Taskers season ends with local team triumphs; nominations open for the Midlands PGA awards; short course benefits for senior golfers.
THE PINBOARD
Mother and daughter create Ludlow GC history; one lip out, one in the hole on Kington’s 18th; Nathan’s charity day albatross.
JUNIOR NEWS
Alfie’s exciting progress; Ben Bolton is a successful wanderer; Maisie times her first albatross perfectly.
LADIES SECTION – With Mandy Warley Woods ladies, queens of the greens! Pat, still golfing at 95; Jude continues the Oswestry GC family tree.
SOCIETY NEWS – With sponsors, Club Choice Ireland.
DMH season review including a first ace; Mulligans GS charity day at The Belfry.
PROMOTIONS – Winter deals, memberships, society and golf breaks packages for 2025 from a host of Midlands clubs.
FEATURE REVIEW –Moseley Golf Club, Birmingham
SUSTAINABILITY – Round ups of valuable 2024 work for the environment at Stonebridge and Chapelen-le-Frith
MGALS – Review of our Shifnal GC autumn event for ladies and mixed groups + a preview of 2025’s MGALS 36-hole trip to Herefordshire.
SPECIAL FEATURES
THE SODFATHERS – For our local greenkeepers - One successful charity day and two progress reports from new Midlands Course Managers.
GOLFING IN IRELAND –Looking for a quality 2025 golf break in the Emerald Isle? MG owner Ian and son take the ferry for a 54-hole break to the east coast with Club Choice Ireland.
Front Cover Image – Moseley Golf Club, Birmingham
FROM THE
EDITOR
PHIL NICHOLAS
Mid-November, not the easiest time of the year to be a golfer but as I write this (Oct 30th) the autumn weather hasn’t been too bad so far.
It’s helped a little to give us some good days of golfing as we concluded our competitive fundraising season, Mandy’s MGALS event at Shifnal and her Mulligan’s GS charity day at The Belfry both went well and there’s a report from both later on in the magazine. Also,
we organised a small invitational day out at South Staffs GC in October, we called it our ‘thanks for helping us reach 100 issues of the magazine’ and invited some special folks, ex-MG staff and ambassadors, valued society captains and two local greenkeepers as well in joining us. Not to mention SSGC’s Gareth who hosted us and represented the supportive club GMs we’ve got to know over the years. He was equally as deserving a thank you as everyone else.
We’re all pictured here by the first tee.
Just a shame that the most meriting of thanks person of all, MG designer Chris wasn’t with us. The only one who’s been alongside me since issue one, but unfortunately his brief dalliance with golfing in 2018/19 is now a distant memory, thanks Chris anyway!
Issue 101 here is our final one of the year, it’s been a successful one for us and a big thanks to all the readers and followers who support the magazine. Booking up trips to the clubs who advertise with us is the number one reason we’re still the one and only regional golfing publication in the Midlands. Not to mention all of the positive comments and feedback we receive which only adds
more fuel to the fire.
We look forward to another exciting year ahead in 2025 – starting with 102 in February
Until then, we’re keeping busy, stay in touch with us via the MG website and on our social media channels, lots going on there both before and after the festive season. Have a good one from all of us..
GOLF ACHIEVER OF THE AUTUMN
JAKE’S THIRD ACE IS JUST THE BEGINNING
Jake Jeff-Johnston is a Midlands golfer and been playing since he was six years old. He plays off 1.8 handicap and is a member of Bromsgrove Golf Club. Jake has had quite a year in 2024.
September
Guy Carr receiving a special trophy for his hole in one on the 11th hole at Beamish Park Golf Club in County Durham in September. Guy found out and managed to catch up with Jake on the 15th hole so he could collect the actual ball and mount it to the trophy. This is Jake's third hole in one aged 13 and he did not realise a trophy was made for him at the end of the three-day event.
This was part of a season where Jake retained his British Junior Order of Merit title with two rounds to spare. The 13-year-old clinched the title in the under-14 division having moved up from the under-12 age group that he won in 2023.
During the latter part of this trophy laden year, Jake also won the British Junior Golf Tour’s prestige event, the Tour Championship at the Royal Norwich Golf Club in October as well as the European under-13 three-day Championship at Le Touquet in France.
Jake has now qualified for the Junior World Championship in San Diego, California which takes place in July 2025.
Jake said: “I’m really pleased to have won the order of merit as I’m one of the younger players in the under-14 division. To also win the Tour Championship in bad weather conditions was icing on the cake.”
His successes are all the more impressive considering his health
challenges. He has to manage his Type 1 diabetes – a chronic life-threatening autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas produces little or no insulin. After receiving his diagnosis at the age of eightyears-old, Jake must monitor his blood sugar levels while playing golf and administer insulin when required.
He holds a long-term ambition to obtain a golf scholarship in America and to play for the England boys’ squad. You wouldn’t bet against him achieving both.
Firstly, Jake’s father Mark got in touch early
with this. Jake is pictured here with the U14 North of England organiser
MIKE’S LEGACY LIVES ON AT ANNUAL GAUDET LUCE EVENT
Written for MG by Barry Adams
We lost my little brother Mike back in 2009 to Diabetes. We had his bench positioned on the
1st tee at Gaudet Luce GC, where Mike had been a member for some years until his death in February 2009.
Every year since then
Gaudet Luce have let me host a memorial day in his honour, now in its 15th year. We welcome life-long golfing friends & family from all over the country & abroad each
DELIGHT FOR ORMONDE FIELDS AND WHITTINGTON HEATH TEAMS AT TASKERS FINALS
came to a conclusion at Nottingham’s Beeston Fields on finals day, Sunday October 20th.
The event had been rescheduled from its original September date, postponed due to storms and wet weather. On October 20th it was only
year in September.
On Sunday September 8th we saw 60 golfers from school, work, other clubs & societies join together to remember Mike. A day of fun, friendships, great memories, excellent food & service & on occasion some tremendous golf.
With the gifts, mulligans, prizes, raffle donations from our members & individual sponsors also attending, we are proud to donate our cash contributions to Diabetes UK after each annual event.
Our funds raised after our event last Sunday has seen our contributions
reach £8,534.
http://www.justgiving. com/barry-adams/
This truly is a wonderful event, filled with laughter & filled with great banter from more happier times that Mike would have loved this day. Past golfers who have now hung up their clubs years ago still make an effort to attend this event.
Our range of prizes is vast & our evening presentation supported by other non-golfing friends can see the highlighted raffle events run to well over 100 prizes, all donated from our members.
marginally better so credit to all that took part.
The competition is an annual season-long knockout Inter-Club Midlands & Yorkshire event for over-50s golfers, all proceeds going towards supporting junior golf in the counties.
In the main Taskers Trophy Leicestershire’s Rothley Park took on Ormonde Fields from Derbyshire and it was the latter who succeeded to become the champions for 2024 (pic 1.) In the ladies version, the Ian Burtoft
Trophy, Staffordshire’s Whittington Heath emerged triumphant following their final victory over Copt Heath, (pic 2.)
Finally, the Taskers Trophy also runs a ‘plate’ competition and New Mills GC (surely the best dressed!) made it a men’s
Derbyshire double with a win over Denton GC, (pic 3.) Congratulations to all teams who took part on the day.
The 2024 Taskers Trophy season
NEWS ROUND UP
NEW COURSE MANAGER AT LICHFIELD FOLLOWS RECENT £1.2 MILLION INVESTMENT…
Back in 2022, Lichfield Golf and Country Club committed to a twoyear plan of course works as part of the masterplan developed by Jonathan Gaunt, the industry leading golf architect. The project has proved to be a great success with both members and visitors of the Staffordshire-based club, who are thoroughly enjoying the improved golf facilities.
The £1.2 million investment covered new bunkers, drainage to existing ones, and bunker infills to ensure the course layout reflects the foibles of the modern game. The club has also
Marcus Malcolm was a popular golfer at Bloxwich GC in Walsall. He tragically died of heart failure at the young age of 51
He was having tests a couple of weeks before he passed away. He complained of chest pain when golfing the day
seen a vast improvement of the practice facilities introducing a Strike Shack driving range powered by Toptracer.
To build to this success, Lichfield are now delighted to welcome new course manager Ed Beard, who alongside his team is looking forward to contributing his ideas following on from the investment.
“Recently moving to Lichfield as course manager has afforded me the opportunity to use my knowledge and experience to build on the huge investment in the bunker renovation programme and really
before. He fell asleep downstairs, and his wife found him already gone on the morning after.
Marcus led an active lifestyle, alcohol & take away food didn’t help his condition we’d imagine, but he was sporty from a young age, football and then golf being a huge part of his life
Marcus was a much loved, outgoing fun type of guy. Hence, why everyone supports his day so well each year.
This year was the club’s 10th charity golf day in his memory, proceeds went to the New Cross
PGA MEMBERS AWARDS 2024
begin to develop the courses. With huge investment comes huge responsibility and there is much to do, but the members and visitors are seeing the difference already and feedback has been great.”
Future plans at the club include continuing work to drive down the organic matter levels just under the surface of the greens to help with percolation of water through the profile, allowing bent grass to flourish building a better rooting system to reduce the onset of disease. The team will also be using the new bunkers as a base for new fairway and approach shaping to improve playability.
Hospital’s Heart and Lung department, £4,100 was raised.
The presentation image here shows Marcus’s son Noel pictured with event organiser Joyce Hunt and Cardiothoracic Surgeon Nicolas Nikolaidis MD, FRCS
The Midlands PGA is thrilled to announce the launch of its newly revamped PGA Members Awards. The awards are designed to recognise exceptional PGA members who positively and proactively impact golf in the Midlands. This is your chance to acknowledge the dedication, expertise, and passion of PGA members across various roles within the Midlands golfing community.
