Abbotsley Golf Hotel Official Brochure 2015

Abbotsley Golf Hotel Official Brochure

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Contents Welcome. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05 Abbotsley Golf Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07 The history of Abbotsley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08 Our Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Professional Shops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Tuition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Practice Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Golf Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Commitment to Learn More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Abbotsley & Cromwell Visiting Golfers. . . . . . . . 23 Golf Societies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

LUDIS Publications

www.ludis-publications.co.uk 01273 616477 info@ludis-publications.co.uk

Women & Dogs Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Vivien Saunders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Abbotsley Golf Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Residential Golf School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Golf Breaks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 The Mill Restaurant at Abbotsley. . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Weddings - Civil Ceremonies & Civil Partnerships 43 Corporate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Social Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 How to Find Us & Contact Us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Photography by Gareth Squance Photography - www.garethsquance.co.uk Abbotsley Golf Club & Ludis Publications would like to thank all of the businesses that appear in this publication for their support and wish them continued commercial success. The content of this brochure is believed to be correct at the time of printing but we cannot endorse individual statements and readers should not rely solely upon the continued accuracy of any individual claims contained herein without consultation with the service provider. Designed and Printed by Maverick Design and Communication on behalf of Ludis Publications 2014.

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SCOTT ROOFING LTD All kinds of roof build and repair With over 17 years’ experience, Scott Roofing Ltd is a specialist family-run roofing company.

We proudly serve the area around St Neots to Gamlingay in Cambridgeshire.

We undertake insurance work – references available.

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Surveys and reports – free quotes and advice.

New and re-roof specialist • Repairs • Flat roofs Contact Scott Roofing Ltd on 01480 535039 or 07834 777134 email scottizzard@yahoo.co.uk www.scott-roofing.co.uk

Welcome The Abbotsley Golf Hotel is a charming traditional retreat with something for everyone - especially golfers! Two 18hole golf courses, the Abbotsley and the Cromwell, a lovely 9 hole par 3 course, the Huntingdonshire, together with excellent practice facilities and a first class Golf Academy combine to make this one of the finest venues in golf.

The Abbotsley Golf Hotel is situated in the heart of the Cambridgeshire countryside, easily accessible from the A1 and M11 motorways, Stansted and Luton airports.

There is an excellent rail link from St Neots

to King’s Cross/ St. Pancras and onward to the continent. The university city of Cambridge is a 20-minute drive away.

The original golf course at Abbotsley was designed in the mid-1970s. The course was then bought in 1986 by leading lady golfer, former British Women’s Open Champion and renowned coach, Vivien Saunders OBE, who renamed it Abbotsley Golf Club.

for beginners or for golfers wishing to hone their short game skills.

Abbotsley Golf Hotel is AA 3-star rated, and has 42 comfortable rooms many of which overlook the Abbotsley Golf Course, or the award-winning courtyard and putting green. Three bars, lounge areas and an excellent restaurant combine to offer guests a relaxing environment for a golfing break.

The Abbotsley Golf Course provides a tough challenge, with tight fairways, plenty of water and fast undulating greens. The Cromwell Course is a little more forgiving from the tee, but equally interesting. The Huntingdonshire Par 3 Course is excellent

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PIC

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Abbotsley Golf Hotel Abbotsley Golf Hotel is an AA-3 star facility. The hotel has 42 bedrooms, three bars, a large lounge and library and a superb restaurant. Many of the rooms overlook the Abbotsley Golf Course or the award-winning courtyard and putting green. Don’t forget the camera!

At Abbotsley we pride ourselves on our friendly service and relaxed environment. Our facilities are popular with both members and guests – the centre-piece being the Mill Restaurant which offers an excellent selection of traditional home-cooked food using local produce. The lounge and dining facilities make it a popular venue for weddings and

conferences, and all manner of functions, both indoors and outdoors, private and corporate.

Our dedicated event coordinators ensure that your event is a success.

As you would expect, the real stars of the show at Abbotsley are our golf courses. The Abbotsley, Cromwell and Huntingdonshire offer something for all golfers, whether champion, enthusiast, novice or those who just talk a good game! The variety on offer has proved a winning formula with members, visitors, societies and golf break inmates! They keep coming back for more.

Why not improve your golf during your stay by using our Academy or having a lesson?

The practice facilities include a 21-bay floodlit driving range, distance control wedge area, putting greens and practice bunkers. If you were thinking of something even more energetic there is always our fully equipped fitness centre together with four squash courts.

Try punting on (or in) the River Cam or how about some retail therapy or theatres in Cambridge? Nearby are a host of National Trust and English Heritage properties, great garden centres, Old Warden and Duxford for plane enthusiasts, fishing and sailing at Grafham Water and, of course, RSPB headquarters at Sandy with fantastic bird watching opportunities on the doorstep. There truly is something for everyone at Abbotsley.

