Rochford Hundred Golf Club
Official Club Brochure
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Rochford Hundred Golf Club Official Club Brochure 2011/2012
Contents
Welcome. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Course. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Take the Course Tour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Practice Facilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 The ‘DNA’ of our Private Members’ Club. . . . . . . 25 Playing Sections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Social Side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 The Professional and the Pro Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Tuition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Junior Golf and Taster Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Visitors and Societies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Clubhouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Restaurant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hire for Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How to Find us and Contact Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Photography by Martin Roffe of Michael Wynne Photography (www.michaelwynnephotography.co.uk) and RHGC.
www.pinnacle.uk.com Tel: 08707 707 765 • Email: info@pinnacle.uk.com. Rochford Hundred Golf Club and Pinnacle wish to thank the advertisers who appear in this publication for their support and wish them every business success. The contents of this brochure are believed to be correct at the time of printing, nevertheless, we cannot endorse and readers should not rely solely upon the accuracy of any statements or claims contained herein without prior consultation with the service provider.
MICHAEL CLARK DESIGNS
Welcome
Rochford Hundred is an historic Golf Club which has its home in a Grade I listed building that dates back to the late 15th century.
Located in Rochford, Essex, just north of Southend-on-Sea, our Members’ Club was founded in 1893, moving to its current site three years later. But it was not until 1924 that the course assumed the look that we know today, when it was lengthened considerably and remodelled by James Braid and J.H.Taylor, together with the renowned golf course architect Frederick Hawtree. Now standing at 6,221 yards, the parkland course is a fair test for golfers of all abilities. It is particularly renowned for the condition of its greens, which are some of the finest you will find anywhere in Essex.
Our competitive golf schedule is almost unparalleled, with a host of trophies open to our Members and we take equal pride in the many representative honours bestowed upon our golfers by the Essex Golf Union. We are actively involved in the Parish of Rochford St. Andrews as well as in the local community and host hugely prestigious charity golfing days each year in support of our Club and Lady Captains’ chosen charities, RNLI, Help for Heroes and Rotary. Membership of Rochford Hundred Golf Club remains, as it always has been, a sought-aftergoal for discerning golfers.
We are a Club where new Members are made to feel most welcome, both on the course and off it, with a rich and varied social calendar on offer throughout the year. Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 5
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A Brief History of Rochford Hundred Golf Club
Rochford Hundred Golf Club was officially formed in 1893, born out of a crisis that threatened the existence of a neighbouring Club.
Members of Southend Golf Club on the Southchurch Hall Estate had been informed by the local council that it intended running a sewer through their nine-hole course and building a pumping station on the site. To even the most optimistic Member it was clear that this construction would cause havoc and leave the course in ruins. That could have been the end of the Club, but a major local landowner and pillar of the local establishment, Mr James Tabor, came to the rescue with the magnanimous
offer to the Club of several acres of land in Rochford, together with rooms in the Hall. The committee wasted no time in concluding that “the change should be effected with the utmost expediency.” So it was that on 5th November the committee received a letter from Mr Tabor which offered the Club use of a 70-acre tract of land for three years for the annual rent of £10 0s 0d. (continued)
Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 7
A Brief History of Rochford Hundred (continued)
Falling over themselves to accept the terms at their special general meeting on 12th November 1896 Members passed two resolutions: That the links at Southchurch be at once abandoned and Mr Tabor’s offer permitting an 18-hole course to be laid out at Rochford Meadows be accepted; and that the name of the Club be changed to Rochford Hundred Golf Club. Very appropriately Mr Tabor was elected in 1896 as President and Rochford Hundred Golf Club was born – albeit named three years late! Since all the Members moved en bloc to Rochford it appears to have been universally accepted that the establishment of the Rochford Hundred Golf Club be backdated to the formation of the Southend Club in 1893, and that is in fact the year appearing in the records of the golf historian at St Andrews. As an aside, the term ‘hundred’ dates from Saxon times and its meaning is the subject of debate. One suggestion is that it refers to raising 100 men in case of strife, but this is not the complete definition. In King Edgar’s reign in 973, areas of land were divided into ‘hundreds’ consisting of possibly several villages controlled by 100 men. In Norman Conquest times, the description was regularised. Essex had several ‘hundreds’, with Rochford listed in the Domesday Book as being the largest. Peter Paxton, a Scotsman and runner-up to Bob Ferguson in The Open Championship of 1880 was chosen to lay out the new course, while W. Toogood, of Eltham Golf Club, was Rochford Hundred’s first Professional. Total Membership stood at “100 players and 40 Ladies” in 1896. It was agreed that although the first nine holes had been completed only the first seven holes should be played on Sundays, presumably to placate church-going Members and to avoid the possibility of injury to local residents heading for services in their Sunday best.