• Do you know a PGA member who goes the extra mile?
• A PGA Professional whose professionalism and dedication are felt in the pro shop, on the practice ground, or with your club’s members?
• A PGA coach or manager who genuinely makes a difference at your club?
• A PGA member whose charitable contributions changed lives in your community?
If you do, the Midlands PGA invites you to honour these exceptional
PGA members by nominating them for one of the Midlands PGA Awards 2024.
From the precision and knowledge of a talented PGA professional, to the relentless efforts of a PGA coach inspiring the next generation, or the leadership of a PGA manager driving club success—these individuals make an undeniable impact on golf. The Midlands PGA is also proud to celebrate those PGA members whose charitable work has left a lasting mark with the esteemed Toby Sunderland Award for Charitable Service.
Anyone can nominate a PGA member for the awards, and completing a nomination is quick and easy. To do so, complete a nomination form (QR code below) and explain why your nominee stands out and what they have achieved in 2024.
Closing date for nominations: November 30th.
NEWS ROUND UP
SENIOR THOUGHTSTHE BENEFITS OF THE SHORT COURSE NOTTS CLUBS UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP
By Adrian Friar – ExSeniors Men’s Caption Marston Lakes, Lea Marston Hotel, Sutton Coldfield
I have been the captain of the senior section at Marston Lakes this year. My top priority for the year was to get members out on the course.
Golf to some may be all about the competitions, team matches and handicaps, but for the most of us it means something much more important. It’s about maintaining both our mental and physical health and it’s about getting out onto the course and meeting up with friends.
Short 9-hole courses like Marston Lakes and Darnford Moors give seniors the opportunity to play multiple time in a week. How? Because at just 2023 yards long, the stresses and strains placed on the body are not such that it gets too fatigued and can’t recover quickly enough. It can and does, and the benefits to playing several times a week are many. Apart from getting out and socialising and keeping isolation at
bay, a person’s muscular strength, power and endurance can be maintained and even increased. It can also help movement, coordination and circulation and certainly lower your stress levels! What other sport can you play well into your 80s?
And if you have never heard of ‘Microdosing’; it simply means:
Being subjected to repeated small doses of training and it is the new training method for elite sportsmen and women of many sports. This is simply about finding a person’s minimal effective dose for maintaining their fitness, core strength and stamina - and where there is no element of fatigue or stress on the body. And this is what small courses like Marston Lakes provide –microdosing of a kind – the perfect minimal effective dose.
At Marston Lakes even our senior seniors (over 75) get out several
Beeston Fields has become the second golf club in Nottinghamshire to be taken over by new private investment companies in the last six months.
The club that has been in the same family since it was founded 101 years ago has been acquired by the Cilldara Group, based in Henley in Arden, Warwickshire.
The new owner has given its assurances that it wishes to maintain the running of the two businesses, the golf club and the wedding and events venue on the same site, the Walled Garden.
times a week. They are able to play nine or 18 holes on the main course or nine or 18 holes on our Par 3 Pitch and Putt course. A good captain looks after the men in his section and encourages them to play what suits their level of fitness.
Contributors needed
- If you’re a lady or gent senior golfer with some thoughts like Adrian here and would like to contribute towards a full-scale senior golf section in the magazine in 2025, we’d love to hear from you – email Phil editor@midlandsgolfer. co.uk for more information.
Members and guests will be able to continue enjoying the facilities as usual, while future bookings at the Walled Garden will be unaffected.
Former managing director Philippa Marshall said: “This has been a very difficult decision for us. Beeston Fields has been owned by the Mitchell family
since my great-uncle, former Lord Mayor of Nottingham Fred Mitchell, founded the golf club in 1923."
Cilldara’s managing director, Jim Kelly, stated “We are grateful to Philippa and her family for trusting the Cilldara Group with the next phase of the history of these successful businesses. We look forward to working with our new colleagues during these exciting times.”
In July this year, the troubled Newark Golf Club, founded in 1901 was rescued from potential insolvency by Stellar Asset Management, with a pledge to safeguard the future of the club and provide investment for improvements to the course and facilities. Newark became the fourth golf club and the first private member’s club in the company’s growing portfolio.
Source: The Golf Business
AN ACE PLACE TO BE
Daryl St-John Jones, PGA professional and GM at Oakmere Golf Club in Notts has been a good friend to the magazine in our time of history. More importantly he’s done a lot for the golf club too in his 28 years at the helm. Last month Daryl bowed out and is heading for a life of retirement. All the best to you for the future
OUR PINBOARD IS NOW ONLINE TOO
Sitting underneath the hole-in-one section on the news tab. More room than ever to tell your wonderful on course stories. We also have a section for holes-in-ones too so if you grab an ace take a pic and let us know www.midlandsgolfer.co.uk/news/pinboard
Daryl, he’s pictured here (with golf bag) amongst staff and members at one of a few leaving dos they put on for him.
An extraordinary afternoon at Kington Golf Club on October 12th. It occurred on the Herefordshire club’s signature 18th, the 279yard par four which curves and plunges toward the clubhouse in the far corner. Hole in one albatrosses do happen here and the first photo from that afternoon shows what has to be the most agonising near miss ever from a society member in their final grouping. But amazingly, in the very NEXT group out, Lewis (pictured) playing in a fourball of guys from Hereford managed one tenth of a degree straighter
and found the bottom of the hole. At least the ‘near miss’ chap had himself a free consolation drink we hope!
My name is Shaun Messer, I am a member of West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) 'E' Division golf society. On a recent three course tour of Wales, which included Nefyn, Royal St David's and Porthmadog I managed to score my third hole in one at Porthmadog on September 13th, on the 183-yard (yellow) 13th hole. It was witnessed by the group in front, Robin Hendon took photo of the eventful moment.
Pictured here are Sally Humphries and Janet Roberts following their triumph in the coveted Shrimpton Salver, played annually at Ludlow Golf Club in Shropshire.
The salver was donated to the club by exMidlands champion Sally Shrimpton 40 years ago.
Janet and Sally’s feat was unique as they became the first mother and daughter
pair to win the event.
Janet, aged 83, is a lifelong member and daughter
Sally, aged 58, formerly at Knighton GC, has been a Ludlow member for over 10 years.
After trying for no less than 30 years, on Wednesday October 23rd, in the Gaudet Luce GC seniors medal, Roger Smith finally managed his first ever hole in one. On the 12th hole as well, at 201 yards in length, with trees, banking and a water hazard too, that’s an impressive first ace, well done Roger!
Steve Bagshaw enjoyed a hole in one on the 130yard 17th hole at Wrekin Golf Club on 22nd July 2024. This was his first one at Wrekin and his second in his 40 years of playing golf. The ace came in a senior competition which he also won shooting a nett 64. Steve plays off 8.5 handicap.
The people of Gaudet Luce GC in Droitwich were thrilled to be part of an incredible night supporting St Richard's Hospice at the Waddle of Worcester charity auction, having supported the cause all through 2024. After intense bidding and a fantastic lineup of completely unique items, the October event raised an astounding £330,000 in total!
And, in the midst of the excitement, they couldn’t resist bringing one home themselves to take up permanent residence. The one that will be joining them will be the penguin they sponsored from the very start and became attached with, look out for it when you next visit the club.
OTHER HOLES-IN-ONES THIS MONTH
Andrew Jubber Holme Hall 4th 131 yards
Ian Crute Stratford-on-Avon 2nd 166 yards *
Stuart Collett Stratford-on-Avon 16th 148 yards *
*Ian and Stuart’s came on the same day and in the same competition, the Sheldon Bowl.
Roo Smith Nor thants County 15th 167 yards
Daz Cotterill Drayton Park 11th 149 yards
Sam Saunt Scraptoft 6th 146 yards
Biagio Cortese Windmill Village 2nd 122 yards
Nathan Maddocks achieved an albatross and hole in one during the Tame Cleaning & Maintenance golf charity
day in aid of Birmingham Hospice attended by over 60 golfers on Friday 4th October.
His ace came on the par four 3rd, 300 yards in length, at Pype Hayes Golf Club. The event raised over 5k for the hospice and Nathan’s hole in one was undoubtedly the highlight of an amazing day. He’s pictured 2nd right on the photo above.
Andy Broad, a Wrekin GC member managed two aces in a five-week period at the club in late summer/early autumn.
Firstly (pic 1) on August 31st he shot one on the 115yard 2nd hole, then on October 5th, playing in the first winter stableford of the season Andy bagged himself another one, this time on the 12th hole, 170 yards in length, (pic 2.) Well done Andy.
THE GREAT BARR DIAMONDS - WHAT A TOUR TO NORTH WALES
September 2024 –
Written by Paul Cooper
En route to Llandudno we stopped to play Padeswood and Buckley, a parkland course with plenty of different challenges. Taking the honours on the first day were Reg Bonehill, Ernie Watts, Tom Kennedy and Mark Hudman.
On Wednesday, our second day it was off to Prestatyn Golf Club where after a great breakfast and a quick hello to Michael Owen it was on to a great course and a brilliant day of golf in the Welsh sun. A fantastic ending to the day again as the last fourball came up the 18th. The club’s balcony full with our Diamonds and members of Prestatyn watching as Paul Cooper and Les Tomkins both putting out from the edge of the green and getting a great reception from those watching from above.
The winners on day two, Chris Packington, Steve Reece, Pete Beale and Pete Fisher, who had played the links course well and walked away with the individual first place.
