Tuesday, 15 May 2012 11:03
Being reasonable
JUST THIS week I was amazed again by the actions of one of the society secretary friends I have made in our part of Spain. I have long supported society golf and see it, like many golf club owners, as the lifeblood of golf in our area.
During a visit to a golf course in the northern part of The Costa Blanca I was having a coffee and a chat when I was told by someone that he had cancelled a number of bookings with a golf club because he thought there was too much course maintenance going on during his golf society’s weekly meeting. There was, in my understanding, the use of chain saws and tractors and mowers as the golfers were playing their golf. Should they be surprised at this? Just when are staff to perform essential maintenance if not during daylight hours?
The golfers, I have no doubt, were in all likelihood disturbed at some time during their rounds of golf but I am sure that the staff were respectful during their work. The manager is a golfer himself and will have told his staff to stop heavy and noisy machinery when golfers were nearby. I am as aware as anyone that excessive noise is not something golfers are used to but surely that on one occasion is not enough to cancel bookings made for the remainder of this year? The really disappointing thing was that the whole truth was not told to the golf club manager until I told him in a later conversation about bookings I was making for a group from abroad.
Course maintenance is a necessary evil and something we all have to put up with at times. We British expatriates in particular are quick to criticise clubs when they do not reach the standards we look for so why penalise a club for doing it on a day when your golf society was there? They did not choose the day for this work just because they knew that society were due; it was scheduled long before as at all golf clubs.
Sadly this highlights how little some of our golf societies are willing to work with golf clubs and even to talk to them and express disappointment. In the present market there is no way the golf club would allow six months of bookings to walk away unless they are really stupid so a solution was there to be discussed. All that has happened is a load more work to get new bookings, a sour taste left in the mouth and a soured relationship with a golf club.
WIN A ROUND OF GOLF FOR 2 INCLUDING BUGGY AT THE BEAUTIFUL EL PLANTIO RESORT IN ALICANTE
Answer the question below correctly to have a chance to win. The winner of this fantastic prize will be picked at random at the end of each month. Send your entries by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The decision of the editor of RTN will be final in making the winning selection.
QUESTION FOR 18TH MAY 2012
Where is the venue for the annual Players Championship on The US PGA Tour?
A. California
B. Florida
C. Arizona
All answers must be received no later than 5pm on 31st May 2012 to be entered into May’s draw, which will be made on 1st June. The winner will be announced in RTN on 8th June 2012.
The Professional Scene
THE PLAYERS Championship is what the Americans like to call ‘The Fifth Major’: it is not quite that big an event but it is the richest prize on offer on The US PGA Tour. Last week’s event saw new World No.1 Rory McIllroy unsurprisingly have a weekend off after competing poorly over a golf course he really seems to struggle on. Not the same though for Matt Kuchar. He is fast becoming one of the very best America has to offer and he deservedly picked up the winner’s cheque of US$1.17m and rises to a career high number five in The Official World Golf Rankings.
The highlight of the golfing season outside of the four major championships is now right on our doorstop. The PGA Championship at Wentworth is the highlight of The European Tour season and a redesigned West Course will once again test the very best of European golf. With a prize fund topping €4.5m there is good reason to compete in this event.
Defending champion Luke Donald can move back to number one with a good finish and having won on this course it would be no surprise to see successful defence. Lee Westwood loves Wentworth so the battle for the top prize will see all of the top three in the rankings competing for the most sought after regular tour event by practically all the tour players.
With The West Course now measuring over 7,200 yards the winner will not only have to be long but straight as well, particularly when it comes to the recently much criticised 18th hole which has been changed again this year after several players complained last year that it was too difficult to hit in two shots. Extensive TV coverage will mean viewers should be able to watch some top class golf on one of Europe’s top courses.
GOLFING TIP OF THE WEEK
Clean golf clubs will certainly help you make better contact with the ball. Try to clean your clubs after every shot by using a damp cloth.
