Green is the word! P2
Course Manager, Matty Smith updates us on the course conditions
Club News P3
Robbie Stewart, keeps you in the loop with all that is happening at the Club
Seniors Section P6
Seniors Convenor, Dave Burness, gives all the latest news from the seniors section.
Sunday, July 21st, marked the final day of the 152nd British Open Championship at Royal Troon, Ayrshire.
The contingent from Newburgh Links set off from the clubhouse at the early hour of 5:30 AM, picking up friends in Aberdeen along the way.
The Magnificent 8 consisted of Robbie Stewart, Matty Smith, Wayne, Heather, Grant, Ron, and Ann & Gary McRobb.
Everyone was thrilled at the prospect of watching the world's best golfers battle the Scottish elements to be crowned Champion. Despite the blustery weather, it remained dry. We headed for the Scorers' Lounge, where we enjoyed a hearty full Scottish breakfast to prepare for the day ahead.
Our first stop was the grandstands at the practice area, where we saw many contenders warming up, just feet away from Sir Nick Faldo, who was
engaging with excited fans. Next, we made our way to the grandstand at the Par 3 17th green. The wind was fierce, and of the six pairs we saw coming through, only two out of twelve shots managed to hit the green.
For lunch, we returned to the lounge for a fantastic spread accompanied by a couple of well-deserved drinks. Suitably fed and watered, we went for a wander but didn't get far past the tee at the 14th. We found a strategic spot just feet from where the world's best were battling it out in the final stretch of the event. Determined not to lose our prime viewing spot, the girls kindly agreed to return to the lounge and replenish our refreshments.
The highlight of the day was being so close to the top golfers and befriending a kind steward who managed to procure some used celebrity tees for us. We made a final trip to the lounge to warm up and watch the closing shots.
All in all, it was a fantastic day with fantastic company. I'm sure if the greenkeepers at Royal Troon keep at it, they might get it looking like Newburgh Links one day!
A final trip to the lounge to get warm and watch the final shots being made. All in all a fantastic day with fantastic company and I ‘m sure if the green keepers at Royal Troon stick in they may get it looking like Newburgh Links on day!
As we finally approach the summer months, it is a perfect time to reflect on the recent developments and work being done at Newburgh Golf Club. This season marks another significant phase of growth and improvement, both on the greens and within our club community. Join us again as we take you through the steps taken by the team at Newburgh.
The transition into summer has brought a noticeable transformation to our course. The work put in throughout the winter months in terms of nutrition, aeration, and top dressing is proving successful. The greens, tees, approaches, and fairways are all benefiting from our consistent approach.
One of the key elements in achieving this improvement has been the application of 20 tonnes of top dressing (sand). This effort has been pivotal in achieving truer surfaces for putting. Additionally, we've applied a granular
fertiliser to fortify our greens in preparation for our upcoming maintenance plan. While sandy greens might be perceived negatively by some golfers, it’s important to view this as a positive step towards enhancing the quality of our course. Your patience and understanding during this process are greatly appreciated.
Naturally, this season has also come with its fair share of challenges, particularly with our machinery. We've unfortunately lost significant man hours dealing with equipment issues. However, we are thrilled to announce that we are in the process of finalising a new machinery deal. This is a great step forward for the club and will vastly improve our ability to plan and execute daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. The new equipment will undoubtedly elevate the standard of our course maintenance.
In addition to addressing immediate concerns, this new machinery will enable us to adopt more advanced maintenance techniques and ensure the longterm health of our greens, fairways, and other key areas of the course. With this upgrade, we will be better equipped to handle unexpected issues swiftly and maintain the pristine condition of the course throughout the year. This investment represents a crucial component of our broader strategy to enhance the overall golfing experience at Newburgh Links, aligning with our commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.
The advancements reflect the unwavering commitment from the OGV Group and their belief in the potential of Newburgh Links. Their support behind the scenes has been instrumental, and we are incredibly grateful for their dedication. OGV Group has provided us with the necessary resources to overcome challenges and introduce improvements of all kinds - from the course to the clubhouse. Their confidence in the club’s ability to realise its potential has filtered all the way through, and each month there are more improvements made.
Our feedback this season has been overwhelmingly positive, and it is great for everyone at Newburgh’s efforts to be recognised by members and guests. However, we are aware that there are still plenty of improvement opportunities that we want to explore to make the experience one of the best in the area. This, being our first year under OGV Group, has been all about laying the groundwork for a successful future. Course development is a gradual process, and we continue to explore ways to enhance and expand what we have.
The future is indeed bright for Newburgh. The investment and growth witnessed since the end of last year have been remarkable. This is evidenced by the increase in new members, corporate memberships, and visitors to our club; it’s a clear indication that we are on the right path.
Our journey is a collaborative one. We welcome all feedback, both positive and constructive, as it helps us reach our goals. The entire team at Newburgh Links is committed to creating a top-tier golfing experience, and your input plays a crucial role in the process.