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The History of Abbotsley Abbotsley was originally called Eynesbury Hardwicke Golf Club and dates back to the mid-1970s. Work on the initial golf course was started in the autumn of 1976 and at that time it was in the ownership of the late Ray Topham. Mr Topham, a farmer, was looking to diversify his business and created a nine-hole golf course which was designed by local architect Derek Young.

The popularity of the course soon saw it extended to 18 holes.

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Vivien Saunders bought the golf course in 1986, decided that the name “Eynesbury Hardwicke” didn’t exactly trip off the tongue and so renamed it Abbotsley Golf Club. Vivien quickly developed it into a world renowned teaching centre for her English, Irish and Welsh national training squads. Vivien teamed up with the then Lady Captain, Jenny Wisson, who became Abbotsley’s Managing Director; between them they added the Cromwell and Huntingdonshire Courses, and converted the estate’s ancient barns into the remarkable Abbotsley Golf Hotel.

The course was constructed through ancient woodland and on the site of an old Saxon Village. The humps and hollows on some of the holes are a reminder of the archaeological site beneath, with the holes retaining the names of the old fields and hamlets. It is all there in the Doomsday Book!

Henry VIII’s lack of enthusiasm for monasteries saw the estate fall into disrepair, but remains of the old buildings can still be seen at the Manor House in the centre of the course. Whether it is haunted or not remains a mystery. Women think it isn’t; intoxicated men sometimes think it is; the hotel cat, Edward, keeps spirits at bay!

Pilgrims stayed overnight in the Eynesbury Hardwicke lodging house and prayed in the chapel on the way to visiting the priory in St. Neots to view the Saint’s bones!! In recent times, Abbotsley has welcomed visitors from Brisbane to Barcelona, Bahrain to Baltimore – and even Bodmin – on pilgrimages of a different kind!

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Our Courses Golfers coming to Abbotsley are spoilt for choice with three terrific courses, each different in character and offering their own unique challenges to players of all abilities.

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Abbotsley Course The Abbotsley Course is the older of the two 18-hole courses with holes running through mature woodland, numerous lakes, and ponds and with excellent bunkering. It offers 18 holes of great variety. Blended with superb greens the Abbotsley is a fantastic test of golf, a must- play for any keen golfer and widely regarded as one of the finest in the county. Don’t be fooled by the length of 6,311 yards; it is no pussycat! The men’s par is 71 from the championship tees (SSS 71) and 76 (SSS75) for the ladies. It has hosted ladies’ championships at national and international level, men’s at regional, county and PGA level.

Golf Monthly said of the Abbotsley Course -”The design is a revelation, the presentation is superb”.

Set in beautiful parkland, the course is multidimensional. You have to be straight off the tee so the driver is not always the best option. If you are anything more than single figures, swallow your pride and carry a pond scoop! The terrain offers plenty of different challenges so brush up on those sloping lie techniques. (Don’t think Cambridgeshire is flat; this is the old county of Huntingdonshire.) You need a real variety of running and pitch shots into greens; and a steady head for some tricky greens.

Unmistakably, the hardest hole on the course is the par 5, 3rd hole - over 500 yards for both men and women. This is an absolute scorcher. The elevated green looks an awful long way from the tee! Drive it straight, lay up short of a well- placed ditch surrounded by trees and then whisk the ball up onto the green. It’s that simple.

Except that the green is an evil twotier teaser and it is not unknown for the first putt to be followed by a delicate little wedge shot- or two! (OK- big hitters can hit it in two, but they still have to do the putting!)

Cromwell Course The 6,164 yard, par 70 Cromwell Course is the original home to the Abbotsley Golf Club with four of the holes having been part of the original course layout. It is more open than its longer neighbour, offering marvellous views across the rolling Cambridgeshire countryside. You may not lose as many balls on the Cromwell but you may find the large, contoured greens even trickier!

And why call the second course the Cromwell? Huntingdon has of course been home to two illustrious MPs, Oliver Cromwell and John Major. John Major didn’t play golf because he had bad knees. Oliver

Cromwell didn’t play golf because he was too busy fighting the Royalists. We don’t feel he would have been a great supporter of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, so he got our vote.

Cromwell it is!

The par 3, 11th hole has one of the cruellest roller coaster greens in English golf, the 3rd and 12th give a taste of St. Andrews with a huge, shared green; and the 15th needs a brave long second shot onto a small, sloping green – don’t get beyond the pin.

And for all but the lowest handicaps, don’t forget that pond scoop!

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Our Courses (continued) Huntingdonshire Course The Huntingdonshire is our delicious 9-hole, par 3 course – small in stature but big and terribly grand in name! It is a great course for beginners and less experienced golfers as well as setting an exacting short game challenge.

