Elton furze newsletter spring 2014

NEWSLETTER

Spring 2014

this issue Bens update P.1

this issue

USGA greens and Competition secretary P.2 Course report P.3 Course report continued and New Chef P.4 Men’s Captain report and rules of golf P.5 Ladies Captain report and Club 2000 P.6 Seniors’ Captain and Course care P.7 Upcoming events P.8

Ben’s update It’s been a very unusual winter with mild weather and lots of rain and I believe that the course has stood up very well to the wet weather. Things definitely seem to be improving and they say that we could be in for a lovely spring/summer!!!

At the AGM I presented a PowerPoint presentation to the members outlining the results of the questionnaire, and putting forward our thoughts and a plan of action which we have been working on over the winter and will be continuing to over the forthcoming months. The main area of concern were the bunkers and paths.

Having listened to a number of comments, this has helped me to concentrate on a few areas which will be worked on over the coming months. My main objective is to maintain the course to its full potential.

Office move You may have noticed that we have now moved the office to the back of the shop, making myself, Fee and Zoe much more accessible to you all with any questions. It is also nice for us to see the members on a more regular basis as before we were quite hidden away. Please feel free to pop in and see us if you have any questions or just to see where we are now located.

Also at the AGM, I was proud to highlight that our greens are constructed to the USGA specification which provide the best possible conditions for turf to grow and for this reason we are confident that our greens will outperform many other golf course greens on a day to day year round basis. The Greens are ultimately the most important part of the golf course, followed by the tees and fairways and the general presentation. We are totally committed to provide you the members with a course you can enjoy and be proud of.

Please read Scott’s course report for a full update of what has been going on around the course.

With spring now upon us we look forward to some lovely golfing weather and I really hope you have an enjoyable golfing year.

Ben Martin

Our USGA Construction Greens and why we are proud of them “The greens are exemplary, almost text book in terms of their performance as USGA constructions in the UK. The dominance of the bent, the control of the annual meadow grass and, perhaps most significantly, the consistency of the surface that has been achieved is rarely seen elsewhere.

As an agronomist, it is a joy to examine them�

Dr. Tim Lodge a founding member and Treasurer of RIPTA (Register of Independent Professional Turfgrass Agronomists)

Office move

Competition Secretary As you may be aware Steve Furzeland has had to resign as Competition Secretary due to pressure of work. His work takes him away a lot, often abroad and he feels he just can't carry out the role as it should be done.

At a time when the computerised competition system has been recently introduced it is obviously imperative that the position be filled as soon as possible. At present Rob Stone, Men's Handicap Secretary, is endeavouring to carry out both roles but this just cannot continue much longer. Rob will obviously be available to train and assist a new incumbent.

Please consider whether you could take on this role, which is so important for the continued good running of our competitions.

Anyone interested should contact Rob Stone, David Smith Chairman or any other member of the Committee.

Graham Blagden Members' Secretary

Winter/Spring Course report March 2014 by Scott Pritchett Rainfall Chart

Following a reasonable spell of weather during November and December, January and February were extremely wet with over twice our expected monthly average rainfall. This has obviously had an adverse effect on projects that were outlined by Ben at the AGM however now the weather has improved for the better we are full steam ahead with the maintenance programme.

Bunkers Drainage work on problem bunkers is continuing, with bunkers that flood the quickest being attended to first. The greenside bunkers on the 3rd and the 18th have been completed. Fairway bunkers on the 1st, 9th ,17th and 18th have also been attended to. Bunker drainage is notorious for silting up over a period of years so the drain has to be exposed before new gravel and a porous membrane is put down. New sand is then added on top of the membrane.

The water level on the pond on the 2nd has been lowered due to it affecting the drainage of the greenside bunker. This is due to an existing farm drain that runs the length of the 2nd hole. Whilst many of the original farm drains have proved to be useful this one has been more of a hindrance.

Paths The paths will be renovated with a sub-base being put down then topped off with a suitable material. This will take place as soon as ground conditions improve. Wooden bridges will gradually be removed and replaced with culverts.

These need little maintenance and will last many years without being slippery.

11th Tee Levelling work on the 11th Tee will continue when ground conditions allow.

