Buttercups & Daisy's at Steamy Wellshurst - 8th July 2023

BUTTERCUPS & DAISYS at STEAMY WELLSHURST !!

Twas a humid ole day at Wellshurst and thunder could be heard around us. We somehow managed to miss the lightening, although got rained on for a couple of holes. Despite all the weather dramas, some surprisingly good golf was played. Swear replacements were learnt from Caroline (Buttercups & Daisys) and our Winner - Stacey had us in fits of laughter talking about inputing her scores “I did it on the computer at work” - quickly followed by “I don’t go to work, I’m retired !!!” - Think the heat had gone to her head!! Ps if you see this woman wandering around Brighton - just point her in the direction of the golf course - she’s safe there.

On the Tee - The Winner

SEE WINNERS SCORES BELOW

RESULTS

INDIVIDUAL STABLEFORD

WINNER - Stacey with 42 points - WON a NEW GIGS GOLF TOWEL & Frida Kahlo Rose

R/up - Linda with 40 points on c/b from Paula - won Frida Kahlo Rose


NTP F9 - Paula on a very difficult hole - well done!!

NTP B9 - Stacey - but we passed on the prize to DJ, who came 4th on c/b from Jane - DJ kindly shared her balls with Jane aah

Stacey - 42
Linda - 40 - b9 25 pts
Paula - 40 - b9 22 pts
DJ - 32
Jane - 32
Caroline - 31
Caron - 29
Mandy - 19

The Sun Shines at Seaford Head - 10th June 2023

TWAS A SCORCHER AT SEAFORD HEAD and Drama with a Banana

It turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year so far! But fortunately we did have a small Seaford breeze coming off the sea. A fabulous day was had by all and some great golf was played. Caron’s mum Liz played the first 5 or 6 holes (video below). We had a ‘banana’ incident with a crow descending on our buggy and stealing a banana from Liz’s plastic bag! but all in all a super day.

Seaford Head SCORCHER

SEE WINNERS SCORES BELOW

RESULTS

INDIVIDUAL STABLEFORD

WINNER - DJ with 32 points - WON a NEW GIGS GOLF TOWEL

2ND - Caroline with 28 points


NTP - DJ (but we gave her prize to Viv for coming 3rd)

(Caron had 38 points with 2 birdies on the b9) - haven’t done that for about 20 years!

Abbey Hill Golf Club, Milton Keynes - BH MON 29th MAY 2023 - New T-shirts have arrived!

NEW GIGS T-SHIRTS 1st DAY OUT !

May BH Monday saw us return to the fabulously inclusive facility that is Abbey Hill Golf Course, Milton Keynes. Super hospitality, food and golf course.  We were joined by Sandra, who lives just around the corner.

This venue is literally bursting with golf participation in all shapes and sizes: Adventure Golf, 9 hole short Course, Footgolf and the very nice 18 hole track which we played.  From start to finish, we had a superb day, albeit was a little chilly on the 1st tee - but soon warmed up!

Was a little chilly on the 1st tee brrrrr

SEE WINNERS SCORES BELOW

RESULTS

INDIVIDUAL STABLEFORD

WINNER - ARIELA with 34 points on CB - WON a NEW GIGS GOLF TOWEL

2ND - MARTHA
3RD - JANE - with 33 points on CB from Stacey

NTP - MARTHA

(Caron had 42 points & finally got her handicap cut! - YEAH)

Good Fri at Cranleigh GC - Fri 7th April 2023 - Easter Egg Hunt

A last minute golf course switch from Mannings to CRANLEIGH GOLF CLUB saw us bathing in sunshine as we navigated the layout with the ‘Newbie” taking 1st Prize, a ‘first ever’ NTP Winner and a discussion regarding the Lesbian Tunnel over supper !!

We played a Better Ball Team game running alongside an Individual Stableford Competition. Caron hopped between the 3 teams and her score was used if needed.

We enjoyed the comfort of an exclusive room - The Snug - where we had some excellent food and service.

