Burhill Newsletter November/December

A note from Nick...

I reflected on my drive home on Saturday (12th November), just how fabulous Burhill Golf Club is, following another wonderful day. 290 members, including 10 guests and 12 players representing Surrey Men’s Team played at our club. 290 in mid-November –wow!

We had a men’s competition, lady weekend members, winter pairs knockout matches, several roll up groups, the Burhill Scratch team match against the Surrey Men’s Team, and night golf all on the same day!

It’s been a very busy period, as we’ve been experiencing some great weather. There’s been a great buzz around the club, and I hope you’ve enjoyed the autumn.

So, onto our final newsletter for 2022. On behalf of the whole team, may I take this opportunity to say thank you for your support, advice, good wishes, and constructive comments. I hope you and your families all have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Elite England Golf Championships at Burhill

Burhill has been chosen as host venue for two elite England Golf events in 2024 and 2025. We will play host to the England Golf Captain’s event on 1st May 2024, and the following year we will host the English Senior Men’s Amateur Championship. Our very own, Ian Barker played in this event earlier this year at The Leicestershire Golf Club. Both events will take place on the Old Course.

Membership Renewal

During the week of 28th November, members will receive invitations to renew their memberships in 2023, via email. Please keep a look out and check your junk/spam folders if not received by 2nd December. Helen Firman and Andrew Palmeri will be managing the renewal process and can be contacted at the club with any queries.

We have received several questions in the run-up to renewal on medical suspension, further loyalty discounts, and the membership privileges (booking rights)

In this edition:

• A note from Nick...

Nick Moran, General Manager

• Golf Courses Update

Rob Surgey, Senior Course Manager

• Golf Operations Update

Darren Wood, Head of Golf Operations

• Clubhouse Update

Stuart Barr, Head of Clubhouse Operations

for Social Members. Our Club Rules cover these aspects, and I would refer members to IG to review these and other rules which my team and I are committed to applying consistently.

Winter Project Work

I’m pleased to say that we will be refurbishing the 2nd and 16th bunkers on the Old Course in February and March 2023. The work will include some re-shaping, adding drainage, new revetted edges, and rubber lining which has worked brilliantly in all bunkers on the New Course and on eight holes on the Old Course. The remaining eight holes will also be worked on over the coming years.

The planned re-design of the 5th and lengthening of the 6th hole on the Old Cour se this winter have been postponed due to increasing costs of the work involved. We will revisit this project as soon as the timing is right. As a result, we will now implement the proposed changes to the stroke index and will be ordering new tee signage, yardage books, and scorecards. Darren Wood and I would like to thank Peter Cummins and the Men’s Committee for their hard work on this important project. Key changes shown below.

Hole

Stroke

Suggestions

Proposal

The second reservoir planning application is nearly ‘good to go’. Also, between December and early spring, we will undertake a refurbishment of our Professional Shop. The more open-plan, high-quality, and airy feel will provide 50% more retail space and a muchimproved sense of arrival and welcome at Burhill.

Obituary

Members will be saddened to learn of the passing of Mechiel G Kotze – affectionately known as MG. He had been a member since 1999 and was joined by his wife, Marlise in 2009. MG was an integral part of the ‘5 o’clock club’ and will be missed by members and our team alike.

Trust Their Judgement

May I ask that members trust the operational judgements made by our Professional Shop, Reception, Hospitality, or Membership Office staff when it comes to basic ‘day-to-day’ club matters – including course opening and buggy arrangements following heavy rainfall. Requesting General Management input will just delay outcomes.

Cost Pressures

The cost of operating Burhill continues to spiral, with the new energy costs kicking in from 1st October. We recorded a 317% increase in electricity charges compared to the same month in 2021. While diesel/petrol for greenkeeping vehicles have stabilised a little, the cost of other materials shows no sign of a return to pre-Ukraine war levels. The latest pinch point is the scarce supply of eggs due to avian flu, and real challenges in getting turkeys for Christmas luncheons.

Regards, Nick Moran General Manager

Golf Courses Update

Rob Surgey, Senior Course Manager r.surgey@burhillgolf-club.co.uk

We have been very busy out on the courses over the last few months with many small projects completed. The main issue after summer has been to get grass density back into the fairways. To achieve this, we have double overseeded all fairways on both courses at a cost of almost £20,000. Our machine cut grooves into the soil to lay the seed below the surface and the results have been fantastic. We also fertilised all fairways to help the recovery process and feel that the density on the fairways has never been so good heading into winter.

