Hi everyone,
Caren here!
It's been a fantastic fortnight, with the Ladies Fashion show being so successful. I also decided to confront some demons this week, as I felt I was on a roll so to speak, and I will tell you all about it now!
Many members of the golf club know I have been fearful of flying for some years now. I have not helped myself by avoiding and cancelling holidays, reinforcing the irrational idea that in some way flying is scary. Almost four years have gone by without a visit to proper sunshine and my vitamin D levels are at an all time low! However help was on its way in the form of new B&C member Mark Karim, my flying guardian angel. Mark is a commercial airline pilot for Thomson, but he also instructs other pilots and teaches flying. Mark took on a gargantuan challenge of getting little old me into a small aircraft for a flight. What was really special is that Mark volunteered his services and his time for nothing to help me have a holiday, and I really wanted to not let him down, so despite two hours sleep and six hours panic (at least!) I decided I was ready and able to take the challenge on. Mark picked me up from the golf club on Friday 4th April in the morning and we headed towards Kemble Airfield, now known as Cotswold Airport, in the Cotswolds.
Mark's flying club, Bristol Aero Club, used to be based at Filton, but sadly it was forced to move due to closure. With a fair of amount of panic and a big knot in my stomach, we arrived at Kemble nice and early. I was afforded the privilege of going up to the air traffic control tower, to see the work of the controllers and watch some planes and helicopters landing and departing. The people who work at Kemble are smashing people, and what an awesome place to work. Soon it was time for us to get into our plane, a Piper PA 28 called Sierra Juliet, and get ready for take off.
Mark was very kind to me and took it all very steadily, no loop the loops, and we started with a circuit of the airfield to get me acclimatised. By then all fear had gone and I was actually enjoying it. We took off again and went for a wee jaunt down to the Severn Bridges, over Chepstow Castle, back over to Cribbs Causeway and back up towards the airfield. We also went over the old Filton Airfield, and could see Concorde from the plane window. Mark allowed me to fly the plane on many occasions during our flight and I absolutely loved it. My shouts of "Clear the Prop" need work though don't they Mark?!
We even had time for a selfie!
Mark decided to do a little manoeuvre showing how the plane could land even if the engine failed and we needed to land in a field, and even that couldn't frighten me! Woo Hoo maybe a new career beckons....nah, I'd miss you guys too much :)! But I hope Mark will allow me to come with him again, as it was such fun. I had a blast and I want to thank Mark for everything. I wouldn't have done it if it weren't for him, and he has also agreed to try to be my pilot for our summer holiday in August (although the plane will be a lot bigger and I will have to share it with other passengers!). I had an amazing experience and I can recommend it thoroughly.
Click here to view a short video from the flight.
Now onto Junior golf and the Paul Mitchell Junior Academy
It's been such a great few weeks for me, and also for the Academy. We now have a junior organiser in the club. John Pajak has adopted the role, and I am mega excited that we can move forward and progress.
Andy takes his Tri Golf into schools from next week, alongside Kristian who passed his level one coaching qualification last weekend. Great news for Kris and for our Academy, we are proud of you Bud! I am excited to see if we attract any juniors back to the club to participate in our fabulous club based coaching programme Junior Golf Passport. At least we are making steps towards increasing our numbers and preparing for the future. In the next few weeks, our newsletter will report back on how they got on coaching at Clifton High School (this is my old school so they'd better do a good job! No pressure lads!)
We are also hosting a Golf Roots junior workshop next week, with delegates coming to see us from other areas of the south west. My South West development officer Mark Boscott is training all our Academy staff in the junior passport programme and how to hold junior golf festivals. This is especially important in light of the fact that The Paul Mitchell Golf Academy have been selected to host and run a Tri Golf schools festival at B&C in June. Another exciting achievement for us.
The academy staff are also off to Wells in Somerset to participate in a Tri Golf activators workshop in the next few weeks, which keeps our junior coaching fresh and contemporary. By the way, if you have a child or grandchild at a school at which we are not coaching, let us know. We are always happy to provide some FREE taster group coaching to children of all ages and all levels in schools, beginner to advanced, and have masses of experience in doing so. Click here to get in touch. Although we are always busy with schools, we are passionate about coaching all golfers including kids, so if we can help your school we will. We have also been asked to provide a regular Saturday golf group for Clifton College prep school, so I think we can take a bow and be proud of what we are doing!
After all the excitement of the last few weeks, I am ready to dedicate myself to "GetIntoGolf" now. We are holding our event on Gloucester Row in Clifton on 29th May from 10.30am until 2.30pm so come along to try our giant inflatable net, SNAG velcro golf game set, Tri golf and putting course. All will be featured in the Bristol Evening Post and we hope to attract more visitors, adults and juniors to the club because of it. If you have kids or grandkids, the 29th is in the holidays so why not pop up and see what we are doing. We will be opposite the Mall Pub in the village, we look forward to seeing you all there.
You will have noticed that our new golf buggies have been delivered to the club. These are liveried, have yardage readings, tell you where to drive and not drive for your safety, have a facility that we can text a message to you from the shop (sometimes this might even be non-derogatory!) and even have a rain hood and club cleaner on them. We are seriously fancy pants now aren't we?! The price remains at £15 per member to hire the buggy, £25 per visitor, and there are 6 available. Booking as always through the pro shop, but early bird discounts are also available on hire on the day buggies. Come and have a chat to us about your requirements.
After their recent performance in the Mail on Sunday Tournament, the Ladies' Captain Liz Hale has written this report.
"I just wanted to update you on another result for our Mail on Sunday team. They have won another round, beating the Kendleshire at home 3/2. The team consisted of: Paula Crabtree (captain), Paula Keaney, Karen Price, Eva Tucker and Su Worthington. They had a great match, and managed to avoid most of the rain! The course was in excellent condition, so thanks to Matt and his team. The after match tea was fabulous!
All in all a great day".
Liz Hale
New member and long term pupil of Paul's Josh Phillips won the Avon Schools Golf Association Championships last week on March 31st. Josh is now Avon Schools Champion for 2014, fantastic achievement for Josh, we are hugely proud of you.