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The Board are delighted to welcome the new Howley Hall Golf Club General Manager, Mrs Julie Winn. Julie comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience from working in a dynamic and progressive organisation; in her previous role Julie has led a team of colleagues in the delivery of a customer focused product with responsibility for the development and implementation of policies and strategies in line with current legislative requirements.

These qualities, we believe, will give Howley Hall a strong administrative base and together with her organisational skills will put Howley Hall on a sound footing. Additionally Julie practiced as a solicitor for over 20 years and has a wealth of experience of working within both a service and compliance environment. Julie holds the skills and abilities necessary to work seamlessly across the functions of Howley Hall Golf Club both now and for the future. This is an exciting time for Howley Hall and both Julie and the Directors are determined to work together with the Club to make year on year improvements to all aspects of the golf course whilst providing and improving the range of 'post golf' facilities that are valued by members. The vision is to deliver quality golf for everyone and for the Club to become more inclusive by attracting a diverse membership profile ensuring that at the same time the Club has a sound financial footing for future investment.

Ryan Rastall – Professional | Julie Winn – General Manager | Ray Smith – President | Derek Hughes - Captain

Golfers have even more reason to be attracted to The Manor House, Wiltshire, after the village it is situated in, Castle Combe, has been crowned the prettiest village in the UK.

“We’re incredibly proud of our surroundings and location, but we want to make sure that the product we offer is just as good. Our hotel and golf course are exceptional and blend seamlessly with the scenery to offer a special experience in the Cotswolds.

A Welsh cottage company, FBM Holidays, conducted research looking at more than 160 places across the UK to collect data to determine the prettiest towns and villages in the country.

Each town and village was scored on multiple ranking factors, including how many awards it has and the number of Instagram hashtags.

How many times it featured in articles about the UK's prettiest places, towns or villages was also taken into consideration, as was its local National Trust sites and how many Google images of it were available.

The data was then ranked to reveal the overall top 10 prettiest places to visit in the UK, with Castle Combe topping the charts.

Already boasting an enviable reputation among avid golfers, the delightful 18-hole championship course, immersed in the enchanting surroundings of the Cotswolds with 365 acres of breathtaking rolling countryside as a backdrop, offers some of the most idyllic scenery which can be seen on an English golf course.

Designed by Peter Alliss and Clive Clark, the mature oak and beech trees that line the carefully manicured fairways, together with the immaculate greens and the River Bybrook meandering through the middle, bring both drama and beauty to the 6,500-yard parkland course, which is rightly considered one of the best in the South West.

Golf Club Manager, Andrew Ryan, said: “We always knew that we were lucky enough to be located in one of the most beautiful parts of the country – but to be named number one is something quite extraordinary. “Our greenkeepers work tirelessly to make sure that the course is just as impressive as the village it is situated in. And with exceptional course conditions all year round, particularly at the moment where it’s looking immaculate, they deserve so much credit.”

In addition to the golf course, The Manor House estate also encompasses the luxury 14th-century stately hotel, home to a Michelin starred restaurant, al-fresco dining terraces and a dedicated gin bar, as well as the cosy 12th-century country pub which sits in the heart of the village.

Golfers and their families can take a walk on the wild side at Quinta do Lago this summer as part of a packed programme of events at the luxury Portuguese resort that embraces nature and a healthy outdoor lifestyle.

Green golf clinics, guided nature walks and eco-driven sustainable events are just some of the activities being offered to guests between now and the end of the summer holidays, with Europe’s premier golf and lifestyle venue aware of the need for people to take time out in natural surroundings as a result of the Covid pandemic.

Nestled within the privacy, tranquillity and security of the 2,000-acre Ria Formosa Natural Park, Quinta do Lago is the ideal place to unwind, with its five-star facilities including three 18-hole championship golf courses, a premier sports hub, a golden sandy beach and numerous first-class bars and restaurants.

New for the summer, players can combine a golf academy clinic with a guided tour around the course to learn more about Quinta do Lago’s environmental initiatives, eco strategies and wildlife conservation efforts.

Guided nature trails offering invaluable insight into the many species that inhabit the golf courses and Ria Formosa Nature Reserve can also be booked, while the resort’s ‘Release to the Wild’ event allows guests to share in the special moment when rescued wildlife including owls and turtles are returned to the wild after rehabilitation. Boys and girls of all levels aged six to 15 have the chance to improve their golfing skills at one of the weekly junior academies run by the expert team of coaches at the Paul McGinley Academy.

Designed to be engaging, exciting and, most importantly, lots of fun, the five-day academies – which are limited to groups of five children per coach and run until August 27 – take place from Monday to Friday with two sessions each morning from 09.00 to 10.30 and 10.45 to 12.15. The programme costs €200 per week or €65 per day, with every child receiving a gift pack and a €15 discount if two or more siblings are booked.

Other highlights include TaylorMade Demo golf days, mini-golf family competitions and Quinta do Lago’s ever-popular ‘Movies in the Park’, with a giant 3D outdoor screen on the driving range.

A summer of sport awaits fitness enthusiasts at The Campus high performance sports hub, with memberships, events and programmes for all, while guests can relax in style with a choice of dining experiences available at one of Quinta do Lago’s 13 impressive bars and restaurants.

Among the golf promotions available is the resort’s ‘Summer Golf Offer’, where players can enjoy 18 holes on either the pristine North and Laranjal championship golf courses including a shared golf buggy for just €99 per person. These include the resort’s acclaimed Bovino steakhouse and recently-opened Asian restaurant ’UMAMI’ – showcasing a variety of modern dishes from the sushi counter and the robata grill using locally sourced Algarve produce – with live music to help evenings go with an added swing.

Just a 15-minute drive from Faro airport, Quinta do Lago has set the benchmark for Europe’s elite golf, sports and family destinations for nearly five decades.

Complementing the golf and sports facilities is a selection of bars and restaurants that deliver a range of delicious local and international cuisines, with accommodation on offer at the resort’s boutique hotel, The Magnolia Hotel, and at an impressive collection of rental villas.

Accommodation at The Magnolia Hotel starts from €120 per night for a standard double room and €216 per night for a family cottage (both on a bed-andbreakfast basis), while hotel guests can enjoy three nights for the price of two over the coming weeks as part of its special summer promotion.

With The Tee-Minus® Lost Golf Ball Timer

Slow play on the golf course is usually a habit that a golfer acquires over time, as he or she acquires bad habits. Or it can be the result of the golfer never having been taught proper golf etiquette.

2019 saw a new rule come into play. The time allowed to search for a lost golf ball was reduced to 3 minutes. The Tee-Minus Lost Golf Ball Timer assists golfers in finding their misplaced ball and also enabled them to comply with the new rule, 18.2a in the R & A Rules of Golf.

18.2a states that a player is allowed three minutes to search for his or her ball before it becomes lost.

(1) When Ball Is Lost. A ball is lost if not found in three minutes after the player or his or her caddie begins to search for it.

If a ball is found in that time but it is uncertain whether it is the player’s ball:

The player must promptly attempt to identify the ball and is allowed a reasonable time to do so, even if that happens after the three-minute search time has ended. This includes a reasonable time to get to the ball if the player is not where the ball is found.

If the player does not identify his or her ball in that reasonable time, the ball is deemed as lost.

Designed by a golfer, Derek Wright for the aid of golfers, the Tee-Minus Lost Golf Ball Timer is proven to speed up play and prevent arguments out on the course when someone is deemed to have ‘broken the rule’.