Recently, we have been busy re-turfing all high traffic areas around the greens and walk off areas. A focus point has been the 7th on the Old Course, where we stripped the turf off and added fresh soil before returfing. The bunkers on the 8th and 17th on the Old Course have also been patched up where the new turf hadn’t rooted properly over the dry summer.

7th Hole (Before)

7th Hole (After)

We’ve also re-turfed a number of bunker faces on the New Course including the 8th and 9th greenside bunkers, and the 11th fairway bunkers. Pathways around the 13th

green on the Old Course have been returfed, in addition to the swale to the left side of the green.

Drainage work – 11th Apron (New Course)

The 11th apron on the New Course really suffers during heavy rainfall due to its ‘bowl’ shape. We have now added new drainage to help dry this area out.

Top Tip

Use both hands to rake and push the sand away from you until it’s smooth. Pulling the rake as you walk out the bunker will not rake it correctly.

The short game area is getting a lot busier which is great to see. However, when doing putting drills, please put a towel down to stand on as your footprint pressure can cause unexpected damage to the surface. The picture to the right shows how to do this and the damage caused when a towel is not used.

Course Etiquette

Unfortunately, we are still seeing a lot of bunkers not raked each day. Below are just a couple of examples from the last few weeks. Please ensure you rake the bunkers back to the standard which you would like to play from.

Thank you to all those who do this properly and help make for an enjoyable round for everyone.

Members and guests will note that a number of areas on both golf courses have post and rope in order to manage foot traffic and wear and tear on the golf course. Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that some of these ropes have been cut and members not adhering to the system that is in place. We would like to remind members to comply with these management systems at all times, after all they are there to protect our golf courses.

Cheers, Rob Surgey

Golf Operations Update

Darren Wood, Head of Golf Operations d.wood@burhillgolf-club.co.uk

Congratulations to the following winners in the Men’s and Ladies Autumn Meetings and Cross Country.

Men’s Autumn Meeting Day 1, Marler Bowl Winner (New Course)

Ben Wilson (Gross 72)

Men’s Autumn Meeting Day 2, Lewis Kent Winner’s (Old Course)

Steven Horne & Gary West (Net 71)

Ladies Autumn Meeting Day 1, Medal (Old Course)

Margaret Godfrey (Net 67)

Ladies Autumn Meeting Day 2, Foursomes (New Course)

Helene E Oberg & Sally Parrish (39 Points)

Cross Country

Phil Hunt, Carl Knight, Sam Roach & Dean Braume (Net 48.3)

Burhill Juniors

Congratulations to our Burhill Juniors who were runners up in the Home Nations Championship final. They will now play in the televised finals in the near future.

Surrey Golf Results

Congratulations to Aaron Moody, who recently won the Surrey Junior Handicap Green Knockout at Hankley Common, winning the final 3&2. Also, well done to Finlay Ferguson for reaching the final of the Blue Knockout, losing out to Jack Platt.

Hole-In-One

Phil Maher recorded a hole-in-one on the 6th hole of the Old Course in October – great shot, Phil!

Retail

Visit the Professional Shop now to see the latest products and use your levy for 2022 by the end of the year. We now have the Titleist TSR driver and fairways woods in stock, as well as winter clothing from J Lindeberg, Footjoy, Oscar Jacobson, and PING.

Golf Lessons for 2023

We hope you have had a successful 2022 on the golf course and are looking forward to 2023. Why not take advantage of our members’ coaching offer for £120, which includes:

• Up to 100 group sessions in 2023 with our Burhill Qualified PGA Professionals with all areas of the game covered including oncourse sessions.

• 1 x individual 30 min lesson with a Burhill PGA Qualified Professional.

• Access to Trackman data for your game to measure distance and accuracy.

• Summer social events which will give you the chance to meet other members.

• A free putting training aid gift that will help lower scores.

Sammy Haywood

Best of luck to Sammy Haywood, who is set to start his three-year PGA Foundation Degree. Sammy will complete exams and assignments covering golf coaching, equipment technology, sports science, and business management. We’re also pleased to announce Sammy as our ‘Team Member of the Quarter’ – having taken on additional retail responsibilities and supported the Pro Shop team to cover shifts at very short notice.