The tee will then be turfed and hopefully be back in play in the early part of the season. Levelling work on the 14th will be carried out when the 11th Tee is finished. Tees that have been levelled i.e. 7th have certainly helped playability.

13th Hole We have reverted back to the old 13th Tee during the winter months to give Work taking place on the 11th Tee the new tee a break. It is still yet to establish an extensive root system that will harden it against play in the coming years. The path down to the new tee will be renovated, as mentioned earlier. Drainage may need to be installed on the walk off area between the end of the path and the new tee.

Fairways / Tees

Fescue mixture and then top-dressed with a sandy loam to improve surface levels after the winter months.

The fairways and tees were slit in the autumn to assist drainage and to help the breakdown of thatch. Some of the The moss has thrived in the wetter conditions that we have experienced this winter so we may have to verti-drain poorer draining fairways were verti-drained to a depth of more regularly to combat this.

12 inches to relieve compaction and to help speed up the drainage process. The green end of the 1st fairway and the 6th fairway would certainly benefit from being mole drained. This form of drainage involves pulling a mole plough through to a positive outlet whether it be a ditch or an existing land drain. The plough creates a 2 inch tunnel 12 inches under the surface. Water can access the tunnel from above. Mole drainage is most effective when carried out in the autumn months.

Practice Area The first 30 yards of the driving range will again be fertilized and cut to tees height to improve the enjoyment of the faVerti-draining our fairways improves the playing surface, creates quicker drying turf and increases warter absorption cility. During the drier months the area will be irrigated and top-dressed with a sandy loam to improve the soil strucSpring Fertilizer Applications ture.

Course Furniture Some of the course furniture has started to look a bit tired recently i.e. bins, ball washers etc. These aspects will be renewed in the coming weeks to improve the general appearance.

Greens

Greens, tees, aprons and fairways have been fertilized during the past week, combined with the warmer weather this will initiate growth and help speed up the recovery process after the winter months.

The weather for the coming week looks a lot more spring like which will help the golf course emerge out of its drab winter coat and then we can get back to presenting the course to its best.

The greens have recently been verti-drained to a depth of 10 inches to help remove moisture from the surface and to Scott Pritchett promote deeper rooting. The moss that has been more Head Greenkeeper evident this year has been sprayed and treated with a high iron fertilizer. The dead moss will be scarified out in late March. The greens will then be over seeded using a Bent/

What's new?

As you may be aware Paul Monks has now left Elton Furze, we wish Paul the very best in his new job and wish him luck for the future.

We would also like to welcome back Chris Poulter as our new Head Chef, many of you will probably remember him from a few years ago. Chris has very kindly come back to help us out.

Look out for his daily specials.

Men's Captain It is a great privilege to be nominated and chosen as the 2014 Men’s captain. I will do my utmost to promote club competitions and also inter club matches, with the intention to have as many members as possible participate in both matches and social events.

I’m sure you will all join me in thanking the Last years captains, Paul Fowler, Trish Crighton, David West and Cameron McKeever, for their hard work during the year. I would also like to thank the many members who have offered help and advice for the coming year.

2014 CAPTAINS John Richardson, Robin Watts,

Tim Ward and Elly Toyne Both myself and lady captain Elly Toyne, have chosen Macmillan Cancer Support as our chosen charity. Our first charity event is the 100 club, £25 for the year, with monthly draws for £100 and two prizes of £25, this will give each member of the 100 club twelve chances to win £100 and 24 chances to win their stake back.

Last year was a good year for club matches, we had forty five different players participate, I intend to keep trying different players in club matches to enable us to have the widest choice of players possible. The Derek Burridge Cup, Jock Stewart memorial Trophy and the Goddard Cup, are all competitions that we compete in, with some success, I am hoping this year that we can at least make the final and maybe even take a trophy.

The committee is a team of members who give a lot of their time and energy to run competitions and social events.

Please help to support these events by attending as many as possible. I firmly believe that we have a fantastic course and clubhouse and we should make as much use of it as possible. Any suggestions for improvements can be made to me in person, by email – johnr63@yahoo.com, or by placing it in the suggestions box.