Most holes on the Huntingdonshire are between 85 and 110 yards long, with shorter tees for children and for Pitch and Putt tournaments.

The Huntingdonshire has hosted the British Pitch and Putt Championship and has its own members, playing tournaments and matches.

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Brooklands Farm, Caxton Road, Bourn , Cambs, CB23 2SU

The Professional Shops The PGA Professional shops at Abbotsley and Cromwell are well stocked with leading brands of clubs, accessories and clothing.

With advances in technology players often prefer to be custom fitted. The PGA pros can analyse a golfer’s swing and build a set of clubs to complement perfectly his/her swing and physical ability. But for those wanting clubs repaired and given a new lease of life the shop staff can do all manner of repairs in the PGA-approved workshop. Whether it’s re- gripping or re-shafting they have the skills!

The Abbotsley has a smaller selection of all brands, plus, of course, the everpopular, frequently changing, often unusual, Abbotsley logo gifts and gizmos! (Plus in plain brown wrappings and on the top shelf or under the counter you may find Vivien Saunders’ books).

The Pro Shop staff can also help with buggy hire, pull cart and electric trolley hire, missing keys, mislaid gloves and shoes, lost property, forgotten batteries, suggestions about swing techniques, putting tips and simple rule queries. And if you need to hire clubs they can usually find you somethingand even have the skill to look at you swing and know whether you need right or left handed, even if you don’t! Seriously, they are there to help.

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Tuition Whether you are looking to take up golf for the first time having seen it on the television, or are an established player seeking to turn weaknesses into strengths, Abbotsley Golf Hotel is the place to go.

Our professionals are on hand to offer tuitionto all levels of golfer seven days a week. Tuition ranges from individual lessons and playing lessons, to group and squad coaching. On designated days and evenings the pros are there to give quick tips to anyone using the range. With the magnificent facilities available on site, there is no excuse for not combining practice with

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tuition; our pros will give you tips, drills and practice programmes to suit your needs.

The professional staff members have video and computer equipment to enhance and complement their words of wisdom.

Abbotsley supports and encourages young golfers and we are a proud supporter of the Junior Golf Passport scheme, which is a national programme designed to help young people learn about playing the game of golf. This concentrates not just on the swing, rules and etiquette but shows how to enjoy golf for a lifetime.

There are junior classes on Saturday mornings and the Abbotsley team also visits local schools to spread the golfing gospel to our next generation of players.

But remember, it is never too late to learn.

We don’t believe in the usual golf pro’s philosophy of having to get worse before you get better. In every lesson our pros will ensure you leave with improvement in some area of the game – with positive messages to take out into the field of battle!

It may just be to shout “FORE” in a more forceful way, but you will take away something good from every lesson.

Practice Facilities Golfers looking to lower their handicaps will find fewer clubs in the country better served for practice facilities than Abbotsley.

That’s why Abbotsley has hosted international training squads from England, Ireland and Wales and county squads from 32 counties. But it isn’t just for the elite; it’s for everyone.

Facilities include a 21-bay covered floodlit driving range, with well-placed targets, enabling you to work on your swing and short game skills whatever the weather and throughout the year.

There are practice bunkers and chipping facilities at both courses. The pros are on hand to show you the art of bunker play and pass on their skills.

There are also two fine putting greens, one on each course, with the courtyard putting green at the Abbotsley offering such an enjoyable experience you may want to spend hours on a fine day honing your skills with the flat stick! There is usually just enough light from the nearby bar for golf break inmates to carry their practice on into the night; when the sprinklers pop up then, and only then, do they know it’s time to quit!

And let’s not forget the Huntingdonshire, our outstanding nine-hole par 3 course. It is the perfect venue for working on your all-round short game and for trying those specialty shots you have been learning on the range.

With our very capable PGA professionals on hand to offer tuition as and when the need arises, Abbotsley truly is the best place to play and improve your golf in the area.

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Golf Membership Whilst both the Abbotsley and Cromwell Courses are members’ clubs, we welcome visitors and members’ guests.

If you are considering membership then come and try the courses and discuss your personal requirements with a member of our team.

Abbotsley golf membership is available on a 5 day and 7 day basis. Uniquely, the club offers special rates to category 1 players and also has an intermediate rate (aged 18-24) for the transition from junior to full members. A special combined membership includes play and competitions at both the Abbotsley and Cromwell Courses and

our sister course, Cambridge Meridian.

Junior (under 18), overseas and corporate membership packages are also available.

Cromwell golf membership is also available on a 5 day and 7 day basis. Membership of both clubs offers some great member-only discount rates on food and drink, range balls, lessons and buggy hire, with the carrot of some reciprocal arrangements to play on other courses.

functions, being nurtured into participation by members or staff.

All subscriptions run from April 1st. A direct debit payment scheme is available to spread the cost through the year. Members joining after April 1st will be charged on a pro rata basis.