8 Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011
Mrs Tabor drove the first ball on Saturday 16th January 1897 using a silver cleek presented to her by the Members. Later that year Mr Tabor offered £100 towards the construction of the second nine holes with the overall area of the course growing to some 70 acres. Both Toogood and his Assistant tendered their resignations and headed north to similar posts in Ilkley in March 1903. His replacement, Jack Champion, stayed for just three years before being replaced by Frederick G. Steel. It heralded what was to become a long, enduring and happy relationship between the Steel family and Rochford golfers. Steel Snr reigned as the Club Professional for 44 years from 1906-1950, before being succeeded by his son Bob who held the post for a further 32 years from 1950-1982. War from 1914 brought upheaval to Rochford Hundred, as it did to many others. The Club was ordered to plough and cultivate the whole of the 18½ acres on which the new nine holes had been constructed and in addition to this inconvenience the Clubhouse dining room had by now been occupied by the military. Normality was finally restored after the First World War and in 1924 James Braid and J.H.Taylor, together with Frederick Hawtree were asked to redesign the course. The Club had acquired another 28 acres, taking its total acreage to 98 and resulting in a lay-out very similar to that played today. The Club again closed in 1940 for the duration of the Second World War, after being requisitioned first by the Army (who departed with most of the Club’s furniture!) and then the Air Ministry. The post war period at the Club was stable and prosperous – mirroring the UK in general. The thriving middle classes and London’s boom and success led to a healthy demand for golf as a sporting and social pastime. (continued)
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The Royal Oak Great Stambridge Restaurant • Pub • Garden
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The Royal Oak, Stambridge Road, Great Stambridge, Essex SS4 2AX
Rochford 100 Members
on production of this brochure or gold card
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A Brief History of Rochford Hundred Above: Rochford Hundred Golf Club is definitely unique. Few golf Clubs can claim to have a Grade 1 Listed Clubhouse dating back to around 1480. No other Golf Club can boast that their Clubhouse was once the home of the Boleyn family, of Henry VIII fame, before their famous Daughter lost her head!
when Mr Tabor offered to sell the Course and the Hall to the Members. By November contracts were signed for the £125,000 transaction, funded by debentures issued to the Members at that time. The members of Rochford Hundred Golf Club were now their own masters and in 1993 celebrated the Club’s centenary
Undoubtedly one of the most important moments in our history came in June 1980
Into the new millennium, the Club has continued to evolve and modernise, including in 2003 the reform of the Club’s
(continued)
constitution to give full and equal status to our lady Members alongside the gentlemen, establishing one General Committee to oversee all the golfing sections, and extending subscription concessions to junior Members until they reach the age of 26 and also to our octogenarian Members. With the Club now well into its second hundred years, if they prove anything like our first century it should be an equally fulfilling and richly entertaining journey.
Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 11
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It’s tough to get a mortgage these days. Luckily, we have a professional on our side. John Charcol is widely regarded as the UK’s leading independent mortgage adviser. Club director Nigel Mathers is a leading consultant at John Charcol and would be delighted to help you with all your mortgage requirements. Think of him as your mortgage caddy.
So, for independent mortgage advice speak to Nigel on
07766 003 936 or nsm@charcol.co.uk
Your initial mortgage consultation is obligation free. There will be a minimum fee for our mortgage service of £450, of which £150 is payable when you apply, and we will retain the commission from the mortgage lender. Alternatively, you can choose the fee only option which is typically 0.65% of the amount borrowed. The precise amount will depend on your circumstances and mortgage loan amount, and will be discussed and agreed before you make a mortgage application. A discount of up to 50% from John Charcol’s fee will be applied if you mention this advertisement. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY DEBT SECURED ON IT
The Course
Rochford Hundred is the only course in England with an active church within its grounds.