Thursday, our last day of golf was played At Rhuddlan Golf Club. The course was in fantastic condition it was after seeing the course in the Midland Golfer magazine that we chose to play Rhuddlan. And what a great parkland course it is.
After playing 18 holes in the sun it was time for food and a refill of liquid.
The winners of the last day at Rhuddlan were Dave Buffery, Paul Smith, Phil Flanagan and Chris Baines.
A memorable trip, we will be back in 2025.
DMH (DON’T
MENTION
HANDICAPS) GS – 2024 REVIEW WHAT A YEAR IT WAS.
Written by DMH organiser Dan Peach
We began our year at Bewdley Pines, a regular opener for us as it’s one of the few courses that holds up fantastically well in rainy British weather in March. Wayne Furber won, and won comfortably, shooting a silly 46 points. A score which he has continued to receive abuse for all year long!
At Stoneleigh Deer Park in May, Matt Hayward came out on top of the field, scoring 34 points, edging out Mark Robbins on countback. Next we headed to Robin Hood for our first major of the season, the DMH Open, with Pete Bailey claiming a maiden major victory with 35 points. Maxstoke Park held our following event, where Dan Peach claimed the win with 40 points.
July saw us head to the Bristol based Players Club, for the 8th annual Ryder Cup. Team USA was led by Andy Lakin with Joe Jones leading Europe. Pairs betterball on day one, with
USA taking a lead of 4 ½ - 2 ½ into Sunday where Joe Jones scored an early blow for Europe in the captain’s match, taking Andy down 6&5. The remainder of the day was very close, but USA edged the singles 7 ½ - 6 ½ and claimed their 7th title with a winning score of 12-9.
During the same weekend, another major, the Lug Jug, and Steve Lawrence took it with an impressive score of 74 on two difficult courses.
Walmley in August, where we had the penultimate major, the DMH Masters. Tom Butlin winning his 2nd major title. Our penultimate event was played at Redditch, Martin Furber took the win on 39 points.
Then came finals weekend, and the season long race for the KO Shield and Order of Merit was concluded at St Pierre, Chepstow. Saturday
saw the KO Shield final keenly contested between Liam Hogan and Martin Furber. It took three extra playoff holes before Martin finally claimed his first KO Shield win. Sunday was the conclusion of the Order of Merit race. There were more than a few people in contention, but Wayne, who led for most of the season, beat off the competition and claimed back-to-back Order of Merit titles.
Sunday also saw a society and player first - a hole in one! Joe Jones notched his first on the 11th hole, 129 yards with a gap wedge.
Capping off another tremendous season full of great courses, laughs, club breaks and more. Roll on 2025!
PIONEERING, LIFE-CHANGING TREATMENT FOR KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS
As we age, we generally have to put up with an increasing amount of aches and pains. We’re wiser in our ways yet also potentially facing increasing health challenges.
As golfers, playing a quite physically demanding sport on a regular basis, our continued enjoyment can be threatened by all sorts of muscle and joint based ailments. Our knees take a lot of strain over a lifetime and are often one of the most troubled joints.
Whether it is a wider stance, restricted shoulder sway, or the average 6+ miles of walking the course, there are a number of ways to relieve the
impact of golf on our knees that over time can lead to symptoms of pain, function and mobility.
Knee Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition that progressively deteriorates, leading to pain and loss of function. This form of arthritis primarily affects the knee, eroding the cartilage that cushions the bones and causing them to grind against one another. This friction results in stiffness, swelling, and discomfort in the joint
The exact cause of knee osteoarthritis remains unclear, and there has been no definitive cure for the condition. Knee replacement surgery is often considered the last resort.
Dr. Mark Gillett can offer an alternative, non-surgical option. Arthrosamid® is a new class of injectable therapy to treat adults with knee osteoarthritis. It is a single-dose injection that delivers long lasting pain relief and improving the quality of life for patients with knee osteoarthritis.
As an intra-articular polyacrylamide hydrogel injection (iPAAG), Arthrosamid® specifically targets the symptomatic management of knee osteoarthritis. It rejuvenates the synovial fluid’s
cushioning. Furthermore, Arthrosamid® integrates with the synovium in the knee’s inner joint capsule, offering a protective cushioning effect.
“There has been little successful innovation in treating osteoarthritis over the past twenty years, and apart from surgery, there are few treatment options that can offer long-term benefits to patients.”
“I am thrilled to be able to offer this highly promising new product to change the landscape for treating debilitating knee arthritis.
My Philosophy is to treat conservatively the conditions of the joints to allow my patients to return to an active lifestyle. Therefore, having this unique product available is making a real difference for those patients I see in my clinics.” –
Dr Mark Gillett
THE SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE GOLF CLUB
SOCIETY BOOKING FOR XMAS
BACON BAP WITH COFFEE, 18 HOLES FOLLOWED BY A 3 COURSE XMAS DINNER, £75PP.
Contact Gareth to book.
For more details or to reserve your day, please contact our Club Manager Gareth Anthony on 01902 751065 Or email garethanthony@southstaffsgc.co.uk Danescourt Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, WV6 9BQ • www.southstaffordshiregolfclub.co.uk
2025 GOLF BREAKS
Heart of Wales at Affordable Prices
If you’re looking for an undiscovered golfing land of true beauty and excellence adjacent to our region this summer, allow us to point your way west and recommend the delightful Heart of Wales.
Not only is this a wonderful region of countryside charm to enjoy a golfing
break, Heart of Wales Golf Breaks make it all very convenient too. They have a cluster package of four super golf courses and a range of accommodation options designed to offer their visitors a challenging and rewarding golfing experience, and a comfy stay too.
Heart of Wales Golf Breaks supply five options for your play and stay break, from selfcatering cottages to B&Bs and 4* hotels, all provide comfort and a wonderful level of service.
Full details of all accommodation options are on the Heart of Wales website www.heartofwalesgolfbreaks.co.uk or contact Justin on 01597 828598
OFFERS YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY ON FOUR UNIQUE GOLF COURSES WHICH ARE THE JEWELS IN THE CROWN OF MID WALES GOLF COURSES.
All your golf and accommodation can be arranged with one phone call. Call Justin on 01597 828598 it could not be easier
MAD MARCH PROMO starting from £160.00 per person Includes: 2 nights accommodation with breakfast plus 3 rounds of golf
Builth Wells
2025 SOCIETIES & AWAY DAYS
MEMBERSHIP OFFER
SocietyBookings Tailormadetosuit
MEMBERSHIP OFFER
- ALSO AT SANDWELL PARK -
MEMBER’S GUESTS AND
Welcome seven days a week
FUNCTIONS/SOCIAL EVENTS
For all occasions, function space for over 100 guests and private rooms available. New catering team.
Package Benefits : *
Great winter golf for 4 months. Get a £100 discount on full 2025 membership when you sign up for this package.
Book tee times up to 7 days in advance.
Reasons to Subscribe:
Enjoy access to MDGC even when others are closed.
Experience the best course in the county all year round.
SOCIETY GOLFING
Seven day a week availability all sizes of groups prices from £45pp
MOSELEY GOLF CLUB
Moseley Golf Club epitomizes the essence of a premium city centre golf club. Nestled in the heart of the city, Moseley offers a unique and memorable experience. As you approach, the bustling urban environment transforms into a tranquil oasis on the fairways, making it a delightful discovery for first-time visitors who will also appreciate the club’s warm camaraderie and rich history.
Established in 1892, Moseley Golf Club boasts a course designed by the renowned Harry Colt in the 1920s, which has remained largely unchanged. The club frequently hosts England Golf Championship events and various professional tournaments, highlighting the
exceptional quality of its course year-round, particularly its fast, undulating greens.
From the first tee, the promise of quality golf is evident and only grows
challenge to one’s short game.
Players will encounter a variety of visually striking holes that test their skills. The opening hole is a generous par
latter offers one of the most rigorous putting challenges on the course.
After nine holes, players conveniently return towards the clubhouse
as you progress. The course features mature, gently rolling terrain, a mix of tree-lined areas and open spaces, and streams and water hazards that enhance its beauty. The meticulously maintained greens are highly regarded locally, presenting a significant
four that transitions into a demanding uphill second, with out-ofbounds lurking on the left. The first two par threes, located at holes four and six, flank the signature hole, each providing formidable challenges: the former tests length, while the
before embarking on the final stretch. The approach shots on holes ten and eleven are particularly demanding due to strategically placed bunkers and picturesque banking. The closing stretch features diverse par fours, offering scoring
opportunities, though significant distance is required at holes thirteen and sixteen.
The final hole, a straightforward yet short par five, offers a chance to finish your round with a sense of accomplishment, provided you skillfully navigate the six bunkers that guard it.
MIKE’S PICK – HOLE 5, 424 YARDS, PAR 4
The 5th hole, with a stroke index of one, is a favorite for many and is hard to overlook. Players often find themselves surprised as they transition from the par three fourth green to face the daunting lakeside tee shot. The challenge begins with a significant carry over the lake to reach dry land, followed by a 90-degree dogleg left towards a right-to-left sloping green, surrounded
by tactical fairway and deep greenside bunkers.
Playing it safe requires a straight line over the water, while those attempting the ‘Tiger line’ with a slight fade or draw over the treeline will benefit from a significantly shorter approach. This hole exemplifies the riskreward dynamic that Moseley Golf Club is known for.
19TH HOLE
The clubhouse, with its large white bay windows and two overlooking balconies, offers a panoramic view of the course. It features an expansive patio area surrounded by beautiful flower beds, perfect for summer enjoyment.
