Happy New Year everyone! I hope you have all recovered well from the festivities and, by the sounds of things, the various ailments that we all seem to be coping with at the moment. Mine was quiet followed by several days in bed with man flu and this horrible cough which seems to have got everyone. Still, we are back and driving forward and looking forward eagerly to warmer weather and the season that will be with us before we know it!
I would like to say that it is great to hear so many positive comments about the course at the moment, which considering the wet ground and horrible conditions at times is truly saying something. For the first time in a long time you are seeing signs of plans being put together to make the course more playable in the winter, with paths and new winter tees. This is exactly what we need to ensure we don't have more winters like last year when we were closed for two months. I think this is in all of our interests so more power to the boys who are doing the work out there.
Talking of winter golf though, I have just had a conversation with Warren (Trev) in the shop and we agreed that at the moment, compared to the summer, the ball can be affected in distance terms by up to 20%. I can certainly confirm this - I have been playing with a small carry bag and a half set for a while and it amazes me how often I will use a 5-iron, because I haven't got my 6, and still come up short!! So my first point about this is to club up even more than you think. I'm sure you've all worked this out already (??) but for those who haven't - try it and see what happens.
Keeping that in mind, over the next couple of months I am going to talk you through two holes of our course per week and hopefully give you some ideas that will help in how you play them. So, without any more waffle we'll crack on.
Hole One - 381/318 yards (Par 4)
The first thing to mention about the first is how many of you get caught up in the rough on the right. The problem here is that we all know it's a dogleg and so we all think we should be cutting the corner. Right, let's get back to what I was saying about the loss of distance in the winter: from the white blocks it is exactly 212 yards to the tree on the corner of the dogleg (the one we all get snookered by!). In the summer that isn't a big problem for most as the ball will run out past it but in the winter that demands that I almost always hit a driver on the first tee as I will only carry it 220ish with a good one. So even I cannot afford to go right there as I won't get out of the trees.
So, all of us should be aiming further left off the tee to ensure we stay on the fairway and so that we are not blocked out by the same tree. When you actually walk down the hole you realise it's not that big a dogleg anyway so a straight drive well left of the right hand trees is not a bad play at all. Once in the fairway the hole is very obvious and we just need to try to hit straight shots to the green. Again it is very evident how many of us come up short though!
Hole Two - 552/439 yards (Par 5)
The second is a different animal at the best of times! In the summer off the back tee it is arguably the hardest hole on the course and creates problems mainly because you can't see where your ball has landed most of the time. It demands you hit a very straight drive as there are problems left and right and then you still have a long way to go. So the first thing to say is that you need to respect the hole - this is one to play conservatively unless you are a big hitter and very confident with your driver.
The perfect shot, whether it is from the back tee or the front in the winter, is a cut off the left hand side. Why? Well my argument would be that the safe side is left. At all costs I don't want to go right! So if you naturally hit a left to right shape, give yourself plenty of room and let it happen always erring on the side of starting too far left. Someone who draws the ball or tries to runs the risk of either blocking the shot (not turning it right to left) or of over doing it and hooking it, which would actually be preferable. But whatever you do make sure you aim far enough left!!
Once you've safely negotiated the drive you then have another problem: I watch countless players then aim too far right with their second and they then end up in the rough on the right which causes them all sorts of problems. Again this is similar to the first: most of us overestimate how far we can hit the ball and how much of a dogleg it is. Aim further left! Unless you are a big hitter you can aim at or even left of the tree in the fairway. It is a long way up to the trouble! Then you have a better look at the green which will help your approach. From there the same rule as on the tee applies - don't go right!! Be aware of your lie on the fairway - if the ball is below your feet it will probably go further right than you think so, again, give yourself room.
So the next time you play remember on the first two holes to aim further left than normal and see if it works for you! Remember, we offer playing lessons at Chestfield so if you want us to come and play a few holes with you just get in touch here.
Back in the shop we have lots of items on SALE as we prepare for new stock arriving in the next few months. Please remember we're here if you're looking for anything - I will always try to do you the best deal you can find!!
On a sad note, this week we lost John Hoyles. John was a long standing member and quite seriously a lovelier man you won't meet. Myself and Trev played with John and Peter Clarkson at Chart Hills early last year after John won the prize in the Christmas Draw. We both found him a remarkable character and someone with some of the best life stories I've heard! Did you know he was a waterskiing legend? Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and especially Peter who was never far from John's side. The Chestfield Road will be a sadder one without the sight of John's car, buggy towing behind.