St Andrew’s Church is in full view of the Clubhouse and from the 1st tee and 18th fairway, some might mischievously suggest perfectly situated for those looking for divine intervention at the start of a round, or for forgiveness of their sins at the end of one they would care to forget. The church flies the flag provided by the Club in order that golfers who wish to can gauge the wind’s direction and speed.
Ours is a parkland course, stretching to 6,221 yards from the white tee boxes and has been that way more or less since it was redesigned in 1924. With three par-fives, it plays as a testing par of 71, though this becomes a slightly more generous 72 on non-competitive days when the 187-yard par-3 18th can be played as a more forgiving 306-yard par-4. (continued) Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 13
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The Course (continued)
The unique presence of St Andrew’s Church is far from the only feature that sets us apart. We are renowned for having a well conditioned and cared for course, and some of the finest greens in the whole of Essex. The true roll of the putting surfaces and the quality of our fairways draw most favourable comment from our visitors. The hard work of our six full-time greenkeeping staff and substantial investment in
acquiring the very best equipment to help them perform their task has reaped its rewards. Rochford Hundred tends to come out of winter early. Into Spring our compact yet fair greens are often immaculate. While those enjoying a good day with the flat stick are likely to prosper, there are a number of testing holes that examine all parts of one’s game. The par-4 5th for example is the toughest hole on the card for good reason. At 437 yards even off the yellow tees it requires a long, accurate drive over a pond and a ditch.
Water comes in to play on several holes, with a number of fiendishly-placed ditches and brooks, while the more than adequate bunkering makes the course a challenge for golfers of all abilities. The never-ending search to better ourselves and to invest in our future continues. With water seemingly to be in ever shorter supply, the Club is planning to invest in a state of the art irrigation system. Ambitious Clubhouse refurbishments are in progress with more planned.
Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 15
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Take the Course Tour
Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 17
Prepare for your visit to Rochford Hundred by familiarising yourself with each hole over the coming pages and make the most of your round with our hole-by-hole guide.
Hole 1 – 390 yards, par 4
Hole 3 – 309 yards, par 4
A testing opening hole with out-of-bounds on the right in what was once the farmer’s stack yard, and bunkers and humps on the left. A large green is protected by bunkers on both the right and left.
A potential birdie hole providing you find the fairway avoiding the out-of-bounds which lurks all the way down the left and a bunker plus more humps and trees to the right.
Hole 2 – 356 yards, par 4 A ditch all down the left plus a bunker, humps and trees on the right make this a premium driving hole. Bunkers again await any shot coming up short with out-of-bounds behind the green.
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Hole 4 – 371 yards, par 4 Accuracy off the tee is demanded with two bunkers waiting to catch anything hit down the left. A green sloping from front to back makes putting very tricky.
Hole 5 – 442 yards, par 4
Hole 7 – 154 yards, par 3
Hole 9 – 334 yards, par 4
The toughest hole on the course with a drive over a pond and ditch to an uphill fairway. This leaves a long second shot over a series of bunkers to a deceptively contoured green.
A tricky par 3 which often belies its high stroke index. A ditch short of the green and bunkers on either side and behind demands a well-struck tee shot, typically into the prevailing wind, to find the putting surface.
Again a hole which needs full attention although the relatively wide and undulating fairway usually rewards a straight tee shot. A stream just short of the green can catch either the greedy tee shot, or the less than perfect second shot.
Hole 6 – 501 yards, par 5 The first long hole needs a drive to a narrow fairway with a ravine and bunkering on the right and a copse of trees left waiting to punish any off-line shot. The green is down in a dip and even the big hitters will need two good shots, risking the water hazard at the greenside with their second in order to get close and set up a birdie.
Hole 8 – 442 yards, par 4 Regarded by many Members as the hardest hole on the course with the drive having to miss two large trees on the left and come up short of a ravine which cuts across the middle of the fairway. A long second shot is needed to find the fairly flat green.
