MEMBER NEWS
Dear Member, The golfing season is just around the corner and its lovely to see so many return to the course after recent closures. The golf course irrigation project is due to commence towards the end of February. This significant £600k course investment will not just improve the playability but help our sustainability on course, as we will have an efficient irrigation system which will monitor and control our usage. We are in the process of finalising the work schedule with the contractors of which we will share with you very soon. You may have noticed that we have taken an initial delivery of some irrigation pipework over the last week; the pipework will be relocated from the lower car park in the near future. The team have already been clearing and preparing the areas for the contractor’s compound and pumphouse for the new system. Robin will provide a plan of the works and information on how the irrigation system is installed. Initially, phase one of the works should not cause a huge amount of disruption to our golfers, however we will manage accordingly and update you once the works are scheduled. To give you an idea of how our irrigation systems / pipework will be laid please view the following link. CLICK HERE This video is a few years old, but the basic principles will remain the same. The greens team are busy maintaining the courses and working on various projects on both courses. Our bunker renovation project remains ongoing, and the team are currently renovating four bunkers on the main course, holes 6 & 7 and all bunkers on the short course. Despite the soft ground conditions and limited use of machinery the team remain focused to finish these ahead of the golfing season. We are also working on restoring the pond adjacent to the pathway leading to the clubhouse and 4th tee, already a noticeable improvement and once the pond is filled the fountain will be visible creating a lovely feature once again. I am delighted to announce that Robin Cheney, Course Manager has been selected as the Thornbury Golf Centre Employee of the Year. We have a wonderful team at the Centre and to be honest it has been difficult to select just one team member, but this award is thoroughly deserved by Robin. Robin has played a pivotal role over the last few years to ensure your golf courses have remained in great condition for your return after lockdowns and throughout the season. His dedication to the role particularly throughout the last two years and his knowledge and leadership have produced two wonderfully conditioned golf courses and facility this year. I am sure you will join me and congratulate Robin next time you see him at the Centre or on course. In other staff news, I am delighted to welcome Danny & Jorevic to the team, both of which have joined us via the government kickstart scheme. The scheme aims to get young people back to work and since joining us in November both have settled very well into their new roles. For more information on the kickstart scheme and the success that golf clubs across the UK have had please review the following link. CLICK HERE
Jorevic, Tim & Danny Annual Membership renewals are due by 1st April 2022 for all membership categories, with the exception of flexi membership which is renewable on a pro-rata basis. At the Club AGM in December, I gave advance notice that annual subscriptions would need to be increased in line with our cost increases. We are all noticing our home utility / shopping bills are steadily increasing, to which the Centre is no exception. Product cost for golf course maintenance and throughout the Centre has risen significantly, therefore we have had to reflect this in our pricing for subscriptions and within the Centre. For example, our 7-day membership will cost £1015, (paid in full) which still positions us below other courses in the area and provides excellent value. Your annual renewals will be made available for payment on the App or online platform from the beginning of February. All renewing members are asked to make payment via the app or online platform as this proved very successful last year and will remain in place moving forward. For those who pay annual subscriptions via Direct Debit (Debit Finance) we will make the relevant changes to your payment from 1st April. Debit Finance will confirm in writing the change of your payment details. Should you wish to discuss your annual subscription, please contact a member of the sales team. I am pleased to announce that we are in the process of creating a member only Webpage on our website. The new members area will provide a secure area, providing information on the Centre and the Club. This will enhance our communications and provide a more personal experience for our membership. To access the members webpage, you will need to use the email address held on your profile. We anticipate that the new webpage will be up and running early March, at which time we will email you with instructions of how to login. In the meantime, I would encourage you to check your details are correct and update your profile picture upon visiting the golf shop. The use of face coverings / masks are no longer required in the clubhouse. However, we would still encourage you to wear a mask when the clubhouse is busy and crowded. This also applies to our staff and I would respectfully ask that you also maintain social distancing where possible. I will be in contact in the coming weeks with more updates. In the meantime, enjoy your golf and I look forward to seeing you all in and around the Centre. Best wishes, Tim Good General Manager
Course Managers report
A pretty poor end to 2021 and start to 2022 on the weather front not only has affected play on our courses but has also hampered the greenkeepers in our maintenance and construction work. Its always a tough decision to close parts or all the course and with this comes the tough questions of at what point are the greenkeepers tractors and machines doing more harm than good in accessing the course. Despite the poor weather the greenkeeping team have been cracking on with work often carrying our maintenance tools on foot. Our bunker renovations have continued as best we can, often this has meant having to dig by hand and use wheel barrows to remove sand and stone to keep damage to the course to an absolute minimum. This would normally be aided using tractors and trailers and excavators, unfortunately the recent poor ground conditions have meant much of the machinery has remained in the shed. Bunker renovations being done the old fashioned way
The forecast does now appear to be more favourable, and the course conditions are improving by the day which is now allowing us to use the machinery and start cutting and defining the course. To help maintain the course in the best shape possible for all, I would like to again politely ask players to adhere to traffic control outlined by the post and ropes. We are frequently having to replace the posts and rope as golfers are moving for their convenience. This in turn is detracting the team from conducting other duties. This is for benefit and enjoyment of all who play the courses and will help produce the best conditions possible throughout the tricky winter months and beyond. All the best, Robin Course Manager
Pro Shop Newsletter Pro Tip: With the turn in weather, winter has finally dug it’s teeth in here at Thornbury. The excessive rain has seen sections of the course close which, although necessary, has been frustration for many of you. This time of the season can feel eternal but can be used to great effect going into the warmer, drier, months. I’m sure you’ve all heard at least one professional, whether it be in person, social media, or television, talk about practicing through winter to get ready for the coming season… Yes… There’s a parrot in the room… It’s important to know how it could help! This isn’t going to be long winded going into specific details. Instead, I’m going to give you a clear insight into what we can learn from top performance athletes and how they approach their sports. AND NO. I’m not going to suggest everyone should be stretching 3 hours a day, hitting 500 balls, and then throwing weights around the gym. We’ll leave that to Bryson for now.