NOEL EASTWELL GOLF ACADEMY AT EL PLANTIO
Quality coaching at reduced rates for RTN Golf Club members, contact Noel on 639 730 891.
During a visit to a golf course in the northern part of The Costa Blanca I was having a coffee and a chat when I was told by someone that he had cancelled a number of bookings with a golf club because he thought there was too much course maintenance going on during his golf society’s weekly meeting. There was, in my understanding, the use of chain saws and tractors and mowers as the golfers were playing their golf. Should they be surprised at this? Just when are staff to perform essential maintenance if not during daylight hours?
The golfers, I have no doubt, were in all likelihood disturbed at some time during their rounds of golf but I am sure that the staff were respectful during their work. The manager is a golfer himself and will have told his staff to stop heavy and noisy machinery when golfers were nearby. I am as aware as anyone that excessive noise is not something golfers are used to but surely that on one occasion is not enough to cancel bookings made for the remainder of this year? The really disappointing thing was that the whole truth was not told to the golf club manager until I told him in a later conversation about bookings I was making for a group from abroad.
Course maintenance is a necessary evil and something we all have to put up with at times. We British expatriates in particular are quick to criticise clubs when they do not reach the standards we look for so why penalise a club for doing it on a day when your golf society was there? They did not choose the day for this work just because they knew that society were due; it was scheduled long before as at all golf clubs.
Sadly this highlights how little some of our golf societies are willing to work with golf clubs and even to talk to them and express disappointment. In the present market there is no way the golf club would allow six months of bookings to walk away unless they are really stupid so a solution was there to be discussed. All that has happened is a load more work to get new bookings, a sour taste left in the mouth and a soured relationship with a golf club.
WIN A ROUND OF GOLF FOR 2 INCLUDING BUGGY AT THE BEAUTIFUL EL PLANTIO RESORT IN ALICANTE
Answer the question below correctly to have a chance to win. The winner of this fantastic prize will be picked at random at the end of each month. Send your entries by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The decision of the editor of RTN will be final in making the winning selection.
QUESTION FOR 18TH MAY 2012
Where is the venue for the annual Players Championship on The US PGA Tour?
A. California
B. Florida
C. Arizona
All answers must be received no later than 5pm on 31st May 2012 to be entered into May’s draw, which will be made on 1st June. The winner will be announced in RTN on 8th June 2012.
The Professional Scene
THE PLAYERS Championship is what the Americans like to call ‘The Fifth Major’: it is not quite that big an event but it is the richest prize on offer on The US PGA Tour. Last week’s event saw new World No.1 Rory McIllroy unsurprisingly have a weekend off after competing poorly over a golf course he really seems to struggle on. Not the same though for Matt Kuchar. He is fast becoming one of the very best America has to offer and he deservedly picked up the winner’s cheque of US$1.17m and rises to a career high number five in The Official World Golf Rankings.
The highlight of the golfing season outside of the four major championships is now right on our doorstop. The PGA Championship at Wentworth is the highlight of The European Tour season and a redesigned West Course will once again test the very best of European golf. With a prize fund topping €4.5m there is good reason to compete in this event.
Defending champion Luke Donald can move back to number one with a good finish and having won on this course it would be no surprise to see successful defence. Lee Westwood loves Wentworth so the battle for the top prize will see all of the top three in the rankings competing for the most sought after regular tour event by practically all the tour players.
With The West Course now measuring over 7,200 yards the winner will not only have to be long but straight as well, particularly when it comes to the recently much criticised 18th hole which has been changed again this year after several players complained last year that it was too difficult to hit in two shots. Extensive TV coverage will mean viewers should be able to watch some top class golf on one of Europe’s top courses.
GOLFING TIP OF THE WEEK
Clean golf clubs will certainly help you make better contact with the ball. Try to clean your clubs after every shot by using a damp cloth.
NOEL EASTWELL GOLF ACADEMY AT EL PLANTIO
Quality coaching at reduced rates for RTN Golf Club members, contact Noel on 639 730 891.
Published in
Golf