Hole 10 – 502 yards, par 5 The longest hole on the course with plenty of bunkers strategically placed all the way down either side of the fairway. Avoid them, plus a ditch down the right, and you arrive safely at a green which has many slopes and hidden borrows. (continued) Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 19
Take the Course Tour (continued)
20 Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011
Hole 11 – 140 yards, par 3
Hole 12 – 403 yards, par 4
Rated by many as Rochford’s signature hole. Despite its length this is often a potential card wrecker, with a pond and out-of-bounds both to the right of and beyond the green, plus deep greenside bunkers needing to be avoided to find the small green. When playing into the face of the wind, the challenge is heightened further. Golfers of all standards usually breathe a sigh of relief when they move to the 12th tee.
A very strong par 4, with a stream plus outof-bounds defining the entire right side of the fairway. Even a straight drive hugging the right side, and avoiding the heavy rough and silver birches left, will leave a good second shot to a well-protected green.
Hole 13 – 335 yards, par 4 A sharp dog-leg right to left which will need a straight tee shot to avoid substantial poplar trees on the corner and the out of bounds on the right. A green sloping from back to front, plus out of bounds beyond the green and some very penal greenside bunkering, will also require your full attention.
Hole 14 – 263 yards, par 4
Hole 16 – 485 yards, par 5
A real risk and reward hole for the bigger hitters with two streams plus trees and bunkers forcing a big decision to be made on the tee and, whatever the Club choice, a well-struck and accurate tee shot. A step in the green also makes putting far from straightforward.
A birdie beckons if you can hit the fairway off the tee and steer clear of the out-of-bounds all the way down the right side adjoining London Southend Airport, plus a large copse of trees left. The long green is bunkered both right and left.
Hole 15 – 205 yards, par 3 This is a frequent back nine ‘nightmare’ for many golfers. A long uphill short hole bunkered heavily both to the right and left, and which also usually plays cross-wind. There are also trees to the right of, and out of bounds immediately beyond, the sloping green - which even if you reach in one shot, is still no guarantee of a par.
Hole 18 – 187/306 yards, par 3/4 This fine finishing hole is a par 4 in friendly matches and par 3 for competitions. But whichever you play will demand straightness off the tee to a green surrounded by bunkers and good judgement of the wind, in this most sheltered part of the course.
Hole 17 – 402 yards, par 4 A very good test coming towards the end of your round. A large pond plus out-of-bounds on the railway line to the right requires a good shot down the left side of the fairway. This opens up a hard green to read, across a large stream waiting to catch any ‘heavy’ or overambitious approach shot.
Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 21
Practice Facilities
The greens at Rochford Hundred are among the finest you will find in the County and further afield, and it is no surprise that for many of our Members the putter is the weapon of choice out on the course.
Bobby Locke, the great South African who coined the phrase “you drive for show and putt for dough”, would have thrived here with such a philosophy. We may have no four-time Open champions among our Members at present, but there is no excuse not to hone one’s skills with the flat stick to the maximum with a large and inviting putting green outside the Clubhouse which mirrors the condition of those on the course itself. The Club also boasts two nice chipping greens. The first, just 50 yards from the Clubhouse, is
perfect for practising those shot-saving chip and runs. The second has two bunkers where you can work on those escapes from the dreaded sand, and maybe make a visit to a trap as pleasurable as one to the local beaches of nearby Chalkwell or Shoeburyness. There is also a small area near the church where you can sharpen up your wedge game and short irons. Golfers can also make sure their ball striking is up to par before taking to the course by making use of the two practice nets adjacent to the first tee. Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 23
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The ‘DNA’ of Our Private Members’ Club
Golf is an increasingly accessible sport. It now attracts worldwide attention and TV audiences and brings fame, fortune and often infamy to those lucky enough to become ‘Tour’ Professionals at the top of the game.
Children are being attracted to the sport as a viable healthy and outdoor alternative to the populist sports of football, rugby and cricket. Golf is a changing game. So - just what sets us apart from our peers? As the name suggests – a Private Members’ Club is owned by its Members. At Rochford Hundred we take seriously the proper running of ‘our’ Club and it is a Club that is at its heart very democratic, inclusive and fair. Members can get as involved in the running of their Club as much or as little as they wish, with Club Officers elected to fulfil their unpaid roles with a brief to do what is best for all Members as a whole.