For more details, please contact our Membership team on 01480 474000.

Both clubs have their own committees, presidents and captains, and extensive competition, club match and social fixture lists. New members are positively encouraged to take part in golf and social

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Commitment to Learn More Our dedicated team at Abbotsley is always delighted to introduce newcomers to the great game of golf.

Those that play the sport know that while it can at times be the source of some frustration, this is far outweighed by the sheer enjoyment of playing, learning and improving and can easily turn into a passion that can last a lifetime.

The Commitment to Learn Membership packages at the Abbotsley Golf Coaching Centre are serviced by our PGA professionals and offer terrific value for money, unlimited use of the driving range and discounts on lessons plus membership of the Huntingdonshire par 3 course.

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For an even more rewarding experience, why not learn as a family? The scheme is open to adults and juniors and for those looking to spread the cost a monthly direct debit payment option is available.

GOLD • Free range balls at the driving range • Par 3, Huntingdonshire membership • Complimentary “help at hand” sessions • 2 lessons per month • Your chosen weekly group session • Video analysis session on enrolment and every month • Additional individual lessons at reduced rate

SILVER

BRONZE

• Free range balls at the driving range • Par 3, Huntingdonshire membership • Complimentary “help at hand” sessions • Your chosen weekly group session • Video analysis session on enrolment and every 2 months • Additional individual lessons at reduced rates

• Free range balls at the driving range • Par 3, Huntingdonshire membership • Complimentary “help at hand” sessions • 1 lesson per month • Your chosen weekly group session • Video analysis session on enrolment and every 3 months • Additional individual lessons at reduced rate

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Abbotsley & Cromwell Visiting Golfers Visitors are welcome throughout the year to play both the Abbotsley and the Cromwell Courses during the week and on weekends and Bank Holidays.

Abbotsley tee bookings can be made one week in advance, please call 01480 474000.

Please respect dress code, course etiquette and avoid slow play; remember the beloved pond scoop to keep play moving.

Visitors are welcome to play the Cromwell Course on a pay and play basis. Reserve a tee time by telephoning the Pro Shop on 01480 408900. Alternatively just turn up, check in at the Pro Shop and we will get you on the course as soon as possible. To avoid

busy periods, please check the Course Diary page on our website, www.abbotsley.com Cromwell Pay and Play is available all day every day at terrific rates for those looking to make their money go even further than golf ball.

The Huntingdonshire Play is available all day and every day on the Huntingdonshire Course. You can borrow clubs. For beginners, someone will show you the basics and set you on your way!

To apply for a Cromwell Membership call in at the Pro Shop, call the club on 01480 474000 or email membership@abbotsley.com.

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Golf Societies Society and corporate packages are available on either the Abbotsley Course, with its hotel environment and sumptuous Mill Restaurant, or the Cromwell Course.

Whatever your needs or budget we have something for you at Abbotsley; just choose your course, select a menu and let us do the rest. A dedicated events coordinator will be with you every step of the way to ensure that you enjoy your day.

We have a variety of specific packages.

Like most other golf clubs at Abbotsley we unimaginatively call these the Par, Birdie or Eagle.

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The packages change from season to season but are always great value. And there is always the ABB FAB range, particularly designed for women.

On the Cromwell our names are far more imaginative – One Star to Three Star.

But we know that some people would prefer to make up their own golf events. So for those customers there is the option of designing your own day. Choose your food, your golf, your meal deal – we can do it. Add on here; take off there and make sure that you get just what YOU want and not what we think you might like.

There is even a Pubs and Clubs Special on the Huntingdonshire Course for non-golfers or wouldbe golfers who want a fun experience.

Learn a few tricks of the trade on the driving range with a pro, battle your way round the 9 holes, enjoy a tasty meal, drown your sorrows with a pint and get a certificate by way of alibi if needed. There’s more fresh air than 10 pin bowling, the cinema or a “night at the dogs”; it’s cleaner than paintballing, cheaper than ballooning, less time-consuming than a bungeejump in New Zealand – and if you get a feel for it you could dream of making the Olympics in 2016. Try it.

Details of current prices are available on our website, www.abbotsley.com

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Abbotsley G 26

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Women & Dogs Welcome In the days before equality there were, and possibly still are, a few golf courses and clubs exhibiting a sign “NO DOGS OR WOMEN IN FRONT OF THE CLUBHOUSE”.

That is why at Abbotsley we proudly proclaim “Dogs and women welcome”.

And that, traditionally, is why the dogs are mentioned first and the women second. For those who have never been acquainted with the niceties of some of these clubs it must seem a strange world. At Abbotsley women are of course welcome. But we also welcome well behaved dogs. Dogs are welcome on the course on leads. We have some special dog members allowed to play

off the lead but these have passed stringent golfing dog etiquette tests. Dogs are also welcome in certain bar areas, in areas of the patio and are most welcome in the hotel.