Side note: Caron & The ‘Newbie’ Stacey grew up in the same town, Rayleigh and went to the same school - albeit - years apart. After a little discussion of our lives, Sue concluded that we had both escaped Rayleigh via the ‘Lesbian Tunnel’

SEE THE WINNERS SCORES BELOW

RESULTS

BETTER BALL TEAM WINNERS - SUE, MANDY & CAROLINE with 77 points

INDIVIDUAL STABLEFORD WINNER - Newbie STACEY with 30 points

R/Up - MELISSA on c/b from Caroline - 29 points

NTP F9 - DJ
NTP B9 - Caroline (her 1st ever!!

Hurtmore Golf Club - What a super day! Sat 11th March 2023

We all had endured so much rain leading up to our day at Hurtmore Golf Club, so we approached with trepidation. But our fears were soon laid to rest as the course was in excellent condition and reasonably dry underfoot. Designed by the late Peter Allis, the greens were of a very high standard and TRICKY !

We played an Individual Stableford with NTP comps and some Mystery Hole Prizes. A fab day was had by all in the gorgeous spring air.

The Clubhouse was very friendly, with exceptionally efficient staff and good hearty food.

Side note: In the pic below, Caron is holding a Ball Marker sent to her from the USA LGBT Golf Group - Stonewall Golfers who are based in Palm Springs, California and want us to play a match with them!

RESULTS ARE BELOW

RESULTS

INDIVIDUAL STABLEFORD WINNER - ARIELA

INDIVIDUAL STABLEFORD R/U - NEWBIE MARTHA

NTP F9 - ARIELA
NTP B9 - VIV

MYSTERY HOLE WINNERS: ANNA, KATE & MANDY

Good Fri at Mannings Heath GC - Fri 15th April 2022 - Easter Eggs turned into Wine!

A super fun day was had at Mannings Heath Golf Club as we played a Team Texas Scramble for 9 holes, followed by an Individual Stableford for the back 9. Competition was keenly fought as we basked in glorious sunshine for our 2nd event of 2022. We enjoyed the excellent clubhouse facilities at Mannings Heath, with a private room for our group where we had a lovely supper.

BIG THANKS TO LAURA FOR DOING THE CARDS AND SCORES!!

Good Friday normally means Easter Egg Prizes - but due to extremely warm weather - prizes melt in the Car!!! ….…. luckily Mannings Heath also doubles up as a vineyard !!

RESULTS

TEXAS SCRAMBLE WINNERS
DJ, Elaine Bridge, Mandy Roberts & Nikki Rice with 32.5 points

INDIVIDUAL STABLEFORD over 9 holes

1st Melissa Bell

2nd DJ

NTP 3rd - Anna
NTP 7th - Laura

NEXT EVENT - PORTUGAL !!!

Abbey Hill GC - Sat 19th March 2022 - the Rainbow flag flew with Pride for GIGS

A fun day was had by all at Abbey Hill Golf Centre, Milton Keynes. 9 of us enjoyed a sun drenched day, albeit, a little windy at times and once we overcame the challenge of the ‘Hedgehog wheel drama’ - we had a terrific day. Abbey Hill was buzzing with lots of people enjoying the Driving Range, Adventure Golf, Foot Golf and the main 18 which we played. Everyone we encountered were friendly, welcoming, polite and seemed to be enjoying themselves. The General Manager, Russell Heady came and introduced himself to our group and informed us that the ENGLAND GOLF RAINBOW FLAGs had been put out on both the 10th and 18th Greens to welcome GIGS. It was a fantastic gesture by a progressive and welcoming club and our group really appreciated it. The food was very tasty and the clubhouse was vibrant. The course was a good track, with a nice mixture of challenging holes with some fab views. The GM said he would put the Rainbow Flags out every 3-4 weeks to demonstrate that the club is a welcoming space for all. PROGRESS !!