At Rochford, we have no restrictions on the gender of Members elected to these official positions, other than where this is rightly justified to oversee the various golfing sections. More broadly, Rochford Hundred is proud to have been amongst the first Clubs of its kind to have voluntarily amended its constitution in order to give full and equal status to all lady Members, many years ahead of mandatory imposition of these principles following European Court rulings. (continued)
Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 25
26 Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011
Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 27
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The ‘DNA’ of Our Private Members’ Club (continued)
Members have a strong say in the direction of the Club, what gets prioritised to get done, and what happens on a day to day basis at their Club. If they have cause - just or otherwise - to want to complain, criticise or offer suggestions about how the Club might be improved, then there are established and open communications channels through which this can be done.
At Rochford Hundred we are a ‘broad church’, with Members with a vast range of ages and backgrounds from their social, work and golfing lives. We are constituted and seek to be fair, ‘right’ and to act always in a responsible manner, respecting each other as Members, being respectful of and thankful to our loyal staff and also to those we work with in our local community.
those things that are outdated, or which no longer serve any purpose and might stand in the way of the Club continuing to prosper into the future. Our Members own our Club and even though through the decades Members have come and gone, (with some having left and then come back!) and personalities change, the essential spirit of the Club lives on. Long may it continue.
As a modern, democratic Club, Rochford Hundred is passionate about retaining all the ‘good’ things about our proud and long history and tradition, whilst leaving behind Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 29
Playing Sections There is a very powerful bond between Rochford Hundred and its Members, with each never taking the other for granted. The Golf Club prides itself on a strong Membership who are loyal and generous with their time in helping keep us where we wish to be – as a leading pro-active part of our local community. In return Members belong to a Club which while forward-thinking is also rich in tradition. We invest great time, effort and resources to ensure we continue to offer traditional golfing values at one of the premier courses in the County. Rochford Hundred’s Honours Boards depict a long and illustrious history in both Club and County competitions dating back to 1903. The Club does not operate a tee booking system other than for recognised competitions. Even to play Club knockout competitions, Members organise themselves to play when they want, with all the flexibility that modern life demands.
30 Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011
Gentlemen This is a busy and vibrant section which organises qualifying competitions throughout the year. There are nearly 400 7-day Members, with many more who are either 5-day or 6-day Members. Saturdays and Sundays see an organised monthly medal round which has pre-booked tee times for 48 players. This is always fully subscribed on both days, but there is also the opportunity to go out in your own group at any time after 11.30am. The monthly midweek medal is contested on a roll-up basis and is always well supported and keenly fought, ensuring that our five-day Members have all the competitive golf they demand. For variety, there are medal, stableford and bogey competition formats, with a winner’s final taking place towards the middle of March. In keeping with the Club’s history, there are no less than 44 major honours board competitions, some dating back to 1905. One of the ‘jewels in our crown’ is the Scott Spencer Trophy, a midweek stableford event that runs every week from spring to early autumn and which typically attracts up to 120 entrants on a weekly basis. The blue riband event, however, as far as all our more serious golfing Members are concerned is ‘RHGC Day’ which is generally staged in early September and is eagerly contested. The Club Champion is decided on a scratch basis and the RHGC Challenge Cup is played for on a handicap basis. Success is celebrated at the annual Prizewinners’ Supper, at which bragging rights are gained, golfing anecdotes and conquests are relived, and tropies are polished. While there is a keen focus on competitive golf – and a likely contributory factor as to why we have produced so many County Champions and competed so well in the County’s Team competitions – balance is always a good thing. We also provide regular social golf where the only thing on offer is renewing friendships and perhaps a drink in the bar afterwards for the winner.
The Club is renowned for the friendly competition offered by its various ‘roll-up’ groups. Up to 50 Members (mostly seniors) play midweeks, with up to 40 turning up for a Saturday 8.30am start and another 30 or so for the Saturday ‘Choppers’ later in the day. The over 55 Veterans section also enjoy playing against friends from within the Club and also across the County and there are numerous home and away matches against surrounding Clubs.
