I got a real wake up call this week! I`ve obviously been extremely busy over this last wee while that I`ve completely taken my eye off the ball of other things! It turns out that I only now have about 18 months left to beat Jack Nicklaus`s Majors Record! That equates to one 4 round Major victory a month, and given that I`m averaging 18 holes every 6 months currently I think I`ll fall just short of even making the required rounds! Although I`d probably still need more shots than The Golden Bear did with all his victories added up!

Yes, this is the revelation that came in an article that Tiger Woods`s fall from golfing greatness shouldn`t be looked upon as too much of a shocking surprise given that history has proven that virtually all the great players of the past have seen their games deteriorate, some more rapid than others, when they basically hit 40! Check it out, it makes for interesting reading! Click here to read article.

So the moral of the story is there is no point living a straight laced, infidelity free, tee total, performance enhancing steroid-less, clean cut lifestyle in pursuit of greatness! Because when you reach 40, you`re as good as done anyway!! What is really depressing is when you realise you took all those precautions and basically ended up being a below average, under achieving, poor man`s Willy Wonka!!

Is Tiger done!? I guess only time will tell but he may well `Do a Jack!` and roll back the years just one more time in the future like the great man did 29 Years Ago at the `86 Masters! A Back 9 of 6 Under Par 30 gave Jack his 18th and final Major! His Eagle, Birdie, Birdie run at holes 15, 16 & 17 culminated in that iconic image of him following his putt in at 17 with his Dyson Carpet Sweeper of a Putter held aloft as he punch the air! But what many people forget about that year`s Masters was Jack only won courtesy of Greg Norman blowing it at the last! From a perfect drive, Norman needed to make 3 to win or 4 to tie and preceded to flash it into the `Patrons` gathered behind the green. He failed to get up and down and the rest, as they say, is history!! Another piece of trivia that came from that year is that Greg Norman had the 54 Hole lead going into the last round of all 4 Majors, yet only claimed victory in 1!! The only other sporting moment that was more painstaking to watch that year was Gordon Strachan trying to jump the advertising boards at the Mexico World Cup!!

The only lead that Norman converted that year was the Open @ a tsunami swept Turnberry! That Open Championship through up another little story that I found funny and fascinating! During my time at Ladybank GC, my boss and Head Professional was Martin Gray, a very good Tarta Tour Professional who went on to play on the European Seniors Tour. He qualified for the Open in 86` and, despite the brutal conditions, made it through the 36 Hole Cut. That Friday evening he had to call the Tournament Office to find out his Tee Times (long before e-mail and `t`internet`!!) The lady in the R&A Tournament Office either had to answer about 70 of these calls and was in a mood or didn`t really know much about what was going on as Martin curiously asked, "Can you tell me who I`m playing with!?"….the non plus, dead pan reply came "It`s a J. Nicklaus…USA"…!!!! Not only THE Jack Nicklaus but also the current Masters Champion!! They went on to both shoot 76 that day which I also thought was some good cudos!

The chance of that holiest of Holy Golfing Grails, "The Grand Slam!" is the talk of the golfing world again! Rory McIlroy goes in to the US Masters as the current holder of both the Open Championship and USPGA and victory at Augusta would give him a shot at hogging all 4 at the US Open which is being held at Chambers Bay! Which I thought was the next cove along the beach in Home & Away!!?

Do you think Rory has the form right now to win the Masters? Who`s your money on? Why not have a flutter in my Masters Sweep!? It`s a twist on the usual Sweepstake, in that it`s a blind "Lucky Dip"! Right up until the last putt is holed everyone who bought a Ticket could still have the chance of having the winner!!

U.S. Masters Sweep

Tickets: £5

Every competitor will be in a sealed envelope. Simply choose an envelope, write your name on it and hand it back. After the tournament is finished, all the envelopes will be opened and the people who successfully picked the players in the following positions win the relevant prize.

1st - £100 (All monies are shop account credit) 
2nd - £80 
3rd - £60 
4th - £40 
5th - £20 

Lowest Round Of The Week - £30 
Highest Round Of The Week - £30 
Dead Last After 72 Holes - £30

All the other unlucky names will go into a prize draw for a dozen balls of your choice! (If all tickets sold there will be multiple winners of this.)

 

There were plenty winners last weekend that's for sure!

