(In the whispering tone of Sir David Attenborough) As the Autumn leaves fall and the cold, damp & dark shroud of Winter descends upon the Golf Season, forcing the Sociable Summer Swinger to retreat back into the safety and sanctuary of the ‘Man Cave’, it`s place in nature is taken by the very rare sighting of the creature known to many as ‘The Pro!’

If only it was as easy as the Tour Pro`s life, where your schedule just chases the sun around the globe! The PGA Tour has been hopping about down in Malaysia, while the European Tour was in Sunny Spain last week where home hero and host, Sergio Garcia, won at the Valderrama Masters.

There was only 2 Scotsmen that made the 36 Hole Cut at Valderrama. Scott Jamieson finished a creditable Tied 6th, while newly-turned Pro Connor Syme, made the most of his Sponsors Invite to make his 3rd Paycheck in 3 Professional events. Just a fabulous start as he tries to get a foothold in the ‘Paid Ranks’ – But 84,000 Euro in 3 weeks is not a bad start.

It`s a tough school these days ‘Singing For Your Supper’ and when missed putts cost me lost Pounds (or even NO £`s!) then it is a really hard grind. You will have read over these past few weeks that Kamran intends to play fulltime next season as he chases the dream of becoming a Tour Player. Something I wish him every success in.

Right as we speak another Portlethen GC ‘Loon’ is out in Portugal taking another step (hopefully a significant and profitable one) on his Playing Journey. Sean Lawrie made it to the EuroPro Tour Championship which is being held at Vilamoura`s Oceanic Faldo Course where he is hoping to make a good season into a great season by scooping as much of the £99,000 Pot as possible. Hopefully it`s the top Prize of £22,540!!

Not quite £22 grand, but the Wednesday Stableford Winners pocket a welcome few doubloons!

Division 1
1 Donald Keith (26) 44 Points
2 Bruce Johnston (17) 42 Points
3 Mark Clubb (16) 42 Points

That`s about all the Competitive golf I can talk about this week, as our ambitious attempts to keep the ‘Playing Season’ going as long as possible were thwarted by the weather.

Both the start of the Winter League and the scheduled 9 & 18 Hole Stablefords last weekend were literally washed out with the Course closing both Saturday & Sunday with flooding. The positive was that the driest parts of the Course were the Greens which shows that the important and extensive work that Neil & his Team have put in to the Putting Surfaces have definitely paid dividends. Hopefully we can work towards getting other areas of the Course up to a level where they can withstand the deluges we are being exposed to.

In speaking to Neil about some of the problem areas, and challenges he is faced with when the weather forces the Course Closures (despite the Greens being the most playable part) it raised an interesting topic.

Although we weren`t able to do the exact maths, on examination of a typical weekend Tee Sheet and by our estimations well over 90% of our Golfers play using a push, pull or powered Trolley! Which means that every one of those golfers is forced to follow a very specific route at various and many points on the course. Just think about it for a second and you`ll quickly see that Trolley users are funnelled, perhaps even herded, into taking specific routes around tees, greens & ponds, over bridges, through trees, crossing roads, etc. When the course is SO wet these areas especially will get destroyed by the constant wheeled traffic leaving a 3-Pronged headache

• Unsightly, unplayable areas that would need to be marked GUR.
• Costly areas of Repair.
• Time-consuming areas of Repair.

I think we`d all prefer that Time & Resources were channelled into making our facility better, rather than just getting it back to where it was! No!?

But that aside, it got me asking a question that I`m now going to ask you. And this is very much ‘Unofficial’ before anyone thinks that this is something the Club want to implement. I`m just wanting to canvas opinion – We`ll call it Market Research!

If it was the difference between ‘Course Closed’ and ‘Course Playable’ how would you feel about a ‘Carry Only Policy?’ By this I mean that there would be a Trolley Restriction and carrying a few or all your Clubs would be the only option.

