Deck the halls with boughs of holly tra la la la la….

Too early? Thought so……..!!!!

In that case HAPPY SUMMER!

What a bunch of beautiful buzzing busy bees you all are! This week saw the Founders day trophy played, the winners being Nick Chapple and Mike Clew. The Ladies played in the Stableford last Tuesday, the winner being Julie Knox, followed by Paula Crabtree is second place and Veronica in third place.

 Great golf in great surroundings, whatever could be better?!

The Rotary day on Thursday seemed very well subscribed, and a good day (in great weather!) was enjoyed by all who competed.

Men's Invitation day was also held last Saturday - blimey we packed a lot in this week! There were 150 players on this fine but windy day, and the winners of the day were a most awesome Richard Moore and Brian Jones, followed by Robert Skinner and Tony Mann in second and Mark and Steve James taking third place. Congratulations guys!

This week I had the most wonderful surprise. If you read last week's newsletter, you may remember my appeal for prizes for our Inclusion festival at the golf club. Well I nearly cried when wonderful Ronnie Allen came to tell me he has lots of prizes for the festival, including caps and t-shirts - oh I did well up. Ronnie you are a king amongst men and I love you dearly. The kids are going to be so excited! I can't wait for this, it's going to be great. The main emphasis is on fun and we have some great targets and colourful golf holes to set up. I am so proud of my team Paul, Andy & Luke, they will do a grand job for me. Yes I am scared about it, but I do spend most of my time being scared and winging it and it usually works out so I would not expect anything different this time!

I would like to say a huge congrats to Peter James who made it to Venice in a plane! Woooooo Hooooooooooooo good on you Peter, I am way past proud of you. I have also gone and done a relatively silly thing - I have agreed to go to Dublin next year with my Mother-in-law, and yes it's on the plane. Gaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh pass the Xanax! Or the vodka! I will recount my story later in the year, when I shall be once again apoplectic!

Half term is coming to an end so I will be back on the school recruitment trail with the help of my long time buddy and golf club member Alex Champion. We are receiving more Golf Foundation funding next month, so it's onwards and upwards for us.

This week I made a new friend in the form of James Gales MBE. This lovely chap contacted me after reading about our Laddie Lucas award, which was apparently featured in the Bristol Evening Post (I had no idea but am thrilled!). He is disabled and he works for the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership. They run many events all over the UK and in other countries. They started out as a group of sensory/mentally/physically challenged like-minded people who wanted to come together to play golf. Since then they have expanded hugely and are a proper organisation running events for disabled people. It's not just limited to Scotland and all disabled golfers can join. I have explained to them that our course is absolutely flippin' gorgeous and they should consider bringing a group or event here to play so let's see if they venture down to little old us for a day!

They have recently been at Celtic Manor, so they are edging ever nearer to us! I for one would be absolutely tickled pink (of course!) if our club could accommodate a disability golf event on the course - what a wonderful display of inclusion that would really be. We have a very special product here and I want to show it off to everyone!

Now I have to explain what's happening on the Woody front - as I know it is the topic of gossip at the moment, not just here but also across the road! After 14 years, Paul and Chris are taking a break - not a permanent one - but they both have other things they have to do, so for the time being they are working separately. But no, they have not parted ways completely. The unfortunate casualty of this break is Kris - without the retainer he was unable to stay, but I am massively relieved that we were able to find him a job at Thornbury. He's a great guy, and you will still see him up at B&C practicing. I'm grateful that the club have supported him - he's a good 'un!

Now over to Paul for his weekly write up!

Next week we are hosting South West Week which involves ten of the best amateur golfers from Devon, Wiltshire, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset and home favourites Gloucestershire. Starting on Sunday, a round robin format will decide which team wins the championship on Friday. Gloucestershire kick off on Sunday morning at 10.00am playing four foursomes matches followed by eight singles matches in the afternoon. There will be players with as low as plus five handicap competing and if you want to see how Bristol and Clifton should be played, please do come along, spectate and support the mighty Gloucestershire!

The white hair of Jimmy Mullen will be waltzing the course on Monday afternoon and Tuesday. He plays this weekend in the St Andrews Links Trophy and will fly down to support and play with his Devonian teammates before leaving for Carnoustie in preparation for the British Amateur Championship. As long as we have some nice weather, there should be some good scores this week and the course is in impeccable condition for this prestigious tournament.

Remember that the course will be open each day for members after 4pm besides the Tuesday when the course will be closed for the whole day for the 36 hole stroke play event. Please also bear in mind that the practice facilities will be extremely busy before 11am each day.

Callaway Fitting Event - Friday, 26 June

Our Callaway Fitting Day is slowly creeping up on us. If anyone would like to sign up to try out the brilliant Big Bertha Alpha or XR range of clubs then please do let me know.

Click here to find out more about the Callaway Hardware range

Click here to get in touch to request your fitting slot.

Thanks Paul, it will be really interesting to watch some of the best county players on our most exquisite golf course.

Now over to Luke for a little set of tips

Hole More Short Putts

When I am teaching putting, I always emphasise that being able to hole putts from 3-6 feet is vital for any golfer to lower their scores. That is why I always challenge my pupils with a practice drill which I have seen many top playing professionals do before they head to the first tee.

To start with select a hole, measure one club length away from that hole and put a tee in the ground, then measure another club length away and put a second tee in the ground (picture 1). From the first tee hit ten putts to the hole and see how many go in and afterwards, hit ten putts from the second tee and again see how many go in the hole. The only rule I have is that you can only do this drill once before you go out to play and the aim is to beat your personal best score.

If you want to want to challenge yourself even more, then try a drill which I call 'Around the World', and just like in the second picture, you put a tee down from one and two club lengths but from four different areas around the hole, like a compass, and hit ten putts from each tee and see how many you hole in total.

   

I hope you find this useful and if you have any questions or want let me know how you get on then please do not hesitate to contact me in the Pro Shop.

Thanks Luke, very helpful. Next week more wise words from Andy lad!

Congratulations this week also goes to Tom Counsell who has a new job - well done Tom, lovin' it! Grub's up!

So I will leave you with this week's dinner efforts from me. It's been a busy catering week in the Mitchell household (for once!) and NOTHING got burned. Woo hoooo!

   

          

See you all next week,

My daddy is in the Far East at the moment (The Philippines) so I am feeling all eastern, so we are signing off in Malay this week -

Selamat jalan!

Caren, Paul, Andy & Luke