Ladies Our Ladies have a very well-organised section with medal or honours board competitions most Tuesdays mornings, when they enjoy a standing tee closure to play their golf. The round is followed by lunch, which attracts in excess of 60 Members and is the perfect opportunity to catch up on the events of the week. Our female contingent have always been welllooked after at Rochford Hundred and there are 29 honours boards, along with the very popular Ladies Open, which is decided on one afternoon in late August and is generally followed by an all-day Club championship the next day. The Ladies social side is strong and we also have a thriving bridge society.
Cadets Our Cadets’ Section is thriving and youngsters from Rochford Hundred have won numerous County Honours as well as providing the age-group Captain of many a County Team. Those Cadets with a low handicap enjoy unrestricted playing rights, while all Cadets of whatever ability have the opportunity to play competitive golf against their peers, and are treated with due respect by adult Members. The Club’s ‘High Fliers’ programme has helped introduce even more juniors to the game and we are particularly proud of the strength of our girls’ squad.
Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 31
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Membership
Rochford Hundred is a Members’ Golf Club with the emphasis on the word ‘Members’ – there is a sense of belonging here to something rather special. It is our history, our sense of tradition and the numerous trophies battled for our in intraClub competitions that sets us apart from our peers. Off the course, there is a lively social side to the Club with frequent get-togethers throughout the year. New male and female Members are always welcome and the Club also has a very active junior section. A full programme of competitions and fixtures is organised throughout the year and Members of all standards are encouraged to take part in as many or as few events as they
wish consistent with the rules on retaining a qualifying handicap. Play as often as you want – socially or competitively – with our seven-day Membership. Alternatively, six-day or five-day Membership options are also available and there is a very attractive subscription rate for under-18s who wish to join our thriving Cadets’ Section. Junior golfing Members (between the age of 18 and 26) and octogenarian golfing Members (aged 80 and over) pay a reduced rate of subscription and there are other fee arrangements applicable to Country (living more than 40 miles from the Club), nonplaying and social Members. Where Members join part way through the calendar year, the first subscription due
is calculated on a pro-rata basis for the period up to the end of the following April. Subscriptions are then due for payment for each Membership year on 1st May. Consistent with the quality and prestige of our Club, and the fine facilities which Members have funded over many years, new Members admitted to the Club are required to pay an entrance fee. Details are available from the Club. Both annual subscription and any entrance fee amounts may be settled by Members over an extended timeframe, with a modest financing charge, at the Member’s discretion.
For more details, contact the Secretary Manager on 01702 544302 (option 2). Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 33
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Social
At Rochford Hundred Golf Club we like to feel that all our Members are part of our extended yet close-knit family.
Apart from the joy of testing your golfing skills in such a historic, picturesque and idyllic setting, there are numerous other ways to enjoy what we have to offer.
the marvellous talents of our catering team. Our Sunday lunches and Friday night carveries are always well attended, and we host special dinners for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
There is a very active social side to Rochford Hundred and special events take place just about every week of the year.
Bank Holidays often see special golfing/social events. There is a Carol Service for Members at our neighbours at St Andrews at Christmas and it would be positively rude of our Members not to welcome in each New Year with a memorable party.
One of the highlights of the calendar is the Captain’s Summer Ball, which sees around 150 of the Members, family and friends in their finery for a celebration in a grand marquee in the grounds. This is just the tip of the iceberg, however, as we need very little prompting to make sure we make the most of a majestic location and
Our Ladies like to keep in touch and an active bridge section affords them the perfect opportunity to do so.
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Our Professional and the Pro Shop
We have always enjoyed a loyal and rewarding relationship with our Club Professionals at Rochford Hundred, with our current PGA teaching Professional Graham Hill becoming only the sixth in the Club’s history when he joined us in 1994.
Graham is assisted by Christian Foreman, who is now well on his way to full qualification of the PGA. Christian is a long standing Member of our Club. Together with his brother Ashley, also a PGA trainee, he continues the local golfing Professional dynasty over four generations of the Foreman family.
competitive prices all-year round.
Graham Hill stocks all the leading brands in his busy Pro shop, with particular emphasis on Ping and Callaway for clubs, Titleist balls, Clicgear trolleys, Footjoy shoes and Glenmuir clothing.