Our well-balanced team, including Director of Golf and Head Professional Michael Bayliss, F&B Manager Owain, Head Chef Rowan, and Administrator Jon, ensures a high level of customer service and satisfaction. Moseley Golf Club is dedicated to providing an unforgettable experience for both members and visitors.
CAPTAIN’S AWAY DAYS AND SOCIETY PACKAGES ARE READILY AVAILABLE FOR BOOKING AT MOSELEY GOLF CLUB, AND WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY RECOMMEND THEM.
GROUPS ON TOUR
“ALL ABOARD THE MARRAKECH GOLF EXPRESS”
Eight of our MG mixed golfers from Walmley GC in Sutton Coldfield, decided to move away from the usual sun/golf destinations and travel to up and coming Marrakech in Morocco. They had a fun ten days away and five games of golf for a fraction of what Turkey and Europe would have cost.
Flying was easy from Manchester straight into Marrakech. Staying in a lovely all-inclusive resort in Palmeraie, the food was delicious and varied, with lots of fantastic Moroccan tagines. The welcome was warm and friendly from the local Moroccans, just like the weather.
The courses were great with favourites being Royal Marrakech, Assoufid and the
Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, all being within a 20-minute drive from the resort. Everyone had beautiful clubhouses and attentive staff too with an array of post golf refreshments available. Golf buggies and trolleys for hire, plus extensive practice facilities on site.
We enjoyed having the luxury of rest days by the pool and day trips into the local area, including Marrakech to see the souks, medina, mosques and old squares, where it was very interesting to hear of the history of Marrakech from the local tour guides. It certainly felt like a fabulous refreshing holiday.
Thanks – Robert Robbins, Walmley GC for words and images
October 17th, we were blessed with a beautiful sunny day where 76 players from all over the UK converged to The Belfry to play the PGA National course. 24 of them were transplant beneficiaries or organ donors. The Mulligans Golf Society remit has always been to raise money for transplant orientated charities and this time we raised funds for Action Pulmonary Fibrosis. www.Actionpf.org and the Family Donor Network www. donorfamilynetwork. co.uk
through his Midlands Golf retail shops.
Luke Street, Chris Rippon and James …… from The Belfry golf team went
We also spread the word about the importance of having the conversation as to your allowing your organs to be re-used. 1500 transplants failed to happen in 2023 simply because family members did not know the decision of their loved one. Family consent is still needed for organ donation.
Our day could not have gone ahead without the sponsorship of CDT Industrial Fencing and Arctic Cabins and the generosity of MG owner Ian Nicholson who supplied the prizes
to all efforts to ensure our day was seamlessly run with James Cockerill himself being a Stem Cell transplantee.
Sadly, the previous days weather being as it was, no buggies were allowed and it was tough for a lot of the Mulligans including one who has yet to have his lung transplant, but he was in a team with lung transplant expert Dr Amit Adlahka, so I felt at ease.
Lynne Holt from the British Transplant Games and an ambassador for transplantation was with us and Becki Portwood,
Beat the Pro challenge was with Victoria Mallett and Ryan Brooks, a big thankyou to them both.
Our Longest drive came in the shape of a Hickory Club and all players enjoyed the challenge.
Thanks also to Jim White from Golf Genius for his amazing support with doing the cards and well done to Kevin Hale for the Trackman longest drive on the 10th hole, incidentally my son Louis came second.
Pictured are the winners - ‘Bogey Monsters’ Jaffar and Jeff Shamsuddin, Tom Morley
2nd prize went to our sponsors team ‘The Hopefuls’ with Steve Cooper, Leo Forrester and Gareth Macaloon
Our next Mulligans GS event will be held at Newcastle-under-Lyme GC on June 26th next year, in aid of the Liver Unit at UHMN, my local hospital.
If interested please contact me by email ladyeditor@ midlandsgolferco.uk
Head Caterer from Penn GC was a star once again with her now famous logoed cupcakes.
Golf in Ireland
Ferry Or Flight?
IN
ASSOCIATION WITH
Many of you will have visited Ireland to play golf. We have only been twice, which is our loss as there are so many fantastic courses to play and of course it is only next door. I guess that a key part of it has been that whenever we have looked at trips we’ve tended to fly to warmer climes.
On the two times that we have visited Ireland we flew into Dublin, and on one trip stayed in the Dublin area as we did not have transport, and on the second we hired a car. It had never occurred to us to use a ferry via Holyhead and take our own car. I am no fan of flying – it is just a necessary evil that you have to face. Flying
for a golf trip adds more complications, and cost. How many of you have ended up waiting forever for your clubs to appear, and that’s after having paid a fortune to get them there in the first place.
Since MG Editor Phil is a huge fan, and often talks about his road trips to Ireland we thought it was about time we gave
We live a good distance from Holyhead, but the journey there was smooth enough, and in my eyes much better than sitting in
a departure lounge in an airport! We were booked on a Stena Line ferry from Holyhead to Dublin. My last ferry journey must have been some 15 years ago via Dover and was a nightmare. That wasn’t the case on this trip. Stena seem to have their act together. Within 15 minutes of arriving at the port we were driving on to the ferry, and five minutes later we were heading for an onboard café for a breakfast. When I first saw the queue I cringed as
it a go.
Whilst our friends at Club Choice offer tailor made golf trips to Ireland via flights and car hire, they specialise in self-drive trips so that is where we started.
One of the beauties of using Club Choice is that they will tailor the trip to your requirements, rather than you having to fit into a set schedule.
In September, Midlands Golfer magazine owner Ian Nicholson took his son Connor to the East coast of Ireland as guests of Club Choice Ireland for a 54-hole trip – here’s how they got on.
We told them that we wanted a three-day trip, with three good courses, staying in one hotel for the two nights rather than switching each night. Within a few days they had come back to us with a proposed itinerary.
The itinerary they supplied covered everything. It detailed out which ferry we needed to get, and what courses we were playing, including the tee times/contact names and numbers etc, as
well as the hotel details. We looked at it and it was clear all we would have to do is turn up and play!! We could of course have gone back to them and changed some of the courses/ tee times or hotel if we wanted to, but one of the beauties of using Club Choice is that they know the courses and the hotels. It’s what they spend all of their time doing, so we thought we would go with their recommendations. We weren’t disappointed!
many other people had obviously had the same idea. We needn’t have worried, a few minutes later we were sitting with a lovely full English
breakfast. A good start!!
The crossing with Stena was nothing like the ferry journeys I remember from years ago. There were loads of comfortable seats and tables available, and it did not seem crowded at all – even though a member of the crew did
tell me that they were indeed at capacity. There are things to do on board but, other than a trip to the duty-free shop for some trip ‘essentials,’ we just relaxed, and a read of the paper later Dublin came into sight. Once
we docked in a matter of minutes we were off the ferry and in another five minutes we were on the motorway heading south.
Welcome to Ireland! The roads in Ireland are much quieter than across here, and it was only a
course is beautifully scenic, and we will certainly be back again.
After a great Irish breakfast it was a 30 minute drive to Woodenbridge Golf Club, another great course, and very different to Powerscourt. It is largely based in a valley, with two rivers running through it. The water comes in to play on no less than 10 of the holes. Some of the holes are tight, and with the slice I seemed to have found that day there was a risk that I may have managed to kill off a few of their members, but everyone survived my golf, and again, we really enjoyed the round. The
After the golf we had time to have a look around the area before heading back to our hotel. The Ashdown Park is a 10 minute wander from Gorey so we decided to head down to the town for something to eat. There are a load of nice restaurants and bars in the town, so we didn’t struggle to get some good food, and to enjoy a couple of pints with some live Irish music. Then back to the hotel, where they also had a great Irish singer on in the bar, for a nightcap.
short journey to our first course, so we arrived in plenty of time to enjoy a lovely lunch on a terrace overlooking the first tee of Powerscourt Golf Club before we teed off. We played the East course, and absolutely loved it. Every hole seemed to offer a different challenge, and the course was in fantastic condition. This is a gorgeous old estate offering splendid views of the surrounding Wicklow mountains and the old Powerscourt House is a spectacular backdrop.
I’m not sure I would have enjoyed walking it as much as in a buggy given some of the inclines, but that just added to the challenge. They are a friendly bunch there, and we ended up chatting to a number of people who were also quick to recommend the West course being equally as good. It’s certainly a club I will visit again.
After the golf it was back to the car and another short journey to our hotel. Our itinerary had us booked in to The Ashdown Park Hotel, which is just outside the town of Gorey in County Wexford. Again, we couldn’t
fault Club Choice’s recommendation. The hotel is surrounded by some great golf courses and can cater for small or large groups (there was a group of 140 golfers at the hotel a couple of days earlier!!) but doesn’t have that bland corporate feel that some hotels like that can have. The staff were very welcoming, and the room was huge, and spotlessly clean. The hotel has a choice of two restaurants and so we decided to just eat in the hotel, which was a good call as the food was very good and there was some live music in one of the bars… the perfect finish to a great Day 1!
Golf in Ireland
After another great Irish breakfast (it’s worth visiting for those alone!) we had a 25 minute drive to Blainroe Golf Club. And yet another great call by Club Choice. Much of the course plays like a parkland layout, but the holes that run by the cliffs are the stars. Our favourite hole of the trip
was the 14th at Blainroe. Unfortunately, that was where I had my Tin Cup moment and put three balls into the sea before finally reaching across to the fairway. Connor of course hit a great shot across the water to the middle of the fairway first time!!! Overall, another great course.