Please talk to reception when booking a golf break to ensure we book you into a dog friendly room with direct downstairs access.

There are plenty of open country walks and there is a special acre fenced dog walking wood, just near to the entrance to the Abbotsley complex. And we can definitely find you a shady parking space for that special canine friend! Abbotsley was awarded the Dog Welcome Hotel of the Year Award in 2010.

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Vivien Saunders Golfing legend, entrepreneur, hilarious after-dinner speaker, noted sports psychologist and award-winning author are just a few of the many strings to the bow of Vivien Saunders OBE, the owner of Abbotsley Golf Hotel.

A golfer of great distinction, Vivien won the second ever British Women’s Open Championship when she triumphed at Lindrick Golf Club in Yorkshire (some say it’s in Nottinghamshire) in 1977. She was a member of the team that won the Commonwealth Championships for Great Britain in 1967 and received an OBE in 1997 for services to golf.

Her amateur status was whisked away from her in 1968 when she dared to ask about the prospects for a woman to be a professional golfer. She then became the first European to get a player’s card on the LPGA in America.

The Executive Director of the PGA in the UK threatened her that if she ever started a

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women’s tour in this country he would see she never earned another penny from golf. So she started the WPGA (now the Ladies’ European Tour) in retaliation and still scratches the odd penny from the game!

Vivien once retrained to be a solicitor having become disillusioned with the game of golf.

Having won a long- running battle with golf’s hierarchy, she regained her amateur status and was runner-up in her first amateur tournament - the English Seniors Matchplay Championship. She then won the English Seniors Strokeplay Championship in 2004.

Her off-course achievements, though, are perhaps even more notable. Vivien has both

a BSc and PhD in psychology and was twice winner of the British Sports Coach of the Year Award. Her book, The Golfing Mind, was voted top sports instructional book in America and her methods have produced more than 30 national champions, amateur and professional.

Her services are very much in demand nowadays as an after-dinner speaker, a role to which she brings panache and hilarity. To make a booking for a visit to or from Vivien, email viv@viv.co.uk. Vivien also visits clubs and gives her world-renowned golf clinic – always in aid of charity. Most clinics are in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief, a cause close to her heart but can be geared to a local charity.

Vivien still lives on site at the golf course and can often be spotted playing along with her much-loved Cardigan Corgis, Annika and Ditto, and Edward, her talented cat who writes on her website: www.viviensaunders.com.

(Her other cat, Sophie, like many traditional females in golf, knows that her place is at home in the kitchen and she only ventures on the golf course at dusk!)

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Abbotsley Golf Academy The Abbotsley Golf Academy offers the very best in golf tuition. Customers can choose from a cordon bleu coaching menu that includes individual lessons, entertaining group clinics or residential golf schools..

But that’s not all. If you prefer to have an event designed specifically for you and your friends on a date to suit you, you are not alone. Many of our customers have busy lives and find it easier for us to fit round them than the other way around. Just get your group together, pick a date and let us do the rest. So whether you are a starter, a one-course wonder or someone just trying to find some consistency, there is something for you.

Abbotsley’s ABB FAB – our very special packages for women!

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Women golfers are particularly well catered for with Abbotsley’s ABB FAB programme proving a winner. As the name suggests, the emphasis is as much on having fun as making birdies!

Not everyone can be as committed or fully focused as a professional striving for perfection. Not everyone wants to be so committed.

But everyone can get better with the right application and tuition and for most everyday golfers the learning experience is greatly enhanced if it is offered in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. If there is one word to sum up Abbotsley’s ethos in its extensive teaching programme it would be enjoyment.

Students truly are in great hands.

ABB FAB Societies There are also special ABB FAB society packages catering for women visitors, with terribly healthy food, and just tweaked here and there with special female touches. ABB FAB includes some special open golf days, ladies’ lunches and some in-season and out-of-season extravaganzas.

www.abbotsley.com

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J Fenn Carpentry - Joinery

Fully insured with over 25yrs experience

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We have 30 years experience in calculating payrolls and dealing with the Inland Revenue.

• Are you fed up with piles of paperwork cluttering up your in tray?

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Email: jonfenn39@waitrose.com 41 Partridge Piece, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2UP

• Do you wish you could hand all the paperwork over to someone else to sort out?

If you answered yes to any one of these questions, then why not consider letting End 2 End Payroll take control.

T. 01767

691 690 M. 07789 681 786 E. shani@end2endpayroll.com

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Residential Golf School Abbotsley’s outstanding facilities with two wonderful 18-hole courses and a magnificent hotel on site means that we are able to offer a number of residential golf schools throughout the year.

This enables golfers to get away and concentrate on having a good time and improving their game without the distractions of normal everyday life. The three-day golf school offers an ideal game improvement package.

