A Note From ...
Mark Woods General Manager
First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude for all your support throughout 2024. It has been wonderful to see so many of you enjoying not just the course but also the driving range and various events we’ve hosted.
2024 was a fantastic year on the course, with an impressive additional 4,094 rounds played on the main course and 3,460 rounds on the short course compared to 2023. These numbers reflect the hard work and dedication of Stuart, Dean, and the entire greenkeeping team.
We’ve made several key improvements, including the addition of 9 new tee boxes and the correction of the historical 18th green slope on the short course. On the main course, we completed renovations on 14 bunkers across the 3rd, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 14th holes.
Looking ahead to 2025, we are committed to further enhancing the course for our members. We’ve purchased a new fairway mower, costing over £70k, to improve the quality of the cut on both courses. Planned upgrades include renovating the 17th green bunkers, completing the remaining tee boxes on the short course, and installing new tee signage. In addition, the team has been busy with winter projects, such as new pathways from the 4th green to the 5th tee and from the 16th tee box down to the ladies’ tee. They are also extending the 17th tee box, in response to member feedback from the AGM in November.
Although the course was closed for 10 days in January, the driving range offered a great opportunity for golfers of all levels to stay active, despite the weather. In 2024, we made
updates to the bays and walkway, and improved sustainability with an LED lighting upgrade. We also plan to invest in the driving range outfield to enhance the experience even further.
I’d also like to thank you for your understanding and support during our festive period. We would love to hear your suggestions for what you’d like to see this year as well as helping to celebrate any milestones. Our next event will be a return of last year’s sell-out Mamma Mia tribute night, featuring a themed Greek Mezze menu.
Despite the course closures, we were finally able to host the Gordon Edwards Trophy last weekend, with 100 members and guests in attendance. The event raised funds for Parkinson’s UK, the Captain’s charity this year. Our next big event is the Greenkeeper’s Revenge, a two-ball scramble, following March’s renovations, scheduled for Sunday, March 9th.
If you have any questions, queries, or suggestions, please feel free to reach out to me or any member of the team.
Mark
Course Update
Stuart Giddings Course Manager
Hi everyone,
I hope you are all doing well and that you’ve all had a great start to the new year. Well, what can I say about the weather apart from it being a nuisance. One thing I have introduced is frost holes. Frost holes will all be at the front of each green, this is to protect the rest of the green during this cold period. Please ignore the colour of the flag while frost holes are in place.
We have been busy with a few projects in the recent months, this includes the 1st tee path and a new path leading from the back of the 4th green to the 5th tee. We also have plans to improve the 9th men’s tee, 11th left fairway bunker, 16th path and the 17th white tee. All these improvements will push Wycombe Heights into a better position for this year’s playing season.
I would like to apologise for the left fairway bunker on the 7th which has been filling with water every time it rains. We have already dug into the bunker to make a trench leading into an 8-foot sump, but this still hasn’t resolved the issue. The next step is to look at the rubber liner of the bunker to see where the issue lies, but I promise we will get to the bottom of it.
Regarding fairways, if you compare where we were this time last year to where we are currently, we are much better off. We acted proactively throughout last year to get to this stage; soil conditioner has been applied, and the top brush utilised where possible.
We will never get complete control of worm casts with the control measures currently available to the industry. What we can do is
control worm populations, so that they’re at a level not detrimental to the turf. We will keep working towards this goal for the foreseeable future.
What is exciting is that we will be taking ownership of a brand-new Toro 5510 fairway mower this month. This fairway machine is hybrid, meaning it is better for the environment, but also, we are less likely to have any hydraulic leaks out on the course as the reel motors are electric.
I wanted to finish by thanking the greens team for all their efforts throughout 2024, the weather made sure it wasn’t the easiest of years. However, the team have always strived to deliver the standards everyone at Wycombe Heights is beginning to expect.
Thank you Dean Gregory, John Wesoly, Owen Davies, Tom Fortnam, Tom Clattenburg, Josh Wall and John Fitzryk.
From all the Greens Team, we wish you a year filled with birdies!
Stuart
with a representative from PING on Monday, March 17th from 2-6pm. Spaces are limited so please book in with the Pro Shop to avoid disappointment. Custom fitted clubs are usually built at source and shipped in within 5-10 working days, so the wait time is not very long at all.
can have on a golfer. I for one look forward to investing in a pair myself.
Following on from new hardware products for the upcoming season, we are selling our ex-rental Motocaddy M1 electric trolleys. These are priced at £449, but I will offer these to members at a discounted rate of £399. Each of these will be cleaned up before being handed over, and as a reminder they come with a 36-hole lithium battery, which is usually an upcharge from Motocaddy.
A new product addition in 2025 will be Under Armour, with gloves, clothing and shoe options incoming. I had the pleasure of attending the Under Armour shoe fitting centre of excellence recently at Stoke Park and I’m very impressed with what I saw and what benefits these shoes
For those of you who are avid readers of my segment of the newsletter, you will know that I am a big advocate of having one’s golf equipment in pristine condition. If not to buy new shoes or clubs, then to replace some aspects of current equipment? What better time to upgrade to new grips? Studies show that most golfers would benefit from changing their grips every 40 rounds or so. So, for most of us that’s once a year, unless you are our member - Phil Bearyman - who plays six days a week!
