Burhill Newsletter May 2022 Edition Car Parking & Electric Bays Please park your car in the designated parking spaces. There have been several occasions where cars have been parked over yellow lines in the car park, please do not park in the spaces for electric cars if you do not have an electric car that is on charge. Spring Meeting Results On Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th April we hosted the Men’s Spring Meeting.
Dear Members, The golf season is now in full swing and it’s great to see so many of you out on the course and making the most of our beautiful terrace when the sun is shining. We have a lot to look forward to this month, with the completion of our new driving range facilities & course improvements including new bunkers and pathways by Rob and his team which you can see the full details of in this newsletter, and, of course, our new General Manager Nick Moran who will be starting on Thursday 12th May.
Congratulations to Freddie Surgey who won the Gold medal with an impressive gross 70 round on the Old Course and Stephen Birrell & Richard Williams who won the Frank Harrison Foursomes Trophy with a net 70 round on the New Course. Stephen & Richard are pictured receiving the trophy on Sunday from our Men’s Captain, Andrew Croft. We are looking forward to the Ladies Spring Meeting this month.
Health & Safety Update The Defibrillator Boxes are now positioned on the outside of the halfway huts. In the event of an emergency that requires a defibrillator please call 999 immediately and they will give you access to the box as well as sending an ambulance.
We hope you enjoy the newsletter! Rob, Darren & Stuart
In this Edition: Golf Courses Report by Rob Surgey, Senior Course Manager Golf Update by Darren Wood, Head of Golf Operations Clubhouse Update by Stuart Barr, Head of Clubhouse Operations
Nick Moran, General Manager We are excited to welcome Nick Moran as our new General Manager on Thursday 12th May. Our Captains and Guy Riggott, Operations Director, recently met Nick for a welcome dinner and he is very much looking forward to starting and meeting everyone in due course.
Having again returned to play both courses, I can see the progress that has been made and I intend to build on this by working with Rob and his team. I am looking forward to meeting our new golf club captains, Andrew and Linzi, and working in partnership with the committees.
Nick brings a wealth of commercial and operational experience spanning 25 years working in golf, hospitality, travel and leisure businesses. This, aligned with being a keen golfer and long standing golf club member, means that he has an excellent understanding of what is required for Burhill Golf Club and its members .
Golf has been my passion for many years. Of recent I’ve not played as much as I would wish, consumed by refurbishing our new home in Hampshire where I live with my wife, Kirsty.
“I am extremely proud and privileged to join Burhill Golf Club and to continue the great work that Dubravka Griffiths and her team have been delivering for many years.” “As an approachable person who is passionate about what I do, for me, it’s all about supporting and developing the club team, along with delivering regular, straightforward member communication.
My membership journey started at Tylney Park Golf Club near Hook, via Broadstone Golf Club in Dorset and over the last few years at North Hants Golf Club in Fleet. Knowing golf from the members perspective will, I hope, help guide me in my new role. May I wish you all well and good form going into the golf season and I look forward to meeting you in person shortly.”
GOLF COURSES REPORT
Rob Surgey, Senior Course Manager
Bunker Project The new bunkers on holes 8, 13 and 17 are now in play. We are really pleased with how they look and we just need the turf to establish fully before we give them a cut.
The new sand needs time to settle and compact. To help this process, can all golfers please make sure you enter and exit at the shallowest point of the bunker. Please don’t enter/exit up the faces as in the pictures below.
Pathways Improvement Programme In April we completed the pathway improvement programme. All old sleepers have now been removed and replaced. The picture below shows the new pathway to the 10th tee.
Current Weather Patterns The sun came out during April which is great for golfing but it was a very difficult month for the course. April was very dry with a number of frosty nights. This is the worst combination for the course. April is normally the month where we get good recovery from the winters play and get a nice flush of growth, which hasn’t happened this year. I have been reluctant to use the irrigation system as this just puts really cold water onto a soil profile we are trying warm up for good grass recovery. We have only used the irrigation on the fairways a couple of times in April as they were getting so dry. We really do need some rainfall in May but there is not much in the long forecast. I have to be careful how much irrigation water I use early in the year so that we don’t run out in the summer!