I know for many, the Trolley (especially Powered) is critical to managing a full round of golf, or even just to tackle some of the uphill holes. But if it meant the difference between getting a few holes of golf & exercise and getting none would it be another level of Course Status worth looking at?

At the moment we have:
• Course Open NO RESTRICTIONS
• Course Open NO BUGGIES
• Frost Course (Winter)
• Course CLOSED

When the Course is Closed it virtually means that the front Gate would as well be shut also, certainly I know it drastically effects my potential income. On Sunday I managed a whopping £1 through the Till in 10 Hours but had to pay out 80 times that in Wages!! I know the Bar & Restaurant can be equally as effected at times so it impacts everyone.

So, Click Here and let me know whether you`d be for or against a ‘Carry Only Policy’ if it meant keeping the Course Open whenever we could.

And don`t worry, your opinion will be treated with the upmost confidentiality. I`m just looking to gauge a feel for this. Think of it as a bit of a shot in the dark!

Of course the next date up after Halloween is:

REMEMBER, REMEMBER, THE 5TH OF NOVEMBER! – And you might just think I`ve lost the Gunpowder Plot!

Because to give you a reason not to forget (or miss) that Date is that I am putting on a ONE DAY ONLY SALE where the only thing criminal is how low my Prices are!

So come along to my:

CLUBHOUSE CASH CLEARANCE Event
Sunday, 5 November – 12pm to 4pm

All Selected Sale Items SLASHED to Clear in my ‘Pop Up’ Clubhouse Shop where you will find*

• All Shoes HALF PRICE!
• All Bags HALF PRICE!
• All Putters HALF PRICE!
• All Clothing HALF PRICE!
• All Waterproof Jackets HALF PRICE!

Plus there will be Push Trollies & Accessories at rock bottom prices.

*Full Payment Purchases ONLY! – No Shop Credit or Vouchers Accepted.

I also have some other products that will be included in the CLUBHOUSE CASH CLEARANCE that ARE available NOW!

New & Ex Trial Clubs: (Don`t let ‘Ex Trial’ put you off as virtually all of these Clubs have been protected throughout their use and are in ‘As New’ Condition)

TaylorMade M1 2017 Driver: New £359 Ex Trial £329
TaylorMade M2 2017 Driver: Ex Trial £249
TaylorMade M1 2016 Driver: New £199
Callaway XR16 Driver: New £199 Ex Trial £179
Callaway Fusion Driver: New £199 Ex Trial £179
PING G Series Drivers: Ex Trial £179
TaylorMade M1 2017 F/Way: New £199 Ex Trial £179
TaylorMade M2 2017 F/Way: Ex Trial £149
TaylorMade M1 2016 Driver: New £129
Callaway XR16 F/Way: Ex Trial £129
PING G Series F/Way: Ex Trial £139
TaylorMade M1 2017 Rescue: New £149 Ex Trial £129
TaylorMade M2 2017 Rescue: Ex Trial £109
PING G Series Hybrid: Ex Trial £109
Titleist 816 Hybrid: Ex Trial £109
TaylorMade M1 2017 Irons (4-PW): Ex Trial £499 + FREE CART BAG*
TaylorMade M2 2017 Irons (4-PW): Ex Trial £449 + FREE CART BAG*
Wilson C200 Irons (4-PW): Ex Trial £199
Wilson FG5 Irons (4-PW): Ex Trial £199

(*Save a further £30 if you add 2 more T/Made Pieces from the above list)

If the Course Closures and weather conditions have got slumped you into a Golfing Depression already why not think about a break away to soak up some Vitamin D and give your Golf Game a boost as well with some Instruction thrown in.