John

Rules of golf applied to Elton Furze 1.

Blue ropes and stakes must not be moved. Local Winter Rule 4 applies and free relief may be taken with in accordance with golf rule 24-2.

2.

Ball that come to rest in their own pitch mark (plugged) on the fairway or in the rough (but not in hazards) may be lifted, cleaned and replaced at the nearest part of play, not near the hole. See winter rule 2.

3.

Balls that come to rest on bridges across hazards are deemed to be in the hazard and free relief is not available. The ball must be played as it lies or relief taken under penalty of one shot.

4.

Bunkers that become filled with water to an extent that a ball that has come to rest in that bunker cannot be dropped outside the bunker, under penalty of one shot.

5.

When in doubt about whether a ball has entered a hazard, a player and his fellow competitors must decide whether they are “virtually certain” that the ball entered the hazard. If they are not “virtually certain” and the ball cannot be found, then the ball is deemed to be lost.

6.

The rough ground beneath the tree in the middle of the fairway on the 4 th hole must be taken. This relief is from the ground, not the tree.

Ladies Captain I have been a member at Elton Furze from when it first opened.

I enjoy my Golf, some days its good and others not so good, but I am sure that applies to all. You usually hear me round the course before you see me.( And it is not shouting four) Our Charity this year is for Macmillan Cancer Support.

This is just a little bit as to what the Charity does: “Hearing that you or someone close to you has cancer is no doubt one of the most challenging things you have to face. You may worry how cancer might effect your life including your ability to work.

One in four people diagnosed with cancer in the UK will lack support from family and friends while they are facing treatment and recovery. Macmillian wants to make sure that everyone affected by cancer has the support and information they require through making services link up to support people through their cancer experience. Based in hospitals, see people in their own homes or hold clinics in a community setting It is likely that Macmillian is best known for Macmillian nurses providing support from the point of diagnosis, for as long as they are needed, using their expertise to help people understand their illness and final practical ways to live with it. This may involve managing systems, side effects of treatment, giving reassurance and support, advice on pain management, diet, fatigue and financial worries.

Helping people live with cancer is vital, listening to their concerns, allowing to them to share their fears and reducing those fears that come with a diagnosis can help people to make more informed decisions about their treatment and care” On January 19th we had the Ashley Martins Trophy, which was won by the Men’s Captain John Richardson which was won on count back with 20points with Terry Toyne & Kev Crighton also with 20points.

The Captains Drive in was a Great turnout, We raised £280 This included £97.00 From the AmSat Boys .Thank you to all whom donated.

Sue Dibble won the closet prediction of 709yards, Sue predicted 710 £30 went to Sue Dibble and £250 to Macmillan Cancer Support.

I would like to wish you all a great Golfing Year.

Lady Captain Elly.

Entering into competitions on the touch screen We are having a few teething problems with the new touch screen system, it is very important that you follow the instructions below until further notice.

Club 2000 Update We plan in the near future to start using the Club 2000 system to book in and pay for all competitions; this will be achieved by using the current Psi screen located in the foyer using the swipe card system.

To be able to enter a competition you will need an Elton Furze club card, you will then be able to put funds onto either your bar account or your competitions account, via the current bar/till system.

If you do not have a card then you need to contact Zoe/Ben/Fee at EFGC. When entering your scores into the Club 2000 system after a competition, please ensure that your recorded score reflects the information that you have just entered Via the Psi terminal before you press the accept button.

If you enter a competition please enter and return card into the system after your round, even if it is a Non Return, failure to do this alters the standard scratch.

Before entering any competition on the touch screen please make sure that you can access your account, you can do this by going into;

General Note

Members services then Card Account history

E mail address in the diary is incorrect, should be

Rob Stone handicap Secretary

Then swipe your member’s card

robert.stone789@btinternet.com

If the screen comes up with the message "cannot access account" please contact the shop or office. Do not enter the competition.

Rob Stone

Please note that these instructions are displayed next to the screen at the Club.

Senior Captain HI I am the Seniors Captain at Elton Furze I joined Elton Furze in 2002, so 12 years ago, I am still a 7 Day Member and play regularly at the weekends as well as during the weeks, so I know many members in the Club not just Seniors. It is unlikely you don’t know me, if you don’t know me then please come and introduce yourself.

