Longer is better 

Many of us golfers automatically reach for our Pro V1s or our favourite type of ball whatever the conditions. However, when it is wet and there is no run - like at the moment - a ball which flies longer reduces the length of the course and is therefore better.

And for those who reply 'But if I use a harder ball to gain distance, I will lose feel round the greens' allow me to introduce the Bridgestone E5 (it's the one in the green box!). You get best of both worlds; a two piece ball with a large solid core but a soft urethane cover. So thanks to the core you get higher, longer flight when you compress the core of the ball on the full shots, and thanks to the urethane cover you enjoy the soft feel (like that of a Pro V1) when you are pitching, chipping and putting.

Why waste money on more expensive balls that don't perform as well? Horses for courses I say. The E5 are £6.50 for three. 'A ball with a urethane cover at £6.50 for 3?' I hear you say - unbelievable! Yes and wait it gets better, they are £24 a dozen.

Looking at the forecast for this weekend I have decided to throw you in a FREE Bridgestone woollen hat worth £10 with each dozen.

I think you may need it! Offer is for this weekend only and to anyone who comes in and says they read it here.


 

In full swing 

Despite all the rain and mud, golf lessons and club fittings are taking place as though it were summer thanks to the Swing Studio. Lots of people are really helping themselves by receiving help now, and practising the right things over the winter ready to 'hit the ground running' next season.

Far from lessons being hard work, confusing and mentally taxing like some people still think they are (people who don't take lessons!), the experience is a pleasure that will increase your learning. Lower scores? Fault fixing? Injury prevention? Just knowing what you are doing and how to improve it? I can help you! Take advantage of our 4 lessons for price of 3 on lessons until the end of March.


Additional new rate 

When you are enjoying yourself the time flies. Because the Studio has been busy this week I have decided to introduce an additional rate of £13 for members to rent the facility for 45 minutes. This is a better length of time to practice, do your gapping or play some of the many golf holes, and less time is wasted between bookings. You can still do half an hour if you like but it may feel like 5 minutes. Get in touch here if you're interested.


Practice mode

This week I have been using the par-3 17th at Sunningdale Golf Club among others for both teaching and practice. This par-3 gives you choices from the tee thanks to a severely sloping green, and reminds me very much of the 'new 17th' at Moor Allerton Golf Club where I was based for a few years. The 'new' hole was opened by Howard Clarke a few years ago now.


 

2 weeks to go until Christmas 

Christmas is fast approaching; as it is exactly two weeks away. If you still haven't done all of your shopping or you're struggling for ideas, we have gift vouchers available to purchase in store (shop, lessons and Swing Studio) - the perfect gift to help improve your game ready for the 2016 season.

Come and see us in-store if you're interested.


 

Sat 5 Dec - Geoff Loughlin, Colin Farrow and David Hollington were victorious in Saturday's Medalford with an incredible score of 16. And I must say it was made even more incredible by the fact they were first off at 8:08am and played in the worst of the conditions which included quite a degree of darkness as well as the wind and rain at that time. Three shots adrift were John Ford, Crispian Logue and Mike Short with 19 and in third place were John Seaton, David Pilling and Kenny Barthram with a score of 20.

Sun 6 Dec - Sunday's 15-hole stableford was won with a massive score. Jamie Oldham won with 39 points. Jamie, who played off 21, hasn't played for a while and looks like the break did him good. His previous best 18-hole score was 34 points, but he said it was just one of them days when everything went right for him. Second was Andy White with 34 points and third was Steve Austin with 32 points beating John Devenney on a card play-off. There was only two twos, each worth £20.50.

Wed 9 Dec - Andy White was victorious in Wednesday's Pro's Stableford, Andy won with 34 points with two blobs on his card. He has improved dramatically this year and it has been hard to keep up with how fast he is improving. Starting the year off 18, he now has a winter handicap of 6! Don Roberts was second this week with 33 points and third was Dave Hamilton with 32 points. We had a hole-in-one on Wednesday and just one two, worth £15.50 each.


 

Bob Kelsall's hole-in-one

Well done to Bob Kelsall who has had his first hole-in-one for 30 years! The ace came at the 9th in Wednesday's Stableford when Bob played an excellent 9-iron that looked over the flag all the way, before pitching a few feet short. With a little bit of check-release and a few rolls later it was in the hole!

Bob's previous ace was on the 4th in the March Medal of 1985 and within three weeks he did the same at the 14th at Wilmslow. The rumour that it has also been 30 years since Bob bought a round of drinks is not true though, because I can remember Bob mistakenly offering to buy everyone at the meeting a drink (which was quickly and unanimously accepted) after he won the President's Prize only four years ago! Anyway, the 30 year hole-in-one drought has ended.

Joking apart, I am really pleased for Bob who had been struggling to overcome a low and left ball flight over the past couple or so years. I know Bob changed his irons a time or two but to no avail. This year Bob decided to come and see me for an accurate club fitting. Bob was custom fitted and invested in a new set of Titleist AP1 irons which helped to reduce he side spin and improve the ball flight. But more importantly, during the fitting I watched Bob play plenty of shots and I noticed a fault with Bob's right hand position. Bob has been working on improving this and commented that his ball flight is now higher and straighter as a result. The ball flight of the hole-in-one didn't deviate from the pin.


 

Welcome back

To my computer which has been away being repaired for over two weeks. Wow it has really made me realise how much time I spend on this machine every day. Sorry if I have been slow to reply to emails but this is why and I am trawling through them as quickly as I can!