Overall, it has been a positive season with an increase in memberships and positive feedback being the main takeaway, but it has also presented challenges that the team have done a brilliant job at dealing with. The future is bright at Newburgh and we welcome everyone to come along and see the great progress that has been made over the past few months. Here’s to a fantastic summer and beyond!
Club updates from your PGA Director of Golf, Robbie Stewart...
Two classes of junior players attended the Junior Summer Camp held by Robbie at the start of the school holidays.
Despite some cold and rainy weather everyone enjoyed the coaching sessions and it has been great to see many of the junior players out on the course since, putting what they learnt into practice.
One day was held indoors due to the rain but the kids were able to have a go with the simulator as well as play 'golf darts' as one of the learning games.
Robbie will be soon be introducing weekly junior classes so keep an eye open for details of these to follow.
With statistics showing that 45% of all golf shots are putts, it's strange that less than 5% of all golf lessons given are on putting. This is something that Robbie is trying to change and, as a fully certified Frankly Golf Putting Instructor, is just the person to help you knock strokes off your handicap by reducing the number of putts you take on the greens. Robbie has built up a reputation as an excellent putting instructor over the years and has successfully provided putting lessons to all abilities of golfers including professional players. Get in touch with him in the Pro Shop if you want to be the next player to improve your putting.
Newburgh's new advertising location at Aberdeen Airport
Are you jetting off on your summer holidays this year? You might just spot something familiar as you head off!
If you are jetting off somewhere nice and warm this summer and are lucky enough to be flying from Aberdeen, you might spot a familiar sight as you head through to check in. OGV have secured a year long advertising deal with Aberdeen airport and Newburgh Links boards have pride of place. Hopefully this will be seen by many travellers during this time and will bring in some new custom to the club.
June 29th 2024
Thank you again for everyone who came along to the ‘New Members’ session at the end of June.
After a quick introduction in the club house we moved to the putting green, split into teams and played some putting games with the winners walking away with some (not so good) prizes!!
To close out 5 of us headed out as a group on the course to play the front 9. To be fair there was probably more chatting than golf but some great tips on landing zones, approach shots etc. The whole session lasted only a few hours but just felt like a great way to meet up and feel part of the club (also glean a few of Robbie’s top putting tips).
Feedback from everyone was we should do more of these kinds of Club events that are focused on meeting up, So we will have a look in the diary and schedule something for the beginning of the winter season.
If you’re interested in taking part in future sessions or want to get involved in running something then let me know.
Having not played golf for around 7 years and previously sold my clubs, I was a bit apprehensive of playing again when my wife, who works for OGV, suggested I join Newburgh. The process couldn’t have gone better though.
I was introduced to Robbie Stewart, the most approachable and attentive Pro I’ve ever met. He fitted me for a full set of Ping clubs and I couldn’t be happier with them, best fitting clubs I’ve ever had with huge attention to detail.
During that process I was delighted with how friendly the club was with members I’ve never met happy to engage in discussions about the club.
I took part in a new members event which was excellent, meeting some committee members and having a laugh on the putting green was a great way to introduce people to the club.
Having been out on the course now, I have to say it’s fantastic and the greens are a surface that are a testimony to the work Matty and his team are doing.
All in all, couldn’t be happier to be a member of such a friendly club with a course we can all be proud of. There is so much more I could say but Jen has only given me a tiny space to fill.
Stuart McAdam
We were delighted to take stock of our latest branded kit at the Pro-Shop!
Ping's Hoofer Lite golf bag is one of the most popular on the market. With its 4-way divider, 9 pockets and convertible strap system while still weighing only 5.0lbs it really is the favourite carry bag. And now you can purchase one of these golf bags from your Pro Shop, including the embroidered Newburgh Links logo, for only £199.
Also, coming soon - Newburgh Links Baseball Caps!!
Can you believe we’re at the end of July already.
Great to see the course in fantastic condition: greens remain a pleasure to putt on and there’s more growth on the fairways than I have ever seen in my short time as a NOYGC member. Fantastic to see.
A small field of 91 players battled the elements in what was a challenging windy day, 54 of the field were from visiting clubs. Their feedback on course conditions was invariably good with many promising to return for future Open competitions.
And to the winners…
1st S Dyker (Peterculter) 76
John Wood (Bon Acc) – 67(10)
2nd Philip Trotter (Murcar) – 70 (7) BIH
John Finnie 67 (17)
Jim Allan 68 (15)
3rd Stan Hepburn 70 (10) Alex
(10)
Nearest the pins at 5 and 16 were John Turnbull and Bobby Gardiner (Shotts GC) respectively.
Congratulations to all the winners.
Further congratulations to all our Senior members and visitors for their generosity in buying/donating raffle prizes. The sum of £318 was raised from your efforts all going towards Senior funds.