As you'll all know I took the chance to earmark last Saturday as my Official "Grand Opening" of the Professional Shop. We had a great day and were pretty lucky with some nice weather. The Golfers were out in force for the final Pro Shop Sweep before the Golf Season kicks off for real this coming weekend! There are a few golfers that I`m sure will be hoping that their recent Winter form continues into the counting season as we have had some regular attenders on the winner's podium in the last few weeks!

Andrew Cordiner finishing 2nd two weeks in a row whilst Scott Livingstone and Jake Legge have a finished somewhere in the Prizes for 3 out of the last 4 weeks!

PRO SHOP SWEEP 
SATURDAY 21st MARCH `15

Division 1 (12 & BELOW) 
1st: Scott Livingstone = 42 Points (A.C.B.) 
2nd: Andrew C Cordiner = 42 Points (A.C.B.) 
3rd: Ian Logie = 42 Points (A.C.B.)

Division 2 (13 & ABOVE) 
1st: Brian Mutch = 41 Points (A.C.B.) 
2nd: John A Legge = 41 Points (A.C.B.) 
3rd: Simon Jolly = 41 Points (A.C.B.) 

Jake has used some of his money to treat himself prior to the new season. And by trusting and investing in the services that are on his own doorstep he has not only got himself some great product but also piece of mind that whatever the future holds his Customer Satisfaction will be looked after too. Jake firstly decided to `take the plunge` and get himself a Goretex Galvin Green Waterproof suit. Many people typically baulk at the price of these suits (circa £400) but the point to remember is that gets you a LIFETIME waterproof Guarantee! A Waterproof suit that WILL stay waterproof for its lifespan. If for whatever reason it doesn`t Jake now knows that all he has to do is walk off his golf course, through my door and take it off and myself and Galvin Green will remedy the problem! No questions asked! Surely with the fragile golfing weather we get in Scotland that`s great comfort to know!?

His second purchase was some new wheels! He opted to go for a new Powakaddy FW5 Powered Trolley with a Lithium Battery. Now this is one of a few great powered trollies on the market, and with the wafer thin and light Lithium Battery Jake knows that he has bought a reliable machine that has a Warranty of up to 5 Years*, But what Jake now has as a result of buying it from me is again the piece of mind that my service offers.

Anyone who purchases a motorised Trolley from me will also receive my "Keep You Rolling" Policy. This means if, heaven forbid, something failed on your Trolley during its Warranty Period I will make sure you have a Machine to use while the problem is fixed. If something goes wrong with that Trolley outwith it`s warranty I will also make sure you stay mobile and "Keep Rolling" while the issue is identified and repaired. This is all part of my Price which I know is in line with all the main High Street & Online Stores. But given the fact that on top of all I`ve mentioned when you buy a Powered Trolley from me it will be unpacked (no huge cardboard box to dispose of - or keep in case a Return is required) ready collect when YOU want and will be fully charged, ready to roll straight into use at the 1st Tee then I`m confident in saying you won`t find BETTER VALUE ANYWHERE ELSE!

To help maintain that value and to improve my "Keep Rolling Service" further I am investing in Trolley, Battery & Charger Testing Equipment and have just been accepted to be an Authorised Motocaddy Service Centre. I`ll be off soon to Stansted to get put through my paces by the Technicians at Motocaddy who will get me up to speed with the nuts and bolts (and some wires and electronics too I`m sure) of their Trolleys. This will complete the set up of our newly created "Trolley Store" area in the Shop!

If all that value wasn`t enough Jake also took advantage of my "Official Grand Opening Day" Offers which meant he saved £70 on his waterproof suit and also received a FREE GPS Holder for his Trolley!

These were just a couple of the In Store Promos that I had running last Saturday. Thank you to everyone who supported the event and came along to have some fun. I ran a few different incentives and activities on the day between Prize draws for those who handed in the e-mail flier, those who liked and shared my Facebook post and those who spent over a certain amount. Plus there were Prizes up for grabs for my Crazy & Skills Putting Challenges!

Check out my short Video (right) to see 
who the luck scamps were!