BIG THANKS TO CO-ORGANISER CHERYL & the ‘SOUTHERNERS’ WHO MADE THE TRIP UP

PLEASE RESPECT OTHER MEMBERS PRIVACY - ONLY PICS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN & PUBLIC SIDE OF THE WEBSITE MAY BE SHARED - many thanks

RESULTS

Team Game
1st - Caron’s Team - Anna - Linda - 66 points on c/b
2nd - Laura’s Team - Paulette - Jane
3rd - Cheryl’s Team - Rosie - Sandra

NTP 8th - Laura
NTP - 17th - Cheryl

Cloudy Cottesmore - 7th Aug 2021

A fun afternoon was had by all at Cottesmore Golf & Country Club and despite the awful weather in many areas, we somehow managed to avoid any major downpours. Was a little waterproofs on, waterproofs off, waterproofs on , waterproofs off, but was warm and the course & facilities were nice and the food was enjoyed by all. It was lovely to see lots of new faces and some of the ‘newbies’ sporting their prized GIGS Beanie. See Results further below.

RESULTS

Griffin Course 18 holes
1st - Ali - 31 points
R/up - Rachel - 27 points
NTP 7th - Caron
NTP - 17th - Cheryl

Phoenix Course 9 holes
1st - Katie - 24 points
NTP - Caroline

Wonder at Wellshurst - 5th June 2021

We were a small, but bubbly group at Wellshurst Golf Club for our June meet up. Nestled in the Sussex Countryside, Wellshurst is always very welcoming and a very nice track to play. The sun shone, the company was fabulous and all in all we had a lovely day.

WINNER - Julia Hepworth - 30 Points
2nd - Susannah McClintock - 29 Points
3rd - DJ - 28 Points
4th - Caron - 27 Points
5th - Jade - 25 Points

NEAREST THE PIN 12th hole - Jade Arnold

18th Green putting out

A Golden Rabbit at Tilgate Forest - Sun 2nd May 2021

We arrived in the rain and departed in the rain, with some sunshine and showers in-between. Lots of time spent in the woods (they are lovely woods), lots of fun looking for balls, but we all still managed a smile and a laugh. A rather up and down day, but some good golf played in-between the blobs! A Golden Rabbit was almost the highlight!! Well done to the prize-winners:

The Golden Rabbit … photo curtesy of DJ

WINNER - Susannah McClintock - 34 Points

2nd - Jade Arnold - 30 Points

3rd - Kirstie - 29 Points

NEAREST THE PIN 3rd - Jennifer Elliott (DJ) - with a magnificent shot - one of her very best!

NEAREST THE PIN 15th - nobody got on the green!!

Caron trying to make sense of the scorecards …..

Burgess Hill Beginners Challenge!

“Who will shoot the best score during April / May/ June 2021 ???”

Nice easy going challenge for the beginners who play Burgess Hill.
Let’s see who can post the best score over the 9 hole Par 3 course - check out the Leaderboard below and let Caron or Jade know your scores as you better them. Whoever posts the lowest score by the end of June 2021 will win a prize!

Get Golfing Gigsters !

Ps - this competition is being run entirely on trust! Official start Mon 19th April 2021.

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Burgess Hill Challenge April / May / June 2021

Who will post the lowest score?

Good Golf on Good Friday !

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1st TEE FUN

What a wonderful start to the year we had on Good Friday at Mannings Heath and even though it was chilly, it did not stop us having a lot of fun. We played a 9 hole Texas Scramble in Teams of 4, followed by a short prize-giving, before a few of us, went on to play a few more holes. Big thanks to Maddie for bringing her camera!

RESULTS

Nearest the Pin Winners: Julia Hepworth & Susannah McClintock (Big Mac)

Team Winners: Caron, Sam, Melissa & Caroline with a super score of gross 39 (2 over) nett 33
R/up: DJ, Jade, Julia & Aileen 43 nett 35.5
2nd R/up: Big Mac, Maddie, Barbara & Kirstie 48 nett 42

Thanks for all the lovely messages after the game …

It’s always nice to hear you all had a good time…one of my favourite’s:

“Really enjoyed this morning Caron. Played pretty rubbish but can only improve! A great way to go round with experienced players without (hopefully) ones lack of ability getting on people’s wick. Aileen

Bitesize Basics of Golf with Jade - 6

Understanding the Scorecard

6. The Scorecard

Par, Yardages and the Stroke Index

Marking the golf scorecard correctly is a very important element of the game.  There have been a few incidences in Professional golf that a player has marked their card incorrectly - check out the story of Jackie Pung, in the 1957 US Women’s Open at Winged Foot, where her mistake cost her the tournament! You will see something like, Hole 1, Par 4, 352 yards, Stroke Index 8, but what does it all mean?

