The Shropshire Member News - October

MEMBER

Dear Member,

Greetings from the club. As the nights start to draw in and the temperatures drop, we can be sure winter is on its way. That August heatwave seems such a long time ago! Just a few updates from the club…..

Dustingtheclubsoff-CaptainsAwayDay&StJamesPlacePGAProAm

Ican’trememberthelasttimeIhadtoplay3roundsinoneweek!Itwasgreattobeinvitedand jointhemen’ssectionCaptainDaveMarshallandmemberstotackleConwyGolfClubandNorth WalesGolfClub.Greatgroupofmemberswentandagreattimehadbyall,verywellorganised. UnfortunatelyafteragloriousdayontheThursday,theofficialawaydayofFriday,theweather tookaturnfortheworst.Althoughthedaywascancelled,thosethatstayedoverinLlandudno didattempttoplayhoweverImanagedonly8holesinthetorrentialrainand40mphwinds.

ThisyeartheclubalsoenteredtheStJamesPlacePGAProAm.UnfortunatelyPaulMoorewho qualifiedfortheeventwasunabletomakethedayatEnvilleGolfClub.Forjustanadditional £2onthecompetitionentryfeebackinJulyitcertainlywasworthit.Breakfastonarrival,18 holesontheHighgateCourseandthenatwocoursedinnerafterwardswasgreatexperience. ThankstoStuartKitchingforansweringmyphonecallat6amandmanagingtogettothefirst teeforour8amteeoff.Wehadarespectableteamscoreof+3inwhatwasdifficultwindy conditions.I’msurethecommitteewilllooktoparticipateagainnextyearandgiveamember theopportunitytoqualifyfortheevent.

IknowI’mslightlybiasedbutit’sgoodtogetoutandseewhatotherclubsaredoing.Forthose ofyouthatplayinotherclubsopencompetitionsetcinmyopinionourcoursescertainlyhold theirowngivenwhatI’veplayedinthelastfewweeks.Ourfairwaysandgreensareasgoodifnot better,I’mveryproudoftheplayingconditionsIvanandhisteamconsistentlyofferus,welldone guys!.

The5thGoldiscomingalongnicely.Itsbeennowjustoveramonthsincethemajorwork wasfinished.Hereareafewbeforeandafterpictures.Theaimistoopenwhenwecanbut followingallyourfeedbackwetoodon’twanttorushit,despitemyexcitementtoplay.Ahuge thankyoutomyteamandaspecialmentionmustgotoLesAnnettwhogaveupvoluntarily histimetohelpuswiththeproject.

After

Blue9thGreen,weunfortunatelyhadanissuewiththesprayerwhentreatingthesilvermoss sowedohavesomedamagetothebackofthegreen.Thishasbeenre turfedandhopefully thiswillrecoversoon.

Allofthewintergreensmaintenanceiscompleted,yepthat’sit.Thegoldhasalreadyrecovered nicelyandthetwoothercoursesshouldn’tbetoofarbehind.

Wehavereceivedanother200hazardmarkerswhichhavenowbeenplacedaroundthecourse. Thesehavereallytidieduptheseareasanddefinedtheboundaries.Theyaremadefrom recycledCDcasessonotonlyaretheyhelpingoursustainabilitypledge,theyrequireno maintenance.Pleasejustputthembackifyouhavetomovethem,theyaremucheasierto putbackwithasmallmetalspikeonthebottom

Prices

Iknowthatallwehearinthenewslatelyistheriseinlivingcostsandtheuncertaintyofwhatis tocomewithourenergy.Thelastthreemonthsofthisyearareexpectedtoseea600%increase inthegolfclub’senergybills.Currentfertilisersforthecoursehavegoneupbyaround40%, sandfortopdressinghasseena22%increase,andfoodanddrinkscostsaresoaring.

Wearetryingtofindcostsavingstrategiestocombatthesepriceincreaseswherewecan.All theseneedtobeimplementedasap.We’veseenexamplesinthenewssuchasTomKerridge’s pub,whichwillmovefroma£60kperannumelectricitybill,toanestimated£420k.alsothe localVictorianfryerchipshopthathasbeengoingforaslongasIcanrememberhasfearsof closingdown.Wemayhavetoreviewopeningtimesetcinthewinterwhereourusagespikes butbusinessdropsinorderforustomakeendsmeet.

Thenewwintermenuhasarrivedandagainitsimportantforyoutoutilisethe10%discountwe offerallmembers.Wewillalsobecarryingonwiththemembersbaconroll,hashbrownand coffeemealdealsopleaseorderonebeforeyouplaytohelpsupporttheclubwhereyoucan

Weunderstandthatallthesecostsnotonlyimpactthebusiness,butalsoimpactusas individuals,whetheramemberofstafforamemberoftheclub.However,inthecoming monthscertaincostswillunfortunatelyneedtobepassedonbutwewilldoallwecantokeep thesetoaminimum.Yourcontinuedsupportisverymuchappreciated.

MembersRangeNight

Sonowisthetimetogetyourgameinshapethiswinter,readyforthe2023golfseason.Each Wednesdayeveningat6.30-7.30pmstartingWednesday2ndNovember,DaveAshtonwillonthe rangetohelpyouironoutthosefaultsthatareholdingyourgameback.Groupcoachingsoit’s funandinformalatmosphere.Coaching&unlimitedballsJust£10ppwithchipbuttiesbackin theclubhouseandhappyhouronthebar.

BGLBikeRidetoParis

Asyoureadfrommypreviousnewsletter,IjoinedcolleaguesfromallovertheBGLclubsto cyclefromLondontoParisfortheUkraineRedCrossAppeal.Ittookus3dayscovering200 milesandclimbingseveralthousandsoffeet.Wehadbloodsweetandtearsalongthewaywith puncturesandacoupleofcrashes,butthebeerscertainlyhelpednumbthepain.Iwascertainly gladtoseetheEiffelTowerattheendofdaythree!Whatmadeitallworthwhilewasaswewere enjoyingdrinksattheendoftheride,afamilythatfledfromtheUkrainewalkedpastourgroup andthankedusall.Weraisedover£10,000withdonationsstillcominginwhichisamazingso thankstoeveryonethatdonatedfromTheShropshire.Itcertainlywasabucketlistchallenge formeandimsogladIgottodoit,Ithoroughlyrecommendit!Here’stoa2023challenge...

Staff Update

Congratulations to David Ashton and Sam Clarke for passing their BIIAB Personal Licence courses.

James Baguley our part time gardener has been working hard this year and in recognition of his passion for outdoor working we have given him the opportunity to join the greenkeeping team with a view to making this full time in the new year.

This year we also have some significant length of service achievements. Most notable is Ivan Beetlestone our Course Manager has been with The Shropshire 25 years on October 28th. He started back in 1997.

Charles our Head Chef is leaving us at the end of October. We thank him for all his hard work and wish him all the very best for the future.

I’m certainly looking forward to celebrating with members and all the competition winners this year. Tickets are just £30pp to include a two course meal, presentation and disco. Be great to see as many of you as possible on the night. Kate has negotiated a deal for us in that pre ordered wine is 20% off if ordered and paid for by Monday 7th November.