It’s been some time since I put virtual pen to paper but as we’re coming out of another lockdown I thought it was time. As you will no doubt have seen from the club’s email there are a few restrictions being put in place but thank goodness we are all able to get out and play golf again.

To be fair the only real restrictions are on visitors and guests and for the first hour of the day, otherwise things are pretty normal. As far as others joining your group, ensuring that as many people can get a game as possible, it might actually mean we meet a few more people at the club – hardly a bad thing.

I just wanted to reiterate my other email that’s going out this week about the shop re-opening and to add a few other points:

There can be little doubt that this year has been very damaging to small businesses. No matter your personal feelings about Covid 19 and the goings on this year I hope that we are all in the same boat where supporting smaller businesses is concerned. I don’t know about you but when I feel myself being pushed one way I tend to push back and this all feels a little like that. Big business can easily ride this out – the small business can’t. They usually try (for those who remember previous economic problems) but eventually things catch up.

So what am I rattling on about? In all honesty I am in a pretty good position but if local professionals are not supported, and you all wander off to American Golf for everything, then the story might be very different one day. Some clubs will end up without professionals, which this club tried, unsuccessfully, a few years ago, which will only be damaging to the image of the club and the game at large.

With Christmas just around the corner, please just remember that you have a shop at your course, where you can literally get just about everything, and almost certainly at a better price than you’ll get elsewhere (particularly next door!). I am very happy to be checked out on that – come and try me! I’ll probably have to order it in but that means I can also be very competitive. Please also let others in your family know that they can get vouchers here – they will almost certainly head for the big stores if you don’t.

I really look forward to seeing you all next week, I’ll be here most days. Of course the above also goes for lessons as well, which are all good to go ahead at the moment, let’s see what Boris decides to do next!

Have a great weekend ahead - get those clubs out and give them a clean and I’ll see you next week.

All the best,

David.