lined sweater from ProQuip in blue, black and grey sizes S through to XXL. An essential piece of kit for the winter months and with the club crest, it is a great addition to the wardrobe.


 

With the weather having been kind to us over recent months, I think you'll agree that Willie and his team are doing an absolutely terrific job on the links. The fairways are in great shape and the greens go from strength to strength after our recent over-seeding program. 

Tuesday saw the team pencil tyne the greens with an 8mm tyne, a light covering of dressing was scheduled but due to the early morning fog and damp ground Willie hopes that weather permitting he will be able to spread early next week. As in previous years there will be a dressing program where the plan is to top dress approximately one hundred tonnes over the winter window. Many get shocked when they hear this figure but covering eighteen greens every two to three weeks soon absorbs it and we expect very little disruption to the surfaces. A more in depth description of the winter works is available on the notice board and the members' section of the club website.

Having had the pleasure of 9 holes on Friday it was very noticeable that there were a considerable amount of fresh pitchmarks! We ask all golfers to ensure they try to find and repair their pitch where possible, there were no visitors playing that morning so I'm afraid on this occasion the members were responsible!

A pitchmark not repaired within one hour takes weeks to recover and whether your ball flight is high or low, damage to the surfaces can still be done.

A gentle reminder to all those golfers who like to peg off in the dark! You can't repair what you can't see! An extra bowl of porridge and reading the headlines in the paper delaying your social early morning round by 30 minutes will do wonders for the course and ensure Willie and his team can process their duties in a managed fashion.


 

Unfortunately over the last week we have had a couple of occasions where we have had to close the first tee due to fog. To keep you up to scratch on our policy, a simple bullet point explanation is below:

• If the triple bunkers are not visible the course will be closed, the preferred clear view is the first green
• Once the fog lifts we need 10-15 minutes to ensure the course is safe for play
• The 9th tee will remain closed once the first re-opens to ensure we can monitor play and for cases of fog returning resulting in closing the course once again
• If the course requires closure whilst golfers are on course a claxon will sound but we also ask all golfers to use common sense. How far a golfer hits the ball is not the factor on danger but what direction and where the ball is hit, too
• The pro shop manages the tee and we will liaise with Willie and his team to ensure safe play at all times
• Once the course re-opens any golfer still on site who had tee times from 9am onwards will take preference. We will endeavour to ensure all golfers are on course ignoring the current eight minute tee times, any golfers using the ball shoot pre 9am will be required to book a tee time should they wish to play.

I appreciate we all like to play and have our regular game however safety is paramount so please bear with us when we have challenging decisions to make. I can assure you that I want the course open more than the golfers as no golfers results in no Mars bar sales! Should anyone wish a more in-depth explanation feel free to ask the next time you're in the shop.