Last Saturday was the official opening of The West Hill Practice Range. We now have the best facility of any club in Surrey with 6 covered bays, a high tech Swing Studio for coaching, club fitting and club gapping with use of video and Flightscope radar ball tracking technology, a fantastic grass tee for playing from and the use of brand new Titleist NXT tour practice balls.
Every member is entitled to a free bucket of balls to test it out so pop into the pro shop and collect them next time you are at the club - we are issuing the balls until the electricity is connected in mid-July when you will then be able to use the ball dispenser on the range.
The Captain hit the first shot and thanked the board, the practice ground sub committee of David Hargreaves, Rob Pike, Mike Tiplady, Daryl Ware and Nick Taylor, and Ben Edwards and his green staff for all their hard work in bringing this fantastic project together. Come and try out our awesome new facility this weekend.
Well done to Ben Fraser who won the nearest the pin competition hitting to within 1 foot of the hole to win a custom fit wedge. Well done also to James Elliott who won the wedge competition to also win a custom fit wedge hitting 10 out of 12 greens and to Max O'Hagan who hit 11 out of 12 greens to win the junior competition.
West Hill Pro/Am Friday 26 June- This week is the last chance for members to support the Pro/Am by entering a team. After this we open entries to visiting teams. We currently have 17 members' teams out of a possible 50 so it would be great to see more of you taking part in the day. Click here if you are interested.
Alistair Hancock came for a fitting in the new Swing Studio and discovered with the use of Flightscope that he hit the Mizuno JPX EZ irons 10 to 15 yards further than his old irons. He then went out on Friday and playing with them for the first time, he won Division 2 of the weekday medal - well done Alistair! If you would like to lift your game click here for a fitting in The Swing Studio.
Last week I enjoyed the trip of a lifetime, flying to Philadelphia, to play Merion where Justin Rose won the 2013 U.S. Open, Pine Valley which is ranked No 1 golf course in the world and Makefield Highlands where I played the prequalifying event for the 2015 U.S. Open.
Merion is also where Hogan hit the famous 1 iron onto the green on the final hole of the 1950 US Open, just months after his near fatal car crash, to get into a playoff which he subsequently won.
I travelled with West Hill member, David Begg, who also caddied for me at the qualifying. Here we are pictured at Pine Valley with David's good friend, Tim O'Toole, who invited us to Merion, and Jeff Hall, a friend of Tim's who invited us to Pine Valley.
Pine Valley has the feel of Sunningdale but with beautiful natural waste bunkers instead of heather.
Unfortunately my short game let me down at the qualifying and I need to practice out of very thick, juicy grass onto firm, lightning fast greens!!
Well done to Brian Raven and David Alvis who won the Dinner Trophy on Saturday with 25 points. Brian made a super speech in which he thanked members for making him feel so welcome since he joined the club 3 years ago and also commented an what a fantastic membership we have at the club. Second were Julien Payne and Mark Turner with 34 pts with Stuart Kerr and Stuart Mackie third on countback.
Brian Ravens' son Jamie is a talented magician, illusionist and mind reader. He got through the Britain's Got Talent Auditions in the second show and this Saturday he hopes to progress to the semi-finals which are next Wednesday. If he does don't forget to VOTE JAMIE next Wednesday. The Radio Times have tipped him as the favourite to win the whole show in their article this week!
Well done to John Turner who won the weekday medal on Friday with net 70. Second was Ben Fraser with net 72, with Neil Blick third on countback. As reported in custom fitting news Alistair Hancock won Div 2 with Merfyn Roberts second and Peter Tiner third.
Here is a report from Brian Terry: "The May Captain's Roll-up saw some new names on the leaderboard plus a few old ones. John Slater managed to secure first place on 35 points after a countback over the last nine holes. He just pipped Riccardo Nardelli, also on 35 points, with Neil Blick third on 34 points.
The June competition is not on the last Wednesday in the month but it will be on 17th Juneas the Ladies' Captain's Day is on 24th June."
Congratulations to Laura Murphy who won the Ladies Spring meeting last week with a net 70. Second on countback was Lynne Daniel with Anne Trew third with net 74. Well done to Heather Thwaites who won the Stableford on Sunday with 38 points. Second was Vicki Hames with 36 pts and third Kathryn McKimmie with 33 pts.
Sunday 24 May - Ferney Cup Medal and PGA National Pro/Am Qualifier
Monday 25 May - Bank Holiday and Whitsun Cup Stableford
Friday 29 May - Men's Spring Invitation
Sunday 31 May - Tommy Martin Qualifier (Foursomes Stableford)
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