You will learn how to increase power and accuracy in your long game, get reliable distance control with your wedges, finesse with your chipping, make bunkers a blast and of course, knock in those putts.

We will be with you every step of the way, supervising your on-course performance with some gentle course management coaching.

The evenings leave you free to enjoy the comfort and relaxing environment of the Abbotsley Golf Hotel, join your fellow pupils for a meal in the Mill Restaurant and a drink in the Hayloft Bar, compare notes or watch your performance on the big screen!

The schools represent great value. All meals are included and each school is limited in numbers to ensure the personal touch.

Being totally immersed in the game alongside others who share your passion for the sport can be a truly invigorating and memorable experience. Benefit from:

• Clinics, individual tuition and on-course tuition • Unlimited use of the Abbotsley Golf Academy • Academy fact sheet and gift The Golfing Mind with Vivien Saunders: Vivien no longer teaches regular golf lessons. She does, however, run sports psychology courses. For details of these, or to arrange a Golfing Mind seminar for your club or county contact viv@viv.co.uk. Think of her courses as a kind of Victoria Wood on golf. You should laugh a lot of the time but absorb the serious messages and techniques drilled into you.

www.abbotsley.com

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WHY LEAVE TO CHANCE WHAT YOU COULD LEAVE TO YOUR LOVED ONES...

It is estimated that ONLY a third of UK adults have made their Will, which can lead to serious problems for those left behind.

• Appoint your Executors Or the government will decide who deals with your affairs.

• Appoint Guardians Or social services will decide what’s best for your children.

Lasting Power of Attorney Mirror Wills for Couples Single Will

Professional cleaning of carpet, upholstery, tile & grout & natural stone.

Est. 1989

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

£300.00 £175.00 £ 95.00

Telephone: FREE home visits and fixed prices Please call Custom Wills Ltd to book an appointment at a time to suit you 01767 682 609 m 07891 834 143 nicola@customwills.co.uk www.customwills.co.uk 33 Tempsford Road, Sandy Bedfordshire SG19 2AF

01480 411 032 Freephone:

0800 956 1861 Email: ian@ashcroftcarpetcleaners.co.uk www.ashcroft-carpet-cleaners.co.uk

Golf Breaks Combine two top quality golf courses (plus a splendid nine-hole course) together with a luxurious hotel and it is not surprising Abbotsley has become the destination of choice for discerning players seeking a superior destination in the UK for a golfing break.

We offer midweek breaks throughout the entire year, offering stays of between one and five days, with two rounds of golf available each day.

It really is a golfer’s dream come true, with the chance to relax and unwind using the hotel’s superb facilities.

As an added bonus, for golf breaks of three days or more we can often offer more great golf at our sister course, Cambridge Meridian, just 12 miles away. See them on www.golfsocieties.com.

We also of course offer weekend breaks all year round, with a variety of packages, some combining play on both Abbotsley and Cromwell Course.

There are various special events and golf festivals throughout the year – with specials for women, specials for over-50’s, special competition weeks and special weeks for golfing dogs and their owners. So keep checking our website, www.abbotsley.com, for the latest offers.

For more details or to book a golf break, call the club on 01480 474000 or e-mail book@abbotsley.com

For the hardy golfer there is also the chance to play unlimited complimentary golf on one of our winter breaks, with dinner, bed and full English breakfast also included. The minimum stay is two nights and it is worth noting that there is no single supplement midweek on many winter midweek packages.

www.abbotsley.com

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Priory St NeotS

Welcome to the Priory, our lively pub offers a warm welcome and friendly service.

Independent Florist

We pride ourselves on great pub food and friendly atmosphere. it’s also a great place for entertainment offering various events throughout the week. Come along and enjoy the experience, we hope to see you soon.

Calla’s are passionate about all aspects of Floristry catering for all budgets. From the dressing & design for Weddings to Corporate functions, right through to wonderfully unique Arrangements, Bouquets and Tributes for all Occasions.

We deliver in Sandy, St Neots, Biggleswade, Gamlingay, Potton and all neighbouring areas 6 days a week within 10 miles.

Orders £29.99 and over free delivery Tel no.

01767 262094

www.callasflorist.co.uk Unit 1 Tamworth, 7 Potton Road The Heath, Gamlingay, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2JH

tel:

01480 404252

email: priory.stneots@marstons.co.uk 7-9 Market Square, St Neots, Cambs, PE19 2AR

www.priorypubstneots.co.uk

The Mill Restaurant at Abbotsley Abbotsley is not just gaining a name as a superior destination for discerning golfers. Our excellent Mill Restaurant has earned a reputation in its own right for those in search of fine dining for that special celebration or for Sunday lunch with the family.

