Stuart Wilson

Hello Golfers,

There`s a good chance you`re reading this on Thursday! Which is February 14th, so sorry to be the bearer of bad news.....but if the only thing you got to open on Valentine`s Day is this email and my Newsletter then your love life is as dull as the useless schmuck who writes this stuff!!

....and when I eventually find out who he is you`ll be the first to know!

Pro's news

It was quite apt that, me trying to get my hands on a nice girl (I mean finding one to settle down with, and not in a Weinstein/Cosby sort of way) is a lot like Scotland`s, ahem, ‘Ball Handling’ at the Rugby last weekend! Just when you think you`ve got it all under control, an untimely fumble and in the blink of an eye you`ve lost out to a burly Irishman who just waltzed in and scored! So that`s what they mean by ‘God loves a Tryer!’ – I guess for me my only options are to try Hooker or just stick with being a Flanker!

I did go out with a girl who was a real Rugby fanatic, it was just a pity she also looked like a cross between John Jeffrey and Iwan Tukalo! It also didn`t help that she could witter on like Bill McLaren.....and you can imagine what that was like when she got the slightest bit excited....plus I was the one that ended up with the cauliflower ears!!

Tour News

Speaking of excited Scots, wasn`t it great to see Scotland land their first win on the European Tour since 2015!?.....well, the truthful answer was probably, No! Unless you were an Insomniac or just got in after ‘staggering in hame after the walk o`shame’ there`s a good chance you didn`t see David Law produce a fantastic ‘Birdie, Par, Eagle’ Finish to win his maiden European Tour Victory down in Australia! Thank goodness for Sky+ or the poor man`s version....repeats!!

The ISPS Handa Vic Open was an historic event in more ways than one. Obviously for David, in his first full Season on Tour it will live long in his memory, but for Tournament Golf you could say the European Tour rewrote ‘The Law’, as this was the first time that a gents Tour Event AND a Ladies Tour Event were played at the same time on the same venue! Which also meant that at times, and in certain groups, the Ladies & Men played together! A brilliant and welcome step forward for the game.

And it wasn`t just being paired together that saw parallels in the two events. In almost a mirror image, the Women`s event also saw a maiden victory for another Player in their first full season on Tour. Celine Boutier from France also overcame a deficit on her way to landing the Trophy! And probably the most important parallel to note from this landmark event was the Prizemoney paid out was the same to both the men and the women.

In a time of much scrutiny over Gender Pay Equality it was refreshing to see a Tournament that addressed the situation. But it in a way it also highlighted why the Ladies Tour Events don`t/can`t pay out the same purses. Sponsorship and TV Coverage! I don`t think in golf it was ever a case of the Ladies didn`t merit being paid the same, however when the pay-outs have to come from a pot of gold supplied by a Tournament Sponsor then that is always going to be influenced by what ‘exposure’ that Sponsor feels they are going to get from their investment and what they feel that its worth. As the Scottish Open these last few years has shown (Dundonald & nearby, Gullane) playing on the same venue doesn`t really help. Playing on the same venue at the same time does! Let`s hope this is the sign of things to come?

Club News

That`s one thing I`ve noticed and learned so far here at Duddingston. The Ladies & Gents just get stuck in together. In bounce games, and I believe the same happens in the weekly Competitions too, which I think is brilliant and something we should definitely sing about as I really think it`s these kind of differentiators that you need to up sell in the quest to recruit new Members. I think this is the sort of thing that would appeal to, and help attract, more couples and women.

‘LADIES OF THE LYNX’ Get Into Golf Initiative

Encouraging more Ladies to play is something myself, Margaret Keith and the Board are eager to do. After a successful ‘Get Into Golf’ Campaign at the end of last Season the Club were keen to start something similar up again.

So we have put together the following 3 Tier Program:

Stage 1: 4 FREE Tasters Sessions
Stage 2: 6 Further Weeks of Instruction @ £100
Stage 3: 4 Month Academy Membership @ £150

Anyone Signing Up to the above will receive FOC a Putter, Wedge & 7 Iron (Supplied By Lynx Golf) that they can use right throughout the Instructional Period.

Each ‘Stage’ is a ‘Bolt On’ so anyone can Opt-Out with no obligation. They simply hand the Equipment back. If however they want to continue on to the Academy Membership then they are also entitled to purchase the remainder of their Lynx Half Set at a heavily Discounted Price.

If you think this would be of interest to your wife, partner or any female friend or work colleague then you can find out more Information or Sign Up by Clicking Here.

Shop News

Hopefully I can help build the Ladies Membership up as well as Jonny Blurton and his Orocco Joinery Company & associates have done with the Shop improvements!?