The card format varies from club to club, but essential information is common to all cards.  This will include: hole numbers, their distance, the par, the stroke index and a place for you and the marker to sign after the scorecard is completed.  There will also be a space to put your name & handicap, the date and what competition you are playing.  Women will generally play off the red tees, which will correspond with the colour on the scorecard.  

 On the reverse of a card you will find local rules, which you should familiarise yourself with and sometimes you will also see a map of the course layout, which can be very handy, particularly if you are visiting a course for the first time.

The Par
The Par of a hole indicates the score a scratch golfer or Professional should complete the hole.  These are typically, Par 3, Par 4, or Par 5.  Generally, a course will have 4 x 3’s 4 x 5’s and 10 x 4’s although courses do differ and some newer courses may have Par 6’s and even Par 7’s!

The Distance
This will be written either as meters or yards – depending on where you are playing in the world.

The Stroke Index
Each hole will have a number next to it which rates holes in ranking order against the degree of difficulty for eg – Stroke index 1 is the most difficult, whilst stroke index 18 is the easiest.  Most courses will also be evenly ranked over both halves of the card, so allocation of shots is evenly spread.  Once you have a handicap, the stroke index is used to identify on which holes you receive extra shots.  

Marking your scorecard
Under normal circumstances, you would swap cards with your playing partner on the 1st tee, so they mark your card and you mark theirs.  You would put your scores in the Marker’s area on the scorecard and write their score down in the first column and vice-versa.  After your round, you would then then cross-check your scores, sign the card in the Marker’s signature area and return to your playing partner.  They will do likewise, you would then sign your own card and hand over to the competition scorer.  

Remember – you are responsible for your own scores, so always double check your card has been recorded correctly before you sign it.

PLEASE NOTE: During Covid-19 we are all being asked to mark our own scorecards, but you should still double-check scores with your playing partner.

 As a beginner, the most important thing you can do, is mark down your gross score on the card after each hole.  Playing with GIGS, we will mostly use the Stableford Scoring system, which awards you points depending on how you score on each hole.  We’ll cover this next week. 

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Bitesize Basics Returns in December 2020 when we (hopefully) return to our Golf:

NEXT UP: The Stableford Scoring System

Bitesize Basics of Golf with Jade - 5

Unplayable lies, Water Hazards & Out of Bounds

5. Unplayable lies, Water Hazards & Out of Bounds

Yellow stakes, Red stakes, White stakes ?? What do they all mean?!?

Unplayable lies

If your ball has come to rest in a position that you believe to be unplayable, you have three options:

1. Either hit another ball from the point of your previous shot

2. Drop a ball behind the unplayable lie (as far back as you wish, keeping the original lie between you and the hole

3. Drop the ball, within 2 club lengths of the unplayable lie, no nearer the hole

 Each option incurs a one stroke penalty. 

Water hazards

Yellow stakes - Yellow stakes or lines indicate a penalty area, most likely a water hazard. You can attempt to play from this penalty area if it appears playable, but you will most likely have to take a drop.

Penalty - 1 stroke

If you decide to take a stroke penalty you have two options:

1. Go back to the place where you played your last shot and drop the ball within 1 club length, no nearer to the hole. This option is called stroke – distance – relief.

2. The second option is called back-on-the-line relief. This means identifying the spot at which your ball crossed into the yellow penalty area, then imagining a straight line drawn from the hole on the putting green back to that spot. You can walk back on that line as far as you wish before dropping within a one-club-length relief area.

