Birchwood Park Golf Member News

AN UPDATE FROM...

Stephen Norton General Manager

After a very frustrating period of weather in December, January is certainly not easing up. The great progress being made on the bunkers has slowed as snow meant we need to re-book with the contractor. Neil and the team will recommence work on those projects as soon as the weather allows.

Please can I remind everyone that posts and ropes are designed to keep trollies and buggies away from key playing surfaces to reduce damage. Please can I kindly ask you to follow these to the back of the green and then take the clubs you need, rather than doubling back around the posts and ropes.

Rules updates

January also saw the start of the updated rules by the R&A and USGA. 5 of the key rule changes are below;

• No penalties for failing to put your handicap on the scorecard. This used to come with a heavy sanction. Failing to put your handicap on your scorecard meant disqualification. Now, an amendment to Rule 3.3b (4) means you are no longer required to show your handicap on your scorecard.Instead, committees will be responsible for ensuring the accuracy of each player’s handicap and calculating it for the competition.

• You can replace a ball moved by natural forces. A new exception has been added to Rule 9.3 which says a ball at rest must be replaced if it moves to another area of the course after being dropped, placed, or replaced.

• Taking back-on-the-line relief is now simple. You’ve all used this when taking relief from a penalty area or an unplayable ball. The procedure has been made a little easier in the 2023 Rule Book. Now, when you drop your ball on the line, the ball must come to rest within a club-length of where it is dropped. That club length can be in any direction (yes, that means forward!)

• You can’t stand behind your partner to gain information about your side’s next stroke. You are in breach of Rule 10.2b (4) if, once you begin taking a stance for a stroke, your partner is stood in a location “on or close to an extension of the line of play behind the ball”. Now, in addition, Rule 22.6 in foursomes and Rule 23.8 in fourballs bans a player from doing this while their partner is making a stroke to “gain information for their next stroke”

• You can’t replay your stroke if your ball hits an insect on the green. An exception to Rule 11.1b said that when a ball played from the putting green accidentally hit any person, animal, or movable obstruction on the green, that stroke didn’t count. The rule has now been amended so if a ball played from the putting green hits the player, the club the player used to make the stroke, an

COURSE UPDATE

Neil Crittenden Course Manager

I hope you all had a good Christmas and a Happy New Year. For the first time in a while, we had snow in December, and I think we were taken by surprise when the snow stuck around for a long time!

Straight after the snow, we had a rapid thaw to contend with - this isn’t good for the greens, and that’s why we kept the course closed after the snow had gone.

It is alarming how many golfers neglect to repair their pitch marks, don’t know how to repair a pitch mark in the correct way, or perhaps think they are not allowed to because of the rules of golf.

A poorly repaired pitch mark

A well repaired pitch mark

The greens have come through the snow and wet weather well and are looking healthy. With the wet weather, the top surface always becomes a little softer and we notice more pitch marks - so this is a gentle reminder to repair your pitch marks please!

If a pitch mark is repaired badly it can do a lot more harm than if it had been left it alone, so it’s essential to learn how to do it correctly. The end product of a badly repaired pitch mark is an ugly brown scar that not only looks poor, but also affects how the green rolls. It will also take weeks for the blemish shown in the images here to fully recover.

The Tees are taking a battering from all the play, and with no recovery from growth we are doing are best to keep them in the best condition possible. We have started to introduce mats as a temporary measure to try and protect the course.

COURSE UPDATE

Cont.

The Fairways have good Grass coverage for the time of the year, and we are just starting our winter aeration program. We are using a piece of equipment called a Wiedenmann Terra spike which conducts a task called Verti-Draining.

Verti-Draining is quite a slow process and can take a day to complete just one fairway so please be patient when playing around them.

Verti Draining is useful to break up soil compaction from a busy year of play, and it also provides desirable conditions for healthy root growth.

By breaking up the compaction, it allows roots to penetrate deeper into the soil and provides a conduit for surface water to reach the drains. This will allow for better absorbtion of water and nutrients.

Benefits of Verti-Draining

1. Enables the absorption of water from the surface to the drainage system below preventing run-off and excess surface water

2. Aids with quick drying of turf to extend playing time

3. Improves and maintains good soil structure

4. Improves and maintains sward density giving a better playing surface and preventing the invasion of weeds and moss

5. Improves the durability of the sward and recovery from surface damage

The winter works are going well but have been a little hampered by the weather - we continue to do as much as possible when the weather permits. It’s always a problem this time of year, but overall the course is doing well and is looking good going into the new year.

CLUB UPDATE

Stephen Lee Head Pro Sale still on!

There is still time to grab a bargain in the Pro Shop with big discounts on clothing, footwear and ex-demo clubs in particular.

With the new Ping G430 and Taylor Made products due in soon the ex-demo clubs enable you to save up to £130.00 on a nearly new Stealth Driver. But when they are gone, they are gone!

Custom fitting

If you are thinking about upgrading your golf clubs, we offer a free fitting service to everyone. Simply call the pro shop to find a suitable slot to be booked in with our PGA Qualified Custom Fit Expert Paul Humphrey.

Learn golf in a day - Saturday 4th February

If you have a friend or family member that is interested in taking up golf, our Learn Golf in a Day sessions are perfect!

These days include breakfast, lunch, the basics of the whole swing, putting, chipping and an introduction to the Orchard Course. The cost of this is £79 per person. Call the pro shop to book a space.

F&B UPDATE

Jaspal Singh

Happy New Year from the food and beverage team. We started the year with a bang! The fireworks on New Year’s Eve were fantastic. Everyone enjoyed the night. We have now planned our club events for 2023:

• Mother’s Day -19th March 2023

• Easter Sunday - 9th April 2023

• Father’s Day - 18th June 2023

• RAT Pack Night - 27th May 2023

• Tribute Night - Whitney – 29th July 2023

Winter wheel policy

This will still be in operation during January and February, if the course is dry enough the policy will be removed on 1st March 2023.

Tee times

Tee times are still in relatively high demand so please ensure that you cancel any tee times that you aren’t planning on using as early as possible. Even if it’s on the day please give us a call and cancel.

Golf buggies

These can be booked online when you make your golf booking. The decision on if the conditions are suitable for golf buggies is made first thing every morning. Please feel free to call the club at first light to find out if they are on or off.

• Tribute Night - Elton John – 14th October 2023

Keep an eye out in the club for more information.

Our Head chef and kitchen team will be relaunching the weekly specials menu, with some healthy options, including our new smoothie menu! Remember to pop up to the bar and restaurant on Sundays for our freshly cooked Sunday Roast dinner.

Additionally, we are working on the new bar and restaurant menu, and are looking to launch in April 2023.

Finally, our new starters have settled in well, please say hello to Ellie and Ciaran the next time you see them.