MEMBER NEWS
Members Newsletter - March 2022
Having been on lock down this time last year we can be forgiven feeling a little hard done by that the weather has done little to help us enjoy our newly found freedom this year, thankfully the forecasts are starting to look a little more promising over the coming weeks. February saw three major storms and persistent rain throughout the month which tested golf courses across the country and looking at our local competitors, it is clear that we have all faced similar issues and have largely closed simultaneously with other Clubs in the area. Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we took necessary measures to protect your safety and the condition of the golf course. Storm Eunice caused the most damage of the three storms experienced and I would like to thank the Greenkeepers for giving up their weekend to come in and clear debris, repair damage and check everything over to enable us to reopen as quickly as possible. They didn’t have to come in, but the fact they did just highlights how lucky we are to have such a dedicated team looking after the course. Last month the team finally got to enjoy our belated Christmas Party, with 36 members of staff descending on the George in Harpenden for a lovely 3 course meal and a drink or two… We also welcomed over 180 members of the BGL family from across the country to the annual Awards Dinner held here at the club.
Congratulations to our Maintenance Manager, Martin Peck who received employee of the year for the fantastic job he does in keeping everything around the club in good order and running while also turning his hand to making some of our crazy function / event ideas a reality. The evening was a great success thanks to the hard work of our talented food and beverage team who could not have done a better job on the night.
Over the coming weeks we have a lot going on at the club for you to come and enjoy. Don’t forget that we are now running a regular Sunday Carvery (please book your table at the Bar), are taking bookings for Mother’s Day Lunch coming up on Sunday 27th March and back by popular demand we have our Only Fools and Horses Comedy Dinner on Friday 1st April which should be a great night. I hope you can join us! I look forward to seeing you at the Club soon Ian Ian McDowell General Manager
A Message from the Captain
As we are in such troubled times I will keep this newsletter to information on competitions and events. One main piece of information is that we have decided to put on the re-scheduled Awards ceremony on the evening of 7th April so please reserve this date as the very enjoyable “Race Night” follows the awards being presented.
The Ladies’ on the adjacent table did enjoy watching a group of Gents’ polishing the trophies in readiness for the 7th!
Recent Competition Results Many thanks for everyone who supported recent (Feb) events which were: The Captains Drive in on 5th Feb was covered in the previous newsletter, congratulations again to Linda Reeve and John Freeman once again for winning the ladies’ and gents’ event respectively. 12th Feb was the Valentine Pairs. We managed to get a gap in the rain although it was very windy and a challenging day for golf so a big well done to the excellent scores, many over 36 points. The result was:• •
1st Chris Woodcock/Doug Stokoe scoring 44 points! 2nd Eleanor Brooks/Mike Childs with 41 points.
Forthcoming Competitions So lots of competitions coming up, please enter early to avoid disappointment. 6th March Copper Cup (Gents’). This is the re-arranged final of the winter league. Good luck and congratulations to all who made it to the final. 12th March 3 Clubs and a Putter (Gents’). This challenging/different event is now closed to entries. It’s a team event (best 3 of 4 s’ford scores). If you would like to go on the reserve list please email hyne_richard@hotmail.com or ask the Pro shop. 12th March Summer League (Gents’) entry opens on HDID. 26th March Yellow Ball (Mixed) Stableford. A fun format competition is on HowDidiDo to enter. 2nd April (Gents’) Spring Cup. First Gents’ major comp. Enter early to avoid missing out with 92 total spaces available. 2nd April entry opens for (Gents’) summer KO competitions. Please remember to enter via “knockouts” section which is 4 rows below “bookings” icon on HDID! 9th April Ping (Mixed) Better Ball. The winner gets through to the Ping competition. 15th April (Good Friday) Ladies’ vs Gents’. This battle of the sexes is great fun, please look out for the sign up sheet on the mixed notice board. Diana and I are both away on holiday and so we will have different team Captains’ on the day! 18th April Spring Texas Scramble (Mixed). I am not back from holiday in time for this fun format but am sure you will enjoy it without me! 23rd April Combination Cup (Mixed). An honours board competition of teams of Gents’, Ladies’ or Mixed. Choose your partner Lady or Gent where the two of you play a mixture of 4 ball better ball, foursomes and greensomes. Forthcoming Events/Activities 10th March 2022, BREAKTHROUGH WORKSHOP This is a coaching event at the club on “The Mind Factor in Golf”. Karl Morris is the number 1 performance coach in Europe and will be sharing his knowledge and aiming to help improve your mental approach to the game. All profits will go to our charity PARKINSON'S UK. BREAKTHROUGH WORKSHOP Thursday 10th March 2022, 7 for 7.30pm Aldwickbury Park Golf Club Tickets have sold well already with 70 signed up and so it promises to be a great evening to socialise in the club as well as gaining some great techniques to improve your game.