This award-winning venue is open seven days a week for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Our Head Chef will design a menu for your anniversary, birthday or special dining experience. Let us host your business breakfast, ladies’ lunch or birthday celebration.

If you are looking for something a little more sophisticated, then Sundays at the Mill Restaurant are for you. Choose from traditional Sunday fare or something more exotic and from a single course to a threecourse feast. We combine fabulous food together with friendly service at very reasonable prices. At Abbotsley we also serve Sunday lunch from noon until 4pm.

The late option gives time for all those other weekend activities before putting on the glad rags and collecting the family. Stay long enough and let Sunday lunch merge into afternoon tea before ambling home for a quick recharge of the batteries and work the next day!

The latest menu is available to download from our website. Phone 01480 474000 for more details or to make a reservation.

www.abbotsley.com

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We know every second of a child’s education is precious and to ensure they get the very best start in life, we provide a home from home environment where every day is filled with new learning adventures. With music, languages, drama, swimming and sport all introduced from an early age, the curriculum goes way beyond national expectations and our small classes ensure each child receives individual care and attention. Open 7.30am till 6pm during term time and with year round holiday clubs.

Give us a call

01234 261864 for boys and girls aged 12 months - 9 years

www.polamschool.co.uk

Email us now to book your advert in next year’s brochure and receive a 10% earlybird discount earlybird@ludis-publications.co.uk

Your business will benefit from continuous exposure to these affluent markets

Sheringham_2014.indd 1

13/05/2014 17:09:48

Publishers of prestigious brochures for 200 of the UK’s finest Golf, Cricket & Yacht Clubs.

If you would like to find out more and discover other promotion opportunities please send an email to earlybird@ludis-publications.co.uk or give us a call.

Ludis Publications T:

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Weddings - Civil Ceremonies & Civil Partnerships Abbotsley is an approved venue for holding civil marriages and civil partnerships and its location - set in beautifully picturesque countryside in the heart of Cambridgeshire - has made it a popular choice.

It is a photographer’s dream. We can talk you through the process of holding your ceremony at Abbotsley; you then make the ceremony arrangements with the Registrar. We have a choice of rooms to use, depending on your guest numbers.

Wedding receptions and other functions At Abbotsley we recognise that your wedding day should be one of the most important and memorable days of your life.

Our friendly, professional staff are on

hand every step of the way to make sure the day goes smoothly. This allows the happy couple, their friends and family to relax and enjoy the occasion to the full.

We have an extensive range of menus to suit all events, ranging from finger buffets and three-course dinners to Christmas lunches and summer BBQ’s.

In hosting your wedding and/or reception we pride ourselves on perfect planning and preparation to create a very special day for you.

To discuss your requirements and to make an appointment to visit Abbotsley, phone 01480 474000 or email events@abbotsley.com

There is equal attention to detail given to the many functions we host throughout the year.

Events we can and have hosted in the past with great success include: • Private Lunches • Parties and Buffets • Dinner Dances • Christenings • Birthday Parties • Anniversaries • Weddings • Christmas Parties • New Year Eve Parties • Summer BBQ’s • Race Nights • Casino Evenings • Themed Evenings • Funeral Receptions

www.abbotsley.com

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A Snap Shot of

A Fantastic Day Out at Roxton Garden Centre

Superb Plant Area

Delicious Food

ke-up Hair and Ma

by Molby’s Maze at Roxton

Christmas Displays in October

Visit Roxton Garden Centre for...

A Great Garden Centre & Unique Shopping Experience • Huge Selection of Gift Ideas • Furniture & Soft Furnishings • Stockists of Charlie Bears • Card Making & Craft Departments • Great Restaurant

Bedford Road Roxton, Bedford Bedfordshire, MK44 3DY Tel: 01480 212701

www.britishgardencentres.com

Please come and see our professional team for a free consultation Hair and Make-up for all special occasions

www.abbotsley.com

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Corporate Abbotsley offers an array of opportunities for business people looking to make the most of our extensive facilities.

The hotel and grounds, in easy reach of the major routes including the A14 and A1, provide the perfect environment to hold your day conference with allinclusive overnight packages also available.

We cater for all size conferences from as few as 10 delegates up to a maximum of 40. Various conference room set-ups are available and we are delighted to offer attractive rates on:

46

www.abbotsley.com

• Training Days and Seminars • Day Delegate Packages • Half Day Packages • 24 hr Delegate Packages • Board Meetings With the added benefit of 42 en-suite bedrooms, there is a competitively-priced 24-hour delegate package available, which includes overnight accommodation, a three-course meal from our table d’hote menu plus breakfast.

Should you require any specific package (e.g. inclusive golf for team-building workshops) we will gladly deal with your requests and customise a conference package to suit your needs.

Our corporate golf day packages include our very popular Albatross Package which really does set the standard for a special golf experience. We can include all your oncourse advertising, points of sale, promotional opportunities and give the place a real corporate buzz.