Sammy has also been accepted to run the London Marathon and will be raising funds for the British Heart Foundation. We wish him every success!

Harvey Pitt

Christmas Draw

We will be running a Christmas draw in the Professional Shop this year. For a chance to win some great prizes, visit the Professional Shop now to enter.

We welcomed Harvey Pitt to our team this month. Harvey is a member of Surbiton Golf Club, playing off a handicap of 10 and also plays football for Hersham Harriers FC.

3-2 It’s all about fine margins!

We were so close to achieving three team successes in various finals that the club played in recently. Unfortunately, we went down fighting, losing 3-2 in all three. A brilliant effort by everyone who competed in the Vets John Ling Final, Ladies Wallis Plate Final, and Men’s Scratch Final.

Thanks, Darren Wood

Clubhouse Update

Stuart Barr, Head of Clubhouse Operations

s.barr@burhillgolf-club.co.uk

Levy Wine List

As we near the end of 2022, members are reminded to use up any outstanding levy credit that was added at renewal in January. The compulsory levy can be spent on food and drink at the club, including the purchase of wine and sparkling wine to takeaway for festive consumption! Please place your order by 19th December and collect it on, or before, 31st January 2023. The wine list will be on IG from the end of November. Please contact me to order.

Christmas at Burhill

The club will start to look festive as decorations go up, and we dress our five Christmas trees from Maurice Mandry in Ottershaw. With the open fire in use over December, I’m sure the Iveagh Lounge will feel very homely. Mulled wine and mince pies will be available from the bar and halfway huts too!

The ever-popular carvery has returned, and our Christmas carveries will commence on

Avril Philipson, Alex Jamison, Margaret Godfrey, Viv Lee, Erica Watkins, Elsa Dane

the first Sunday of December. Please don’t delay in contacting reception if you’d like to book a table. The Boxing Day carvery is almost fully booked, with just 10 spaces remaining. We will then operate a firstcome-first-served waiting list system so please get in touch today!

Local Suppliers

If you’ve not already noticed, the bar is now stocked with fresh beer from the Dorking Brewery. DB One is the beer that started it all. Their best bitter, unchanged since the day they started brewing. Using 100% English Malt with Bobek and Bramling Cross hops, this easy drinking best bitter is their tip of the hat to traditional British brewing. Dorking Brewery has a vision to be the best brewery in Surrey. Stay tuned for the Rebellion (Marlow) Brewery and their ‘Roasted Nuts’ Festive Ale over the next few weeks.

Watch the World Cup at Burhill

All England World Cup games in November will be televised in the Captain’s Bar – and hopefully some knockout matches too! So, come and join us to support Southgate’s Lions with reserved seating, beer, and food available.

Thanks, Stuart Barr

Unsung Heroes: The Fernandes Family

Manuel and Nevidade are twin brothers, Hayden is Nevidade’s son, and Mackenzie is Manuel’s son. Manuel is Burhill’s Sous Chef and is proud to create our famous club curry.

He was the first of the Fernandes clan to join our team back in October 2018 after being on the ships for 20 years. ‘Manny’ wanted to build a life in England with his family, and in July this year he was joined by his wife Ronica, Mackenzie and his twin daughter, plus sons Cristy and Jassel. As you will see from the pictures, they all have a great smile! Manuel loves football and his team is Chelsea. Nevidade also works at a local care home with his wife Faria. He joined us back in September 2021 and is our Head Kitchen Porter. He has three children: Hayden, Oliveira, and Benecia. His son Hayden joined us in May this year after completing three years at Brookland College getting his Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Professional Cookery. Hayden loves Manchester United.

Mackenzie is new to England, and also joined Brooklands College to study for a C&G Level 1 Diploma in Introduction to Professional Cookery and C&G Level 2 Diploma in Professional Cookery. Mackenzie works on a part-time basis at Burhill, and like his family is a fan of the red side of Manchester.

I am lucky to have all four members of the family working for me. I enjoy working alongside them and seeing them grow, both as a family and a team.

By David Hanlon, Executive Chef

Follow us on Instagram for extra Burhill Golf Club content!

Hayden, Nevidade, Manuel, Mackenzie