Hello all, and welcome to our December 2024 Members’ Newsletter.
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As I write this, we have had our first official day of snow, which quickly turned to puddles on the green. Even with the subzero-degree temperatures, I hope you all find time to get out and play golf while keeping as warm as possible.
Irrigation
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GM UPDATE
starts to ensure 2025 is the year that all the hard work the greenkeeping team put in, isn’t required again come
Food Takeaway
With the temperature dropping, and breath frosting up as you all head to the 1st tee, the F&B team would like to offer a member’s special of a takeaway soup and sausage roll for £5.50. The soup will be that of the day, so please see our team at the bar for more info.
River Ver Project
After recently having had visits from every agency under the sun/cloudy sky, we are close to receiving a plan for a two-year project to restore the River Ver. Building on Paul Geary’s already fantastic work, the plan set out by Affinity Water, Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust, The Chalk Stream Project, and Jacobs will see the Ver restored to as much of a natural, yet manageable state as possible. This will include changing the depths and gradients in places, creating faster/slower moving areas, as well as habitat creation. A wetland area will also be proposed to the left of the 9th, to enable water to drain off from the road, filtrated and safely re-introduced back into the Ver.
Once complete, a robust management plan will be in place to make maintenance a lot easier.
All new parts have been ordered and work is due to commence on the final stages of fixing our irrigation system during the first week of December. This will include pump house repairs as well as the complete overhaul of the suction pipes into the reservoir to stop any air from getting into the system.
We will of course trial and test the system before the season
Olivia Flynn Is Leaving
Olivia started here at Redbourn in April 2022 as an F&B Assistant. Shortly after, through her hard work and dedication, she became an F&B Supervisor, assisting Paula in the day-to-day operations of the department. As our sustainability initiatives started ramping up in 2023, and the need to drive better practices, the requirement for dedicated time became quite apparent. With Olivia’s passion for sustainability, as well as having studied modules at university, she became the obvious choice to be promoted to this new position in May of this year.
Even with her time split between the bar and sustainability, Olivia has spearheaded many new projects around the club that have enabled Redbourn to be viewed as one of the leading clubs within the BGL Group for sustainability, and seen us be put forward for nationally recognised awards.
With her passion found, it was only a matter of time, however, before she would want to move into a more permanent sustainability role. As of December, Olivia will unfortunately be leaving us to start a full-time position in London working for a Sustainable Clearance Service Company.
We at Redbourn thank her for all she has contributed and wish her the very best of luck in her new role!
Christmas Coaching Offer
While I know that all our members games are on point with very little improvement required, we are offering a special Christmas lesson offer for all those who wish to sharpen up their game ready for the new season.
The lesson offer includes six hours for the price of five, with the addition of either £75 range credit or three months of Par 3
CLUB UPDATE
membership*. I understand that for members this second offer is a moot point, but I am happy for you to transfer it to a friend or family member for them to benefit from the offer.
*T&Cs apply. See operations or coaching team for further details.
Christmas and New Year Limited Opening Times
With Christmas fast approaching, I would like to make you all aware of the variation to opening hours during the festive period and New Year.
Dec Shop Range Bar
CAPTAIN’S UPDATE Men’s Captain’s Update
Neil Marcus Club Captain
As we approach the end of 2024, conditions for golf get a little challenging, but we can look forward to the start of the festive season.
The Dylan Cup on Sunday, 8th December, is something of a tradition at Redbourn. It’s a fun mixed team event, which is followed by a festive treat of turkey baps, stuffing, and roast potatoes. Places are filling fast, and we have opened more spaces, so please now enter on the noticeboard for this shotgun start Christmas event. We are also running a Captains’ Christmas Raffle, and amongst the prizes, there will be a Christmas hamper and 4-ball vouchers at Brookmans Park and South Buckinghamshire golf clubs. Tickets are available from Paula in the club lounge at £5.00 per strip. The draw will be made after the Dylan Cup, and the winners and prizes will be put on the noticeboard.
I mentioned last month that we are approaching the end of mine and Linda Hill’s captaincies, and we will be marking this with a farewell dinner and dance at Redbourn Golf Club on Saturday 8th February 2025 (see next page). The cost for the evening is £32.00 per person which includes a three-course meal with a choice of three starters, mains and desserts. Our entertainment and disco will be provided by our very own “Evince” which will include his popular repertoire of Elvis Presley and Neil Diamond classics. The sign-up sheet with payment details is now on the noticeboard, and we would love to see as many of you as possible sharing the occasion with us!
After a postponement due to bad weather in September, the 49th Redbourn Team Shield with six clubs participating was played on Sunday 13th October. The winning team with 182 Stableford points was South Beds (on their first attempt!). It was a very close contest with Redbourn, Abbey Hill and Batchwood Hall sharing second place on 181 points.