So, after the trip would we recommend ferry or flight? I guess it’s all down to personal choice. Yes, the journey will normally take longer via the ferry, but it was just more comfortable travelling in our own car and on a large spacious ferry vs the pain of flying. No security queues, no waiting around for luggage and no delays. When you then take into consideration that you have your own car to travel round in on the other side, and it is so easy to drive in Ireland (so quiet, same side of the road and you don’t even need a GB sticker) it has to be worth considering.
After the golf there was time for lunch before heading back to Dublin and the return ferry, which was just as effortless as the outward journey. The seats are so comfortable I even managed to have a snooze before arriving back at Holyhead and the run back home!!
The big revelation however, was the decision to book through Club Choice Ireland rather than organising everything ourselves. I normally plan our trips, including booking the travel, hotels and booking tee times etc, sometimes with mixed results. For this trip I literally had to do nothing other than relying on Club Choice’s expertise and turning up at a given point at a certain time.
Flight or Ferry? Your call. Getting someone like Club Choice to organise everything for you –no brainer!!
To book your golf trip to Ireland email info@clubchoiceireland.com or freephone 0800
Sample Package
3 Nights Bed & Breakfast at The Ashdown Park Hotel
3 Rounds of Golf
- Powerscourt Golf Club
- Woodenbridge Golf Club
- Blainroe Golf Club
Evening Meal in Hotel
Return Stena Line Ferry
£495pps*
Ireland Summer Pairs
Alongside our Phil at our thank you golf day at South Staffs in October
I cannot quite get my head around the fact that Christmas decorations and gifts are in shops already as I write this (Oct 30th.)
To me it is autumn and I’m loving the changes in color of the leaves on the trees. I do tend to leave Christmas shopping to the last minute with frantic calls to the kids ‘What do you want this year?’
A lot of ladies’ stories coming through this autumn, from charity events to holes in ones and successes in the Taskers, County Championships and Inter Club finals. All followed by the magazine this edition.
LEEK GOLF CLUB EMBRACE ‘WOMEN ON PAR’
I have been humbled by Lady Captains elect choosing The Mulligans as their chosen charity. To date we have raised more than £6,000, to be distributed to the University Hospital of Birmingham, the Transplant Unit, the Family Donor Network and Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis.
I am running our next competition next spring at Newcastle under Lyme Golf Club (my home course) to raise money for the Liver Unit at the University Hospital of North Midlands in Stoke-onTrent.
You can read in this section details of our next MGALS event to be held in Herefordshire.
I hope you can all join me.
In the meantime, all stay safe and well, hope you can keep on golfing this winter and have a great Christmas and New Year, we’ll see you next in February 2025.
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE CROWNED WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONS
Nottinghamshire were named Women's County Champions for the second time in their history after they pipped Surrey in a dramatic finale at Stover Golf Club, Devon in September.
In the six-county roundrobin league foursomes
competition it all came down to the final day.
Notts took on Lancashire, with a 0.5 point advantage needing to equal the result of south region winners Surrey who played against Buckinghamshire. Surrey did their job with a 3-2 win to pile the pressure on, but with rain starting to
fall again during a wet weekend, the opening Notts foursome pair of Laura Morris and Jorja Newbold secured their point on the 18th green to see the Midlands
In September, the Staffordshire Moorlands club hosted an amazing event “Women on Par,” a competition bringing together seven new lady golfers and seven experienced golfing buddies for a day of fun and camaraderie. The decorations, prize and guidance for the competition from England Golf made the event even more special.
The “Women on Par” initiative by England Golf is designed to support women in getting out onto the golf course by focusing on various golfing skills rather than just counting shots. The approach helps beginners learn the basic rules and etiquette of the game in a fun and supportive environment.
It’s great to see how Leek Golf Club embraced this initiative, creating a memorable experience for
everyone involved. The enthusiasm and support from the club’s professional, Greg Rogula and the ladies’ section truly highlighted the community spirit at the club.
We are now looking forward to running another event.
The full squad are pictured here in celebratory
second time, having been victorious also in 2015.
champions cross the line and win the title for the
COUNTY CHAMPION BECOMES A NATIONAL ONE
Shropshire’s Lauren Crump took the Women’s County Champion of Champions title at the Bracken Course at Woodhall Spa in September.
A 23-strong field took to the course to play 36 holes across two rounds, but Crump was in a league of her own in her first appearance in the competition, winning by six shots with a score of 142 (-2).
Crump, just 15, was tied at the top with Alessandra Kutz on 73 (+1) after the first round, with Tiffany Mills of Norfolk just a shot back but Crump's second-round effort of 69 (-3), including six birdies, saw her finish six shots clear of Kutz (Kent).
Crump said: “Being my first year, it is really good, everyone from my county was very supportive. It's a proud achievement for me and especially for Shropshire, we aren’t the most-seen county, so to do it for them was just even better.”
Despite the comfortable winning margin, Crump still had her challenges. She added: “I put it in the ditch on 15 but hit a hybrid to about 20 feet and got away with a bogey. I then hit a 3-wood on 17 to counter the bogey back (making birdie), which was definitely a key moment to make sure I was up there.
"It's a long drive home so there won't be much
celebrating. I'll tell everyone and then go again!"
IMAGE – Leaderboard
Photography
During the same weekend, local credit also goes to Joanne Morris-Bourne (Leics/Rutland) and Lisa Cullinan (Warwickshire) who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Senior Women’s County Champion of Champions.
A STORY OF FAMILY, TRADITION AND A HOLE IN ONE
NO SIGNS OF A GOLFING SLOWDOWN FOR PAT
Pat Singer, who is a lady member of North Warwickshire Golf Club celebrated her 95th birthday on October 14th.
Pat is still golfing at North Warwickshire and is playing most weeks in the ladies section competitions. Pat has been a member at the club for 32 years and in the early years of her membership served on the ladies committee where she organized all the mixed matches and mixed competitions at the club.
Only in the last couple of years has Pat taken to using a buggy and she is always one of the first ladies waiting to tee off on ladies competition morning. Pat still has a very competitive handicap of 34 which is highly commendable at her age. In 2023 she won the Lifeboat Greensomes competition, and the Crutchley Salver, a
Oswestry GC sits on the northern edge of beautiful Shropshire and has a very successful ladies section of about 130 members across all categories (believed to be the largest in Shropshire).
This year’s Lady Captain is Jude Elder (pictured on the left), supported by ViceCaptain Kath Jones and a great committee. Jude, her brothers, mother and father have a long, lifetime association with the club. She joined the junior section in 1970, her parents already members. Her father, Dr Michael Elder, joined the club over 75 years ago and remained a member until his death in 2021. He held the distinction of winning at least one board competition in EVERY decade of his membership from 1955! Jude’s mother, Barbara, joined in the 1970s and served as Lady Captain in
1979.
During her year Jude has been delighted to have inaugurated a new mixed board competition, the Doc Elder Trophy, in memory of her father, it was very well supported by the members. For their charity, Jude and the men’s captain chose to support the Severn Hospice, where her mum had been cared for.
The social events Jude organised through the year have included a Grand National golf & fun day, afternoon tea with a family friend clergyman (a Chaplain to the King), a charity Bank Holiday raffle with some great prizes on offer, selling ladies’ pre-loved golf clothes and a Last Night of the Proms evening featuring members of a local silver band. Jude has also
stableford competition for ladies over 70. This year she has won several of the 9-hole qualifying competitions held at the club and is as keen as ever on competitive golf. When she isn’t playing golf, she enjoys following professional golf on TV and is very knowledgeable on the game in general.
Pat still enjoys the camaraderie and friendship that the North Warwickshire ladies section provides, and she is an inspiration to all the members at the club.
Congratulations Pat, 95 years young!
enjoyed supporting the club’s thriving junior section, taking part in a 9 hole ‘Sport For All’ competition, 22 adult members partnered 22 juniors.
Finally, her Lady Captain’s Day in June proved to be very exciting as traditionally the current LC plays a qualifying round which all the past-Lady Captains aim to beat. Jude laid down the gauntlet by scoring her first hole-in-one during her round! An incredible feat for an amazing lady.
WARLEY WOODS GOLF CLUB: QUEENS OF THE GREENS!
As the golfing season comes to a close, Warley Woods Golf Club is thrilled to announce the incredible success of their ladies section.
We are proud to congratulate the ladies on their impressive NAPGC triple wins: the Women’s Championship of England best nett (pic 1, Samantha Spittle); the Women’s Match Play Pairs champions (pic 2, Hayley Davies and Sue Roberts); and the Whitewebbs Trophy winners (Karen Gillman, Samantha Spittle, Hayley Davies and Sue Roberts, pic 3).
Warley players showcased exceptional skills during the qualifying rounds,
embracing the challenges of different formats in each competition. Some rounds took the golfers on longdistance journeys across the country, allowing them to experience new courses and to forge new friendships along the way.
“We are eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to admire these golfing trophies and to celebrate such well-deserved victories with a glass of bubbly,” said current Lady Captain, Anne Hornsby.
“We also had teams in the Final of the NAPGC JHB Cup and in the Final of the UK PCC, which was played at Woodhall Spa – 2024 has been an incredible year!”
Warley Woods GC is situated on the outskirts of Birmingham, the golf club is proud to have a membership of over 40 enthusiastic lady golfers, many of whom are eager to compete for the club in local, regional, and national tournaments.
The National Association of Public and Proprietary Golf Clubs (NAPGC) is dedicated to providing competitions for all abilities and ages and is a truly national organisation representing public course golf and its golfers.
Cheers and congratulations to the amazing ladies of Warley Woods for an end of season filled with triumph and camaraderie!