Please call our sales team on 01480 474000 for further information if you wish to enquire about our conference facilities or email us at book@abbotsley.com

Social Activities Two wonderful golf courses should be reason enough to become part of either the Abbotsley or the Cromwell, but both clubs have an active social scene too. The members are renowned for their friendliness and, if not trying to break par, like nothing better than to spend an evening in each other’s company.

Two of the underlying values championed by both forward- thinking clubs are that they should be all-inclusive and welcoming people in rather than turning them away and that their members should have fun, both whilst golfing and afterward.

The Abbotsley Club has a range of tournaments open to all, including the St Patrick’s Day special and another on Shrove Tuesday, which features the unforgettablynamed Tosser Trophy. The Abbotsley members eventually agreed that Shrove Tuesday could not be on their usual golfing Wednesday and now it is a firm favourite.

Both clubs enjoy numerous social matches and mixed matches, so there is ample opportunity to make new friends and acquaintances.

The Mill Restaurant at the hotel hosts special dining events for notable occasions throughout the year including on St Patrick’s Day, on Mother’s Day, at Easter and Christmas and to celebrate the New Year.

www.abbotsley.com

47

M AV ERI CK IS COMING

designmaverick.co.uk

Cromwell Golf Club

How to Find Us & Contact Us Abbotsley Golf Club is just three miles south of the historic Cambridgeshire market town of St Neots, 20 miles from Cambridge to the east and less than 30 miles from Peterborough to the north. To put it bluntly, it is clinging to the edge of civilization 40 miles north from the M25 up the A1(M).

M11. Remain on this road for about 8 miles until Eltisley, taking the left turning onto the B1040. After two miles, turn right onto Gransden Road (B1046), go through the village of Abbotsley for 3.8 miles and turn sharply back left on Potton Road. Cromwell Golf Club and Fitness Centre are on the right.

Abbotsley Golf Hotel is further along on the left.

For satellite navigation purposes, our postcode is PE19 6XN.

From the North

Directions From Cambridge, the East, Essex, Kent and East Sussex Pick up the A428 out of the City centre or from Junction 13 of the

Take the A1. At the only remaining roundabout on the A1 after leaving Scotland (at Buckden) travel 6.3 miles to the major junction with the A428. Travel 1.2 miles towards Cambridge. Turn left by Tesco onto the Barford Road, (B1043) go through 3

roundabouts and at the 4th roundabout take the 3rd exit onto Cromwell Road, right at the lights into Potton Road, (B1046), after a mile fork right into Potton Road. Cromwell Golf Club and Fitness Centre are on the right.

Abbotsley Golf Hotel is further along on the left.

From the West Take the A14 and turn south on to the A1 (the first roundabout you come to) before following the directions in “From the North� above.

www.abbotsley.com

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Cromwell Golf Club

How to Find Us & Contact Us (continued) From London and the South/South West, West Sussex Until the widening of the M1 is fully completed we recommend using the A1(M) and A1 from the M25. Take the major junction A428 towards Cambridge before following the directions in “From the North” above.

Public transport - The nearest railway station is St Neots, which is around three miles (or a ten-minute taxi ride) away. First Capital Connect run two trains an hour to London King’s Cross. Journey time on the fastest service is approximately 54 minutes. This connects with a short walk to St. Pancras International and trains to the continent. St. Neots is on the main line from Edinburgh/Leeds etc. into Kings

50

www.abbotsley.com

Cross, with a very straightforward change at Peterborough.

Park and Ride - For travel into Cambridge we recommend the Park and Ride at Madingley, straight along the A428 near junction 13 of the M11. (Reverse the instructions above on how to find us from Cambridge – and don’t forget the bus pass!)

We look forward to welcoming you to Abbotsley Golf Hotel. If you have any questions or would like further information then please do not hesitate to contact us.

Abbotsley Golf Hotel, Potton Road St Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 6XN

Tel: 01480 474000 Fax 01480 471018 Vivien Saunders, OBE - Managing Director Email: viv@abbotsley.com Peter McCawley - Estate Manager Email: peter@abbotsley.com Golf Professional Staff Email: proshop@abbotsley.com Website: www.abbotsley.com General Enquiries Email: book@abbotsley.com

G&M

Tree & Landscapes • Tree Surgery • Landscaping • Hedge Cutting • Fencing Full Liability Insurance Free Quotations Friendly & Professional Service

Contact: George Seabright T: 01767 677953 M: 07909 915 978 info.treeandgardensolutions@gmail.com

Abbotsley Golf Hotel Abbotsley Golf Hotel, Potton Road, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 6XN Tel: 01480 474000 | Fax 01480 471018

www.abbotsley.com

LUDIS Publications

www.ludis-publications.co.uk info@ludis-publications.co.uk 01273 616477