My Offers don`t just end after last Saturday! And keeping with the Trolley theme I`ve noticed many of the golfers here (and a stat backed up in my Survey) use Powered Trolleys. Some newer than others to be honest but what every Trolley and golfer who uses a Powered Trolley would benefit from is upgrading to a new Lithium Battery* Again, much like the Goretex Waterproof Suit, the initial reaction is at the price (£199 - For an 18 Hole capacity) but when you understand what that money gets you it actually represents extremely good value for money, albeit a reasonably substantial initial outlay. Let`s look at the features first.

• 75% lighter than lead acid equivalent*
• 1/3 the size of lead acid equivalent*
• Charges from empty in under 4.5 hours
• Advanced BMS system constantly optimises performance and life
• Comes with specialised high performance charger
• Lifetime 5 times longer than equivalent lead acid*
• Five year limited warranty** (Battery only - Charger 2 Years)

So that means the benefits are:

• They are easier for you to carry and lift on & off the trolley, in & out the car or to & from the Clubhouse.
• Less strain being put on the Trolleys mechanics, less weight to pull, more efficient use of power.
• You only need to charge what you use and wont effect the lifespan of the battery.
• They last much longer (Again piece of mind!)

Add to that the fact that a good Lead Acid Battery will cost £70-£80 and only have a 12 month warranty, the matching Charger will be approximately £50-£60 and again only have 1 Year Warranty. You could get really unlucky and have to renew either or both a few times over a 5 Year period! So all of a sudden the £199 for both a new battery and charger PLUS all those benefits is pretty good value for money!

BUT what if I told you I could make that even better value! Would you be more interested then? Well I will soon be running a "Battery Trade-In" Promotion where you can get £25 OFF The price of a new Litepower or Motocaddy Lithium Battery & Charger, or £25 OFF the cost of a new Motocaddy Lithium Powered Trolley when you hand in an Old Battery (it doesn`t even need to work!!....but it does need to be a Trolley Battery)

Many of these Promotions come courtesy of the great work that Foremost Golf, the Group that I am a Member of, do on my behalf via their strength and negotiations with the Suppliers. Just last week I attended a Spring Workshop with a number of my fellow Foremost Golf Professionals where we brought our knowledge up to speed with some educational and industry information. Plus these are always great networking, idea sharing and brainstorming opportunities amongst likeminded colleagues. So whilst it wasn`t exactly a day off it was a worthwhile day away from the Club. 

 
With the weekends, and Saturday in particular getting busier I have started running 2 Bonus Ball Draws. This meant 2 winners last weekend which saw Derek McCann win the first sheet (£49) and Chloe Cook (£24) win the second sheet. Chloe tried her luck whilst along visiting my Opening Day. She is the daughter of Stephen Cook who I think should change his name to Stephen Crook because he`s bought his daughters £24 Shop Credit off of her for a measly £20!! Pfft, there goes your "Dad Of The Year" Mug!!

Below are details of my Lesson Tariffs and Package Options:

Individual LessonPrices

30 Minute Lesson - £30*  
45 Minute Lesson - £35*  
60 Minute Lesson - £40*

Development Plan Package: "The Game Changer" (4x 45 Minute Session) - £140*

This Package is the ideal way to make simple, effective and long lasting improvements to your game. Whether it is focusing on one particular aspect or gaining knowledge and adding improvement to every department of your golf game.

Complete Game Package: "Top To Toe Improvement" (3x 45 Minute Session) - £105*

This Package focuses on every aspect of your game where you will be given analysis and advice on how to improve your Tee To Green Game (Session 1 - Long Game), your Approach Play (Session 2 - Shortgame) and your Putting Prowess (Session 3 - Putting)

Scoring Zone: "The Ultimate Shortgame Session" (2 Hour Session) - £75* (Session Can Be Shared: 2 People = £37.50 Each, 3 People = £25 Each, 4 People = £20 Each)

The ideal way to make significant and lasting improvements to the one area of the game that guarantees lower scores! This session contains a detailed assessment of your Shortgame "Strengths & Weaknesses", a skills test, Stroke Analysis, Green Reading & Pace Control as well as an overview of Pitching & Bunker technique, Chipping method and shot choices.

Playing Lesson: "Take It To The Course" (2 Hour Session) - £75* (Session Can Be Shared: 2 People = £37.50 Each, 3 People = £25 Each, 4 People = £20 Each)

This On Course Session focuses predominantly on your ability to manage your game and the course, mental approach, visualisation, routine, green reading, rules, etiquette and shot execution. Whilst how to play certain types of shots will be covered technique and swing changes will kept for on the Practice Range.