Course Damage Unfortunately we have had some really severe damage to the greens on both courses during April, the pictures below show divots taken out of the greens where balls are being hit towards the next tee. I must stress that anyone caught doing this will immediately be removed from the Club on a permanent basis and charged with criminal damage. Could I ask that if you see damage please report it to the Golf Team so that we can identify the culprits & protect your courses.
Crème Brûlée, Serves 6 120g Egg Yolks 135g Granulated Sugar 640ml Double Cream 1g Vanilla Beans, split down the middle & seeds scraped 1/3 tsp Salt Muscovado Sugar (for sprinkling) To make the Crème Brûlée: 1. Pre-heat your oven to 100 degrees 2. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until pale yellow in colour. Meanwhile, heat the double cream, vanilla seeds and pod, and salt in a sauce pot on the stove and bring to a simmer; remove from heat and discard the vanilla bean pod. 3. Temper the egg mixture by whisking 300 ml double cream into it, add the egg yolk mixture to the rest of the cream mixture. 4. Divide the custard mixture among the baking dishes, about 120ml each. Bake the crème brûlée for 90 minutes or until firm. 5. Sprinkle each with some muscovado sugar and torch until nicely caramelised. Lemon Shortbread - Makes 1 tray 360g Plain Flour 250g Butter 110g Caster Sugar 1 tbsp Baking Powder Pinch of Salt Zest of 1 Lemon To make the Lemon Shortbread:
David Hanlon, Head Chef presents his Crème Brûlée with Lemon Shortbread. What a treat!
1. Beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest until white. 2. Sieve the rest of the ingredients and add in the butter mix. 3. Mix just until it comes together. 4. Put the dough in between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll out to roughly fit the gastro (1cm thickness). 5. Rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. 6. Preheat the oven 180C dry, bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. 7. When ready, take it out of the oven, cut while still hot and sprinkle with caster sugar.
GOLF UPDATE
Darren Wood, Head of Golf Operations
Booking Tee Times and No Shows Please do not book a tee time if it is your intention of playing on the open play course. This prevents other members from booking in advance who would like the guarantee of a tee time. Thank to those members who are now making sure that they cancel any tee times that they are not planning on using. Please make sure that you all continue to do this as any unused tee times will prevent other members from using them when they are not cancelled. As per our No-Show policy, members who consistently do not cancel will have their booking rights suspended.
New Recruits We are pleased to announce Sammy Haywood and Carlysle Gibbs will be joining our team in May. Sammy will be starting his 3-year PGA course in September and Carlysle will be joining our starter/ marshal team. Please join me in welcoming them to the team!
Winter Rules Winter rules have now been lifted therefore you can no longer lift and clean your golf ball on the fairway. Key Dates Reminder We are proud to be hosting the regional Qualifying for the 150th Open Championship on Monday 20th June and the Nedbank Charity Day on Friday 9th September this year and we will require volunteers for both events, please register your interest by emailing: Jess Rosser - j.rosser@burhillgolf-club.co.uk Other Notable Dates For Your Diary: Ladies England Golf South Region County Match 26th – 29th June
Sammy Haywood
Carlysle Gibbs
Starters/Marshals Throughout May there will be days where we will have a starter/marshal on each golf course and will not have the check-in as you drive into the club. On these days please ensure you check in via the Pro Shop for your tee time. As mentioned in my previous newsletter, this is something that we are working towards each day so that our courses are marshalled more frequently. Slow Play We continue to receive reports of slow play. Burhill Golf Club adopts the England Golf ready golf initiative. Please play your next shot once you get to your ball if it is safe to do so, and keep up with the group in front. This will lead to a more enjoyable round for all. Please also make sure that you arrive to the tee at least 10 minutes before your tee time.