We organised two events for Remembrance Sunday: The Remembrance Trophy and The Friars’ RBL Challenge. I would like to thank you all for supporting these important events. All proceeds will be donated to the Royal British Legion to support our ex-service personnel. As our fixtures and competitions diary concludes, I would like to congratulate Lee Kavanagh on winning the Summer Singles Knockout, as well as Phil Sweetman on winning the Seven-day Medal Winners Cup (Order of Merit). Well done to the captain’s pick Men’s Team for retaining the Florin Trophy by beating the Ladies’ Pearson Team 5-1
in this annual matchplay competition. Congratulations and best wishes to John Barber who has been elected as the Friars Captain for the 2024/2025 season, as well as Colin Aldridge, who was elected as John’s Vice Captain. Our sincere thanks to Glen Barker, our outgoing Friars Captain for all his hard work this season –including being my Vice Captain!
Finally, once again, my continued thanks to Paul Geary for driving the charity garage balls initiative. Due to Paul’s hard work, we have raised over £1,300 for the RNLI so far!
Best wishes and enjoy your golf.
CAPTAIN’S FAREWELL DINNER
An Update From ...
Charlie Turner Golf Operations Manager
It’s Christmas, and golfers are the easiest to buy for!
We can never have enough golf balls and gloves, and we can always do with more golf clothes. Thankfully, I have you covered with all the above.
With the countdown to Christmas on, we will be doing a retail advent calendar with a different item on sale each day, so keep an eye out on our socials and around the club, we may just make your Christmas a lot easier.
We have had a big restock of wrap-around winter wheels for your trolley. So, for just £29.99 you can still have the luxury of using your trolley through the wet muddy season.
Through the winter you can never go wrong with having a good set of waterproofs, we are running a deal on our Under Armour waterproof suits. Buy the set and save £39.99, and get a FREE bobble hat worth £24.99.
As always please don’t hesitate to let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Charlie
Pro’s Tip
Chipping from bare muddy lies
As we move into the colder winter months you might find yourself on bare muddy lies around the green. These are tricky chip shots, but you can follow some simple steps below to help if you find yourself stuck.
1. Use a club with little to no bounce for example a pitching wedge or 9 iron. Bounce is not our friend here as it can make the club bounce off the mud and thin or fat our shot.
2. When you set up to the ball stand slightly closer to it and allow the heel to lift off the ground slightly and the shaft to be a little more vertical.
3. Make sure when swinging the club, you swing from the shoulders and have no wrist movement here. The shoulders should be moving in a pendulum motion.
4. The ball will come out a little lower than normal chip shots so allow for that when thinking about your landing spot for your flag.
IChristmas Trees Are Available At Hertfordshire Garden Centre!
Our team are on hand to help you select the right tree for your home and load it into your car whilst you enjoy a stroll through our amazing winter wonderland!
PLUS, enter our competition to win an afternoon tea for four with prosecco at the Rose Garden Tea Rooms when you buy your tree from us. Open every day with late-night shopping on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays until 7pm throughout December!
‘Tis the season of giving!
In keeping with the golf industry being the most charitable sport, Redbourn staff have decided to donate this year instead of organising a Secret Santa. When deciding who to support, it was agreed that a local charity would be best. Therefore, we are supporting Redbourn Charities Hamper Scheme! We will be collecting food for local people who are struggling to make ends meet and deserve a bit of luxury.
If you would like to take part, here is a list of the items requested by the charity:
• Tubs of chocolates
• Boxes of biscuits
• Chocolate yule logs
• Christmas puddings
• Mince pies
• Christmas cakes
Please place donations in the box as you enter the spike bar. When shopping, please try to find the best date possible.
Alternatively, you can also donate through their website www.theredbourncharities.org If you have any questions, please contact sustainability@redbourngolfclub.co.uk
We thank you in advance for your generous donations.
COURSE UPDATE Course Manager
Update
Haydn Drinkwater Course Manager
Hello everyone,
During November, greens have been solid-tined and vertically drained, this will help air enter the root zone, develop roots, and aid drainage. With the high temperatures through October and humidity fusarium has appeared on both courses. This has been treated with a fungicide and to aid recovery a granular fertiliser has been applied.
The 7th green has been overseeded with two types of grass, bent grass and dwarf rye grass that germinates at lower temperatures. The green has recovered and with more light and air movement with the removal of some trees, this also helps. Fairways will be slit tined during December which will also help the root development and drainage.
Pathways have had tarmac plannings added on the 8th, 9th, 10th and 14th pathways, which will make such a difference when the weather is wet, and it will reduce wear from foot traffic and trolleys.
