Hoebridge GC Newsletter - April 2023

AN UPDATE FROM...

Sarah Blunden General Manager

Hi everyone, With the Masters upon us, and Spring just around the corner, the new golfing

We have been very busy over the past few months prepping for the start of the season. Whether this has been out on the golf course, around the clubhouse, or processing hundreds of membership renewals, the team have had plenty to keep them busy.

The greenkeeping team have been out improving the pathways, including re-edging and putting down fresh surfaces, in addition to tidying up the practice chipping area with new sand and a fresh trim. They were also able to re-lay turf on the putting green and 13th greenside, and will be completing some overseeding later this spring across the walkoff areas and some of the tees. At the end of March, all fairways and green surrounds were fertilised in order to maximise the health of the grass as we head into the core growing season.

The main winter project this year was the completion of the bunkers on the 17th. They have now been lined, turfed and filled with sand. Once the turf has knitted in, these will be back open and ready for you to play from. The new playing surface within these bunkers is called a blinder. It allows water to drain through, stops stones from coming up, and also offers a softer surface for the sand to sit on.

We hoped to have also been able to start work on the new bunker on the 12th. However, the heavy rainfall this winter meant that the ground around the hole that we filled in was too soft to begin work. If we’d dug the bunker out and lined it ready for use, we would have risked the ground later moving, and in turn, damaging any work that was completed. We’ll therefore be flattening and seeding this area in the spring. Once we are happy that the ground has settled and dried out, then we will look to begin this bunker project, however it’ll likely need to be in the autumn.

At the end of March, a group of us, including both the Hoebridge team and members, headed onto the Main Course to fill the divots. This divot party evening will have a positive effect on lessening the number of visible divots during the spring. However, it is with your support that we can help maintain these, as well as limit the pitch marks on the greens. If we all do our best to repair our pitch marks, plus one other whenever we are on the greens, it will ensure the greens repair much quicker, giving us all a better playing surface.

Correct repair will help protect the grass root system and benefit all members and visitors. Below is a reminder on how to repair a pitch mark properly:

Correct Method

1. Insert the pitchmark repair tool just outside the back of the pitchmark

2. Lever the turf towards the centre of the pitchmark

3. Repeat this motion from all sides of the pitchmark

4. Gently tap the repaired area with your putter – this action stretches the undamaged turf over the pitchmark, providing instant recovery

Incorrect Method

1. Do not replace the loose piece of turf taken out by the ball – it will die and delay the healing process

2. Do not pry up the centre of the depression with the pitchmark repair tool as it exposes soil and will delay the healing process

3. Do not insert the pitchmark repair tool and twist it – this only damages more turf

Around the clubhouse, the function room has received a lick of paint and new lighting has been fitted. We have also started to add a splash of colour to our outside walkways and seating areas, with freshly planted bulbs and plants. We have some green-fingered team members amongst us (me included!) who are all very excited to start bringing more flowers and foliage to Hoebridge. We hope you get as much enjoyment out of watching them grow as we do.

To finish off our winter projects, our Adventure Golf course has also received a makeover, with nine of its holes having been re-astro turfed just in time for the Easter holidays.

We are excited to be holding our next ‘New Members Golf Day’ on Wednesday 26th April from 5pm. Our sales team: Shawn, Tommy, Hannah, and Frances will be inviting all our new members to an evening of fun golf across either our Main or Shey Course. The round will be followed with some food and drinks back at the clubhouse. This evening will be a great opportunity to meet other new members, but also the Hoebridge team and committee. For those new members that I haven’t met yet, I am really looking forward to introducing myself on the night.

Finally, I’d like to say a big thank you to everybody who has renewed their membership for 2023. We are now in the process of finalising this year’s renewal season. For those of you who renewed your membership prior to April 1st, we will be issuing renewal vouchers as a thank you. These vouchers will be sent out towards the end of April / early May, and will contain a voucher for a small gift, as well as some vouchers to use around the club. We will let you know once the vouchers are in, and will send them out directly.

Thank you!

Sarah Blunden

General Manager

GOLF UPDATE

Ian Hayward

Head Professional

With the clocks changing, the evenings getting lighter, and the Masters around the corner, the golf season is finally under way!

The latest spring/summer clothing ranges have now arrived in store, with the latest collections from J Lindeberg, Puma, FootJoy, PING, Oscar Jacobson, Stuburt, and JRB all now available. With better weather hopefully on its way, it is the perfect time to freshen up your summer wardrobe.

Upcoming Demo Days

We have a number of product demo days taking place at Hoebridge in April and May, with some of the leading manufacturers in golf. These will be taking place on the following dates:

Monday 17th April: Yonex (2pm-6pm)

Monday 24th April: Taylormade (2pm-6pm)

Tuesday 25th April: Titleist (1.30pm-6pm)

Monday 15th May: Cobra (2pm-6pm)

To register your interest and to book an appointment, please contact the Pro Shop on 01483 722611 or via proshop@ hoebridgegc.co.uk

Of course, with our fantastic custom fitting studio everyday can be a demo day at Hoebridge!! Fitting appointments are available 7 days a week and are completely free to our members, so don’t delay in booking an appointment today!!

Cancellation of Tee Times

Tee time availability is currently at a premium, especially at the weekends, and I would like to take this opportunity to issue a polite reminder about cancelling any unused tee times to enable both members and visitors alike to have access to the golf course.

