Hi everyone,
Well this isn't exactly the email I was expecting to write this week but as you all know, there have been some seismic happenings in the last few weeks both at Chestfield, and also with Nike, and this is my chance to speak to you all.
It's time to move on...
It is, genuinely, with a heavy heart that I have to let you all know that I have decided to move on from Chestfield. As you have already heard from the club, this is not something that can be done just like that so I will be involved from afar in the running of the shop along with my right-hand woman, Stevie. Both she and Simon will continue as normal as will the stock in the shop so I don't want anyone to think everything is going to come crashing down in minutes - nothing could be further from the truth.
I would briefly like to let you all know that this is not, contrary to what you may heard, a sudden development and more importantly it is entirely my decision. This is something that I have felt for several months and I have had conversations with a number of people close to me with regards to how I was feeling. Although recent events may have sped up the process, it was one that had already started. It is, as they say, funny how things work out and in a strange way this may have been what was required.
However, I would like you all to know that while my commitment to my job may have become more difficult recently, my commitment to Chestfield GC most certainly had not. Before I arrived at Chestfield it was, as far as I was concerned, already the best club in the area for atmosphere and welcome in and around the clubhouse. That has not changed. I have never felt more welcome at a club and believe me, I have a few examples of the opposite to refer to. I have enjoyed my seven years at the club immensely and I hope in future I will be able to come back occasionally and enjoy a similar welcome at a club that I now consider home. I would like to thank you all for the support that you have given me over the years and I hope you will continue to support Stevie, Simon and myself over the coming months.
At this point I would like to thank Paul Robertson who, on his week off, had to deal with a number of difficult situations. He did so with an unsurprising quality and I must thank him for his professionalism in a complicated situation. You have the perfect captain in Paul, and vice-captain in Pete Thomason, to move the club forward in the right way and I certainly hope you will be behind everyone concerned.
As many of you know, I love to play our great game and I must say that I already miss playing on a Sunday in captain/pro matches and with you all in competitions. As with all things that end, there will always be things you miss and that is certainly the case here, but I have no doubt my future lies elsewhere.
What the future holds...
So, although you won't be seeing me you will see that everything continues as normal for the foreseeable future. There is new stock arriving as we speak and Stevie is ready to help you with all your orders and other concerns as usual. As many of you know, in my absence she has been working all hours to look after things and I must thank her especially. She is a little diamond and I know she appreciates all the help people have offered. I must also thank Simon who has also stepped in and my son Howard who I bullied into helping in the last few days of freedom before he started his new full-time job.
If you would still like to contact me you can by emailing me at mail@specialistgolf.com. My website is something that will be part of my moving forward and there are other plans already coming together so I sincerely hope many of you will stay in contact.
Nike Golf changes direction...
As if by magic, Nike Golf then dropped their own bombshell and announced they are to stop selling golf equipment. This comes after years of struggle trying to convince you, the golfing public, that they were an equipment brand to reckon with. As you all know, I have dealt with them as an Ambassador to begin with and latterly as a Swoosh Staff Advisor, and it has been a challenge with equipment since the very beginning. I have always contested that their marketing strategy was wrong for golf and I am still of this opinion. Golfers are sheep - generally we like to be part of the flock so we are not impressed if only four or five tour players are using something. Make it 50 and now we believe it must be good and we all want it! Nike never got this and now we see the inevitable result.
This is something I could talk about for ages - maybe another email. As it is, it will be very interesting to see what happens with players like Rory McIlroy - will he continue wearing Nike shoes and clothing? More coming soon.
Many thanks to you all again - I hope to see many of you soon but in the meantime have a great week.