PART 1 LADIES WHO ACE
Friday the 13th!
Unlucky for some but this one turned out to be a superb one for me, playing my regular fourball on a glorious sunny day at Brocton Hall Golf Club. Hole #3 is a signature hole and not one of my favourites.
On this day the stars were aligned, I got it just right, landing the ball front centre-left of the green. I watched
it roll steadily towards the pin which was positioned back right. I knew it was going to be good, close enough for a birdie possibly, and then it dropped deliciously into the hole! Jumps of joy and a lot of whooping followed, all etiquette out of the window. A dream comes true.
Delia Fowler – 13/9/24 - Brocton Hall Golf Club
Heather Cass is the hard-working Honorary Secretary at Leominster Golf Club in rural Herefordshire and a good friend of the magazine. She’s also a very active golfer at the club so it was a nice email
to receive when she told us she had qualified for this section by aceing Leominster’s sixth hole in September. The 147-yard hole plays downhill, so Heather was able to watch it all the way in!
MG EVENTS ROUND-UP
A DAY AT SHIFNAL GOLF CLUB WITH THE MGALS
Our evening buffet was superb and major thanks go to Shirley Matthews, Director of Marketing, who was instrumental in the success of the day. We have been
Mid-September saw the MGALS (Midlands Golfer Amateur Ladies Society) converge to the beautiful course that is Shifnal in Shropshire, to play in our autumn get together.
Blighted by persistently poor weather in the lead up to the event, Shifnal was in immaculate condition, and we were lucky not to have a drop of rain on the day. 48 took part and the MGALS made me proud by wearing pink as the date coincided with Organ Donation Awareness week and I was humbled by the sea of pink around the course as the teams played in the AM-AM format.
friends for a long time working together with the County Girls and her contributions to our event were invaluable. Huge thanks as well go to the Shifnal staff and greenkeepers.
Our winners were Laurielle Tudor, Paula Rushton, Jane Want and Steve Clayton from the home club (pictured.) In 2nd place Carol and Andy Alford, Kay and Paul Marshall (Branston)
Local accommodation suggestions will be on the MG website which is where you can enter the event, here are the playing and refreshment details.
Thursday May 15th – The Herefordshire Golf Club –Tea/Coffee/Breakfast Rolls on arrival – 18 holes 4BBB format – 2 course meal after play
Friday May 16th – Kington Golf Club – Tea/Coffee on arrival – a further 18 holes –Sandwiches/Fries after play
Price for golf and refreshments only £105pp
Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed teams after 36 holes – individual day team winners – nearest the pins, longest drives.
The MGALS events are for ladies and mixed teams of golfers of all ages and abilities with a keen sense of fun-loving!
For accommodation details and how to enter –visit www.midlandsgolfer. co.uk/events
2025 MG EVENTS –A SNEAK PREVIEW
THE MGALS
2025
An unmissable Herefordshire gettogether
We think this is our finest one yet. A 36-hole MGALS overnighter at two of the finest courses within our most southernmost county, Herefordshire. The dates are set for Thursday May 15th and the following day, we’re going to play, compete, eat, drink and socialise at The Herefordshire GC and Kington GC and hopefully continue that socialising at whichever hotel we all end up at too on the Thursday night!
We’ll be working on these more during our winter break, although we’re not quite as advanced in the plans as the above MGALS one is, we can excitingly tempt the following information out.
Our last Society Championship was held at Gaudet Luce in 2021 (picture). It’s time to bring it back again. We’re looking for at least 20 local golf societies to enter a fourball to represent your groups next summer at the event
which will be hosted by Stonebridge GC in Meriden. Details will be online soon on our events page and full information inside issue 102 as well. Message us now if you’d like simply to register your interest.
MG Matchplay Masters no 11 returns to Nailcote Hall in July as will a new team competition for the same venue, probably in September.
A couple more to come as well – details very soon.
In 3rd Dee and Kevin Walker, Debbie Mortimer (Shifnal) and Lisa Devereux (Enville)
PETER BAKER
THE CLOSING STRETCH
A TOUGH BRAZILIAN NUT TO CRACK
With just three competitive Legends Tour events remaining when we chatted in early November, it was looking like it would take something very special for Peter to repeat his 2023 triumph in finishing top of the Order of Merit. It’s not like this season has been that bad, far from it but one consistent Brazilian golfer by the name of Adilson da Silva who ran Peter so close last year, looks like going one better this time.
Events in La Manga, Mexico and the traditional finale in Mauritius remain, Peter’s playing in all of them, so it’s not quite over just yet.
is such a consistent golfer and also a very nice guy too I must add. He’s just had the edge, he’s won two play-offs this season, including one against me in Spain last month. I’ve had a decent season to be fair but just lacked a little magic on the greens lately since the summer.
CHANGING OF THE GUARD?
The good news is that the Staysure EU Legends Tour continues to go from strength to strength. Already, brand new events have been announced for 2025, some in entirely new regions for a tour that heads ever more worldwide and with higher purses on offer too.
Our regular column with the South Staffordshire GC head pro and ex Ryder Cup player (1993) and vicecaptain (2006) as he heads towards the conclusion of another season on the Staysure EU Legends Tour.
World Tour winners such as Darren Fichardt and Soren Kjeldsen are already warming up ready for 2025.
In jokey fashion Peter did confess it was on his mind as it may be for many of the original competitors who helped grow the tour in the first place eight to 10 years ago now.
shop and on the range too there’s now more on offer than ever to attract members and visitors to keep on golfing and practicing during the off-season.
“It’ll take something exceptional to get the better of Adilson who
I’ve put some work in at the club the last couple of weeks, hoping that’ll make a difference when we hit the final stretch. Least I can do is make him earn it!”
Peter, who is an important player representative with the organisation reckons there will be something between 20 and 25 events in 2025. Exciting times but year on year there’s a cavalry coming of new, just turned aged 50 golfers ready to compete as well. With no less than eight first time winners on the tour in 2024, the newbies are making their presence felt and the likes of past DP
“It’s fair to say the future’s behind me! I might be hanging on a little next year but it’s simply natural progression isn’t it, changing of the guard. We don’t have the size of fields that the DP World or the PGA Tour do so it’s getting ever more competitive. But that’s a positive thing for everybody, it’s great to see the tour grow further and we welcome the new players and enjoy the challenge. I’m still feeling good and playing well and to be honest I wouldn’t want to be here if I wasn’t competitive and having a chance to win events. Long may that continue yet.”
BACK AT THE CLUB
Winter proofing has been a theme at South Staffs this year, improved course drainage in certain areas and in the pro
“We’ve had a strong year, new pro shop team settling in well and the members are using new covered range, we’ve got more ladies and juniors over too. We’ll see what the winter brings, we are in the process of improving the pro shop indoor teaching and fitting area, hopefully completing it in the coming months. I think our facilities here are as good now as anywhere in the local area.”
SPANISH BOYS' AMATEUR TITLE FOR STAFFORDSHIRE STAR
A final round of 66 (-6) helped Enville Golf Club's Ben Bolton win the Spanish Boys' Amateur Championship at Pula Golf Resort, Mallorca in September.
The 17-year-old shot rounds of 71, 73 and 72 on the first three days before his bogey-free final day helped him edge France's Luka Mourin by a shot in Spain.
Bolton said: "It was unreal, that back-nine was really clutch. It felt amazing coming off the course. I was
four shots back heading into the day, so I didn’t think I had a chance. I did think -6 or -7 would win. I just went out and stuck in there.”
“Being 1-under through 9, I thought it’s going to have to be unbelievable now, so somehow I managed to pull it off and I’m really happy. It was an average front-nine but the eagle on 12 helped with a six-footer and then after that I was really confident, hitting irons well, and then holed some really good putts like a 50-footer on 16, followed by a good
COUNTY JUNIORS ENJOY EVESHAM TEST
Evesham Golf Club were delighted to be able to host the Under 14’s boys match between Worcestershire and Derbyshire on August 28th.
It was wonderful to see the talent, passion and camaraderie, that these youngsters possess. Both teams were very impressed with our hospitality and the condition of our course.
bunker shot on 17.”
“On 18 I was just thinking don’t go in the bunker and I ended up straight in the middle of one!
It was plugged but I saw my playing partner’s ball roll down the hill and I thought it could be doable and hit it exactly where I wanted. It came down to a fourfooter downhill – it was a nervy one, but I holed it which was great.”
IMAGE –Leaderboard Photography
Luke Perry, U14 Worcestershire Team Manager gave these comments: “On behalf of the
county team I would like to thank Evesham for such fantastic hospitality over the last few days. The course is in stunning condition and the greens are of the highest standard.
Evesham is a great venue for golf with challenging holes and beautiful views. I would highly recommend it as a course and in particular for junior golfers looking to improve their game.”
The final result: Worcestershire win 4 -1
Nick Campbell & Logan Lawless 1up win vs Luca Abraham & Liam Dixon
Harry McCarthy & Theo Lowe 2&1 win v Frankie Gallagher & Isaac Fisher
Edward Perry & Ewan Clark 2up win v Philip Hirst & Oscar Fahey
Kai Russell & Ciaran Hession-Wilson v Harley Buchanan & Olly Smith (Derby win 6&5)
Jenson Chance & Oskar Nielsen 1up win v Austino Edge & Jenson Whateley
MG JUNIORS
KENILWORTH GC SUCCESS IN COUNTY COMPETITIONS
Both of the club’s junior and ladies teams have had recent successes in Warwickshire County competitions.