Red stakes - Red stakes on a golf course usually indicate a lateral water hazard. What is a lateral water hazard? Well for starters, it is lateral and runs alongside or adjacent to the line of play and you really want to avoid them! Normally a lateral water hazard is a lake or creek that runs alongside the fairway and extends towards the tee. These hazards are handled differently as you are unable to drop behind the hazard and play another shot. Dealing with the ball…you can play from the hazard if you desire, but the easier option would be to take a drop and a 1 stroke penalty. The drop can be takeen within two club lengths from the point where the ball crossed the margin of the hazard, no nearer the hole. Or a golfer can go to the opposite side of the lateral water hazard and drop at a spot on the hazard margin that is equidistant from the hole.

Penalty - 1 stroke 

Out of Bounds

White stakes - Knowing what to do when your ball sails out of bounds is crucial to a beginner. A ball hit beyond the confines of the course (usually marked by white stakes) must be re-played from the original position adding a penalty of one stroke. This may also be from the tee.

The scorecard of any course should clearely state or describe it’s boundaries. If you believe a shot has gone OB or indeed into a water hazard, always play a provisional ball and declare it.

When looking for your ball, you only have five minutes to search for it. If you are unable to find it, you must proceed and play your provisional ball. Playing a provisional also helps to speed up play and if indeed it is lost, you save valuable time continuing with the provisional ball despite a one stroke penalty. If your original is subsequently found in bounds or dry within five minutes of the point of search, you must continue with the original ball.

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NEXT WEEK: The Scorecard - drops Fri 30th October 2020

News !!! - Sat 17th Oct 2020

Afternoon GIGSTERS

Quick update on all things GIGS:

Lot’s of fun on the Range last week with new members Rosie & Aimi

• Sun 18th Oct - Driving Range - Caron & Jade will be there from 10am tomorrow, hopefully see you there to whack a few balls and grab a coffee afterwards.

• Sun 25th Oct - 18 holes at Pyrford Golf Club, Surrey - PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR PLACE by letting Caron know if you are playing. Caron will book and pay for tee times on Monday 19th OCT afternoon - so please let her know if you are confirmed. She will then send you exact green fee rate for payment via bank transfer.

• GIGS MERCH - is being ordered next week YEAH - more details to follow

• ENGLAND GOLF - LGBT SURVEY - GIGS has been consulted by England Golf to participate in a Survey they are putting together regarding the LGBT experience of playing golf - THEY’VE NOTICED US - YEAH!!! Caron will forward more details in due course.

• GIGS GOLF SUN 22nd NOV 2020 - Caron is sourcing a golf course, where both regular players and beginners can potentially all play together at the same venue, for either 18 or 9 (depending on ability) - so please let CARON know asap if you can/would like to play on this day?

  There will also be some exciting news coming soon….all will be revealed as soon as Caron is allowed to say !!! - watch this space

Bitesize Basics of Golf with Jade - 4

Sand and Green Play

4. Sand and Green Play

Sand Play

Sand bunkers are tricky and can also be really daunting for beginners, plus there are a few rules which you will need to know.  When entering the bunker tread on the least amount of surface possible to get to your ball.  You are permitted to remove any loose impediments or movable obstructions in the bunker without penalty.  However, you must not intentionally touch the sand to “test it” with your hand, your club, the rake or any other object.  This will result in penalty shots if you do.  You also cannot clip the sand with your club during a practice swing or when you are lining up to take your shot.  Your club must not be grounded in the bunker pre-shot.  You are permitted to dig with your feet though, to take a solid stance.     

Often the Driving Range will have a bunker where you can practise, this will really help with feeling more confident about bunkers in no time and one thing to remember when practicing is to take as much sand with you when you play your shot out!  Or better still, go and have a bunker lesson with a Pro who will also advise you on technique of hitting good shots and controlling your ball out of the sand.

NB: Before Covid-19, you would normally have to rake sand bunkers after you have played out of them.  Do check in to see what the status is at the course you are playing and what the protocol is, as most courses have removed rakes from their bunkers for the time being.

Green Play

Marking your Ball - Once you have reached the green, there are a couple of key rules of which you need to be aware.  Once the ball comes to rest on the putting surface you may mark it with a coin, or disk and this must be placed behind the ball before you can lift and clean it.  Please also remember to repair any pitch mark that your ball has made on the green.    