He is a Ping-qualified custom fit expert and offers an excellent custom-fitting service to ensure you have a set of clubs that suits your swing and allows you to get the most out of the game and help reduce or eliminate undesirable shot patterns like hooks and slices.
His aim is to be a viable alternative to the internet and in that respect he offers
After-sales service cannot be underestimated and while one has to send back items received through the post that do not meet expectations, Graham is able to guarantee the customer is satisfied before they hand over their money.
Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 37
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Tuition
Our PGA Professional Graham Hill teaches all aspects of the game, but is keen to focus on the four core fundamentals of stance, alignment, grip and posture.
Otherwise, he says, it is like building a house without foundations.Your swing may be good some weeks but then let you down unexpectedly. Good tuition can put that right and give everyone that consistency in their game that they crave. Graham generally offers half-hour lessons in the winter and more frequently extends those to an hour during the summer months. He is able to help: • Beginners, who are supplied with the foundations on which to build a fundamentally-sound golf game. • Improvers looking to lower their scores and turn problem areas into parts of their game they can rely upon, eliminating weaknesses and turning them into strengths.
• Already proficient players who are wanting to take their game to the next level. Graham was the first teaching Professional in the County to take ownership of the Explanar, a unique training aid used by some of the world’s top teaching Professionals that helps groove a repeating swing. Graham also teaches the mental side of the game, often overlooked but so important to get right if you want to lower your scores. He has been tutored in this area by Dr Karl Morris, a world renowned ‘mind coach’ who is sought after by Tour Professionals. On-course lessons are also offered to improve course management, with our Professional saying it often takes him just one hole to know how he can lower his student’s scores! Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 39
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Committed to Growing the Game
We at Rochford Hundred appreciate our younger fraternity are the future of our great game and we take immense pride in our junior system, which is among the strongest in Essex.
One of the reasons for this success has been the introduction around five years ago of what we call High Fliers, a junior academy aimed at golfers between the ages of seven and 14.
The scheme is open to everyone, not just Members’ children and the low ‘probationary’ annual subscription represents outstanding value.
Every Tuesday afternoon throughout the spring and summer months, Graham Hill, our Professional, and Christian Foreman, his Assistant, give the youngsters a sound grounding in the fundamentals of the game including putting, chipping and bunker play. They are also taken out on to the course and a series of challenges ensures that interest never wanes.
Graham and Christian also offer golf taster sessions throughout the year for gentlemen and Ladies aimed at introducing new people to the game. No Clubs are required, simply wear suitable attire and bring a willingness to learn.
Places are limited and booking is essential. For more details, call the Professional shop on 01702 544302. Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 41
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Visitors and Societies
While our course and our Club continue to thrive, we like to concentrate on meeting the needs of our Membership.
Because our Members have a voracious appetite for golf themselves, most of our visitors tend to be their guests to whom they are understandably eager to show off the course. Visitors and golfing societies are welcome to sample the history and the hospitality of Rochford Hundred Golf Club. Those visiting our course for the first time are certainly very well received. Many of our visiting societies typically have a link to Rochford in some way or other, or to one of our Members here. Many of our societies have become ‘old friends’, returning year after year. There are provisions included in the Club Rules which restrict the times at weekends
when guests are permitted. Players are expected to have written evidence of Club Membership and a current handicap certificate, or at the very least to be able to play golf to a reasonable standard. In any case, all visitors are expected to know and to uphold the Rules of Golf, have good manners and golfing etiquette, and not hold up the play for others. Rochford Hundred is not the place to plan to play, or expect to suffer, a five-hour round.
If you wish to know more, contact the Secretary Manager on 01702 544302 (option 2).
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The Clubhouse
Few Golf Clubs can claim to have their home in a Grade I listed building which began life around 1480. Whilst in Rochford Hall we have one of the world’s oldest Golf Club houses, there will be nothing old about the warm welcome that awaits you.
Unwind after your round with a meal and a drink in front of the open fireplace while surveying the incredible array of honours boards, the pictures of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn or the many Members’ and Course pictures dating back to the early 1900’s. The Lounge Bar is slightly more formal and proves popular in the mornings, whereas the Spike Bar becomes more the focus of attention in the afternoons.
jacket potatoes to smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels and from sandwiches to home-made soup. If you prefer something a little more substantial and formal, then our restaurant can cater for your needs. The Club house will see some substantial improvements during 2011 which will feature improved access for the disabled, new toilets and showering facilities together with a major upgrade of the locker-room areas.