39 years, we had 3 children, Russ the oldest lives in Sydney, Aus, Olly lives in London and Charlotte the youngest just graduated from Sheffield Uni 2013.

My great sporting love was Hockey, which I played for 34 years, playing for Southgate Adelaide HC (London), where I captained the 1st team for several years, then moved to Welwyn Garden City HC, and finally Stevenage HC before my knees gave out.

I retired just over 3 years ago from the Land Registry where I worked for 41 years, finally working in Peterborough office where I was their Facilities Manager, I still regularly play in their Golf Society, I also play in the Pearl Assurance Golf Society, although I did not work for them.

So then came Golf, but keeping my hockey swing , I am sure you all have similar sporting stories before golf, whether from Rugby Football or whatever, but I do have to say it has been Great joining Elton Furze GC, this Club is extra special, friendly and welcoming Club this is down to the people here. The course challenging, very pretty, a little Gem, and those excellent Greens, we are so lucky.

My Charity for the Seniors this year is the Local NSPCC, there is a collecting box on the Bar if ever you feel inclined to donate at any time then please use this box, I do repeat our Charity as Seniors is the NSPCC, there are other Charity boxes on the Bar.

I must encourage you to play in our inter Club Matches, what great days these are, don’t let anyone tell you different, starting with Coffee, then a round of match play, ending with a two course meal all done by 4pm, Seniors Matches are brilliant.

I live in Orton Brimbles Peterborough with my wife Lesley, we have been married for

Robin Watts

Tee Sponsorship

Opportunities We are currently looking for local businesses to sponsor all 18 tee’s for the next couple of years. It is a great way to promote your business, entertain clients, reward staff and build your business relationships. If your business would like to sponsor a tee or if know of any businesses who would please contact Zoe in the office on 01832 280189 or via e-mail zoe@efgc.co.uk.

Care of the course Following comments about care of the course by users made at the last Annual General Meeting the Club Committee, together with the Seniors' Committee, have considered ways to encourage Members to look after their course, particularly replacement of divots, repairing of pitchmarks and the raking of bunkers.

Hole

Surname starting with letter

All golfers should take responsibility for these simple practical tasks but to give added impetus to your efforts it is suggested that each player should take special care of the condition of a particular hole, or two holes, depending on the first letter of your surname, as shown in the table to the right

1

A

2&3

B

Please help to improve the playing conditions of the course by following three simple rules.

4&5

C

6

D

7

E, F, G

8

H, I, J

9

K, L

10&11

M

12

N. O

13

P

14

Q, R

15

S

16

T, U

17&18

V, W, X, Y, Z

1

Divots. Please replace/repair all divots on the fairway and in the rough.

2

Pitchmarks. Please repair any pitchmark made on any green, and any others you see.

   3

Particularly on the Green allocated to your Surname letter.

Do not spend too long repairing, just a couple of pitchmarks each should be sufficient.

You should still repair the pitchmarks you make on any green or any others you see on that green.

Bunkers. Before leaving a bunker a player should rake and smooth over all holes and footprints.

Thank you for your assistance. The Committee hopes that simple adherence to these guidelines will improve your enjoyment of your round of golf.

Graham Blagden Members' Secretary

Upcoming Events

Next edition

Mothers Day Lunch

If you would like to add anything to the Summer edition of the Elton Furze Newsletter then please e-mail Zoe—zoe@efgc.co.uk by 10th June 2014

Sunday 30th March 3 courses for £16.95 Speak to a member of bar staff to book or call 01832 280189

Elton Furze Golf Club Spring 2014

Ladies Spring Dinner Wednesday 16th April 2 courses £15.00 per person or 3 courses £18.00 per person See the ladies board for more information

Easter Day Lunch Sunday 20th April Speak to a member of bar staff or call 01832 280189 for more information or to book

Seniors Spring Dinner Friday 2nd May 3 courses £18.50 per person See the seniors board for more information

Bullock Road, Haddon, Peterborough , PE7 3TT 01832 280189 info@efgc.co.uk www.efgc.co.uk