Remember to replace your ball in the exact same spot in front of your marker.  You must also mark your ball if you are near or on the line of someone else’s ball where there might be a risk of a collision.

Who Putts First? - Generally speaking, whist on the green, it is important to remember that the person to putt first is the person whose ball is furthest away from the flag.  Although in some circumstances, you may putt first for example if your ball is in their line of play and your marker may obstruct their shot, or when playing ‘ready golf’ to speed things up.

When on the green, do not walk on the line directly between the hole and another players ball.  Footprints can disrupt the roll of the ball during a putt. Do not stand directly in the line of sight of another player when they are putting and make sure you are not casting a shadow over their line or the hole.

The Flag – In or Out? - During Covid-19, we have been required to keep the flag in whilst putting.  During normal times, you do have the option to remove the flag whilst putting.  But certainly, keeping the flag in does speed up play, but it is a personal choice.

Once all players have putted out, please exit the green quickly and move away to the next hole.  Do not start marking your scorecard until you arrive to the next tee.

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NEXT WEEK: - Water Hazards & Out of Bounds - drops Fri 23rd October 2020

Bitesize Basics of Golf with Jade - 3

Bag Management

3. Bag Management

You will need your own golf clubs.  Almost all courses will state that the sharing of clubs is not permitted.

What’s allowed in the Bag? - The official maximum number of clubs you can have in your bag is 14.  You are also probably wondering what to carry??   As a beginner, we recommend something along the lines of the following: 

 -      Driver

-       Rescue

-       5 Wood

-       6 – 9 Iron

-       Wedge

-       Sand Wedge

-       Putter

Golf Glove - It is not essential, but a golf glove is worn by the majority of golfers the world over, so we recommend using one.

Golf Balls, Tees, Pitch Repairer and Ball Marker - You will need a few tees and golf balls to get you started!  Pro shops will often offer 2nd hand balls at reduced cost, so look out for those.  Please also carry a pitch repairer and ball marker for when you are on the green.  If you pitch into the green, often your ball will create a small hole.  The pitch repairer allows you to repair the damage to the green.

Keep Hydrated – We all love our snacks to nibble as we play and please remember to bring a drink with you to keep hydrated.  Some golf courses have a ‘half-way’ house where you can buy drinks and snacks mid-round, or before you start, many  Pro shop’s  offer drinks and chocolate.  But it might be best to come prepared!

Managing your Bag on the Course - Something you will also want to focus on whilst playing, is managing your bag on the course.  As you approach a green, please check which direction the next tee is and leave your bag on that side before you step onto the green to putt.  This will ensure a smooth transition as you finish from the green to walk to the next tee. This really helps to keep up the pace of play. 

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Golf can be an expensive sport, particularly when you’re first starting out.  However, there are ways to make it more affordable and we have linked some great second-hand websites below.  If you are coming along just to try it out and don’t want to commit just yet (although, we promise you will get the bug), then many golf courses do offer a daily hire of clubs. Also, you can always start golf with a half set of clubs and add as you progress. Plus, if you prefer to carry your bag, half set will do.

Website links for affordable golf attire and equipment:

 https://www.missdesignergolf.com/

 https://www.golfbidder.co.uk/

https://www.golfgarb.co.uk/

NEXT WEEK: - Sand and Green Play - drops Fri 16th October 2020

Bitesize Basics of Golf with Jade - 2

The Tee Box

2. The Tee Box

When you show up to a golf course for the first time, you are probably wondering why there are different coloured tees and what do they all mean?  There is talk that tees should be based on ability, as opposed to gender – but for now see below for the different tees and who tee’s off from where:

Black or Gold Tees – Professional or some Amateur Competitions
(not all courses have these)
White Tees – Men’s Competition
Yellow Tees – Men’s Regular 
Red Tees – Women’s
Blue Tees – Veterans/ Juniors

First Shot

The first tee shot of a round can be quite daunting, even for seasoned golfers.  So make sure when starting a hole that you tee up from the correct teeing ground. This is the area between and behind the front of the appropriate markers.  Think of the teeing ground as a rectangle, between the coloured tee posts and within 2 club lengths in depth.  With all the swing thoughts that go through the average player’s head, it can be easy to forget about these basic parameters.  Also, please remember not to pull your trolley or drive your buggy over the teeing ground, as this could cause damage.