Tickets are £20 and Diana is leading organising this event. Spaces are limited so please once again book early by emailing Diana Godden dianagodden@hotmail.com Through March entry is open into a Fantasy Golf League - The Fantasy Golf League is returning for the 2022 season, kicking off with the Chevron Championship on 31 March. Choose a team of 11 players aiming to choose winners in 20 US, 10 European tour events and this year Chris is including 5 Women’s majors. It’s £5 a team or £10 for 3 teams with 50% to prize money the remainder to the Captains Charity. To get an entry form please send an email asking for one to c.westcott123@hotmail.com. Entry deadline is 31st March. 1st April. The club have arranged an Only Fools and Horses Event which offers to be a great fun evening with a 3 course dinner. See the web site for details. 7th April. Awards’ Evening and Race Night. This is re-scheduled from January and as such is not in the diary. This will be a shortened awards ceremony as the ladies’ and seniors do their awards at separate events and so will be Gents’ and Mixed trophies being awarded. This will allow us to keep the presentations shorter which aligns with feedback from previous events. This is then followed by the very popular “Race Night” where Doug Stokoe, Chris Westcott and Gill Lee put on races where you get the opportunity to place bets on horse races, greyhound races and even I think pig races. More will be sent out about this event closer to the date. 21st April, divoting party, competition followed by BBQ. Alex and Jon of the Aldwicks are arranging with Craig a divoting party which is great for the course as divots following the winter then get repaired to keep our fairways in pristine condition for the summer. The date has now been confirmed so please let me know if you are able to come via email and help with this, even tentatively please? Other Items At the Captains Committee it was highlighted that a lot of people playing the course are not repairing pitch marks and some not using the right method. Craig has put up a poster showing the correct method which avoids yellow marks appearing. In previous years we have had an “Adopt a Green” schedule and we would like to put this in place again. I have looked at member numbers by surname to even out members to holes with larger numbers per surname allocated to the par 3’s. So please look up your surname initial and take pride in making sure that your green is in pristine condition - repairing as many pitch marks as you can on it when you play please? The schedule is:-
PS. Don’t forget to rake bunkers you frequent and repair your divots! Final Thoughts My thoughts at this time are with all the people of Ukraine and I finish on wishing for a halt to Putin’s madness and an end to this war. Graham Payne Club Captain gents.captain@apgcmembers.org
A Message from the Lady Captain
After a very wet month, let’s hope that Spring brings more golf. Congratulations to the February winners: Mid-week Stableford 1: Division 1, Julia Bashford. Division 2, Wanda Higby. Fun Competition: Chris Woodcock and Alison Gardiner Mid-week Stableford 2: Division 1, Linda Reeve. Division 2, Eleanor Brooks Weekend Stableford: Elaine Meagher. Results of all qualifying competitions are available on How Did I Do and we will be showing the others on the Ladies Section of the website. The link is: www.aldwickburyparkgolfclub.co.uk/members-ladies-section Click on ‘Club Sections’ and ‘Ladies Section’. There’s lots of useful information there including who does what, and the minutes of committee meetings. If you have trouble viewing, ask a member of the committee to help out. Many thanks to Caroline Skelton for doing a great job in keeping this information up to date. Our first Honours Board Competition of the year, the Spring Meeting, is on Wednesday 6th April and I hope that everyone will join in either for the main competition or for the 9 hole mix in. Enter on How Did I Do. I look forward to seeing you all in the clubhouse afterwards. Please introduce yourself if we have not yet met. Other key dates to keep free are: 13th July - Ladies’ Club Championship 27th July - Ladies’ Invitation Day 17th August – Ladies Awayday at Letchworth Golf Club Meanwhile, remember to enjoy your golf and MIND THE GAP. That means keep up with the group in front please. Wishing you a happy golfing year. Diana Godden Lady Captain
Message from the Seniors Captain
Hello from a rainy (but very warm) Mauritius, I got away for our planned holiday to Mauritius on 24th February hoping that all the Aldwicks planned events would go ahead without too many problems and that the weather would be kind. I understand that the weather has not been kind with the course having to be closed on several days. You will (I am sure) be pleased to read that the weather out here is very warm and humid, though this week’s weather promises thundery showers and a moderate breeze.
I understand that the Canadian Scramble could not go ahead on 24th Feb due to the weather conditions and will be arranged to a future date. I thank Nick Boardman for all his hard work in trying to get the event played with many last minute changes. Hopefully it’ll go better next time. The Winter Stableford did go ahead on 1st March but some players played just 9- holes due to the weather whilst some completed the round. No formal result was declared, and I will consider the circumstances when back home.
Some of you may heard the news that while enjoying our trip to Mauritius, I have unfortunately had somewhat of an accident. Sue and I did not come away on a golfing holiday, though we are here with another couple who enjoy their golf. We decided to play 9-holes last week and arrived at the first tee in 2 buggies. I parked up and selected a club for the first drive. In the meantime, our friends appeared to have concerns with their buggy. They moved their buggy forward a few feet to check the brakes/accelerator and then all of a sudden, their buggy shot forward very fast; did a quick 180 degree turn and headed back to the first tee at full speed. In the process they managed to direct the buggy straight at a heavy metal post that was next to me, hit it full-on and I was thrown sideways with a damaged arm and bruised back and side.