There is a tasty menu on offer all day, every day, with filling savoury snacks ranging from Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 45
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The Restaurant
Our restaurant, which can accommodate around 100 people, is a very popular destination for lunchtime functions and we are proud to host such organisations as the Rochford Rotary Luncheon Club and the Ladies Dining Club on a regular basis.
It is also the location for many of our Club’s frequent social gatherings that embrace both fine cuisine and fine company.
chance to meet up with old friends. Again, a visit to the carvery is high on the list of one’s priorities.
Generally, Club Members meet twice a month on a Friday evening for a three-course meal, with the centrepiece, carvery, proving particularly popular, although the delectable offerings available from the sweet trolley come a very close second.
Nick Newman, our Head Chef, is always looking for new ways to tempt our palate and his themed nights, be they Italian, Chinese, Cockney or whatever else he dreams up, have been very well received.
Sunday lunch is a major feature of the monthly calendar, be it to celebrate one of the notable events of the year – such as Mothers’ Day – or simply to make the most of another
Contact our catering team on 01702 544302 (option 4) to discuss your needs.
Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 47
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Functions
Rochford Hundred Golf Club is renowned locally as the perfect venue to host a special occasion. As a Members’ Club we are not licensed for public hire as such, but through Member recommendations we offer a distinct venue for birthdays, christenings, weddings and funerals.
Ours is a wonderfully picturesque location for a wedding reception, situated proudly as we are within the grounds of historic Rochford Hall.
A light finger buffet is generally the preferred option for christenings and funerals, functions that we also host on a regular basis. Here we can cater for up to 150 people.
The food we provide for weddings has to be seen to be believed, with the catering and accompanying silver service second to none. The lovely backdrop ensures wonderful pictures of the happy couple and is provided by nature free of charge.
Head chef Nick Newman and deputy head chef Linzi Weavers have 30 years of experience between them at the Club and no reasonable request is too much trouble for them.
There are many possibilities for your wedding celebration: sumptuous three-course meals, buffets, barbecues or even hog roasts. We can cater for 100-120 in the restaurant, or up to 200 if you choose to have the event in a marquee that we can erect on the grounds.
If you are wishing to host a function, and have specific requirements or are looking for a particular theme or menu, contact our catering team on 01702 544302 (option 4) to discuss your needs.
Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011 49
How to Find Us and Contact Us
The golf course is just to the south west of the small town of Rochford in Essex, which is itself just over three miles north of Southendon-Sea. For satellite navigation purposes, our postcode is SS4 1NW.
Directions – By Car M25 Junction 29 – take A127 Eastbound. Stay on this road for approximately 18 miles, then take the 1st exit at the ‘Tesco’/‘RBS’ roundabout on to the B1013 Nestuda Way - signposted Rochford. Follow signs for Rochford and the B1013, taking the 3rd turning at a roundabout after 400 yards on to Eastwoodbury Lane and then taking the first exit at the next roundabout into Cherry Orchard Way. Go straight over one 50 Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011
roundabout, then at the next roundabout take the 2nd exit onto Hall Road. The Club is about three quarters of a mile down this road on the right-hand side, before going under the railway bridge at the end of Hall Road.
We are always delighted to hear from you should you wish further information or provide us with feedback. Please feel free to get in touch.
By air
Address
We are only 5 minutes in a taxi from London Southend Airport. Indeed, we share a boundary with the aiport neighbours and our ‘planespotting’ Members marvel at aircraft taxiing towards take-off as they play our 16th green !
Rochford Hundred Golf Club, Hall Road, Rochford, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS4 1NW
By public transport The nearest railway station is Rochford, which is less than a five-minute walk away from the Club.
Club telephone: 01702 544302 Facsimilie: 01702 541343 E-mail: admin@rochfordhundredgolfclub.co.uk Website: rochfordhundredgolfclub.co.uk
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52 Rochford Hundred Golf Club 2011