This week the club launched IntelligentGolf, the new way to book tee times, see results, print handicap certificates, basically it's all you need to do to be in the loop. We also like it in the shop because it's super easy for us. I'm really excited to get back and use it.

As all the results are on IntelligentGolf now, I have not listed the movers and shakers in the comps this week. I will restart next week, so look out for the run down next Thursday.

 

Paul's pupils have had quite some week. Now over to Paul for his round up:

I've been involved in setting up another junior initiative this week. Here's my news!

It's been a really successful for some of my students this week.

Sebastian Pender who is one of my Gloucestershire Junior Coaching Squad members won the County Under 16's Championships at Filton posting a superb 75, to win by just one shot. Fourteen year old Seb played as I walked around Filton designing a winning strategy to play the course and it was great news to hear that he'd won the following day.

   
Another pupil of mine won the Under 14's event at Filton. Long Ashton's Louis Ross shot his best ever score in a GGU event to become the Gloucestershire Under 14's Champion for 2017. Well done Louis, fantastic news.

Mitch Waite played very well at Royal County Down in the Flogas Irish Open. After a 76 in the first round, he was well down the leaderboard in 95th position but rounds of 73 and 72 saw Mitch make the three round cut in 31st position. Conditions on the links were treacherous, but Mitch posted the best score of the day against a world class amateur field. A two under par, 69 moved Mitch all the way up the leaderboard to finish in tied forth position gaining valuable order of merit points.

The Brabazon Trophy is the biggest scratch amateur tournament in the world and on Tuesday, Northern and Southern Qualifying took place at Sandiwell and Littlestone Golf Clubs. Twenty percent of the 100+ strong fields at each course progressed to the main four day event which is being held next week at Woodhall Spa. At Littlestone Mitch Waite shot a level par round despite a bug picked up on his Irish travels. Noah Hessey shot a good score of plus two but will rue a double bogey at the sixteenth hole to miss qualification by two shots with Mitch sneaking in. At Sandiwell James Dobbs (Ross on Wye) played the back nine in three under par to finish fifth overall and grab one of the tournament spots.

Now on to Caren's news.

As in previous years, we are running the HSBC open hour to attract juniors to try golf. This is a FREE hour of junior coaching here at the club for beginner juniors and junior visitors to coincide with The Open, and it is a Golf Foundation initiative, so it is heavily promoted by them. Our Academy HSBC Open hour is on Sunday, 23 July at 10am at the club and is open to all beginner juniors, members and non-members. It is FREE to everyone and does not require booking, just come along on the day and get a FREE t-shirt too. 

Please click here to learn more.

Now over to Paul for the scoop on Nick's results in the west region PGA Assistants Championships:

Nick was keen to play well as it was obvious he wanted to put in a good performance at his home club. He was feeling confident going into the round on Wednesday after a seventh place finish in the Titleist and FootJoy Sprint two on Monday at Radyr Golf Club shooting +3 in tough conditions.

Nick started his round with a good drive off the first tee down the right half of the fairway, a good approach shot to the center of the green, and then lagged his 15ft birdie putt to a foot. He then went to tap in and missed it. Not a good start, but it was still early in the round. Nick pulled his tee shot on the second hole into the trees on the right and ended up with a bogey, and again pulled his 3 wood on the third tee, which caught the lip of the fairway bunker on the right, and lead to another bogey. After three consecutive bogeys to start his round, Nick was a little frustrated but recovered with pars on the next ten holes. He bogeyed the 14th and 16th, and missed a 6ft putt for birdie on 17th, but got up and down on the 18th for his one and only birdie of the day for a score of four over par.

Nick was later told that he was in a sudden death playoff with three others players tied at four over, a couple of hours later fighting for three spots, as only the top 16 players in the region qualified for the PGA Assistants Championship. 

He quickly locked the shop, got his clubs and then went straight to the first tee. With the help of his newly acquired caddy Derek Kilgallon, he managed to hit his tee shot straight down the middle of the fairway, followed a second shot that rolled towards the back edge of the green. His chip almost went in, but had a tap in for par. All four players made a par on the first, so they went to the second playoff hole. Nick hit a 3 wood to the center of the second fairway, followed by a decent approach to 15ft. He two putted for par, and one of his opponents missed a short par putt, which meant he had won a qualifying spot.

All in all its been a great week at academy and club. Can't wait for next week! 

On that note, have a great week 

Caren, Paul, Andy and Nick.