The Kenilworth junior team of (L to R) Ali Cirin, Lilly Knee and Matthew Dale took the honours in the Warwickshire Junior Champion Club competition which was held at Moor Hall Golf Club. The team had a combined score of 88 points to win the title. They will now represent Kenilworth
Golf Club and Warwickshire county in the England Golf final to be held at Woodhall Spa in 2025.
The ladies team of Maisie Halstead, Ilse Peel, Emma Saywell, Angela Bradley & Alison Seymour Mead won the Chipman Cup for the best Gross score at the Warwickshire Inter Club Team Championships held at Stratford Golf Club recently. The team had a combined score of 337 to win the cup by two strokes.
MAISIE’S PERFECTLY TIMED LARGEST BIRD
In the Worcestershire County Girls U18 Scratch finals, Maisie Whittall (from Gaudet Luce GC) finished her match in style by holing out her tee shot on the 18th hole at Flackwell Heath Golf Club.
Maisie needed to win the final hole to halve her match and took driver on the 292yard par 4. She hit the
fairway on a perfect line and got her first ever albatross. This was her fourth hole in one at age 15, and her albatross helped Worcestershire and Herefordshire County Girls win the final, defeating Berkshire U18 Girls by 3.5 to 1.5.
A WARKE IN THE PARK – ALFIE’S LUCKY LATE ENTRY PAYS OFF
One of the most promising young golfers in Staffordshire went on a relaxing family non-competitive golfing holiday to Portugal in September and ended up coming home with a very important junior trophy for his mantelpiece.
Alfie Warke (13) and his parents had no idea that the Paul Mcginley Junior Cup for 10- to 18-year-old golfers from across Europe was set to be held at Quinta do Lago, the very resort they were staying at when they arrived for the holiday. The very day before the competition was set to start, Alfie was out on the course playing just a normal round and was accompanied by a member.
Alfie (current handicap 3.5) shot level par, his impressed playing partner assumed it was a warm-up round for the comp, until Alfie told him he knew nothing about it!
Entries for the competition had closed three months beforehand so it looked
like the late query the family made was going to be unsuccessful. However, and to cut a long story short, a little member intervention got Alfie an entry, his new friends predicting confidently that, “this kid’s going to win this.”
Well they were rightafter a comparatively modest start to the competition during the first 27 holes, Alfie put on the burners during the final afternoon on day two and shot an incredible six-under par on the back nine to stroll to victory by no less than seven shots.
His two-under finishing total was the lowest in the U14 and U16 categories.
At home, Alfie already plays for the Staffs county junior U16 team, and he’s unbeaten in his matches so far this year. He is also a regular charity fundraiser through his golfing and runs a very popular TikTok channel too. So that’s one MG junior section and TWO Alfie’s from Staffordshire we need to keep an eye on in the years to come!
MG JUNIORS
“NOTHING SHORT OF REMARKABLE” - ALFIE TURNER’S EXCITING PROGRESS IN 2024
Mandy Ambert “I have had the pleasure of seeing Alfie grow as a junior at Trentham Golf Club when I was Junior Organiser, a role since taken over by his father James. Only a year ago I had sat down with Alfie and James as we went through his achievement for 2023 at the ripe old age of 12. How could he possibly better that?”
Well he has and more strings have been added to this exceptionally talented young golfer’s bow in 2024. In 2023 Alfie’s’ handicap aged 12 was two, right now he’s plus one.
Trentham GC Punch Bowl to the collection with an amazing four under through 36 holes.
Sandy Lyle, David Lynn and Richard Mansell’s names are also on that trophy.
Another feat was to gain third place in the Midlands Champion of Champions competition held at JCB where he had a hole-inone albatross on the par 4 12th hole, 280 yards in the practice round!
next year on European ranking points in the U14 category.”
His father James adds, ‘I honestly thought Alfie would plateau this year, but he has shown that as a quick learner and with a great work ethic he reaps the rewards of his hard work and we as his parents are completely behind him.”
Alfie’s coach, Dan Hewitt concludes, “For seven years I’ve had the incredible privilege of teaching and watching Alfie grow into an amazing young talent. His drive and commitment are truly extraordinary, especially for someone so young.
What Alfie has achieved is nothing short of remarkable. A handicap of plus one at just 13 years old is an extraordinary accomplishment, a testament to his talent, determination, and countless hours of hard work.
WHY GOLF IS GOOD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
By Charlie Gordon
Golf is often seen as a leisurely sport associated with older generations, yet there are so many benefits for young people. The time spent whether out on the golf course, driving range, adventure golf or practice area offers crucial physical, mental and social development for youngsters.
Nevertheless, perceived high prices for equipment, high membership costs and green fees and prejudicial attitudes towards young people in golf can sometimes be preventative. In spite of this, golf clubs, governing bodies and manufacturers are doing all they can to aid golf’s quest to enfranchise young people in golf.
Benefits:
Social skills and networking
indirectly translates to life’s journey itself. Golf also offers the chance for anyone of any level to play competitively with the use of the handicap system. This gives youngsters the opportunity to play with adults who can offer crucial advice and mentorship.
Physical fitness
This year he’s won the 54-hole North of England U14 category and the Staffs U14 boys gross for the fourth year running, remembering he is still only 13 years of age. He has represented Staffordshire in the U14, U16 and U18 categories and won the majority of his matches. He won the Staffordshire County Men’s Matchplay final held at Trentham Park and added the coveted
Alfie remains levelheaded and simply states, “I work hard at my game, continue to improve my swing path with Dan Hewitt and have high ambitions. With the support I have and the sponsorship with Ping, Patera Engineering, Midlands Indoor Golf I will focus
But what excites me most about Alfie is his potential. He has a very bright future ahead of him, with all the tools needed to succeed at the highest level. However it’s important for him to stay grounded, trust the process, and not get too far ahead of himself. Success will come, but patience and continued focus will be key.”
Golf is intrinsically a social sport. Young people learn how to interact with one another in a respectful and courteous manner which is key to improving people’s characters as well as preparing young people for the world of work. As a university student myself, involving myself with the university’s golf society has been an incredibly sociable experience whereby keen young golfers, such as myself, can connect with like-minded individuals.
Character building and goal setting
While golf is a spor t of continuous improvement, it also requires a high level of mental focus and discipline. This in turn contributes to the building of one’s character. Golf teaches those playing to take each shot at a time and accept that both good and bad luck can occur at any time which
In an age where child obesity is steadily rising, golf can lay the foundations for a healthy lifestyle. Walking several miles around a golf course can be physically demanding, and on a regular basis the benefits can quickly be seen in improving fitness and stamina. This in turn contributes positively to young people’s mental health which is seeing a crisis currently.
Solutions:
Affordable access
In line with policies that many golf clubs use, offering discounted junior and student rates help to reduce financial barriers to the game.
Social media engagement
Using platforms popular with young people is just one way of promoting golf as positive and fun which is something that the young ambassadors aim to do.
TIPS PRO
DO YOU HAVE A SQUARE CLUB FACE AND HANDS FORWARD AT ADDRESS?
If you don't, read on as these points are crucial and can be total game changers.
1. Consistency - hands ahead of your ball at set up promotes
more of a consistent strike by encouraging a steeper angle of attack, leading to solid ball striking and optimum ball flight control.
2. Accuracy - a square club face can ensure that your ball starts on your intended line and reduces the chance of misses. Accuracy is key.
3. Ball flight control - with your hands ahead and clubface square you're more likely to control the direction and trajectory of your golf shot. It helps to drive your ball to your intended target
HIT THEM LONG AND STRAIGHT
It’s wintertime, the ball isn’t rolling very far, and hitting the fairways is paramount.
So what can you do to help you achieve this? Follow my simple steps and drill.
Setup (Pic 1)
- Ball position just inside your left heel.
- Your feet will be shoulder width apart or just a little wider.
- Your shoulders will be tilted just as you can see in the photo, left shoulder higher than the right for a righthanded golfer.
Doing this helps you with your weight at address and in the backswing, 60% on your right foot at address.
Drill
- Get a large castle tee & put it in the bottom of the grip.
- From there complete a backswing with the tee pointing at the ground (pic 2.)
without any unwanted curvature.
4. Solid contact - positioning your hands ahead of your ball promotes a negative angle of attack resulting in cleaner, crisper strikes meaning more compression and distance on your golf ball.
5. Power and distancehands forward and square clubface help to transfer energy effectively from your club to your ball resulting in more power and distance.
Give these two little set up changes a go if you don't already do them and see the improvements instantly. Happy golfing.
Luke Manwaring, Teaching Professional, Broadlands Golf Centre, Wolverhampton
- In the downswing concentrate on the clubface through impact and into the follow through, where after you have hit the ball, the tee again should be pointing at the ground (pic 3,) this improves striking.
Key areas - doing this drill teaches you to release the club face correctly and this helps you understand the feeling of squaring the clubface up at impact and hitting the middle of the club face.
Tip 2 (pic 4)
In the photo you can see the ball I’m setting up to, & a yellow ball on a tee.
In the takeaway, make sure the club moves to the inside of the yellow ball, this improves rotation in the backswing but also helps the takeaway to be wider, helping to have a better backswing position.
Enjoy the tips and have fun hitting longer straight drives. Steve Hughes, PGA Professional - Druids Heath GC
TIPS PRO FIX YOUR SHANK ONCE AND FOR ALL THIS WINTERTIME
FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE YET EFFECTIVE STEPS
Firstly you need to identify exactly WHERE you are striking the face. Use impact spray or dry shampoo, check where the ball is contacting the club face. If it’s hitting the heel, you know you’re experiencing a heel shank.