The proposed SW:ING STUDIO Indoor Simulator is coming on a treat and getting near the stage where we can turn our attention to redecorating and carpeting the main shop area. This will at least allow us to get back into and operating out of the Professional Shop. Then we can work away at getting the Simulator Room ready behind closed doors.

Hopefully you will all have seen my ‘Crowd Funding Initiative’ Proposal that was emailed out to you by Duncan. A Huge thanks to everyone who has signed up to contribute via the various options. Given that I am very new to the Club and the concept is essentially being sold as a pipe dream and not something tangible just yet your generosity so far is incredibly humbling! Thank you again.

For anyone still looking to take advantage of the massive value that the ‘CFI’ is offering, or needing a reminder of what is on offer and how it works then simply Click Here.

‘CFI’ Bonus Ball Initiative

This week I threw another few options at you in the Club Newsletter that highlighted how you could also get involved with the Crowd funding Initiative.

Launching today (Tuesday) there will be FOUR Bonus Ball Sheets available:

The first is the normal Bonus Ball Sheet for the usual Dozen Balls & Glove @ £1 Per Square

The second Bonus Ball Sheet winner will claim Option 3 in the Crowd Funding Initiative (1 SW:ING STUDIO Sessions (Simulator Use, Practice Session or Lesson) – Entry into Prize Draw) - £1 Per Square

The third Bonus Ball Sheet winner will claim Option 2 in the Crowd Funding Initiative (Named Entry onto the ‘Wall Of Fame’ – 3 SW:ING STUDIO Sessions (Worth up to £150 - Simulator Use, Practice Session or Lesson) – Entry into Prize Draw) - £3 Per Square

The fourth Bonus Ball Sheet winner will claim Option 1 in the Crowd Funding Initiative (Named Entry onto the ‘Wall Of Fame’ – 10 SW:ING STUDIO Sessions (Worth up to £500 - Simulator Use, Practice Session or Lesson) – Entry into Prize Draw) - £5 Per Square

The only stipulation on Sheets 2, 3 & 4 is that they will only be eligible once ALL SQUARES ARE SOLD and will correspond to the first Saturday Bonus Ball after this has happened.

Couldn't live without it

More and more golfers are placing their trust in GPS equipment to help them on the course, providing key yardages to hazards and greens on every hole. If you’re yet to take advantage of this technology then you really are missing out, so here are a couple of our favourite products for you to cast an eye over...

Garmin Approach S10 Watch

This is the perfect accessory to help you get your exact yardage to the green with nothing more than a glance at your wrist. Sleek, lightweight and comfortable, the S10 GPS watch provides yardages to the front, back and middle of the green on over 41,000 courses worldwide, on top of hazards and doglegs, giving you all the key information you need to play better golf.

Garmin Approach G80 Device

Now this is something special. The Approach G80 is a handheld GPS device that gives you colour maps of every hole as well as key distances to greens and hazards. In addition, its integrated Launch Monitor not only tracks key data such as clubhead speed and estimated distance, but it comes with four game modes to enhance your practice time at the range.

shop Garmin's range >

The agony of choice

Spikeless golf shoes have come a long way in recent years, with the myth that they offer considerably less traction than cleated models a thing of the past. Here we showcase a model of each option that we particularly like, both of which you can buy through us.

Cleated: adidas Tour360 XT

The perfect cleated option for those winter rounds of golf, with superb traction and stability thanks to its eight ThinTech cleats; ideal for when the ground is particularly wet.

The premium leather, seam-sealed waterproof upper gives you the best protection and comfort money can buy - coupled with its rich look and soft feel, these shoes really do have everything.

Spikeless: adidas Adipower 4ORGED

As with the other shoe here, this model has Boost cushioning for total comfort and enjoyment, whilst its enhanced outsole has strategically placed pods for brilliant grip and stability no matter the weather.

Not only that, the fact that it’s spikeless means you’re able to wear these shoes both on and off the course at your leisure – we couldn’t recommend these highly enough.

view the range >

Spotlight: PING G410 irons

When it comes to irons, there aren't many brands with the pedigree and continued dominance as PING, which is partly down to their fantastic custom fitting solution that we have in-store.

Entering their range for 2019 is this phenomenal G410 iron, which is the one iron within PING's range that is suited to all levels of golfer. Forgiving, powerful and high launching, click on the button below to learn more about this impressive option.

watch our video >

I hope you have enjoyed this week's update.
We hope to see you soon
Stuart

Duddingston Golf Club
135 Duddingston Road W
Edinburgh
EH15 3QD

Phone: 0131 661 4301

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