I was taken to hospital and spent a happy day there. Now back at the hotel more or less in one piece but unable to do very much and can’t swim. Not exactly the holiday we planned but such is life. I anticipate that my return to golf will be some way off. I look forward to my return to APGC soon. David Phillips Seniors Captain
Course Report
February has been another extremely wet and very windy month with the 3 storms that swept over the UK. The course got away very lightly with only a few trees being damaged. Two years ago, an extensive tree survey was completed across the entire site and highlighted several trees that needed to be either felled or have broken limbs removed and this work has meant that damage from the recent storms was minimised.
A massive thank you must go to all of my green staff who didn’t hesitate in coming in over the weekend after Storm Franklin in order to help clear up all the debris that had covered a lot of the greens, tees and walkways etc. This gave use a chance to make sure everything was clear and safe around the course, allowing us to get the course reopened as quickly as possible.
I know having these closure days are all very frustrating but its only done for safety for all members and to keep the damage to the course to a minimum. We are getting more frequent rain spells over these winter months with very little drying down time i.e., wind, cold spells before the next band of rain comes in. We are seeing more flooding in rural and built-up areas up and down the country and that is a significant indicator that the seasons are very different to when I started greenkeeping 20 years ago (yes, I know that makes me feel very old), back then we used to enjoy far more cold and frosty periods. I can’t thank all the members enough that have carried/taken half set of clubs out over the past weeks, it really does make a difference and we will all enjoy the benefit at the start of the season.
Bunkers Bunker work has slowed up slightly with the wet weather as we have to be very careful when moving machinery and materials around the course. This will continue when ground conditions are more favourable.
Greens Maintenance During a closure period this month we took the opportunity to do a very light renovation and topdressing on the greens, I mentioned this in the January newsletter with the practices that we now do on the greens to reduce the thatch levels in the greens. A further renovation will take place (weather depending) on the 21st March with a heavy topdressing being applied before a 13mm solid tine to drive the sand into the profile before brushing and rolling to level the surface again. A granular feed will also be applied to aid recovery.
Divot Party It has now been pencilled in the club’s diary for the 21st of April for this to go ahead and the course will be closed in the afternoon for the work to be done. The green staff and I would like as many people as possible to be able to join us, we will look at getting a sign-up sheet put up in clubhouse so we can have a rough idea how many people will be able to volunteer their time and for food and refreshments afterwards. We will supply all the seed and divot mix; all you will need is a bucket. I hope you can join us! See you all at the club very soon Craig Betts Course Manager
PITCHMARKS - Are you repairing them correctly? We all take great pride in the quality of the greens here at the Club which are amongst the best playing surfaces in the area. Every year we spend a great deal of time and money to ensure that the greens are at their very best, but all of this is worth nothing if we don't look after them during the round. It is becoming apparent that many golfers either don't know how to repair pitchmarks correctly, or simply just aren't doing it. To be clear, this will reduce the quality of the surfaces and your enjoyment of the course. To highlight the issue, we recently looked at the 18th green and placed a ball on every spot where there was damage from a pitchmark (either repaired incorrectly or unrepaired all together). Sadly we ran out of balls........
The message is clear, please take more care in repairing pitchmarks correctly and if you see a playing partner forgetting to repair a pitchmark, or doing so incorrectly, please pull them up on it.
Tip of the Month: Practice with Purpose Golf is a unique game in a sense that how you practice can be very different to the on course experience. Consecutive shots off a flat, astroturf matt or 10 shots in a row with the same club is something everyone does on the driving range but not a scenario that will ever come up on the course! When you practice there is definitely a time for hitting balls and focusing on your swing technique but don’t neglect practicing the scoring side of the game too. Here are a few challenges I like to set myself at the end of my practice session to provide the maximum benefit; • • •
Select 3 green sized targets 50, 100 and 150 yards away, one in the centre, one left and one on the right side of the practice area. Hit one shot at each target and don’t stop until you’ve hit all three targets in a row Picture the 3 drives you find the hardest at Aldwickbury Park, play each drive in your mind imagining where the hazards would be and the distance you’d need to carry the ball. Go from one drive to the next until you’ve hit all three imaginary fairways in a row When practicing your short game pick six positions at least five paces from the edge of the green on different lies and slopes. Hit your chip shot onto the green and try to hole the putt (referred to as ‘getting up and down’) and then go to the next position. See how many shots you can complete the six holes in – if you can do it in 12 shots you’ve mastered the challenge!
Robin Turley Head Professional
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Sunday 27th March 2022 Treat Mum to a delicious three course carvery Adult: £22 | Members: £19 Under 12’s: £12 I Under 5’s: £5 Book with the events team today 01582 760112 info@aldwickburyparkgolfclub.co.uk
ONLY FOOLS & HORSES COMEDY DINNER SHOW FRIDAY 1st APRIL Enjoy a LOVELY JUBBLY Three Course Meal and some CUSHTI entertainment £45 per person I £40.50 for members
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