1/ Intentional Toe Strike: Try to intentionally hit shots out of the toe of the club to train yourself to
avoid the dreaded heel strike.
2/ Outside-Inside Drill: Set up with an alignment stick pointing towards the target. Set Up OUTSIDE of the stick, make your golf swing ensuring that at impact your club is on the INSIDE of the stick. Encouraging your pelvis to move back away from the ball giving you adequate room through impact.
3/ Swing to Miss Drill: Set up to the ball but try to miss it intentionally on the inside of the ball. This is a great drill to shallow your downswing and again encouraging your pelvis to move back away from the ball giving you adequate room through impact.
BONUS. Three-Ball Drill: Position three balls in a line, with the middle one
removed. The goal is to hit the inside ball without moving the outer one. Make it more challenging and put your best ball on the outside to add a little pressure. Start with shorter clubs, working your way up.
These drills are very much tried and tested and I can
guarantee they will help cure the shank for good..
SCAN the QR Code to watch the FULL video of me walking you through these steps.
Best of luck & happy golfing!
Rob Bluck – Head PGA Professional, 3 Hammers Golf Academy, Wolverhampton
SODFATHERS THE
When I started my new job as Head Greenkeeper at Stone Golf Club, August 2023, little did I know what a roller-coaster 12 months this could be.
August and September 2023 gave me the opportunity to get to grips with the course and the challenges ahead. The targets had been set to return the greens to their original size and improve the greens surrounds for better playability. The new areas were marked out and work began.
The inclusion of members was key and in October we held a members’ forum to share the vision for the future of Stone
Golf Club. Together with bigger greens, targets set included the reshaping of fairways, and heavy rough areas to improve shape and definition. A new agronomy plan to improve the health and quality of the greens was
As we entered what would become the wettest winter for many years, plans were postponed. The opportunity was taken to plan future drainage improvements which will include improvements to the open ditch network to
shared with the emphasis on best cultural practice to ensure sustainability as the course moves forward.
12 MONTHS ON – NO STONE UNTURNED CLEOBURY HOSTS MAL’S CHARITY GK GOLF DAY
Written by organiser/ fundraiser Mal Mitchell, Assistant GK, South Staffs GC
On Wednesday 18th September, I hosted a charity golf day at Cleobury Mortimer Golf Club, with hopes to raise some money for
my chosen charities, Birmingham Children's Hospital, The BIGGA Greenkeepers Benevolent Fund, and Percy's Homeless Hub.
Birmingham Children's Hospital is close to my heart, as I was an expatient there and have been raising funds for
help protect areas during periods of extreme wet weather.
them for many a year.
The Greenkeepers Benevolent Fund exists to assist BIGGA members by providing help to those who are in need of financial support during difficult times.
Percys Hub is run by Jack Percival, Head Greenkeeper at Leatherhead Golf Club, and provides amazing assistance to the homeless community in Croydon.
It turned out to be a wonderful day, the weather was kind to
Finally, the spring arrived, and the excitement was back in the club. Through the winter, the club had invested in some new equipment to help achieve our goals. The tees were now being cut by hand, giving a much more professional look as golfers played down the newly reshaped and defined fairways.
Our new multicore machine gave us the opportunity to provide regular aeration without the reliance on contractors, budgets were retargeted, allowing the increase in top dressing and overseeding for longer term benefits to the greens. This combined
with more regular Verticutting, playing surfaces quickly improved.
As the summer progressed, it was great to see the staff and members alike, getting used to the new systems and enjoying the benefits on and off the course.
August soon came round again and my first year in charge was complete. With the support of such a positive thinking club, the greenkeeping team are looking forward to exciting times ahead.
Ian Davies – Head Greenkeeper, Stone GC, Staffordshire
us, the course was in fantastic condition, and the hospitality in the clubhouse was outstanding for the 13 teams that entered. We all enjoyed a breakfast bap before their round, and a delicious home-made steak pie meal afterwards. Thanks to support from within the greenkeeping industry, the prize table was worth over £1200 and a raffle prize table that saw every person
that bought a ticket win a prize. A special mention to my daughter, Sarah Egerton (top image), who assisted me all day and who also ensured all the players purchased a raffle ticket.
We played a Texas Scramble format which proved to be very popular, and the winning team (pic 2) was captained by Kevin Booth, Head Greenkeeper at Cleobury Mortimer Golf Club.
PROGRESS IN THE PEAKS
My name is Anthony Lownds, Course Manager at Chapel-enle-Frith Golf Club.
A year ago in the magazine we wrote an article on our progress on the golf course since I joined the club in June 2023, a great deal has happened since then, so here’s an update of our further progress in 2024.
The last 12 months have been challenging for all golf courses across the country following the winter of 23/24, and it was no different here. We are located very close to Buxton in the Derbyshire High Peak and in 2023 recorded almost two metres of rainfall over the year. However, we have
still been able to make some great progress here at Chapel Golf Club.
Our mowing lines were reviewed in the early spring and one of the first changes I put in place was to use the natural contours of the landscape which has helped us create run off areas around the greens and allow shots to run into them too. We have also started to increase the surface area of the putting surfaces. This will take time, however we aim to eventually increase the overall area by around 15%. Feedback from members and visitors on the general appearance of the course and quality of the greens surface has been good and is rewarding to hear.
In total, we raised £2000, which was amazing considering the relatively small field that entered. This couldn't have been achieved without the support from Dave Pain from Cleobury Golf Club, and the generous support from my colleagues across the country.
I look forward to hosting another charity day in 2025.
A large woodland management project commenced last winter, long lost views have been opened up and playing corridors widened allowing multiple options when playing holes.
Towards the end of my first full season, as mowing operations start to slow down we have been able to make a start on phase 1 of a 7000m drainage project which will allow us to be more accessible to all in the winter months, all work is being undertaken in house. This will involve work on four holes to begin with throughout the coming winter period, then we’ll move on to more work in phase two during winter 25/26.
I am pleased that we have been able to present the course well throughout the season and as a result we have received some excellent reviews from visitors, and member feedback has also been very positive. We will not be resting on our laurels though as we
understand there is still plenty to do to get us to where we want to be.
Continued investment in machinery has been pivotal to being able to make these strides, and I am grateful to the club for their backing and to my team and volunteers for all their hard work.
THE DRIVE FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Stonebridge Golf are continuing their ongoing drive for sustainability with some visible additions to the exterior of its clubhouse building.
The latest measure at the 27hole course facility at Meriden near Coventry has seen the installation of a 40kw solar array. These solar panel systems can be used to power commercial buildings, factories, warehouses, and other industrial premises and is estimated to typically generate around 150–226 kWh of electricity per day.
thanks to UtilityWorks for guiding and advising us to work with SaveMoneyCutCarbon who saw us through everything with regards this installation.”
Stonebridge’s estimated production for consumption on site is predicted to be 34,700 kWh per year with 1195 kWh estimated to be exported.
Speaking about the latest move, Kelvin Pugh, General Manager at Stonebridge, said; “It is anticipated that all energy production from the new installation will be used on site, which in turn means we will reduce both our carbon footprint and also our bills.
“We would like to extend our
This installation is the latest measure in an ongoing commitment towards sustainability at Stonebridge which encompasses a dedicated sustainability programme and range of initiatives. The club has recently completed a project on one of the ponds on its Hampton course to make the move away from mains water usage.
The original 18 holes at Stonebridge are already irrigated via sustainable water, with the newest 9 holes now also benefiting from the same too.
And the efforts don’t stop there. Stonebridge will also be working closely with the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust this winter on a tree planting programme. This is in addition to many areas of the parkland course on the Packington Estate which are already set aside to not be mown, all designed to encourage wildlife and plant and tree growth.
MIDLANDS GOLF CLUBS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL WORK
Chapel-en-le Frith has a parkland course set in 110 acres of land in the Derbyshire High Peak, located in a valley in natural countryside between Sheffield and Stockport. There are some fantastic views of the surrounding gritstone hills rising out of the valley, with Combs Reservoir alongside, fed from a number of streams and ponds on the course.
Course Manager Anthony Lownds joined in June 2023 and made his ambitions clear as regards his priorities for environmental sustainability for the golf course and made sure that this message was communicated to his staff, volunteers and club members.
also getting the best out of its provision for valuable wildlife habitats.
A range of opportunities were found to be possible and divided into four main areas: grassland, woodland and trees, wetlands and wildlife corridors.
Staff and greens committee members attended BIGGA events, including training courses and one of England Golf’s seminars, led by Owen James, showcasing sustainable agronomy, biodiversity and ecology.
There are other priorities, for example water sourcing for irrigation and energy conservation which we are making plans for. We made a start however with biodiversity and asked the question “what could we do better through our land management for nature and wildlife?”
We contacted Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and invited their representatives to visit the site in March this year. A report was provided, and this gave us a wide range of opportunities to consider implementing on our course. It is very important to highlight the importance of the balance that is required for the golf course to continue to provide an excellent facility for its main purpose of golf, whilst
We had already completed a great deal of work on woodland, clearing areas and creating improved wildlife habitats using brash. Our discussions with DWT resulted in their report identifying additional opportunities for planting of trees in these areas with benefits for the course in terms of assisting drainage and for wildlife too. Our largest pond on the course had recently been drained and cleared and duck houses have been made and installed in two ponds (pictured.)
In keeping with the use of the golf course, corridors to provide connectivity throughout the site and pathways for the movement of animals have been created and meadow grasses have been allowed to grow out alongside the usual golf course routes. These provided a fantastic opportunity during this last summer for butterflies and bees whilst also being very pleasant to look at.
