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Picture the setting.... large cup of hot chocolate… peering out the window panes, touch of sleet hitting the window, snow slowly falling to the ground as I contemplate the content of today's newsletter. I am not in the alps…nope, it isn't a January day in the Highlands. It's Thursday, 28 April 28th I'm in Starbucks in Lancaster. Ace. I comment on the weather a lot, try to be light hearted on the subject but we are in a business, in a game, that is effected fully by what is in that damn sky! The weather does lead me on to the main subject of this week's newsletter and that is 'Project Clubfit'; Heysham Golf Club, Sport England and Clubfit Golf's assault on the British climate. This week's newsletter is a special edition focusing on the two and a half year project's final months and the changes we have made at Heysham. We would like to see you all in person on Monday to check out the new facilities, from 11am we will officially open the areas and from 12pm you can even have a go, but more on that later. Our local business of the week is taken from Heysham member Mick Croft, again more on him later on. Enjoy the newsletter and we hope to see you all Monday!
On the Course...
Last Sunday caused a bit of confusion as our First Captain's Prize qualifier results were posted and then suspended upon a quick review. The problem was caused by a member who had re-joined (with an active handicap) but his name wasn't in the system. Everything was duly resolved leaving us with our first 16 qualifiers as seen below going through to the matchplay stage of the affectionately known, HGC Major.
First place - Jack Qualtrough (87 - 21 = 66), second place - Michael Murray (95 - 28 = 67), third place - Stewart Van DeSande (75 - 07 = 68), fourth place - Simon Robinson (69 - 01 = 68), fifth place - Andrew West (77 - 09 = 68), sixth place - Peter Nield (89 - 21 = 68), seventh place - Daniel Entwistle (73 - 05 = 68), eighth place - Clark Robin Stanley-Jones (81 - 12 = 69), ninth place - Paul Boughey (79 - 10 = 69), 10th place - Stephen Carter (81 - 12 = 69), 11th place - Greg Anderson (83 - 14 = 69), 12th place - Michael Bowman (82 - 13 = 69), 13th place - Lee Tomlinson (74 - 04 = 70), 14th place - Mark Walsh (71 - 01 = 70), 15th place - Ryan Grimshaw (73 - 03 = 70) and in 16th place - Keith James Gardner (75 - 05 = 70).
Two's were worth £6 per two and all money has been credited. In our pro shop raffle, we randomly pick three cards to receive a top three split of the prize pot. The results were as follows:
First place - Andy Chilton (£55), second place - Brian O'Connor (£35) and in third place - Adam Kilifin (£20).
Project Clubfit - The Finale
The transformation is nearly complete to put Heysham truly amongst the best in the North of England for practice facilities. Opening Monday, our new Academy will include:
Six bay driving range
Coaching and fitting studio
The Swing Lounge golf simulator
Practice putting green
Bunkerered and chipping warm up practice green
Chipping green
Astroturf pitching arena
That list is impressive, it boasts a paradise of options top help improve your game or give you a chance to get a bit of golf in during your busy periods. A round of golf can take four hours, it can take two in the Swing Lounge, a 100 balls can take one hour and a bit of target practice on our pitching green could fill in 30 minutes of your spare time. The new practice facilities we have added are the members. These facilities have needed a lot of hard work from all involved, we hope you enjoy them, encourage new golfers to use them and for those readers not a Heysham member yet, why not?
Our academy is changing along with our facilities, we have new memberships, new ways to practice and cost effective for those who may be members elsewhere. Pick up a leaflet in store to check out our new pricing options.
Titleist golf expressed an interest in our new facilities and Clubfit Golf has landed Heysham the title of Lancashire's Premier Centre for Titleist. That means not only being able to try the latest equipment for nothing, but you can practice using Titleist balls, Pro V1s aren't a bad ball to practice with are they? All we ask is for is a deposit when you rent your balls so we don't lose them.
Before you see a few before and after pictures we, at Clubfit Golf, would like to express our thanks to those that have helped bring these new facilities to Heysham Golf Club.