Burhill Junior Open – Wednesday 3rd August Burhill Family Foursomes – Wednesday 24th August To enter either of these email Joana j.desapereira@burhillgolf-club.co.uk
Members Bring A Guest Day We are pleased to inform you that we will be running our bring a member guest day on Friday 26th August. This will be a relaxed fun day which by invitation of the club, allows a member to invite one accompanied complimentary guest. In keeping with the relaxed theme, no competition is being run. Bookings will be made through IG and will open on July 15th, 6 weeks prior to the event. Driving Range & Academy Update I’m pleased to announce that following over £100k worth of refurbishment work, the fourteen new outdoor AstroTurf bays are now open. In addition, the indoor teaching Academy bays have been refurbished to enhance the experience of members having lessons at the club, the academy building is not available for general practice. The presentation and safety on the range is for the benefit of all members, therefore please can all members adhere to the following etiquette when using the range! • Do not hit your driver from the new mats if you are able to carry the back fence • When safe to do so please pick up all your broken tee pegs • At the end of your practice, please return your baskets to the range ball machine • Balls must only be hit from the designated teeing areas • Balls must not be retrieved from the range outfield • Respect other users of the driving range. It can be extremely busy therefore please be mindful of other members waiting for a bay • Please do not use your mobile phone within the driving range building or on the bays. If you do need to take a call, please move to the car park area, and remove your clubs and balls so that other members can use the bay • When using the chipping and pitching greens, please use your own balls. Driving range balls are NOT permitted in these areas • Smoking & Vaping is NOT permitted on the driving range.
Retail Update Please visit the Professional Shop to see the latest products including the Motocaddy M5 GPS electric trolley.
Motocaddy M5 GPS Electric Trolley Club fitting is also available for the latest products from TaylorMade, Ping, Titleist and Yonex. Please contact us if you require any further information or if you would like to book a club fitting session.
Stock Availability We are working hard with our suppliers to ensure we keep stocks of your favourite golfing brands. The increased material, manufacturing and shipping costs have impacted the cost of products for all golf retailers, however, you can be assured we will continue to supply our customers with the biggest brands in golf at the most competitive prices. There may be times throughout the year when we experience product shortages so we strongly advise that you purchase early to avoid disappointment. Members Special Offer Take a look at our exclusive members retail voucher, please bring this with you when you visit the shop to reedem your saving.
Special Value Packs Stock up on balls for the season ahead with our Srixon double dozen. TaylorMade Stealth Driver
Ping G425 Max Driver
24 Pack Only £24.99
24 Pack Only £34.99
£10 SAVE
Titleist TSI2 Driver
Yonex Ezone GS Driver
Ex Demo Product Sale Selected ex demo products are on sale in the Professional Shop including the Titleist Vokey SM8 Wedges and the TaylorMade Sim range. Yonex Fitting Event Wednesday 18th May, 10am – 2pm Please book via the Pro Shop
when you purchase two items of clothing over £50* Name: Membership Number: *Excludes socks, gloves and hats. Expires 30/06/22.
24 Pack Only £34.99
CLUBHOUSE UPDATE
Stuart Barr, Head of Clubhouse Operations
Summer Opening Hours In other Club related news, the kitchen will now be open until 8.30pm, and the Halfway Huts opening times have now been extended to 5.30pm. My golf learning curve continues in a vertical direction as I understand more about what members want from their club. I am very conscious that “slow play” is frowned upon, and slow service is no exception. As our food is cooked to order and with speed in mind, should large parties of members wish to pre-order food before they go out to play, please do let us know beforehand and then we shall have your food and drink order ready for you at the agreed time as you return from the course.
With the season now in full swing, it was great to see so many members over the Easter weekend. The weather was glorious and many members took advantage of the terrace. The Easter Carvery was another great success with over 100 members and their guests attending. There was also the appearance of a very important guest!!
We are delighted to welcome back Rogerio to the team here at Burhill. Many of you will remember him from his previous time with us and I’m sure you will be just as pleased as us to see him back at Burhill.
New Bag Storage Facility Work will commence next month on the conversion On Easter Monday, the Social of the derelict buildings, between the clubhouse Committee organised The and the badminton court, into a new bag storage Arthur Scott Trophy followed facility for members. It will also provide storage for by a buffet lunch in the lounge a fleet of electric trolleys for hire. The project will which was a fantastic day. be undertaken by Woodland Commercial Limited and will consist of: • New roof structure & finishes Platinum Jubilee Goblets • New flat roof extension to the rear along with The next social event in timber wall cladding the calendar will be the • The internal work will include new ceilings, Platinum Jubilee Goblets floor finishes, electrical work, heating & during the afternoon of ventilation and decorations. 2nd June, followed by a These works should be completed within four BBQ Buffet and dancing in months (weather permitting) and then the lockers the evening. & shelving will be installed. We are hoping to complete the project by the end of December. Tickets are going fast for the competition; however, the committee have kindly opened up the buffet and evening entertainment to all members. Full details of the competition can be obtained through IG and if you wish to book attendance in the evening, there will be a link on the front page of IG. We look forward to welcoming you on the 2nd to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee!