Consultation "Performance Analysis & Overview" (2 Hour Session) - £ 75

This session contains a detailed assessment of your game and your goals! Important performance data is recorded using Flightscope which alongside a comprehensive Skills Test and questionnaire allow a "Plan For Progress" to be created specifically for your game. 
*Anyone who takes this assessment automatically qualifies for a 10% Reduction on all future Lessons & Packages that season.

Group Tuition

2 People (1 Hour) - £30PP  
3 People (1 Hour) - £20PP 
4 People (1 Hour) - £15PP

So for the upcoming 2015 Season ask yourself what you want to improve about your game!

Do you want your shots to be…

LONGER
STRAIGHTER
FEWER
BETTER
STRONGER
HIGHER

Do you want your Shortgame to be…

CLOSER
CRISPER
CONTROLLED
VARIED
CONSISTENT
POSITIVE

Do you want your putts to have better…

LINE
SPEED
CONTROL
CONSISTENCY
CONFIDENCE

Then I`m here to help you achieve your best. You`ll always enjoy something more when you do it better!

Driver Fitting 

Specification Fitting & Set Up Only (Make & Model already established) FREE 
*Includes Flightscope Radar Fitting - 30 Minutes

Full Fitting Experience (Requirements Unknown) - £30  
*Includes Flightscope Radar Fitting, Analyse current Driver, Trial New Driver options, custom fit to players Spec. - 60 Minutes 
(£15 Comes off purchase price - £15 given back as Shop Voucher for future/additional purchase)

Iron Fitting

Specification Fitting & Set Up Only (Make & Model already established) FREE 
*Includes Flightscope Radar Fitting - 30 Minutes

Full Fitting Experience (Requirements Unknown) - £30  
*Includes Flightscope Radar Fitting, Analyse current Irons, Trial New Iron options, custom fit to players Spec. - 60 Minutes 
(£15 Comes off purchase price - £15 given back as Shop Voucher for future/additional purchase)

Putter Fitting 

Specification Fitting & Set Up Only (Make & Model already established) FREE Fitting - 30 Minutes

Full Fitting Experience (Requirements Unknown) - £30 
*Includes Analyse current Putter, Trial New Putter options, custom fit to players Spec. - 60 Minutes  (£15 Comes off purchase price - £15 given back as Shop Voucher for future/additional purchase)

Full Bag Fitting

Specification Fitting & Set Up Only (Make & Model already established) - £30 
*Includes Flightscope Radar - 60 Minutes 
(£15 Comes off purchase price - £15 given back as Shop Voucher for future/additional purchase)

Full Fitting Experience (Requirements Unknown) - £50
*Includes Flightscope Radar - 120 Minutes 
(£30 Comes off purchase price - £20 given back as Shop Voucher for future/additional purchase)

To book a lesson or fitting, click here

There are lots more great looking nights in store throughout this season at Portlethen so get these pencilled in to that Diary but the next one is coming around quick so get your Ticket booked before they all get snapped up!

Saturday 4th April: Ultimate Legends (No it`s not an Auction for Oscar Pistorious Bladez!) A multi tribute performer.

Saturday 23rd May: Elvis Is In The Building (I hope he`s getting signed in!?) A Tribute To the King.

Saturday 27th June: 5th Avenue (It`s £5 for Parking that night) This Group are Streets ahead!

Saturday 26th September: Patrice & McRuvie (A Couple o`Jokers!) There`ll be some Port Belly Laughs that night!

If you think you know of other Members (or golfers!) who would like to receive this then I'd appreciate if you forward it to them and encourage them to subscribe using the relevant link! Once in the database you/they will then be able to receive regular contact (oh no I hear you cry, not daily doses of his pathetic patter!!) through my Broadcast Messages that go straight to your email. I also have my SWING Studio Facebook page where I post and Tweet daily with anything from course updates to shop promotions! So why not like my FB Page or Follow Me on Twitter by clicking the links below.

Now while these are great communication vehicles for me, the Newsletter/Website especially can offer a great Tool for you to get your message out there as well! As you can see if you scroll down there are a few "ADVERTISING BANNER" opportunities that provide great exposure to my ever growing database. So if you have a Company, Brand or Product that you'd like to Advertise then contact me here and I'll happily talk you through the Advertising options.