Dave Hutchinson and team - Our main thanks go to Dave and his gaggle of greenkeepers that when brought together with the vision of a leader bring us a beautiful golf course and now, beautiful practice facilities. These guys have worked hard on these new facilities, we wouldn't be here without them, so on behalf of me, Ryan, Linda and Heysham Golf Club. Thank you, if I buy some nice flowers Dave, will you plant them?
We would also like to thank Gill Gardner, Richard Gardner, Ian Gardner, Tony Wilkinson and Ed Burrows for their hard work on the planning and reports including working with Sport England as well as supporting the Project.
On Monday, Ryan and I will echo the above as well as thanking everyone else involved with the build work of the Swing Lounge and importantly thanking Sport England. Enjoy the before/after pics…
Local Business of the Week - First Choice Blinds and Choose at Home Carpets (Mick Croft)
Mick supplies and fits window blinds of all types as well as branching out into fitting carpets, vinyls and laminate flooring. All blinds are fitted by Mick, whilst the flooring is carried out by a master fitter, not a golfer but a bigger Blackburn Rovers supporter than Ryan. Mick has worked for many club members over the past 16 years and always does his best to find the best price for all associated with Heysham GC and Clubfit Golf. Many will attest to the high quality finish of Mick's work and he is available for contact on 01524 36259, or moblie 07796914841. Click here to visit his website. I sat with Mick to ask him a few questions on golf...
Mick on Clubfit Golf - "Since you changed to Clubfit the improvement in service, pricing, and choice has been amazing. Your weekly email is always a great read.
Favourite Course - Heysham. Best course I have played is Royal Lytham St Annes.
Favourite Club - My new R15 driver I bought from yourselves, I hoped it could find me the secret of gaining 20 extra yards, but alas it can not. However, it has improved my accuracy massively.
Dream Fourball - Lee Westwood (my favourite player). Nigel Mansel for a few driving tips and Jeff Lynne of the Electric Light Orchestra, no-one does a better a concert.
Thanks to Mick for taking the time for this newsletter and if you would like your business featured for FREE please contact me here.
Swing Lounge Winter League prize winners
Congratulations to all our prize winners, even with a bit of controversy our winners still would have comfortably won without it! We will award the prizes on Monday, we hope to see you there. Next winter our league will be back BIGGER, with NEW courses, a NEW system and giving you a chance to keep your swing going with a beer or two. Next week's newsletter will see the launch of some summer offers for the Swing Lounge, DON'T MISS IT! Full results were as follows:
First place - Titleist 915 driver per person. Dan Mcamley and Phil Green/Chris Mcardle. Second place - Titleist Vokey wedge per person. Lucas and Curtis Done. Third place - Course of lessons per person (One with Trevor, one with Ryan). Andy Entwistle and Dave Robinson. Fourth place - TaylorMade Tour putter per person. Fish and Jockey. Fifth place - Free fourball for two hours in the Swing Lounge per person. Jack Cowell and Dave Marsden. Sixth place - TaylorMade Tour Preferred dozen balls and glove per person. Ash and Josh Corless. Seventh place - Dozen Pro V1 balls per person. Tom Rogerson and Podge. Eighth place - Dozen Titleist TruSoft per person. Terry Hoare and Chris Donaldson.
Clubfit News
The Bank Holiday Weekend is near and with our opening day we are launching a bit of a FLASH SALE to tease you into a buy or two. The premise is very simple; spend over £50 and receive 10% OFF at the till. Offer does not include our trade-in deals or custom fitted clubs, or pre-ordered items.
This offer runs form Saturday - Monday.
Mrs D's Sunday Deal
Mrs D is giving away some freebies this Sunday...Our friends at Callaway Golf are kindly sponsoring this weekend's competition and are giving you the opportunity to try the new Chrome Soft Golf Balls - the ball that changed the ball - for FREE.
All you need to do is rock up at this weekend's roll-up and you can trial the new Chrome Soft, with dual #SoftFastCore technology, and the ball of choice this season for five-time Major Champion Phil Mickelson.
This is available to the first 50 people that enquire, we may ask also to take a picture and anyone involved you may also feature on Twitter, you can even tweet Callaway yourself. Further to this, anyone interested in purchasing the Chrome Soft ball can do so at a special price of £25 per dozen!