Cancelling or modifying a tee time is very straightforward, and can be done in the following ways:

• Through the booking history section of the Elite Live App (24 hours + in advance)

• By contacting the Pro Shop 01483 722611 (6am-9pm)

• By e-mailing the Pro Shop on proshop@ hoebridgegc.co.uk

Many thanks for your cooperation to increase tee time availability for everybody.

Employee of the Quarter

I would like pass on my congratulations to Enrico Laurato, who has deservedly been named as the Hoebridge Employee of the Quarter for Q1 in 2023.

Enrico has taken the lead in developing the junior academy from scratch, and is currently working closely with the committee towards getting the juniors involved in competitions. He has created a fantastic junior passport scheme to add structure and goals to the academy lessons and this has enhanced the enjoyment of all participants.

Alongside his brilliant work with our juniors, Enrico also gives excellent customer service and provides a warm, Italian welcome to all members and visitors to Hoebridge. Well done, Enrico, keep up the good work!

COURSE UPDATE

Barry Gardener Course Manager

As we drag ourselves out of what has been a pretty wet winter, the very dry February was a welcome break and allowed us to get some machinery back out onto the courses.

The machinery that we use to maintain the courses is maintained just as much as the golf courses are. What with the cost of one ride-on fairway mower being similar to that of a top end family car, we have to ensure that all the investment from our owners is cared for.

From regular servicing to preventative maintenance and sharpening of cutting units, we carry out as much of this as possible in-house using the skill sets that our staff possess.

through to March, not being used.

We are also still suffering a little with problems in the supply chain. A lot of parts we need for our equipment are manufactured in the USA. Fertiliser that is produced abroad and numerous other items are not as readily available as previously or have risen in cost astronomically – this can make life a little tricky at times.

All that said, we look forward to what will hopefully be a nice spring and summer, seeing the trees burst back into life and the grass looking green and healthy!

I just want to take the opportunity to explain the summer greens renovation work that is taking place in July.

We are using a machine called the GKB sand filler - https://www.gkbmachines.com/machine/ sandfiller/

This machine allows us to remove double or more of the amount of thatch in one pass than hollow coring would allow. It also ensures that the lines are filled with sand, giving us an instantly firmer surface. We will be putting the greens straight back into play once complete, and depending on how the work goes, we may need to finish off the work the following day.

As with any disruptive work like this, which is totally necessary, we ask for your understanding and patience as we are working on a long-term strategy by carrying out such tasks. We are aiming to create greens that will be more playable in the winters and even better in the summers. Please remember we aren’t doing this for our own entertainment, and just like the machinery, if we don’t service it regularly, it will fail.

Here’s hoping for a great golfing season for you all!

We aim to have all the front line equipment ready for the start of the cutting season each year, but realistically with the way the weather patterns have changed, we have to make sure they are ready for use yearround. Not so many years ago, the mowers would be sat in the sheds from November

Barry Course Manager

HEALTH & FITNESS UPDATE

Ryan Stonehouse Gym Manager

Hello all, Our trainers have been busy this winter helping our members get prepared for an active spring. Whether it be a marathon, golf, or even getting beach ready!

Membership Benefits

Don’t forget, Health Club members are entitled to book a complimentary personal training session every twelve weeks, during which you’ll receive expert advice on how to plan your training and how to find the right workout for you.

Our group fitness classes are also included in your membership. All of these are delivered by our excellent personal training team. With a maximum of 10 members in each class, it is another opportunity to access regular coaching on your exercise technique to avoid injury and get the best results out of your training.

Our Member of the Month –March

James Smith joined us last September, and ever since, has stayed incredibly consistent with his training. James is currently bouncing back from an injury. We have all noticed his determination to overcome this, and it is most certainly paying off.

Upon his return, James made the most of his complimentary personal training sessions with one of our PTs, by truly engaging in the process and getting as much out of it as he possibly could. James is an absolute pleasure to be around, and is keen to get his form perfect to avoid any further injury and get the best out of each exercise.

Following his supervised sessions, he made all the right adjustments to his routine and has continued his fitness journey with complete confidence.

The injury that James suffered from involved several surgeries during his first few months with us. It takes a lot mentally to overcome a barrier like that. However, he showed us all what consistency can achieve. James is now almost injury free and recently completed the Surrey Half Marathon in a great time.

“I’ve really been enjoying my training, despite my injury. I feel stronger than ever and now having completed my half marathon, I’m looking forward to finding the next big goal in my fitness journey”

From the whole team at Hoebridge, huge congratulations and keep up the great work! We can’t wait to see how the next year goes for you.

Exercise of the Month

Kettlebells are a versatile piece of equipment, particularly for whole body strength and single sided stability – perfect for golf!

Here are a few exercise examples to give a go! For more information, please come chat to one of our personal trainers.

Kettlebell Swing

Hoebridge Babies

On 4th February, three of our team members became parents. Hoebridge Triplets! We had two proud parents to two beautiful daughters, and one proud parent to a very handsome puppy. Congratulations to Connor on the birth of his baby daughter, Lily, and to Jess on the birth of her baby daughter, Reya. Congratulations also to Tommy on the adoption of his new puppy, Louis.

Benefits include:

• Greater explosiveness and power from hips for golf

• Improve back strength & posture

• Good calorie burn

Kettlebell Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

Benefits include:

• Improvement in balance & stability

• Improves joint function at the hip

• Increases hamstring & glute health

Kneeling,

Single Arm Kettlebell

‘Bottoms Up’ Press

Benefits include:

• Building shoulder and core strength as it takes the legs out of the movement

• Improve the muscles of your rotator cuff, back, core, wrist and forearm

• Upper body single sided stability and strength

Lily

Reya

Louis