(Bryson Dechambeau – Rank 1 Driving Distance PGA Tour 2021 Season, Average 323.7)
But I am going to help you understand how an athlete will approach their season as a whole.
The image below shows a periodisation graph of how an athlete will alter their training depending on where they are in their preparation for their season/important events.
Rather than feeling like I’ve just thrown you back into a science classroom, I’ll break this graph down in golfing terms: Preparatory Period (January) The graph is showing in this period they would be looking to prioritise quantity. Quantity, in this sense, doesn’t mean you have to hit thousands of golf balls on the range. It’s related to increasing your work capacity. You may have found if you don’t play or hit golf balls for a while, the first few rounds back really take it out off you. This is what this period is aimed at preventing. If you go for a longer walk than you normally would, or start hitting maybe one or two more sets of 50 balls on the range each week, you’ll find that when summer rolls around your ‘golf fitness’ will be more geared to playing 2-4 times a week. Transition period (End of January – April) This section of the graph shows the time frame when quantity reduces and quality increases. This is the time of year where if you started to focus more on improving the technical aspects of your game, you would have an ample amount to put the changes into play for the start of the season. Booking an initial 30-minute lesson with one of us in the shop would give you good clarity on the things you need to work on. AND REMEMBER. Golf lessons are not just about the swing. By improving your course management, putting and or chipping, you might find that you improve your score far quicker. But the focus of this stage if having something purposeful to think about when you practice. The time of coming up just hitting balls is only meant for the Preparatory Period. This is the time to start challenging yourself.
Competition Period (April – September) As competition starts to loom, this is where the sole focus in all practice is toward creating the same intensity as the competition you’re working toward. On the range you can do this by creating pressured situations like trying to hit inside a target zone with so many shots, or, when on the course you can create game and matches between you and your playing partners, like nearest the pin or best score over the next 3 holes. If you do this well, you will be one of few who start to feel more at ease with playing competitive golf. You’ll find that you will exceed what you thought your handicap could be by simply being comfortable with a scorecard in your hand. Transition Period (September – December) This is normally the point in the season where everyone is trying to get those last rounds in before the nights draw in. At this point there’s maybe a hand full of competitions to play in and those well golfed are feeling a little jaded. This section is aimed at winding yourself down from the intensity of playing competitive golf every other week. Active rest is important when it come to sports. Purely to maintain the hard work you’ve done to improve and to give you the chance to physically and mentally recharge. Although this information is presented in a yearly format it can be adapted to shorter time frames. For instance, if you’re playing a competition that you’d like to do well in, you can start the process from say 3-4 weeks before. First week could be aimed at hitting a few more balls than you normally would. Second week, have a lesson, be effective with what you’re practicing. Third and fourth week, focus on being competitive. The more pressure you can put on your practice, the more comfortable you’ll be when it matters. Having a loose plan to how you’re going to tackle the year will give you something to follow as it comes to pass. If you feel like each year comes around and you don’t seem to get better, or you feel like your handicap is going up, try following this idea. If you need help with your golf game, we are always on hand with tips and advice. Pop in the shop or call us (01454 281 144, Option 1) to book a session for when suits you. We hope to see you all up here soon and for those we haven’t seen, have a happy new year.
Golf Shop Update Throughout 2021 all golf equipment suppliers have been severely impacted by supply chain disruptions in manufacturing and shipping that have caused unwelcome delays with stock availability. Stocks of golf balls, bags and trolleys have been impacted the most and as such our current stocks, and across UK golf retailers, are limited. In addition, with the increasing material, manufacturing and shipping costs there has been some enforced price increases across all the major golfing brands. You can be assured as part of the BGL group at Thornbury we will continue to offer our golfers very competitive prices on all the major golfing brands. We hope to see you soon through the last few weeks of our sale, and when our new range of balls, bags, trolleys, clothing, footwear and clubs arrive early February.
Shop Offers • • • • •
Up to 50% off all Men’s clothing Up to 50% off all Ladies clothing Titleist Vokey SM8 ex-demo wedges only £99.99 Up to £60 off all Drivers, Fairway Metals and Hybrids Up to £200 off all irons
Coaching Info Roll up sessions: Roll up sessions are your chance to pick up some useful tips that are tailored to your game. The information you find on social media is mostly great content, but it isn’t fitting to you as an individual. For only £10, an experience professional will be able to diagnose the parts of your game that are holding you back. The sessions are held, every week, at the following dates and times: • • •
Tuesday 12:00pm-1:00pm Wednesday 7:00pm-8-pm Saturday 1:00pm-2:00pm
All sessions are to be prebooked and will host a maximum 5 participants. Please pop into the shop or call 01454 281 144 (Option 1) to book your spot.