A fresh grip will cause less grip pressure and allow for less tension through the hands and better release and extension of the club in swing, thus maximising performance. The same goes for replacing worn studs in one’s shoes. The more grip and traction you have with the ground, the more rotation you have when swinging and thus greater club head speed, which equates to distance. Small gains make big differences. We can supply you with new spikes for your shoes and we offer a regripping service in the Pro Shop. Come and speak to one of the team next time you are at the Centre and see if we can assist with those small gains.
We will be running a Masters tournament draw and raffle this year. The full details will follow shortly, but for me this event is the start of the golfing year and is my favourite golfing tournament to watch on TV. The entries will start up towards the end of February, with prizes for the top three places.
Sales & Marketing Update
Jack McDonagh Sales Manager
Dear Members,
I hope this newsletter finds you well and enjoying the start of the year. As some of you may know, I’ve recently stepped into the role of Sales Manager here at Wycombe Heights, after spending the past six and a half years working at the centre, going from F&B Assistant, to working under Tom Blick in the shop, becoming the first driving range manager in BGL, and now working as part of the busy sales team. I’m thrilled to continue being part of this amazing community, and I look forward to connecting with all of you in my new role.
I’m writing today to let you know about an exciting benefit available to 7-day and 5-day members of Wycombe Heights member: Reciprocal tee times at other BGL sites!
As part of the BGL network, Wycombe Heights members can now enjoy the opportunity to play at several other premier BGL golf courses once a month. Whether you’re looking for a change of scenery, a new challenge, or simply want to experience some different courses, this is a fantastic way to make the most of your membership.
Here’s How It Works:
Reciprocal tee times are available at the other nine BGL golf clubs, which include some fantastic courses like:
• Burhill Golf Club* – Surrey (Once per year / After 10am Monday - Thursday)
• Abbey Hill Golf Centre – Milton Keynes
• Aldwickbury Park Golf Club* – Harpenden (Weekends after 2pm)
• Birchwood Park Golf & Country Club –Dartford
• Hoebridge Golf Centre – Woking
• Ramsdale Park Golf Centre – Nottingham
• Redbourn Golf Club* - St Albans (Weekends after 2pm)
• The Shropshire Golf Centre – Telford
• Thornbury Golf Centre – Bristol (Weekends after 1pm)
Contact the sales team at Wycombe Heights and we will contact the other sites to check availability and book your reciprocal tee time.
Each member gets one reciprocal booking per month (excluding Burhill GC which is yearly). These are tracked within the sales department and different centres have different policies, centres with restrictions are seen above in brackets. If you’re unsure about how to book or would like more information on specific courses available through the reciprocal agreement, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at the centre, and we’ll be more than happy to assist.
Upcoming Events:
We are hosting a Mamma Mia! Themed tribute night on 28th March. With a mixed Greek mezze platter, a Mamma Mia themed tribute performance singing Abba’s greatest hits & themed cocktails. Book your place today for £38.00 per person.
As always, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for being part of the Wycombe Heights family. I look forward to the year ahead, and I’m excited for the opportunities and events we’ll have together.
Please feel free to get in touch with any questions, suggestions, or if you’d just like to chat!
Warm Regards,
Jack
Upcoming Events:
F&B Update
Leah Pawley F&B Manager
After a busy and successful Christmas period, the clubhouse has now returned to a more relaxed routine.
The Food & Beverage team would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all our members for their patience during the festive season, particularly with the limited space available.
We’re happy to announce that members are now welcome to use the function room again, and we will make sure to give you plenty of notice when it is booked for private events.
There have been a few updates to our beer selection recently. We’ve replaced Strongbow with Inch’s Cider and Amstel for Cruzcampo. Additionally, we’re now stocking Rebellion Roasted Nuts as a guest beer.
Do you have a favourite Rebellion beer that you’d love to see on our shelves? If so, please don’t hesitate to let me know. We’re always keen to hear your suggestions and are happy to consider adding your favourites to our offerings!
Range Update
Liberty Martins Driving Range Manager
Dear Members,
I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the winter season as much as possible! I’m thrilled to introduce myself as the new Driving Range Manager here at Wycombe Heights Golf Centre. My name is Liberty, and I joined the centre in summer 2022 behind the bar and moved over to the driving range in February 2023. I am excited to work with all of you in enhancing your practice and experience at our driving range.
As many of you know, the driving range is not just a place to warm up before a round, but also a space for improving skills, experimenting with new techniques, and having fun. I am committed to ensuring that the range is a welcoming and high-quality environment for golfers of all levels, and I wanted to take this opportunity to share a few exciting things we have going on.
Throughout February, we are running a Closest to the Pin Competition for all to enter on our Trackman screens, the primary goal of Closest to the Pin is to hit your golf ball as close as possible to a designated target, usually a hole on a virtual green. The player whose ball lands closest to the pin wins the round. The winner of this competition will receive a 2-hour VIP booking completely free.
An exciting new deal of a ‘Bap and Coffee’ is also to be introduced, when ordering a sausage/bacon or egg bap, you will get a regular coffee included, for the fantastic price of £6.25. This would make a great addition to your pre round warm up sessions before heading over to the course!
I look forward to seeing you all down at the driving range and around the club!
Liberty