Membership Cards As I have explained in previous newsletters we are very keen to get an up to date photograph of everyone for your membership cards. I wanted to thank those members that have already provided their photo for their account. In the next few weeks, Graham Newton will be writing to those members without a photograph to ensure we have a photo on file. If you wish to send in a photo (a headshot will suffice) he can be contacted on g.newton@burhillgolf-club.co.uk Burhill’s Recommendation of the Month To familiarise members with our Wine List, I’d like to start by introducing our “Club Claret” La Réserve de Lucien Lurton Bordeaux Rouge.
Employee of the Quarter We are thrilled to announce Burhill’s employee of the Quarter is awarded to Samuel Heatley, Commis Chef. Samuel started work experience with us in February 2019, and then joined on a part time basis in the March of the same year. A message from David Hanlon, Executive Chef: “I am extremely proud of Samuel, during his time with us he has grown as a young man and it has been great to see how confident he has become in his role. His work is fantastic, he’s a brilliant work colleague and an excellent Chef. Samuel is a credit to himself and family. I am extremely proud of you Samuel, and you have a brilliant career ahead of you.” Well done Samuel!
It is a blend of 95% Merlot & 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, deep purple in colour with an expressive nose. Medium-bodied, rounded tannins & packed with red fruits ensure a touch of spice on the palate. A complex wine with a long finish, this can be drunk on its own or with something off the grill like duck breast or slow cooked Pork. Enjoy!
Employee of the Quarter
April 2022 Awarded to
Samuel Heatley of Burhill Golf Club In recognition of your outstanding efforts, development and talent which has greatly contributed to the success of the team and the business.
David Hanlon – Executive Chef
Meet the Team Burhill: In three words describe your job? Kasia: Members, busy, passion Burhill: What’s your favourite part about working in the BGL Group? Kasia: I love my job and I am very happy. I try my best to give our members the best service I can. Every day brings new experiences, and I am learning a lot which helps me with my determination to succeed. Burhill: What’s your typical day like at Burhill? Kasia: Every day I start by checking our function sheets and planning our service. I have to make sure that the bar and function rooms are all set up and ready for our members and guests. I look after our team and make sure that we give the best hospitality to our customers during the Functions, Golf Days and many other events. At the moment I spend lots of time on staff training and recruitment to build up our team and make it stronger. Burhill: What is your favourite highlight of Burhill? Kasia: My work colleagues and members.
This month’s meet the team is: Kasia Skrobot, Floor Manager at Burhill Golf Club. Burhill: What’s your current role and how long have you been with BGL? Kasia: I am the Floor Manager at Burhill Golf Club and have been here since 2017. Burhill: What was the journey to where you are now. Previous roles? Kasia: I went to University in Poland and gained a degree in ‘Management in Tourism and Hotels’. During my last year of studying I was offered a job in the biggest Travel Agency in Poland and stayed there for 8 years as a Tourism Specialist. Me and my husband then decided to move with our children to the UK, where I then became an F&B Assistant at Burhill. Very quickly I got promoted to the role of Supervisor and then after six months became Assistant Bar Manager. Two months ago I was then promoted to the role of the Floor Manager and I am very happy and proud of what I am doing and what I have achieved.
Burhill: What’s the best thing you have achieved? Kasia: My biggest achievement is being promoted to the Floor Manager and receiving ‘The employee of the Year’ award 2 years ago. Burhill: What are your hobbies? Kasia: I love hiking and whenever we can, we take our children to explore the UK. I love classical music which helps me to relax after busy day. Burhill: What would your ‘death row meal’ be? Kasia: For starter, creamy garlic mushrooms on ciabatta. Then for main, pan fried tenderloin pork in a mustard brandy sauce served with seasonal vegetables and sautéed new potatoes. Then for dessert, fresh pavlova. All accompanied by my favourite glass of Pinot Noir.