These Coaching Trips can take place anytime between November & February and provide great short and inexpensive Golf Breaks to excellent Golf Resorts in Spain, Portugal or even Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
They include* Transfers, Accommodation, Food, Golf, Buggies, Practice Facilities and Coaching – Flights need to be added which obviously vary depending on the dates and when booked (*levels vary depending on Destination & Package)

Here are some of the Examples: (Minimum 7 Golfers + Pro)

Pestana Carvoeiro Resort or Penina Golf Resort (Portugal) - £349 (Nov – Feb)
• 3 Nights Dinner, B&B
• 3 Rounds of Golf
• Exclusive Area On Range
• Unlimited Range Usage
• Daily Instruction

Almenara Golf Resort (Spain) - £349 (Nov – Feb)
• 3 Nights B&B
• 3 Rounds of Golf
• Reserved Slot On Range
• Unlimited Range Usage
• Daily Instruction

La Manga Resort (Spain) - £329 (Nov – Feb)
• 3 Nights B&B
• 3 Rounds of Golf
• Reserved Slot On Range
• Unlimited Range Usage
• Daily Instruction

Southern Sun Golf Resort (Abu Dhabi) - £449 (Oct & Nov or Jan & Feb)
• 5 Nights Dinner, B&B
• 3 Rounds of Golf @ Abu Dhabi or Saadiyat Beach GC
• Access to Abu Dhabi 9 Holer For Instruction Round
• 1 Round of Floodlit Night Golf
• Reserved Slot On Range
• Unlimited Range Usage
• Daily Instruction

If you and a group of Friends are interested in any of these and would like more details get in touch for a no obligation enquiry by clicking here.

What`s not to like about getting away from a Scottish Winter, Golf AND improving your game before next Season!? Surely everyone`s a Winner!?

This week`s Rules Tip focuses on an area that seems quite straight forward and obvious, but as experience has proven often catches plenty golfers out and raises many questions.

The Teeing Ground.

Check out the comprehensive explanation provided by our Resident Ref, Dave Fleming – Click Here

This Friday sees the start of `Muriel`s Mashie` - An eclectic competition run throughout the winter on Fridays with 1/2 handicap deducted at the end. The winner of the Mashie Trophy is the player with the lowest eclectic score.

• Weekly Competition will be over 15 holes (The first 15 Holes in play that day)
• Overall Eclectic Score will be an 18 Hole Score (Winter Composite Course will mean all 18 Holes will have been completed at some point throughout the Mashie Period)
• Yellow Tees Gents/Red Tees Ladies.

- £3 To Enter

There will also be a Stableford Sweep run every week based on the Scorecards returned - £1 To Enter

50% of this Money will be paid out to that day`s best score. The other 50% will go towards the Prize Fund at the end of The Mashie.

Tee times are to be booked online or you can turn up at the pro shop on the day of play for a game.
No play prior to 9.00am

Another Date for your Diary is that of the End Of Season ‘Presentation Of Prizes’ – Saturday, 4 November @ 7.30pm

Entry for this is FREE and it is a great night whether you have won a Trophy to collect or not.

You can also book a Table for Food which can be done via Margaret in the Bar.

So last week I was at Gleneagles playing the final event of the tartan tour - Scottish PGA.

As always the weather had an impact on how the tournament went. The first day I didn't get to play any holes, some guys got a handful of holes played before it was delayed due to fog. The fog had eventually lifted by 2/3 o'clock but the decision had already been made by the tour that day 1 would resume the next day.

The second day we had a little delay due to high winds and I eventually got out for my first round in the afternoon.

I opened up with a level par round of 70, which saw me inside the top 10 and the end of round 1. I was pleased with that score because I was 3 over after 5 holes and fought back well in the wind. However the second round took a very bad turn for me I started off ok with a birdie on the 3 but started dropping shots and I was 4 over on the 13th and let's just say the 13th was unlucky for me!!

In the end I couldn't recover and I missed the cut by 4 shots. So a bit of a rollercoaster week for me but the poor second round is something I need to improve on for next season.


Junior Tatties Camp

This week Terry and I are running a camp everyday 10-2 for the kids that aren't away in the sunshine!! I will share the pictures from the week in next week’s blog.