Penalty for teeing up the ball outside of the teeing area (you may take your stance outside if you prefer) is two shots in stroke play, or loss of hole in match play!  You must also correct the mistake, by playing a ball from inside the teeing ground.  Remember to breath and take it slow!

Playing the Correct Ball

Before teeing off on the first hole, make sure you have created a distinctive mark on your ball.  People use their initials, a smiley face or an emoji of your choice.  Golf balls are all very similar and it is easy to mistake yours for another player’s ball.   You should also declare what ball you are playing with to your playing partners before teeing off and the distinctive mark you are using.  They should do likewise.  This way, you substantially cut down the risk of hitting the wrong ball whilst playing and it also helps to prevent cheating of any kind.

Penalty for playing the wrong ball whilst on the course can result in loss of hole in Match Play and a two-stroke penalty in Singles Stroke play.  

Identifying your ball

Whilst playing, if when you approach your ball, you’re still unsure it is yours, you are permitted under the rules to identify it.  First, mark with a tee peg, then lift it to identify as your ball.  Please note you are not allowed to clean your ball whilst you are identifying it. Finally, replace your ball back in the identical spot.  You must inform your playing partners before lifting.   You are also permitted to do this in the rough, which can often be where it is most difficult to identify.

To avoid penalties and playing the wrong ball and be above suspicion of cheating, get into the habit of marking up your balls more clearly with distinctive personalised symbols.

NEXT WEEK: - Bag Management drops Fri 9th October 2020

Bitesize Basics of Golf with Jade - 1

1. Ready Golf, Etiquette & Respect

Timeliness

Play quickly. It’s OK to concentrate and not completely rush yourself, but be considerate to other golfers. If your group is slow, let faster groups play through. Almost every course stresses the importance of playing “ready golf” – whoever is ready first on the tee, should play. On the fairway, be prepared to play as soon as it’s your turn. Simple and effective to keep things moving.

Etiquette & Safety

Do not hit your ball until the group ahead is far out of reach, or hit onto the green until the players in front of you are well clear. Make sure your immediate surroundings are clear before swinging the club. If your ball does travel towards other golfers eg on another hole, shout FORE. FORE is the universal call out to fellow golfers if there is the possibility a ball might hit them. If you are playing and somebody else shouts fore, duck and cover your head with your arms and hands. Getting hit by a golf ball is not funny and can be very painful. In extreme cases, can cause severe damage to your head, so please do not be shy of shouting FORE or ducking if you hear it!

Please note: As golfers you are liable if you hit another golfer. Golf insurance is advisable.

Respect

Respect the game and your fellow golfers. Try not to swear too loudly or at all! Definitely do not throw your clubs. Be quiet when you are near another golfer who is about to play. We all love a bit of a natter out on the course, but also concentrating is key to hitting a good shot!

NEXT WEEK: The Tee Box - drops Fri 2nd October 2020

New! Bitesize Basics with Jade

Learn the Basics of Golf with Jade

Quite often as a beginner, nobody really tells you what you may be doing wrong on the golf course until you’ve done it! Which, at times, can feel quite daunting and demoralising. Plus, could add a couple of penalty shots to your score! To help you out we’ll be dropping some Bitesize Basics of Golf with Jade.

As a beginner, Jade is slowly learning all the do’s and don’ts of golf and now you can learn with her via our Bitesize Basics of Golf. In her own words, Jade will cover topics like Bag Management, The Tee Box, Sand Play, starting this week with Ready Golf, Etiquette & Respect.

Over the next few weeks, Bitesize Basics will be dropping each Friday in our Members Only area. Even if you have been playing a while, these will be fun to read.

So check back each Friday and let’s make golf fun, enjoyable and less daunting for all of us.