Hi everyone,

Well, Midsummer Madness proved to be just that and not for the first time the ladies battered the men! For those that don't know, this is where the ladies played off the white tees with their full handicaps against the men off the red tees with no handicaps. I think it's a really fun game and I was delighted to see such a large turnout on the day so it is clearly a popular event. To me it does highlight that distance does not matter as much as people generally think: On all but a few holes (the second in particular) the difference is not that significant and merely means the ladies might be hitting a longer second or third shot that will probably be no worse or better than if they played off the reds. So the men are under real pressure - and they'll still miss fairways and greens even off the reds!! Sorry guys but you got schooled so just take it like men!! Well done to all and I hope it's a day for the diary that continues for a long time to come.


Chestfield news

The M&S Chris Farrell on Sunday produced some great scores with Alex Young shooting a gross 70 for 39 points (nearly down to two, Alex!). That wasn't good enough though as the overall winner was Brian Mankelow with a superb 41 points so well done to Brian. Derek Broadbent also made it in to the winner's circle, silencing his many sons, by winning the Captain's Charity 5 club.

Incredibly there's been another hole-in-one! John Faulkner had the latest one in the Midweek Stableford last week so big congratulations to John. Bear in mind the odds I mentioned a few weeks ago, this really is getting silly now. I have never seen so many in a short space of time and it surely defies the odds?! Of course, this can all turn around and we probably won't see another for the next year - or will we?


Shop news

Many of you will already know we have a mid-summer shirt amnesty going on which saves you £10 on a shirt in the shop. This is a trade-in promotion so you just need to bring in an old shirt to secure your discount. Just to make this even better, we have just had new stock arrive so there really is a great choice for you to choose from. 

We are also still selling lithium batteries - which I offer my members a discount on - in large numbers. As I told you before we have now stopped selling lead acid batteries as the advantages of lithium so outweighed the old style battery. If you are still unsure please just come in and see us - you can even use one to see the benefits before you buy.


Pro's news

As I write this the ladies are teeing off in the WPGA event here at Chestfield. It really is great to have them here but it is also great to see so many members coming to help and to support them. Equally there is another event on at the moment at St Andrews in Scotland which is currently under a foot of water! Should have been at Royal St Georges!! It will be very interesting to see if the weather has a major affect on the result in Scotland. Can Spieth still come through to win again? Good luck to all those who have had a small flutter.

The Open is bound to inspire you to get out and play a bit this weekend, so with this in mind here's a little tip to help you in blustery conditions, a bit like the guys at St Andrews will be facing. When playing into the wind, resist the urge to take the skin off the ball. There's a difference between attacking the ball with confidence and swinging too hard, which will create more backspin. At best, with a good connection, you'll send the ball higher. Into the wind you're not going to get the result you're after. More often than not however, with amateur golfers, the ball won't get airborne or destructive hooks and slices will come into play. 

Instead, take an extra club or two and swing at 75%, with the ball an inch farther back in your stance. The ball will have a lower flight, but with the control you need. You'll be a better player with this shot in your locker. Give it a go and see how you get on. For swing advice and lessons, don't hesitate to click here and get in touch. Enjoy the action.


Shop specials