Can you believe we’re at the end of July already. Great to see the course in fantastic condition: greens remain a pleasure to putt on and there’s more growth on the fairways than I have ever seen in my short time as a NOYGC member. Fantastic to see.
It continues to be a busy and exciting time on the Seniors calendar. On 24 June we hosted Craibstone Seniors in a very tight fought first leg narrowly losing out 4 ½ to 3 ½. All to play for in our return leg at Craibstone on 22nd August. If you’d like to be considered for a team event look out for future emails.
Duff House outing – Monday 15 July
A healthy 40+ Gents Seniors attended and just like the England Euros squad false hope and optimism was eventually crushed. Que sera sera as the Spanish would say ��
The annual Swing in the sun trophy was won by Les Simpson with a fantastic round of 42 Stableford points. An incredible eight shot winning margin from 2nd placed Jim Allan and Dave Wallace in 3rd, both on 34 points. Well done Les. Les was quick to heap praise on our own teaching professional Robbie Stewart who he says has transformed his game to another level after just a few game improvement lessons. Perhaps we should all beat a path to Robbie’s door….
The picture opposite shows a delighted Les receiving his trophy from co organizer Jim Allan.
The team event was won by Willie Dyker Peter Scott and Nigel Briggs with a score of 94 pipping Grant Leslie Nick Bannister and “Pancho Villa” Simpson by just 1 point.
Nearest the pin winners were Norman Stephen (6th), John Turnbull (9th), Brian Docherty (11th) and Dave Wallace (13th). Perhaps unsurprisingly no one hit the green at 16.
Huge thanks to our Senior members Grant Leslie and Jim Allan for organizing this event, arranging prizes etc and to Norman Stephen for keeping us all right with cards, handicaps, tee times and perhaps more importantly ensuring we chose our food selections before heading out on the course. Well done all….. thoroughly enjoyable day, good weather, great company and excellent food and drink in the clubhouse. Look forward to doing it all again soon at our next Seniors outing to Turriff on 21 August.
In the annual House of Commons Cup (HOC) we were drawn against Inverurie, sadly losing the first leg away 6 – 0. In the return leg we triumphed narrowly but were unable to make up the deficit. Congratulations to Inverurie. We regroup and go again next year.
On a more positive note. Two of our players experienced success at the Buchan Seniors event at Oldmeldrum on 20 June. Peter Scott won Div 2 with an impressive 41points whilst Brian Andrew matched that score to win Div 3. Well done boys. Their victories hauled NOYGC into 3rd place on the Buchan Seniors “money list” behind Cruden Bay and Oldmeldrum.
4th July saw us travel North to Fraserburgh for the next round in the Buchan Seniors tour. Unfortunately, none of our home players made it onto the rostrum but there were worthy performances from George Annand and Peter Scott in Division 2 each with 33 stableford points.
On 18 July the Buchan Seniors tour descended on Longside where Peter MacAllister triumphed in Div 2 with a very good 41 points. Best performance in Div 1 was Kenny Lyon with 37 points, just 1 shy of the prizes.
Several of our Senior golfers regularly travel to “away” Opens.
Congratulations to Alan Cruickshank who finished 5th at the Gents Open in Forfar on 28 June with a score of 83, net 67.
Newburgh winning ways continued at Aboyne on 9 July where Grant Leslie returned a worthy gross 77 (net 67) to bag 3rd place in Div 1 going out in 35 (+1) and coming home in 42 (+8). Well done Grant.
Boat of Garten 11 July saw 6 of our Senior members make the long journey North. The course was in excellent condition and whilst a great day was had by all, like the England Squad we all returned home empty handed.
Peterculter 22/7. Ten jolly souls participated. Vinnie Stewart and I each bagged £50. Sadly, it had nothing to do with our golfing prowess but more to luck as we both won cash in their Prize draw. Ching ching.
• 1 August Buchan Seniors at Peterhead
• 15 August Buchan Seniors at Inverurie
• 19 August Ythan Challenge at home v Ellon
• 21 August Seniors outing to Turriff. Look out for emails should you wish to attend.
• 22 August return leg match v Craibstone where we are looking to reverse a 4 ½ to 3 11/2 deficit from the home leg.
• 26 August we have the return AWAY leg in the Ythan challenge v Ellon
Another busy month indeed for our Senior golfers…. I hope they’ve all been keeping their stamina up!!!
A huge THANK YOU to Senior member John Finnie who has worked tirelessly giving his time and expertise to build a protective shelter to house our motorized buggies. The picture below shows just what a great job John has done.
And finally, if there is any other subject matter relevant to the Senior’s Section that you’d like me to cover in these articles please let me know via email to dave.b136@sky.com Additionally, if you are a senior member, aged 55+ and would like added to our Seniors mailing list, please drop me an email at shown address.
Best wishes for the remainder of the season. Dave
